“17.8 meters per second?”
“I didn’t see that wrong, did I?”
“How can he be so fast? That’s ridiculous, is he from the ordinary class?”
“Brother Yuan is awesome!”
“Li Yuan is too impressive.” Outside the testing area, hundreds of students burst into exclamations.
The students of Class 3 (2), being Li Yuan’s classmates, were mostly shocked and excited. If one had to describe it in a sentence, it would be ‘Li Yuan is getting more and more awesome.’
But for the students in the Elite Class, although they were also shocked, their reactions were more like ‘This Li Yuan is this awesome?’
“He really hasn’t awakened his Martial Spirit?”
“With that kind of physical quality, he’s almost at level 8.0, perhaps he is already at 8.0.” Students of the Elite Class discussed fervently, some in disbelief.
As Elite Class students, when it comes to ordinary class students, they mostly feel a sense of superiority.
Before, they knew Li Yuan was impressive, especially his Martial Arts Skills, even Lin Lanyue couldn’t compare to Li Yuan.
However, not having awakened the Martial Spirit meant in their subconscious that the cultivation speed would be much slower.
But Li Yuan’s current performance? It’s already crushing most of the students in the Elite Class.
“What the hell! He’s even slightly faster than me, his physical quality is almost the same as mine? How did he improve so fast?”
Gu Qianghan’s eyes widened: “Doesn’t that mean his raw score is going to outstrip mine?”
Gu Qianghan, at the end of his second year, ranked third in the grade for Martial Arts performance.
However, Gu Qianghan’s forty-meter burst speed test was only 17.6 meters per second.
“Lanyue, him?”
The plump girl standing next to Lin Lanyue gaped: “With that burst speed, he’d be ranked third in our class, right?”
Lin Lanyue ignored her best friend, falling into contemplation: “How did he do it? Is this why he was able to sign with Starfire Martial Hall?”
A winter’s day, the sunshine was just right, with a gentle breeze that wasn’t too dry.
The girl stared at the handsome young man in the crowd, dressed in a white Martial Arts uniform.
The young man had a radiant smile on his face as he accepted the enthusiastic cheers from his classmates, yet he did not look towards the girl.
“Lanyue, stop daydreaming.”
The plump girl couldn’t help but nudge the girl’s hand: “I admit Li Yuan is very handsome, seemingly more so than any of the boys in our class, but you don’t have to moon over him this much.”
“You’re the one mooning over him.” Lin Lanyue shot her friend a glance: “I’m just curious how he could improve so quickly.”
“Curious?”
Plump girl Peng Qiqi chuckled mischievously: “Curiosity is the first step to falling, if you don’t want the handsome guy, I won’t be polite.”
“It looks like you’re the one about to fall.” Lin Lanyue raised her head slightly: “Besides, I don’t think Li Yuan is handsome. We are Martial Artist Students, we first look at strength, appearance is not important.”
“You don’t find him handsome?” Peng Qiqi teased: “Then, you wouldn’t approve of any of the boys in our school.”
“To get my approval, they at least have to first get to the podium,” Lin Lanyue said with the corners of her mouth curved slightly, pulling her friend’s hand: “Let’s go, it’s time to gather for the 100-meter test.”
“Podium?”
“Lanyue, listen to what you’re saying,” Peng Qiqi exaggeratedly exclaimed: “Only the top Martial Arts performer in the grade can get to the podium, who can compete with you? Oh, I get it, you’ve got your eye on the junior boys from the first and second year?”
“So you like them young!”
…
“Young man, are you truly from the ordinary class?” Two proctors from other schools, similarly astonished by Li Yuan’s strength, asked.
Among the third-year students, not having awakened the Martial Spirit and having physical quality surpassing 6.5 is extraordinarily rare.
Not to mention standards like 7.9 or 8.0.
The two teachers paused the test temporarily to check the equipment while reconfirming Li Yuan’s identity from afar.
“Yes,” Li Yuan nodded.
“Impressive, Guan Mountain District has produced another promising youngster,” commented one of the older Martial Arts Teachers, unable to help himself: “Young man, work hard, even without the Spiritual Nature bonus, with your physical quality, you have a chance to get into the Warrior Class of Jiangbei Martial University.”
“Thank you, teacher,” Li Yuan smiled and said.
The Warrior Class at Jiangbei Martial University, similar to the Elite Class, would receive the best cultivation from Jiangbei Martial University.
But that was not Li Yuan’s goal.
…
Time passed, and the physical testing of one hundred meters, one kilometer, and ten kilometers were conducted in succession.
Lin Lanyue was the most notable.
Her displayed physical quality was truly leading by a steep margin, not only far surpassing all the Elite Class students but also well ahead of the second place.
And the one who garnered nearly as much attention as her was Li Yuan.
In terms of physical testing data, there were several students like Gu Qianghan in the Elite Class who were no less than him.
However, Li Yuan was too special; he was just an ordinary class student, unable to practice High Rank Cultivation Methods… yet his physical quality had already surpassed more than ninety percent of the students in the Elite Class.
“Li Yuan’s improvement is too exaggerated.”
“He really hasn’t awakened the Martial Spirit? How could his physical quality increase so fast?”
“I just checked, by the end of second year, based on score conversion, his physical quality should have only been at level 6.0.”
“In just half a year, his physical quality has improved by almost 2 levels, even more exaggerated than the top students of the Elite Class.”
