# Chapter 5: Rapid Ascension
Luo Sheng stood in the hallway outside the assessment room, his new Intermediate Student badge gleaming on his chest. He was about to head toward the Intermediate training facilities when a thought struck him.
He turned back toward the assessment area just as Assessor Lin Mei was preparing to leave for her next assignment.
"Assessor Lin, excuse me—may I ask you something?"
Lin Mei paused, her hand on the door handle, and turned back with a questioning expression. "Yes, Luo Sheng? Is there something unclear about your new status?"
Luo Sheng approached respectfully, choosing his words carefully. "It's not about my current rank, but rather... about the future. You see, my strength has been improving significantly over the past few days. I believe my potential may have finally awakened after years of slow progress. What if—hypothetically—I reach Senior Student level tomorrow or the day after? Would I need to undergo the full formal assessment procedure again?"
Lin Mei's eyebrows rose slightly at the question. She fell silent for a moment, studying the young man before her with a mix of curiosity and appraisal.
His confidence wasn't arrogance—it was the quiet certainty of someone who understood his own capabilities.
Most people would never ask such a question. The jump from Intermediate to Senior Student typically took years, not days. But she'd seen his test results, witnessed his performance firsthand. If anyone could achieve such rapid advancement, perhaps this young man could.
"That's... quite an ambition," she said carefully. "But I appreciate your forward thinking."
She considered for a moment, then nodded decisively. "If you do reach Senior Student level that quickly, there's an expedited process. You won't need to schedule another formal assessment."
She pulled out her tablet and made a few notes. "When you believe you've reached Senior Student standards, simply go to the Intermediate training building and request a strength and speed verification test from any supervising instructor. They have the authority to conduct preliminary measurements. If your results meet Senior Student requirements—600 kilograms minimum punch strength and 22 meters per second speed—that instructor will file an official report."
"Once the report is submitted and verified against the training hall's recorded data, your status will be automatically upgraded in our system. You'll receive your Senior Student certificate within hours, and you'll gain immediate access to the Senior Student building. No need for another full assessment."
Luo Sheng's eyes lit up with understanding. "So the key is to have an instructor witness and verify my capabilities in the training building itself?"
"Exactly. The training halls have monitoring systems that record all test results for quality assurance purposes. An instructor's witnessed measurement combined with the system's data log is sufficient for rank advancement at your current level."
She smiled slightly. "It's designed to streamline the process for rapidly improving students—though I'll admit, we don't have such students who advance this quickly."
"Thank you, Assessor Lin. That clarifies everything."
"You're welcome. And Luo Sheng?" She met his gaze directly. "I hope I do receive a report about you reaching Senior Student level soon. It would be quite exciting to see someone progress so rapidly. Good luck with your training."
She offered a professional nod and departed, leaving Luo Sheng standing in the hallway with a satisfied smile.
Perfect, he thought. No bureaucratic delays. As soon as I collect enough attributes from Intermediate Students and test at Senior Student levels, I can immediately gain access to the next tier of training facilities.
He turned and made his way toward the Intermediate Student building, anticipation building in his chest.
---
The Intermediate Student building was connected to the main structure but accessed through a security checkpoint that scanned trainee credentials. Luo Sheng presented his newly acquired Intermediate Student badge, and the gate smoothly slid open with a soft electronic chime.
The interior architecture was noticeably more refined than the Junior building—higher-quality materials, better maintained equipment, and an overall atmosphere of increased professionalism. These were facilities for students who had proven themselves worthy of investment.
Luo Sheng followed the directional signs and soon arrived at the main training hall—a vast space spanning roughly one hundred meters in both length and width. The ceiling soared high above, equipped with advanced ventilation systems that kept the air fresh despite the physical exertion taking place below.
Unlike the crowded chaos of the Junior training hall with its thousands of trainees, this space held perhaps a hundred students at most, spread across various training zones. The reduced numbers made sense—Intermediate Students were significantly rarer than Junior Students. Most martial artists plateaued at the lower levels and never advanced beyond that threshold.
The students here moved with noticeably better strength and control. Their punches carried real power. Their movements displayed genuine skill rather than clumsy enthusiasm. And most importantly for Luo Sheng's purposes...
His system-enhanced vision revealed the truth.
