Chapter 5: I Have High Hopes for You (Thank you, White Silver Alliance, for your support!)

The setting sun cast a golden glow over the campus.

Students, in groups, wearing uniform school and martial arts attire, streamed out of their classrooms, bustling toward the cafeteria, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

Li Yuan and Wan Xiao walked out of the senior high school building, circled around a large flower bed, and entered the office building.

At the end of the corridor to the left on the first floor was Xu Bo's office.

Calling it an office was a bit of a misnomer; it was actually an enormous martial arts training room.

"Report."

"Report." The two arrived at the door, and Li Yuan's gaze swept across the room, estimating that the training room was over five hundred square meters.

This was his second visit.

Various instruments, such as life energy detectors and punching power testers, were placed around the room, and they were clearly more advanced.

On one side of the wall, cold weapons like guns, sticks, and axes were displayed, most of them unsharpened.

But there were also some sharpened cold weapons.

Even more, Li Yuan noticed a separate bathroom and therapy room at the far end of the office.

"Li Yuan, this is a true martial artist's training room. Entry-level martial artists can train here with peace of mind," Wan Xiao whispered, a hint of envy in his eyes. "My family's training room is less than a hundred square meters, not even a fifth of the size of this place, and it doesn't even have a dedicated therapy room."

"If I need therapy, my father has to drive me to the Martial Hall, which is very inconvenient."

Li Yuan remained silent.

Therapy room? His family didn't even have a separate training room.

As for going to the Martial Hall? They couldn't afford it.

According to Li Yuan's knowledge, a martial arts training room like this, spanning several hundred square meters, would cost tens of millions of Blue Star Coins just for the renovation.

In Jiangcheng, the price of a bare apartment in a decent area could exceed 20,000 Blue Star Coins per square meter.

By Li Yuan's estimation, the total cost of this martial arts training room would be at least 20 million Blue Star Coins.

What was the average monthly salary in Jiangcheng? Li Yuan remembered seeing a news report recently; it should be 11,342 Blue Star Coins.

The median income was even lower.

"You two, come in." Teacher Xu Bo stood in the center of the training room, towering like an iron tower, especially with his metallic right arm, which exuded a formidable presence.

Xu Bo's aura was more restrained than it had been in the classroom, but it gave an even more dangerous feeling.

"Teacher." Li Yuan and Wan Xiao were very obedient.

"Wan Xiao, I've submitted your class transfer application. It should be approved by six o'clock tonight. After it's approved, you can report to the elite class tomorrow," Xu Bo said, looking at Wan Xiao.

Wan Xiao, nicknamed Dog Bear, was a towering figure, but he seemed small in front of Xu Bo.

"So soon?" Wan Xiao was caught off guard.

"Don't worry, I'm not kicking you out," Xu Bo said, his voice cold but patient. "Awakening your spiritual nature allows you to practice high-level cultivation methods, which are much more efficient than basic methods."

"The college entrance exam is approaching, and you've awakened your martial spiritual nature quite late. Joining the elite class earlier might give you an extra point on the exam."

Xu Bo continued, "Once the application is approved, the introductory cultivation methods you tried during the test will be sent to your school account. I remember you have a training room at home, so don't attend evening study tonight. Try each one at home."

"Once you report to the elite class tomorrow, the teachers there will provide one-on-one guidance until you fully master them," Xu Bo said.

"Thank you, teacher." Wan Xiao said gratefully.

He understood that Xu Bo wasn't trying to get rid of him but was genuinely considering his best interests.

"Go on." Xu Bo waved his hand.

Wan Xiao bowed and turned to leave.

"Li Yuan." Xu Bo turned to Li Yuan, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Your gun skills and movement techniques should both be at the third level."

Third level? Li Yuan was taken aback.

In high school, there were no such terms as first, second, or third level.

Only skill scores.

"Oh, I forgot." Xu Bo, noticing Li Yuan's confusion, explained, "That's the term used by entry-level martial artists. Let me rephrase: Have you reached the Gold Rank in the Starry Sky Combat Network?"

"About half a month ago." Li Yuan said.

