Chapter 31: Chapter 23 They're all crazy
The principle is simple—Ji Tianqi learned martial arts in an otherworldly realm that only he could perfect.
Therefore, it goes without saying.
In this world, only Ji Tianqi could use the Orchid Acupoint Skill to seal acupoints, and only he could use the Orchid Unsealing Hand to unseal them.
"I'll do it!"
Wu Ya's tone and expression were even more resolute than before, his gaze was eager and filled with trust in Ji Tianqi.
It seemed that he was not at all worried that after being sealed by Ji Tianqi, Ji might refuse to unseal him or even use him as a hostage to achieve some purpose.
Bai Xiuchu did not insist as she had before; she observed Ji Tianqi's expressions, as well as those of Cong Wen and others—this was her duty as a Guardian.
"We trust you."
Cong Wen continued to use the word 'you' to address Ji Tianqi, even more sincerely than just moments ago.
Under the circumstance where only Ji Tianqi could perform acupoint sealing, the value of this martial art technique was not considered high, as there were too many technical means and superpowers that could achieve the same effect.
For example, the quick rigidity potion used by the criminal Zhan Yuchao on Li Yuanhong.
But.
In the case where only Ji Tianqi could unseal acupoints, his value suddenly surged.
"Hey, don't keep using the word 'you,' I'm still young."
Ji Tianqi waved his hand and looked towards the security personnel, asking softly, "If I start demonstrating, you won't act against me, right?"
The professional security personnel did not answer directly but looked to Cong Wen.
Cong Wen nodded affirmatively, "It's a demonstration, just like the previous ones, the only difference being that we are now participants. No problem."
Only then did the security personnel answer Ji Tianqi's earlier question.
"Mr. Ji, please rest assured, we won't take action against you."
Truth be told, although the security personnel were fully armed, with close distances like these, and with the ordinary members of the research team in the way, they really couldn't threaten Ji Tianqi.
But what they represented was not just themselves but also more security personnel, as well as various automated and intelligent powerful weapons within this research center.
"Alright then, I'll give a demonstration."
Ji Tianqi rubbed his hands together with a grin, then slowly walked towards Wu Ya, who was very close to him.
"Wait!"
Wu Ya said with an excited and trembling voice, "Could you, please, stay further away from me. Then, approach me quickly using the Wave Striding Steps. No, could you let them surround me, and you use the Wave Striding Steps to quickly weave through and seal my acupoint?"
"Huh?"
As Ji Tianqi was taken aback, Cong Wen had already slapped his thigh and exclaimed.
"Brilliant! Mr. Ji, I think that's a great idea, it has the feel of a real combat demonstration. Of course, if you mind, we can just do a normal, straightforward demonstration."
Seeing everyone so expectant, Ji Tianqi naturally couldn't dampen their spirits.
Because in some sense, this team, originally responsible for researching and treating him, might become a team dedicated to serving him in the not-so-distant future.
[Are they all our own people?]
[No, they are all my people!]
"No problem," Ji Tianqi thought to himself that these were his people, so he waved his hand grandly, "In that case, let four security personnel protect Comrade Xiao Wu."
Cong Wen followed up immediately, completing the arrangements—Ji Tianqi did not have the necessary authority, but he did.
...
...
Multiple high-speed cameras were in position, and everyone formed two circles, enclosing the four security personnel and Wu Ya within them.
Equivalent to triple protection.
Ji Tianqi, positioned on the outermost layer, made a gesture as if he were warming up his fists—he didn't need such preparatory moves, but he believed that those about to be 'breached' by him did.
Visible tension spread among them, their breathing quickened, over twenty pairs of eyes widened, their bodies slightly crouching and pulsing as if ready to pounce.
A not-so-professional professional tried to imitate what he had seen in movies, to cheer himself and his colleagues on.
But before he could speak out, he felt that cheering at this moment didn't feel quite right.
Considering how he wanted to integrate better into the team before, he had a brainwave, squatted slightly with his legs, spread his arms, and let out a strange shout.
"Hoo-hah!"
"???"
The effect was unexpectedly good, and even Ji Tianqi, who was about to make his move, was startled—what a bunch of lunatics!
What was more alarming to him was that this strange shout, like flipping a switch, prompted several other not-so-professional professionals to similarly shout out after a moment of stupefaction—they all wanted to better integrate into the team.
"Hoo-hah!" "Hoo-hah!" "Hee-hah!"
"…"
Not only were these people shouting weirdly, but they also held hands and shook their bodies, shaking until they started to spin.
Ji Tianqi really couldn't stand it anymore—seriously, who were the ones with a mental disorder here???
"I'm going to make my move!"
He shouted loudly and then performed the Wave Striding Steps.
His feet stepped according to the positions of the Yi Ching Sixty-Four Trigrams, his inner strength moved along the cultivation route of the Wave Striding Steps, and with each step, he covered three meters. As he lifted his foot to step again, a miraculous scene appeared before everyone's eyes.
Ji Tianqi moved, yet Ji Tianqi remained in place.
The moment two Ji Tianqis appeared, everyone's gaze and attention were split, but this was just the beginning.
With each step, one, two, three, like a devil's steps.
Every step that Ji Tianqi took left behind one of himself. Walking continuously along the positions of the Yi Ching Sixty-Four Trigrams, he cloned himself into thirty-two versions in just ten seconds, enveloping all members of the research team within them.
Too much to keep track of! They simply couldn't keep up!
