"Instructor," Bai Yang couldn't help but ask, "the Cultivation Technique is said to be miraculous. How miraculous is it? How can it actually speed up the rate at which we refine Gene Energy?"

At that moment, a middle-aged man with streaks of gray in his hair spoke up in the training hall. "Bai Yang, let me put it this way. If you don't cultivate the Cultivation Technique, and rely solely on the 'Five Hearts Towards Heaven Cultivation Method,' you might only be able to refine energy for five minutes a day before your entire body's cells become saturated and unable to absorb any more!"

"But if you cultivate the Cultivation Technique, the capacity of your cells becomes much larger. It allows you to cultivate for eight minutes, even ten minutes, or perhaps even an hour!" This middle-aged man looked at Luo Feng and the other two. "Do you understand now?"

Luo Feng immediately grasped the concept with a sudden realization.

'The Cultivation Technique simply increases the daily meal allowance for every single cell,' Luo Feng mused internally. The absorption of faint cosmic energy by cells to transform into Gene Energy is just like a person eating food! Suppose a person can only manage three bowls of rice; cultivating the technique is like enabling that person to eat five bowls, or ten bowls, in a day.

Jiang Nian smiled gently. "If you don't cultivate the Cultivation Technique, the energy your cells can absorb is, say, one unit! Once you practice the Cultivation Technique, the energy your cells can absorb might become two units, three units, or even more! This means that what you achieve in one year of cultivation might surpass what others achieve in ten years! This is the allure of the Cultivation Technique."

The martial artists present all began discussing animatedly, clearly having much to say about the Cultivation Technique.

"Speaking of the Cultivation Technique, the world's foremost powerhouse, 'Hong,' the Global Chief Instructor of the Limit Martial Arts Academy, has created nine sets of first-rate Cultivation Techniques. If you join our Limit Martial Arts Academy and accumulate enough contribution points, you will have a chance to learn these top-tier techniques." The martial artists present all smiled, teasing Luo Feng and the other two.

The major powers across the world all desired an increasing number of their martial artists to advance.

"Instructor," Luo Feng suddenly spoke up.

"Hmm?" Instructor Jiang Nian smiled and looked at Luo Feng. "What is it?"

"Instructor, that silver-haired, black-robed martial artist who left with the Chief Instructor just now—how did a mere glance from him render us completely unable to resist? What kind of ability is that for a martial artist?" Luo Feng had never heard of martial artists possessing such formidable power and was deeply curious.

Instructor Jiang Nian smiled faintly, while the surrounding group of martial artists burst into loud laughter.

"Kid, the one who left with the Chief Instructor is a Psychic Master! Psychic Masters are far rarer than regular martial artists like us." The martial artists laughed heartily as they spoke. "Of course, Psychic Masters are also a type of martial artist! But they are the most terrifying existence among martial artists."

"Psychic Master?" Luo Feng was startled.

With the current advanced internet, Luo Feng had indeed seen descriptions online stating that Psychic Masters were a very special and exceedingly terrifying presence within the martial artist community.

However, the specific reasons for their terror were never clearly detailed online.

"Once you become a martial artist in the future, you will quickly learn about Psychic Masters," Instructor Jiang Nian said with a smile. "Alright, that concludes today's Provisional Martial Artist Assessment. The three of you can head home now. Oh, right, the Provisional Martial Artist Certificates need to be stamped officially and input into your citizen identity files. They should arrive in a few days. We will notify you then. Alright, you are all dismissed."

"Yes, Instructor."

Luo Feng, Yang Wu, and Bai Yang immediately turned and left the training hall. They were watched by the garrison soldiers stationed outside the Limit Martial Arts Center as they departed the complex, rifles in hand.

××××××

At the entrance of Mingyue Residential Area, Luo Feng, Yang Wu, and Bai Yang all wore smiles.

"My name is Bai Yang; I'm from Jiangnan First Military Academy. My hometown is Yangzhou City, and since it's summer vacation, I came here for the assessment since it was close by," Bai Yang extended his hand, shaking Luo Feng's and Yang Wu's in turn. "It’s a pleasure to meet you both."

Jiangnan First Military Academy?

That was the very academy Luo Feng had intended to join.

Luo Feng smiled. "I'm Luo Feng, and this is Yang Wu. We are both from the Yian District Limit Martial Arts Academy."

"Brother Luo Feng undoubtedly has an immeasurable future. Even in the elite class of our military academy, the number who successfully become martial artists is quite small," Bai Yang was a friendly person, and he was naturally eager to connect with Luo Feng, who had reached the Provisional Martial Artist level at such a young age. Perhaps Luo Feng would become a massive figure in the future.

Yang Wu next to him laughed heartily. "Let's not talk too much about the future. The fact that the three of us passed the assessment on the same day in the same place is fate. Today is a good day; let's find a restaurant to have a proper meal and chat."

"Good," Bai Yang agreed with a smile.

"Let's go," Luo Feng also laughed heartily.

Having just passed the Provisional Martial Artist Assessment, the three were exhilarated. They selected a restaurant, ate lunch together, and then parted ways to return to their respective homes.

××××××

Luo Feng had consumed a bit of wine today. It wasn't until he was on the subway that he remembered he needed to call home to share the good news.

However, the subway was too crowded. If he announced, 'I passed the Provisional Martial Artist Assessment,' it would surely attract a crowd: 'Never mind, it’s not too late to call once I get off the subway.'

...

Taking Subway Line 1 to Zhong'an Road Station, he exited and needed to walk a considerable distance to transfer to Line 11.

'I must tell Mom and Dad, and my brother,' Luo Feng was still buzzing with excitement.

Provisional Martial Artist...

The family had struggled financially for so many years. After striving so hard for so long, he finally had an accomplishment!

Standing on the street corner near Zhong'an Road Station, Luo Feng took out his phone.

"Ring... ring..."

After dialing the number, Luo Feng waited.

"Hello," his brother's voice came from the phone. Luo Feng said with a smile, "It's me."

"Of course, look at who your brother is. I passed, naturally. Haha, yes, yes. Okay." Luo Feng spoke happily while holding the phone. "Hmm, Mom is home too? Good, have Mom pick up the phone."

"Hello, Mom, it's me, Xiao Feng." Luo Feng was overjoyed.

Listening to his mother's happy and emotional voice on the phone, Luo Feng’s eyes involuntarily misted over. He had worked towards this day for too long, too long: "Mom, you've asked three times already. I genuinely passed the assessment. The Provisional Martial Artist Certificate will be mailed to the house in a few days."

"I've already eaten; I had a meal with the other two who passed the assessment," Luo Feng said with a smile. "Oh, call Dad? Don't worry, Mom, I won't forget. Yes, I understand."

Hanging up the phone, a smile bloomed on Luo Feng's face.

Happy. Satisfied!

Hadn't he fought so hard since childhood, diligently training his movement techniques and blade skills, all for this very day?

"Hoo, hah."

Luo Feng took a deep breath to calm his racing heart before dialing his father’s mobile number. In this family, his father, Luo Hongguo, was a mountain, the true pillar. Before Luo Feng became a senior academy member, almost all of the family's expenses were maintained by his father's hard work.

Although his mother worked, she had to devote most of her energy to taking care of the two sons, especially since one of them was disabled.

His father's house renovation work was extremely taxing; he had suffered back pain and hand injuries several times.

'Dad, from now on, you won't have to work so hard anymore,' Luo Feng vowed silently in his heart.

"Ring—ring—"

The sound of the dial tone echoed through the phone as Luo Feng waited for his father to answer.