Chapter Ten: Transferring Schools

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! The sound of fists slicing through the air was unending. Tang Tian’s expression was focused as he relentlessly swung his fists. His body was already drenched, large beads of sweat streaming down his cheeks, sliding to his chin, and dripping onto the dark stone floor beneath his feet.

Every so often, with a few punches, his fists would suddenly vanish.

Whenever this happened, the numbers on the back of the light gate would flicker. Tang Tian’s technique was still raw; out of ten punches, only one would achieve the Flash Fist.

The soul general’s possession from a bronze card lasted only a short while, and his body couldn’t retain the insights gained. That was precisely why silver cards were much more expensive than bronze ones.

But Tang Tian didn’t mind; as long as he had a soul general card, he was satisfied.

Awkward punches, success only once every ten attempts—these difficulties didn’t faze him at all. Compared to those five years spent mastering basic martial techniques, what was this? If his punches were clumsy, he’d simply practice more; if the bronze card’s insight was shallow, he’d contemplate and comprehend it on his own.

Tang Tian was wholly immersed in his cultivation. After five years of effort, he could finally practice second-level martial techniques. The energy he had accumulated felt as if it could explode and ignite the world.

For two hundred thousand repetitions!

For the killing blow!

For Qianhui!

For his mother!

For himself!

He felt inexhaustible strength coursing through his body, his condition better than ever. He loved this life, where he could shout his goals out loud, and sweat freely under the sun.

Those ambitions, those dreams, no longer seemed as distant as stars in the sky.

If one was stingy even with sweat, could dreams ever be more than dreams?

He neither slept nor rested. Once he discovered that he wouldn’t go hungry in this place, he did nothing but meditate or practice the Flash Fist with all his might. By now, he had already completed more than 786 successful Flash Fist strikes.

Compared to the goal of two hundred thousand, 786 was but a drop in the ocean, but Tang Tian wasn’t discouraged. He knew that once he made it through the hardest early period, his success rate would soar.

For five days and nights straight, Tang Tian was lost in a frenzy of cultivation.

His success rate for Flash Fist steadily increased, from one in ten punches to three in ten.

The numbers on the light gate flickered faster and faster.

Panting heavily, sweat streaming, exhaustion washing over him, Tang Tian braced his hands on his knees, bloodshot eyes staring at the floor. His dull pupils slowly regained focus.

He managed a grin, weak but as radiant as sunlight.

He had just surpassed eight thousand successful Flash Fist strikes.

He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began circulating the Energy Nurturing Art as before. The energy behind the gate was abundant, making his cultivation unexpectedly effective. Tang Tian could distinctly feel the starlike motes of energy rushing toward him as he practiced, like moths drawn to a flame.

As soon as this floating energy entered his body, it flowed along the routes prescribed by the Energy Nurturing Art. When it reached his dantian, it transformed into true force and was stored in his dantian pool.

Tang Tian had two dantian pools, one above and one below. The upper one was the second-level dantian pool; the lower was the first-level. True force began accumulating in the lower dantian. With each new level, a higher dantian pool would form further up in the body, as if climbing a celestial ladder.

Legend had it that if one cultivated to the deepest level, and true force rose through each dantian pool to reach the uppermost dantian between the brows, immortality would be attained.

Of course, that was mere legend. No one had ever cultivated true force to the upper dantian, just as no one had ever reached the end of the Heavenly Road.

The energy he absorbed transformed into true force, poured into the lower dantian, then, after further refinement, into the second-level dantian pool.

Bit by bit, the second-level dantian pool filled.

The process was slow and tedious, a true test of patience. As the energy gradually transformed, his body, nourished by true force, slowly recovered.

Wealthy martial artists often used starstones to cultivate true force. Starstones contained abundant, pure energy, which could be swiftly absorbed and converted into true force, drastically reducing meditation time.

But the price of starstones put them out of reach for ordinary people.

An hour passed.

His second-level dantian pool was now full of true force, but Tang Tian noticed he didn’t feel any swelling. His heart stirred; he continued to absorb energy with his technique. Strands of true force flowed along his meridians into the lower dantian, then surged toward the second-level pool.

Suddenly, Tang Tian shuddered, joy spreading uncontrollably across his face.

He sensed the true force in his dantian meeting an invisible barrier.

Perfection!

Second-level Perfection!

That intangible barrier was called the Wall of Perfection. Beyond it lay the third-level dantian pool. Touching the Wall of Perfection meant his true force had reached the peak of this stage.

At this point, one needed a higher-level technique to break through the wall and open the third-level dantian pool.

No wonder Tang Tian was overjoyed. He had expected it would take longer to reach Perfection in the Energy Nurturing Art, but it had come sooner than he’d hoped.

Now, he could start cultivating a third-level technique.

The power of third-level true force was vastly greater and deeper than the second level.

