"Yes, President Chen."
The tall, thin secretary respectfully glanced at the sandbags piled densely together on the floor, a trace of admiration appearing on his face.
"President, you've already destroyed thirty thousand, right?"
"You've already completed one-third of your small goal of one hundred thousand."
Hearing this, Chen Mingyuan took the towel his secretary handed over, casually wiped his upper body, and put on his clothes.
"Ten years ago, when I met that grandmaster, he told me that as long as I blew up one hundred thousand sandbags, my boxing technique would advance to the peak!"
"I'm still short seventy thousand. A peak-level boxing technique—once a basic martial skill reaches the peak level, I really want to experience just how powerful it is."
As the president of the Xujiang City Martial Arts Association, his martial arts strength had already reached Level 4.
However, his basic martial skills had remained stuck at the advanced level, unable to improve for a long time. As someone obsessed with boxing techniques, he had always been unable to let it go.
After lamenting over martial arts for a while, Chen Mingyuan changed the subject to work.
"How are the preparations for this year's Martial Arts Exam coming along?"
"Everything is ready, President. Here is the information on Xujiang's more talented examinees that you asked me to collect."
Hearing Chen Mingyuan's question, the tall, thin secretary hurriedly handed a folder to him.
Chen Mingyuan reached out to take it, nodded, and immediately began looking through it.
As he flipped through the pages, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Not bad. There are quite a few good prospects this time, along with an unexpected dark horse."
"That youngster named Li Ziyu has quite a talent. At such a young age, his qi-blood has already reached 5.99. Not only that, his Combat Power is extraordinary as well."
"That's all thanks to President Chen's capable leadership!"
Seeing the pleased expression on Chen Mingyuan's face, the tall, thin secretary promptly delivered a flattering remark.
"However, that youngster named Li Ziyu really is remarkable. To possess such strength at such a young age, he'll probably be the top-ranked examinee in Xujiang City this time."
The tall, thin secretary said this with a smile, but Chen Mingyuan shook his head with a smile and denied it.
"His talent is indeed quite good, but he's still not good enough to claim first place."
"Huh? With qi-blood at 5.99, and even Combat Power of 999 isn't enough to claim first place?"
The tall, thin secretary wore a look of astonishment.
Chen Mingyuan looked up at his secretary and chuckled.
"Although Li Ziyu is a Qi-Blood Talent Awakener, people with this kind of talent are often strong in appearance but weak in practice. Although their qi-blood and Combat Power are both high, their actual combat ability is weak."
"Moreover, there's a fatal drawback: the further they advance, the smaller the potential of Qi-Blood Talent Awakeners becomes."
"Five years ago, Xujiang City also produced a Qi-Blood Talent Awakener. At the time, his qi-blood test and Combat Power Test results were even higher than Li Ziyu's."
"Everyone placed great hopes in him then, believing that he could overwhelm all the other examinees and take first place in Xujiang City."
"Back then, my expectations for him weren't limited to first place in Xujiang City. I hoped he could take first place in all of Su Province!"
"But what happened afterward? The moment he entered actual combat against ferocious beasts, he fell apart. He had high qi-blood and Combat Power, but even his basic martial skills were inadequate. In the end, forget taking first place in Su Province—even first place in Xujiang City eluded him."
The tall, thin male secretary nodded in sudden understanding. At that moment, Chen Mingyuan took a sip of tea and continued.
"Still, this Li Ziyu's strength is decent. At such a young age, he's already cultivated his basic martial arts to the intermediate level, and he's also mastered a blade combat skill. Although he can't take first place, entering Xujiang City's top five won't be a problem."
"The one who can truly take first place is this person."
As Chen Mingyuan spoke, irrepressible appreciation flashed in his eyes. He pointed at the information and read out the introduction.
"Nangong Ao! Level 1 Intermediate Martial Artist, Speed Talent Martial Artist, Intermediate Body Tempering Technique, Intermediate Sword Technique, Intermediate Movement Technique—and he's also mastered a combat-type Combat Skill!"
"Now that's a genius! A true genius!"
"He has a chance to represent Xujiang City and compete for a place among the top three geniuses in Su Province!"
