Starfire South Lake Residential Area, Zone One.
House No. 225.
As one of the top villa areas in Guan Mountain District, it’s on par with Starry Sky South Lake Residential Area, where each villa occupies a substantial plot.
That’s where Li Yuan’s new home is located.
Three floors above ground, with a construction area of over 800 square meters, a garden of more than 500 square meters, and even larger underground space… this is the new home prepared for Li Yuan by Starfire Martial Hall.
If it were to be put on sale, this villa alone, in its bare-bones state, would cost more than 50 million. Not to mention, the specially reinforced martial arts room underground… the total cost exceeds 80 million Blue Star Coins, and key point, it’s not even eligible for purchase.
Twenty-year residential rights.
Today is June 12, the day high school examination results are released. Li Yuan, his uncle Li Changzhou, and his aunt Chen Hui, all stayed in the living room on the first floor, waiting for the results.
It’s Friday, so Li Qianqian and Li Muhua have already gone to school.
“Uncle, Aunt, don’t worry,”
Li Yuan, seeing his uncle and aunt nervous and fidgety, smiled and said, “I will definitely pass.”
After experiencing so much and having absolute confidence in his own abilities, Li Yuan was very composed.
The national line? Easy to surpass.
“We know, but…” Li Changzhou shook his head.
The closer it gets to the revelation of the results, the more nervous parents tend to become, because they understand the significance of the college entrance examination.
During the waiting time, relatives occasionally called to ask about ‘Li Yuan’s’ exam results.
You see, over the past decade, Li Yuan barely made an impression on the relatives around him.
These years, not many have come to visit.
For one thing, relatives are aware of the situation of Li Yuan’s uncle and aunt. The medical expenses for Li Yuan when he was a child were staggering, and with such a heavy burden, these relatives all feared being asked to lend money.
Secondly, Li Yuan’s father and Li Changzhou were the only two siblings, and aunt Chen Hui was an only child, so most of the so-called relatives were cousins or distant kin.
With one generation close, the next generation becomes cousins, and by Li Yuan’s generation, these familial ties were already quite distant.
But most of these relatives were from Jiang City.
Thus, starting in April, after the broadcast of the program Li Yuan was on, and its spread throughout Jiang City and even Jiangbei Province, the number of ‘relatives’ who cared about Li Yuan slowly increased.
“Hey, cousin! Li Yuan’s results aren’t out yet; let’s talk later…” Chen Hui answered nonchalantly.
Of course.
There were also some calls from those who had truly cared and helped Li Yuan’s family through the years, like Zhong Cheng and Uncle Wang.
Finally, it reached nine o’clock.
“Li Yuan, you can check the results now,” said aunt Chen Hui, approaching with a nervous smile, trying not to seem too eager.
Li Changzhou also looked over, but didn’t speak.
As the head of the family, the uncle always managed to stay calm.
“Okay.” Li Yuan smiled, tapped on the smart ring watch, a screen popped up, and he directly entered the score checking page.
Li Yuan was well prepared.
“Beep—” The page even paused momentarily, an almost unbelievable occurrence with today’s communication efficiency… but it was just a brief hiccup.
At this moment, it wasn’t just the people of Xia Country but those from all nations of Blue Star checking their high school examination scores.
Swish!
The score page popped up, with Li Yuan finding two more heads peeking from either side, all staring at the score displayed:
Name: Li Yuan
Major: Martial Path
ID number: 420111202508298013
Examination number: XXXX
Physique: 500
Technique: 400
Culture: 86
Bonus points: 20
Total score: 1006
National line: 941
Provincial line: 772
Provincial ranking: 77
…
Upon seeing the total score of 1006 and the provincial ranking of 77.
Aunt Chen Hui finally let go of a burden that felt like a thousand kilos, her excited smile breaking out, even accompanied by tears of joy.
Her decade-long worry.
At this moment, it was completely released.
Chen Hui felt that all her efforts over the past decade were truly worth it.
“Great! Great!” Li Changzhou also laughed, reaching out to embrace his wife.
He knew of the hardships Chen Hui had endured over the past decade, with anxiety, struggling, and enduring so much, often alone at home caring for three children.
Now, it was finally time for the bitter to turn sweet.
“Uncle, Aunt, you can relax now,” Li Yuan said with a smile, very satisfied with his score.
