Awakening System

Outside, the rain had stopped at some point. The cool moonlight filtered through the glass, casting a silver glow on the simple concrete floor.

Lin Feng stood in the center of the room, his chest rising and falling slightly as he felt an unprecedented sense of power within him. 125 kilograms of punching force might not be much to many classmates who had already reached the middle or even late stages of being a Martial Novice, but for him, it was a milestone from zero to one, the first ray of light piercing through the abyss of despair!

"System..." He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and focused his mind once more on the pale blue light screen before his eyes.

This time, he looked even more carefully.

The screen's layout was simple and intuitive. On the left was his 3D model and data. Currently, the [Strength] column had changed from 75kg to 125kg, and [Physique] had changed from "Weak" to "Normal." Only the [Blocked Meridians] status remained the same, but with a small annotation added: (Slightly clearing).

"It seems the perfect version of the Basic Body Tempering Technique not only increases strength but also clears my meridians!" A hint of surprise flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. This meant there was hope for curing the cultivation illness that had plagued him for three years!

His gaze shifted to the right-hand column.

Under the [Cultivation Technique] column, Basic Body Tempering Technique (Perfect Version) was listed, with 100% mastery, emitting a faint glow.

With a thought, he clicked on the [Martial Skill] column.

It was empty, with only a prompt: [No martial skills detected for the host. Can be acquired through learning or deduction.]

Lin Feng pondered. Martial skills were key to unleashing a Martial Artist's power. The same strength, with or without martial skills, resulted in vastly different combat effectiveness. Zhang Kuang's arrogance stemmed from his mastery of his family's Blazing Fist.

"Deduction..." His gaze moved to the third column. Below the [Deduction] column was an explanation: [Can deduce and optimize fully mastered cultivation techniques and martial skills, enhancing their rank and power. Deduction requires energy (Spiritual Energy/Spiritual Items).]

"Enhance rank?" Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat. This meant that even the lowest-grade martial skill could become a divine technique through system deduction? However, it required energy, and currently, he had nothing but the meager Spiritual Energy within him.

He temporarily suppressed the urge to try and looked at the [Analysis] column.

[Analysis: Can analyze targets (cultivation technique flow, martial skill flaws, material composition, etc.). Analysis speed and depth depend on the host's Spiritual Power and target complexity. Consumes Spiritual Power.]

This function made Lin Feng's eyes light up. Analyzing an opponent's martial skill flaws? This was a heaven-defying divine skill in actual combat!

Finally, there was the [Backpack] column, which was also empty, appearing to be a storage space.

After a rough understanding of the system's functions, a strong desire surged in Lin Feng's heart – to become stronger, immediately, right now!

He once again assumed the stance for Basic Body Tempering Technique and began to cultivate.

This time, with perfect-level comprehension, every movement was precise to the millimeter, and every flow of energy was exquisite. The surrounding Spiritual Energy gathered at an even faster rate than before, entering through his skin, drilling into his muscles, permeating his bones, and finally flowing into those meridians that were being arduously cleared.

"Hiss..." Along with a refreshing coolness, the subtle stinging from the meridian clearing became more pronounced, but he welcomed it.

Once, twice, thrice...

He cultivated tirelessly, sweat soaking his cheap school uniform and leaving dark stains on the floor. But he could clearly feel his strength steadily increasing, his physical functions improving comprehensively. His hearing, sight, and smell had become unprecedentedly sharp, and he could even faintly catch the subtle whispers of pedestrians on the distant street outside the window.

As the eastern sky began to show the color of fish belly, Lin Feng slowly finished his practice.

His body steamed with heat, and his skin was covered in a thin layer of sweat mixed with some gray-black impurities – toxins expelled from his body.

He walked back to the strength testing instrument.

Bang!

158kg!

After a night of arduous training, his strength had increased by over thirty kilograms again! This speed, if spoken aloud, would be enough to shock those so-called geniuses!

Lin Feng took a cold shower and changed into clean clothes. The teenager in the mirror was still thin, but the gloom and timidity in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a restrained confidence and sharpness. His eyes were bright, like a drawn sword.

