Physical Limits (Please Read On)

"Qi Ge, did you break through again? You really are a genius!"

The speaker was a tall boy with bronze skin and handsome features.

"Cut it out. I just got lucky and broke through. I can't compare to you."

Lin Qi smiled and shook his head. He knew very well that in a key school like No. 2 High School, his talent did not qualify him as a genius. At best, he was above average.

His best friend Jiang Tao, nicknamed Old Black and the Part-Time King...

They had grown up together, attended the same elementary school and middle school, and might even attend the same university in the future.

Jiang Tao's parents had died when he was young, leaving only him and his younger sister to rely on each other.

He had received government aid since childhood, desperately taking part-time jobs to support himself and his sister.

He was the real genius. Coming from a family just as poor as Lin Qi's, he had steadily remained in the top three of the class and the top fifteen in the grade.

Both parents dead, a younger sister, outstanding talent, and handsome looks—the protagonist buffs were stacked to the brim.

He was someone like a true protagonist.

Jiang Tao leaned closer, watched Wu Kang walk away, and curled his lip as he complained.

"Every martial arts class, Wu De barely does anything besides explain the basics. He rarely demonstrates or gives pointers. He just makes everyone watch you demonstrate."

"Then everyone comes to ask you for advice, and he gets to take it easy."

Lin Qi smiled and explained, "Teacher Wu's teaching ability is still very strong. Among all the martial arts teachers at No. 2 High School, he ranks near the top. Just listening to his explanations is already hugely beneficial."

"Our class has consistently stayed in the top three in martial arts performance for the grade. That proves it."

"That's true."

Jiang Tao had no choice but to nod in agreement.

"Ring, ring, ring!"

As the bell rang, the hour-long martial arts class came to an end.

"Class dismissed. You're free!"

Wu Kang's booming voice rang out, and everyone relaxed.

Lin Qi stood as well, feeling that time had passed so quickly.

Lin Qi clenched his fists. On the very first day of school, his blood vitality had already broken through. It was a good start.

Then he looked at a line of data on the Panel.

[Template: None (99.8% + 0.1%)]

"The Template progress has reached 99.9% too. It'll definitely hit 100% today."

Anticipation filled Lin Qi's eyes. He wished he could train for another hour right there and fill the progress bar.

Just then, a faint voice came from behind him.

"Your body has reached its limit after prolonged high-intensity training. If you keep training desperately, your body will Collapse."

"You'd better get treatment."

It was Wu Kang. He passed by Lin Qi, spoke those words, and left.

Lin Qi's Mental Spirit shook. As he watched Wu Kang's retreating back, the joy and anticipation in his heart instantly vanished.

His fists clenched involuntarily.

Has my body already reached its limit? No wonder he had felt abnormally exhausted lately, and his muscles had been aching constantly.

The progress on the Panel had washed away his fatigue earlier, so he had not taken it seriously.

"So my body has already reached its limit?"

Lin Qi knew the reason very well. He had trained desperately for a long time, constantly pushing his body beyond its limits. Without sufficient resources, he had not been able to receive proper recovery treatment.

That was what had led to today's result.

There were ways to restore his body. He could find a professional massage therapist to relax his muscles, or go to a hospital and use specialized equipment for recovery treatment.

But every option required money. Even the cheapest would cost several hundred, and he would need several sessions, costing at least several thousand Xia Guo Bi.

Thinking of the mere 66 yuan he had left, Lin Qi immediately felt enormous pressure.

At that moment, Jiang Tao came over with a piece of clothing in his hand and complained, "That Wu De runs off the instant class ends, like he's afraid of wasting even a second."

"Teachers from other classes still give their students extra pointers even after class."

"He's barely guided us a few times."

After complaining, Jiang Tao looked at Lin Qi. "Qi Ge, let's go. Freshen up. It's time to head back to class."

"Mm."

Lin Qi took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, then turned and grabbed his clothes to take a shower.

