novelTele Chapter 66: Dragon Blood Reward
Chapter 66: Dragon Blood Reward
The news that Lin Yun had reached eighth place in the Trial Tower spread around the world in just a few hours.
This wasn't an internal notification from the training camp, but rather a message that was rapidly disseminated worldwide through the intelligence networks of various major powers. Every force concerned with the global martial arts landscape received this report immediately.
Deep within the underground structures of the capital city of Huaxia Kingdom.
A lean man dressed in loose-fitting training clothes sat behind a desk, holding a newly delivered encrypted document. His gaze swept quickly across the document before settling on the last line of numbers.
"Trial Tower Level 4.0, Punching Power Level 4.2, Combat Power Amplitude 16.8, Ranked 8th."
The lean man was silent for a moment, then slowly put down the documents and picked up the phone on the table.
"Pass down the order to raise Lin Yun's security level to S-level. His family will be under 24-hour protection."
"Yes."
North America, HR Alliance Headquarters.
Congressman Clement stood before the screen wall, staring at the intelligence he had just received. His face was terribly grim, and his gray pupils burned with anger and apprehension.
"16 years old, combat power amplitude 16.8... Advanced War General!" His voice was deep and cold.
"Councilor, could it be that he was hiding his true strength?" the assistant beside him said cautiously.
"Hiding your strength?" Clement sneered. "Even if you were hiding your strength, it would be impossible to improve this much in just one month. Unless..."
He didn't continue. Unless that boy had been feigning weakness from the start. And Smith and Jackson, whom he sent to City 003 to retrieve the treasure, were killed by him.
"Continue monitoring." Clement's voice was filled with murderous intent. "He's in the training camp, so I can't touch him. But if he dares to leave the training camp even a step..."
He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was already very clear.
Europe, Africa, South America… the reactions of major powers were all the same—shock, fear, attempts to win them over, and wariness. A sixteen-year-old boy, as a newcomer, breaking into the top ten of the elite training camp—this had never happened in the past twenty years. His future was limitless, and so was the threat he posed.
But at this moment, what truly determines Lin Yun's fate is not the gaze of the outside world, but a heated discussion within the Limitless Martial Arts Academy.
Virtual space.
This is a virtual conference room constructed using technology from an ancient civilization, capable of simultaneously connecting high-ranking members of the Ultimate Martial Arts Academy from all over the world to the same space. At this moment, a dozen people are seated around the conference table, each a powerful individual surpassing the level of a War God—the inspectors of the Ultimate Martial Arts Academy.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Lin Yun's information." A middle-aged man who appeared to be of Chinese descent stood up and projected a document onto the virtual screen in the center of the conference table. "Sixteen years old, Trial Tower level 4.0, punching power level 4.2, combat power amplitude 16.8. This amplitude has already surpassed He Lingruo, who is currently ranked first. If it weren't for the fact that his monster hunting achievements are not as high as those few people, his ranking would have risen several places."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: "Therefore, I suggest that Lin Yun be given the appropriate reward in accordance with the third point of the SS-level genius cultivation contract."
The speaker was Inspector Liu, one of the few inspectors in China, and also the core figure in charge of cultivating geniuses at the Limitless Martial Arts Academy.
"Inspector Liu, I have no objection to your suggestion of including Lin Yun in the key training list," a white man said, his tone clearly reserved. "However, I don't agree with your suggestion of directly granting him the rewards of an SS-level contract. He's only been at the training camp for a little over a month; I think it's too early."
"Isn't that a bit too early?" Inspector Liu raised an eyebrow. "Are we going to wait until he reaches the level of a War God, or even surpasses it, before giving him a 'genius training program'? Leaving aside the question of what the point would be then, he might not even care about your little tricks!"
"Hmph, I have reservations." The white man stopped talking, but his attitude was clear.
"I agree with Inspector Liu's opinion." Another inspector spoke up; she was a Black woman with a steady and powerful voice. "The data doesn't lie. A combat power amplitude of 16.8 is top-tier even among trainees in the five-year training camp. In terms of age, potential, and combat ability, Lin Yun deserves this award."
"I object."
"I agree."
I reserve my opinion.
The debate raged in the meeting room, with opinions at an impasse. Inspector Liu's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and just as he was about to speak again, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Esteemed Inspectors, the Master has made the following decision regarding Lin Yun's matter."
All eyes turned to the source of the sound—a young man in a black uniform, the curator's assistant, who rarely appeared at such high-level meetings. He walked to the conference table and placed a document on it.
"If you have any opinions, you can report them to the curator. If not, please proceed with the plan."
Everyone picked up the documents on the table, their eyes scanning the text. A moment of silence fell over the meeting room, and then everyone fell silent.
The paper read:
"SS-grade combat suit, a complete set of weapons, one unit of dragon blood worth 800 billion, a complete set of any three secret manuals, and one set of the ancient civilization relic 'Black God'. All rewards will be issued immediately."
There was no reason, no explanation, only an order.
