At the school commendation assembly, Li Yuan received the title of “Teenage Hero”.
Not only did he become a sensation throughout the school, completely overshadowing Lin Lanyue in terms of popularity, but many younger students began to see him as their idol.
His newfound fame even spread online, thanks to various news media reports.
Of course, it was limited to the range of Jiang City.
January 8th, a little past ten in the morning.
It was break time in the senior year (2) class cultural classroom.
“Brother Yuan, you’ve really become famous this time,” Zhou Qi said excitedly as he flipped through, shouting, “Look, your social media account has been dug up, and the number of fans has increased by more than a thousand.”
This prompted many students to curiously look towards Zhou Qi’s light screen.
“Most of those following are just watching the excitement, mainly from our school. With so many news stories these days, the hype will die down in two days.” Li Yuan shook his head and chuckled, “Are you taking this seriously?”
“When I leave the school, even the owner of the noodle shop at the gate probably won’t recognize me,” Li Yuan said with a laugh.
“That’s true,” Zhou Qi said with a laugh, scratching his head and shutting off his smart ring watch.
“Brother Yuan, did you see the reports on the Rob Sea?” Yan Zhou asked from the back row, “I remember you mentioned your uncle went there for work.”
“I saw it,” Li Yuan’s smile faded considerably, “The fight was very fierce this time, and it seems it still hasn’t been completely quelled up till now.”
Ten days ago.
That was two days after Jiang City was attacked by Star Realm Creatures, before the January exams, and the “Rob Sea” in the Second Level Star Realm had erupted into an unprecedentedly fierce battle.
It has been a headline in Xia Country and even throughout Blue Star ever since.
Li Yuan had been paying close attention, almost sending messages daily to his uncle, Li Changzhou.
Li Changzhou would occasionally reply with a message telling him not to worry.
“I saw in the news yesterday that from September until now, nearly ten thousand people have died in this war,” Lǐ Tianyou said, shaking his head with a sigh, “The casualties are truly terrible.”
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the classroom became somewhat oppressive.
In this age of advanced networks.
As seniors about to face college entrance exams, they would follow various national news stories and reflect on their future choices.
Moreover, students of this era are well aware that their own fates are closely linked to the fate of the entire nation and human civilization.
“Don’t worry about it,” Li Yuan suddenly said with a smile, “There have been so many wars before, and we always held our ground; it will definitely be the same this time.”
“The class is starting.”
“The class is starting.”
The class bell rang, and many students returned to their seats, ceasing their discussions.
“Rob Sea.” Li Yuan sat at his desk, his gaze drifting out the window, his mind wandering.
Northern Border Province, almost ten thousand kilometers away from Jiangbei Province.
All is peaceful in Jiang City, while on the frontlines of the Rob Sea, war rages on…
…
Life for Li Yuan settled back into its usual rhythm, following the same routine every day.
School, home, the Guan Mountain branch of the Starfire Martial Hall.
Apart from morning academic studies, he meticulously practiced Basic Cultivation Methods and Spear Technique.
Depending on his physical condition, he continued to purchase and consume basic Qi and blood potions and Origin Power Essence Pills.
Day after day was a repetitive grind.
Exceedingly mundane!
The money in his bank account and the points in his Martial Hall account were rapidly depleting like rushing water.
Li Yuan’s strength was steadily improving step by step.
Such is the nature of Martial Arts Cultivation, or rather, the nature of reaching the pinnacle in any field.
The moment of glory in front of others may require a decade of hard work and sweat in accumulation.
There are no shortcuts.
…
Before you knew it, it was February 10, 2043.
This was Xia Country’s most important traditional festival, ‘Spring Festival’, celebrated grandly not just throughout the country but across the globe.
Even as seniors, the school had a ten-day holiday.
At home in Wanhua Platinum Mansion.
“Come, let’s toast to the new year,” Aunt Chen Hui said as she sat at the head of the table, with a seat next to her empty, but with the light screen projection from the smart ring watch on the table.
Chen Hui looked towards the projection of the man, “Changzhou, happy New Year.”
“Wife, happy New Year,” Li Changzhou said, smiling as he raised his water cup in the video. His face had darkened a lot, “Xiao Yuan, Qianqian, Muhua, happy New Year to all.”
“Uncle, Auntie, happy New Year,” Li Yuan also said with a smile as he raised his glass.
“Dad, Mom, Brother, happy New Year.”
Even though Li Changzhou was thousands of miles away, he still joined his family for the Spring Festival through video projection.
The family was full of joy and laughter.
After dinner.
Li Qianqian and Li Muhua were cleaning up, Li Yuan went to his room. There was still some time before the Spring Festival Gala, and he wanted to seize the moment for more cultivation.
On the couch, Chen Hui sat there.
“Changzhou.”
Chen Hui held her smart ring watch, looking at her husband in the light screen projection, slightly worried, “How long before you can come back? Didn’t you say you would come back in January?”
“It will probably take another two months,” Li Changzhou said, “You know, the last two months have been very tense… The teams prepared to replace us are now at the Rob Sea.”
“They are working alongside us day and night.”
“Seems we’ll have to wait for the next batch of people to come for the replacement,” Li Changzhou said.
“All right then,” Chen Hui nodded reluctantly, “Take care of your safety.”
“Don’t worry.”
“Since the big battle half a month ago, the military and the Martial Hall Martial Artists have been counter-attacking into the Star Realm. After such a prolonged tug of war, we should be close to victory,” Li Changzhou said with a smile, “Last month was indeed dangerous, but we’ve been advancing this month.”
“Where I’m working now is on the edge of the Star Realm, but it’s actually part of a large fortress behind the lines, so it’s not very dangerous.”
