Two identical chills, two identical countdowns. After multiple attempts, Zhang Yu realized that these two ritual forces were pushing him in different directions.
One stopped counting down after he began meditating and absorbing spiritual energy.
The other stopped counting down after he started comprehending the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram.
Zhang Yu became increasingly convinced that one of these countdowns was fake.
"Perhaps it's an effect of the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram."
"Confronting my deepest fears... so it's recreating the pressure of the ritual force on me?"
"But I didn't expect the ritual force recreated by the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram to conflict with the real ritual force on me."
But which of the two ritual forces was the fake one?
"The one that stops counting down after I meditate?"
"Or the one that stops counting down after I comprehend the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram?"
Zhang Yu leaned toward the latter but couldn't make a decision lightly.
After all, the price of choosing wrong was death.
"Which one should I choose?"
Listening to the ever-changing countdown in his mind, Zhang Yu was tangled in thought, unable to make a decision.
"If I can't choose, then I just won't choose."
His gaze sharpened as he made up his mind: "I'll treat both countdowns as real."
With that, Zhang Yu sat down cross-legged and began circulating the *Zhou Tian Cai Qi* technique, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
As the countdown in his mind continued, from 10 to 5 to 3, Zhang Yu stood up again and turned his attention to the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram, attempting to comprehend the martial arts hidden within.
In this way, under the dual pressure of the two countdowns, Zhang Yu alternated between meditating and comprehending the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram.
Meanwhile, at the exhibition, some people began to notice Zhang Yu's unusual behavior.
The director of Xianyun Group's Songyang branch watched Zhang Yu curiously and said, "This kid is meditating one moment and then standing up to comprehend martial arts the next. What is he seeing?"
Li Xuelian, standing nearby, also glanced at Zhang Yu and mused, "It looks like someone is forcing him to meditate."
"Perhaps it's out of respect for a strict teacher in real life."
Just then, Zhang Yu changed his actions again. Instead of meditating, he began practicing the *Thirty-Six Forms of Physical Training*.
It turned out that Zhang Yu had suddenly realized something: the countdown that stopped after he meditated might not be forcing him to meditate but rather pushing him to stay on the path of studying, cultivating, getting into university, and earning money.
So he decided to try practicing martial arts while observing the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram.
After all, he had already mastered the *Thirty-Six Forms of Physical Training* to the point of muscle memory. If he could practice martial arts while comprehending the diagram, he could focus most of his attention on the diagram.
Since his main goal at the moment was to comprehend the martial arts in the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram, this seemed like a viable approach.
Once this attempt succeeded, he felt that practicing martial arts while comprehending was still a bit cumbersome. So he took out his phone and tried browsing through study materials while observing the diagram.
Finding that this worked too, he even played the study materials aloud, listening to them while comprehending the diagram.
...
Li Xuelian watched Zhang Yu alternate between meditating, practicing martial arts, and studying, and couldn't help but remark, "This boy must have an incredibly strict teacher behind him, pushing him relentlessly. That teacher has even become a figure of deep fear in his mind."
"Now we'll see if he can break through this pressure with his mindset..."
Before Li Xuelian could finish her sentence, Zhang Yu suddenly moved away from the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram, went to the buffet table, grabbed a large plate of seafood, and returned to the diagram to eat while comprehending.
He had suddenly remembered that eating shouldn't be something the ritual would stop him from doing.
Watching this, Li Xuelian raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh? He's breaking through quickly. Under all that pressure, he's adopted a carefree mindset? That's how he's confronting his fears and continuing to comprehend the martial arts in the diagram."
"Perhaps even he hasn't realized it, but he's already overcome his inner fears and passed the test of the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram. Now he's acting as usual."
Seeing a security guard about to stop Zhang Yu, Li Xuelian waved her hand to dismiss him. She was now quite curious to see how much Zhang Yu could comprehend from the diagram.
As Zhang Yu ate lobster and observed the diagram, he gradually began to see what the figure in the diagram was demonstrating.
"Is that a set of fist techniques?"
The fist techniques themselves weren't complicated. After watching a few times, Zhang Yu had a rough idea of them. But when he checked his *Yu Shu* (a personal record of his martial arts progress), he found no changes. Clearly, he hadn't truly learned this set of techniques, let alone mastered them.
Based on his experience learning high school basic sword techniques and the *Zhou Tian Cai Qi* technique, he should have been able to see a "Level 0" entry in his *Yu Shu* after just one viewing.
"What's wrong?"
Just then, Lian Tianji laughed confidently and declared, "I've fully comprehended the martial arts in the diagram. It's indeed a sophisticated palm technique."
