# Chapter 6: Awakening
Luo Sheng walked along the corridor, acknowledging the respectful greetings from other students as he entered the third building—the Senior Trainee teaching facility. This was a place only Senior Trainees could access.
The training hall on the third floor was massive, spanning a hundred meters in both length and width, yet there were only about a dozen people present at this early hour.
"No way, only this many people?" Luo Sheng muttered to himself, somewhat disappointed.
"Oh, is this a newly promoted Senior Trainee? So young—looks like another martial arts genius."
A mature woman in her twenties stopped her training routine and looked at Luo Sheng with interested eyes.
"Alright, Li Qiong, don't scare him."
A lean, muscular man over 1.9 meters tall approached with a smile. He had a prominent scar across his face that gave him a fierce appearance. "Little brother, my name is Yang Wu. You can call me Brother Yang. I'm a regular here, so if you need anything, feel free to ask."
"Thank you, Brother Yang," Luo Sheng said respectfully. "I'd like to ask—why are there so few people in such a large training hall?"
Yang Wu sighed. "Although our Extreme Martial Club has over a hundred Senior Trainees, we usually don't have scheduled lessons, so most people are too lazy to come here. Unless their families are poor and they have nowhere else to train, they'll use the dojo's facilities. Wealthy families generally have their own private training rooms at home."
"I see. Economic foundation determines the superstructure indeed. Rich people have privileges everywhere," Luo Sheng said with a wry smile.
"Well, this training hall is spacious. Feel free to train however you like."
Yang Wu walked to a corner and began lifting weights.
Watching him handle several hundred kilograms of barbells as if they were nothing, his exposed muscles rippling with each movement, was quite impressive. He even gave Luo Sheng a friendly smile.
Luo Sheng looked around at the attribute orbs scattered across the training hall floor, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The orbs here should be completely different from those dropped by junior and intermediate trainees, he thought.
He casually walked closer to where Yang Wu was training.
[Strength +42 kg]
[Defense +45 kg]
[Strength +84 kg]
[Defense +78 kg]
[Neural Reaction +100 exp]
[Speed +0.7 m/s]
Luo Sheng barely felt the change—the individual gains were relatively small compared to his current baseline. He glanced around; there weren't many orbs present, only a few dozen scattered across the vast floor.
[Strength +35 kg]
[Speed +0.5 m/s]
[Neural Reaction +100 exp]
[Defense +33 kg]
He spent the entire morning collecting orbs in the Senior Trainee hall. However, as time passed, the orbs dropping from the Senior Trainees became fewer and fewer. It seemed that each person could only drop a limited number of attribute orbs within a certain period—otherwise, he could collect indefinitely.
As Luo Sheng collected attributes, he noticed his neural reaction speed improving dramatically. His dodging movements became increasingly refined and efficient, as if his movement technique had reached a new realm entirely. He made a mental note to study more about advanced movement techniques when he had the chance.
After several hours, he checked his status panel, his eyes widening in shock.
---
[Personal Attribute Panel]
Name: Luo Sheng
Rank: Apprentice Level (Primary Warrior)
Strength: 1,228 kg
Speed: 28.6 m/s
Defense: 1,230 kg
Cultivation Method: None
Skills: Movement Technique (Intricacy)
---
"I just became a warrior?" Luo Sheng could hardly believe it, though the attribute panel never lied.
According to the standard assessment criteria, the passing line for Quasi-Warrior in terms of punching force was 900 kg, and for speed, it was 25 m/s—equivalent to running 100 meters in four seconds. He had surpassed both thresholds significantly.
Even more impressive was his movement technique advancement. Dodging movement techniques were divided into four levels: Basic Level, Intricacy Level, Perfection Level, and Intent Level.
His technique had already reached Intricacy Level—meaning he could use minimal movements to achieve maximum dodging efficiency.
This system is truly incredible, he thought with satisfaction. From Junior Student to Primary Warrior in just a few days. This kind of progress would normally take years, maybe decades.
---
Meanwhile, in a secure monitoring room elsewhere in the facility, a middle-aged man with sharp features watched the surveillance footage with great interest.