"Time to go to school." A cold smile curved Lin Feng's lips.

The Third High School in the early morning was more lively than usual. With only one month left until the national Martial Artist unified examination, the air was filled with a tense restlessness.

As soon as Lin Feng entered the school gate, he felt countless strange glances. There was sympathy, disdain, schadenfreude, and pure curiosity.

"Look, it's him, Lin Feng, who was publicly humiliated by Senior Brother Zhang Kuang yesterday, and even his girlfriend ran off with someone else."

"Tsk tsk, so pathetic. I heard he's also a useless person who can't cultivate."

"In today's practical combat class, Senior Brother Zhang Kuang will definitely trouble him again. Let's wait and watch the show."

The discussions entered Lin Feng's ears without any pretense of concealment. He walked with a blank expression, as if none of it concerned him.

"Lin Feng!" A familiar voice called from behind.

Lin Feng turned and saw Liu Feifei standing not far away. She was wearing a more figure-hugging training outfit today, with a complex expression on her face.

"Something wrong?" Lin Feng's tone was flat, without a ripple.

Liu Feifei was taken aback by his attitude. She bit her lip and said softly, "Lin Feng, I know you must feel bad. But... face reality. Zhang Kuang has a good family background and high talent. He's destined to be someone who stands among the clouds in the future. You... don't confront him anymore. It won't do you any good. Prepare well for the liberal arts exams, find a clerical job in the future, and live a peaceful life. That's good too."

Her words, though seemingly concerned, were filled with condescending pity and a judgment that he was useless for life.

Lin Feng suddenly smiled. The smile was faint, but it carried a sense of detachment and mockery that made Liu Feifei feel unfamiliar.

"I will walk my own path. You don't need to worry about it." After speaking, he didn't look at Liu Feifei again and turned directly towards the teaching building.

Liu Feifei watched his tall and resolute back, opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing. Only a hint of anger and confusion appeared in her eyes – why was he so arrogant as a nobody?

During the morning's cultural classes, Lin Feng was absent-minded. The martial arts theories, Yao Beast illustrations, Spiritual Energy overviews, and other knowledge that he used to spend a lot of effort memorizing and understanding now seemed incredibly simple with his Spiritual Power of 25 points. He had an almost photographic memory and understood everything as soon as he heard it.

Most of his attention was immersed in exploring the system and repeatedly scrutinizing the Basic Body Tempering Technique.

After the lunch break, the afternoon's practical combat training class finally arrived.

The huge indoor training hall was large enough to accommodate several classes simultaneously. The floor was covered with special cushioning material, and various training equipment was placed around the perimeter.

Students, dressed in matching training uniforms, were warming up and chatting in their usual groups of three or two. Zhang Kuang, however, was undoubtedly the most dazzling focus of the crowd. He was surrounded by seven or eight followers, laughing and talking, his gaze occasionally flicking towards Lin Feng, who sat alone in a corner, with undisguised mockery.

"Alright, gather 'round!" Instructor Li Zhenhai, a burly man, clapped his hands, his loud voice cutting through the noise of the training hall.

The students quickly lined up.

Li Zhenhai's sharp gaze swept across the entire field. When it passed over Lin Feng, he paused almost imperceptibly, a flicker of pity in his eyes before returning to normal.

"There's only a month left until the Martial Arts Examination! Practical combat is the most crucial part of the assessment! Today, we will continue practicing the coordinated application of basic fist techniques and movement skills."

"Now, pair up, freely choose your partners, and engage in sparring! Be mindful of your limits, and no attacking vital points!"

As soon as the words fell, the crowd immediately stirred, and students quickly began looking for their partners.

Zhang Kuang, with his arms crossed and a malicious grin on his face, walked directly towards Lin Feng. The followers behind him also chuckled and surrounded Lin Feng, blocking any possible escape routes.

"Yo, isn't this our theory genius?" Zhang Kuang stopped in front of Lin Feng, looking at him with his chin raised. "What, no one wants to be your partner? That makes sense. Who would want to spar with a punching bag? There's no improvement at all."

