Old Technique: Tai Chi

Physique +1

Vitality Concentration: 37%

His vitality brimmed over, and the power that had appeared from nowhere turned into a warm current flowing through Li Changqing's entire body.

This improvement from breaking through his limits surpassed every previous one.

A full 5% increase in Vitality Concentration—more than the combined gains from all his earlier breakthroughs.

Like champagne bursting through its cork, the power brought by breaking through his limits flooded his physique.

His depleted stamina climbed back to its peak. His aching muscles contracted, erupting once more with even greater strength.

As though he had taken a hot bath, the strength brought by his enhanced physique swept away every trace of fatigue. Li Changqing clenched his fists and felt the sturdier body he had gained after breaking through his limits.

His once-unsteady steps landed firmly, then strength beyond his physical peak stamped forcefully onto the track.

Huff—

His chest rapidly expanded as he sucked a massive amount of air into his lungs, then forcefully exhaled it.

The corner of Li Changqing's mouth curled up. As he looked at the track, his eyes shone brightly.

Whoosh—

He burst forward in a sprint, and Kang Tianchen's outstretched hand, which had been ready to support him, froze in midair.

"What's going on?" Zhang Yang was stunned.

"Was this kid acting just now?"

Watching Li Changqing race around the four-hundred-meter track, Zhang Yang even suspected that Li Changqing's exhaustion had been an act.

Where was there even the slightest sign of fatigue on the kid now?

Watching the long, steady vitality coursing through Li Changqing's body, Zhang Yang even felt that the kid was in better shape than when he had arrived.

"Did we see a ghost in broad daylight?"

Kang Tianchen had not expected Li Changqing's condition either. He frowned. In his eyes, the latter's vitality was exceptionally abundant at this moment, utterly lacking the drained feeling he had shown after doing push-ups earlier.

"Could it be that he broke through his limits?"

"Broke through his limits?" Zhang Yang shook his head.

"You mean the kid resonated with Psionic Energy just now and, after breaking through his physical limits, obtained energy from Subspace?"

"It's not impossible." Kang Tianchen looked at the timer. Only eight minutes remained.

"Let's keep watching."

On the track, wind howled past Li Changqing's ears.

Step forward, drive the hips.

His stride was exceptionally broad. His height of over 1.8 meters let him race down the track in great strides without having to obsess over his cadence.

Faster, a little faster!

Still not enough!

At that moment, Li Changqing's mind replayed the running techniques his martial arts teacher had once taught them.

Stabilize his center of gravity and increase his cadence while maintaining the rhythm of his stride.

His steps had to be broad, steady, and fast!

On the second lap, he crossed the starting line, his speed barely slowing at all.

The corner of his eye swept over his wristwatch.

The track was a standard 400 meters. There were five and a half laps, 2,200 meters in total, remaining before 3,000 meters.

He had less than eight minutes now.

Li Changqing remembered that his record for running two thousand meters while carrying weight yesterday had been ten minutes.

The vest he wore weighed about the same as a suitcase.

"Do I need to cut another two minutes?"

Feeling the vitality flowing through his body, he quickened his pace.

On the third lap, he crossed the starting line, and his breathing still had not changed.

Li Changqing discovered that this 5% increase in vitality seemed to be even more effective than he had imagined.

Then keep accelerating!

The fourth lap...

His breathing began to grow hurried. Lactic acid accumulated in his thighs, and they were already faintly sore.

Yet none of it affected his movements. Li Changqing mobilized the vitality throughout his body. Every time he landed, his body remained steady, without the slightest wobble.

At that moment, even Kang Tianchen and Zhang Yang were moved.

They turned to glance at the timer, then looked at each other.

"This kid really seems to have a chance."

Neither of them had expected that Li Changqing, whom they had thought could not even complete the assessment events, might now have a chance of meeting the standard.

"Keep breathing! Don't panic. You still have time—just follow your own rhythm."

Kang Tianchen stood up, watching Li Changqing on the track while keeping an eye on the timer in his hand.

Could a trainee evaluated as D-Class truly pass the assessment?

The fifth lap!

Under their watchful eyes, Li Changqing crossed the starting line with steady steps and undiminished speed.

"Keep it up."

Zhang Yang stood up as well, quietly encouraging Li Changqing as he crossed the starting line.

The last 500 meters.

At this point, Li Changqing had no choice but to open his mouth, gulping down air to increase his oxygen intake.

His throat was dry, and his legs gradually began to feel as heavy as if they had been filled with lead.

But Li Changqing could tell that he was still some distance from his current limit.

So he could keep charging!

Accelerate!

With the final 400 meters remaining, he pumped his arms, using his upper body to drive his lower body.

On the empty track, only his heavy yet rhythmic footsteps remained.

Three hundred meters.

Li Changqing reached the bend in the track. He forcefully leaned inward, using Earth's gravity as centripetal force to increase his speed through the curve.

With a beautiful turn, his speed rose a little further.

Two hundred meters, the final sprint!

"Come on! Run!" Kang Tianchen called out loudly.

"Keep breathing, sprint!"

Li Changqing raised his head and squared his shoulders, his eyes locked tightly on the red line at the finish.

The final hundred meters.