At No. 2 High School, where cold wind swept away the heat, Class 3's classroom was lined with eye-catching slogans in all kinds of colors.

"Fight through a year of spring and autumn, strive for a lifetime without regret!"

"Don't fall behind like cattle and horses—fight like wild dogs!"

"..."

After finishing their martial arts training, the students of Class 3 began their class meeting.

Their homeroom teacher, Yan Hong, was in her early thirties. She wore glasses and a black business suit, with delicate features.

She walked among the students, her voice crisp and her expression stern. Wherever her gaze fell, no one dared Rest.

"You have entered your senior year. This is the most critical year. Whether you become an Insect or a Dragon will be decided this year."

"Since you chose martial arts and came to No. 2 High School, your goal should be to get into a better Martial Arts University."

"No. 2 High School is one of Tianhai City's key schools. Every year, the admission rate for martial arts students entering Martial Arts Universities is 70%."

"There are around 500 senior martial arts students in each graduating class. Only about 350 can enter Martial Arts University. The remaining 150 or so will all fail."

"Martial arts students do not get a second chance to repeat the year. You either switch majors, join the military, or enter society as a full-time martial artist."

"If you fail to get into Martial Arts University, you will spend the rest of your lives at the bottom of the martial arts world. When facing Calamity Beasts, you will be cannon fodder. You'll work yourselves to the bone and still earn less than others make in a moment."

"The gap that defines a lifetime is created in senior year."

"These are your results from last semester. Look at your scores and Grade Ranking. If you don't want to fail, then train in martial arts with everything you have!"

As soon as Yan Hong finished speaking, oppression crashed down on everyone like Giant Waves.

The heavy pressure was laid bare before every student.

Quite a few students turned pale, because they ranked at the bottom of the grade and were among those destined for elimination.

Everyone turned their eyes toward the light screen.

It was a score sheet ranking fifty students by results. The top ten were marked in gold.

"After working hard all summer, my strength has improved by a huge amount. I'll definitely have a place in the top ten."

"I just didn't perform well last semester."

As they looked at the score sheet, the silent classroom gradually filled with overlapping chatter.

"Qi Ge, we're definitely stronger now than we were last semester."

Jiang Tao whispered beside him.

Lin Qi looked at the score sheet as well.

[First Place: Yu Jing]

[Second Place: Zhu Yuqi]

[Third Place: Jiang Tao]

[...]

At tenth place, he found his own ranking.

[Name: Lin Qi]

[Class Ranking: 10]

[Grade Ranking: 101]

Lin Qi saw his name, placed exactly at the final gold-marked position.

Jiang Tao's name, meanwhile, was in third place in the class.

Lin Qi clenched his fists and silently sighed that his talent was still not strong enough.

Jiang Tao came from an ordinary family just like him, yet he had always ranked in the top three of the class. His talent also ranked among the best in the entire grade.

They both trained desperately, but Lin Qi's efficiency was nowhere near Jiang Tao's.

"One more thing!"

Yan Hong returned to the podium, switched the light screen, and projected a chart.

"Every senior year, No. 2 High School establishes an Elite Class, gathering the fifty most outstanding students from the entire grade into one class."

"They will be trained using the school's best teaching staff."

"Besides the teaching staff, there are all kinds of benefits. Students who are interested can come to me for an application form."

"There will be a test in one week. The focus will be on martial arts performance, blood vitality, and Fist Technique. Those ranked in the Top 50 of the grade will become members of the Elite Class."

The moment Yan Hong finished speaking, the whole classroom erupted.

"So the Elite Class really is happening. The strongest teachers, and all the classmates are geniuses from the Top 50 of the grade."

"It's hard to imagine how much you could improve in that environment." A Round-faced Boy fantasized.

"Li Shaodong, stop daydreaming. You're ranked over ninetieth in the grade. You don't stand a chance." A slightly chubby girl mocked.

The atmosphere in the classroom immediately became livelier.

