Realm-Hopping Martial Master

After all, as a Hua Jing Master, he knew better than anyone how many years these Realm experts had been training in martial arts.

*No matter how much of a genius Jiang Shu was, no matter how much talent he had, if he wanted to catch up with those with decades of experience, he'd still need another year or two.*

But now, he realized he had been wrong.

Geniuses, they couldn't be measured by regular standards!

Standing atop the splashing water.

A blade strike like thunder!

*Jiang Shu was actually this strong?*

*How could he only be ranked twenty-third on the Grandmaster List?*

If the second or third-ranked showed up,

even they wouldn't be this strong!

Just this one slash,

any of the three of them, if they blocked it, they died!

*There was no point in running anymore!*

The three of them immediately slaughtered a nearby Third Rank Mutant Beast, scrambling to devour its fresh raw flesh to recuperate themselves.

*Grandmasters in Xia Country were extremely rare.*

*Genius Grandmasters? Rarer than rare!*

*If Jiang Shu died in the hands of this giant serpent, the three of them would regret it for the rest of their lives!*

Even though Jiang Shu's slash had shown them his might,

even though he seemed to have a chance at slaying this giant serpent with his blade,

none of the three would leave—they felt safer by his side.

No matter what, they, too, were Hua Jing Masters.

When the critical moment came, they could at least lend a hand!

Summer Thunder!

Autumn Wind!

Winter Snow!

On the water's surface, inside Jiang Shu's body, the Four Symbols Internal Energy surged madly!

The explosive roar of Summer Thunder!

The killing intent of Autumn Wind!

The sharp edge of Winter Snow!

He unleashed the Four Seasons Blade Technique at the Small Achievement Level with ferocious speed!

No one knew how many pieces of Scale Armor flew off the giant serpent's body!

Blood seeped out, ran down the serpent's body alongside the scattered scales.

A roar of rage shot straight at Jiang Shu's Heavenly Spirit Cover!

The stench of its breath mixed with rainwater, blasting toward Jiang Shu.

Hurricane Three Changes!

Three afterimages flickered in midair.

Jiang Shu used his movement technique again and again to dodge the giant serpent's strikes!

The war blade in his hand clashed with the beast, each collision leaving a fresh notch!

On the darkened sea, the scarlet serpent blood stood out, unmistakably bright!

"So strong, too strong!"

"Is this really a Hua Jing Master? Even a Hua Jing Master who has tempered all their organs could never be this powerful. This movement technique that produces three afterimages, this ability to call seawater into columns and stand atop them, these aren't techniques a Hua Jing Master possesses!"

"A young Grandmaster, with martial arts talent and combat talent that seemed god-given, unmatched and inexplicable. We used to think the Grandmaster List of the Martial Artist Alliance praised him enough, but now, it looked like even that underrated his abilities!"

"Truly a heaven-sent genius! With this kind of martial arts, I almost suspect he created it himself!"

"Created his own..."

*The three of them were stunned.*

Having battled this giant serpent before, they understood better than any Hua Jing Master how terrifying this soon-to-transform serpent was!

Yet, even such a monstrous serpent,

under Jiang Shu's blade—strike after strike—

could only roar in agony.

*Jiang Shu's strength had surpassed everything they understood.*

*Man and serpent, locked in battle, shook the entire sea region.*

Some Third Rank Mutant Beasts began to flee in every direction.

One Internal Strength Elixir after another went down Jiang Shu's throat as if they cost nothing.

Since he became a Middle Grade Alchemist, Internal Strength Elixirs, he could have as many as he wanted!

Roar!

A torrential downpour fell.

The giant serpent actually began trying to escape!

But Jiang Shu had no intention of letting such an opportunity slip by.

He stomped hard on the sea, racing after the fleeing serpent.

Though he didn't unleash his movement technique,

the mystique of Xuanwu True Force still allowed him to use the seawater to boost his speed!

Jiang Shu moved faster and faster.

Behind him, Wang Jing and the other two followed close on his heels.

In just fifteen minutes, they chased their prey back into the Inner Circle.