Chen Mingyuan's expression was delighted.
When he had first discovered the dark horse Li Ziyu, he had been quite pleased and even considered taking Li Ziyu as his disciple.
But after Nangong Ao, a Speed Talent Martial Artist, appeared, Li Ziyu seemed utterly ordinary when he looked at him again.
Pay a little extra attention to Nangong Ao and build a good relationship with him. A martial artist with this kind of talent will accomplish no less than me in the future. Establishing a connection early will do no harm.
In the shabby old residential complex, Li Ziyu walked out of the bathroom.
"Even taking a bath isn't comfortable here. I should change where I'm staying."
While drying his hair, Li Ziyu complained.
The residential complex was old, and even the water from the faucet wasn't hot.
However, all the money he had had been exchanged for equipment and martial skills, so he didn't have any left over.
Li Ziyu considered whether he should go outside the city and hunt a few ferocious beasts, then sell them to afford a better place to live.
But he dismissed the idea.
"Forget it. The Martial Arts Exam is coming up. After I get into a martial arts university, I'll have to go to another city anyway. I won't be staying in Xujiang City for many days, and the Martial Arts Exam provides dormitories. The environment shouldn't be too bad."
"Better to save the money and improve my strength."
At this thought, Li Ziyu realized that he didn't know which martial arts universities Great Xia had. He lay down on the sofa, took out his phone, and began searching.
Before long, he found the information he wanted.
"The four best martial arts universities in Great Xia are Canglan Martial Arts University, Shenpan Martial Arts University, Modu Martial Arts University, and Kyoto Martial Arts University."
"Each martial arts university has a Level Eight Great Grandmaster overseeing it! They've cultivated countless powerful experts. Only the most talented prodigies can enter these four universities!"
Li Ziyu softly read the information aloud, his eyes growing brighter and battle intent surging within them.
Below the information on the four martial arts universities were introductions to each school's Meditation Method. The universities would issue every enrolled student a Meditation Method of the corresponding level based on their Martial Arts Exam results and talent.
"Not bad! Since I'm going to attend a martial arts university, I have to choose the best one!"
Li Ziyu had set his goal and stopped thinking about it.
After replying to a few messages from Liu Yanfang, who had tried to dissuade him, he picked up the Vajra Body combat skill he had bought from the Precious Martial Pavilion and began cultivating it.
A moment later.
Name: Li Ziyu.
Realm: Advanced Level 1 Martial Artist.
Combat Skills: Advanced Raging Bull Body Tempering Method, Vajra Body, Gale Blade Technique, Intermediate Blade Technique, Intermediate Movement Technique.
System: Martial God System.
Function: Can absorb all things to increase qi-blood. Other functions await the host's own discovery.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye. Because of the ferocious beast consciousness, Li Ziyu did not go to the Wilderness Area to slaughter ferocious beasts again during those two days.
Instead, he stayed home the entire time, resting and adjusting his condition.
When the alarm rang, Li Ziyu suddenly opened his eyes from meditation, two sharp gleams flashing through them.
Li Ziyu picked up the long blade placed beside him, slowly stood up, pushed open the door, and headed toward the school.
After two days of rest, he felt that his current condition was outrageously good!
Hearing the sound of the door closing, the neighbor living opposite Li Ziyu suddenly flung open her door.
A middle-aged woman with a face full of flab, eyes narrowed to slits by the flesh around them, and spots on her face stuck her head out viciously.
She quickly looked down the corridor. Seeing that no one was there, the middle-aged woman began cursing under her breath.
"Hmph, you little brat. You sure ran fast!"
"I asked you to help throw out some garbage, and you actually dumped it right in front of my door. You're lazy and uncultured—no wonder your parents gave birth to you but didn't raise you."
"Don't let me run into you next time!"
The middle-aged woman was still grumbling when a young boy's voice came from inside the apartment.
"Mom, hurry up and take me to the exam venue. We can't be late for the Martial Arts Exam."
"Coming, son. Do your best on the exam! Once you become a martial artist, we won't have to live in this dump anymore!"
"Stay away from those stingy neighbors!"
Before you continue