Chương 13: War God — Chapter 13

That mouth really is vicious. The two traded a few verbal jabs. Before long, more classmates gradually arrived. Until a striking figure appeared at the doorway, jolting awake quite a few male students who hadn't been up for long. Chen Yuting wore the standard school uniform as required, but she'd clearly altered it quite a bit. The originally loose uniform now fit rather snugly, very eye-catching. Walking into the classroom, Chen Yuting swept her gaze around.

When it landed on Wang Xian, she let out a cold snort and walked to her seat in the third row without a word. Following behind her was a tall youth with several pimples on his face.

"Xiaoting, here's the breakfast I brought for you today." The tall youth walked in and arrived beside Chen Yuting, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. He glanced at Wang Xian out of the corner of his eye, chest puffed out and back straight, like a general returning from a victorious battle.

"Mm, got it." Chen Yuting accepted the breakfast, the corner of her mouth twitching upward.

"Thanks, class monitor." Seeing that smile, the tall youth seemed injected with adrenaline, extremely excited.

"..." Wang Xian.

"Hey?" Zhou Xukun exclaimed in surprise, lowering his voice.

"No way, bro, did your simp spot just get snatched by that dumb dog Li Zihang?" Before, it was always Wang Xian who delivered it.

"How could a person compete with a dog for a spot?" Wang Xian tossed off the remark casually, then sprawled over his desk. Zhou Xukun froze for a moment.

"Damn, that makes sense!" Up front, Chen Yuting used her peripheral vision to size up Wang Xian behind her. Seeing his indifferent demeanor, she couldn't help furrowing her brow slightly. Heh, pretending, still pretending! Let's see how long you can keep it up! The few of them fell silent and all began morning self-study. Martial high schools have morning self-study, but more important is the morning broadcast martial drill. So self-study didn't last long.

When the broadcast outside sounded, each class began filing down to the sports field in orderly fashion at exactly 7 o'clock. Martial drill naturally meant practicing the nationally promoted Body-Strengthening Fist. As a key high school, most students' Body-Strengthening Fist was passable. But only at the barely-entered-the-threshold stage. Body-Strengthening Fist, 10 forms in total, covers the use of every joint and part of the body. Practiced poorly, it can invigorate qi and blood, strengthen the body.

Practiced well, it can kill men and battle beasts, consolidating the foundation and nourishing the essence. The floor is very low, the ceiling very high. It's just that ordinary martial artists rarely get to touch the ceiling of Body-Strengthening Fist. That often requires extremely high martial theory. During calisthenics, each class had a lead, signifying the one who practiced best in the class. To be the lead was an honor. For instance, Class One's lead was that Xia Sichen.

Class Four's lead was the class monitor, Li Zihang. Class Nine's lead, however, was not Ye Miyue, but another girl. At the very front stood a model-soldier-like teacher, posture erect, expression solemn and correct. That was the school's Dean of Students, Zhou Dahai.

"First form, Wind Rises from Kunlun!" The entire sports field was silent, only the dean's voice resounding clearly. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Wang Xian glanced over. The moment the opening form came out, he could tell the dean's Body-Strengthening Fist level at a single look. Perfected mastery. In another 10-plus years, he might reach peak mastery.

For a Third Realm Martial Artist to train Body-Strengthening Fist to this degree was basically considered diligent and dedicated. Many martial artists, after reaching First Realm, either focus on strengthening their innate martial talent or take up weapons for combat. Very few continue practicing Body-Strengthening Fist. Wang Xian had no interest in looking more. His gaze instead turned toward a certain figure in Class Nine diagonally across the field. He watched with keen enjoyment.

Because the formation was arranged by height, his height towered over the rest of Class Four, placing him in the front row. This head-turning was naturally rather conspicuous.

"Wang Xian, you brat, get serious!" As the class model, Li Zihang naturally wouldn't miss this chance to reprimand him. Using a twisting motion to turn around, he barked, "Your practice is so poor, and you're still looking around everywhere, affecting class appearance and spirit! Careful or Cui Three-Eyes will catch you!" To be fair, although Wang Xian had turned his head, his body was still following the dean's instruction methodically and precisely. So it gave off an appearance of looking casual and indifferent.

And naturally, it didn't affect the entire class. Wang Xian wouldn't think Li Zihang could tell that his own practice of Body-Strengthening Fist had long since reached the realm of returning to simplicity, where form and spirit are one. Even the dean on the platform might not necessarily see much of it. They didn't have that level of vision. So...

"Mind your own practice," Wang Xian replied simply.

"You!" Li Zihang frowned and snorted.

