"Director Li? S-Class Special Training Contract?" Li Yuan looked at the two people in front of him.
He had shown his skills during the cage battle, which would surely attract the attention of the five major martial arts schools. However, it was surprising that Kunlun Martial Arts University had come so quickly. After all, the cage battle had just ended less than two minutes ago.
What Li Yuan didn’t know was that when the fifth round of the cage battle was underway, Director Li and Teacher Fan had already changed their minds and rushed over in a flying vehicle.
"I..." Li Yuan hesitated and said, "Seniors, I can't confirm your identities."
Normally, observers from the five major schools shouldn't arrive this quickly. Contracts were usually signed after all five days of events were over.
Director Li and Teacher Fan exchanged glances and couldn't help but smile.
"Li Yuan, I'm Fan Jin," the older man said with a smile. "A few days ago, one of your elders should have submitted your information to us at Kunlun Martial Arts University."
"My elder?" Li Yuan immediately thought of Lord Wan. Before coming here, Teacher Xu had mentioned this.
"Because the information was submitted, Director Li included you on the A-Class student list before we came to Jiangbei," Fan Jin continued, smiling. "However, at that time, we didn't know you had a breakthrough in your skills."
"Was I initially on the A-Class list?" Li Yuan was surprised. He had heard about the classifications of S-Class and A-Class from Lin Lanyue, so he understood that A-Class was already quite high.
"After seeing your breakthrough in the cage battle, we immediately decided to upgrade you to the S-Class special training contract," Fan Jin said seriously, "and then we rushed over."
The result was the same, but Fan Jin had 'optimized' the process quite a bit.
"S-Class?" Li Yuan held his breath.
He had basically believed in their identities and felt the importance Kunlun Martial Arts University placed on him.
Suddenly, "Ding~" Li Yuan's smart wristband vibrated. He instinctively glanced at it: "Kunlun Martial Arts University S-Class Special Training Invitation."
The message came from the official Jiangbei Martial Arts University.
"You should have received the invitation," Director Li smiled and asked, "Do you believe us now?"
"Director Li, Teacher Fan, I'm sorry," Li Yuan said apologetically. "Please come in."
"It's fine, being cautious is good," Director Li smiled. "You have a roommate in your room, so let's discuss this in the meeting room over here."
"Okay, please lead the way, seniors," Li Yuan said decisively.
Since the last invitation from the Martial Hall and his uncle Li Changzhou's advice, Li Yuan had thought things through... good opportunities sometimes only come once or twice.
Sure, he had good talent, but he still lacked suitable advanced cultivation methods, and his physical constitution wasn’t even at level 9.
Now, with a director from Kunlun Martial Arts University personally coming, it showed they took him seriously. If he were to act aloof, that would be foolish.
A genius? That didn’t mean he was a strong fighter.
"Li Yuan."
"Li Yuan." Gu Qianghan, holding a freshly cut cantaloupe, walked out of the lounge, puzzled. "Where did he go?"
At the end of the hallway on the same floor, there was a small meeting room.
"Have a seat," Director Li said with a smile.
Teacher Fan closed the door and pulled down the curtains.
Li Yuan obediently sat down.
"We currently have four S-Class students on the list prepared by Kunlun Martial Arts University," Director Li said with a smile. He was tall, bald, and his smile gave off a friendly vibe.
"Tian Dazhuang, Wu Dongdong, Wang Yu, and you," Director Li continued. "However, we came to find you first, and our expectations for you are the highest."
"You came to find me first?" Li Yuan was a bit hesitant. The four S-Class students mentioned by Director Li were all four-stage skilled students.
"Why?" Li Yuan asked, confused. "I haven't awakened my Martial Spirit, so my overall evaluation should be much lower than theirs."
"Your spiritual talent is stronger," Teacher Fan, who had also taken a seat, smiled. "Director Li is a level 29 source martial artist, and his spiritual power is very strong, so he can accurately sense your spiritual power intensity."