He deliberately raised his voice, attracting the attention of many onlookers, who let out low chuckles.

Liu Feifei stood not far away, watching the scene unfold. Her brow furrowed slightly, but she ultimately remained silent.

Instructor Li Zhenhai also noticed the commotion and said sternly, "Zhang Kuang, Lin Feng, you two will be partners."

"Sure thing, Teacher Li," Zhang Kuang grinned, cracking his knuckles with a "crunch" sound. He looked at Lin Feng with the playful expression of a cat toying with a mouse. "Lin Feng, don't worry, I'll 'guide' you well."

Everyone knew Lin Feng was in for trouble. Given Zhang Kuang's vindictive nature, how could he let Lin Feng off easily today after being "talked back to" yesterday?

However, facing Zhang Kuang's aggressive advance and the surrounding gazes of pity or amusement, Lin Feng slowly raised his head.

There was no fear or panic on his face, only a heart-stopping calm. His dark eyes were as deep as an ancient well, staring directly at Zhang Kuang, and he spoke faintly:

"Alright."

"I was just looking for someone to test my skills against."

His voice was not loud, but it clearly carried throughout the suddenly silent training hall.

Everyone was stunned, including Zhang Kuang and Instructor Li Zhenhai.

Was this Lin Feng... scared silly? Or had he given up completely?

The smile on Zhang Kuang's face froze, then contorted into a grimace. "Test your skills? You? It seems yesterday's lesson wasn't enough!"

He suddenly took a step forward, his right fist lunging towards Lin Feng's face without any warning! The wind from his fist whistled. Although not at full power, it was incredibly fast and far surpassed the strength of an ordinary Martial Novice. Clearly, he intended to humiliate Lin Feng in front of everyone with a single blow!

"Ah!" Some of the timid girls couldn't help but cry out.

Liu Feifei instinctively covered her mouth.

Instructor Li Zhenhai's brow furrowed, ready to intervene at any moment.

However, facing this swift punch, Lin Feng's body seemed to have predicted everything. His footwork, seemingly casual, slid half a step to the left and back. The movement was light and fluid, perfectly allowing Zhang Kuang's fist to graze past his nose.

Zhang Kuang's punch, aimed for a sure hit, missed, and his body leaned forward slightly due to inertia.

Now!

A sharp glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. His right hand, which had been hanging by his side, shot out like a coiled viper! He didn't use any fancy martial arts, just a simple, direct straight punch, aimed at Zhang Kuang's exposed ribs under his arm!

This punch was fast! Accurate! Ruthless!

The physical coordination from the Perfect-level Basic Body Tempering Technique and his 158 kilograms of strength erupted at this moment!

"What?!" Zhang Kuang's pupils contracted, his mocking expression instantly replaced by shock. He had no time to change his stance or block and could only force himself to tense his muscles.

"Bang!"

A dull thud echoed.

"Ugh!" Zhang Kuang let out a pained groan. He staggered back five or six steps as if hit by a speeding truck before managing to steady himself. He clutched his right ribs tightly with his left hand, fine beads of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, his face pale.

The entire hall fell into deathly silence!

Everyone stared with wide eyes and open mouths, looking at Lin Feng, who remained in his punching stance, as steady as a rock, as if they had seen a ghost.

One move?

Just one move?

Lin Feng, whom they had mocked as a "waste" for three years, had repelled the Quasi-Martial Artist Zhang Kuang in just one move?!

Liu Feifei covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.

Instructor Li Zhenhai's eyes blazed with astonishing brilliance as he stared intently at Lin Feng.

Zhang Kuang's followers were frozen in place as if under a spell, their smiles completely solidified.

Lin Feng slowly retracted his fist, feeling the recoil from his knuckles, gaining a clearer understanding of his own strength. He looked at Zhang Kuang, whose face was ashen, a mixture of shock and anger, and spoke in the same calm tone, but with an invisible pressure:

"Is this the extent of your so-called guidance?"