「The next morning.」
A sliver of light pierced through the gap in the worn, old curtains, casting a long, narrow band of light on the floor.
Li Wen awoke in his bed, his consciousness swiftly shifting from deep slumber to clarity.
He habitually squinted, adjusting to the light, then stretched out with a long yawn.
Once the last vestiges of sleep faded away, a deep-seated anxiety quietly surfaced.
With a slight shift in his thoughts, he summoned the light screen that held all his hopes:
[Name: Li Wen]
[Age: 18]
[Occupation: Scholar LV1 (0/100)]
[Realm: Unranked (Level 6.0 → 6.1)]
[Cultivation Technique: Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill - Basic (Entry 80 → 87/100)]
[Skills: Bladesmanship - Advanced (Minor Achievement 86/100)]
Seeing the familiar, translucent light screen still floating silently in his vision, Li Wen couldn't help but let out a deep breath, as if expelling the heavy burden that had weighed on his heart for eighteen years.
"It's still here... It wasn't a dream," he murmured, his voice laced with an almost imperceptible tremor.
He had lived these eighteen years in such hardship, like a lone canoe struggling to paddle through a boundless, stormy sea.
Despite exerting strength far beyond that of an ordinary person, sweating until it soaked his very bones, his family's poverty and his own past foolishness meant he hadn't just failed to reach the other shore—he had been left further and further behind by his peers who had resources and talent.
To him, the appearance of this mysterious panel was like the only piece of driftwood seen when on the verge of drowning; it was the sole, hope-kindling spark he could grasp.
The sense of security from confirming the panel's existence gradually quelled his panic. Li Wen's mind settled, and with focused, exploratory eyes, he scanned the fluctuating data on the screen one by one.
Realm: Unranked (Level 6.0 → 6.1)
'Just as I thought!' A sharp glint flashed in Li Wen's eyes.
During yesterday's physical assessment, a cold, mechanical voice had announced that his physical body level was barely holding at 6.0—a passing grade that was still a far cry from the Martial Dao university enrollment threshold.
Yet in just one night, it had jumped by 0.1! An increase of this magnitude was a first in his many years of cultivation.
He knew that in the past, even when he gritted his teeth and used his only three Level 1 Qi and Blood Potions each month, the improvement had been negligible. An increase this visible, confirmed by the panel, was an absolute first.
'It has to be the effect of "Absolute Focus"!' he confidently attributed the success to the core skill he had activated last night.
In that state of "Absolute Focus," not only did his mind and will become one, banishing all stray thoughts and causing his cultivation efficiency to skyrocket, but more importantly, there was that profound, mysterious feeling of parting the mists and enhancing his comprehension—that was the key!
Cultivation Technique: Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill - Basic (Entry 80 → 87/100)
His gaze shifted to the Cultivation Technique section, and understanding dawned on him.
No wonder he had always found the profound mysteries of the Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill abstruse and difficult to comprehend. It turned out his proficiency had only just crossed the threshold into "Entry."
And yet, just one night of cultivating in the "Absolute Focus" state had caused this long-stagnant proficiency to surge by 7 points. The direct feedback from this increased efficiency filled him with confidence for the future.
Skills: Bladesmanship - Advanced (Minor Achievement 86/100)
When his eyes fell on the Skills section, a ripple of emotion—and a hint of lament—stirred in Li Wen's heart.
Compared to his shallow Cultivation Technique, this "Minor Achievement" in "Advanced Bladesmanship" was probably the only praiseworthy and barely presentable result of his last two and a half years of arduous training.
The classification of basic Martial Dao skills clearly surfaced in his mind: Basic, Advanced, and Peak, with each tier further subdivided into Entry, Minor Achievement, and Major Achievement.
And only after cultivating a peak-level bladesmanship technique to the state of Great Completion, if one could comprehend the world, merge it with oneself, and create their very own Martial Arts Secret Skill, could they step into the coveted First Realm—the Unity Realm!
Those who entered this realm achieved a perfect fusion of body, mind, and skill, allowing them to unleash their power with several, or even dozens, of times more force, creating a vast chasm between them and ordinary Martial Artists.