The training hall floor was dotted with attribute orbs—beautiful rainbow-colored spheres of light that pulsed with potent energy. But these orbs were distinctly different from those in the Junior building. They were larger. Brighter. More vibrant. Each one practically radiated power.
These are going to be much more effective, Luo Sheng thought with satisfaction.
"Hmm?"
A voice drew his attention. A young man in his early twenties, muscular and confident in bearing, had noticed Luo Sheng's entrance. He walked over with a friendly smile.
"Oh, are you a newly promoted Intermediate Student? You look quite young for your age." He extended his hand in greeting. "I'm Zhao Ming, been Intermediate for about eight months now. You must be pretty talented to reach this level at your age. Welcome to the club!"
Luo Sheng shook his hand. "Thank you. I'm Luo Sheng. I just passed the assessment today, actually."
"Today? Wow, that's fresh!"
Zhao Ming laughed. "Don't worry, people here are pretty friendly. It's not like the Junior building where everyone's competing desperately for instructor attention. At this level, we understand that everyone has their own path."
Another trainee, a young woman with her hair pulled back in a practical braid, approached as well. "New promoted? Congratulations! I'm Chen Yue. Been here for about six months. If you need any guidance on using the equipment or want sparring practice, just ask around. Most of us are happy to help."
"I appreciate that," Luo Sheng said with genuine warmth. "I'm still getting my bearings, so I'll probably take you up on that offer eventually."
"Take your time exploring," Zhao Ming advised.
"The training hall is divided into sections—strength training in that corner, speed and agility over there, technique practice in the center, and sparring rings along the far wall. Find whatever fits your training style."
"Thanks for the orientation. I think I'll walk around and familiarize myself with the layout."
"Sure thing. See you around, Luo Sheng!"
The two trainees returned to their own training routines, leaving Luo Sheng free to begin his real work.
He started walking slowly through the training hall, maintaining the appearance of a curious newcomer examining the facilities. In reality, he was systematically positioning himself near each cluster of training students to collect the attribute orbs they dropped.
As he approached the first group—three students practicing their punching combinations on heavy bags—the orbs scattered on the floor suddenly flew toward him and merged into his body.
The sensation was incredible. Far more intense than anything he'd experienced in the Junior building.
[Strength +65 kg]
[Strength +62 kg]
[Defense +58 kg]
[Strength +70 kg]
[Speed +0.5 m/s]
[Defense +63 kg]
Yes! Luo Sheng's heart raced with excitement. Each orb from an Intermediate Student is worth more from a Junior Student! This is exactly what I needed.
He continued his casual stroll, weaving between training zones and collecting orbs wherever they appeared. The beauty of the system was its subtlety—to any observer, he was simply a new student exploring the facilities and watching others train to learn from them.
For the first ten minutes, the gains remained substantial:
[Strength +68 kg]
[Defense +61 kg]
[Speed +0.6 m/s]
[Strength +72 kg]
[Defense +65 kg]
[Speed +0.5 m/s]
[Strength +60 kg]
His current strength had climbed from 567 kg to approximately 750 kg. As he crossed this threshold, he immediately noticed the orbs becoming less effective.
He spent time near the speed training section, where students ran sprints and practiced agility drills:
[Speed +0.5 m/s]
[Strength +55 kg]
[Defense +52 kg]
[Speed +0.6 m/s]
[Strength +58 kg]
He observed the technique practice area, where students executed complex martial forms:
[Strength +50 kg]
[Defense +48 kg]
[Speed +0.5 m/s]
[Strength +53 kg]
His strength now hovered around 820 kg, and the diminishing returns became more pronounced.
He even lingered near the sparring rings, where the most dedicated students engaged in controlled combat:
[Strength +45 kg]
[Defense +42 kg]
[Strength +40 kg]
[Speed +0.4 m/s]
[Defense +38 kg]
As his strength approached 900 kg, the orb effectiveness dropped dramatically:
[Strength +12 kg]
[Defense +10 kg]
[Strength +8 kg]
[Speed +0.2 m/s]
[Defense +9 kg]
[Strength +6 kg]
When he finally crossed the 900 kg threshold into Quasi-Warrior territory, the orbs became extremely weak:
[Strength +3 kg]
[Defense +2 kg]
[Strength +2 kg]
[Speed +0.1 m/s]
[Defense +3 kg]
[Strength +2 kg]
The notifications flowed continuously for over half an hour, but the later gains were minimal—single-digit improvements that barely moved his overall capabilities.
