“`
The setting sun cast a slanting glow, enveloping the campus in golden twilight.
The students, having just finished class, moved in groups, dressed in the uniform martial attire, as they made their way out of the classrooms towards the cafeteria, their voices filled with laughter and chatter.
Li Yuan and Wan Xiao exited the senior high school building, circumvented a large flower bed, and entered the office building.
At the end of the corridor to the left on the first floor was Teacher Xu’s office.
Though called an office, it was in fact a martial arts room of astonishingly vast proportions.
“Reporting.”
“Reporting.” Upon arriving at the door, Li Yuan glanced around and estimated that this martial arts room exceeded five hundred square meters.
This was his second visit.
Equipment such as life vitality detectors and fist strength testing areas were placed around, and noticeably more advanced.
On one side of the wall, cold weapons like spears, sticks, and axes were displayed, most of them unsharpened.
But there were also sharpened cold weapons.
Even more, Li Yuan caught sight of an independent restroom and physiotherapy room at the far end of the office.
“Li Yuan, this is what a true warrior cultivation room looks like. Entry rank warriors can practice here in peace,” whispered Wan Xiao from beside him, a hint of envy in his eyes, “My family’s cultivation room is less than a hundred square meters, not even one-fifth the size of Teacher Xu’s place here, and we don’t have a dedicated physiotherapy room.”
“Normally, if I need to treat my body, my dad has to drive me to the Martial Hall. It’s quite troublesome.”
Li Yuan remained silent.
Physiotherapy room? His own home didn’t even have a separate cultivation room.
As for going to the Martial Hall? That was even more out of the question financially.
As far as Li Yuan knew, a warrior cultivation room of several hundred square meters, like the one before him, would cost tens of millions of Blue Star coins just for the interior decoration.
In Jiang City’s housing market, even a moderately good location would cost over twenty thousand Blue Star coins per square meter.
By Li Yuan’s estimation, the total price of this martial arts room was at least twenty million Blue Star coins.
What was the average monthly salary in Jiang City? Li Yuan remembered seeing a figure not long ago on the news; it should be about 11,342 Blue Star coins.
The median income was even lower.
“You two, come in.” Teacher Xu Bo stood at the center of the martial arts room, his presence like that of an iron tower, especially that metallic right arm which was tremendously intimidating.
Teacher Xu’s aura seemed more restrained than it had been in the classroom earlier.
Yet it exuded a more dangerous feel.
“Teacher,” greeted Li Yuan and Wan Xiao obediently.
“Wan Xiao, I’ve submitted your class transfer application. It should be approved before six this evening. After approval, report directly to the elite class tomorrow,” Teacher Xu said to Wan Xiao.
Known as Bear, Wan Xiao was burly in stature, yet appeared somewhat diminutive in front of Teacher Xu.
“That fast?” Wan Xiao was caught off guard.
“Don’t worry, I’m not rushing you out,” said Teacher Xu with a cool voice but patiently, “After your spiritual awakening, you can practice high-rank cultivation methods, which are far more efficient than basic ones.”
“The college entrance exam is drawing near, and your awakening to the Martial Spirit came quite late. It’s better for you to join the elite class sooner; maybe it will give you an extra point in the exams.”
Teacher Xu continued, “Later, when the application is approved, the entry-level texts that you tried during the test and which suit you will be sent to your school account. I remember your family has a cultivation room, so don’t bother with the self-study session tonight. Go home and try practicing them one by one.”
“After you report tomorrow, the teachers in the elite class will give you one-on-one guidance until you’ve mastered them completely,” Teacher Xu concluded.
“Thank you, Teacher,” Wan Xiao said gratefully.
He now understood that Teacher Xu was not trying to get rid of him, but was actually considering his situation seriously.
“You may go,” Teacher Xu waved his hand.
Wan Xiao saluted and left.
“Li Yuan,” Teacher Xu looked at Li Yuan again, curiosity in his eyes, “your spear technique and movement technique should have reached the Third Stage.”
The Third Stage? Li Yuan was momentarily stunned.
In the standard high school curriculum, there were no such terms as First Stage, Second Stage, or Third Stage.
Only scores for skills.
“Oh, I forgot,” Teacher Xu remarked upon seeing Li Yuan’s expression, coming to a realization, “That is the terminology for entry rank martial artists. Then let me phrase it differently. Have you reached the Gold Stage on the Starry Skies Fighting Network?”
“`
“I arrived just half a month ago,” Li Yuan said.
