In theory, high school seniors already have a lot of pressure and shouldn’t be discussing such sensitive topics right now. Besides, there are still nine months until the college entrance exam. However, Li Changzhou is about to leave, and he believes that Li Yuan won’t be affected, so he asks.
Aunt Chen Hui looks at Li Yuan. She has been taking care of him for a long time and naturally cares about him.
“College entrance exam plans?” Li Yuan thinks for a moment and says, “Uncle and Aunt, I still plan to become a full-time martial artist. My first goal is the five major martial arts academies in the country.”
“If I can’t get in, I’ll aim to enter the ‘Warrior Class’ at Jiangbei Martial Arts University.”
Full-time martial artist?
Li Changzhou and Chen Hui exchange worried glances. Graduates from martial arts universities don’t necessarily become full-time martial artists. For example, Li Changzhou went to a martial arts university, did well, but ended up studying another major as well.
Martial artists have advantages over ordinary people in many ways. Even in regular jobs, their energy and thinking speed are much higher than average, giving them a greater chance of achieving great things. However, being a full-time martial artist means dedicating oneself entirely to martial arts, which can be much more dangerous. As martial artists progress, they often face life-and-death battles to improve.
“Little Yuan, can’t you study another major too? After graduation, you could become a civil servant or a martial arts teacher. That would be great,” Chen Hui can’t help but say.
In her eyes, Li Yuan and Li Mu Hua are no different. She is like a mother, most worried about Li Yuan’s safety. To her, being a civil servant or a martial arts teacher is the best job.
“A full-time martial artist?” Li Changzhou doesn’t argue, but he ponders, “Do you think you can get into the five major martial arts academies? Your school only gets a few in each year, did you awaken your martial spirit today?”
Li Changzhou knows very well how difficult it is to get into the five major martial arts academies. Jiangbei Martial Arts University enrolls ten thousand students each year. The five major martial arts academies combined only enroll about ten thousand nationwide. In Jiangbei Province, they only take a few hundred each year.
“I didn’t awaken,” Li Yuan shakes his head.
“Didn’t awaken? Then you…” Li Changzhou frowns.
“But in today’s school test, my physical constitution is at level 6.5,” Li Yuan replies, “And my martial arts skills scored over 360 points.”
Li Changzhou’s eyes light up, and he can’t hide his excitement. He understands the significance of what Li Yuan just said.
“Really?” Chen Hui is also surprised. She remembers that Li Yuan was excellent at the end of the last semester, but it seemed far from this level. Especially his physical constitution, it increased by 0.5 levels? That’s quite impressive.
“Teacher Xu Bo personally tested me, and the martial arts skill score is based on the college entrance exam standards,” Li Yuan adds.
Xu Bo tested him?
Li Changzhou nods slightly. He knows Xu Bo has some reputation in the Guanshan District. Previously, when he heard that Xu Bo became Li Yuan’s martial arts teacher, he was very pleased, thinking that Li Yuan had a good teacher.
“Good!”
“Little Yuan, at this rate, not to mention getting into the five major academies, you have a great chance of entering Jiang University’s ‘Warrior Class’,” Li Changzhou smiles, feeling this is the best news he’s heard all day.
Li Yuan looks at his uncle and aunt and sighs inwardly. He originally planned to surprise them when the exam results came out in January. But now that his uncle is leaving, he thinks it’s better to let them feel more at ease.
For parents, the biggest worry is their children’s safety, and the second is their future.
“There’s no rush on college entrance exam plans. Whether you become a full-time martial artist or not, you can decide that after you get into martial arts university,” Li Changzhou advises. “For now, focus on working hard.”
“I understand,” Li Yuan nods seriously.
“As for my trip to the Northern Frontier, you only need to know for now,” Li Changzhou continues, “When I’m not home, help your aunt take care of your younger siblings… Alright, you’ve had a long day, go rest in your room.”
“Okay.” Li Yuan thinks for a moment but decides not to mention the scholarship issue. He gets up and leaves the main bedroom.
As the door closes behind him.
“Old Li,” Chen Hui looks at Li Changzhou, her tone filled with anger, “Are you really supporting Little Yuan becoming a full-time martial artist?”
She is genuinely upset.
“Didn’t you hear his scores?” Li Changzhou shakes his head, “His martial arts skills exceeded 360 points. The speed of improvement… I don’t think your brother had such high scores during his college entrance exam.”
“You still remember your brother,” Chen Hui grits her teeth, “He and my sister-in-law risked everything to save us…”
“Enough,” Li Changzhou frowns.
“If you don’t want me to say it, I will,” Chen Hui suddenly stands up, staring at her husband, her eyes slightly red, “Brother and sister-in-law helped us so much, leaving only Little Yuan. Do you not know how dangerous it is to be a full-time martial artist?”
“How many of your former classmates who chose the full-time martial artist path are still alive?”
“I know what you mean,” Li Changzhou looks at his wife and sighs, pulling her back down to sit. “But the child is growing up and has his own will.”
“We can only advise, not force,” Li Changzhou says, “After I leave, you can slowly talk to him.”
“Besides, the path of a full-time martial artist isn’t easy.”
“How many students who get into martial arts universities don’t want to be full-time martial artists? But in the end, very few actually take that path.”
“Once he gets to university and realizes there are many talented people, he will calm down even without our advice,” Li Changzhou adds.