"Retrieve this person's identity file," the man—Jiang Nian, one of the senior administrators of the Extreme Martial Club—instructed the staff operating the electronic equipment.
Luo Sheng's personal information immediately appeared on the screen:
- Name: Luo Sheng
- Age: 17
- Family: Luo family
- Weight: 68 kg
- School: Yian District Third High School
- Academic Performance: Above Average
- Personality: Low-key
- Martial Background: No prior experience before joining
- Recent Achievement: Passed Senior Trainee assessment this morning with excellent results
"Interesting," Jiang Nian stroked his chin thoughtfully. "This young man truly doesn't make a sound until he astonishes everyone. He must have been privately tutored by a high-level warrior—otherwise, it would be impossible to reach Senior Trainee level so quickly. But why does he spend so much time just walking around our training halls? Is he practicing some special technique, or simply observing?"
The question remained unanswered as Jiang Nian continued monitoring with increased interest.
---
That evening, Luo Sheng returned home feeling satisfied with his progress. As he approached the house, the warm glow of lights and the delicious aroma of his mother's cooking greeted him.
Inside, his father Luo Hongguo was helping set the table while his mother Gong Xinlan put the finishing touches on dinner. Luo Hua sat at the dining table, still reading his investment books.
"You're back!" Gong Xinlan called cheerfully. "Perfect timing—dinner is almost ready. Wash your hands and come eat."
"Where's Luo Feng?" Luo Sheng asked, noticing his twin brother's absence.
"He went to his tutoring job," Luo Hongguo replied. "He should be back soon."
After washing up, Luo Sheng returned to his bedroom briefly to check his phone. He found several missed calls from his homeroom teacher, Mr. Zhang. He grimaced, knowing exactly why the teacher was calling—he'd skipped school today to train at the dojo.
Only one month left until the college entrance examination, he thought. I should probably call him back and make some excuse.
He dialed the number. After a few rings, Mr. Zhang's stern voice came through: "Luo Sheng! Where were you today? You missed all your classes!"
"I apologize, Teacher Zhang," Luo Sheng said smoothly. "I wasn't feeling well this morning and had to visit the hospital for a checkup. By the time I finished, it was too late to come to school."
"Are you alright? What was wrong?" The teacher's tone softened slightly with concern.
"Just some fatigue from overtraining. The doctor said I need to balance my martial arts practice with adequate rest. I'll be back in class tomorrow."
After a few more admonishments about not missing classes so close to the exams, Mr. Zhang let him go.
---
Later that evening, after dinner with his family and washing up, Luo Sheng lay on his bed playing with his phone. The device was completely transparent, like a small rectangular glass block—typical of the advanced technology in this post-Great Nirvana world.
He opened the Extreme Martial Club's private forum, which required entering his trainee ID, identity card number, and facial recognition to access.
The forum's data-sharing section contained a wealth of information: basic Warrior Level divisions, explanations of warrior movement techniques, a monster knowledge encyclopedia, warrior weapon introductions, dojo warrior rankings, world history, and more.
Looking at this diverse knowledge collection is incredibly valuable, Luo Sheng thought. He clicked directly on the movement technique explanation, which interested him most given his recent advancement.
Warrior Dodging Movement Technique Level:
Basic Level: Generally achievable by Senior Trainees. Fundamental dodging using standard patterns.
Intricacy Level: Using the smallest movements to dodge attacks, achieving maximum efficiency with minimum energy expenditure.
Perfection Level: Controlling and utilizing the surrounding environment—living beings, stones, buildings, any object—to achieve perfect evasion. This level requires complete environmental awareness.
Intent Level: The description simply stated: "It can only be understood, not expressed in words."
Next, he opened the basic Warrior Level divisions:
From lowest to highest: Primary Trainee, Intermediate Trainee, Senior Trainee, Primary Warrior, Intermediate Warrior, Advanced Warrior, Primary Warlord, Intermediate Warlord, Advanced Warlord, Primary God of War, Intermediate God of War, Advanced God of War, and Beyond God of War.
As for what existed beyond God of War level, the document provided no information.
