THUD!

Lin Qi slammed the butt of his spear onto the ground and looked at the panel, a smile creeping onto his face.

’I haven’t practiced in a week, but my Spear Technique still went up by 5% in my first session back.’

Lin Qi rejoiced inwardly.

The feeling he’d just experienced while practicing his Spear Technique was incredible. New insights had been surfacing constantly.

The execution of his Spear Technique was constantly evolving, becoming more and more fluid. Many subtle movements that had felt awkward just moments before...

...now saw massive improvements with only the slightest of changes.

This was the comprehension of a genius!

Lin Qi looked at True Monarch Erlang on the panel. In myths and folklore, this deity wielded a three-pointed, double-edged blade.

Though it was called a blade, it was vastly different from a normal one. It was more like a long spear; both were long-hafted weapons.

That was why his Talent with long weapons would also grow stronger and stronger.

Lin Qi felt he was becoming more and more attuned to Erlang God.

After a short rest, Lin Qi began practicing his Spear Technique again.

Time in the Martial Arts Room was precious; he couldn’t afford to waste any of it.

...

「Forty minutes passed quickly.」

"HUFF... HUFF..."

Sweat streamed into his eyes. Lin Qi gasped for breath, his perspiration dripping onto the soft mat and soaking a large patch.

The hand gripping his long spear was trembling nonstop, and exhaustion saturated his entire body.

But his eyes were bright and full of spirit.

[You have gained new insight into Body Technique. Body Technique +3%]

[Through practicing Basic Spear Skill, your proficiency has increased again. Spear Technique +2%]

[Spear Technique: Tier One 67%]

[Body Technique: Tier One 60%]

...

In forty minutes, both Lin Qi’s Spear Technique and Body Technique had improved tremendously.

This was a rate of progress he had never experienced before.

"Brother Qi, catch!"

Jiangtao threw him a sports drink from not far away. Lin Qi caught it and began to chug it down.

The two of them sat down to rest.

"Brother Qi, once we’re in the Elite class tomorrow, we should learn new Martial Arts—you with your Spear Technique, me with my Saber Technique."

"Our Foundation is solid, and our Fist Technique is at the Great Success realm, so it’s time to learn new Martial Arts."

"As far as I know, many of our classmates have already started learning new Weapon Secret Manuals at Martial Arts Dojos."

Jiangtao said suddenly.

Lin Qi nodded. That was exactly the business Martial Arts Dojos were in. There were countless dojos of all sizes near No. 2 Middle School, offering private tutoring and specialized instruction in the Five Elements Fist and basic Weapon Secret Manuals.

For more advanced Weapon Secret Manuals, they even had Martial Artists providing personal instruction.

That’s why the wealthy could still progress quickly, even without a school’s Martial Arts Instructor.

But poor students like him and Jiangtao could only rely on their Martial Arts Instructors.

’A new Spear Technique...’

At this thought, Lin Qi tightened his grip on his long spear, his anticipation for a new Spear Technique growing.

...

"What? You got into the Elite class?"

In the living room of Unit 301, Building 4, Lin Zhen, who was sitting on the sofa applying ointment, looked up in surprise.

"Little Qi, is it true?"

Fang Huiyi also looked astonished.

Lin Qi put down his backpack and explained with a smile,

"I really did get into the Elite class. I’m also going to reapply for the Genius Loan, and there’s a high chance it’ll be approved."

"You don’t have to worry about me."

Hearing Lin Qi’s explanation, Lin Zhen and Fang Huiyi exchanged a glance, their expressions visibly brightening with joy.

"That’s wonderful! I knew you could do it, Little Qi!"

His dad, Lin Zhen, burst into laughter. His mom, Fang Huiyi, stood up and stroked Lin Qi’s head, her heart aching with concern. "Still, you have to take care of your body."

"I will."

...

「Martial Arts Calendar, Year 2045. September 8th.」

「5:50 AM, at the gates of No. 2 Middle School.」

Lin Qi walked his bicycle into the school, but instead of heading to the Martial Arts Classroom in Building 3 as usual...

...he turned in a different direction.

He arrived at Academic Building 1, a U-shaped structure.

Martial Arts Classroom 301

’This is it!’

Lin Qi gazed at the half-open metal door. The digital lock showed that it was already unlocked.

’Someone’s already here?’

Lin Qi opened the door to an even more spacious Martial Arts Classroom. It was over 1,200 square meters, with fifty clean, white metal lockers arranged in a corner.

Racks of sabers, spears, and swords lined the walls, along with even rarer weapons like axes, poleaxes, staves, and halberds.