System status.
The translucent panel materialized:
---
[Personal Attribute Panel]
Name: Luo Sheng
Rank: Apprentice Level (Quasi-Warrior)
Strength: 950 kg
Speed: 25.5 m/s
Defense: 945 kg
Cultivation Method: None
Skills: None
Storage: Empty
---
Luo Sheng had to suppress a wide grin.
In just half an hour of collecting attributes from Intermediate Students, he'd jumped from 567 kg to 950 kg in strength—an increase of 383 kilograms. His speed had gone from 21.6 m/s to 25.5 m/s. His defense had similarly skyrocketed.
He had surpassed the Senior Student threshold entirely and reached the Quasi-Warrior level. One more good session and he'd break through completely.
But more than the raw numbers, he could feel the qualitative change in his body. His muscles held explosive power. His reactions were lightning-fast. His entire physiology had transformed into something far beyond what he'd possessed just hours ago.
This is insane, he thought, marveling at his own status panel. Some time ago, I was a struggling Junior Student with 288 kg of punch strength. Now I'm basically a Quasi-Warrior. The system is even more powerful than I imagined.
He glanced around the training hall. The attribute orbs completely stop falling at this point, if that. The Intermediate Student building had served its purpose.
Time to plan for Senior Student access, he decided. But first, I should head home. It's getting late, and I don't want my family to worry.
He made his way toward the exit, nodding politely to a few trainees who acknowledged him as he passed. Just as he was about to leave the building and head toward the main entrance, a familiar figure appeared in the hallway ahead.
"Big Brother!"
Luo Feng walked toward him, surprise evident on his face. "What are you doing coming out of the Intermediate building? I thought you were training in the Junior facilities."
Luo Sheng smiled and gestured to the badge on his chest. "I took the Intermediate Student assessment today. Passed all three tests. I've been granted access to these training areas now."
Luo Feng's eyes widened, genuine joy spreading across his features. "That's incredible! I knew you'd been making progress, but advancing to Intermediate Student already?" He reached out and clasped his brother's shoulder. "I'm happy for you, Big Brother. You've worked so hard for this."
"Thanks, Xiao Feng. How was your tutoring session?"
"It went well." Luo Feng fell into step beside his brother as they walked toward the exit.
"Sounds good. I've had a productive day—probably enough training for now."
The two brothers left the Extreme Martial Club complex and began the walk home through the streets of Yangzhou District.
They chatted about mundane things—Luo Feng's future plans, their second brother Luo Hua's work, their mother's cooking plans for the next day.
By the time they reached their three-story house, full darkness had fallen. The windows glowed with warm light, and the smell of their mother's cooking drifted out into the street.
"Perfect timing," Luo Feng said with a grin. "Looks like dinner is ready."
They entered to find their parents and second brother already setting the table. Another peaceful evening with family.
---
The next morning, Luo Sheng woke with singular purpose.
Today, he would reach Senior Student level and gain access to the next tier of training facilities.
He arrived at the Extreme Martial Club earlier than usual, just as the morning training sessions were beginning. The Intermediate Student building was less crowded in the morning hours—many students preferred evening training after work or school—but there were still enough people present for his purposes.
More importantly, several instructors were present, supervising the morning sessions and providing guidance to students who requested it.
Luo Sheng spotted one of the senior instructors he'd seen during his previous visits—a stern-looking man in his forties with the bearing of a career martial artist. Instructor Chen, if he remembered correctly. The man was currently observing a group of students.
Now or never, Luo Sheng thought.
He approached respectfully and waited for a break in the instructor's attention.
"Instructor Chen, excuse me."
The instructor turned, his sharp eyes taking in Luo Sheng's Intermediate Student badge. "Yes? Do you need guidance?"
"No, sir. Actually, I'd like to request a strength and speed verification test. I believe I may have reached Senior Student level."
Instructor Chen's eyebrows rose. "Senior Student level? You're wearing an Intermediate badge. How long ago did you receive that rank?"
"Yesterday evening, sir."
The instructor's expression shifted from mild interest to outright skepticism. "Yesterday evening? And now, just a day later, you believe you've advanced another rank?" His tone wasn't hostile, but it carried clear doubt. "Young man, I appreciate enthusiasm, but advancement between ranks typically takes months or years of dedicated training. One day is..."
