His mind was clearer than ever before. The lingering confusion from his blade practice and the profound principles of the Martial Dao became crystal clear, illuminated by an 80% boost to his comprehension.

Countless ways to optimize his techniques, more efficient paths to channel his energy, methods of exerting force perfectly suited to his body... endless inspiration flooded his mind.

He seemed to have entered a selfless state of enlightenment.

The Standard Rapier in his hand felt weightless, like an extension of his own body.

Under the powerful perception and control of his nascent Primordial Spirit, the flow of blood and energy within him moved as he willed. The contraction and expansion of every single muscle fiber achieved an unprecedented level of coordination and precision.

He began to act on the sudden bursts of inspiration, revising, adjusting, and restructuring his movements as he practiced the Shadow-Stealing Form again and again.

The flashes of his blade were no longer mere practice. Every slash held new understanding, a new breakthrough. A nearly transparent, pale intent flowed and condensed at the blade’s tip.

Though not yet perfect, the form was taking shape. He grew faster with each repetition, and a sharp, piercing whistle echoed through the spacious Martial Arts Room.

Lost in his intense focus, he lost all track of time.

He didn’t know how much time had passed. Only when the familiar, sharp, stinging pain from over-exhausting his Spiritual Power resurfaced did Li Wen snap out of his trance, abruptly retracting his blade and freezing in place.

He was drenched in sweat from head to toe, looking as if he’d just been pulled out of the water. His chest heaved as he gasped for breath, a vein throbbed on his temple, and waves of dizziness washed over him.

However, as Li Wen calmed himself and assessed the changes in his body, checking the skill information on his class panel, all his exhaustion was instantly washed away by a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

[Skills: Blade Technique: Unity Realm (Body Control Power: 83%→95%), Five Luminaries Celestial Rainbow Skill - Flowing Rainbow Five Forms - Shadow-Stealing Form (15%→45%)]

In just over two hours of training at peak comprehension, thanks to the combined miraculous effects of his Lv. 8 Absolute Focus and burgeoning Primordial Spirit, his Body Control Power had soared from 83% to 95%. He was just a hair’s breadth away from one hundred percent!

Moreover, his mastery over the Shadow-Stealing Form—the ultimate speed technique of the Flowing Rainbow Five Forms—had leaped from a rudimentary 15% all the way to 45%.

This wasn’t just progress; it was a quantum leap!

’I’m almost halfway to completely mastering the Shadow-Stealing Form. The second provincial mock exam... top three in the whole province...’

Li Wen tightened his grip on his rapier. Deep within his weary eyes, an even fiercer flame ignited.

’This path... it seems more promising than I ever imagined.’

Numerous thoughts flashed through his mind. After drinking a spiritual potion, Li Wen slowly closed his eyes.

...

「Twenty minutes later.」

The faint light flowing through the Martial Arts Room subsided, and Li Wen slowly opened his eyes.

The combination of the short rest and the effects of the Spiritual Power recovery potion had allowed him to completely recover from the fatigue of his high-intensity training.

What delighted him most was the crystal-clear perception in his mind: his control over his body had entered a whole new realm.

95% Body Control Power!

The sensation was profound.

With every gesture, the movement of each muscle fiber and the circulation of every wisp of energy felt as natural and clear as breathing, with virtually no delay.

The pathways of his energy flow were more efficient than ever, and he could unleash and retract his power at will.

He could precisely sense the trajectory of power surging through his channels, and he could just as easily retract it to nothing in a split second.

This was the result of the powerful comprehension boost from his Scholar class’s Lv. 8 Absolute Focus, which had taken the foundation forged by the Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill and refined it to a near-perfect state.

Stances and shifts in his center of gravity that once required conscious adjustment could now be executed almost perfectly with a mere thought.

’This state... It’s as if my body has become the most precise, most obedient weapon.’

Li Wen looked down at his palm, flexing and extending his fingers one by one. The motion was as smooth as flowing mercury, without the slightest wasted movement.

This powerful control brought with it a surging sense of strength and an eagerness to put it to the test.

He couldn’t wait to see what kind of power his Shadow-Stealing Form, now at 45% mastery, could unleash in a real fight.

His goal was clear: the Infinite Arena.

He lay down in the virtual pod and chose to enter the Fire World.

