In the year 2042 of the Seven Stars Calendar, September, Xia Country, Jiangbei Province, Jiang City.
A city known as the "furnace," where summer and winter dominate the year. Early September was still swelteringly hot.
Guan Mountain District First High School.
Every classroom in the senior-year teaching building had a similar banner on the blackboards at the back: "No struggle, no gain, what's the point of senior year?" "Fight through the four seasons and live without regrets!" "If senior year isn't tough, how can you stand tall?"...
However, one classroom on the east side of the first floor stood out. Spanning nearly a thousand square meters, it was unlike ordinary classrooms. There were no desks or chairs. On one side, swords, guns, spears, staffs, and various cold weapons were neatly arranged. On the other, special instruments sat alongside a unique track paved with dark red metal.
This was the classroom for the Martial Path class.
At that moment, over a hundred students were practicing stances inside, performing different moves.
Some resembled apes, others like birds in flight, and some resembled fierce tigers... Each displayed an excellent spirit, energy, and focus.
"Its root lies in the feet, begins with the legs, is governed by the waist, and channels the combined strength of the body into the fingertips..." A burly middle-aged man in a black martial arts uniform paced among the students.
His expression was stern, standing nearly two meters tall. His voice boomed like thunder, and his gaze, sharp like a tiger's, scrutinized each student.
Most striking of all was his right arm, a silver metallic prosthetic that seamlessly connected with his stump. It moved with extraordinary fluidity.
"Logically speaking, these basics of the Basic Cultivation Method should have been mastered by you during your second year. And yet, look at you—now in your third year and still standing sloppily." The burly man scolded them, punctuating his words with random slaps delivered by his metallic arm. His blows floored sweaty students one by one. "If your stances are steady, your center of gravity won't shift easily. The Basic Cultivation Method is the foundation of the Martial Path!"
"Practice one day, gain one day. Skip one day, fall behind for a hundred. I see most of you probably slacked off completely during the two-week summer break instead of practicing at home."
"You're in senior year now, and you still want to relax? You're just ordinary students and haven't awakened your Martial Spirit. If you don't try harder, how will you ever get into Martial Arts University?"
"Even if you aren't planning to apply for Martial Arts University and choose the cultural path instead, remember—your martial arts score still accounts for 30 percent..." The burly man continued his reprimand.
The students dared not even breathe loudly, focusing even more intently on their training.
"Report."
"Report," a chorus of over ten voices suddenly called from the doorway. A group of students dressed in martial arts uniforms appeared at the entrance.
"The second group returning from the Spiritual Aptitude Test?" The burly man glanced toward the doorway.
Immediately, his sharp eyes landed on one particular student among the group.
This student stood close to six feet tall with cropped hair. At first glance, there wasn't much remarkable about him. But upon closer inspection, one could tell his posture was upright, his spine perfectly aligned. Even standing casually, he exuded an unshakable presence.
It was apparent that this student had fully integrated the principles of the Basic Cultivation Method—"The top should be suspended lightly, and the base should sink firmly"—into his everyday habits, from walking to sitting.
He had truly reached a level where *mind led form, and intent transmitted spirit.*
This level of martial arts mastery far surpassed that of the other students practicing stances in the classroom.
"Li Yuan, how did it go?" The burly man fixed his gaze on him.
Nearly a hundred students practicing their stances couldn't help but sneak glances at the student named Li Yuan.
"Teacher Xu, I didn't awaken," Li Yuan answered calmly, shaking his head without showing any disappointment.
The burly man frowned at his response.
Li Yuan was the most promising student in the class for awakening Martial Spirit.
"Even Li Yuan didn't succeed?"
"During the final exams in his second year, his martial arts scores ranked in the top thirty of the grade. At that time, his physical quality had already reached level six. By now, he must be even stronger, yet he still hasn't awakened his Martial Spirit?"
"Awakening Martial Spirit is truly difficult!" The nearly hundred students practicing stances couldn't help but be quietly amazed.
These days, across Xia Country and even the entire Blue Star, talent selection followed two paths: cultural courses and martial arts cultivation.
All students, beginning in middle school, were taught the Basic Cultivation Method uniformly by the nation to practice martial arts.
Guan Mountain District First High School's senior year had over two thousand students, divided into twenty classes.
However, only one class was the Martial Path Elite Class; the rest were all regular classes.
The Martial Path Elite Class consisted of over sixty students, all of whom had awakened their Martial Spirit. The top fifty students in martial arts scores across the grade were typically dominated by them.
For Li Yuan to rank in the top thirty among regular class students was astonishing.
"What about the others? Did anyone awaken their Spiritual Nature?" The burly man's eyes scanned the group.
Silence.
"All right, then. Come in," the burly man said without surprise.
In truth, most awakenings of Martial Spirit happened in the first year of high school or even in middle school.
Awakening it in senior year? The odds were slim!
The burly man had only pinned his hopes on Li Yuan to begin with. Waving his hand, he ordered, "Group Three, head to the Martial Arts Building for your Spiritual Aptitude Test."
Bang~
A row of students practicing stances, their legs already sore and feet aching, seized the opportunity to rush out of the classroom.
Meanwhile, Li Yuan and his group returned to their spots, resuming their stance training.
"Brother Yuan, Teacher Xu looked a bit disappointed," whispered a mature-looking male student with a short mustache standing beside Li Yuan. "But you, Brother Yuan—weren't you even a little disheartened when the Spiritual Aptitude Test results came out?"
"Drop it."
"Keep practicing. Four hours of daily Basic Cultivation Method training is the fundamental requirement," Li Yuan replied flatly. Having anticipated the result long ago, he naturally felt no disappointment.
"Four hours?" The mature-looking student muttered, "I guess that's why they call you the second king of grind in our class."
Li Yuan chuckled at the comment but didn't respond. Closing his eyes lightly, he stood in place, knees slightly bent. His demeanor shifted instantly, resembling an immovable rock. The unshakable aura surrounding him grew even more profound.