Gravity Breakthrough

In the days that followed, Lin Feng's life settled into an extremely disciplined rhythm.

Every morning, he appeared punctually in the underground Advanced Training Area at Martial Arts Bureau headquarters, practically treating that double-gravity training room as his home.

Under the unrelenting pressure, he repeatedly tempered the Basic Body Forging Technique - Quenching Chapter and Nine Heavens Thunder Blade. Every movement became incomparably difficult, his blood and qi moving as though through thick glue, yet his control over his body and the refinement of his strength improved at an astonishing rate.

[Strength +5kg... +3kg... +4kg...]

[Agility +0.2m/s... +0.3m/s...]

[Nine Heavens Thunder Blade (Initial Chapter) mastery +1%... +0.8%...]

Though the system prompts came slowly, they steadily recorded his progress. He could feel himself inching closer and closer to a critical threshold.

During this time, he also tried studying the recorded basic Lightning Attribute martial techniques—Electric Light Finger and Galloping Thunder Steps.

With the system's "Deep Comprehension," the mysteries of these two martial techniques posed no difficulty to him. Electric Light Finger emphasized compressing blood and qi to an extreme at the fingertips before releasing it in an instant, granting it fearsome penetrating force; Galloping Thunder Steps was a movement technique for explosive straight-line bursts over short distances, each having its own strengths compared to the nimble unpredictability of "Thunder Flash."

He did not spend too much time practicing them specifically. Instead, he used the system's [Analysis] function to continuously dissect their similarities and differences with Nine Heavens Thunder Blade in their methods of exerting force and their use of the True Meaning of Thunder. He absorbed their essence and, in turn, nourished his understanding of Nine Heavens Thunder Blade.

That bird's-eye perspective made his command over his own strength ever more exquisite.

On this day, Lin Feng trained as usual in the double-gravity room. He did not perform any particular move, merely standing still with his eyes closed and mind focused, guiding the blood and qi within him slowly along the circulation path of Nine Heavens Thunder Blade, carefully sensing every flow of blood and qi and every tremor of muscle fiber beneath the crushing pressure.

Gravity was like an invisible millstone, grinding down his body while polishing his will. His sweat had long since run dry, and tiny beads of blood seeped from his skin where capillaries had burst, yet he seemed utterly unaware of it.

Gradually, his mind entered a state of emptiness. All disturbances from the outside world were shut out, leaving only the surging blood and qi within him, along with that increasingly clear thunderous pulse, like the beating of a heart.

No one knew how long passed. When his blood and qi reached a crucial node, under the ultimate tempering of the crushing pressure, it seemed to break through some invisible barrier—

"Buzz!"

A faint tremor seemed to ring out from within his body! The blood and qi that had been somewhat sluggish beneath the pressure suddenly surged and roared, flowing freely! A sense of strength far more powerful and condensed than before swept through his entire body like a tide!

His sinews and bones rang in unison, his blood rushing like a great river!

He abruptly opened his eyes. Brilliant light shot from them like twin bolts of lightning tearing through the dim training room!

Without using any martial technique, he simply stepped forward and threw a punch into the air!

"Bang!"

Where his fist swept past, the air erupted with a boom like a sonic blast! An invisible wave of air spread from him at its center, even sending faint ripples through the stable double-gravity field in the training room!

[Realm increased: Martial Artist (Early Stage)!]

[Strength: 525kg!]

[Agility: 30m/s!]

[Constitution: Excellent (Meridians cleared: 38%)]

[Mental Power: 33]

[Nine Heavens Thunder Blade (Initial Chapter) mastery: 35%]

He had broken through!

As naturally as water flowing into a channel, he had stepped into the Martial Artist Realm in one stroke!

Feeling the surging power within him and that terrifying fist strength of five hundred and twenty-five kilograms, Lin Feng could not help letting out a long roar. The sound echoed through the sealed training room, brimming with exhilaration and heroic spirit!

The realm barrier that had troubled him for years had finally been shattered in one fell swoop through ample resources, the system's assistance, and his extreme, grueling training!

From this day onward, he, Lin Feng, was officially a Martial Artist!

That long roar also drew the attention of the training area's staff. When the surveillance monitors showed abnormal fluctuations in the data from Lin Feng's training room, along with that force-filled roar, the steward in charge of the area—a middle-aged Martial Master surnamed Wang—immediately hurried over.

