by <unknown>
"Bo!"
A scaring big hole appeared on the back of the test target, through which countless magical equipment components erupted and fell to the ground with cracking sounds.
Everyone was dazzled by Li Yao's action, including Yuan Manqiu.
"The vertebral column is too tight. It felt unsmooth when I was doing sharp turns. We can make some adjustment there.
"Or, we can set up two modes. For those who are good at long-range combats with flying swords, the vertebral column can be tighter; for those who are good at melee combats, the vertebral column can be looser, so that their body movements will be easier."
Li Yao shook his arms and examined the fist that he punched with. He continued, "Strength feedback and enhancement are good. However, the fists felt sloppy when approaching sonic speed. The plate armor of the arms should be redesigned by adding a few air paths to stabilize the fist and increase its speed.
"Besides, this test target is too unsolid. I barely touched it and it has already broken. How can the ultimate strength of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit be tested out by that? Let's get some better targets!"
Nobody answered him; there was just silence. Everybody at the scene was looking at each other in bewilderment.
They had been aware that besides being a refiner, Li Yao was also a reasonably good battle-type Cultivator.
But during their months of cooperation, Li Yao had only demonstrated his talent in refining. He had never shown his performance in a fight.
So, as time went by, all the refiners had forgotten how brutal Li Yao was, until today!
Some of them had doubted whether or not Li Yao was capable enough as a test pilot and insisted that they should hire a professional and experienced Exo for the testing.
But now that they saw Li Yao's performance, their doubts were no more.
"Li Yao!"
Yuan Manqiu's voice was shaking. "Aren't you at the 8th level of the Refinement Stage? Even with the enhancement of the crystal suit, you should still be below the 12th level. The test target can withstand a full-strength strike of a Cultivator at the 13th level. How on earth did you blow it apart? Which level are you at right now?"
Li Yao was dazed for a moment. He didn't know that he accidentally wielded such strength out of excitement.
However, it had been months since the trip to the Dark Desolate Domain. Even though he showed extraordinary strength, he could still claim that it was because he had trained and advanced a lot during the past months.
Figuring out an excuse, Li Yao said, "11th level of the Refinement Stage."
Everyone on the spot gasped.
11th level of the Refinement Stage was often the criterion to determine the best graduates. Hua Tianxiong, president of the Iron Fist Club, and Xu Ge, president of the Chaos Edge Hall, arrived at the 11th level of the Refinement Stage after five years of hard work in the Grand Desolate War Institution.
Li Yao was only a sophomore, and he'd already reached the level of graduates? Incredible!
However, it was not very unacceptable, considering that he had earned 40,000 credits within one year, which none of the students in the history of the Grand Desolate War Institution had ever achieved.
Seeing everyone's shocked face, Li Yao said 'sorry' in his mind.
He was lying.
He was not at the 11th level of the Refinement Stage.
He had been already at the 11th level of the Refinement Stage when he returned from the Dark Desolate Domain. Since then, he had been training crazily and recalling the brutal battles in the Dark Desolate Domain. What's more, he'd found some catalysts to refine a marrow crystal and absorbed all the spiritual energy contained inside. Finally, he advanced yet another time in a moonlit evening to the 12th level of the Refinement Stage.
However, he hadn't fully digested the spirit energy contained in the marrow crystal yet, most of which was still hiding in his limbs and organs. He felt that he was improving greatly every day after his training. It was quite possible that he would break into the 13th level of the Refinement Stage at any time!
The marrow crystal was also one of the reasons why he could do training and refining day and night with barely any rest. He would've collapsed a long time ago without it.
Yuan Manqiu was dazed for a moment. Then she smiled.
"Excellent. I was worrying that you might not be capable of several extreme tests. But as it turns out, we can add a few more tests for you now."
Li Yao clenched his fists, enjoying the amazing feeling of strength in his palms.
"No problem!"
…
Dec. 3, Freezing Frost Realm, 12th test of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit.
It was a world fragment dominated by ice, snow, and piercing wind. The temperature was well below -100°C. Frigid clouds were floating in the air like dangerous demon beasts which would turn everything that they touched into an ice cube.
In the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, Li Yao was running at a high speed on the ice sheet.
Under the attraction of spiritual energy surging out of his suit, dozens of frigid clouds flowed to him and casted a thick ice shell on the crystal suit.
Many rune arrays on the surface of the crystal suit were frozen. The dark red brilliance of the power rune arrays became intermittent.
"Swoosh!"
Li Yao didn't bother with any of it. He sped up again. Running, punching, dodging, he turned into a grey blurred shadow bouncing up and down in the snow world, leaving a series of valuable data for future improvement.
"In the environment of -100°C. the general performance of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit was undermined by 17%, which was fairly good compared with the crystal suits of the same level. However, I feel that an ice piton is drilling my spine. It's probably because the gap of the plate armor in the back of the suit is too large to block the cold wind. This is something that needs to be improved!" Li Yao shouted, his lips blue.
…
Dec. 7, Fire Stream Realm, 37th test of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit.