Luo Sheng smiled bitterly at these warrior classifications. In reality, all these levels on Earth are collectively referred to as Apprentice Level in the wider universe—the weakest existence imaginable. Even Planetary Level warriors, which is beyond God of War on Earth, are often just slaves to more powerful beings in the cosmic hierarchy.
But every journey begins with a single step, he reminded himself. I'm progressing faster than I ever dreamed possible. The universe can wait.
---
One Month Later
The month passed in a blur of activity. Luo Sheng continued attending school daily with Luo Feng and Wei Wen, maintaining his cover as a normal student while secretly collecting movement attributes at the dojo every evening. His movement technique advanced steadily, reaching the Perfection Level—he could now utilize any element of his environment to enhance his evasion capabilities.
His physical attributes continued climbing as well, though at a slower rate now that he'd absorbed most of what the Senior Trainee building could offer.
June 7th arrived—the first day of the college entrance examination.
According to the examination arrangements, Wei Wen, Luo Sheng, and Luo Feng from Third High School would take their exams at First High School.
Luo Sheng had a specific reason for taking the exam despite his advancing martial career: he wanted to see what attributes he might collect when Luo Feng awakened as a Spirit Master during the mathematics examination.
"Luo Feng, during the exam..." Wei Wen gave Luo Feng a meaningful look, as if wanting to say something but ultimately remaining silent.
"Let's just do our best," Luo Feng said with a sigh, unaware of what awaited him.
"Yeah, good luck to both of you," Luo Sheng added neutrally.
"Clack, clack~~~"
The main gate of First High School slowly opened.
"Attention, all candidates! You may now enter to prepare!" A loud voice announced through speakers.
"Come on, Luo Feng, let's go," Luo Sheng said, placing a hand briefly on his brother's shoulder.
The three of them followed the crowd, passed through the invigilators' inspection, and finally entered their respective examination rooms.
---
Two Days Later—Mathematics Examination
The first two days of examinations passed uneventfully. Liberal arts and science sections were completed without incident.
Now came the final mathematics exam—the one Luo Sheng had been anticipating.
In this exam, Luo Feng will awaken as a Spirit Master, Luo Sheng thought, his heart beating faster with anticipation. And I should receive some kind of reward from collecting the attributes released during his awakening.
The mathematics exam was brutally difficult. Even the top students, including Luo Feng, frowned deeply as they read through the problems. The atmosphere in the examination room grew tense as students realized the challenge before them.
"This might be troublesome," Luo Feng thought, his brow furrowing.
For true top students, simple questions made it harder to differentiate themselves from average students. Difficult questions, however, allowed exceptional students to truly shine.
Time flowed rapidly as Luo Feng began working through the problems with focused intensity.
After about an hour, he finally finished the multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions, which demonstrated just how challenging this exam was.
"Hm?"
When Luo Feng encountered the first major problem, he had to stop and calculate extensively on scratch paper, thinking deeply about the solution approach.
The extreme difficulty of the exam caused Luo Feng's brain activity to surge dramatically.
Unknown to him, as a Spirit Master, he would naturally undergo preliminary awakenings approximately every six years. Calculating from his previous awakening, now was the opportune moment for his third awakening—and the intense mental stimulation from the exam was triggering it.
The awakening of a Spirit Master was excruciatingly painful. The pulse monitor on Luo Feng's watch began displaying alarming numbers:
120... 140... 160...
As his pulse and blood pressure surged dangerously, Luo Feng's sea of consciousness underwent massive changes. Streams of Mental Power overflowed from the dark golden spherical object in his mind—the core of his Spirit Master abilities.
Generally, a Spirit Master's Mental Power gathered in the sea of consciousness because their physical body was too weak to contain all of it safely. As preliminary awakening signs appeared, Luo Feng felt his heart rate accelerate painfully.
The pain intensified continuously. Even with Luo Feng's strong willpower, he couldn't withstand the overwhelming sensations.
His vision blurred, and darkness closed in.
He fainted, his head dropping onto the examination desk.
This fainting was actually beneficial for him—his strength surged to Quasi-Warrior level, and he preliminarily awakened as a Spirit Master. However, the awakening process involved such extreme pain that most people truly couldn't endure it.