Li Yuan's pupils contracted slightly.
"Your spiritual power should be comparable to a level 15 martial artist," Director Li smiled.
Li Yuan nodded slightly, realizing that it was indeed accurate. Of course, he wasn't surprised; even Lord Wan had sensed something back then. Although half a year had passed, his strength and spiritual focus had both improved.
But Director Li's strength was clearly much greater than Lord Wan's.
A level 29 source martial artist?
"If we follow the unified evaluation standards of the Seven Star Alliance, classifying you as A+ would be more appropriate, but I believe you qualify for S-Class," Director Li smiled.
"Why?" Li Yuan was even more puzzled.
"Li Yuan, let me explain a few things to you, and you'll understand," Teacher Fan said.
"A ranked martial artist has a physical constitution much stronger than that of an ordinary person," Teacher Fan explained slowly. "But if they only wield cold weapons, they can still be killed by hot weapons. You should understand this."
Li Yuan nodded, recalling the war footage he had seen from the Lobu Sea.
First-stage star realm creatures were actually quite fragile in the face of the metal storm created by hot weapons. Carbon-based bodies found it hard to directly resist hot weapons.
"Second-stage martial artists can directly use source power, making it very difficult for hot weapons to kill them," Teacher Fan continued. "So, the five major schools, or the top martial arts academies in various countries, or the three top universities on Blue Star, basically aim to cultivate source martial artists."
"Source martial artists are the backbone of those who delve into various star realms and kill star realm creatures," Teacher Fan said seriously.
Li Yuan nodded involuntarily.
He had seen many documentaries showing that those who explored deeply were usually source martial artists above level 20, at least level 15.
"Becoming a source martial artist is very difficult," Teacher Fan sighed lightly. "First, your physical constitution must reach level 19, and then there are skills and spiritual power."
"In reality, everything has a spirit; every living being has a spirit, but a specific medium is needed to directly absorb source power from the universe in the early stages," Teacher Fan explained.
"Advanced cultivation methods?" Li Yuan thought he understood.
"Exactly," Teacher Fan nodded. "Hundreds of years ago, during the Star Bridge era, early martial artists had no techniques at all. They relied solely on consuming large amounts of rare materials to forcibly raise their physical constitution to level 19."
"Just by eating?" Li Yuan nodded slightly, as he understood that part of history.
"Among the exceptional ones, those with great skills and strong spiritual power eventually became source martial artists," Teacher Fan said. "Once you become a source martial artist, you'll understand... source martial artists can directly sense source power without needing any techniques and can absorb source power."
Li Yuan nodded gently.
This point was also mentioned in the books, and it was one of the reasons why second-stage martial artists were called source martial artists.
"However, relying on the body’s instinct to absorb source power is still too slow for evolution; it’s hard to reach level 29 in a lifetime."
"So, the first-generation source martial artists began to try creating techniques."
"There weren’t many guidelines."
"With no experience, many first-generation source martial artists died from body explosions, with a death rate exceeding 99%," Teacher Fan sighed lightly.
"99%?" Li Yuan was shocked; that death rate was incredibly high.
"The death rate was extremely high, and eventually, a very small number of people successfully created simple techniques that suited themselves and reached level 29," Teacher Fan said.
"However, everyone’s physique is different, and the simple techniques created by source martial artists are generally only suitable for themselves."
"Then, among the very few level 29 source martial artists, some broke the shackles of life and became flying martial artists."
Li Yuan listened intently.
He had seen similar histories in textbooks, but not as clearly as Teacher Fan explained.
"What happened next?" Li Yuan asked.
"Flying martial artists have powers that exceed the ordinary life category. They can fly and traverse the earth, enter space, and can live their whole lives without food or drink... they have the ability to create universal techniques," Teacher Fan explained. "But during that era, there was still no concept of awakening spirit; no one could absorb source power before reaching level 20."