But before he could finish speaking, Qian Shen, who was nearby, interjected, "What palm technique? It's clearly a leg technique."
Under normal circumstances, Qian Shen, with his total score of 600, would never dare to speak so boldly in front of Lian Tianji, who had a score of 670.
But after the tempering of his Dao heart by the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram, Qian Shen was feeling particularly bold.
Their debate quickly drew objections from others.
Someone argued, "No, no, the diagram clearly contains a set of blade techniques."
Another person chimed in with a mocking tone, "You're all blind. It's obviously a finger technique."
Bai Zhenzhen frowned slightly. What she saw was a sword technique.
Clearly, while Zhang Yu was eating and comprehending, more and more students had completed their comprehension of the diagram.
Lian Tianji, hearing the debate, turned to Li Xuelian and asked, "Miss Li, could you tell us what kind of martial arts are hidden in the diagram?"
As everyone turned to look at her, Li Xuelian smiled and said, "I can't reveal the specifics."
"But I'll give you a hint: the diagram has its own mysteries. If anyone here masters the martial arts within, the diagram will make it clear."
Everyone understood: if someone mastered the martial arts in the diagram, the diagram itself would give a sign.
With that in mind, Lian Tianji stepped forward confidently.
As a top student from Ziyun High School, Lian Tianji had always been brimming with confidence.
After passing the earlier test, his confidence had reached new heights. Now, as he began demonstrating the palm technique he had comprehended from the diagram, the air around him seemed to crackle with energy.
The force and killing intent radiating from his body were so intense that it felt like the entire exhibition hall might be blown away.
Zhao Tianxing, who had been observing from a distance, couldn't help but marvel.
"Such incredible physical strength, such a terrifying palm technique. This is a martial art designed for combat."
While Lian Tianji's physical strength was impressive for a high school freshman, many of the cultivators present had already graduated. What surprised them more was how proficient Lian Tianji was with the technique.
Someone thought to themselves, "Did he really just comprehend this palm technique from the diagram? His movements are so fluid. The top students from Ziyun High School are truly geniuses among geniuses."
But after Lian Tianji finished demonstrating the palm technique, the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram remained completely still, showing no reaction.
"How is this possible?" Lian Tianji said in disbelief. "I've clearly mastered the martial arts in the diagram. How can this not work?"
Qian Shen chuckled and stepped forward, standing in front of Lian Tianji. "I told you, it's a leg technique."
He then demonstrated the martial arts he had comprehended from the diagram. Though not as smooth as Lian Tianji's performance, his movements were still proficient.
Bai Zhenzhen, watching this, frowned again. "Is this a body-refining technique? Specifically for the legs?"
But after Qian Shen finished his demonstration, the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram remained unchanged.
"How is this possible?"
Qian Shen echoed Lian Tianji's earlier words, equally incredulous as he stared at the diagram.
One by one, more students stepped forward to demonstrate the martial arts they had comprehended.
In total, 12 students, including Lian Tianji and Qian Shen, demonstrated nine different martial arts: fist, palm, leg, finger, claw, blade, sword, spear, and staff techniques.
Three of them had comprehended techniques that overlapped with others.
But after all these demonstrations, not a single person managed to elicit a reaction from the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram.
Lian Tianji couldn't help but turn to Li Xuelian again and ask, "Miss Li, are you saying none of us succeeded?"
Li Xuelian didn't answer directly. She simply shook her head slightly, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
Just then, Bai Zhenzhen slowly stepped forward. Under everyone's gaze, she used her fingers as a sword and began demonstrating a sword technique.
Though her movements were sharp and precise, and her technique could be considered advanced, most of the audience quickly lost interest.
After all, two others had already demonstrated sword techniques without eliciting any reaction from the diagram.
But then, Bai Zhenzhen's performance took a surprising turn. She switched from sword to blade techniques, then to fist, palm, and leg techniques...
Zhao Tianxing exclaimed in surprise, "Did Bai Zhenzhen just learn all the techniques everyone else demonstrated?"
Lian Tianji frowned as he watched, thinking, "In such a short time, she's managed to replicate all the techniques everyone else demonstrated. Which top high school is she from?"
As Bai Zhenzhen executed each technique with the fluidity of someone who had practiced them for years, Qian Shen's mind raced.
On one hand, he was amazed that Bai Zhenzhen could perform all nine techniques. On the other hand, he couldn't help but wonder, "Will performing all nine techniques really work?"
Just then, to everyone's astonishment, the figure in the Celestial Martial Arts Diagram moved. The man in the painting smiled at Bai Zhenzhen, and two words appeared on the canvas:
**Well done.**
(End of chapter...)
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