“Yeah,” Chen Hui nodded.
If it weren’t for the knowledge that her husband was relatively safer compared to last month, her worries would only be greater.
“Try not to give them too many details,” Li Changzhou whispered. “Especially Little Yuan. The college entrance examination is getting closer.”
“Mhm, I understand,” Chen Hui nodded.
…
Regarding Uncle Li Changzhou’s situation, Li Yuan indeed didn’t know much.
It wasn’t that he didn’t care, but Li Changzhou rarely spoke of the true situation.
Li Yuan had always mistakenly believed that his uncle’s workplace was some distance away from the Star Realm.
After the Spring Festival, life for a senior in high school became even more tense.
In every class, whether it was the culture classroom or the martial arts classroom, ‘100-day countdown’ signs were hung up.
The college entrance examination was increasingly near.
Yet Li Yuan’s heart became more tranquil.
He had always been fully dedicated to his cultivation, whether it was physical cultivation or spear technique, or even his academic studies, he never slacked off.
“The college entrance exam is just one result.”
“Whether the result is good or bad does not depend on whether the test is taken seriously during those three days,” Li Yuan thought to himself. “But on whether every day and night of the past three years, six years, or even twelve years has been filled with sufficient effort.”
“With enough accumulation, success will naturally follow.”
“If there’s not enough accumulation and the scores aren’t high enough, anxious? Worry is futile!” Li Yuan’s heart instead became purer.
…
“Brother Yuan, my physical quality has reached 4.8 levels,” Zhou Qi said excitedly after yet another class test. “High-rank cultivation methods are really insane.”
“Impressive! But you can’t slack off. You didn’t have high physical quality before, and now that you’ve awakened a high-rank cultivation method, you need to strive to catch up,” Li Yuan smiled. “Try to improve more before the college exams.”
“Mhm, my goal is to reach 5.2 levels before the exams, to meet our class average,” Zhou Qi stated confidently.
This is the terrifying aspect of high-rank cultivation methods.
Absorbing Origin Power from the universe is like eating various supplements every day.
Zhou Qi’s physical quality, which was initially at the bottom of the class, had improved to nearly middle-rank within just over two months.
Given another year to Zhou Qi.
His physical quality level could entirely rise to the top ten of the class.
…
March 8, 2043, inside School 4011’s Martial Arts Room.
“Li Yuan.”
“After half a year of cultivation, your spear technique, movement technique, and fist technique have all reached the Third Stage perfection, without substantial defects anymore,” Xu Bo, who resembled an iron tower, said. “Starting next week, you don’t need to come to me for guidance anymore.”
“Don’t need to come anymore?” Li Yuan was slightly stunned.
“I’ve told you everything I need to,” Xu Bo looked toward Li Yuan, smiling. “From now on, how to break through from the Third Stage to the Fourth Stage, you’ll have to find the way yourself.”
“I have but one last piece of advice for you.”
“First the body, then the heart; reach mastery through the object. Only by integrating inward and outward, can there be unity,” Xu Bo said earnestly.
First the body, then the heart; reach mastery through the object?
“I have taken note, thank you, teacher, for your guidance during this time,” Li Yuan took note and respectfully performed a deep bow.
If the relationship between Li Yuan and Xu Bo was just that of a common teacher-student relationship back in October of last year.
Then, after such a long period of time, with Xu Bo’s repeated earnest guidance and generous sharing.
Their affection had surpassed the ordinary scope of a school teacher-student relationship, starting to approach that of a master and a closed-door disciple in ancient martial arts.
The master is both teacher and father.
Although not quite there yet, similar emotions had arisen.
“Haha, it’s already very late; you should head home early,” Xu Bo said with a laugh as he helped Li Yuan up.
Having spent a long time together, he had grown increasingly fond of Li Yuan.
In the few years at Guan Mountain District’s number one high school, he had taught nearly a thousand students.
But the ones who could reach the level of emotional connection he had with Li Yuan were few and far between.
…
Late at night, at two o’clock in the morning.
Li Yuan, who endured two hours of inhuman torture, woke up from within the Mind Spirit Divine Palace.
[Your spiritual power has increased from 14.9 to 15.0 levels] Li Yuan glanced at a reminder from the Divine Palace panel a few minutes ago.
“Day after day of arduous cultivation, enduring the torment of the blazing Great Sun.”
“My spiritual power has finally broken through to the 15.0 levels,” Li Yuan took a deep breath, feeling quite joyful in his heart.
For a martial artist level, 10 and 15 are thresholds.
In Li Yuan’s subconscious, spiritual power at 15 levels must also be a threshold.
“Only a week left before the invitation from Jiangbei Martial Arts University,” Li Yuan’s gaze subconsciously swept over his Divine Palace panel.
—-
[Life Level: 8.8 (Entry Rank)]
Physical Quality Index: 91 (a comprehensive measurement of explosive power, endurance, speed, physique, spiritual power, and many other aspects.)
Fist Strength: 988 kg
Speed: 19.6 m/s
Spiritual Power: 15.0 levels
Spiritual Awakening Level: 0.6% (current ceiling of 20%)
Physical Body Cultivation Method: [Solid Rock Cultivation Method]
Spiritual Cultivation Method: [Observing the Great Sun Starry Sky Scripture]
Skill Realm: Spear Technique (Third Stage 99%), Movement Technique (Third Stage 99%), Fist Technique (Third Stage 99%)
[Note: When the Spiritual Awakening Level reaches 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, and 125%, gradual Spiritual Guidance will be received.]
—-
“Let’s try again today, to see if I can pass the promotion match for the Fallen Star rank,” Li Yuan thought to himself, as he got up and entered the virtual network pod.