As for those inspirational stories of "waking up one day completely transformed," it wasn't that no one had considered it. But deep down, the first thing that surfaced was resistance, a refusal to believe.
They were still young, their edges not yet smoothed over by the world.
For the past two and a half years, facing Li Wen—the loner at the bottom of the class hierarchy—they might not have actively bullied him, but disdain, indifference, casual mockery, or simply ignoring him were always present to some degree.
It was human nature, the strong preying on the weak. Even if it was just an unconscious ripple, it was the norm.
Now, the target they had all looked down on, whether intentionally or not, was suddenly surging forward with terrifying potential? This was absolutely not something they wanted to see.
If Li Wen truly managed to turn the tables, what would they, the ones who had once looked down on him, stand to gain? They would be lucky if he didn't hold a grudge, let alone expect to benefit from his success.
For reasons both personal and public, they all strongly resisted the possibility that 'Li Wen has truly awakened'.
They would rather Li Wen be a "schemer"—deeply calculating, hiding his strength for years, just waiting for the college entrance exams to soar to greatness.
That way, their sense of defeat might lessen a bit. They could even comfort themselves: 'It's not that I'm not good enough, it's just that he's a great actor.'
Even if Li Wen had truly awakened... they secretly prayed it was just one of those common, short-lived "small bursts."
Every year during the college entrance exam season, there were always a few unremarkable students who, as if divinely inspired, would make rapid progress at the last minute and become dark horses.
This wasn't unheard of among high school students in the developmental stage of their Martial Dao. It was possible for physical development or a sudden burst of activity in a certain part of the brain to cause a temporary spike in comprehension.
It was just that…
"Three days, from Minor Achievement to Major Achievement... and nearly at Completion?" Deng Yuefei muttered, his gaze on Li Wen a complex mix of emotions. "That's one hell of a 'small burst'... A bit too much of a burst, don't you think?!"
Facing the few gazes from afar—filled with astonishment, curiosity, and even hidden doubt—Li Wen felt no desire to explain himself.
Two years of being a loner, combined with the natural barrier created by his family's financial situation, had left him isolated in Class 21. Aside from Wei Wu, who would occasionally come over to say a few words, he had almost no one he could call a friend.
Sliding the saber securely back into the weapons rack, Li Wen walked to his mat. Compared to his stalled blade technique, he had another small breakthrough on the horizon.
[Cultivation Technique: Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill - Foundation (Initiate 99/100)]
After cultivating continuously last night, his proficiency with the foundational technique had climbed to 99 points at the Initiate level. Just one more step and he would break through to the Minor Achievement stage.
If not for the worry that over-cultivating would deplete his qi and blood and affect his condition today, he definitely would have pushed through and ground out that last point of experience last night.
Li Wen stood with his legs slightly parted and bent, formed a hand seal, and closed his eyes.
HUUU... HAAA... A strange breathing rhythm drove the slow circulation of the not-so-abundant qi and blood within his Dantian.
The cultivation process was as arduous as ever. More than ten minutes passed in silence. Sweat once again beaded on his forehead, and his school uniform, plastered to his skin, was so soaked you could wring water from it.
The muscles in his limbs began to tremble uncontrollably. The over-circulated qi and blood turned his skin bright red, like a steamed shrimp.
HNGH... A low, pained grunt escaped his throat.
He forced himself to hold on for about another half-minute before his body could no longer maintain the strenuous, precise posture. It was like a taut string suddenly snapping.
HAAAAA—! A long, hot, turbid breath, thick with the smell of sweat, burst from deep within his chest, forming a fleeting white mist.
Li Wen staggered and dropped to one knee, bracing himself with both hands on the cool mat. He gasped for air, his head bowed, each ragged inhalation sending a sharp pain through his lungs.
The moment the breathing technique was forcibly interrupted, the familiar light blue screen automatically appeared in his mind:
[Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill Experience +3]
[Cultivation Technique: Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill - Foundation (Initiate 99→Minor Achievement 2/100)]
'Success!' An insight far clearer and more condensed than what he'd felt at the Initiate stage flowed into his mind like a gentle stream, unannounced, and instantly merged perfectly with his existing understanding.
Understanding of several minor deviations in how to channel power for the Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill, of certain seemingly insignificant movements that actually affected the efficiency of qi and blood circulation, of the deeper coordination between breath and channeling... it all clicked into place as naturally as water finding its course.
'Minor Achievement Stage!'
A gratified smile appeared on Li Wen's exhausted face.