This was a world fragment made by magma and steam with air that was full of poisonous gas. The temperature here was above 500°C all year around. No Cultivator could survive long in this place.
"BAM BAM! BAM BAM BAM BAM!"
In the middle of the Fire Stream Realm, there was a lone island surrounded by flowing magma.
Heated air was billowing in the space. Every now and then, a large cluster of magma would splash to the island due to collision of currents.
While dodging the magma, Li Yao was also punching a special heat-resistant test target. Sweat was pouring down from his forehead, but he felt extremely delighted.
Every micro adjustment of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit had been made according to his combat style, making him feel that the crystal suit and his body was melting into one.
Beside the magma lake, in a special heat-proof room, Yuan Manqiu spoke to Bai Yede and other refiners, after a long silence, "I have discovered that it was wrong to ask Li Yao to be the test pilot."
Bai Yede smiled bitterly.
"You mean Li Yao is so excellent that we can't tell whether his amazing performance is boosted by the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit or based on his own insane body strength, right?"
"Indeed."
Yuan Manqiu said unemotionally, "I have no doubt that he could survive in the Freezing Frost Realm and the Fire Stream Realm without the crystal suit and perhaps live a good life!"
Chapter 298: Fight Lingdang |
In a short month, the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit had experienced extreme tests that even many high-level crystal suits never did.
Not only were they great challenges to the crystal suit, they were challenges for the Exo, too.
For example, extreme defense tests required the crystal suit to be struck in the front for an entire hour.
The super pressure test required the crystal suit to punch and kick for several hours in gravity ten-times stronger than usual and ten-times the usual atmospheric pressur
e.
In other sects and universities, most of the extreme tests were done through special testing magical equipment, or by several test pilots in turns.
But in the Refining Department of the Grand Desolate War Institution, all the extreme tests were done by Li Yao alone.
He was wearing the crystal suit day and night like a metal puppet and would do every extreme test in person however difficult it may be.
As the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit was being revised, Li Yao's capabilities had greatly improved, too.
The first marrow crystal had been fully digested by him. Through the art of 'Thousand Tempering Hundred Refining', the hours of training in extreme environments such the Freezing Frost Realm, Fire Stream Field, ten-time gravity, ten-time barometric pressure, hundreds of meters below the sea, and so on had brought up the sturdiness of his body to an unfathomable level.
Even Master Tiemu, the senior that created the art of 'Thousand Tempering Hundred Refining' in the Hundred Smelting Clan 40,000 years ago, might not have been as strong as Li Yao when he was at Li Yao's level.
Ostensibly speaking, Li Yao was merely at the 12th level of the Refinement Stage.
However, even if encountered with Cultivators at the peak of the Refinement Stage, Li Yao was still confident that he could confront them face to face because of his body's amazing hardness.
With the help of a crystal suit, he could even fight a Cultivator at the Building Foundation Stage.
…
Dec. 31, final test of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit.
After a month of testing and revising, the flaws of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit had all been fixed. It was almost perfect now.
The final test was also the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit's debut to the outside world.
Other than the staff and students of the Refining Department, leaders of the school also joined the show, including Xiong Baili, the principal.
At 2 p.m., the No.1 test field was hustling and bustling.
The test field was full of testing magical equipment. A giant light beam was floating in the air playing Li Yao's testing of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit in the ice and fire.
Many leaders of the school were nodding approvingly while they were watching.
The reliability and the combat ability under extreme conditions of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit had far exceeded their expectations.
Li Sanhao and other freshmen of the Refining Department were screaming and shouting in wild joy.
"Director Yuan, is it true that the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit is utterly devoid of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures?"
Leaders of the school were earnestly questioning Yuan Manqiu.
"From the demo, we noticed that it is very solid, and its combat ability under extreme conditions is satisfactory, too. But we wonder about its performance is in real combats."
Some of them were not very confident.
Smiling, Yuan Manqiu answered, "Absolutely no Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures have been used in the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit. Its performance in real battles will be as good as what was demonstrated in the tests, if not better. A Refinement Stage Cultivator in the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit will be capable of confronting a Building Foundation Stage Cultivator!
"I know you wouldn't buy it. So, we'll invite a Building Foundation Cultivator to fight a Refinement Stage Cultivator in the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit.
"You may be doubting right now. But I believe that your concerns will all be gone after the competition."
"Shua!"
In the center of the test field, a ring more than a hundred meters in diameter rose up slowly. The ring was wreathed by a layer of amber defensive barriers like an eggshell.
Li Yao walked onto the ring and did some warm-up exercises. The Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit was enchanting with the rhythm of his body movements.
On the other side of the ring, the one who was walking onto the ring was…
"Ding Lingdang?"
Li Yao was dazed. A drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
He had been told by Yuan Manqiu that a Building Foundation Cultivator would be arranged to fight against him today, but he'd never expected that it was going to be Ding Lingdang.
"I heard that the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit had been successfully refined, and you were as good as a Building Foundation Cultivator in it. How could I miss such a fun fight with you? Therefore, I have filed an application to the principal and Director Yuan to let my fists run the final test for the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit. How about it? Are you up for it?"
Ding Lingdang bumped her fists and said in a smile. She was wearing a ruby mustard suit. Flames were flowing around her body mysteriously and highlighted the graceful curve of her body.
Ding Lingdang's appearance caused a minor riot.
She was a famous figure in the school. Everyone knew that she was close to the middle level of the Building Foundation Stage. Her natural, animal-like combat instinct made her combat ability even better than many middle-level and high-level Building Foundation Cultivators'.
Ding Lingdang as the examiner would be truly convincing.
As a high-level Refinement Stage Cultivator, how long could Li Yao with the enhancement of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit survive under Ding Lingdang's fierce fists?
Everybody was eager to learn the answer, including Li Yao himself.
Li Yao's lips curled. His heart was beating faster and faster. He felt that it was not blood that was flowing in his veins but melted marrow crystal.
Of all the Building Foundation Cultivators, Ding Lingdang was the one that he wanted to defeat most.
Although he was shocked in the beginning, he realized that she was the best opponent possible on second thought.
"Excellent. Let's do it."
Li Yao's soul started burning intimidatingly. Strings of spiritual energy streamed out through the gaps of the crystal suit and formed countless gold feathers around him, which were spinning faster and faster as if they were being blown by an invisible wind.
"You've made so much progress in just one month! What a lunatic!"
Ding Lingdang's eyes were beaming with joy. "But I like it!"
"Hu!"
Searing flames were burning around her, which were then condensed into a fire snake.
Compared with the fire snake that Li Yao had seen in Small Grayfield previously, the fire snake right now was smaller in size, but much more detailed. Besides, it was whiter than the previous one, indicating that its temperature was much higher, too.
"Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!"
The jingle bells on Ding Lingdang's ankle started shaking without any sign. The fire snake lunged forward at Li Yao, its mouth wide open.
With a deafening roar, Li Yao lowered his right arm to his waist where it swallowed all the light gold feathers that were flying around him like a black hole.
Then, from the heel upward, all the way through the vertebral column, the power rune arrays emitted dark red colors one by one and unleashed infinite strength.
Li Yao lifted his arm and punched at the fire snake, intending to kill it with one strike. His spiritual energy was bursting out like a volcanic eruption. The gold feathers around his right arm turned into a tornado charging at the fire snake.
"Si!"
The fire snake seemed to be a living creature. It dashed upward and dodged Li Yao's unstoppable fist closely. However, it was injured by the gold feathers which left a few cracks on its stomach.
Although Li Yao missed the target, leaders of the school were still nodding in approval.
The several battle-type Cultivators of the Combat Department were surprised to see that Li Yao showed no sign of losing at all.
Fascinated by Li Yao's performance, Li Sanhao and his lot were cheering for Li Yao at the top of their voices.
"Defeating my fire snake? Impressive!"
After a cry, Ding Lingdang flashed to the front of Li Yao as if she were a ghost, following up with a brutal kick full o
f intense fiery spiritual energy.
Li Yao was caught off guard and failed to dodge. In fact, he didn't want to dodge.
"Pa!"
Ding Lingdang's kick hit the chest of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, resulting in several cracks on the surface.
At the same time, Li Yao's knee also hit Ding Lingdang's abdomen where a crystal bomb seemed to have exploded.
Both of them muttered a dull grunt, but neither of them was willing to dodge or block.
Hardly had Ding Lingdang pulled back her leg when she struck Li Yao's head with her right elbow.
As a countermeasure, Li Yao bashed into Ding Lingdang's head with his own head.
Their savage fighting style had flabbergasted everyone on the spot, even including the battle-type Cultivators.
The more they fought, the more brutal and comfortable they became. At first, a grey figure and a red one were distinguishable, but as they approached the sonic speed, all that the audience could see were blurred shadows that were tangled together, as if hundreds of people were fighting inside the ring at the same time. The air was torn apart with earsplitting booms.
Then—
After a half minute of high-speed collisions, the two of them stopped at two sides of the ring. It was then that everyone was able to tell how much damage had been done during the previous short yet fierce combat.
The Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit that Li Yao was in was on the verge of total loss. The plate armor on the front was almost entirely shattered, revealing the black mustard suit behind it.
Even so, the crystal camera on the helmet was still glittering, indicating that the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit was not broken yet.
The tensile mustard suit that Ding Lingdang was wearing was ripped with a few shocking tears. There was blood at the corner of her mouth. Her forehead was full of sweat. Her chest fell and swelled as she was breathing heavily.
Her fists were shivering, which startled everyone who was familiar with her.
"Ding Lingdang has indeed tried her best. It's been a long time since I last saw her fists shivering," Xia Yan, Dean of the Combat Department, observed.
"Indeed. Although Ding Lingdang hasn't used her Spiritual Tattoo yet, Li Yao never used the attack magical equipment, neither did he use the Spiritual Storm Bolter nor the chainsword. He has been fighting an opponent levels higher than himself with nothing but the enhancement of the crystal suit."