---
Meanwhile, Luo Sheng in the same examination room already completely solved the the his paper, now carefully observing his brother from his peripheral vision. He saw the transparent orbs that suddenly manifested—different from any he'd collected before—fly toward him and merge with his body.
[Talent Acquired: Spirit Master]
The instant the talent integrated, Luo Sheng felt an explosion of pain as his own dormant Spirit Master abilities forcefully awakened. His blood pressure surged, and his heart rate accelerated dramatically.
The pain during my awakening should be less intense than Luo Feng's since my physical body is already at Warrior level, he thought through gritted teeth. My body can handle more of the Mental Power being released.
Even so, the pain was considerable—like thousands of needles stabbing into his brain simultaneously.
Then he heard the commotion from the adjacent desk.
"Quick! Quick! Call an ambulance! This student has fainted!" an invigilator shouted urgently.
The pain in Luo Sheng's head suddenly subsided as his awakening stabilized. He felt the dark golden spherical object now residing in his own sea of consciousness. Checking his system panel, he saw a new attribute:
Spirit: 1,296 kg
The spirit attribute appeared immediately, already at 1,296 kg—probably because my physical capabilities are already at Warrior level, he analyzed. My body could handle the full initial awakening without the gradual release that Luo Feng experienced.
Then he turned and saw his twin brother collapsed on his desk.
"Brother!" Luo Sheng shouted, standing quickly. Although he knew Luo Feng would be fine, seeing him faint still made him anxious as an older brother.
He rushed over as invigilators and medical personnel responded to the emergency.
"Quick, quick! The ambulance is here, the doctor has arrived. Let's get him onto the stretcher first!"
Luo Sheng carefully lifted his brother and carried him to the waiting stretcher, placing him gently down. He then followed the ambulance to the nearest hospital.
---
Yian District Hospital
"I... what happened to me?"
"Am I in the hospital?"
Luo Feng, lying on the hospital bed, slowly regained consciousness, murmuring in confusion.
He covered his head, wanting to sit up. He didn't fully understand what had happened, but he felt that after waking from his coma, his mind had become remarkably clearer. He could hear sounds from outside the ward with perfect clarity—even distant conversations in other rooms.
"Xiao Feng, you fainted during the exam," Luo Sheng explained gently.
"Fainted..." Luo Feng frowned, trying to remember.
Gong Xinlan, who had been anxiously watching her second son, immediately rushed forward when she saw him wake up. Tears filled her eyes as she asked, "Luo Feng, how are you? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"
"Mom..." Luo Feng blinked, then saw his father Luo Hongguo, second brother Luo Hua, and older brother Luo Sheng standing beside the bed, all looking worried.
They all appeared concerned that Luo Feng had suffered too great a psychological blow from fainting during such an important exam and began offering comfort.
Luo Feng glanced at them, forced a smile, and said, "Dad, Mom, you don't have to worry. I'm fine. And because of this coma, I might have even gained a blessing in disguise."
Luo Hongguo and Gong Xinlan were stunned. A blessing in disguise?
Luo Feng explained, "Dad, Mom, you both know I've had these headaches since I was little. I've fainted twice before, and both times my physical fitness improved significantly."
He paused, then continued, "It's the same this time. I can feel that my body has strengthened considerably. Before, my punching power was a bit lacking, but now I should be able to participate in the Quasi-Warrior assessment!"
He looked at his parents and brothers, smiling. "If I can pass successfully, I'll become a Warrior soon. Then I can officially join the Extreme Martial Club!"
From the hospital corridor, a familiar voice suddenly called out. Wei Wen had heard that Luo Feng fainted during the exam and rushed over immediately after finishing his own test.
"Luo Feng, are you alright?"
Wei Wen ran into the room, slightly breathless, and asked with concern.
Luo Feng shook his head, touched by his friend's concern. "I'm fine. You know this headache is an old problem of mine. I just didn't expect it to happen during the college entrance exam of all times."
Wei Wen patted Luo Feng's shoulder comfortingly. "Even if you don't do well this time, we can always try again next year! We're still young!"
Luo Feng smiled.
"Besides," Wei Wen continued, "even if you can't get a good exam score, there's another path with your telent—becoming a warrior!"
