Xu Wuyi opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them for a moment before disappearing. Although his body was a bit stiff from sitting for so long, his mind was exceptionally sharp.
It had only been three or four days, yet he had already completed the first stage of the Mountain Shifting Technique!
This speed was so fast it was beyond his own expectations.
'The Martial Arts Diligence Record doesn't directly change my aptitude. Do I have a talent for Spiritual Cultivation?'
Xu Wuyi didn't have a clear answer, but he had a faint suspicion that it might be related to his past efforts.
...
「Early the next morning.」
Filled with anticipation, Xu Wuyi returned to the school's Battle Network access room.
He expertly settled into his designated silver pod.
The pod door closed, and a stream of data poured in.
[Identity confirmed... Life Energy Level: 10.1...]
"Check my Spirit Level." Instead of entering the Battle Network directly, Xu Wuyi gave this command.
[Detecting spiritual fluctuations... Please activate any Visualization Method...]
The virtual pod also had the function of detecting one's Spirit Level, but it required the user to actively display their Spiritual Strength—in other words, to use a Visualization Method.
Testing the Spiritual Strength of an ordinary person was much more difficult. It required not only more expensive equipment but also the use of special potions.
Xu Wuyi visualized a small hill, and after a brief scan, a soft, electronic voice announced the result:
[Spirit Level: 7.5]
7.5!
Xu Wuyi was inwardly shaken.
The Federation had a clear classification system for Spirit Levels. It didn't correspond directly to one's Life Energy Level, but generally, a Martial Disciple who had just reached a Life Energy Level of 10.0 would have an initial Spiritual Power between 5.0 and 5.5.
This was only slightly stronger than the Level 5 standard for an ordinary person, and not by much.
Anyone who reached 6.0 or higher on their initial test was considered to have outstanding Spirit Talent.
And yet, after practicing the Mountain Shifting Technique for only three or four days, his Spirit Level had already reached 7.5!
Xu Wuyi had already done his research. Mastering the first stage of the Mountain Shifting Technique only increased one's Spirit Level by about 1. In other words, his Spiritual Strength before he started practicing might have already been at Level 6.5.
This number was higher than he had expected. After a moment's thought, Xu Wuyi contacted Teacher Wang directly through the Battle Network.
They met in the same antique-style teahouse.
Wang Wenhai looked at Xu Wuyi, who had rushed over, and asked, "What's wrong? Did you run into a problem with your Visualization Method practice?"
"No, Teacher Wang." Xu Wuyi took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice calm. "I just tested my Spirit Level."
"Oh? And what was it?" Wang Wenhai asked casually, picking up his teacup.
He figured that with Xu Wuyi's aptitude, he would have managed to grasp the Entry Level of the Mountain Shifting Technique in the past few days, and his Spirit Level would likely stabilize at around 6.0.
"Level 7.5," Xu Wuyi replied.
"PFFT—COUGH, COUGH!" Wang Wenhai nearly spat out his tea. He choked and coughed a few times before slamming his cup down, his eyes wide. "How much?! 7.5? Are you sure you read that right?"
"The system reported Level 7.5," Xu Wuyi confirmed.
Wang Wenhai looked Xu Wuyi up and down as if he were appraising a priceless treasure. "What stage of the Mountain Shifting Technique have you reached?"
"The first stage. Perfection," Xu Wuyi answered honestly.
"Perfection in the first stage..." Wang Wenhai muttered. "Perfection in the first stage of the Mountain Shifting Technique in just three or four days... You certainly have a talent for Visualization Methods. However, there's always someone better out there, so don't get arrogant."
Xu Wuyi naturally nodded in agreement. The Federation was vast and teeming with geniuses. He had always seen himself as an ordinary person, gifted with perhaps a small amount of talent at most.
Teacher Wang thought for a moment before adding, "Still, the first stage of a Visualization Method only provides a boost of about one level, 1.2 at most. This means your inherent Spiritual Strength already surpasses that of an ordinary person."
"This phenomenon isn't uncommon. The essence of the Spirit is Willpower. Because of their long years of training, Martial Artists often have stronger Willpower than ordinary people."
"Before they even begin practicing a Visualization Method, many Martial Artists already have a Spiritual Strength of Level 5.5 or higher. You..."
He looked at Xu Wuyi, a pleased smile spreading across his face. "The fact that you've reached this point proves that your Willpower is far greater than that of an ordinary Martial Artist!"
'Willpower doesn't come from nowhere, nor is it related to talent. It must be forged through great and arduous tempering. This just goes to show how hard this student works at his martial arts.'
"Good, excellent!" Wang Wenhai's tone shifted. "Since your Spiritual Power meets the standard—and in fact, far exceeds it—you can now begin live combat practice on the Battle Network."
"Really?" Xu Wuyi's eyes lit up. He had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.
"Mhm, go try the public combat zone. In the beginning, just focus on getting used to the feel of virtual combat and gaining experience. Don't worry too much about winning or losing," Wang Wenhai instructed.
"Generally, your opponents will be newcomers like you who have just recently joined the Battle Network. There won't be a huge gap in your combat experience or Martial Arts skill."
He only mentioned experience and Martial Arts because virtual matchmaking used a standard mode where Life Energy Levels were equalized, rather than reflecting real-world stats.
To scan one's real-world physical attributes, one would need to use a virtual pod with a higher Simulation Level.
"Yes, Teacher Wang!"
After leaving the instructor's area, Xu Wuyi felt his heart begin to race.
He teleported directly to the bustling public combat zone and found the "Junior Stage" area, which was marked by a soft, flashing green light.
The Junior Stage was restricted to Martial Artists below the Second Rank. Matches were fixed to "No-Weapon Mode," and Life Energy Levels were locked at 10.0.
Only these stage battles offered a "No-Weapon" option, and their outcomes did not affect a user's Rank.
The people most likely to participate in these stage battles were Martial Artists specializing in fist and palm techniques—namely, students preparing for the Martial Arts College Entrance Examination.
This was because the student duels in the examination were strictly unarmed, permitting only hand-to-hand combat.
On one hand, blades have no eyes; even with proctors present, it would be difficult to control the rate of injury and death. On the other hand, it was a matter of fairness.
It was difficult enough to master unarmed combat in three years of high school; how much skill could one possibly develop with weapons on top of that?
Ultimately, it would just be students from wealthy families who could start training early and then pour massive amounts of money and resources into raising their weapon proficiency.
And how could students from the Lower Class, who only knew unarmed combat, ever hope to defeat opponents armed with swords and blades?
That was why the Federation took this problem into account when first establishing the rules for the examination, leading to the current regulation.
[Searching for an opponent of similar strength... Match found!]
[Teleporting to Novice Stage #7231.]
The light and shadows before him shifted. The next moment, Xu Wuyi found himself standing on a standard, square stage surrounded by a translucent Energy Shield.
On the opposite side of the stage, a figure materialized at the same time.
It was a tall youth with a calm face and a resolute expression.
His virtual avatar was identical to his real body, and the ID floating above his head was clearly visible—[Zeng Bonan].