Chapter 223: The Great War of Ye Lingxiao

As Zhang Yu's steps grew heavier, his entire body subtly expanded, emitting waves of heat.

With each subsequent step, his muscles and sinews expanded, as if inflated like rubber.

After nine consecutive steps, the Level 10 expert-level martial art, Nine Whale Tendon Transformations, was in full operation. This made Zhang Yu resemble a giant whale breaching the sea, as his vital energy surged throughout his body, causing his physique to rapidly grow to 2.8 meters.

Simultaneously, several other Level 10 body-refining martial arts—the Great Blood Transfusion Technique, the Five Qi Refining Viscera Technique, the Primordial Body Suppression Technique, and the Kanbing Lihuo Body Forging Technique—were all fully activated, mobilizing Zhang Yu's complete physical strength.

As his physical power was frantically unleashed, the Mystic Armor Spiritual Root, currently in test mode, seemed to be stimulated, and its output began to surge.

As the output surpassed 10, activating the spiritual energy field, Zhang Yu felt a subtle connection with the spiritual energy within a radius of several tens of meters. It was as if a single punch could send its force directly to any corner within that area.

The moment the output exceeded 30, the Mystic Armor Shield instantly activated, forming a radiant barrier that enveloped Zhang Yu's body.

The output continued to rise!

This was still not the limit; sensing the intense operation of Zhang Yu's body, the Divine Spiritual Root's output continued to increase.

Yet, even as the Divine Spiritual Root's output grew, Zhang Yu did not stop. He directly activated the second-tier ability derived from the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo: Overload!

His vital energy seemed to ignite directly at that moment, exploding with a roar!

His vital energy surged like a tsunami and erupted like a volcano!

With the activation of Overload, Zhang Yu's muscles, sinews, and internal organs entered a state of extreme stress.

Correspondingly, propelled by his body's extreme exertion, every active martial art was forcibly elevated, reaching levels beyond their original limits.

A series of sharp cracks emanated from Zhang Yu's body. His already 2.8-meter frame astonishingly swelled once more, rapidly expanding to 3.3 meters.

With a thunderous roar, the blood flow, accelerated by the Level 10 Great Blood Transfusion Technique, surged through Zhang Yu's veins like a raging mudslide.

Under Overload, the Level 10 Five Qi Refining Viscera Technique made his internal organs operate with unprecedented intensity, unleashing internal power like exploding barrels of gasoline.

Furthermore, the Level 10 Kanbing Lihuo Body Forging Technique continuously raised Zhang Yu's body temperature under Overload, evaporating his sweat and causing layers of white, misty vapor to emanate from him.

This state of Overload directly caused the Divine Spiritual Root's output to surge instantaneously!

The moment the Divine Spiritual Root's output surpassed 60, a brilliant light flared in Zhang Yu's eyes. He felt as if the spiritual energy in the air suddenly gained color, and he could even perceive the lingering traces left by these energies as they moved with his actions and the operation of his Divine Spiritual Root.

Huang Zichou remarked, "Once the Divine Spiritual Root breaks through 60 output, it activates the spiritual energy detection function. This allows for scanning opponents, tracing enemy movements, and observing martial arts and Daoist techniques by detecting changes in the spiritual energy in the air..."

Before Huang Zichou could finish speaking, Zhang Yu's Divine Spiritual Root output continued to surge, reaching 85.11 in the blink of an eye!

There was a soft hum.

Streams of spiritual energy converged behind Zhang Yu's head, first forming a crimson halo. As the halo spun, it emitted waves of heat and a whistling sound, gradually transforming into a fiery dragon.

Huang Zichou quickly added, "At 90 output, the Mystic Armor Blazing Dragon can be activated, concentrating the positive spiritual energy in the atmosphere to form a blazing dragon with a temperature of several thousand degrees."

"The blazing dragon's temperature is condensed but not released, allowing for controlled power, and it moves according to one's will..."

With a slight thought from Zhang Yu, the Mystic Armor Blazing Dragon circled him.

He felt as if the blazing dragon was an extension of his own body, capable of agile flight around him and striking wherever he willed, changing with his thoughts.

While Zhang Yu's Divine Spiritual Root output surged dramatically in an instant, Ye Lingxiao, standing nearby, began to furiously catch up after his initial surprise.

"Excellent, excellent. This is the kind of opponent expected for the Foundation Establishment exam. My preparations over this period have not been in vain."

One body-refining martial art after another was fiercely activated by Ye Lingxiao. Although his Divine Spiritual Root output didn't surge as rapidly as Zhang Yu's, it steadily increased step by step without stopping.

However, upon seeing Zhang Yu activate the Overload ability and his Divine Spiritual Root output accelerate its surge significantly, even Ye Lingxiao, the prodigy from Xiandu, subtly changed his expression at that moment.

This power...

This might...

He had never witnessed anything like it from any high school student in Xiandu.

Except for himself!

"This guy, taking his medicine slowly just now, wasn't giving up the match at all. He was preparing, wasn't he?"

A sinister smile crept onto Ye Lingxiao's lips: "Very good. Only by defeating such a formidable opponent in front of so many university representatives can my true worth be showcased."

With that, Ye Lingxiao pulled out a box of capsules from his pocket.

These were the Dao-Unraveling Slow-Release Capsules, whose development he had participated in over the past three months.

Of course, at this moment, the medicine's name had changed to Spirit Severance Elixir.