Luo Feng's adaptability was remarkable. His college entrance exam performance would certainly suffer from fainting during the final examination, which might significantly impact his future plans.
However, the collapse wasn't entirely negative—at least it had improved his physical fitness considerably.
And compared to exam results, his own strength was far more important.
Thinking of this, Luo Feng's lips curled into a confident smile. Greater determination rose in his heart!
"It doesn't matter if I can't get into a military academy," Luo Feng said firmly. "This collapse turned out to be a blessing in disguise, greatly increasing my strength. I'm absolutely confident I can pass the Quasi-Warrior assessment and the combat trials to become a true warrior!"
"Warrior?" His parents and brothers were pleasantly surprised by the confidence in Luo Feng's words!
What did 'warrior' represent?
Warriors represented the most elite group among humanity—strength, power, wealth, and status all combined.
Once Luo Feng became a warrior, it would bring tremendous benefits to his family, completely changing their destiny.
---
That evening, after dinner, Luo Sheng's family sat together in the living room. Only Luo Feng was absent—he had returned to his room to rest and process everything that had happened.
"Is big brother alright?" Luo Hua asked with concern.
Luo Sheng replied, "His psychological resilience is quite strong. I don't think such a small setback can defeat him."
Father Luo Hongguo nodded and said to Luo Sheng and Luo Hua, "Can we check the exam scores now? Let's check Xiao Feng's first, then Luo Sheng's."
Luo Hua nodded and began operating the laptop. He had both Luo Feng's and Luo Sheng's exam ticket numbers and directly entered them on the inquiry website.
Within moments, Luo Feng's scores and the undergraduate admission line appeared on the screen.
"Dad, Mom..."
Luo Hua looked at the scores, his expression hesitant and uncertain. After a pause, he turned the screen toward his parents.
Luo Hongguo and Gong Xinlan leaned forward to look:
Liberal Arts: 216
Science: 224
Mathematics: 120
Total Score: 560
Undergraduate Admission Line: 561
The score of 560 looked quite high, but this year's undergraduate admission line was 561. Luo Feng's score was exactly one point short.
"This..."
Gong Xinlan couldn't help but glance at her husband.
Luo Hongguo also didn't know what to say.
Just one point short!
He paused, then said to Luo Hua, "Check your big brother's scores."
Luo Hua nodded and began operating again. The next second, his eyes widened suddenly, looking at Luo Sheng sitting beside him with an astonished expression.
"How is it?" Mother Gong Xinlan asked anxiously.
Luo Hua swallowed hard and while turning the screen toward his parents, said, "Third brother... third brother scored 720 points!"
Luo Hongguo and Gong Xinlan heard this and looked at the screen—
Liberal Arts: 240
Science: 245
Mathematics: 240
Total Score: 720
"Excellent! That's wonderful!"
Luo Hongguo and Gong Xinlan were both excited and proud, but after their initial joy, they couldn't help feeling pained for their second son's misfortune.
Gong Xinlan sighed. "If only Luo Feng hadn't had that headache during the math exam, he would have easily passed the undergraduate line..."
*Tap, tap, tap...*
At that moment, footsteps came from the stairs. Luo Feng walked down with a genuine smile on his face and said to Luo Sheng, "Big brother, that's amazing! 720 points! This should be among the top scores in the entire city, right?"
He showed no jealousy or resentment—only genuine happiness for his brother's success.
"The exam was fair," Luo Sheng said humbly. "I just got lucky with the question selection."
"Don't be modest," Luo Feng laughed. "But honestly, I'm not too worried about my own results. As I said before—I'm going to become a warrior. That path suits me better anyway."
The family talked late into the night, discussing both brothers' futures and the different paths that now lay before them.
---
The Next Morning—5:00 AM
Luo Sheng and Luo Feng got up early and walked together toward the Extreme Martial Club.
Due to his fainting incident and the subsequent physical improvements, Luo Feng needed to go to the dojo to officially test his new capabilities and begin his Quasi-Warrior assessment.
The massive Extreme Martial Club complex loomed ahead, its buildings beginning to glow with the first light of dawn.
---
[End of Chapter 6]