Chapter Twenty-Eight: Someone Will Debate the Scriptures for You

As for the final rating, it was indeed reasonable.

The standard for an "Advanced Entry-Level" practitioner is four strikes per second, with each strike exerting a force exceeding fifteen hundred jin. Of course, this is only part of the criteria; there are others, such as reaction speed, running velocity, and most importantly, the cultivation of one’s "True Form."

Li Qi’s current statistics could only be described as "cheating"—and a cheat that never switches off. With a permanent 48% boost to his neural reflex speed, anything boosted by a percentage is bound to be formidable. This is the power of concentration; with roots of the same quality, power is entirely different when scattered versus when converged. However, the roots of a normal person are inevitably dispersed in effect; it is impossible for them to be this pure and refined.

That was why Li Changqing felt a sense of regret. Such roots, born for battle, would lose none of their efficacy even at higher realms.

"Tiger Form achieving spiritual resonance—not bad, not bad at all. Li Qi, looking at you, I suspect you will reach the Entry-Level within these next few days. Four or five days after you cross that threshold, once your life form has stabilized, using a Great Medicine to cleanse your body will yield the best results. Everything is falling into place perfectly!" Li Changqing said, nodding with a leisurely smile.

As for the fact that the competition had not yet begun and the top spot was not yet officially confirmed, these were mere trifles. He was not blind, and besides, even if Li Qi needed the medicine right now, no one would dare voice an objection if he were to decree it on the spot. He had set the rules himself, so he could interpret them as he pleased. The possibility of his judgment being swayed by his subordinates simply did not exist. There is a distinct difference between those who conquer the world and those who merely maintain it.

Li Changqing spoke with calm indifference, yet his words struck the minds of those present like a thunderclap. This level of explosive power, and you say he hasn't even reached the Entry-Level yet?! Many people had a mental flood of question marks, wondering if they were still dreaming. To have mastered the Tiger Form—and achieved spiritual resonance at that—with explosive power surpassing the lower limit of an Advanced Entry-Level practitioner without actually being an Entry-Level practitioner? If he were to truly cross that gate, wouldn't he be unstoppable?

"Your roots are pure, but your foundation is thin; your future cultivation will surely be arduous. However, in this world, nothing is absolute. If you encounter a stroke of fate and a master with a discerning eye decides to reshape your innate potential, then the world will truly open up for you..."

Li Changqing continued, though he knew deep down that such things belonged to the realm of fantasy. In this world, there are three great miracles: Reshaping the Innate, Reversing the Cycle of Sixty Years, and Reforming the Cycle of Reincarnation.

Reshaping the Innate involves altering one’s fundamental marrow, transforming a mortal shell into an Innate Dao Body, and awakening one's spiritual wisdom, allowing cultivation to progress a thousand miles in a single day. Reversing the Cycle of Sixty Years allows an elderly person to return to their youth, adding sixty years to their lifespan. Reforming the Cycle of Reincarnation is the most mysterious; some say it is returning to childhood, others say it is reincarnation, but these are mere legends with no proof.

Among these three, the first two occur once or twice every century, but the third is nowhere to be found. Even a Saint cannot achieve such things; only those who practice the Divine Path and have transcended the realm of Saints, possessing immense power, might have a glimmer of possibility after paying a staggering price. Even just Reshaping the Innate requires the loss of ten years of the practitioner's own life. When it comes to one's own lifespan, even the closest blood relatives would hardly be willing to sacrifice themselves.

"Old Master, the future is unpredictable. Fate is fickle; it is better to grasp the present," Li Qi replied, choosing not to dwell on what might come. Since he was already "cheating," he couldn't predict just how strong he would become. But one thing was certain: as long as no accidents occurred, invincibility was his baseline. The "Panel Proficiency" feature alone granted him the potential for greatness, and with his Six Roots, Five Fortunes, and projections, he was fundamentally only wearing the mask of a human.

Yet, this world held too many accidents. Compared to a bright future, simply surviving was the most critical thing. That was why Li Qi chose immediate combat power. There is no such thing as absolute safety; even if one hides to the extreme, they could still be crushed by a falling meteorite. But if one is strong enough, even if a meteorite strikes, there is a greater chance of dodging it. Furthermore, one needs to eat to cultivate. If one is strong enough, resources will naturally flow toward them—the strong only grow stronger.

Only what one can grasp in the present truly counts and can be controlled. As for the future or potential, those are things beyond one's current command. He had originally planned to showcase his abilities during the military trials in two days, but since things were brought forward, it didn't really matter.

"True enough. Often, people's troubles stem from thinking too much," Li Changqing said, shaking his head as if recalling distant years. Back then, many people would describe their great future plans to him, only to meet an untimely death shortly after. Of course, this era was not the chaotic time of the past, but many things remained just as uncertain.

Li Qi did not bother testing other items. He had a general idea of his various qualities; there might be slight discrepancies, but nothing significant, so there was no need to waste the effort. Afterward, the group returned outdoors, and Li Changqing continued to explain blade techniques, occasionally demonstrating a strike or two and breaking down the key details of the first thirteen forms.

Li Qi watched and sensed silently. In his memory, he actually possessed similar content, but it was only text—lacking spirit and essence. Before, when his realm was low and his sensory abilities were poor, he could only see the surface. Now, observing with a refined mind, what he saw and gained was entirely different. Such nuances could never be captured by watching instructional videos, no matter how obsessively. Only if technology advanced to the point of being able to store and transmit the very "spirit" of a technique would such an effect be possible.

As the morning passed, Li Qi felt he had gained a great deal. If he continued to practice, he would surely earn more proficiency. By the time lunch arrived, the morning's events had already spread throughout the family circles in the village. After all, within a family, news travels fast; even if only one person saw it, it would be common knowledge within a couple of hours.

The family group chats were flooded with video clips of the morning's machine tests, along with keywords like "Tiger Form," "Giving Wings to a Tiger," and "Freak of Nature." In just a morning, Li Qi’s reputation and the impression people held of him had shifted to the level of Li Tianxing, being hailed as the "Future of the Li Family," a complete polar opposite to his previous obscurity.

However, such is the nature of humanity: if you are weak, no matter how much you struggle, you are merely a clown in the eyes of many. But if you are formidable, as long as you reveal even a sliver of it, people will naturally rush to sing your praises.