Inspector Liu's lips curled into a slight smile. The white man's expression was somewhat unpleasant, but he said nothing more. No one dared to object to the magistrate's decision.
At this moment, Lin Yun was unaware that a huge reward was about to be bestowed upon him.
As soon as he stepped out of the Nine-Story Building, he was pulled away by the enthusiastic crowd to celebrate. Several large tables were set up in the training camp's canteen, piled high with food and drinks. Dozens of trainees sat around them, the atmosphere as lively as a festival.
"Lin Yun, come, come, sit here!" Chu Qiang pulled Lin Yun to sit down next to him, a hearty smile on his face.
Chu Qiang entered the training camp around the same time as Lin Yun, two years older than Lin Yun, and came from a base city in Northeast China. He was outgoing and righteous, and had gotten along well with Lin Yun over the past month. His abilities were also considerable; he had reached around 120th place in the first month, a commendable achievement even under normal circumstances.
"If it weren't for you, I'd probably be the one celebrating today, haha." Chu Qiang raised his glass and said to Lin Yun with a smile.
"Haha, it'll be your turn next time." Lin Yun raised his glass and clinked it with his. He knew that Chu Qiang's strength had improved rapidly, and he had broken into the top fifty in just over a year, and had been in the top five ever since.
"Lin Yun, you really scared us this time." Another student came over, his eyes full of admiration. "Eighth place! I've been here for three years, and my highest ranking was only over sixty."
"Luck, luck," Lin Yun said with a smile.
"Luck? You're being too modest." Chu Qiang patted him on the shoulder. "There's no such thing as luck in the Trial Tower; it's all about skill. Come on, let's drink!"
Everyone raised their glasses, and the atmosphere became increasingly lively.
Just then, Lin Yun saw his senior sister, He Lingruo, walking over. She had changed into a light blue casual outfit, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, and she was holding a cup of tea. She never participated in any activities, but she had made an exception today, which showed how much influence Lin Yun had.
He Lingruo walked up to Lin Yun, ignoring the commotion around them, and asked him directly, "Would you like to team up with me for tomorrow's trip to Australia?"
The cafeteria fell silent for a moment. Everyone stared at He Lingruo, their eyes filled with surprise.
He Lingruo had spent four years in the training camp alone, never teaming up with anyone. The fact that she actually invited Lin Yun to team up with her was simply unbelievable to them.
Lin Yun replied without hesitation, "Junior Brother would be more than happy to accept this."
He agreed for three reasons. First, he wasn't familiar with Australia, and having this expert who had participated in several life-or-death adventures would make things much easier. Second, there were quite a few high-level lord-level monsters on Fog Island, and having a peak-level high-level war god as an ally would greatly increase his chances of success. Third, he didn't mind sharing the spirits of plants and trees with He Lingruo—there were plenty there anyway.
"Okay, let's go together tomorrow." After saying that, He Lingruo turned and left the cafeteria. Ignoring the ambiguous glances from others, her back remained aloof and composed.
"Wow, junior brother, you've managed to get together with our senior sister so quietly, that's impressive!" Several Chinese students nearby cheered.
"Alright, stop talking nonsense, we're just teaming up," Lin Yun explained with a smile.
"I've never seen Senior Sister team up with anyone else!" Chu Qiang said, winking.
The crowd erupted in another uproar. Lin Yun shook his head helplessly and offered no further explanation.
Just as everyone was fooling around, a figure walked into the cafeteria.
Yang Hui.
He walked through the crowd and went straight to Lin Yun, lowering his voice to say, "Lin Yun, come with me. Inspector Liu wants to see you."
Lin Yun's heart skipped a beat. The Inspector—a powerhouse surpassing even the God of War level, a core member of the Limitless Martial Arts Academy. He knew that being summoned at this time must be about the contract. Although he felt it was a bit late, there was nothing he could do.
"Okay." Lin Yun stood up and followed Yang Hui out of the cafeteria.
Lin Yun followed Yang Hui through the main road of the training camp and arrived at a stand-alone building. He had never been inside this building before. There were two fully armed guards at the entrance. When they saw Yang Hui and Lin Yun, they bowed slightly and made way for them.
The building was quiet inside, with soft, warm lighting in the corridors. Yang Hui led Lin Yun to the door of a room at the far end and knocked.
"Come in." A steady voice came from inside.
Yang Hui pushed open the door and gestured for Lin Yun to come in.
The room was small and simply furnished. There was a desk, a few chairs, and a huge world map hanging on the wall. Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man, none other than Inspector Liu.
Lin Yun bowed slightly: "Inspector."
Inspector Liu looked him up and down, then nodded: "Sit down."
Lin Yun sat down in the chair opposite the desk. Inspector Liu took an alloy box from the drawer, placed it on the table, and opened it.
Several items were neatly arranged inside the box.
A black combat suit, soft to the touch, with a dark, gleaming sheen. A long, slender blade with a sharp edge, its hilt inlaid with a deep blue gem. A test tube containing a golden liquid, shimmering under the light. And a palm-sized piece of black armor, its surface engraved with intricate patterns.
