For the next fifteen days, a familiar scene played out in the training hall of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall.
When the first rays of morning light illuminated the training grounds, a figure in the corner was already drenched in sweat.
When the last glow of dusk faded, that same figure was still tirelessly repeating their body refining exercises.
Qin Feng, the "Madman," had become a name everyone in the Extreme Martial Arts Hall's high school entrance exam prep class knew.
His life had been simplified to the extreme: train, eat, go home, sleep.
The daytime coach, Lin Weiping, went from initial observation to quiet approval. Eventually, he started making a point of walking over during the brief moments Qin Feng rested from exhaustion, using the most concise language to point out a key technique or two for exerting force.
He offered no words of encouragement, only the purest technical guidance.
Meanwhile, the evening coach, Li Weiguo, continued to pour all his energy into Zhou Heyuan.
He applied for more time in the Gravity Room for Zhou Heyuan and even paid out of his own pocket to buy him several expensive supplemental Nutrient Liquids.
In Li Weiguo's eyes, Zhou Heyuan was the student most likely to be personally sent into a top Martial Arts High School in his coaching career—a tangible honor.
As for Qin Feng, he was the tragic epitome of someone to be pitied—his spirit was commendable, but his efforts were doomed to be fruitless.
Every time he saw Qin Feng's training uniform, repeatedly soaked through with sweat, he would sigh to himself.
No one knew that the ordinary personal terminal on Qin Feng's wrist was recording a set of growth data that could only be described as terrifying.
For fifteen days, Qin Feng was like a sponge sinking into the deep sea, silently and greedily absorbing all the nourishment that could make him stronger: the ample nutrition provided by his father, the potent medicinal effects lingering in his body, the intentional and unintentional pointers from the two coaches, and the ever-increasing proficiency on his "Celestial Dao Rewards the Diligent" panel, earned through his own sweat and Will.
Time slipped by quietly amid this day-after-day of arduous training.
...
「Three days before the entrance exam—Back to School Day.」
Morning. Silver Gull Community, seventeenth floor.
Qin Feng stood inside his small room. The sky was already bright.
Instead of immediately starting his morning training as usual, he stood quietly and called up the system panel only he could see.
Half a month of bitter cultivation and consolidation. All his efforts would now be converted into the most direct results.
A faint blue light screen unfolded before his eyes.
[Celestial Dao rewards the diligent; bitter toil never ceases.]
[Host: Qin Feng]
[Life Force Index: 1.23]
[Mastered Refining Techniques:]
[Empire Basic Body Refining Technique (Lesser Success)]
[Proficiency: 15/1000]
[Note: Reaching 1000 proficiency will allow advancement to the Great Success Realm.]
A week ago, he had successfully broken through to the "Lesser Success" realm in the *Empire Basic Body Refining Technique*.
The moment he broke through, he clearly felt an unprecedented affinity form between his body and the free-roaming Spiritual Energy in his surroundings.
Every breath, every contraction and relaxation of his muscles, was now absorbing the power of growth with greater efficiency.
And his Life Force Index had finally settled at "1.23".
This number had already surpassed the minimum admission score of 1.2 for the seven top Martial Arts High Schools from previous years.
Of course, the cutoff score was just a reference.
Admissions each year ultimately came down to rankings.
Among the tens of millions of exam candidates on Qimingxing, only the absolute top sliver would earn the right to enter those seven schools.
Qin Feng closed the panel and slowly clenched his fists.
His knuckles let out a series of crisp CRACKS, and a sense of power far greater than what he'd had half a month ago filled his entire body.
He walked out of his room.
In the living room, his father, Qin Dahai, was sitting at the dining table, silently polishing an old military dagger.
It was the only memento he had brought back from the battlefield.
Over the past half-month, Qin Dahai had visibly thinned, and his eyes were slightly sunken, but they were brighter than ever before.
"Dad."
Qin Feng walked up to him. Without any unnecessary words, he brought up his personal terminal and projected his latest physical data report into the air in front of his father.
[Life Force Index: 1.23]
[Punching Power (Right Hand): 789 KG]
[100-Meter Sprint Speed: 8.9 seconds]
[Nerve Reaction Speed: 0.06 seconds]
Qin Dahai's movements, as he polished the dagger, froze instantly.
His gaze was fixed on the number "1.23," unmoving.
It was as if time itself had been paused.
After a full ten-odd seconds, he let out a long, slow breath.
That breath seemed to carry away all the frustration and resentment that had been pent up in his chest for over a decade.
He didn't shout excitedly like last time. He simply set the dagger down slowly and carefully, stood up, and extended his calloused and scarred right hand to clap heavily on Qin Feng's shoulder.
"Good."
A single word, heavy as a mountain.
He raised his head and looked at his son with a fiery gaze, a brilliant, heartfelt smile spreading across his weathered face.