Before a master in the Unity Realm, an opponent whose skill realm hadn't reached the same level was nothing more than a slightly stronger and faster target. They could be annihilated with a flip of the hand, even if their physical body level was much higher.
This "Unity Realm" was also a crucial, even decisive, threshold for whether a Martial Artist could break through the limits of life and enter the ranks of the Extraordinary, becoming a "Super Martial Artist."
Failing to enter this realm meant being forever locked within the category of an ordinary Martial Artist.
In the small Bluestone County, masters who had reached the Unity Realm could be counted on one hand, and each was a lofty Super Martial Artist.
Among high school students, those who could achieve this were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
As far as Li Wen knew, across all the high schools in Bluestone County combined, you could count the number of students who reached the Unity Realm before graduation on two hands.
Those people were, without exception, the chosen ones, the greatest hope for the entire county to vie for a spot in Hua Country's four top martial academies in the coming year.
Once upon a time, hearing these legends had filled him with nothing but a profound sense of powerlessness and shock.
He had exhausted himself just cultivating basic bladesmanship, and reaching Minor Achievement in advanced bladesmanship was already a struggle, yet others his age could surpass the peak and create their own secret skills.
Back then, Li Wen couldn't even muster the will to catch up; even the right to look up to them felt like an extravagant luxury.
But now, gazing at the "86/100" on his panel and feeling the unprecedented clarity brought by the fusion of two souls in his mind...
...and with the power of "Scholar" granted by the panel, a ripple called "ambition" stirred for the first time in the long-still lake of Li Wen's heart.
DRING DRING~~ The slightly piercing ring of the alarm clock on his nightstand suddenly sounded, interrupting Li Wen's racing thoughts.
He casually silenced the alarm, pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, got up, and went out to wash his face.
The cold water on his cheeks jolted him fully awake.
After quickly finishing, he grabbed the simple, still-warm breakfast his mother, Wang Juan, had prepared on the small dining table in the living room. Li Wen slung his faded canvas bookbag over his shoulder, pushed open the creaky door, and merged into the unique morning hustle and bustle of the old city district.
...
Bluestone Third Middle School.
Third-year building, Class 21 cultural studies classroom.
It was still early, and the vast classroom was empty. Li Wen had already taken his seat in his usual corner spot by the window.
His focused gaze was fixed on the open copy of "High-Energy Mathematics Foundation Theory" in front of him.
Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the complex formulas on the page. Li Wen concentrated, beginning to study and understand them word by word, line by line.
About ten minutes after he had entered this state of study, the classroom door was pushed open, and a slightly chubby boy with small eyes walked in.
Seeing that Li Wen was already reading, he pushed up his glasses and greeted him in a manner that was half-teasing, half-habitual:
"Whoa, you live up to your name as our class's king of cramming. You're here awfully early."
This was Wei Wu, the top student in Class 21 for cultural studies and a stable fixture in the top ten on the academic leaderboards for all of Bluestone Third Middle School.
But in contrast to his brilliant academic achievements, his Martial Dao scores were a complete disaster—even worse than Li Wen's used to be.
Their classmates often teased them in private with a pun on their names: "Li Wen can't do literature, and Wei Wu can't do martial arts."
"Morning," Li Wen replied with a single word, not even looking up, his eyes still glued to the page.
It wasn't that he was being deliberately cold. He just didn't want to attract unnecessary attention with a sudden change in attitude, and more importantly, he was currently immersed in a novel thirst for knowledge.
'Scholar experience points are gained by learning! He had realized this after his initial attempts last night.'
[You have studied diligently for ten minutes. Scholar EXP +1]
Almost simultaneously, this line of text that brought a small joy to his heart popped up on the panel.
'Just as I thought! It's the same as the settings in that game from my memories!'
To level up the[Scholar]occupation, the core source of experience points was learning, understanding, and mastering knowledge!
And the higher its level, the more exaggerated and powerful the comprehension bonus and increase in self-control from "Absolute Focus" would become!