As all members of the research team were dazzled and unsure where to look, the thirty-two Ji Tianqis suddenly pounced on them simultaneously.
Now they were truly unable to follow what was happening!
A chorus of uncontrollable shouts rose from everyone, and then Ji Tianqi's voice suddenly rang out.
"Don't shoot! Friendly fire!"
It was behind them, within their encircling ranks.
The crowd turned their heads and bodies in surprise and saw Ji Tianqi standing next to Wu Ya, smiling with his hands raised high.
The four security personnel protecting Wu Ya, seemingly having realized what was happening at some point, were subconsciously pointing their Tasers at Ji Tianqi.
Their expressions, as opposed to the surrounded and pointed-at Ji Tianqi, were quite apprehensive.
"Put down your guns! Put down your guns!" Cong Wen yelled in alarm, "I told you it's a drill, what are you doing?"
As the four security personnel swiftly put away their guns, Ji Tianqi, still smiling with his hands up in a surrender position, kindly explained for them.
"They are just reacting instinctively, muscle memory from training, which shows they have high professional standards. And besides, they're using Tasers, not real guns, so it's fine."
[Unlike you guys, who are supposed to be doctors and researchers, you're starting to seem a bit like patients.]
Ji Tianqi naturally didn't voice that thought.
So, Cong Wen and the others were quite pleased, feeling that Ji Tianqi was being magnanimous, which for someone with great power considered a mental patient... they couldn't quite articulate it, but it was definitely good for them!
"Were all those just now illusions?"
"Was it purely Wave Striding Steps? Did you mix in any new martial arts?"
"Right, didn't you learn a new Qinggong technique called Stepping without Trace? Can you combine these two Qinggong techniques?"
"I've read in martial arts novels that they often categorize Qinggong into four types: lightness, agility, vertical, and horizontal. Wave Striding Steps should be the agility type, right? Based on the name, Stepping without Trace should be the lightness type, shouldn't it?"
"Then it seems Mr. Ji needs two more Qinggong techniques, one for vertical which would allow him to jump higher and one for horizontal to increase speed. To run faster and further."
"Speaking of which, can different Qinggong be used simultaneously?"
"Logically, they should be able to, right? Like the lightness-type technique, it makes the body lighter and should be suitable to combine with the other three types of Qinggong?"
"Mr. Ji, is it possible?"
The crowd enthusiastically discussed it among themselves, but in the end, they had to ask Ji Tianqi, because in the whole world, only he practiced 'martial arts'.
[Mad! They are all mad!]
As Ji Tianqi listened, his heart grew colder.
Although he steadfastly believed he was not mentally ill, that his superpower really came from crossing into an otherworldly realm, and his martial arts and adventures were the result of his own efforts rather than a god-given superpower user's unearned gifts...
But these people had firmly pegged him as mentally ill, delusional, a superpower user who had not worked for his abilities. So why had they suddenly all changed their tune, saying he knew how to practice martial arts?
[Has the mental illness spread to me from the other patients, contaminating my spiritual consciousness? Or is it because... I have grown stronger?]
Ji Tianqi feigned understanding, all the while keeping a calm expression.
"You can use them at the same time, but,"
he began, making everyone prick up their ears.
"Shouldn't you be more concerned about Comrade Xiao Wu first?"
"???"
Someone, whose mouth moved faster than their brain, asked subconsciously, "What's wrong with Xiao Wu?"
"…"
"Ah, Xiao Wu!"
"Xiao Wu has been immobilized!"
After a tumultuous interlude, Wu Ya replaced Ji Tianqi as the center of everyone's attention.
From the moment when Ji Tianqi appeared by his side, he remained completely motionless.
To be precise, he was capable of moving, but only to breathe and blink.
"He really can't move."
Someone gingerly poked Wu Ya's chest with a finger, and after finding Wu Ya didn't move at all, they became even more brazen, reaching down further...
"Stop!"
Cong Wen shouted to halt the unscientific experiment, and prudently asked, "Mr. Ji, Wu Ya is okay like this, right?"
"It's fine, as long as you don't mess around, he will be alright," Ji Tianqi assured them and then suggested, "I think, you can call me Captain Ji, or just Captain."
"Okay, Captain," Cong Wen immediately changed his address, and then inquired, "Could you acupoint more people? We need more samples for our experiment."
[Calling me Captain means you're not far from being my people, part of my team.]
Ji Tianqi silently rejoiced and replied, "Of course, no problem."
"Let me do it."
"Me, me, me."
"Pick me, pick me."
The researchers, acting like mental patients, scrambled to be chosen.
"Stop messing around, if everyone's acupointed, who's going to do the research?"
Cong Wen stopped the farce from happening, picked out the candidates, and Ji Tianqi completed the acupointing one by one, and thus, the research commenced.
As the only person in the world capable of performing acupoint and unsealing, Ji Tianqi naturally participated in it.
Noting Ji Tianqi's continued cheerful demeanor, Bai Xiuchu, who had not been acupointed, asked curiously, "Are you happy because you've learned a new martial art?"
"Not entirely."
"There's more?"
"I can finally take the research center's salary without any guilt."
"Huh?"
"Being researched while getting paid, it really was a bit hard to justify. But now it's different, I'm a bona fide researcher."
"…"
As Bai Xiuchu was rendered speechless, Ji Tianqi suddenly asked curiously.
"What's my current salary? How much is it? And what are the expenses?"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone