CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 38: FIFTH RANK OF INNER QI!

"Is this a secret project? Did you sign some confidentiality agreement? So... can your dad and I post on our social media?"

That’s the kind of thing only a true mom would say.

Her focus is quite grounded.

Ma Ran chuckled, "Last night, President Huang specifically mentioned this to me."

"As my family, you can know some related information."

"It’s completely fine to vaguely mention my position."

"Just don’t reveal any specific project details."

"Yes... that’s right."

"Not every member of the Grass Hut Academy has this privilege."

At this point, Ma Ran chose his words carefully and humbly said, "My situation is a little special."

"Because my research achievements are just a bit more than others."

"What I’m about to tell you, just keep in mind, and don’t tell anyone else for the time being."

"The project I’ve been recently researching is somewhat similar to the ’inner strength’ often mentioned in traditional martial arts TV shows."

"I’m not joking; I’m very serious."

"This form of energy is essentially a highly concentrated biological energy, very useful, and we usually call it ’Inner Qi.’"

"You just need to know this for now; don’t tell anyone else yet."

"Because the cultivation of Inner Qi has a rather high threshold and poses many challenges."

"However..."

"I will gradually improve it, making it better and more accessible."

With that, Ma Ran joked, "Maybe by next year, the ninth set of broadcasts for primary and secondary schools will be replaced by Inner Qi cultivation."

After chatting with his parents for a bit, Ma Ran hung up the phone.

The other rewards from the "Black Rock Guiding Technique" will take a little more time while Ma Ran’s records get entered into the internal database.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Ma Ran opened the door and saw a crowd of people standing outside.

A whole mass of people, looking quite intimidating at first glance.

Leading them were Dong Huaiming and Wan Haihao.

Ma Ran rubbed his temples, feeling slightly tense.

For two consecutive mornings, people have been waiting at his door...

And it seems like the crowd is growing...

Those uninformed onlookers might think he’s running some cult here.

Seeing Ma Ran stepping out, Xiao Ming eagerly said, "Brother Ran! You’re too amazing!"

"We’ve already heard from Fulan Academy and the seniors!"

"You’re at the Fifth Rank of Inner Qi now, right?"

"This news has already spread throughout the whole academy!"

"Some guys were initially unconvinced, wanting to compete secretly, but now they’re completely convinced."

"Hahaha!"

In the crowd, two youths scratched their heads, looking a bit embarrassed.

They had cultivated their first strand of Inner Qi purely on their own talent, without the help of Ma Ran’s "Black Rock Guiding Technique."

Initially, although they didn’t say it, they felt a sense of superiority, thinking their only competitor was Ma Ran.

However, the highlights of yesterday’s Superpower awakening made these youths truly respect Ma Ran!

It took Ma Ran three days, at most four, to reach the Fifth Rank of Inner Qi with the Black Rock Martial Arts!

This is beyond the realm that regular human effort can achieve!

To know, not even they have reached the First Rank of Inner Qi yet...

In the whole Grass Hut Academy, the one closest to the First Rank is Su Qiangwei!

Ma Ran casually closed the door, calmly scanning the people present, and said with a gentle tone, "If there’s anything you don’t understand about cultivating Black Rock Martial Arts, you can ask me during breakfast."

After speaking, he gestured and headed towards the cafeteria.

Suddenly, a sound of unwillingness came from the crowd.

Ma Ran looked back and smiled slightly.

Even Su Qiangwei was in this group, which he hadn’t expected.

At this moment, the girl was wrapped up tightly, wearing a fluffy pink piglet hat, with her face covered by a mask, revealing only her eyes.

Thanks to her unintentional cooperation yesterday, Ma Ran’s performance was a huge success!

On the way to the cafeteria, the "roleplay" began providing prolific feedback.

Ma Ran keenly felt...

In a blink, two more acupoints in his body were filled and transformed into mature micro-organs!

In total, eighteen acupoints were fully filled!

Then twenty!

Twenty-five!

Thirty!

Before he even reached the cafeteria, all thirty-two acupoints were filled and perfectly organified!

This meant Ma Ran’s Black Rock Stele Martial Arts cultivation truly reached the Fifth Rank of Inner Qi!

During the enhancement process, none of the nutrients stored in his body were consumed.

Sugars, fats, proteins...

The quantities of these nutrients were almost identical to before the advancement.

While Ma Ran felt happy inside, he outwardly remained calm.

These days, he focused most of his energy on researching the Youwen Illusion System and refining the characters for script one and two, leaving no time for Inner Qi cultivation.

Yet the feedback from "roleplay" always defies logic!

Upon reaching the cafeteria entrance, Ma Ran looked around, seemingly searching for something.

The members of the Grass Hut Academy who followed him also stopped and waited patiently.

"What’s he up to now?"

In the crowd, Su Qiangwei pulled her mask up.

"Myriad Transformations" can’t replicate "Limited Foreknowledge," that’s fine.

After all, Ma Ran is a bit special, and it’s unnecessary to compare with him.

But even her application to Fulan Academy for an exchange was swiftly rejected by Old Huang!

She’s still upset about this!

What weird thing is Ma Ran up to now?

Just as Su Qiangwei was about to ask, Ma Ran’s voice suddenly echoed in everyone’s ears.

"Yesterday on the way to awakening my Superpower, I seriously cultivated for a bit and broke through the bottleneck of the Fourth Rank of Inner Qi."

"Now, I’ll briefly talk about the experience of the Fifth Rank of Inner Qi."

Standing beside the cafeteria, Ma Ran unexpectedly started a small impromptu lecture.

"The Fifth Rank of Inner Qi isn’t all that unique."

"You can completely view it as an enhanced version of the Second Rank of Inner Qi."

"Like this."

With that, Ma Ran flicked his right index finger, lightly tapping the ground.

With a soft "pop," dust scattered under Ma Ran’s feet!

On the granite floor, a pitch-black hole appeared.

"At this stage, you can construct a high-speed Inner Qi channel within your body."

"Compress to create Inner Qi Bullets, transmit, then release."

"This gives it some preliminary attack power."

"Based on my tests..."

"The effective range of an Inner Qi Bullet is 10 meters."

"The maximum initial velocity is around 145 meters per second."

"I judge that even if the Inner Qi Rank increases further, this ability probably can’t be significantly strengthened."

"After all, humans are flesh and blood, unable to withstand too much Inner Qi pressure."

Ma Ran opened his hand, calmly saying, "The birthplace of Black Rock Martial Arts, compared to Earth Civilization, seems somewhat behind technologically, but shouldn’t be underestimated either."

"Paths may diverge, yet they lead to the same endpoint."

"In simpler terms..."

"The Fifth Rank of Inner Qi is using Inner Qi as bullets and the body as the gun."

"Compared to actual firearms, its lethality is inferior, but it slightly surpasses in stealth, convenience, durability, and reliability."

"Overall, it has its strengths and weaknesses."

Hearing this, Su Qiangwei parted the crowd, squatting beside Ma Ran.

She reached out, feeling the hole made by the Inner Qi Bullet, deep in thought.

After a moment.

Su Qiangwei stood up, her gaze fixed on Ma Ran, muttering incomprehensible words, "Is that it? Uh... nope, gotta redo that!"

She cleared her throat, seriously said, "Ma Ran, remember this."

"From now on..."

"I’ll go easy on you too."