The huge cultivation gains from his first experience with the skill last night were like a timely rain, filling him with the motivation to grind for EXP.
Even without the panel, he would have worked hard to improve.
But now, with a clear goal and a visible progress bar, that motivation was burning like a roaring flame.
'I have to grind the[Scholar]level up as quickly as possible!'
Because in the game's design, the first player to max out their initial occupation level would receive a heaven-defying reward—unlocking a second occupation!
This hidden "Pioneer" achievement was acknowledged in the gaming strategy circles of his past life as one of the cornerstones for establishing the strongest late-game combat power! He was determined to get it!
...
Time flowed by silently amidst his concentration.
Another ten or so minutes later, the classroom door was pushed open again, and a girl with a high ponytail and a slightly drowsy expression walked in.
Seeing Li Wen and Wei Wu, one seated in front of the other, already reading, she couldn't help but yawn and mumble:
"Of course, the top two try-hards are already here. I'm telling you two, can you give the rest of us a chance to live?" Her words were tinged with familiar banter.
"Morning!" Wei Wu looked up and replied with a smile.
"Morning!" Li Wen still didn't look up, sparing a moment from his book to respond.
The girl was clearly used to their styles. She tossed her bag onto her desk, unzipped it, and took out her own books, joining the ranks of the "crammers."
The only sounds in the classroom were the rustling of pages and the scratching of pen on paper. The trio's concentration built a silent barrier around them.
...
"DRING DRING—" The melodious bell suddenly rang, signaling the end of morning classes.
For the entire morning, Li Wen had been immersed in high-intensity studying. Aside from necessary bathroom breaks between classes, he had been hunched over his desk, reading intently, for a full six hours without moving.
[Occupation: Scholar LV1 (36/100)]
The experience points on the panel clearly recorded the fruits of his diligence.
Six hours, 36 EXP gained.
At this rate, he only needed to devote himself wholeheartedly for another two days to raise his Scholar level to LV2.
Mmm... Li Wen put down his pen, stood up, and stretched his neck, shoulders, and back, which were slightly stiff from sitting for so long. He let out an enormous stretch.
A few soft cracks echoed from his joints.
Although it wasn't as physically intense as afternoon cultivation practice, several hours of high-intensity studying that required immense concentration was just as mentally draining.
Right now, he could even feel a slight throbbing in his temples.
At the same time, GROWL... his stomach chimed in with a protest of hunger.
"Time to fill my stomach first," Li Wen muttered to himself. He quickly shoved his books into his desk, picked up his empty water cup, and walked briskly out of the classroom, heading towards the cafeteria.
The intangible satisfaction brought by knowledge now needed to be supplemented with real energy.
...
「Around one-thirty in the afternoon.」
Bluestone Third Middle School, Class 21's Martial Arts Room.
In stark contrast to the plain and compact cultural studies classroom from the morning, this dedicated room for Martial Dao cultivation was vast.
The spacious area, nearly a thousand square meters, was paved with a special material capable of withstanding powerful impacts.
Various training equipment was fixed to the surrounding walls, leaving a large open space in the center for combat drills or group cultivation.
There was still half an hour before the afternoon Martial Dao class officially began, but the Martial Arts Room was already quite lively.
Aside from the students in the class whose ambitions lay in the liberal arts and had long since given up on the Martial Dao, almost all the students from Class 21 who planned to pursue the path of a Martial Artist and try for a Martial Dao university had arrived.
In the second semester of the third year of high school, the Martial Dao teachers had already taught all the new content in the previous two years. The current classes were more focused on students' independent reinforcement training, with teachers patrolling to guide, correct mistakes, and answer questions.
On the path of cultivation, the later stages perfectly embodied the saying, "The master opens the door, but the disciple must walk the path alone."
With the college entrance exams imminent, everyone was on edge. No one dared to slack off, each wanting to seize every minute and every second to improve, hoping to gain an extra edge in the exam that would decide their fate.
Thus, at one-thirty in the afternoon, the Martial Arts Room was already this bustling.