Chapter 26: Lynch's Marksmanship

The examiner stood nearly 1.9 meters tall, with a medium yet robust build, his well-defined muscles straining against his combat suit.

He moved with great speed, his steps steady and powerful. In an instant, he closed the distance to Lin Qi, swinging his long spear to initiate the attack.

The spear thrust forward like lightning, piercing through the air with formidable penetrating power. The tip of the weapon glinted with a cold light as it arrived in a heartbeat.

Lin Qi raised an eyebrow, recognizing the technique at a glance: it was the third form of the "Mountain-Crushing Spear Technique"—Crushing Thrust!

"Could it be that it detected my use of spear arts when I performed the Mountain-Crushing Spear Technique earlier?"

"And that is why the opponent generated for the test also uses spear arts?"

Lin Qi mused to himself, feeling that his guess was likely on the mark.

"Just in time. I also want to put my own Mountain-Crushing Spear Technique to the test."

As the distance closed, Lin Qi’s own spear shot out in a sudden, violent thrust.

He pushed off the ground with explosive force, his body lunging forward. The muscles in his arms bulged, veins standing out as power surged through him. He gripped the spear tightly, unleashing his strength in one fluid motion. The spear flew like a dragon.

Crushing Thrust!

He executed the same move, his momentum fierce and head-on, determined to meet force with force.

*Whoosh!*

The air whistled as the two spears collided.

*Clang!*

The sound of metal striking metal rang out, sparks flying as the weapons clashed. The impact vibrated through the spears and into their arms—a sensation of startling realism.

Lin Qi remained expressionless. Shifting his footing, he utilized the recoil, flipped his wrists, and continued his assault. The spear technique transformed, moving in a series of rapid, nimble thrusts, light as if plucking clouds from the sky.

Cloud-Plucking!

His mind raced, the twelve forms of the spear technique surfacing as he calculated different defensive and offensive scenarios.

*Clang, clang, clang!*

The examiner mirrored the technique, their spears clashing in the air like flashes of lightning. Each collision showered the arena with sparks.

Spear shadows flickered everywhere, and Lin Qi’s eyes grew increasingly excited. His movements became faster and more fluid.

Fast, fast, fast!

Exhilarating!

He was savoring the collision of the spears, the transfer of force, and the intricate contest of techniques. Free from psychological burdens, he simply needed to display the spear arts he had mastered—a feeling he found immensely satisfying. His body and mind felt liberated, with power coursing through every fiber of his being.

Before long, Lin Qi noticed the examiner’s movements beginning to stiffen.

*Clang!*

Lin Qi swung his spear, and they collided once more.

"Time to end this!"

In that instant, Lin Qi’s eyes brightened. He erupted with power, force rippling from his spine as his body coiled like a taut spring. His spear struck out like a vicious bolt of lightning, piercing the air.

Swift Advance!

The examiner failed to react in time, reflexively thrusting his own spear forward in a passive defense. He could only watch helplessly as Lin Qi’s weapon drove into his chest like a ferocious beast.

*Puff!*

The spear pierced through, blood spraying onto Lin Qi’s face.

[You have performed spear arts in combat for the first time. Mountain-Crushing Spear Technique proficiency increased. Spear Arts +1%]

[You have utilized footwork in real combat for the first time. Footwork +2%]

[Spear Arts: Tier 1 77% → 78%]

[Footwork: Tier 1 68% → 70%]

...

Lin Qi withdrew his spear, silently absorbing the sensation of the battle, his mind highly focused and his muscles still tense. It was completely different from his usual training; this was a near-real combat experience. This first taste of actual battle had granted his spear skills a noticeable boost.

[Combat ended. Congratulations to "Yang Jian" for the victory!]

[Current test progress: (1/3)]

An electronic voice echoed through the sky.

"Only 1/3 progress? That means I need to win two more matches to pass the AI test," Lin Qi realized as he looked at the screen, immediately understanding the rules.

"Continue challenge!"

He did not hesitate.

*Beep!*

A moment later, an examiner dressed in a white combat suit appeared. The moment the fight began, he rushed forward like a whirlwind. He was faster than the last, his spear movements swift and sharp.

"It’s the 'Dripping Water Spear Technique'!"