When they reached the serpent's lair, they saw it clenching an unknown Heaven and Earth Treasure Medicine in its jaws, swallowing it in one gulp!

With a furious roar,

thunder rumbled in the depths of the clouds.

The vast, hulking body was bathed in rain and lightning—its flesh visibly healing.

Upon its head, that crimson bump grew larger and larger.

Suddenly, a small fleshy horn burst out, grotesque and menacing.

"It's... transforming into an Evil Flood Dragon! Jiang Shu, run!"

*Wang Jing's pupils looked about ready to burst.*

*He was wracked with regret deep in his heart.*

*He should've held Jiang Shu back during the chase!*

"Attack!"

With a mighty shout, Wang Jing shot forward like a comet.

*Run?*

In the face of a serpent about to become Fourth Rank, where could any of them escape to?

*Sacrifice Jiang Shu instead?*

*Sorry, there's no way he'd do that!*

The other two Grandmasters behind him gritted their teeth and charged in together as well.

Bam!

Bam!

Bam!

Hua Jing Masters were immensely strong, but that depended on the opponent.

The serpent had already been able to drive them into retreat earlier,

now, even worse.

With a single twist of its body, several water columns erupted from the sea,

blasting straight at Wang Jing and the others.

Their forms, not yet recovered in blood and energy, were knocked back by the water columns.

Hua Jing Masters—utterly powerless.

At this moment, Jiang Shu took a deep breath.

He downed a blood-red elixir in one gulp.

*Trump card.*

*You had one.*

*Didn't I?*

Middle Grade Elixir!

Blood Explosion Pill!

For a Martial Artist at the Refining Internal Realm, swallowing it brought a violent surge in blood and energy for fifteen minutes.

*As for side effects?*

*Just a month's worth of spent vitality.*

*But in Xia Country, why the hell did he care!*

His heart pounded violently—energy and blood surged through Jiang Shu's body!

Hurricane Three Changes!

If his previous Hurricane Three Changes were for dodging,

now, they were for attacking!

No retreat, only advance!

The Mutant Beast, now shifting from serpent to Evil Flood Dragon,

never imagined Jiang Shu would be this audacious.

It howled in fury.

And in that moment, Jiang Shu gripped a C-grade grenade and hurled it straight into the Evil Flood Dragon's mouth.

"Boom!"

A massive explosion detonated in its throat.

"You've become an Evil Flood Dragon, a Fourth Rank Mutant Beast.

But you don't instantly have true Fourth Rank might the moment you break through!

Even with your power and defenses increased, they couldn't instantly reach a new league!"

Inside its body,

Four Symbols True Strength burst forth and melded as one.

Jiang Shu, wielding his battle-scarred blade, slashed at the Evil Flood Dragon's horn with all his might.

No words could capture the ferocity of that blow.

In Wang Jing and the others' eyes, this chop seemed nothing but a streak of thunder!

The thunderclap roared, and like a long blade slicing water, it sheared through the horn.

Jiang Shu tumbled atop the Evil Flood Dragon's body.

The four True Forces enveloped his alloy blade, driving it savagely into the beast's skull and neck!

"Crack!"

The Evil Flood Dragon never expected Jiang Shu to be even more savage than before.

It had barely set foot in the Fourth Rank—its flesh hadn't had time to fully evolve!

Its defense was still just as before!

The pain was blinding, searing every inch of its flesh.

It howled a heart-wrenching scream!

It wanted to flee again.

But, it was already too late!

The four True Forces exploded inside its body!

Blood gushed like spring water!

Countless Evil Flood Dragon blood washed over Jiang Shu completely!

Refining Internal Peak!

One slash slayed the Evil Flood Dragon!

It was New Year's Eve.

The night of reunion.

Fireworks dazzled the sky.

Jiang Shu emerged from the Class C Heaven and Earth Secret Realm in East Sea City.

Alone.

Blade in hand, he slew the Fourth Rank Mutant Evil Flood Dragon.

He soared to the top of the Grandmaster List!