If Fate Does Not Grant It, Seize It by Force

If Fate Does Not Grant It, Seize It by Force

Early that morning, after breakfast, Li Fei rode his bicycle to the Military Academy.

"Strive unceasingly, repay the nation through martial arts!"

Resounding slogans rang across the training ground. At this hour, the Military Academy students were already doing their morning exercises.

After parking his bike, Li Fei entered the building from yesterday, arrived outside Hao Yi's office once more, and knocked softly.

"Come in."

Hao Yi's voice came from inside.

Li Fei pushed open the door and entered. Besides Hao Yi, there was also a young man in a black short-sleeved shirt.

The man was powerfully built, clearly a martial artist. The instant he saw Li Fei, he looked him up and down, a trace of hostility in his eyes.

"Teacher."

Li Fei saluted Hao Yi.

Hao Yi pointed at the young man beside him. "He is also a Military Academy student. Today, he will train with you."

The young man cupped his fists toward Li Fei.

"Greetings, Senior Brother. I am Liu Xing, a Rank B student of the Military Academy."

"Greetings, Junior Brother Liu."

Li Fei returned the salute.

He knew that Military Academy students were divided into three ranks: A, B, and C. Ordinary students all began at the lowest Rank C upon entering the academy, joining large classes led by regular instructors.

There would be assessments at the end of every month. Only students who received excellent evaluations in three consecutive Monthly Exams could advance to Rank B and enter small classes taught by advanced instructors.

Only Rank B students could come into contact with Implants. After becoming true martial artists, they could advance to Rank A and qualify to attend public classes taught by Special Grade Instructors.

As for someone like Li Fei, who had been accepted as a student by a Special Grade Instructor, he was directly made a Rank A student. Moreover, he could receive a Special Grade Instructor's guidance at any time. He was a Grade A among Rank A students! Although Liu Xing had entered the academy several years before Li Fei, Rank B students had to address Rank A students as Senior Brother or Senior Sister.

Liu Xing had climbed step by step from Rank C. Seeing someone like Li Fei, who had Ascended to Heaven in One Step, naturally left a bitter taste in his heart.

"Li Fei, do you know why the Conflict Mitigation Departments of the Twelve Universities almost exclusively admit freshmen with Grade A aptitude or above every year?"

Hao Yi asked.

Li Fei said, "Because resources are limited, so they select the best candidates?"

Hao Yi replied calmly, "That is only one reason. More importantly, aptitude directly determines a martial artist's growth rate and upper limit. Only those with Grade A aptitude or above have a strong chance of becoming Registered Martial Masters. That is why the Conflict Mitigation Departments of the Twelve Universities value Grade A aptitude students so highly."

Li Fei nodded thoughtfully, while Liu Xing's expression dimmed.

Only those with Implants could be called formal martial artists. Only martial artists who reached a certain realm could become Martial Masters officially registered by the imperial court, also known as Registered Martial Masters.

Registered Martial Masters held lofty status in the Great Blue Dynasty. Not only could they hold important posts wherever they went, but they also received a monthly stipend from the court.

Beyond that, Registered Martial Masters and their immediate family members could enjoy preferential benefits in education, healthcare, housing, and other areas.

It could be said that once someone became a Registered Martial Master, they could immediately change their family's social standing!

"Those with aptitude below Grade A may still have a chance to become Registered Martial Masters, but their greatest achievement in this life will more or less end there. It will be difficult for them to pursue higher realms."

Hao Yi watched Li Fei, his tone cold.

Li Fei froze at this and asked, "Teacher, is it because an Implant harms the human body after entering it, and the better one's aptitude, the greater their endurance?"

If that was the case, then with the Myriad Blood Bead, once his number of Blood Souls increased in the future, his aptitude would surely be one in ten thousand!

Hao Yi nodded. "An Implant does indeed cause a certain degree of harm after entering the human body. This process is called the Mutation Reaction. However, the ability to resist mutation is only one part of aptitude. Another part is the compatibility between the human body and the Implant, called the Compatibility Reaction.

The Mutation Reaction determines an Implant's upper growth limit, while the Compatibility Reaction determines how quickly the Implant grows inside your body. If someone merely has strong resistance to mutation, it is like having an enormous pool capable of holding a great deal of water, with a theoretically high upper limit. But if that pool fills very slowly—say, requiring a hundred years to fill completely—then that theoretical upper limit will never be reached."

Li Fei suddenly understood. After Hao Yi's explanation, he had gained a clear understanding of aptitude.

By that logic, although he possessed the Myriad Blood Bead, it could at most strengthen his resistance to mutation. There was nothing he could do about compatibility.

Even so, my overall aptitude must be far stronger than Rank B-. It should be able to reach Grade A, right?

Seeing that Li Fei did not look dejected, Hao Yi gave a slight nod. "Some people are born with Grade A aptitude, while others do not even possess the qualifications to become martial artists. That is fate. There is no fairness in it. But fortunately, fate can also be changed. What fate does not grant you, you can seize by force."

Li Fei's eyes lit up. He cupped his fists and saluted.

"Please teach me, Teacher."

Hao Yi said, "The pill I gave you yesterday was called the Bitter Essence Pill. It can improve your resistance to an Implant's Mutation Reaction. Besides this kind of pill, there are other pills that can improve your Compatibility Reaction with an Implant. If you take these pills over a long period, you can improve your aptitude to a certain extent."

"Thank you, Teacher, for granting me the medicine."

Li Fei bowed slightly in gratitude.

Hao Yi waved a hand. "No need to thank me so quickly. Pills of this kind are exceedingly precious resources. Even if you are my student, you cannot obtain them for nothing. If you want more such pills from now on, you will have to fight for them yourself."

"Teacher, how should this student fight for them?"

Li Fei asked.

"The Military Academy holds a Monthly Exam every month. The top three Rank A students in the exam can receive pills that alter their aptitude."

Hao Yi looked at him. "Rank A assessments are simple. They test martial techniques through one-on-one matches between students. That is why I called Liu Xing here to spar with you."

Li Fei nodded. "This student understands."

He had trained in martial techniques for three years in the vocational school's Conflict Mitigation Department, so he naturally had some fighting ability. But Rank A students were already formal martial artists. Could he defeat them? Hao Yi saw his concern and spoke.

"You will soon have an Implant of your own. Focus on honing your martial techniques first."

At those words, Liu Xing revealed an envious expression.

After advancing to Rank B, he had become qualified to receive an Implant. But he did not have enough money to exchange for one, so he was still saving up. Li Fei, on the other hand, clearly did not lack money.

"This student understands."

Li Fei nodded, then turned to Liu Xing and cupped his fists. "Junior Brother Liu, please instruct me."

The two of them then put on full protective gear and boxing gloves to avoid injury.

Once they were fully equipped, Li Fei stood with one foot forward and one behind, his left hand held upright before him and his right fist positioned in front of his chest.

This was the standard fighting stance of Blue Hand.

The martial techniques taught by the Great Blue Dynasty's vocational school Conflict Mitigation Departments mainly consisted of two sets: the Thirty-Six Styles of Capturing Hands and the Great Blue Dynasty Unarmed Combat Collection, abbreviated as Blue Hand.

The Great Blue Dynasty had founded its nation through martial arts, and there were countless martial arts forms. Later, the court gathered martial techniques from the people and compiled the Great Blue Dynasty Unarmed Combat Collection, discarding the dross and taking the essence from all manner of folk martial arts before assembling them together.

That was Blue Hand.

Excitement appeared on Liu Xing's face. He rolled his neck, then assumed Blue Hand's opening stance as well. "Senior Brother Li, please!"