As soon as the capsule entered his stomach, it was quickly absorbed and digested by Ye Lingxiao, transforming into a surging medicinal power that rushed directly into his brain.

Simultaneously, the mental cultivation technique in his mind shifted, activating a method specifically designed for the Spirit Severance Elixir.

Ever since he noticed the unique side effects of the Dao-Unraveling Slow-Release Capsules during the previous Foundation Establishment exam, Ye Lingxiao had developed a profound interest.

In the time that followed, he participated in developing this medicine, aiming to utilize its side effects to further unlock his own potential.

The bad news was that these side effects were extremely difficult to utilize and develop, making the medicine currently unmarketable.

The good news, however, was that Ye Lingxiao, by operating multiple Level 10 martial arts, could use this medicine to push his physical body beyond its limits.

The moment the medicinal power flooded his mind, Ye Lingxiao felt his consciousness split in two, as if another self had appeared within his brain.

Yet, both were him, both were Ye Lingxiao, and with the targeted mental cultivation technique in operation, they now jointly manipulated Ye Lingxiao's physical body.

"No high school student in the entire first layer of Kunxu can rival the sheer number of martial arts I have mastered."

"But no matter how many martial arts I possess, with my Dao heart and singular mind, the number I can operate simultaneously has always been limited."

Such an immense sea of martial arts, mastered within Ye Lingxiao, like his immortal cultivation potential, had always been utilized to a limited extent.

"But when my consciousness gains an extra layer, when there's another 'me' in my mind..."

At this moment, different martial arts began to operate in various parts of Ye Lingxiao's body.

Muscles, fascia, bones, internal organs... the number of martial arts he operated suddenly doubled.

This allowed every part of his body to operate more suitable martial arts, unleashing physical potential with greater precision.

For others, this Spirit Severance Elixir might be a poison.

But for Ye Lingxiao, it was a miraculous medicine capable of unleashing the countless martial arts within him.

This coordinated unleashing of physical power directly stimulated the Divine Spiritual Root's output to surge repeatedly. Following Zhang Yu, Ye Lingxiao's Divine Spiritual Root output also quickly surpassed 90!

Amidst dazzling fiery light, a blazing dragon was born from the spiritual energy, hovering like a fiery ring behind Ye Lingxiao's head.

But seeing the somewhat dazed look on Ye Lingxiao's face, Huang Zichou frowned and asked, "Ye Lingxiao, are you alright?"

Ye Lingxiao laughed heartily, "What problem could I have? I just took some medicine, so I definitely won't have any problems. It's just a small issue with my brain, after all, I just took medicine, how could there be a problem from just taking medicine?"

Although the Spirit Severance Elixir could greatly stimulate Ye Lingxiao's potential, the need for his brain to manage an extra layer of consciousness to control his body meant that his mental capacity for other tasks was somewhat diminished.

Huang Zichou frowned. Although he didn't understand what the other person was saying, it didn't affect the match, so he paid it no further mind.

As both Zhang Yu and Ye Lingxiao's Divine Spiritual Root outputs simultaneously surpassed 90, their growth rate gradually slowed.

The two exchanged glances, their eyes flaring with battle intent, a mix of excitement and tension.

Zhang Yu: "This guy... he really has improved a lot since three months ago!"

Ye Lingxiao: "This guy! Who is he?! Anyway... no one can surpass me!"

Filled with intense fighting spirit, both began to further mobilize their physical power.

Zhang Yu let out a roar, and all the available flesh and blood in his body began to circulate the Dragon-Elephant Mountain Crushing Palm.

Ye Lingxiao took a deep breath, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks, and he unleashed an incredibly explosive set of boxing techniques.

Under Overload mode, hidden injuries continuously surfaced within Zhang Yu's body: microscopic cracks appeared in his bones, slight damage in his internal organs, and inflammation erupted in the most minute parts of his muscles and sinews... Yet, under the influence of the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo, these minor injuries rapidly healed.

He was like an overloaded engine, being repaired even as it roared forward.

Zhang Yu roared in his heart: "I want to become stronger! I want to become richer! I want to have... freedom!"

"I want to get into the Top Ten with Ah Zhen... and with my sister!"

"I will definitely get the Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate!"

Ye Lingxiao's perfect bloodline was pushed to its absolute limit like never before. Under the secretion of various hormones, his body suppressed all pain and injuries, constantly unleashing its peak performance.

He could no longer form coherent thoughts in his mind, but one idea grew increasingly fierce and fervent.

If someone were to summarize it, it would probably be: "I refuse to rot away on this first layer of Kunxu."

"Representatives from all universities!"

"All of you, watch closely!"

"As geniuses from the first layer of Kunxu, our aptitude, our resolve... will never be inferior to those guys above!"

As both their Divine Spiritual Roots sequentially reached 100 output, two powerful gusts of wind surged from their bodies almost simultaneously, transforming into swirling whirlwinds that coiled around their feet.

Huang Zichou calmly stated, "Mystic Armor Divine Wind, an ability of the Mystic Armor Spiritual Root once it reaches 100 output. It allows for low-altitude gliding, high-speed movement, and can also combine with the Mystic Armor Blazing Dragon to launch wind and fire attacks..."

However, Huang Zichou could sense that very few of the spectators were still listening to his explanation of the Mystic Armor Spiritual Root's functions.

The representatives from various universities were all gazing intently at the two figures in the examination arena.