Chen Hui reluctantly nods.
“Dear, stay with me a bit longer,” Li Changzhou hugs his wife.
Chen Hui quiets down, leaning against her husband’s chest.
Time passes.
As it approaches midnight.
“Those kids should be asleep by now,” Li Changzhou finally stands up, whispering, “Dear, I have to go, or I’ll miss the high-speed train.”
“When I get to the Northern Frontier, I’ll transfer the 500,000 subsidy promised by the government to you.” “You’ll take care of everything at home…”
…
In Li Yuan’s room.
The light is off, with only a faint glow from the streetlight and moonlight coming through the window.
In the less than twenty-square-meter room, aside from two wardrobes and a small virtual network pod taking up about two square meters, the rest of the space is empty.
One wardrobe is designed as a foldable Murphy bed to save space, making it convenient for him to practice at home. However, since awakening his spiritual palace in the second year of high school, Li Yuan rarely uses the Murphy bed and usually sits directly on the wooden floor.
Today is no exception.
“Hm?” Sitting on the floor, Li Yuan’s ears perk up. His excellent physical condition gives him hearing beyond the ordinary, and the deep night is very quiet, making him sensitive to even the slightest sound.
“Uncle left?”
Li Yuan hears the faint sound of the door closing and quietly gets up, moving like a cat without making a sound. He approaches the window.
Half a minute later, he sees his uncle Li Changzhou hurriedly leaving with a suitcase from the entrance.
After taking a few steps, Li Changzhou pauses, glances back at the building, then continues on without stopping, disappearing around the corner of the road.
Li Yuan stands at the window for a long time.
“Uncle, are you really willing to go to the Northern Frontier?” Li Yuan sighs inwardly. His uncle’s words, “Someone has to go,” have a profound impact on him.
Since childhood, his uncle has been filled with a sense of patriotism and has always guided Li Yuan. However, Li Yuan feels that the situation in the Northern Frontier isn’t at that point yet.
“His departure isn’t just a call from the country; it’s likely also for that generous subsidy,” Li Yuan thinks, his expression dimming. “With both me and Mu Hua training in martial arts, the financial pressure on the family is too great.”
He raises his hand.
Buzz~ Without a sound, a beam of light shoots from Li Yuan’s wrist, forming a transparent projection in front of his chest.
The projection shows a lot of war reports about the ‘Lobu Sea Star Realm,’ including news about ‘combat subsidies’ and ‘support subsidies.’
“I must get into one of the five major martial arts academies,” Li Yuan thinks, his determination growing stronger.
Whoosh!
Li Yuan moves to the wardrobe by the window, gently presses it, and the door pops open.
Inside, besides clothes, there’s only a special metal box, its outer shell adorned with a pattern of endless starry skies, shimmering brightly.
This is the symbol of the ‘Starry Sky Martial Hall’ among the three major martial halls.
He opens the box.
“Basic Vitality-Enhancing Elixir.” Li Yuan stares at the box, which holds two rows of ten bottles of elixir, nine of which are empty, leaving only one intact.
He takes out the last bottle, holding it in his hand.
“Two thousand for a bottle.” Li Yuan examines the exquisite bottle, which is nearly transparent, smooth, and cool to the touch.
This is a specially made bottle that can maintain the elixir’s potency for a long time.
Through the bottle, he can see the flowing crimson liquid inside, slightly red under the weak moonlight, giving off a hint of vitality.
This is the common Basic Vitality-Enhancing Elixir.
Like regular meals, even nutritious ones can only ensure that he doesn’t deplete his vitality during intense training.
But to enhance the speed of physical evolution? That requires various precious elixirs and treasures.
From what Li Yuan knows, many precious medicines work better than the common vitality elixir, but they are also much more expensive.
In terms of cost-effectiveness, the Basic Vitality-Enhancing Elixir is the best among the auxiliary cultivation medicines.
Even so, each bottle costs two thousand Blue Star Coins.
Li Yuan consumes one bottle every three days while training.
In a month, he spends around twenty thousand Blue Star Coins just on the Basic Vitality-Enhancing Elixir.
Adding in daily meals, his monthly expenses on training materials alone approach thirty thousand Blue Star Coins.
Not to mention clothing, tuition fees, and other expenses.
With Li Qianqian and Li Mu Hua… the financial pressure on his uncle and aunt is easy to imagine.
“By the schedule, I need to drink a bottle today.” Li Yuan gently pulls out the cork.
A strange scent fills the air.
Gulp~ Li Yuan skillfully tilts his head back and drinks the entire bottle of Basic Vitality-Enhancing Elixir.
He makes sure not to leave a single drop.
Then he puts the empty bottle back in the box.
Soon, Li Yuan feels waves of warmth spreading from his body, gradually dispersing to every part, eagerly devoured by his muscles and bones.
It feels great.
“After three days of intense training, the effect of the last bottle of elixir has mostly worn off, and my muscles and bones are craving it,” Li Yuan is satisfied with the elixir’s effect.
“Hmm.”
“It’s past midnight; I should practice the ‘Great Sun Starry Sky Sutra’ now.” Li Yuan sits cross-legged and closes his eyes.
Gradually, he empties his mind and focuses his spirit.
His consciousness centers in his mind.
Boom!
Silently, his consciousness reaches a mysterious place.
Here, a strange palace floats in the air.
(End of Chapter)