"1.23... that's already past the cutoff for Qiming Seventh High School in previous years. Son, as long as you perform normally on the entrance exam, we have a great chance of getting into Qiming Seventh High School."
"Qiming Seventh High School only looks at scores for admission. It's fair and just. You can do it, son! Go for it!"
"Yes, Dad."
Qin Feng nodded solemnly and turned to leave.
...
The entrance to Seventh Middle School was much quieter than usual.
Qin Feng walked along the familiar, tree-lined path toward his classroom.
The scenery was the same as always, but an air of farewell hung in the atmosphere.
The classroom of Class 3-5 was already filled with students.
But with a single glance, Qin Feng noticed a dozen or so empty seats in the back of the room.
He still remembered the names of the students who sat there.
There was Wang Tao, the classmate who did well in academics but could never pass the physical fitness standards.
And a few others, all classmates who had once been labeled "poor students."
They hadn't come.
A month ago, they had accepted the recommendation list for vocational and technical schools, and they had never come back.
Their lives had already veered onto a different track.
In the classroom, the remaining students gathered in small groups, talking in low voices.
The topics were none other than predictions for the entrance exam, hopes for the future, and the sadness of their impending separation.
"Hey, Madman, over here!"
Zhou Heyuan's voice came from the front row.
He was surrounded by a few classmates, proudly showing off the brand-new personal terminal on his wrist.
Seeing Qin Feng, he waved enthusiastically.
"You're finally here. How's it going? Feeling confident after this final month of cramming? I just tested yesterday—my Life Force Index is 0.95, and my punching power is almost 500 kilograms. Teacher Li said I have a great chance of snagging a spot at a top Martial Arts High School."
"Congratulations."
Qin Feng replied calmly.
"You work hard too. After the exam, it's my treat. I'll call up all the classmates we can still get in touch with, and we'll have a good get-together."
Zhou Heyuan said generously.
Qin Feng nodded and walked back to his own seat.
Just as he sat down, the classroom door was pushed open, and their homeroom teacher, Li Weiguo, walked in.
Li Weiguo was holding a stack of documents. The usual sternness on his face was replaced by a gentle, wistful expression.
His gaze swept across the class, lingering for a moment on the empty seats, a flash of complex, imperceptible emotion in his eyes.
"Everyone's here. I called you all back today to hand out your exam admission tickets, and also for what is, in a true sense, the last class of our middle school lives."
His voice was much softer than usual.
"Now, when I call your name, please come to the front to get your admission ticket."
"Ding Wei."
"Here."
"Zhou Heyuan."
"Here!"
Zhou Heyuan walked up to the front, full of confidence. Li Weiguo handed him the ticket, his face showing undisguised approval and relief as he encouraged him in a low voice, "Do well on the exam. Don't let me down."
"I know, Teacher!"
Li Weiguo nodded in satisfaction.
One by one, the names were called.
The classroom was quiet, with only the sound of Li Weiguo calling names and the footsteps of students walking up to receive their tickets.
"Qin Feng."
When this name was called, many students in the class instinctively turned their gazes toward the figure who had been silent in the corner for a month.
Qin Feng stood up and walked to the front.
His steps were steady and his back was straight. He was like a completely different person from the slightly insecure boy of a month ago.
Li Weiguo looked at him and handed over the admission ticket.
He could sense that this student before him had undergone some sort of indescribable change.
The air of frailty and melancholy that had clung to him was gone without a trace, replaced by a restrained, rock-like calm.
"Qin Feng."
Li Weiguo began, his tone gentle and sincere, "This past month, I've seen all your hard work. No matter the final result, you've already proven yourself. The sweat you've shed won't be for nothing."
He paused, looked into Qin Feng's eyes, and said solemnly:
"As your teacher, I wish you a bright future."
"Thank you, Teacher."
Qin Feng took the admission ticket, bowed slightly, and turned to walk back down from the stage.
After the last student's ticket was handed out, Li Weiguo stood at the front, looking at the young faces below—some nervous, some excited, some lost—and remained silent for a long time.
"Three years ago, you walked into this classroom. Three years later, you will depart from here and set off toward your own different lives."
"Some of you will set foot on the Martial Dao, don the Empire's Battle Armor, and go forth to conquer the sea of stars. I hope you never forget to protect the hundreds of millions of your compatriots behind you."
"Some of you will enter technical colleges and become cogs in the vast machine of the Empire. I hope you never forget that although your posts may be ordinary, they are equally important."
"There is more than one path in life. No matter where you are in the future, or what profession you pursue, please remember that you are a member of the Human Empire, and you are students of Qimingxing Seventh Middle School."
He picked up a piece of chalk and wrote four powerful characters on the blackboard behind him.
[Martial Path to Prosperity]
"Three years as classmates comes to an end here."
Li Weiguo put down the chalk and gave a deep bow to all the students below.
"Class, I wish you all a prosperous martial path and a limitless future!"
RING RING RING—
At that moment, the bell to end class rang right on time.