"I understand your skepticism, Instructor," Luo Sheng said calmly. "That's precisely why I'm requesting an official verification test. If I'm wrong, I'll accept that result and continue training at my current level. But if I'm right, the test will prove it definitively."
Instructor Chen studied him for a long moment, then sighed. "Very well. Follow me to the testing area. But don't be disappointed if the results don't meet your expectations. Rapid progress is rare, and overnight breakthroughs are even rarer."
"I understand, sir."
They walked to the testing zone, where the strength and speed measurement equipment stood ready. A few curious students noticed them heading toward the testing area and began drifting closer to watch, drawn by the prospect of an impromptu demonstration.
"The procedure is simple," Instructor Chen explained. "First, demonstrate your maximum punching power on this testing machine. Then run the sprint course at maximum speed. If both measurements meet or exceed Senior Student standards,
I'll file the advancement report immediately."
"Understood."
Luo Sheng approached the strength testing machine and settled into his stance. Today, he would show a modest increase to 750 kg—impressive progress, but not so extreme that it would seem impossible.
He centered himself, drew in a deep breath, and channeled his power into a single focused strike.
BOOM!
The machine shuddered under the impact. The digital display flickered and settled on a number:
「752 kg」
Instructor Chen's eyes widened. "Seven hundred and fifty-two kilograms? That's..." He checked the display twice to confirm. "That's a 185-kilogram increase overnight? How is that possible?"
Murmurs rippled through the small crowd of students who had gathered to watch. Several pulled out their phones to record the moment—rapid advancement stories always generated excitement in the dojo.
"My potential seems to have awakened recently," Luo Sheng explained, using the cover story he'd prepared.
"I spent years making slow progress, but something changed in the past few days. My body is responding to training much more efficiently now."
It wasn't entirely a lie. His system was indeed allowing him to respond to others' training with incredible efficiency—he just omitted the part about harvesting their discarded attributes.
"Let's see your speed," Instructor Chen said, still looking somewhat dazed by the strength result.
Luo Sheng moved to the sprint track and positioned himself at the starting line. He didn't need any warm-up or preparation—his enhanced body was ready instantly.
"Go!"
He exploded forward with tremendous force, his legs pumping with perfect rhythm. The wind rushed past as he accelerated through the measurement zone. His enhanced physiology moved with fluid grace, every movement optimized for maximum efficiency.
He crossed the finish line and came to a smooth stop.
Instructor Chen checked the speed measurement display, and his jaw actually dropped slightly.
"23.5 meters per second." His voice was barely above a whisper. "You've increased your speed by 1.9 meters per second overnight.
He looked at Luo Sheng with an expression mixing shock, disbelief, and dawning understanding. "You're already Senior Student level. These statistics are extraordinary."
The watching students erupted in excited chatter. Several were already posting about it on the dojo's internal social network. Word of someone advancing from Intermediate to Senior Student overnight would spread like wildfire through the martial community.
"I... I need to file this report immediately," Instructor Chen said, pulling out his tablet with slightly trembling hands. "And I should inform Assessor Lin Mei directly. She'll want to know about this."
He stepped aside and began typing rapidly on his tablet, occasionally glancing at Luo Sheng as if to confirm the young man was real and not some figment of his imagination.
Several minutes later, Instructor Chen finished his report and sent it through the system. "Done. I've submitted your test results and requested immediate rank advancement. Assessor Lin will receive the notification and review the recorded data shortly."
"Thank you, Instructor Chen."
"Don't thank me yet. This is... unprecedented. I've been an instructor for fifteen years, and I've never seen anything like this." He shook his head in amazement. "If your growth continues at this pace, you'll reach Quasi-Warrior level within days, not months."
---
In her office on the administrative floor, Assessor Lin Mei was reviewing the morning's reports when an urgent notification appeared on her screen.
「RANK ADVANCEMENT ALERT - IMMEDIATE REVIEW REQUIRED」
「Student Name: Luo Sheng」
「Current Rank: Intermediate Student (awarded yesterday)」
「Requested Advancement: Senior Student」
「Reporting Instructor: Chen Weilong」
「Test Results: Strength 752 kg, Speed 23.5 m/s, Defense 748 kg」
Lin Mei stared at the notification in disbelief. "That's impossible," she muttered. "I assessed him yesterday. He tested at 567 kg. Now he's at 752 kg? That's a 185-kilogram increase in less than twenty-four hours?"