Li Yuan nodded slightly.
Everyone has a spirit, but without techniques, that spirit has no meaning. Early flying martial artists could only create techniques suitable for their own cultivation.
"The entire civilization, with seven major planets continuously investing massive resources, saw many source martial artists successfully create techniques. After many years, around two hundred years ago, the first universal high-level technique 'Nanming Wanshui Jing' was created."
"This made it possible for ordinary people to absorb source power."
"If the compatibility exceeds 85%, there is hope for cultivation; if it exceeds 90%, then cultivation is guaranteed."
"The speed at which warriors were born in the entire civilization began to accelerate," Teacher Fan said. "First-stage martial artists quickly increased, but the consumption of various cultivation resources actually began to decrease."
Li Yuan sighed inwardly.
For someone like him, relying solely on consuming various cultivation treasures, the resource consumption was staggering.
One person’s consumption might not matter, but what if it was ten, a hundred thousand, or even a million? The entire human civilization couldn't bear it.
Early human civilization had no choice; if they wanted to become source martial artists, they had to push through!
With advanced cultivation methods, if ordinary people could cultivate and absorb source power from the universe, then the resources consumed on the path to becoming source martial artists could be reduced by at least 90%.
"Without compatible advanced cultivation methods, source martial artists wanting to break through to become flying martial artists must create their own techniques, and any slight mistake could lead to death."
"Now, with more experience, the success rate has increased tenfold, but the death rate for source martial artists creating techniques still exceeds 90%," Teacher Fan shook his head slightly. "If one has advanced cultivation methods, the transition from source martial artist to flying martial artist can be achieved without dying from cultivation."
"That’s why, eighty years ago, the martial arts college entrance exam system was established."
"For the sake of the entire civilization, we focus on cultivating young people who are compatible with advanced cultivation methods."
"This is what is called 'spiritual awakening.'"
"It reduces resource consumption, minimizes casualties from source martial artists creating techniques, but it produces more flying martial artists."
"The more flying martial artists there are, the more efficient the development of universal advanced cultivation methods becomes."
"In the past eighty years, the top martial artists of human civilization have successively developed four new advanced cultivation methods," Teacher Fan looked at Li Yuan. "This has allowed more and more people to tap into their spirits."
Li Yuan completely understood.
It wasn't that human civilization didn't want to cultivate ordinary people. It was that the cost was enormous; piling up resources to create source martial artists would result in a 90% death rate when creating techniques.
Let alone becoming flying martial artists... the input and output simply didn't match.
With the same resources, if they were used to cultivate humans who could directly practice advanced cultivation methods, the number of strong fighters born would be many times greater.
"So..."
"Is the spiritual bonus essentially a way to discourage ordinary people? To make them give up their dreams of attending martial arts university?" Li Yuan pondered.
Online, there had been endless debates about the 10% bonus for spirit across society. But this policy had never wavered in eighty years.
"Yes," Teacher Fan nodded. "This policy seems unfair to ordinary people, but from the perspective of the entire civilization, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks."
"After all, star realms constantly emerge, threatening the entire civilization," Teacher Fan said. "We must maximize resource utilization."
"Then why did you list me as S-Class?" Li Yuan was filled with confusion.
"Because your talent is high enough," Director Li said firmly.
High enough talent? Li Yuan was taken aback.
"Everyone has a spirit."
"Talent is simply a matter of physical talent, spiritual talent, and comprehension talent," Director Li smiled. "You have no advanced cultivation methods to guide you and haven't consumed rare treasures, yet your physical constitution is still improving rapidly, indicating that your physical talent is top-notch."
"Your spiritual talent is top-notch."
"Most importantly, at just seventeen and a half, you have already reached four-stage skills, which shows your comprehension talent is also top-notch."
"What you lack is just techniques."
"And creating techniques requires the highest level of comprehension."
(End of Chapter)