Chapter 90: Acrobatics

Thin Creek Village Guild Hall.

"Jenny, it's happening again!"

Jenny was furiously scribbling in a notebook of hers at the receptionist desk when she heard the urgent call from a middle-aged man wearing farmer's clothing. She raised her head alarmingly. "How many is it this time?"

"Over a hundred, I'm afraid." The farmer's expression was full of worry, "Miss Jenny, I don't think we can keep enduring this. The Wind Wolves are increasing in number every day, eventually even you won't be able to help us. Can't you ask the Guild Master to do something about it?"

"I've already informed him, but he can't do much either. He's working to send some Golden Core Cultivators our way, but Blue Moon City is also dealing with an outbreak from the Foam Desert."

The farmer became angry. "Golden Core? Bah!" he spat on the ground. "Who knows how long they will stay in a damned place like this!"

"I know, but it's all we can do for now..." Jenny knew the situation better than the farmer. The Guild Master entered the Livingwood Forest to clear the Wind Wolves a few days ago, but the situation was already like this. Without the Cores, the Livingwood Forest had become a deathtrap for humans and Cultivators alike!

"We can just leave, Miss Jenny. This village is doomed anyway. It's only a matter of time before they break through the protection Array. That Torc fellow is defending the basket weaver's house right now, said something about protecting that peasant boy's family. Torc's bravery is commendable, but I'm not willing to lay down my life for the sake of others!"

"I can't do that. I've been here my whole life and I have no intention of going out. Besides, even if something happens to the village, there is no way the Wind Wolves can enter the Guild Hall." her expression became serious. "Tell me where the Wind Wolves are, I'll go clear them out."

***

Blue Moon City, Array Hall.

"Activate the Guardian Statues! The Magical Beasts must not break through the Outer Wall!" the Head Array Master ordered.

"Yes Sir!" a series of Array Masters including Fowley weaved a few signs, activating the Arrays on half a dozen stone statues in the courtyard. The statues cracked, shattering into pieces as fierce beings emerged from the stone like hatching from an egg.

They flew above the walls of the city with trails of red light and disappeared into the horizon, their intense aura gradually dissipating.

Elder Fowley wiped away the sweat from his forehead. Hopefully this is enough to hold them back today, we only have a few dozen Guardian Statues left...

***

The Alchemy Competition ended not long after William finished refining his pill. Mia placed third, scoring 97 points, and Lu Bingying placed second, almost perfectly refining her pill for a score of 99. Both disciples gave it their all to compete with William, but his score of 108 points couldn't be easily topped.

Mia trudged to the exit of the Alchemy Hall, dissatisfied with her reward of 500 contribution points and thirty Mana Stones. Being of noble descent, Mia didn't lack money. She gave William an angry glare before leaving the Hall.

Lu Bingying was also quite sad that she didn't receive the grand prize, but she knew William deserved it, even if he did enter the competition late. She accepted a reward of a thousand contribution points, fifty Mana Stones, and a Silver-Ranked Fire Root.

Elder Arthur called up William next, awarding him two thousand contribution points, a hundred Mana Stones, and the Gold-Ranked Fire Root, nearly doubling William's reserve of Mana Stones.

-Discovered an Element Root: +100 PP

-System Quest Completed: +250 PP

Now I have enough Potential Points to for the upgrade!

Next rank up: 250PP

———

TALENT UPGRADED

Jumping: (E --> D)

Jumping: (D --> C)

Jumping: (C --> B)

Next rank up: 250PP

———

Before William even had a chance to test out his increased jump height and flexibility, the System posted another message in the corner of his view.

--Requirements met for a Talent Upgrade. Please wait...

William watched the System Panel as his Speed, Balance, Flexbility, and Jumping Talents disappeared one by one. His body began to slow down, until it had dropped to the peak of the Qi Refinement Realm.

-Talent Upgraded: Speed, Balance, Flexibility, and Jumping Talents have merged.

-Talent Lost: Speed

-Talent Lost: Balance

-Talent Lost: Flexibility

-Talent Lost: Jumping

-Talent Unlocked: Acrobatics

-Unlocked your first Rare Physical Talent: +5 PP

...

-Detected merged Talents were B Rank. Upgrading Acrobatics Talent...

The wave of System messages filled William's view. Before he had time to react to one message, another would pop up. The Acrobatics Talent upgraded from E Rank all the way to B Rank, filling William's body with overwhelming energy. His speed sharply increased with each Rank, only stopping when William could move at the peak of the Golden Core Realm.

If he was this fast when the Rhio Ancient Family chased him through Blue Moon City, they wouldn't last more than a minute before completely losing sight of William.

It wasn't just his speed that improved. William's other talents improved as well, to a point where William believed he could perform any complicated maneuver that a gymnast could think of, whether it was front flips, double backflips, or even the Produnova Vault, a complicated maneuver in the gymnastics community known as the "Vault of Death".