“By the time of the college entrance exams, how high will his physical quality be? Level 9? He’s not going to become a Martial Artist already, is he?”
“With Martial Arts Skills, he is first, and his physical quality is also this impressive?”
“`
“How high will his Martial Arts Score be after this assessment exam? I feel he can make it into the top twenty of our grade.”
“The top twenty for sure, maybe even the top ten.”
“The top ten? Impossible.”
“He hasn’t awakened his Martial Spirit, and it’s normal for those in the top ten to receive bonus points for their Spiritual Nature. For Li Yuan to reach the top ten is too difficult, no matter how high his Martial Arts Skills score is, it can’t be perfect.” Many students in the senior third grade were discussing this.
For a time, Li Yuan virtually became a famous figure in the school, attracting much attention.
The underdog’s counterattack has always been the most popular topic amongst the masses.
Li Yuan was not weak, but his lack of an awakened Martial Spirit resonated with most ordinary students and made them favor him.
Even engendering a sense of vicariousness—so what if he hasn’t awakened? He’s still awesome.
…The three-day January assessment exams came to an end.
That evening was self-study class, and the exam results would be posted the following day during class.
Around seven in the evening.
Inside Martial Arts Room 7024 of the Guan Mountain District’s branch of the Starfire Martial Hall.
“Boom!”
“Hoo!” “Bang!” Li Yuan, dressed in a loose martial arts outfit, was practicing the Solid Rock Fist Technique.
This Fist Technique was in harmony with the Solid Rock Cultivation Technique, or one might say, the Fist Technique was a direct evolution of the Cultivation Stance Practice and Practice Method.
Each movement, though seemingly slow, was fiercely explosive in its action.
“Fist Technique is about control over one’s body.”
“Spear Technique is about control over one’s weapon.”
“When my Spear Technique broke through to the Third Stage, it was actually my Fist Technique that had broken through first.” Li Yuan concentrated on his cultivation, glancing unconsciously at the Divine Palace panel: “My Spear Technique has just broken through to 90% of the Third Stage, but my Fist Technique has long reached 99% of the Third Stage.”
“Spear Technique at Fourth Level emphasizes Body-Mind-Weapon Integration.”
“Yet for Fist Technique at Fourth Level, it’s simply about Body and Mind Unity.” Li Yuan pondered silently, “If I can’t even achieve perfect Body and Mind Unity, how can I manage to achieve Body-Mind-Weapon Integration?”
Body and Mind Unity is the foundation for Body-Mind-Weapon Integration.
The spear and fist are inseparable.
Practicing the spear essentially means practicing the fist, but Li Yuan would still occasionally focus on practicing his Fist Technique.
“According to the Divine Palace panel, my Physical Quality level is 7.8, but based on the real data I’ve demonstrated today, I should be similar to the other students at level 7.9.” Li Yuan’s thoughts roamed: “Based on the university entrance exam standards, my score for Physical Quality should be around 435 points.”
“For Martial Arts Skills score, I didn’t make any mistakes today, so I’m definitely over 380 points.” Li Yuan sighed inwardly.
360 points is the benchmark for the Third Stage.
To reach 380 points, Li Yuan estimated, one would have to attain at least Intermediate Rank Third Stage skills.
With his own Spear Technique skills close to Perfection of Third Stage, how many points he could get was unclear to him.
“However.”
“Even by the most conservative estimate, as long as I score over 65 points in the academic subjects, my total Martial Arts Score should exceed 880 points.” Li Yuan recited inwardly, “Hopefully enough to break into the top ten.”
Breaking into the top ten of his grade, Li Yuan was fairly confident.
But the top five?
“Small hope, not going to be presumptuous.” Li Yuan threw a punch with such force that it made the air around him seem to explode.
There was no sense of loss in Li Yuan’s heart.
What had to be done had been done to the fullest; the rest was waiting.
“Whatever the result, I have no regrets, so why should I create more worries for myself?” Li Yuan’s heart was as calm as still water as he continued to practice his Fist Technique in silence.
The heart of a martial artist seeks only to be without regrets.
…
At nine o’clock in the evening, at the principal’s office of Guan Mountain District’s top high school.
Principal Tan Zhenlong was still working overtime.
“Beep—” The sound of the intelligent assistant rang out, “Master, Teacher Xu Bo is calling you on video.”
“Xu Bo?”
“That guy really can’t wait even a quarter of an hour,” Tan Zhenlong shook his head with a smile, put down the performance list in his hand and said, “Xiao Jiu, connect the call.”
Whirr~ An assembly of light converged, forming a screen.
The imposing figure of Xu Bo appeared in the screen projection.
“Old Tan, have you seen the January assessment exam results?” Xu Bo’s face was full of smiles.
“I have.”
Tan Zhenlong nodded slightly and spoke indifferently, “Why are you looking for me so late, Teacher Xu?”
“It’s about Li Yuan.” Xu Bo replied.
“Li Yuan?” Tan Zhenlong nodded, “He performed quite well.”
“So what?” Xu Bo looked at Tan Zhenlong.
“So what?” Tan Zhenlong’s mouth curled with a smile as he looked at Xu Bo.
“What’s with that attitude.” Xu Bo glared, “You old rascal, don’t pretend to be clueless with me, I have video proof from last time.”
“Hurry up.”
“I’ve already sent you the scholarship application, get it approved quickly.”
“`