"Lin Ye, Class 7, Grade 2, Lower Grade Iron Bone Aptitude. Future plan recommendation: apply to a logistics-focused university."
Late at night, the results of the daytime test replayed in his dream.
Lin Ye woke up covered in cold sweat, turned his head to check the time, and it was only three in the morning.
Yesterday was the day the school organized cultivation Aptitude tests for newly adult students.
He had been an adult for a month, so he signed up for the test.
Ever since he could remember, he wanted to become a Martial Artist because Martial Artists held the highest social status.
Martial Artists live twice as long as ordinary people, and he heard that Martial Masters can live for five hundred years.
He started consciously training his body at the age of four and never slacked off.
His family all hoped he would become a Martial Artist, and his parents even saw him as the family's future hope.
Only by becoming a Martial Artist could he apply to a Martial Arts school, and only after graduation could he gain higher social status and wealth.
Countless Martial Artists made their fortunes and achieved Heaven-Defying changes through ruins, and he was no exception.
Unfortunately, all his hopes and dreams were shattered yesterday.
He still hadn't dared to tell his family about his test results.
His parents both worked at a slaughterhouse, toiling for ten hours a day, earning only three thousand a month, barely enough for the family's living expenses.
His younger siblings were still in junior high, and their bodies were weaker due to premature birth.
If anyone in the family fell ill, their finances would not make ends meet.
Amidst his chaotic thoughts, Lin Ye, looking exhausted, covered his eyes with his hand and sighed softly.
"Sigh, if only it were a dream. Lower Grade Iron Bone Aptitude means the probability of becoming a Martial Artist is almost zero, unless I have a fortuitous encounter that enhances my Aptitude; otherwise, I can only be an ordinary person in this life."
However, he had heard of very few fortuitous encounters that could change Aptitude online since he was little.
His grandfather was a Martial Artist, but he was already old and his Qi and Blood were weakening, so he could no longer enter ruins.
If he couldn't even enter a ruin, how could he encounter a fortuitous chance!
Fortuitous chances were not like cabbages found everywhere in the market.
Lin Ye felt extremely lost, unable to see the path ahead, and even more unsure what was worth living for in an ordinary life that he could see the end of.
As soon as he thought of his frail younger siblings and his increasingly aging parents, he took a deep breath and cheered up.
"So many ordinary people in the world are working hard to live; I can certainly do it too."
He was inwardly disappointed, simply unable to accept his own mediocrity.
Time would surely heal him; perhaps when he compromised with fate, he would be able to face life with a normal mindset.
A voice inside Lin Ye softly asked him.
'Are you truly willing to compromise with fate?'
Lin Ye responded almost without hesitation, 'Of course not.'
Lin Ye suddenly sat up from the bed, "One percent chance isn't zero, and there have been cases of Iron Bone Aptitude individuals becoming Martial Artists. Why can't I be the next one?"
"I'm only eighteen. If even I give up on myself, who else can offer me a helping hand?"
"It's just a lower grade Aptitude; Iron Bone is at least stronger than Mortal Bone."
"Mortal Bone doesn't even have the possibility of condensing Qi and Blood, while Iron Bone still has the chance to become a Martial Artist. Heaven is still favoring me."
After a cool dose of motivational 'chicken soup,' Lin Ye felt a bit more energetic.
The Federal Government had long announced that the best time for a person to condense Qi and Blood was before the age of twenty.
He had already memorized the Qi and Blood condensing Cultivation Technique, the Five Elements Qi and Blood, and understood the meaning of every sentence. Now all he lacked was a Qi and Blood Soup Medicine for condensing Qi and Blood.
The worse one's bone Aptitude, the more Qi and Blood Soup Medicine they needed.
The most common Qi and Blood Soup Medicine cost thirty thousand yuan. Although he could apply for a free one from the school, each person only had one chance to apply.
His Aptitude was Lower Grade Iron Bone, and trying to successfully condense Qi and Blood with just one Qi and Blood Soup Medicine was harder than winning a billion yuan from a lottery ticket bought on a whim.
Lin Ye thought about it; he would need to prepare at least three Qi and Blood Soup Medicine to have a chance of smoothly condensing Qi and Blood.
The school could provide one for free, so two Qi and Blood Soup Medicine would cost sixty thousand.
His current balance was only over three hundred; where would he get sixty thousand?
Their family's total annual income was only a little over sixty thousand.
As dawn was just breaking, a message popped up on his phone.
【Ye Zi, there's a part-time job, do you want to do it? The pay is exceptionally high.】
The message was from his deskmate, Zhao Qi.
Zhao Qi's Aptitude test results were the same as his: Lower Grade Iron Bone.
Although Zhao Qi was disappointed, he seemed to have known he had a lower grade Aptitude early on and quickly regained his vigor.
He was currently focusing on various part-time jobs and had given up on applying to university.
Lin Ye's gaze was fixed on the words "exceptionally high pay," and he quickly replied.
【How high?】
If it was only a few hundred yuan, there was no need to go.
Zhao Qi: 【This time, I really hit the jackpot. A cousin of mine discovered a wild ruin and has explored it several times, bringing out some Spirit Medicine each time. This time, he was drunk and I overheard him, so he had no choice but to take me along. Since you're my deskmate, after the Aptitude test yesterday, you looked like you were half-dead. It's just Lower Grade Iron Bone Aptitude; as long as you have money, there's still a chance to become a Martial Artist. My cousin promised to take you. He wants half of what we find in the ruin, and the other half is ours. Don't you think the income is high?!】
Lin Ye's originally casual gaze instantly became serious.
A wild ruin, that was a fortuitous encounter!
How many people throughout history had changed their fate by relying on wild ruins!
Wild ruins had no barrier protection from the Federal Government, so ordinary people could enter as long as they found the entrance. Even just digging up a few wild herbs containing Spiritual Qi from inside could easily sell for several hundred yuan.
No one knew what the situation was like inside a wild ruin, but Zhao Qi's cousin had already explored it several times, which meant the danger level of this ruin was not high, very likely an F Rank ruin.
He remembered that Zhao Qi's cousin, Zhao Yong, was an ordinary person who had condensed Qi and Blood, not a Martial Artist.
Lin Ye quickly made a decision and mentally noted Zhao Qi's kindness.
【I'm in, brother, thanks.】
After the Aptitude test, the school gave them a week off to adjust their mindsets.
In the afternoon, Lin Ye appeared in the square wearing bite-proof gloves, a waterproof storm jacket, steel-toed work boots, a waterproof backpack, and a sharp short knife strapped to his calf.
Zhao Qi's attire was similar to his; these were the best equipment for exploring ruins, compiled by online experts.
He heard that some people had obtained spatial equipment from ruins, but those items were acquired by high-level experts as soon as they appeared, and ordinary people had never even seen pictures of them.
Zhao Qi grinned and walked over, punching Lin Ye's shoulder.
"Not bad, Ye Zi, your outfit is as good as mine."
Zhao Qi first looked around, then leaned close to Lin Ye and mysteriously cautioned him.
"Neither of us has exploration experience, so once inside, we must listen to my cousin and absolutely not leave the group."
"My cousin said this ruin has been exposed, and the Federal Government will soon send people to set up a barrier. Our goal for this trip is to collect as much Spirit Medicine as possible."
Lin Ye thanked Zhao Qi again; if Zhao Qi hadn't wanted to help him, he certainly wouldn't have been qualified to enter.