Just then, Lin Feng emerged in high spirits. Though he was drenched in blood and sweat and looked somewhat bedraggled, the powerful aura of someone newly entered into the Martial Artist Realm, not yet fully restrained, along with the sharp edge in his eyes, made Steward Wang's heart jolt.

"Mr. Lin, you... you broke through?" Steward Wang was both startled and delighted. Having received instructions from above, he knew this young man was someone Director Lei valued, so he had naturally paid him special attention.

Lin Feng restrained his aura, nodded, and smiled. "I was fortunate enough to break through. Thank you for your concern, Steward Wang."

"Congratulations! Congratulations, Mr. Lin! An eighteen-year-old Martial Artist—here in Jiangnan City, that makes you an extraordinary genius!" Steward Wang praised him sincerely, his attitude growing even warmer. "Would you like a higher-gravity training room? Or perhaps other training facilities?"

"Not for now. Double gravity is enough at present." Lin Feng thought for a moment. "By the way, Steward Wang, I would like to consult some internal materials on consolidating the Martial Artist Realm and the directions for subsequent cultivation. Would that be possible?"

"Of course! Absolutely!" Steward Wang hurriedly said. "I'll take you to the internal reading room right away. The materials there are more detailed than those in the public Ancient Texts Library!"

As Steward Wang led Lin Feng toward the internal reading room and they passed through the public rest area, they happened to brush past several young martial artists who had just emerged from a neighboring training room.

They wore matching high-end custom training uniforms marked with the "Tianyao" insignia. Their auras were fierce and their gazes arrogant; they were clearly all elite students of Tianyao Private Martial High School. The leader was tall, with a cold face and eyes as sharp as a hawk's. He was Chen Feng, who had ranked ninth in the previous simulated assessment!

Chen Feng saw Lin Feng as well. His gaze swept over Lin Feng's ordinary tracksuit, soaked through with blood and sweat, and Steward Wang's respectful demeanor. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Steward Wang, who is this?" Chen Feng stopped, his tone carrying a trace of condescension. The Tianyao students behind him also stopped, looking at Lin Feng with curiosity and scrutiny. They could sense that Lin Feng's aura was not weak, but his face was unfamiliar. He did not seem to be a renowned genius within their circle.

Steward Wang's expression stiffened slightly as he hurriedly introduced him. "Young Master Chen, this is Mr. Lin Feng, Director Lei's guest." He then introduced the others to Lin Feng. "Mr. Lin, these are outstanding students from Tianyao Martial High School."

Lin Feng? Director Lei's guest?

A flicker of surprise passed through Chen Feng's eyes. Then he recalled the dark horse from Third Middle School who had risen abruptly in the simulated assessment, surpassed Zhao Feng, and claimed the title of Top Scholar. So it was him?

There was less contempt in the way he assessed Lin Feng now, and more scrutiny... along with a trace of competitive intent that was difficult to detect.

"So it's you." Chen Feng's tone was flat. "You had good luck in the simulated assessment. I hope you'll have the same luck in the martial arts examination finals."

The words sounded ordinary, yet they carried a faintly provocative edge. The Tianyao students behind him also revealed amused smiles. In their eyes, even if someone from Third Middle School had gotten lucky for a while, his foundation and potential could never compare to geniuses like them, who had received top-tier training since childhood.

Lin Feng stopped and looked at Chen Feng, his expression calm and undisturbed. "Luck is also a part of strength. As for the finals..." The corner of his mouth curved slightly. "I will prove with my strength that it was not luck."

His tone was calm, yet it contained powerful confidence.

Chen Feng's eyes narrowed. He gave Lin Feng a deep look, said nothing more, and turned to leave with his group. Yet there was clearly a touch more chill in his departing figure.

Steward Wang rubbed his hands somewhat awkwardly. "Mr. Lin, Chen Feng and the others..."

"It doesn't matter." Lin Feng waved a hand, not taking this minor incident to heart. With the martial arts examination approaching, geniuses from every direction were sharpening their blades; such provocations would only become more frequent in the future.

A true powerhouse never cared about the barking of the weak.

His goal was the supreme position of champion, the great path of thunder that his teacher, Lei Lie, had described.

These so-called geniuses from prestigious schools were merely stepping stones he would need to tread upon, one after another, on his path to the summit.

He followed Steward Wang toward the internal reading room, his gaze growing ever more resolute.

The Martial Artist Realm was only the beginning.