He poured all his vitality into his legs. His muscle fibers were violently stretched, and the centripetal force generated by their contraction fed back through the soles of his feet into the ground, driving Li Changqing's body forward.

The red line drew ever closer. Li Changqing gritted his teeth, then suddenly lowered his head in one final burst.

He crossed the line!

Beep—

The timer stopped.

He had crossed the finish line. Behind him, silence reigned.

Huff—huff—

Li Changqing stood where he was, panting, when someone handed him a paper cup.

"Gulp—"

The icy liquid flowed down his throat, quenching the flames in his chest. He turned to look at Kang Tianchen and Zhang Yang, who were staring at him.

Neither spoke. Li Changqing's peripheral vision swept over his timing watch.

7 minutes 36 seconds.

He calculated it in his heart, then smiled freely.

"I didn't expect to still be five seconds short."

His speed on the first lap had been too slow. If he had broken through his limits earlier, he probably would have passed today's assessment.

Yet Li Changqing felt no regret or disappointment whatsoever. He was immensely satisfied with his current result.

A two-thousand-meter weighted run in under eight minutes—compared to yesterday, he had improved by more than two whole minutes.

And he still had not reached his limit.

The extent of the physical improvement granted by breaking through his limits was absurdly vast, completely beyond his expectations.

"Sorry, but the results are evaluated by the system." Kang Tianchen patted Li Changqing on the shoulder.

"Actually, it's already incredible that you made it this far. I thought you wouldn't even finish the physical fitness test events."

Zhang Yang walked over as well and firmly pressed a hand onto Li Changqing's shoulder.

"Young man, you're a real man. Don't hang your head. It's only one assessment."

"Here, take this."

A shopping voucher was stuffed into his hand.

"What is this?"

Zhang Yang gestured toward Kang Tianchen with his chin.

"The two of us lost a bet to you."

Kang Tianchen smiled. "We were bored just now, so we used you as the stakes. Since you completed every event, that belongs to you."

"It's an exclusive shopping voucher for our martial arts school. You can use it to exchange for things at the Psionic Supply Store. You're still growing, so use those vouchers to buy medicinal herbs and food that replenish vitality."

The Psionic Supply Store was a place that provided Psionic items specifically for Martial Artists.

The shopping voucher was a credential of eligibility.

Good stuff.

"I gave you my share. What you do with yours is up to you."

Zhang Yang left behind those cryptic words and departed the training ground without looking back.

"Coach Kang, since the assessment is over, then I..."

"Don't be in such a hurry."

Kang Tianchen pressed down on Li Changqing's shoulder. "Zhang Yang gave you his thing, but I haven't given you mine yet."

Li Changqing raised an eyebrow and saw Kang Tianchen smile mysteriously.

"You had bad luck in this assessment, but Zhang Yang and I both saw your potential. So we've decided to give you another chance."

"Another chance?" Li Changqing was stunned.

When he had come here, he had never believed he could pass the assessment with absolute certainty.

But after these past few days of trying, Li Changqing was convinced that even if he did not enter the martial arts school, he could still become a Martial Artist, or even a Psionic User.

He had not expected such an unexpected delight.

"You did indeed fail the assessment, but our Chengtian Martial Arts School has another path."

"Watch closely." Kang Tianchen narrowed his eyes slightly, and a sharp gleam flashed within them.

The next moment.

Kang Tianchen spread his arms and assumed a stance.

"This boxing art is called Tai Chi. It is an Old Technique compiled from ancient texts by countless Psionic Users in the past. It can mobilize Psionic Energy and strengthen the physique."

"According to the school master's rules, if someone fails their first assessment but has talent, the coach may decide whether to teach them this boxing art."

Kang Tianchen winked at Li Changqing.

"Within one year, as long as you can completely perform a set of Tai Chi Fist, you can enter Chengtian Martial Arts School as an exception."

"Now, follow my movements closely."

Tai Chi was an ancient Chinese martial art passed down for thousands of years. During the wave of Psionic Ascension, Psionic Users discovered that these ancient boxing arts could actually mobilize Psionic Energy.

After years of consolidation and modification, the set of boxing arts Kang Tianchen was now demonstrating was created.

This kind of Psionic martial path was called an Old Technique.

"Tai Chi has twenty-four forms. Its principle lies in using the boxing art to embody yin and yang."

Li Changqing had not expected there truly to be such an unexpected delight.

Tai Chi Fist.

This was an Old Technique capable of mobilizing Psionic Energy!

He hurriedly copied Kang Tianchen's movements. The instant he assumed the opening stance, as his muscles pushed forward, a fatigue far greater than running nearly made him collapse headfirst.

"Steady yourself!"

Kang Tianchen had expected this. His sharp shout steadied Li Changqing's mind.

"Old Techniques are different from what you practiced before. Use your will to lock down your heart."

"Subdue the heart's monkey, tether the mind's horse."

Li Changqing gritted his teeth and forcibly suppressed the fatigue in his heart through sheer willpower.

Just then.

Chengtian Tai Chi Fist: Proficiency 0%

An inexplicable piece of information appeared in his mind.

Li Changqing's pupils widened slightly.

Boxing arts worked too?