"This is a reward personally given to you by the museum master." Inspector Liu pointed to the items in the box and introduced them one by one, "SS-level combat suit, a complete set of weapons, a portion of dragon blood worth 80 billion, and a set of the ancient civilization relic 'Black God'."
Lin Yun was stunned.
He had thought he would have to sign a contract and meet certain conditions to receive the reward. Unexpectedly, the curator delivered the reward directly to him.
"Your current combat strength has already surpassed the level of trainees in the five-year training camp," Inspector Liu continued. "If it weren't for the fact that your physical attributes haven't yet reached the War God level, you could graduate at any time. That's why the Master decided to give you the reward directly. After consuming this dragon blood, you should be able to reach the beginner War God level, which will provide some assurance for tomorrow's trip to Australia."
He pointed to the black combat suit: "This is an SS-class combat suit, with defensive capabilities far exceeding your current equipment. Wearing it, monsters below the lord level will have a hard time harming you."
He then pointed to the black armor: "This is the 'Black God' set, a product of an ancient civilization. It contains detailed instructions; you can look it up yourself."
Finally, he produced a document: "Also, which three sets of cheat codes would you like?"
Lin Yun took a deep breath to calm himself down. He hadn't expected the master to be so generous, giving him the complete set of rewards. After thinking for a moment, he said, "The complete set of the Ultimate Secret Technique 'World Annihilation,' the complete set of the SS-level Secret Technique 'Blazing Blade Technique,' and the complete set of the SS-level Secret Technique 'Cloud and Mist Thousand Transformations Sword Technique.'"
"World Destruction" is the ultimate technique of the sect leader "Hong," who hopes to comprehend the laws of light through it. "Blazing Flame Blade Technique" and "Cloud and Mist Thousand Transformations Sword Technique" are both ultimate techniques surpassing the level of a War God, one being fire-based and the other water-based. Now, he accepts all kinds of sword and saber techniques from all elements, the more the better.
"Alright, someone will deliver it to you later." Inspector Liu nodded. "You can go back now."
"Yes, Inspector." Lin Yun picked up the box, stood up, bowed slightly, and then left the room.
Lin Yun returned to Jiangnan Pavilion carrying a box of rewards; it was almost 11 p.m.
Without alerting anyone, he went directly into the underground training room, closed the door, and placed the box on the ground.
Upon opening the box, the golden dragon blood inside the test tube emitted a warm glow. Lin Yun picked up the test tube and, following the instructions, applied it to his chest.
The moment the dragon blood touched his skin, a warm sensation spread from his chest. At first, it was just warm, but soon the temperature rose sharply, becoming scalding hot, as if a flame was burning inside him.
Then, the excruciating pain began.
It wasn't pain on the surface of his skin, but an excruciating pain erupting from deep within his bones and cells. Every bone felt like it was being shattered and reassembled, every muscle was being torn apart and regenerated. He could clearly feel his body undergoing drastic changes—waste cells and impurities were being expelled, and new cells were growing wildly under the nourishment of the dragon's blood.
Completely different from the gentle boost he received from consuming the Jade Spirit Fruit, the power of the dragon blood was violent and fierce, like a giant dragon rampaging through his body.
Lin Yun gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead. He recalled the scene of his first dragon transformation in the Panlong World—the same excruciating pain, the same physical transformation. But this time the pain was even more intense, because the dragon blood was not only strengthening his body, but also fundamentally changing his genes.
He wanted to pass out. But no matter how much pain he was in, he couldn't. Perhaps his will had become too strong through repeated brushes with death, and the pain only made him more lucid.
It took nearly an hour for the pain to gradually subside.
Lin Yun slumped to the ground, panting heavily. His entire body was covered in a layer of black grime, black all over, even his face was black. It was waste cells and impurities expelled from his body.
He moved his arms slightly, then rubbed his body vigorously with his left hand, instantly rubbing away a patch of black grime to reveal the skin underneath.
Bronze color.
His skin tone completely changed, transforming from ordinary yellow to a bronze color resembling cast steel. This was the result of the dragon's blood seeping into him, signifying a qualitative leap in his physical abilities.
"Such powerful strength!" Lin Yun stood up, feeling the astonishing power within his body. "It's so much stronger than before."
He walked up to the alloy wall and clenched his fist.
"4.2 times, explosive growth!"
He slammed his fist into the alloy wall beside him. With a loud "boom," his fist caved in halfway. He then swung his left fist, another heavy punch, each one causing the entire underground training room to tremble, each one leaving a startling dent in the alloy wall.
Peak of Advanced War God.
Under the influence of the dragon blood, Lin Yun's martial arts cultivation level jumped from the peak of the intermediate-level War God to the peak of the advanced-level War God. At the same time, his mental power also reached the peak of the advanced-level War God.
They were only one step away from that planetary level—an existence surpassing even the God of War.