Without delving deeper into Gu Qianghan's matters, Li Yuan first went to report to his cultural class teacher, Teacher Chen. After that, he made his way to Xu Bo's office.
The door was open.
“Teacher.” Li Yuan called out from the doorway.
“Back already? Come in.” Xu Bo was quietly practicing his fist techniques, beads of sweat covering his body. When he saw Li Yuan, a smile formed on his face as he slowly withdrew his fists.
Li Yuan immediately grabbed a towel from the rack beside and handed it to Xu Bo.
“Have you sorted things out at home?” Xu Bo took the towel, wiping his sweat while smiling, “I've been busy these past days. I heard your uncle's situation has stabilized, so I didn’t visit.”
“Thank you for your hard work that day, Teacher.” Li Yuan said solemnly, “If it weren't for your reminder, my uncle wouldn’t have come back so quickly.”
Li Yuan understood the situation quite well.
On the afternoon of the day when Base Three was relieved, his uncle had already been transferred to Base Seven, which was considered an early return. However, Base Seven was equally chaotic, so he wasn’t immediately arranged for return to Jiang City. It was only when the higher-ups at Starfire Martial Hall inquired that he was swiftly arranged.
Furthermore, on the day of the surgery, Xu Bo had been there the whole time and only left the next morning.
Li Yuan had noted all these details.
“As my student, this is what I should do. There are many things I couldn’t truly help with,” Xu Bo smiled. He seemed quite emotional as he continued, “I know most of what happened to your uncle. Good people will have their fortune, don’t worry, he will wake up.”
“Hmm.” Li Yuan nodded slightly, unable to resist asking, “Teacher, do you know about Lin Lanyue’s family situation?”
“Lin Lanyue?”
Xu Bo paused in his movements, setting the towel aside. “Didn’t her brother tell you? Didn’t you ask Lin Lanyue?”
“I sent messages to Lin Lanyue the night before and yesterday morning, trying to confirm, but she hasn’t replied.” Li Yuan shook his head. “I only found out from Gu Qianghan today that she has already gone to Feixing.”
Feixing and Luanxing have no connection in the virtual network.
“Feixing?”
“No wonder she took a long leave.” Xu Bo looked at Li Yuan and said, “The person you saw that day must have been her older brother. With your cleverness, you should have guessed some things.”
Li Yuan nodded lightly.
After being entrusted, along with Gu Qianghan's words… among the people he knew, only Lin Lanyue seemed likely.
It wasn’t too hard to guess.
“Her family is very special,” Xu Bo said quietly. “I can confirm one thing.”
Li Yuan listened closely.
“Her father is a high-ranking member of the Starry Sky Martial Hall, having served as the master of the Guanshan Branch and the Jiang City Branch… he should now be a Flying Sky Martial Artist.” Xu Bo remarked.
“A Flying Sky Martial Artist?” Li Yuan’s heart jolted in surprise, though it wasn’t completely unexpected.
Lin Lanyue’s older brother could easily make the Ru Huai Hall Master seem like a subordinate; it would be normal for him to have such connections.
“I don’t know more than that.” Xu Bo laughed softly, “The information at school regarding her family is all false, and Lin is just a common surname.”
“Thank you, Teacher.” Li Yuan expressed his gratitude.
“Don’t let this information leak.” Xu Bo cautioned, “Flying Sky Martial Artists are involved in significant matters… Just keep it to yourself, don’t mention it to your family.”
“Understood.” Li Yuan nodded.
“Saving your uncle,” Xu Bo pondered for a moment before looking at Li Yuan, “This favor is indeed very large, so much so that you might not know how to repay it, right?”
Li Yuan revealed a wry smile.
He genuinely felt thankful towards Lin Lanyue.
But at the same time, he didn’t know how to face her, which was also true.
Xu Bo suddenly asked, “Did her brother make things difficult for you?”
“No,” Li Yuan shook his head.
In reality, that Lin brother was quite friendly, never probing too much and treating Li Yuan's family’s wishes with respect.
“Teacher’s advice, don’t think about repaying the favor for now.” Xu Bo suggested thoughtfully, “Because right now, you can’t provide any help for her needs.”
Li Yuan understood this deeply.
“If Lin Lanyue hasn’t brought it up, she likely has her own considerations.” Xu Bo smiled.
“Her brother’s attitude also suggests that helping you likely doesn’t mean much to her family.”
Li Yuan listened to his teacher's analysis.
The same amount of wealth or treasures would carry entirely different meanings for different families.
“If you truly wish to repay this favor in the future, then focus on your cultivation.” Xu Bo looked at Li Yuan.
“Sometimes, both gratitude and trouble can feel the same. If you think it’s too big to repay or solve, it's usually because of too little strength and a significant gap between you both.”
Li Yuan’s eyes flashed.
His teacher’s words relieved much of the doubt in his heart.
“If you reached level 29 as a Source Martial Artist, perhaps you could help Lin Lanyue with some matters.” Xu Bo said, “If you were a Flying Sky Martial Artist, then you could certainly help.”
“But right now? You can’t help at all.” Xu Bo looked at Li Yuan.
Li Yuan nodded gently, “I understand, thank you, Teacher.”
“You’ve already signed with Kunlun Martial Arts University,” Xu Bo instructed, “In doing things, always aim high, but more importantly, be practical. Right now, focus on your cultivation and studies, and strive to get into Kunlun Martial Arts University.”
“The mid-term exams are not far off, and you performed excellently during the Jiangbei Martial University recruitment event. Many people are keeping an eye on you, so make sure to show your best.”
…
On his way back to his martial arts room, Li Yuan passed by martial arts room 4001.
He glanced over instinctively.
This was Lin Lanyue's martial arts room, and for the past six months, he had walked by here almost every day, occasionally bumping into Lin Lanyue… but now, this martial arts room was closed.