Lin Qi recognized the style. He stepped forward, swinging his large black spear with majestic momentum, initiating the second battle. Compared to the first, his movements were now more practiced and fluid.

...

Twenty minutes later.

*Clang, clang!*

On the wide arena floor, two figures—one black, one white—wielded their spears in intense combat. Silver light and black iron clashed, throwing off a flurry of sparks.

Lin Qi swung his black spear with abandon, executing the Mountain-Crushing Spear Technique. One move led into the next without a hitch, perfectly smooth. The style was majestic, fierce, and domineering—the very essence of the Mountain-Crushing style.

The opponent tried to form a defensive circle with his spear to block the onslaught.

"Even the 'Solid Rock Spear Technique' cannot stop my attack. Die!"

Lin Qi exploded with power. The spear hummed, his blood surging through his body like a rushing river. His muscles expanded, his core engaged, and he poured every ounce of strength into his arms, gripping the spear with iron-like force as he thrust.

Crushing Thrust!

The powerful strike shot out like lightning, shattering the defensive circle and instantly piercing the examiner's throat.

*Puff!*

A one-hit kill! The examiner’s figure dissolved into nothingness.

[Through intense combat with your opponent, your Mountain-Crushing Spear Technique proficiency has increased. Spear Arts +2%]

[Spear Arts: Tier 1 78% → 80%]

[Examiner eliminated. Congratulations to you, "Yang Jian," for the victory.]

[Current test progress: (3/3)]

[Congratulations, you have passed the AI test!]

The empty arena echoed with the electronic female voice. Lin Qi exhaled, his eyes glowing with energy, showing no signs of fatigue.

"Refreshing!"

Lin Qi felt invigorated, having unleashed all the spear techniques he had learned thus far. During the combat, facing the unfamiliar "Dripping Water" and "Solid Rock" techniques allowed him to witness different applications of the art. It deepened his understanding and proficiency, and the fact that he never felt tired during the simulation made it strangely addictive.

["Yang Jian," matchmaking mode is now enabled!]

[Start matchmaking? Yes/No]

Looking at the data on the panel, Lin Qi fell into deep thought.

"I’ve experienced the AI opponents. While they can act independently and launch attacks, they are too rigid and cannot use techniques with true flexibility."

"Anyone with a decent foundation in spear arts could defeat three of them."

"But facing real human opponents is a completely different story."

"Those who can enter the Red Realm Arena now are no ordinary people."

"Regardless of victory or defeat, the improvement for me will be immense."

Lin Qi clicked "Yes!"

[Matchmaking initiated. Both combatants have a Qi-Blood value of 6.0.]

[Mask your true identity? Yes/No]

Lin Qi raised an eyebrow, surprised. He could hide his face?

The panel switched, revealing several masks of various shapes and colors—some cool, some eerie, some beautiful.

With that, he didn't hesitate and chose a cool, black mask. Dressed in black, he looked cold and severe, and with the mask on, he felt as if he were staring into an abyss.

Three minutes later, Lin Qi opened his eyes. A figure appeared out of thin air opposite him.

It was a tall young man in a red combat suit, wielding a long sword. He had ordinary features, a few pimples, and a head of thick, curly hair.

Above the opponent’s head, a nickname appeared: [My Great Sword] (Elite).

"Yang Jian?"

"A greenhorn rookie?"

The curly-haired man spoke, eyeing Lin Qi with a disdainful smile.

"I love bullying rookies. Hey buddy, let my great sword give you a proper lesson."

Hidden behind his mask, Lin Qi remained silent, lifting his black spear. He glanced at his own panel and noticed a slight change.

Nickname: [Yang Jian] (Rookie)

There was now a "Rookie" tag next to his name, with a small note below:

[Rookie]: A competitor who has passed the AI test and played fewer than 10 matches.

[Elite]: A competitor who has won more than 10 matches in the arena.

So that was it. Lin Qi understood instantly.

"Looks like I’m lucky. My first match is against a decent opponent."

"An 'Elite' who has won at least ten matches. Compared to a newcomer like me, his strength must be considerable. This might be the toughest challenge I’ve faced yet."

[Match about to begin!]

[3, 2, 1...]

[Arena match start!]

As time ran out, the intelligent voice announced the start of the battle!