Blue Star, as well as the Seven Great Planets, all have virtual networks that span their respective planets, with a simulation realism exceeding 70%, and the most popular game within these virtual networks is the ‘Starry Skies Fighting Network’.
“The Starry Skies Fighting Network is quite special, and it’s not just a simple game,” Xu Bo said, looking at Li Yuan. “It primarily tests a person’s martial arts skills, and it’s very training-intensive.”
Li Yuan nodded in agreement.
The prevalence of the Starry Skies Fighting Network, heavily promoted by the entire Seven Star Alliance on each planet, is inseparably linked to its significant promotional impact on reality.
“Being able to stand firm in the Gold Stage indicates that your spear technique and movement technique must have reached the Third Stage,” Xu Bo said. “For your age, reaching this level in martial arts skills is quite impressive.”
Li Yuan smiled and said, “It’s because of the good teaching I have received.”
A rare smile squeezed its way onto Xu Bo’s usually stern face.
“Your physical quality is also improving quickly,” Xu Bo said, his eyes reflecting a hint of curiosity. “Can you tell your teacher the reason?”
He was indeed curious.
“I’ve just been practicing normally,” Li Yuan shook his head and said. “Teacher should know my family’s situation; I can’t afford those special medicines.”
“Don’t worry, your teacher isn’t suspecting you of using forbidden medicine that stimulates life’s potential,” Xu Bo said.
In this era, there are some special treasures that can rapidly enhance physical quality, but most of them overdraw life’s potential and are counterproductive.
After use, they would have serious side effects; at best, one’s strength would be hard to improve further, and at worst, it could lead to a shortened lifespan.
Decades ago, when martial arts college entrance exams first began, many students would use these in secret, hoping to get into a good university.
Latterly, as the rules of the martial arts college entrance exams were refined, these types of medicines and fluids have been listed as forbidden and cannot be produced and used at will.
Before the college entrance exam, various devices would be used to perform comprehensive checks on the students.
“Normal practice leading to such progress? Very good!” Xu Bo revealed a rare smile. “I have high hopes for you becoming a martial artist.”
“High hopes for me?” Li Yuan was taken aback.
Since the other party took over as the homeroom teacher, he did indeed receive a lot of attention.
But it was limited to the attention a teacher gives to a good student.
Having high hopes for him becoming a martial artist? This was the first time Teacher Xu had said so.
Becoming a martial artist was very challenging!
“Teacher, I still haven’t awakened my Martial Spirit,” Li Yuan couldn’t help saying.
“Is Spiritual Awakening that important?” Xu Bo asked in return.
Li Yuan was puzzled. Was it not important?
“It is very important,” Xu Bo said on his own. “But in a certain sense, it’s also not important.”
Li Yuan’s confusion intensified.
“What is Martial Spirit? Essentially, it is the compatibility with the Seven High-Rank Cultivation Methods,” Xu Bo explained.
“Only with a compatibility over ninety percent can one start practicing high-rank cultivation methods in advance, which can significantly increase the efficiency of enhancing physical quality,” Xu Bo continued. “This would greatly increase the chances of becoming a powerful martial artist.”
“This is why the Seven Star Alliance puts such great importance on Martial Spirit.”
“Including the five prestigious national schools, they all prefer students who have awakened their Martial Spirit for the same reason.”
“After all, practicing high-rank cultivation methods earlier increases the likelihood of reaching Entry Rank as a martial artist, and the younger one becomes a martial artist, the greater the hope of achieving great success.”
Li Yuan nodded without a word.
When young, vitality is robust, making martial arts cultivation breakthroughs easier.
“Martial arts cultivation is the miraculous evolution of life,” Xu Bo said, his eyes gleaming. “In reality, we humans still know very little about life cultivation, whether it’s the Seven Fundamental Cultivation Methods or the Seven High-Rank Cultivation Methods… all of them have been gradually summed up by the numerous high-rank martial artists of the Seven Star Alliance over hundreds of years.”
“More than eighty years ago, during the first martial arts college entrance exam, the Seven Star Alliance only published three high-rank cultivation methods.”
Li Yuan’s eyes lit up.
He was not very clear about much of the information that Teacher Xu spoke of before.
“All cultivation methods aim to drive life evolution, to continuously improve our physical quality,” Xu Bo said, looking at Li Yuan. “And you, merely practicing the basic cultivation methods without any precious resources, are progressing faster in improving your physical quality than most students in the elite class.”
“What does this imply?”
“Your true talent may be very high,” Xu Bo sighed lightly. “It’s just that you don’t fit any of the Seven High-Rank Cultivation Methods.”