The Shaochong Acupoint, its effects are similar to other hand acupoints.
The only special thing is, the Lord said that opening the Shaochong Acupoint helps make the body light and nimble, which is extremely beneficial for cultivating movement-type martial arts.
Whether that's true, just practice "Sea-sweeping Body" once and you'll know.
After a while, Lu Chenzhou opened the Martial Arts Tree.
[Sea-sweeping Body: Proficient (98%) → Proficient (99%)]
"It really did speed up a bit. Before, it took a full three rounds to improve by one point, but now just two are enough." The Martial Arts Tree let him see the difference directly.
Lu Chenzhou savored the contrast. He planned to train more on the wooden stakes at the Martial Arts Hall in the next few days, and push Sea-sweeping Body to the Mastery Realm in one go!
…
April 2nd, morning.
Wanhua High School, homeroom teacher's office.
"Chenzhou, your performance wasn't too great this time."
The math teacher looked at Chenzhou in front of him.
After a few months of progress, Lu Chenzhou's rank slipped this time.
March monthly exams, 18th place.
Pretty good, honestly.
Just not up to his expectations.
Lu Chenzhou was silent for a moment, then said:
"Teacher, I have to take the special admissions exam for Pingjiang Martial Arts University in June. So last month I spent more time on martial arts."
He didn't intend to hide it.
The math teacher was slightly surprised at first when he heard that.
He remembered the admission requirements for Pingjiang Martial Arts University were quite high, not as lofty as the Alliance 24, but still leagues above ordinary Martial Arts Universities. You needed to make Third Rank before 17!
"Chenzhou, you've made Third Rank?"
"Yes, teacher."
The math teacher was completely shocked.
Oh my god!
Third Rank, Ming Power Realm peak. He remembered half a year ago, Lu Chenzhou hadn't even broken into the ranks. What happened in these six months? It's unbelievable!
He'd heard that a teacher at the school had a child with intermediate root bone, who attended Martial Arts School and got all sorts of advantages, and only reached Third Rank at 15.
Lu Chenzhou's root bone isn't great either.
And his family situation was nothing special.
He still had to focus on academics.
You could say he was maxed out on debuffs.
Yet he still reached Third Rank at 16, and even broke through three ranks in half a year. Is this the legendary "late bloomer, stored power finally unleashed?" Exceptional perception?
Seems like that's the only explanation.
For a moment, the math teacher was lost.
Had his insistence that Lu Chenzhou master academics been holding him back from his real calling? Yet as a teacher, that was his duty.
Conflicted, he didn't know what to say.
It all came out as a happy yet helpless sigh.
Old Cui laughed and said:
"Alright, I understand. Prepare well. If you can get into Pingjiang Martial Arts University, I'll truly be happy for you. Martial Artists and scientists are both pillars of society—without them, we wouldn't have such a harmonious and stable community.
Worst case, with your current results and talent, as long as you keep an eye on your studies, getting into a top university isn't hard. I'm not raining on your parade—people should always leave themselves an escape route. Burning your bridges and succeeding is mostly survivorship bias.
If martial arts doesn't work out, you'll still be a talent in society."
Lu Chenzhou was also deeply grateful to his math teacher.
"I'll always remember your teachings, sir."
"Alright, go back… Right, if you get into Pingjiang Martial Arts University, bring the proof to me at school. To align with national policy, the school is setting up a small martial arts scholarship—called the Hidden Dragon Scholarship. It's mainly for kids in academic high schools like you. Not much money, top tier is fifty thousand yuan, but that should get you a few boxes of supplements."
When he heard about the Hidden Dragon Scholarship, Lu Chenzhou's eyes lit up.
What he needed most now was money.
There are very few ways for a student to earn cash.
"Thank you, teacher! I got it."
Looking at the student's back, the math teacher mused to himself.
"If Chenzhou becomes a Martial Artist, then I'll be the teacher of a strong one."
…
In class.
Qin Zheng heard Lu Chenzhou's rank had dropped.
"For real? You're not messing with me?"
"For real, the grade sheets are coming out any minute."
"Nice, man. At least you're still human. If you'd been acing both martial arts and grades, I'd have to wonder if you're a demon."
Lu Chenzhou didn't care in the slightest.
