Success! The Tiger Saber Skill—Perfection Realm!
Just then, the bell for the second Martial Dao class of the afternoon began to ring, sharp and incessant.
DRING DRING DRING—!
The bell snapped Li Wen out of his trance.
Exhaustion washed over him like a tide, a sign that he had overdrawn on both his mental and physical stamina. But beneath the fatigue lay a profound sense of ease and clarity.
"Hooo…" Li Wen let out a long, deep breath.
He subconsciously stopped his saber practice, his eyes scanning the room. Only then did he belatedly register the unusual silence.
A deathly silence. Dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed on him, their expressions a complex, unreadable mix. Only the insistent school bell continued its stubborn ringing.
Then—
The classroom exploded with noise, as if a pot of water had suddenly boiled over. The uproar was even louder than the bell, instantly overwhelming the entire Martial Dao classroom.
"He... he broke through?! Did he really?!"
"Holy shit! Seven days! From Mastery to Perfection!"
"Seven days!!"
"He's awakened! He's really awakened!" Wei Wu's voice was the most excited and loudest of all, practically a roar. His face was a mask of pure, unadulterated joy and excitement.
As a fellow grinder on the same path and a classmate with whom he had no direct rivalry, he was genuinely happy for Li Wen.
"Excellent!" A powerful, excited voice cut through the din. It belonged to the Martial Dao teacher, Wang Hu, who had just stepped into the classroom as the bell rang.
His face was flushed with excitement, his eyes shining as he stared at Li Wen. He was the first to break into vigorous applause.
"Excellent! Well done, Li Wen! It looks like Class 21 has a strong chance of securing another spot in the Flying Star Class selections! This is a tremendous step forward!"
With Wang Hu leading the way, the chaotic chatter quickly transformed into thunderous applause.
Everyone, regardless of their private feelings, set them aside for the moment and clapped with all their might.
A mix of astonishment, envy, and other complex emotions was poured into the unending applause, which lasted for a good five or six minutes. The classroom only returned to order when Wang Hu waved his hands, signaling for everyone to stop.
"Alright! Li Wen's breakthrough is wonderful news, and he is the pride of Class 21! But more than that, I hope it serves as a catalyst to motivate every single one of you!"
Wang Hu stood in the center of the training area, his voice booming. "Look at Li Wen! He didn't have the best start, and he was even more disadvantaged when it came to resources. But through sheer perseverance and a slow, steady buildup, he shattered the first major bottleneck holding him back!"
"What does this prove? It proves that hard work and persistence are never wasted! Now, I want all of you to pull yourselves together, use Li Wen as your benchmark, and get serious about today's training!"
Perhaps it was from witnessing a near-impossible miracle unfold before their very eyes, or perhaps it was the rare, infectious excitement in Wang Hu's voice.
For the rest of the afternoon, the atmosphere in Class 21's Martial Dao classroom became more focused and intense than ever before.
Their training kiai were more forceful, their movements more precise. Even the students who normally slacked off now had a fire in their eyes—a refusal to be left behind, an eagerness to give it their all.
Watching the burgeoning spirit of his class, Wang Hu couldn't suppress a smile.
When he'd first been assigned Class 21—a "retirement" class full of well-connected legacy students with rock-bottom Martial Dao scores—he had been completely disheartened, focused only on getting through his teaching assignments.
But Li Wen, this dark horse who had emerged from nowhere, brought him an unexpected spark of joy—and even the hope of turning his own fortunes around.
He couldn't help but steal a few more glances at Li Wen, who was in the corner diligently practicing to solidify his new Perfection Realm. A deeper sense of anticipation flickered in his eyes.
Merely reaching the Perfection Realm of an advanced technique might not be enough to attract the attention of the real big shots.
But what if... what if Li Wen could ride this momentum and cross that critical threshold into the Extraordinary, into the Unity Realm of the Martial Dao?
As the Martial Dao homeroom teacher who had personally discovered and nurtured him, the reward... would be enough to make him drool.
He'd heard about the massive bonuses received by the homeroom teachers at Bluestone First Middle School whose students had been signed early by recruiters.
A hundred thousand to start, maybe even five hundred thousand... For someone like him, stuck at the peak of a Mid-Level Martial Artist whose vitality had yet to begin its noticeable decline, that kind of money was the key resource he needed to break through to the rank of Super Martial Artist.
At the thought, Wang Hu felt his heart begin to race.
He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the turmoil in his heart.
'Steady, steady. He just reached Perfection with an advanced skill... I'll have to observe him more, see how his comprehension develops... The Unity Realm can't be rushed...'
He silently admonished himself, but his gaze on Li Wen was already as fervent as if he were staring at his own massive future bonus.
The dismissal bell rang.
Time flew by during the focused training, and in the blink of an eye, the class was over.
"Li Wen!" Wang Hu's voice rang out, tinged with a barely perceptible excitement. "Come with me for a moment."
"Yes, Teacher!" Li Wen understood immediately. He put away his saber and strode over to Wang Hu's side.
He knew what this meant: now that his saber skill had reached Perfection, he would be introduced to a top-tier saber skill.
This was the key to reaching the next level, and it would be crucial for him to distinguish himself in both the Flying Star Class selections and the final Martial Dao exam.
Basic, Advanced, and Top-tier—the gap between them was immense. Even just the entry-level of a top-tier saber skill was enough to completely dominate an advanced skill at the Perfection Realm.
With only two days left until the final exam, how much could he accomplish in such a short time? Should he fight at a huge disadvantage with his advanced skill at Perfection, or should he risk it all to master the entry-level of a top-tier skill?
Success with the latter would be a quantum leap forward. But if he failed, he would likely have to take the final assessment using only his advanced saber skill at the Perfection Realm.