Old Technique: Tai Chi

Physique +1

Vitality Concentration: 37%

His vitality overflowed, and the strength that had appeared from nowhere became a warm current flowing through Li Changqing's entire body.

This improvement from breaking past his limit surpassed every previous one.

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

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

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

It felt 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, feeling the sturdier body he had gained after breaking his limit.

His once-unsteady steps landed firmly, then strength beyond his former physical peak stamped hard against the track.

Huff—

His chest expanded rapidly as he drew a huge breath into his lungs, then exhaled forcefully.

The corners of Li Changqing's mouth curved upward. As he looked at the track, his eyes shone brightly.

Whoosh—

He lunged forward into 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 down 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 flowing through Li Changqing, Zhang Yang even felt that the kid was in better condition than when he had arrived.

"Are we seeing a ghost in broad daylight?"

Kang Tianchen had not expected Li Changqing's condition either. He frowned. In his eyes, the vitality within Li Changqing was currently brimming, completely lacking the depleted feeling from after those push-ups earlier.

"Could it be that he broke past his limit?"

"Broke past his limit?" Zhang Yang shook his head.

"You mean this kid resonated with psionic energy just now, broke through his physique's limit, and obtained energy from subspace?"

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

"Let's keep watching."

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

Step, drive the hips.

His stride was exceptionally long. Standing over 1.8 meters tall, he raced down the track in great strides without having to obsess over his step frequency.

Faster, a little faster!

Not enough!

At that instant, Li Changqing's mind kept replaying the running techniques his martial arts teacher had taught them.

Stabilize the center of gravity. Maintain the rhythm of his stride while increasing his step frequency.

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

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

His peripheral vision swept over his wristwatch.

The track was a standard 400 meters. There were still five and a half laps to go before three thousand meters, a total of 2,200 meters.

He had less than eight minutes now.

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

The vest he wore weighed about as much as a suitcase.

"Do I need to cut another two minutes?"

Feeling vitality flow 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% vitality increase seemed even more effective than he had imagined.

Then, keep accelerating!

Fourth lap...

His breathing began to quicken. Lactic acid built up in his thighs, and a faint soreness had already emerged.

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 sense of swaying.

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

They turned to look at the timer, then met each other's eyes.

"This kid really seems to have a chance."

Neither of them had expected Li Changqing, whom they had believed could not even complete the assessment, to now have a possibility of meeting the standard.

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

Kang Tianchen stood up, watching Li Changqing on the track while also looking at the timer in his hand.

Could a trainee rated D-Class really pass the assessment?

Fifth lap!

Under their gazes, Li Changqing did not slow down, crossing the starting line with steady steps.

"Keep it up."

Zhang Yang also rose to his feet, quietly encouraging Li Changqing as he crossed the starting line.

The last five hundred meters.

By now, Li Changqing had no choice but to open his mouth and gulp down air, increasing his oxygen intake.

His throat was dry, and his legs gradually began to feel as heavy as if 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 four hundred meters left, he swung 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!

"Keep it up! Run!" Kang Tianchen called out.

"Keep breathing, sprint!"

Li Changqing held his head high and chest out, his eyes fixed firmly on the red finish line.

The final hundred meters.

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

The red line drew ever closer. Li Changqing clenched his teeth, then suddenly lowered his head at the very end.

Across the line!

Beep—

The timer stopped.

He crossed the finish line, and behind him, silence reigned.

Huff—huff—

Li Changqing stood where he was, gasping for breath, when someone handed him a paper cup.

Gulp—

The icy liquid flowed down his throat, dousing 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 the timer on his wrist.

7 minutes 36 seconds.

He calculated silently, then smiled with easy grace.

"I didn't expect to still miss it by five seconds."

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

But Li Changqing felt neither regret nor disappointment. 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 full minutes.

And he still had not reached his limit.

The improvement to his physique brought by breaking past his limit was absurdly great, completely beyond his expectations.

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

"Actually, making it this far is already impressive. I originally thought you wouldn't even finish the physical test."

Zhang Yang walked over as well and pressed hard on Li Changqing's shoulder.

"You're a real man, kid. 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 jerked his chin toward Kang Tianchen.

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

Kang Tianchen smiled. "The two of us got bored and used you as the wager. Since you completed every event, that belongs to you."

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

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

The shopping voucher was a certificate of eligibility.

Good stuff.

"I've given you my share. What you do with yours is up to you."

Leaving behind those cryptic words, Zhang Yang 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 held Li Changqing's shoulder. "Zhang Yang has given his item, but I haven't given 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."

"A chance?" Li Changqing froze.

When he had come here, he had not believed he could pass the assessment with absolute certainty.

But after these past few days of attempts, 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 fail the assessment, but our Chengtian Martial Arts School has another path."

"Watch closely." Kang Tianchen narrowed his eyes slightly, and a flash of brilliance appeared within them.

The next moment.

Kang Tianchen spread his arms and assumed a stance.

"This fist technique is called Tai Chi. It is an Old Technique that countless Psionic Users of the past compiled from ancient texts. It can mobilize psionic energy and strengthen the physique."

"According to the school master's rules, for those with talent who fail their first assessment, the coach may decide for themselves whether to teach them this fist technique."

Kang Tianchen winked at Li Changqing.

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

"Now, follow my movements closely."

Tai Chi was an ancient martial art passed down in China for thousands of years. During the wave of Psionic Ascension, Psionic Users discovered that these ancient fist techniques could actually mobilize psionic energy.

Only after years of consolidation and revision was the fist technique Kang Tianchen now performed created.

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

"Tai Chi has twenty-four forms. Its principle is to use fist techniques to evolve yin and yang."

Li Changqing had not expected there really would be such an unexpected delight.

Tai Chi.

This was an Old Technique capable of mobilizing psionic energy!

He hurriedly copied Kang Tianchen's movements. The moment he formed the opening stance, as his muscles pushed into motion, a fatigue far greater than that from 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 the things you practiced before. Use your intent to lock down your heart.

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

Li Changqing gritted his teeth and forcibly used his willpower to suppress the exhaustion in his heart.

Just then.

Chengtian Tai Chi Fist: Proficiency 0%

An inexplicable piece of information appeared in his mind.

Li Changqing's pupils widened slightly.

Fist techniques could work too?