The room was brightly lit, and in a corner, someone was already practicing the Hunyuan Posture.

’Someone actually got here earlier than me!’

Lin Qi was surprised. He had received a notice from his homeroom teacher, Yan Hong, last night, telling them they could head directly to the new Martial Arts Classroom this morning.

As for their textbooks, it wouldn’t be too late to go back and get them after their Martial Arts class ended.

Over seventy percent of the students who made it into the Elite class came from families that were at least reasonably well-off.

These students didn’t usually arrive too early; some even chose to practice their martial arts at home and wouldn’t show up until 7 AM.

Arriving early, therefore, was a sign that a student’s family wasn’t particularly wealthy.

Lin Qi didn’t pay it much mind. He found the metal locker labeled number 45, changed into his Martial Arts Uniform, took a Qi and Blood Capsule, and began his post-standing practice.

Not far away, a boy who was 1.8 meters tall, with lean, powerful muscles and a rugged face, also noticed Lin Qi.

An unspoken air of competition began to fill the room.

As time went on, more and more students began to file into the Martial Arts Classroom.

Most of them didn’t know each other. After changing into their Martial Arts Uniforms, they immediately began their own training.

Post-standing, fist practice, weapon drills...

"Haaa—"

An hour later, Lin Qi finished his post-standing.

BANG! BANG!

SWISH! SWISH!

"Hah!"

The entire Martial Arts Classroom was now filled with a cacophony of sounds—most of them the whistle of various weapons slicing through the air.

Some were practicing fierce Saber Techniques, others were a blur of sword shadows, and still others created afterimages with their spears...

The styles of the Weapon Secret Manuals on display were all different; clearly, everyone was practicing advanced versions of the basic manuals.

’Their Spear Technique, Swordsmanship, and Saber Technique are all at a higher Realm than mine.’

Lin Qi felt a huge amount of pressure.

"Brother Qi, everyone here is a monster,"

Jiangtao said as he sidled up, his expression grim.

"This is the Elite class, all right. Just from a quick look around, I can spot several people who are stronger than me."

Jiangtao was feeling the pressure. Back in Class 3, he had been solidly in the top three, with only two people stronger than him.

But here in the Elite class, his strength only placed him in the upper-middle ranks.

Lin Qi nodded. The students here were tall and imposing, their auras powerful. When they swung their weapons, their Qi Blood surged, stirring up gusts of wind.

No one in the Martial Arts Room was speaking, but the unspoken competition had already begun.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Not far away, a figure wielded a long spear, his body nimble and swift as the wind, just like a falcon on the hunt.

Lin Qi recognized him. It was Yu Jing—the top student from his old Class 3, ranked second in the entire grade, and nicknamed "Swift Eagle"!

"That’s Qi Yuelin!"

"And Li Zhou! They’re both here."

Someone nearby started whispering. Lin Qi and Jiangtao looked over in the direction of the murmurs.

In an open space in the corner stood an exceptionally beautiful girl.

She wore a white Martial Arts Uniform, her features were exquisite, her figure was well-proportioned and busty, and she had an air of pure innocence.

She brandished a longsword, executing beautiful flourishes.

"Qi Yuelin! Ranked third in the grade, nicknamed ’Sword Sparrow’!"

Someone called out her name.

"And there’s Li Zhou, the top-ranked student in our grade."

Jiangtao’s gaze shifted to another area, a spot many others were also watching.

There stood a burly young man over two meters tall. He had the build of a bear, with a rugged face and an intimidating aura that made him look like a grizzly standing on its hind legs.

He stood out from the crowd like a crane among chickens, his wild aura making others afraid to get too close.

He was casually toying with a massive battle axe!

This was Li Zhou, the number one student at No. 2 Middle School, nicknamed "Battle Axe Bear."

Besides the top three, there were others as well. Though their temperaments varied, they all shared one thing in common: they radiated a powerful aura.

They were all top-ten geniuses in their grade, and each had their own nickname. It was a tradition for seniors, and in fact, a tradition at every school.

"Damn it, why are their nicknames so cool, while I’m stuck with Lao Hei and ’The Part-Timer’?"

Jiangtao grumbled resentfully.

"Once you make it into the top ten, you’ll get one too."

Lin Qi comforted him. His own nickname, Master of Basic Skills, wasn’t nearly as cool as "Swift Eagle" either.

But he knew that as long as he became strong enough, someone would naturally come up with a cool nickname for him.

In the Martial Arts Realm, only the strong were worthy of cool, domineering nicknames.

"Looks like everyone’s here!"

A voice suddenly rang out.

...