"Let me tell you some good news. There's an in-class martial assessment today. Slack off during broadcast calisthenics, and you'll see whether Cui Three-Eyes deals with you or not!" Cui Three-Eyes, Class Four's homeroom teacher. Because he often spied on students from the back door or outside the classroom window, making the entire class feel as if a third eye was monitoring the students, he was privately called Cui Three-Eyes by Class Four.

Wang Xian paid it no mind, still occasionally turning his head to glance at Ye Miyue from Class Nine.

"Seems she's still practicing after all." Wang Xian nodded slightly. The Primal Chaos Breathing Method could not only be combined with stance training but naturally could also be combined with Body-Strengthening Fist. One glance and Wang Xian knew this girl had indeed taken to heart the "massage techniques" he mentioned. And over there, Ye Miyue practiced with extreme correctness and seriousness, so serious that she didn't notice any gazes at all. Focused! On the platform.

Dean of Students Zhou Dahai, in his early 40s this year, came from a military background and had been practicing Body-Strengthening Fist for 20 years. After retiring from service, he came to Rong City Martial High School and had taught over a dozen cohorts of students. He naturally understood just how important Body-Strengthening Fist was, as the foundational martial art promoted by the nation in high schools.

"Zhao Jun from Class Eight is improving quickly. His Body-Strengthening Fist has barely touched the small success realm." Martial realms, whether for Old Martial Arts or New Martial Arts techniques, are all divided into four realms. Glimpsing the threshold, small success, perfected mastery, peak mastery. Terminology differs domestically and abroad, but the Blue Star Martial Arts Alliance classifies them all into these four realms.

For example, abroad they simply divide them into first realm, second realm, third realm... simple and easy to understand. Some say beyond the four realms lies the "return to simplicity" that countless martial powerhouses pursue. Reaching that realm, even the most basic foundational martial art can unleash tremendous power.

"Wu Bo from Class Three, how many months now? Not an inch of progress. Two years and still only at entry level..."

"Li Zihang from Class Four... has some modest talent, but too many stray thoughts and distractions... entry level is easy, small success extremely difficult."

"Xia Sichen from Class One, naturally gifted... should have entered small success recently..." Looking at Class One, Zhou Dahai nodded slightly, expressing satisfaction. Martial realms, seemingly just four tiers, are in reality worlds apart. Body-Strengthening Fist is especially easy to learn but hard to master. Entry level is easy. But small success is extremely difficult. To reach perfected mastery, even with considerable talent, without 10-plus years of grinding effort, it's almost very hard to achieve.

And as for peak mastery. To his knowledge, even among Dragon Nation's Seventh Realm grandmasters, quite a few couldn't reach it. As for being able to train Body-Strengthening Fist to the legendary realm of "return to simplicity," counting on one hand across all of Dragon Nation would still be too many. He knew all too well that this Body-Strengthening Fist was a foundational martial art synthesized from centuries of old martial arts essence. Now in the entire school, over 2.

5 years, over 1, 000 senior-year students. Only a single Xia Sichen had achieved small success. As for those first- and second-years just starting to practice, not even worth mentioning.

"Eh, Ye Miyue from Class Nine..." As he looked on, Zhou Dahai suddenly started.

"When did she reach small success?" As Dean of Students, he wasn't familiar with these students' other grades. But for the Body-Strengthening Fist he led them in cultivating, he basically knew each student like the back of his hand.

"I remember she was only at an upper-entry-level standard before... to reach small success she'd need at least about a year more of effort... only possible in university." Ye Miyue had good talent. Her liberal arts grades were perennially first in the school. Her martial arts subject qualities were also top-notch. But Body-Strengthening Fist wasn't so easy to train. This thing, even after entering university, was still a required course.

In fact, one graduation requirement at quite a few top martial arts academies was to cultivate Body-Strengthening Fist to the perfected mastery realm. Yet looking at that focused, single-minded demeanor, her movements practiced and adept, every motion subtly stirring the surrounding heaven-and-earth elemental energy in minute detail. Zhou Dahai suspected his eyes were playing tricks.

"Could it be... sudden enlightenment?" Zhou Dahai revealed a smile. That must be it. Otherwise, such massive progress was impossible! However, only Ye Miyue herself knew at this moment that she was actually recalling the process of giving Wang Xian a massage yesterday...

"Not bad, not bad..." Zhou Dahai was thoroughly satisfied and once again looked across the many students. Suddenly! His body jolted violently. His body had instinctively hit the ninth form, "Primal Chaos Wish-Fulfilling," and he froze instantly.

"Wait, this student's level... how come I can't make sense of it?" ➤ Next: Let's See How Long You Can Keep Up the Act?