Tang Tian’s face lit up with joy. True force was the foundation of everything. Without it, martial techniques were nothing but flowery, empty moves. All powerful martial skills demanded high levels of true force; even the scions of great clans devoted most of their time to cultivating it.

Third level!

Only those at the third level and above could pass through the Star Gate on the Heavenly Road, enter the Heavenly Road itself, and journey to Perseus to find Qianhui.

Tang Tian’s grin stretched to his ears. Excited, he leapt from the ground and threw his arms skyward.

“Hahaha! Third level, I’m going to train in a third-level technique!”

“I’m going to the Heavenly Road!”

“I’m going to Perseus!”

He danced and jumped joyfully behind the light gate, flailing about like a child.

After a while, he finally calmed down.

His face aglow, eyes wide, fists clenched, he punched the air with solemn seriousness and declared, “Hey, young man, you truly are a godlike hero!”

Swish—he darted to the opposite spot, adopting a bashful, modest air. “Hmm, I think you’re quite right.”

Swish—back to his original place, gazing up in admiration. “For someone as godlike as you, Flash Fist is nothing at all.”

Swish—another spot, waving calmly, his expression deep and approving. “Young man, for you to think this way is excellent. You have a bright future.”

After his one-man show, Tang Tian, fully satisfied, resumed his training.

The sound of fists swept through the air again, now even more powerful.

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“Amory, you want to transfer schools? Why?” The principal’s face was full of disbelief, so much so that he was momentarily stunned. He simply couldn’t understand; from any angle, Amory had no reason to transfer.

Beast Academy was the third-ranked school in Starwind City, its resources far surpassing the pitiful Saqima Academy. Amory was a genius he valued greatly—already among the top ten in his grade in just his second year, a rare talent indeed.

The principal softened his tone. “I’ve been too busy to give you the attention you deserve. If you have any grievances or dissatisfactions, do let me know. Have you run into obstacles in your training? Soul general cards, perhaps? A fourth-level silver soul general card—you may choose three!”

Amory shook his head. “It’s not because of that, and I’m not aggrieved. But I must seek my own martial path!”

“Your own martial path?” The principal laughed helplessly. “Amory, you may be talented, but you’re still young. Right now, your priority isn’t chasing some vague, illusory martial path, but to lay a solid foundation. All martial paths are built, not imagined.”

Amory bowed seriously to the principal. “Thank you for your concern. I will give it my all!”

The principal knew Amory was sincere and felt bitter disappointment. “Amory, I hope you won’t regret today’s decision.”

“I will not regret it!” Amory replied with equal seriousness.

He turned and left the principal’s office.

As he walked down the corridor, a stern voice called from behind.

“Amory, you’re transferring? To attend the same school as that notorious repeating student?”

A mocking voice followed. “The future star of Beast Academy, going to consort with the legendary super-repeater—what a disgrace!”

Amory turned sharply, one brow arched, eyes narrowed. “Tian Lin, if you don’t want your mouth smashed, you’d best keep it shut.”

Opposite him stood two people. The one with a mocking grin was Tian Lin, a skilled student ranked ninth in Beast Academy.

A flicker of anger flashed in Tian Lin’s eyes, but he fell silent. If Amory truly lost his temper, it would be a fight to the bitter end. Tian Lin had no wish to be entangled with him.

Beside Tian Lin stood a tall, calm youth, face solemn, voice deep. “Amory, are you really set on such a path of decline?”

Amory paid Tian Lin no heed, but the tall youth exerted tremendous pressure.

Liang Qiu, Beast Academy’s top expert!

What weighed on Amory wasn’t just Liang Qiu’s formidable strength, but also the fact that Liang Qiu had always looked after him, offering much guidance.

But these words from Brother Liang Qiu made him deeply uncomfortable. Yet he knew that at this moment, any explanation would be useless; no one would believe him.

Let the results speak for themselves, then.

Amory clenched his fists, then quickly released them. He looked up, meeting Liang Qiu’s gaze without flinching, and declared loudly, “Brother Liang Qiu, just wait—I will defeat you!”

With that, he turned and left without a hint of regret.

He ignored the pointing and whispers along the way, though his fists clenched again. Inwardly, he made a silent vow.

He, Amory, would forge his own martial path!

“To defeat Brother Liang Qiu, ha ha ha!” Tian Lin’s derisive laughter echoed far and wide.

Hearing this, all eyes turned on Amory, filled with ridicule and pity, as though watching a fool who had lost his mind.

Saqima Academy—what kind of place was that? Until today, no one had ever heard of it. When they checked its ranking, they were stunned.

Third from the bottom!

Heavens, what a sorry excuse for a school!

And that notorious super-repeater kicked out of Ande Academy, infamous across all of Starwind City—Tang Tian, the ultimate failure among failures.

Two such figures transferring at the same time to the third-worst school in the city—Saqima Academy.

Such a bizarre event had never happened in the academy-laden Starwind City, and it immediately caused a sensation among all the schools.

Peerless Tang Sect