BZZZT—

After the familiar sensation of teleportation passed, Li Wen’s figure materialized on an arena constructed from massive, rough-hewn stones.

The air was thick with the grim tension and energy fluctuations unique to a virtual battlefield.

Beyond the light-screen barrier surrounding the arena, the spectator stands were already filling up with the clamorous, virtual figures of an expectant audience.

His gaze fell upon his opponent.

A true behemoth!

His opponent was over seven and a half feet tall, his entire body encased in dark, heavy alloy armor, making him look like a mobile fortress.

In his left hand, he held a massive, diamond-shaped shield large enough to cover most of his body, its edges gleaming with a sharp, cold energy. In his right, he gripped a giant warhammer that looked like a battering ram.

The eyes visible through his helmet glinted sharply, and his lips curled into a feral grin as he sized up Li Wen with interest.

"Oho!" The giant’s voice boomed through his armor, filled with undisguised cheer.

"Looks like my luck’s in today. I just smashed some kid who signed an early B-rank contract with Galaxy Bank. Bagged myself a little genius and ranked up to Gold I.

"I was just thinking about pressing my advantage and climbing the ranks, and now another contracted seed from one of the four major powers shows up? Heh heh, looks like the heavens are handing me a winning streak!"

A wave of knowing laughter and chatter rippled through the audience.

"It’s Shield Mountain! A heavily armored powerhouse from Gold I. They say when he fully activates his ’Immovable Bulwark’ defense, he can even tank a hit or two from someone who’s just had their initial insight into a Domain!"

"I just watched the replay. Ten minutes ago, he eliminated Cyan Feather Crane, another ranged prodigy who was pre-signed by Galaxy Bank. His attacks were incredibly sharp, but he still couldn’t get through Shield Mountain’s defense!"

"That rookie on the other side, the Gold IV, I think his name is ’Shadow-Steal’? Tsk, what bad luck. He’s completely countered by Shield Mountain."

"Yeah, no matter how fast his blade is, it’s useless if it can’t get through that shield."

Listening to his opponent’s taunts and the crowd’s chatter, Li Wen’s expression remained placid, though the corner of his mouth curved into a barely perceptible smile.

After a few days of familiarizing himself with it, he already had a good grasp of the Infinite Arena’s environment.

The Gold tier was mostly populated by Martial Artists of the Unity Realm. Their skill levels varied, and the occasional prodigy who had just touched the threshold of a Domain would quickly shoot up to Platinum. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

’For me, with my two trump cards—Absolute Focus and my Primordial Spirit—fighting in the Gold tier is practically... a dimensional-reduction strike.’

Even against an opponent who had just grasped the rudiments of a Domain, he’d still dare to fight them head-on.

[3...2...1!]

The countdown hit zero!

"Hmph!" Shield Mountain grunted, slamming his giant shield into the ground. A visible Energy Field instantly expanded, forming a thick, solid, yellow barrier in front of him.

He advanced with heavy yet swift steps, rumbling toward Li Wen like an accelerating battle tank.

He led with the massive shield, which looked like an unbreachable wall.

Li Wen didn’t use the Shadow-Stealing Form right away.

Seeing that colossal shield that looked like it could block anything, he had an idea. ’First, I’ll test what my improved Body Control Power can do with just conventional blade techniques.’

His figure flickered, and he nimbly dodged Shield Mountain’s frontal charge like a darting fish. His blade drew sharp arcs of light, striking precisely at the shield’s joints and the gaps between the nodes of the flowing Energy Field.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The ringing of metal on metal was incessant! Sparks flew everywhere!

Li Wen’s blade work was fast and cunning, his power incredibly focused. Each strike landed perfectly, displaying astonishing control.

However, the massive shield and armor were simply too sturdy, and the energy barrier was terrifyingly stable.

The flashes from Li Wen’s blade only left shallow scratches. They couldn’t even create a noticeable ripple in the barrier, let alone faze Shield Mountain himself.

"Is that all you’ve got, kid?" Shield Mountain roared with laughter, his rough voice dripping with contempt and glee.

"Is this the best a Gold IV can do? With blade work like that, I doubt you could even cut through my cook’s spatula! What is this, are you trying to tickle me? HAHAHAHA!!"