He still scored full marks in the Martial Arts section. With his spiritual power getting stronger and learning capacity improving, Li Yuan’s cultural score also reached a new high in the college entrance examination.
However, limited by the bonus points, his total score was doomed to fall short of many others.
So, Li Yuan was very satisfied with the ’77th’ provincial ranking.
On this side.
Aunt, having regained her composure, started ringing back the relatives one by one: “Hello, cousin! Let me tell you, the results have just come out. Li Yuan only scored 1006, barely over the national line for martial arts by 60 points. He didn’t perform well…”
Li Yuan and Li Changzhou exchanged a glance and both smiled.
Today, for Chen Hui, Li Yuan’s results were like a ‘work summary’ of her more than ten years, her most glorious moment.
No amount of bragging would be too much.
“You should quickly give a V-call to those seniors and teachers of yours to report your score,” Li Changzhou reminded, “The sooner, the better, to show your respect.”
“Especially the teachers from Kunlun Martial University, give them peace of mind,” said Li Changzhou.
“Okay.” Li Yuan immediately made a series of V-calls.
Xu Bo, Teacher Chen, Wan Qinghe, Fei Qian, the military base’s senior Ji, Fan Jin, President Li… This too was a summary of Li Yuan’s achievements.
For Li Yuan, who had already signed with Kunlun Martial University.
This result was a near-perfect report card.
“Yes, President Li… Oh, the admissions notice will be issued in five days, with registration on the 28th of June, and classes starting on July 3rd?” Li Yuan spoke with President Li on the call.
After all the calls were done, it was already after ten o’clock.
Aunt Chen Hui, after having bragged for a while, had already moved into the kitchen to get busy.
She wanted to cook some dishes to celebrate the occasion.
Li Yuan and uncle Li Changzhou stepped out into the yard together, basking in the midsummer sunlight.
“Li Yuan, we owe you a lot for this time,” Li Changzhou said softly. “If it wasn’t for you, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to come back.”
“Uncle, don’t say that,” Li Yuan shook his head. “Our family should be well, and now everything is fine.”
Li Changzhou smiled, refrained from any rebuttals, knowing Li Yuan’s character.
“When do you plan to report to Kunlun Martial University?” Li Changzhou asked.
“7.2,” Li Yuan had already decided.
“That late?” Li Changzhou was somewhat surprised, having just overheard the conversation between Li Yuan and President Li.
“I wanted to spend a few more days at home, to keep you and Auntie company,” Li Yuan said with a smile. “Kunlun Martial University has only a half-month vacation every six months. Once I go to university, it will be difficult to come home.”
“It won’t delay your training, will it?” Li Changzhou frowned.
“Not at all. The martial arts room at home is sufficient for my training, and there is no shortage of cultivation resources,” Li Yuan said with a smile.
Li Changzhou’s brows relaxed, “In that case, it’s settled. You make your own decisions regarding the martial path. I’ve got some free time too, so let’s have a good chat, just the two of us.”
In truth, Li Changzhou hoped that Li Yuan could relax for a few days.
During the time at home, he had watched Li Yuan’s cultivation and had come to an updated understanding.
He felt Li Yuan was pushing himself too hard. His fanatical dedication to cultivation made even him feel queasy.
Too much is as bad as too little.
“By the way, Uncle,” Li Yuan said with a smile, “I just bought a fishing rod yesterday. Starting tomorrow, I’ll accompany you to the community fish pond for fishing.”
“Sounds good,” Li Changzhou’s interest was piqued.
With work keeping him busy all year round, it had been a long time since he had indulged in this hobby.
Li Yuan watched his uncle’s smile and looked over at his aunt cooking in the kitchen in the distance.
He couldn’t help but smile as well.
After so many years of hard training, wasn’t this scene right before him what he had been striving for?
What needed to be done next was to become even stronger, to protect this happiness.
Basking in the sun, looking at the lawn, Li Yuan’s mind drifted back to his childhood, when he often used to say, “Uncle, take me out to play, will you?”
In middle school, it turned into “See you tonight, Uncle and Auntie.”
Now, it was finally about to become “Uncle and Auntie, I’ll be back at the end of the year.”
“People often say that once most finish high school, they’ve already spent 90% of the time they’ll ever spend with their parents,” Li Yuan thought to himself. “In June, I’ll spend more time with Uncle and Auntie.”
That night.
Li Qianqian and Li Muhua came home, excited and thrilled upon hearing about Li Yuan’s college entrance exam scores.