Returning to martial arts room 4011.
“Ha!” Li Yuan took the large spear out from the weapon cabinet again.
These past two days, he had been shuttling between the hospital and home.
Aside from occasionally practicing the Great Sun Starry Sky Sutra and the Basic Cultivation Method, Li Yuan hadn’t practiced spear techniques at all.
“Teacher is right.”
“Even if I did see Lin Lanyue now, what could I say?” Li Yuan silently thought, “Just thank you?”
Words of gratitude are sometimes important, but more often than not, they hold little substantial meaning.
“This time, my uncle was in danger.” Li Yuan gripped the spear tightly.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The spear’s shadow transformed and intertwined, a terrifying force burst forth, tearing through the air with a series of sharp whistles.
Li Yuan quietly felt the flow of energy circulating as he moved the spear.
“Whether it's Senior Ji, Kunlun Martial University, or Starfire Martial Hall, they are willing to help partly because of my uncle.” Li Yuan’s heart gradually calmed, “But perhaps more importantly, it’s because I displayed a hint of hope to become a Flying Sky Martial Artist during the Jiangbei Martial University recruitment event.”
His own value is the foundation.
“Then, let me become even stronger.” Li Yuan’s gaze grew resolute, “If my strength is strong enough, akin to Dongfang Ji’s level, then at the moment I receive any news, I won’t have to keep waiting for results. I can attempt to rescue my uncle myself.”
“I can fully grasp my own fate.”
“If my strength is even stronger, powerful to the extent of reaching Dongfang Ji’s realm, or even beyond!”
“Then perhaps, the war in the Lobu Sea Star Realm may never break out.”
“The entire country, and even all of human civilization, countless individuals like my uncle, won’t have to suffer life-threatening dangers, nor pay with their lives!” As Li Yuan thought more clearly, the spear in his hand moved faster and faster.
He recalled his uncle’s words, almost on his deathbed.
“I have no regrets…”
No regrets!
His uncle went to the Lobu Sea Star Realm’s front line for more money, to provide a better life for his family… but his uncle also possessed a heart that could become a hero.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Li Yuan was coming to a clearer understanding.
His uncle's situation was akin to a spiritual baptism for Li Yuan, strengthening his inner resolve and purity.
The martial path is a path of slaughter.
But martial arts come from a steadied heart; how far one can go often depends on what lies within.
Along with the shift in his heart, the spear in Li Yuan’s hand seemed to receive some kind of enlightenment, moving faster and faster.
One shot after another!
One style following another!
“No! No!”
“My spear must be faster.”
“It must be steadier.” Li Yuan silently chanted, repeatedly executing the basic spear forms, attempting to draw out more latent power with the Stellar Spear Techniques.
Ten times!
Fifty times!
A hundred times! Li Yuan gradually immersed himself in it, and slowly, his spear techniques became swifter.
His spirit grew clearer and clearer in perception of his body.
Finally, it felt like he had passed some kind of critical threshold.
Boom! Li Yuan’s spear suddenly erupted with life, becoming even more terrifying.
Whoosh!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Like arcs of light, the spear glimmered, vast and overwhelming. It faintly resembled a gigantic star rolling, emanating an unmatched force.
Just like a river of stars crashing, layering high upon high, an unstoppable momentum surged forth!
If Xu Bo were to see this scene, he would undoubtedly recognize it immediately.
What Li Yuan was executing at this moment was the second move among the five killing moves of the Stellar Spear Techniques—Stellar River Falls.
[Your spear technique realm has risen from 4段 5% to 18%]
[Your fist technique realm has risen from 4段 7% to 20%]
[Your movement technique realm has risen from 4段 2% to 13%]
Three notifications appeared in the lower left corner of the Divine Palace Panel.
However, immersed in his spear techniques, Li Yuan had no awareness of it.
…
After practicing extensively for an hour, Li Yuan finally came back to his senses.
“Stellar River Falls?” Li Yuan was momentarily stunned, as countless realizations from his spear practice surged into his mind.
He had suddenly comprehended the second move of the Stellar Five Forms like this?
It hadn’t even been half a month since he grasped the first form.
“Spear technique at 4段 18%, fist technique at 4段 20%?” Li Yuan similarly noticed the three reminders on the Divine Palace Panel, his heart further shocked.
Advancement from 4段, raising by 1% is far more challenging than during the 3段 stage.
And yet, he had increased by over 10% in just an hour?
“Could it be…”
“Is this what Teacher Xu Bo meant by a spiritual epiphany?” Li Yuan mused, while delicately feeling the changes in the union of his spirit and body.
Realizing the unity of body and spirit would gradually make his body unleash even more terrifying strength.
Growth in skills would also accelerate the evolution of his body.
“Looks like…”
“I won’t have to wait until after the college entrance exam; I will soon achieve 300 points in the Falling Star Rank."
…
As days passed, Li Yuan’s life gradually returned to calm.
Though his uncle had not yet awakened, appearing almost like a vegetable,
his physical condition was steadily improving.
This was, regardless of Li Yuan or the family, an immensely good result.
On March 22, in the afternoon, within martial arts room 4011.
Suddenly.
“Master, there are multiple deposit alerts.” The voice of the intelligent assistant rang out unexpectedly.
“Has the money arrived?” Li Yuan put down the spear and stepped forward to check.
“Your account ending in 1486 has received Blue Star Coins totaling 3,600,000.00…”
“Your account ending in 1486 has received Blue Star Coins totaling 2,000,000.00…”
“Your account ending in 1486 has received Blue Star Coins totaling 1,000,000.00…”
“Your account ending in 1486 has received Blue Star Coins totaling 1,000,000.00…”
(End of this chapter)