She immediately accessed the training hall's monitoring system and pulled up the recorded video footage of Instructor Chen's verification test. The timestamp confirmed it—the test had been conducted just fifteen minutes ago.
She watched the footage. Saw Luo Sheng's devastating punch that registered 752 kg. Watched his incredible sprint that clocked 23.5 m/s. Every measurement was legitimate, recorded by calibrated equipment under an instructor's direct supervision.
"This boy..." She leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. "Either he's been hiding his true capabilities for some reason, or he's experiencing the most dramatic potential awakening I've ever witnessed."
She quickly reviewed his training history in the system:
- Five years as Junior Student: Slow, steady progress from 150 kg to 288 kg
- Two days ago: Still at 288 kg
- Yesterday: Suddenly 567 kg (Intermediate Student)
- Today: Now 752 kg (Senior Student)
It was the progression pattern of someone whose latent potential had suddenly activated—like a dam breaking after years of pressure building behind it. Rare, but not unheard of in the martial world. Some people had blockages in their genetic expression that suddenly cleared, unleashing explosive growth.
If that's what's happening here, Lin Mei thought, then he might continue advancing at this accelerated pace for weeks before stabilizing. This young man could become one of the dojo's rising stars.
She made her decision quickly. This deserved personal attention.
Standing abruptly, she grabbed a prepared Senior Student certificate from her desk drawer—these were kept on hand for exactly these kinds of rapid advancement situations—and headed toward the door at a brisk pace, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor.
She took the stairs rather than waiting for the elevator, descending two floors to the Intermediate training building in record time.
When she entered the training hall, she immediately spotted the small crowd gathered around Instructor Chen and a young man she recognized—Luo Sheng, still wearing his Intermediate Student badge that was now a full rank below his actual capabilities.
She approached with quick, determined strides, and the crowd parted respectfully when they recognized the senior assessor.
"Luo Sheng," she called out.
He turned, and his eyes widened slightly when he saw her approaching with purpose.
Lin Mei's demeanor was noticeably more deferential than yesterday—when she'd simply been processing a routine assessment. Now she was addressing someone who might become a significant asset to the dojo.
"I've reviewed Instructor Chen's report and the recorded test data," she said, her voice professional but with an undertone of respect. "Your results are confirmed and verified. All measurements reached Senior Student standards."
She held up the certificate she'd brought. "Effective immediately, you are hereby promoted to Senior Student rank of the Extreme Martial Club, Jiangnan Branch. Congratulations on your extraordinary progress."
She personally removed his Intermediate Student badge and replaced it with the Senior Student certificate—a more prestigious emblem made of higher-quality metal with additional decorative elements.
"This certificate grants you access to all Senior Student facilities, including the Senior Student training building," she continued. "I've also flagged your profile for monitoring by the dojo's higher department. Rapid advancement like yours is extremely rare."
Luo Sheng accepted the certificate with a respectful bow. "Thank you, Assessor Lin. I appreciate your efficient handling of this."
"It's the least we can do for promising talents."
She smiled slightly. "I meant what I said yesterday—I hoped I'd receive a report about your advancement soon. I just didn't expect it to be this soon."
She glanced at Instructor Chen, who still looked somewhat shell-shocked. "Instructor Chen, please ensure Luo Sheng's access credentials are updated in the system. He should be able to enter the Senior Student building immediately."
"Yes, Assessor Lin. I'll process it right away."
Lin Mei turned back to Luo Sheng. "If you continue progressing at this rate, you may reach Quasi-Warrior level very soon."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Lin Mei nodded and departed, leaving behind a crowd of stunned students and one very excited new Senior Student.
---
Luo Sheng stood before the entrance to the Senior Student building, his newly acquired certificate gleaming on his chest. This building was the most prestigious of the three training facilities—the domain of the dojo's elite, those who had proven themselves worthy of advanced instruction and resources.
The security scanner at the entrance recognized his new credentials. The heavy doors, reinforced with advanced materials capable of withstanding tremendous force, slid open smoothly.
Luo Sheng took a deep breath and stepped forward.
---