Black Rock Martial Arts at full level.

Ninth Rank of Inner Qi.

Ma Ran's words were like a thunderclap, echoing in the conference room.

Advancement in Inner Qi cultivation is not surprising.

But how long has Ma Ran been practicing Black Rock Martial Arts?

At most, just a month!

The vast majority of other Grass Hut Academy members have barely reached the First Rank of Inner Qi!

Even President Huang Weiguo, who already knew Ma Ran had reached the Eighth Rank of Inner Qi, couldn't shake the unreal feeling after hearing this.

He pinched his arm hard, grimacing in pain.

Good!

Not a dream!

A smile of understanding appeared on Huang Weiguo's face.

It was the first good news he'd heard today!

Ma Ran...

Ma Ran!

Old Huang's gaze fell on Ma Ran's face, and the more he looked, the more pleasing this young man appeared.

If Black Rock Martial Arts has a god, Ma Ran must be that god!

No substitute!

Huang Weiguo didn't stay happy for long before he stopped smiling.

"What a shame..."

Why is Inner Qi only nine ranks?

Isn't ten ranks better?

Reaching the full level of Black Rock Martial Arts is indeed an honor.

At the same time, it also means that Ma Ran has reached the limit in Inner Qi cultivation, with almost no possibility for further advancement.

Why didn't the person who left the Black Rock Martial Arts Stele break through in their final moments of fear and wrath at the extinction of civilization to create a Tenth Rank of Inner Qi?

No courage for innovation, no spirit for breakthrough...

Deserved to be wiped out!

Only two people immediately believed in Ma Ran.

One was Old Huang, the other, naturally, was Su Qiangwei.

The young girl quietly sensed her own acupoints.

Only four filled, the fifth one still unknown how long it would take.

The gap between her and Ma Ran seemed to be widening...

Thinking of this, Su Qiangwei felt both angry and helpless, turning her pain into appetite, and swept the food on the table away like a whirlwind.

Eating made her giggle foolishly.

"Luckily, Black Rock Martial Arts has only nine ranks."

"I still have plenty of room to grow!"

Soon, I will be unbeatable at Grass Hut Academy, reigning supreme, past and present, by my own authority!

Whenever I feel like it, I'll find time to pin Ma Ran down and rub his face in the dirt to show him who's truly in charge at Grass Hut!

Sweet!

Finished with her meal, the girl indulged in her fantasies, letting out a childish laugh.

"Hehehe..."

Few people, like Su Qiangwei and Old Huang, trusted Ma Ran so unreservedly.

Wu Di, whom he rescued, counts as one.

The fervent fan Dong Huaiming counts as one.

The comrades who lived and died together, Song Chu, count as one.

The rather indistinguishable Wan Haihao counts as one.

And then...

No more!

The attendees, including Wei Zuxia, felt Ma Ran's cultivation speed was a bit unrealistic.

Recently, with the alien invaders, everyone has been too busy to review all the data.

When mentioning Ma Ran, everyone first thought of "National Guardian-level ability user with Limited Foreknowledge," not "Grass Hut Academy member with Inner Qi X rank."

Upon hearing Ma Ran stating his Inner Qi cultivation progress, everyone felt like they were dreaming.

"Did I hear wrong?"

Wei Zuxia's palms were sweaty, and he looked at Ma Ran incredulously: "Did you really reach Ninth Rank of Inner Qi?"

Data showed that Ma Ran had demonstrated authentic Seventh Rank of Inner Qi during the A3 District Nightmare incident.

Even so, it seemed unbelievable!

Reaching full level of Black Rock Martial Arts in a month—is it fake?

Huh?

Just asking, is it fake!

Both reason and emotion made him refuse to believe Ma Ran's words.

Domestic supernatural phenomenon research institutions had long clearly stated in their reports that the limitation of Black Rock Martial Arts wasn't too high, not reaching the imagined levels in various artistic works.

It only excels as an all-rounder's attribute.

Even so, Black Rock Martial Arts is still an extraordinary ability difficult for modern technology to fully analyze, and cultivation difficulty does indeed exist.

For someone with specialized traits in either brain power or physical energy, with sufficient nutrition, self-discipline, punctual acupoint calculations, Inner Qi refinement, eating, sleeping, and avoiding minor bottlenecks blocking progress...

Theoretically, only twenty-some years are needed to cultivate to the Ninth Rank of Inner Qi!

If one has specialties in both brain power and physical energy, along with Inner Qi Capsules developed by Qinglian and Zhiyuan Academic Societies, this time could even be shortened by five to eight years!

Of course, this is only theoretically achievable; practical attempts encounter many troubles.

During Black Rock Martial Arts cultivation, many people cannot perfectly control their time and energy like robots, and Inner Qi Capsules cannot be supplied infinitely.

Add to this, although Inner Qi cultivation has no major bottlenecks, there are many small issues during cultivation that consume considerable time!

Research departments provided data: given an Earthling's average physical energy, intelligence, and self-discipline, a young person with ample nutrition, from the first touch of Black Rock Martial Arts to reaching Ninth Rank, takes about forty-three and a half years.

Ma Ran is not an ordinary person, everyone knows.

But reaching full level of Black Rock Martial Arts in a month...

This makes Ninth Rank of Inner Qi seem cheap!

As this thought occurred, Wei Zuxia felt a sense of absurdity.

He must be insane!

Ninth Rank of Inner Qi—how could it be cheap?

Reaching this level represents one's physical fitness greatly surpassing the ultimate limits normal humans can achieve.

Breaking Olympic records across the board would be child's play for the current Ma Ran.

However, with many malicious alien forces descending on Earth, people no longer value the Olympics anywhere near as much as before.

If the troublesome issues brought by alien invaders aren't properly handled, there might not be an Olympics in the future.

Boom!

A loud explosion snapped Wei Zuxia out of his thoughts.

He noticed Ma Ran slowly withdrawing his finger, pointing into the air.

A visible, tangible transparent gas floated in the air.

Wei Zuxia reached out, trying to touch the gas.

In that instant, a warmly feeling from his fingertips infused his body, freely flowing through veins, muscles, bones, and nerves.

"What is this?"

Wei Zuxia was somewhat at a loss.

After the gas entered his body, it seemed like something changed, yet he couldn't distinguish what was different upon close inspection.

"After reaching Ninth Rank of Inner Qi, the released Inner Qi can exist outside the body."

Ma Ran smiled and said, "It can be preserved for quite some time, provided it attaches to other substances."

"It can reside in others' bodies."

"Control others, heal ailments, aid Inner Qi beginners..."

As he spoke, Ma Ran tapped the table.

Master Youwen, faking online.

"Huh?"

Wei Zuxia's eyes widened in shock as he realized his body was moving with no control.

He spread his hands...

Jumping!

Landing.

Returning to a normal standing pose.

As Ma Ran manipulated his actions, he said, "Although unable to invade consciousness, alter thoughts, or modify ideas..."

"Even just controlling the body can accomplish many things."

Actions speak louder than words.

After jumping thrice, Wei Zuxia, with a peculiar expression, said, "In this state, I can think freely and speak."

"Honestly, having my body controlled doesn't feel good."

"But..."

"If needed..."

"I am willing to continue participating in this test."

Ma Ran looked at the voluntarily offering Wei Zuxia and shook his head slightly: "There's no need."

"Extended control can cause irreversible nerve damage."

He said, gently curling his finger.

A transparent gas flowed out from Wei Zuxia's body, landing on the conference table, slowly merging into the surface...

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