The whole family was celebrating.
At 8 o’clock in the evening, under the watchful eyes of his family, Li Yuan used the newly launched ‘Volunteer Reporting System’ to fill in his choices.
For his first preference, he filled in Kunlun Martial University.
…
Late at night, after his uncle and auntie had gone to bed.
Villa 225, the basement.
This was actually a martial arts room that covered nearly a thousand square meters and had a ceiling over six meters high.
“Hoo!”
As usual, Li Yuan was practicing the Stellar Spear Technique for nearly two hours before he finally stopped to rest.
Li Yuan’s eyes glanced at the Divine Palace panel.
——
[Life Level: 10.6 (First Rank)]
Fist Strength: 1623 kilograms
Speed: 23.8 meters/second
Spiritual Power: 17.5
Spiritual Awakening Level: 12.8% (Current Max 20％)
Physical Body Cultivation Method: “Solid Rock Cultivation Method”
Mental Cultivation Method: “Observing the Great Sun Starry Sky Scripture”
Skill Realm: Spear Technique (Fourth Level 34%), Movement Technique (Fourth Level 26%), Fist Technique (Fourth Level 36%)
…”From April until now, thanks to the new cultivation plan, my physical quality has not slowed down in its improvement,” Li Yuan thought to himself. “However, the gap in physical quality grows more astonishing the further you advance.”
For example, at level 11, the standard fist strength is 1800 kilograms.
At level 12, it’s 3000 kilograms.
At level 13, the standard fist strength reaches a terrifying 5000 kilograms.
When it comes to Life Level advancements, the speed of elevation is going to slow down more and more, which is unavoidable.
“I’ll start school in July.”
“At the end of July, there’s a combat assessment,” Li Yuan sighed inwardly. “I hope to reach a 20% Spiritual Awakening Level by then, to see if I can undergo another infusion of Origin Power.”
If he could experience it again,
it would greatly enhance Li Yuan’s physical quality and spiritual power once more.
“On the other hand,”
“Advancing in the Fourth Level of skills is indeed harder the further you progress,” Li Yuan glanced over his Spear Technique and Fist Technique.
Nearly two months had passed, and his progress was actually quite significant.
But if the rate of progress continued like this, the hope of reaching the Bright Moon Stage on the Starry Skies Fighting Network before the age of 18 was virtually zero.
“I’ll give it my all.”
Li Yuan was at peace with himself and resumed practicing the Basic Cultivation Method.
…
At 9 o’clock in the evening, thousands of miles away from Jiangbei Province, at Kunlun Martial University.
Light spilled from an academic building, glowing brilliantly in the night.
In one of the meeting rooms, where there was a constant flow of people,
“What’s the situation with admissions? Are the results out yet?” President Li asked in a deep voice.
“We are still continuously contacting and doing our best to persuade more students to choose our Kunlun Martial University,” the teacher whispered. “For the top 50 in each province, our recruitment teams have already set off to invite them one by one.”
“Tomorrow, we should be able to gather the results.”
“Hmm.”
President Li nodded and then inquired, “What about the students on the early contract signing list? Give me their scores.”
“Yes.” The teacher was already prepared, promptly taking out a list and handing it to President Li.
President Li looked down and saw that the first name on the list was Li Yuan.
“Why is Li Yuan first?” President Li couldn’t help but say, “I remember his ranking in the province was just over seventy.”
“That’s changed.”
“This year, Principal Fang’s order was to rank everything after admission based on actual scores,” the recruitment teacher explained. “This Li Yuan, our admissions office has also taken notice of him.”
“His total score ranks 77th in Jiangbei Province, nothing eye-catching, and is expected to be around 350th among all students after enrollment.”
“That is, if we include the spiritual bonus points and other adjustments.”
“If we don’t count those bonus points,”
“With a full score in Martial Path, Li Yuan is the number one in bare martial scores in Jiangbei Province,” said the admissions teacher. “Moreover, he ranks tenth nationwide.”
“Number one in Jiangbei? Top ten in the whole country?” President Li didn’t know whether to be happy or annoyed.
He was certain,
that Li Yuan’s profile was now laid out on the desks of all institute heads in Kunlun Martial University’s eight institutes.
His plan to secretly recruit Li Yuan into the Sixth Institute just got harder.
“Principal Fang, really has nothing better to do,” President Li grumbled to himself.