"Still two months till exams. I've got Basic Boxing at perfection, Black Tiger Fist at small success, Third Rank Qi-Blood… I've met all three requirements."
Registration starts on May 25 and goes until the end of the month.
Lu Chenzhou marked it in his memo and took a screenshot, setting it as his phone wallpaper. He had a good memory, but when it came to applying for Pingjiang Martial Arts University, nothing could be left to chance.
He'd waited far too long for this day!
…
Evening, Flying Swallow Martial Arts Hall.
Qi-Blood Measurement Room.
[Qi Blood Value 1.76, congratulations, you've reached Third Rank standard!]
Lu Chenzhou let out a long sigh of relief.
"Finally Third Rank."
He stepped out of the measurement room and saw Shi Ruyu waiting outside.
"How'd it go?"
"Third Rank, Senior Sister."
Shi Ruyu's eyes lit up, a big smile breaking out.
"Awesome, Pingjiang Martial Arts University is as good as done!"
Lu Chenzhou's current strength was beyond what she had when she took the Pingjiang Martial Arts University exam. And don't forget, there were still two months till the exam—he could get even stronger!
"I'll borrow your good luck, Senior Sister."
Lu Chenzhou even cracked a rare smile.
Since childhood he'd been obsessed with martial arts, had almost no friends but for his parents, and only after starting high school and joining the Martial Arts Society did he meet Qin Zheng, and then Shi Ruyu.
And all these Martial Arts Hall folks.
This little circle was his only social world.
"Come, the Lord wants to see you."
"The Lord wants me?"
"Mm."
Lu Chenzhou followed behind Shi Ruyu with a mix of anticipation and nervousness, wondering if the Lord had finally recognized his talent.
In this era, strength brings status!
It doesn't matter where you come from. As long as you hold to the good of the nation, and your basic values are sound, the country will throw its weight behind you learning martial arts. Hiding your talent is no good.
Ji Xuantong had already brewed a pot of tea.
Lu Chenzhou noticed there was also another person in the Martial Arts Room.
The man wasn't very tall, maybe 1.78 meters, temples streaked white, a youthful face with snow-white hair, eyes sharp as a hawk, radiating energy, with an invisible, overwhelming aura!
Sipping tea, totally self-possessed.
Lu Chenzhou was a bit nervous inside.
"This guy's strong!"
Probably not any weaker than that police officer who looked like a human tank… Of course, he himself was too weak—when someone's too strong his own senses might betray him.
At any rate, definitely a major figure.
Ji Xuantong waved them over.
"Ruyu, Chenzhou, come sit."
"Okay, teacher."
Shi Ruyu tugged Lu Chenzhou and said:
"Sit."
The two of them sat up straight beside Ji Xuantong.
The elder's gaze swept over, and in an instant both Lu Chenzhou and Shi Ruyu felt like chicks stared down by a Nine Heavens eagle—he meant them no harm, but the aura of a true expert who has broken his chains makes ordinary people instinctively afraid.
Ji Xuantong said gravely:
"Let me introduce you. This is my teacher at Dragon City Martial Arts University—Qingtian Cang·Li Shoukun, a Martial Arts Adept who's shattered the Third Shackle!
You can call him Senior Qingtian Cang. He's a true master of Elephant Form's Eagle Form branch, a famous powerhouse from our school's Eagle Form Sect, currently teaching at Dragon City Martial Arts University and serving as a member of the Eagle Form Fist Technique Development Committee…"
This senior had a lot of titles.
Any one of them sounded impressive.
Lu Chenzhou had seen Absolute Peak experts who'd broken seven shackles on TV, but in real life, even Martial Artists were rare, let alone someone who'd broken three shackles?
"Greetings, Senior Qingtian Cang!"
"Greetings, Senior Qingtian Cang!"
Both greeted him nervously.
Qingtian Cang nodded slightly, took a sip of tea, and said:
"Martial Arts is unbounded. I'm just someone who set off a little earlier on the long road; no need to be overly formal with me.
I came because Ji Xuantong told me that though both of you have low class root bone, your martial progress over the last half year has been impressive, and you may have even gained some insight or show signs of developing a Martial Bone Dao Embryo. So I came to see for myself. If it's real, you mustn't be left hidden here."