On Blue Star and the seven planets, there were virtual networks covering each planet, with a simulation accuracy exceeding 70%, and the most popular game on these networks was the 'Starry Sky Combat Network.'

"The Starry Sky Combat Network is very special; it's not just a game," Xu Bo said, looking at Li Yuan. "It primarily tests a person's martial arts skills and is also very challenging."

Li Yuan nodded.

The popularity of the Starry Sky Combat Network, which was strongly promoted by the Seven Star Alliance on various planets, was closely related to its significant impact on real life.

"Being able to maintain a Gold Rank indicates that your gun skills and movement techniques are likely at the third level," Xu Bo said. "At your age, reaching this level of martial arts skills is very impressive."

Li Yuan smiled. "It's all thanks to the teacher's excellent instruction."

A rare smile appeared on Xu Bo's usually stern face.

"Your physical fitness has improved rapidly as well," Xu Bo said, his eyes filled with curiosity. "Can you tell me why?"

He was genuinely curious.

"I just train normally," Li Yuan shook his head. "Teacher, you know my family's situation; I can't afford those special drugs."

"Don't worry, I'm not suspecting you of using life-potential-boosting drugs," Xu Bo said.

In this era, some special treasures could rapidly enhance physical fitness, but they mostly drained life potential, akin to pulling up seedlings to help them grow.

Using them would result in severe side effects, ranging from difficulty in further improvement to a shortened lifespan.

Decades ago, when the martial arts college entrance exam began, many students would use them privately, hoping to get into a good university.

Later, as the exam rules were refined, these drugs and solutions were banned and could not be produced or used arbitrarily.

Before the exam, various devices would be used to conduct comprehensive tests on the students.

"Improving this much through normal training? Very good!" Xu Bo's rare smile widened. "I have high hopes for you becoming a martial artist."

"High hopes for me?" Li Yuan was taken aback.

Since Xu Bo took over as the homeroom teacher, he had indeed been given special attention.

But it was limited to the attention a teacher would give to a good student.

High hopes for him becoming a martial artist? This was the first time Teacher Xu had said it.

Becoming a martial artist was extremely difficult!

"Teacher, I haven't awakened my martial spiritual nature yet," Li Yuan couldn't help but say.

"Is awakening spiritual nature that important?" Xu Bo countered.

Li Yuan was puzzled. Wasn't it important?

"It is important," Xu Bo continued, "but in a certain sense, it's not."

Li Yuan was even more confused.

"What is martial spiritual nature? Essentially, it's the compatibility with the seven high-level cultivation methods," Xu Bo explained.

"Compatibility over ninety percent allows for early practice of high-level cultivation methods, significantly boosting the efficiency of physical fitness improvement," Xu Bo said. "This greatly increases the chances of becoming a powerful martial artist."

"This is why the Seven Star Alliance places great importance on martial spiritual nature."

"Even the top five national universities prefer students who have awakened their martial spiritual nature for the same reason."

"After all, early practice of high-level cultivation methods increases the probability of becoming an entry-level martial artist, and the younger one becomes a martial artist, the greater the chances of achieving great success."

Li Yuan nodded.

In youth, when one's life energy is vigorous, martial arts cultivation breakthroughs are easier.

"Martial arts cultivation is a wondrous evolution of life," Xu Bo's eyes sparkled. "In reality, we humans know very little about life cultivation, whether it's the seven basic cultivation methods or the seven high-level cultivation methods... They have all been gradually summarized by many high-level martial artists over the past few hundred years."

"Eighty years ago, during the first martial arts college entrance exam, the Seven Star Alliance only announced three high-level cultivation methods."

Li Yuan's eyes brightened.

Many of the details Teacher Xu Bo mentioned were things he hadn't known before.

"The purpose of all cultivation methods is to promote life evolution, continuously enhancing our physical fitness," Xu Bo said, looking at Li Yuan. "And you, despite only practicing basic cultivation methods and without any precious resources, have improved your physical fitness faster than most students in the elite class."

"What does this mean?"

"Your true talent might be very high," Xu Bo sighed. "It's just that you don't match any of the seven high-level cultivation methods."

(End of Chapter)