'Although my blade technique is stuck at a bottleneck, breaking through in my foundational technique is just as significant! This means my efficiency in utilizing qi and blood will slightly increase whenever I use this technique!'
'My body's efficiency at absorbing and converting the thin Spiritual Energy in the air will also improve! In short—the baseline for my physical body's level-up speed has finally started to rise!'
'This is currently the only legitimate way for me to increase the speed of my physical improvement without spending extra money. Every single breakthrough is priceless.'
He struggled to his feet and staggered over to a bench in the rest area, collapsing onto it like a boneless heap. He felt every muscle in his body ache with a deep, heavy soreness.
After catching his breath for several minutes, he regained a bit of strength and fumbled in his old backpack on the floor for a rapid energy fluid.
Twisting off the cap, he tilted his head back and chugged it down. GULP, GULP.
The cool liquid, sweet with a salty, metallic tang of electrolytes, slid down his throat, bringing a moment of cool relief, like a faint drizzle on parched earth.
The entire bottle was empty in moments. It was a rapid energy supplement designed specifically for the high-intensity training of Martial Artists, and it wasn't cheap.
One bottle, a tiny 150ml, cost ten Huaxia Coins—and that was the discounted price, subsidized because he was a student.
Li Wen silently calculated: 'In one night, I'll basically go through four rounds of practicing the foundational technique. After each round, I need one of these energy drinks to mitigate the immense physical toll and barely manage to get through the next round.'
'Four rounds mean forty Huaxia Coins spent on drinks alone. In a month, calculating by thirty days... that's one thousand two hundred Huaxia Coins.'
'And that's not even counting the three Level 1 Qi and Blood Potions I have to grit my teeth to afford each month, which cost another fifteen hundred Huaxia Coins. Just the Qi and Blood Potions and energy drinks alone bring my fixed monthly expenses close to three thousand Huaxia Coins!'
'And this still doesn't include the cost of the nutrient-rich meals I need to sustain my high-intensity training—far more than what an ordinary person eats—or the hefty tuition fees weighing on my parents' shoulders...'
'Poor scholars, rich fighters!' At this moment, those four words felt so cold and heavy. Behind every improvement in strength was a path paved with countless sums of money.
'I have to get into the Flying Star Class!' The thought was clearer and more burning than ever before. 'It's the only shortcut to escaping this bottomless pit of financial pressure and obtaining massive cultivation resources!'
'Otherwise, with just my meager resources, trying to raise my physical level to the threshold required for a top martial arts university before the Martial Dao college entrance exams... the hope is as faint as a firefly's glow on a cold night!'
After resting on the spot for over ten minutes and feeling some of his stamina return, Li Wen walked back to the mat. The second round of foundational technique cultivation began.
The insights from the Minor Achievement stage began to take effect. For the same duration of extreme cultivation, this time, he actually managed to last for a full twenty minutes!
Although he was still trembling all over and drenched in sweat by the end, he felt that the total amount of essence, qi, and spirit consumed to complete one round seemed to be a fraction less than when he was at the peak of the Initiate stage.
This was the first sign of increased efficiency—for the same amount of stamina and energy consumed as fuel, he could now draw out more of the "body tempering" results from his foundational technique cultivation! The needless dissipation and loss during his qi and blood circulation had been slightly reduced.
[Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill Experience +4]
[Cultivation Technique: Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill - Foundation (Minor Achievement 2→6/100)]
The panel's feedback confirmed his feeling.
During cultivation, he could even vaguely sense it. The power converted from the energy he absorbed now stimulated his body with a warm current that was infinitesimally stronger than before.
These trickles of warmth would eventually gather and be clearly reflected the next time his physical level panel refreshed.
Drops of water form a river; grains of sand build a pagoda. On the path of the Martial Dao, no amount of progress, however small, could be ignored.
He believed that as long as he persevered, this improvement would eventually be rewarded in the cold, hard numbers.
Time slipped by quietly in a cycle of breathing, gasping, resting, replenishing, and diving back into cultivation.
When the bell signaling the end of the evening self-study session rang out leisurely, Li Wen happened to be finishing his final round of foundational technique cultivation for the night.
He stood exhaustedly leaning against the wall, taking small sips from his fourth energy drink of the night.
The cold liquid, carrying the heavy cost of reality, slid into his stomach. It dispelled the heat from his cultivation but also brought a bone-deep weariness and a clear, sharp resolve.
Outside the window, the night was as thick as ink, reflected in his calm, quiet pupils.