Li Shaodong shouted, "Can't I at least dream about it?"

Then he sat down and sighed. "Our class is third in the grade, and we have six people in the Top 50."

"Yu Jing, Zhu Yuqi, Jiang Tao, Kang Feiyue, Du Lin, Yang Lei."

"Only the top five in class are relatively safe. The top eight have some hope. As for everyone else, they're just making up the numbers."

The others joined the discussion as well.

"Yu Jing and Zhu Yuqi will probably be at the very top even after entering the Elite Class. They have no pressure at all," a girl said admiringly.

The others showed envy when they heard that.

At that moment, a handsome boy in the front row slightly raised the corner of his mouth after hearing the discussion.

Not far from him, a girl seemed not to have heard anything at all. She took out a book and began reading.

"Qi Ge, check your phone."

Jiang Tao tapped Lin Qi's shoulder.

Lin Qi took out his phone and received a WeiXin transfer notification.

[You have received a transfer of 3,000 Xia Guo Bi from "Tao Zi"!]

"This is your pay for the past few days of part-time work." Jiang Tao smiled.

Lin Qi was puzzled. "Wasn't it 2,000 Xia Guo Bi? Why is there an extra 1,000?"

Jiang Tao did not answer. Instead, he said, "I heard everything Wu De said."

"Take this money and properly recover your body. We still have to enter the Elite Class together."

Lin Qi was deeply moved when he heard that.

Jiang Tao's family was not well-off either. Not only had he brought Lin Qi along for part-time work, he had transferred money without a second word.

One thousand Xia Guo Bi was a huge sum for someone like him.

"Thanks."

Lin Qi could only reply with those two words, silently keeping his gratitude in his heart.

"Ring, ring~"

"Class dismissed~"

Evening self-study ended. The teacher quietly left, and the students went their separate ways.

After chatting with Jiang Tao for a few minutes, Lin Qi parted with him, mounted his bicycle, and left No. 2 High School, riding through brightly lit streets.

He felt the exhaustion and soreness in his body.

My body really has reached its limit. The fatigue has been following me constantly, and it's even affecting my focus in class.

Lin Qi sighed inwardly.

More than ten minutes later.

Under the night sky, Lin Qi opened the door and entered his home.

Besides his burly Old Dad, Lin Zhen, there was also a poised woman in the Living Room. She was thin, with skin so pale it almost seemed to glow.

"Xiao Qi!" The woman smiled and greeted Lin Qi when she saw him.

Lin Qi's eyes lit up, and he quickly entered the Living Room.

"Mom, how are you feeling now?"

Fang Huiyi shook her head weakly and smiled. "I've fully recovered. Don't worry about me."

"Your mother is just a little weak right now. She needs some quiet rest for a while." Lin Zhen smiled as he explained from the side.

"Xiao Qi, why did you come back so early today?" Fang Huiyi asked curiously.

"Mom, you came home today, so I came back early to see you."

Lin Qi answered with a smile.

After chatting for a few minutes, Lin Qi returned to his bedroom.

He turned on the electric fan, listening to the rushing wind as it drove away the heat from his body.

Looking at the more than 3,000 Xia Guo Bi on his phone, then feeling the exhaustion in his body, he fell into a dilemma.

"There's hardly any money left at home."

"Mom's health is getting worse and worse. She has to go to the hospital for treatment every other month now, and it costs a fortune."

"The family is already drowning in debt. Old Dad works himself to the bone every day, but he can only barely cover the household expenses."

"There's no way to squeeze out any more money to buy resources for me. I have to find a way myself."

"I can only place my hopes on the Panel."

Lin Qi clenched his fists and thought to himself.

With that, he looked at the Panel.

[Template: None (99.9%)]

Just a little more, and it would reach 100%.

Lin Qi put away his antique phone, its screen already shattered, then stood in the middle of the room. Footprints covered the concrete floor.

Lin Qi placed his feet into the footprints and began practicing the Perfectly Round Stance.