Martial Dao is Me (Fourth Update, Please Vote Monthly)

Martial Dao is Me (Fourth Update, Please Vote Monthly)

The "Smart Ring Watch" Li Yuan wore was similar to early mobile phones, only far more powerful. It could project light screens, monitor physical condition, and perform many other functions, but it could not connect one's consciousness to the Virtual Network.

The Virtual Network Pod, meanwhile, was an essential electronic device for every household in this era.

Only by using it could one connect their consciousness and enter the Virtual Network.

Its appearance resembled the space-pod gaming consoles of the early days.

"Iris authentication!"

"Consciousness connection." Li Yuan reclined in the pod's chair and put on the neural-link device. Cold metal touched his scalp.

His consciousness instantly connected to the Virtual Network.

The Blue Star Virtual Net!

The Seven Great Planets were separated by the vast Xingkong, so each planet's Virtual Network was relatively independent... at least, Li Yuan did not have the authority to access the Virtual Nets of other planets.

Whoosh!

Li Yuan's consciousness descended into a special space.

As long as he wished it, he could leave at any time.

Although the Virtual Network can connect consciousness, it still feels somewhat illusory. It can't achieve one hundred percent realism, Li Yuan thought. Much less completely scan the body's data and recreate it one-to-one like in some novels.

Virtual is virtual. It can never replace reality.

But regardless, a Virtual Network with seventy percent realism was already incomparably miraculous.

In the several decades since its birth, human civilization had undergone earth-shaking changes.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Numerous options appeared within Li Yuan's field of vision:

Learning Space (virtual schools/classrooms/laboratories/libraries/Martial Arts Rooms...)

Virtual Cities (Jiang City/Jing City/Ha City/Su City...)

Social Spaces (music/friends/fate/games...)

Commerce (virtual malls/real estate/hotel reservations)...

There was a vast sea of options.

The overwhelming majority were colored, signifying that they could be selected and entered.

But a small number were gray.

For example:

Adult Series (minors prohibited)

Li Yuan had only recently turned seventeen. He was still a minor.

"Enter personal study room." Familiar with the process, Li Yuan directly entered his personal study room.

He began reviewing his academic subjects.

Theoretically, students could complete all their academic coursework online, but the Virtual Network ultimately could not achieve one hundred percent realism.

Besides, physical reality was the hardware, the foundation of all things virtual.

Thus, schools, office buildings, government service halls, and the like still existed in reality, and students still had to attend school.

Of course, most office work, academic examinations, company interviews, and so on were now completed online.

And when students studied independently, if they possessed enough self-discipline, their online efficiency could actually be higher.

Li Yuan belonged to the extremely self-disciplined sort.

After an hour of efficient self-study.

The total score for academic subjects is one thousand. I got 658 in my second-year final exams. This final year, I'll strive for 700, Li Yuan muttered to himself. I only hope I won't fall too far behind.

Everyone's energy was limited.

Li Yuan was quite gifted in martial arts, and he possessed considerable insight when it came to spear technique.

Before coming into contact with the Mind Divine Palace, his spear technique had already reached the second-stage level. His comprehension was evident.

But in academic studies, his talent truly was only average. He could not compare to Zhou Qi, Yan Zhou, and the others, and he devoted very little energy to it.

Not to mention that he still could not score 700.

Even if he did score 700, he would only rank in the lower-middle tier at Guanshan District No.1 High School.

That was only because, as his mental power level had risen over the past year, his learning efficiency had improved and his academic scores had risen somewhat.

Otherwise, Li Yuan would not even have been confident of reaching 700 on the college entrance examination.

"A jack of all trades?"

Where are there so many jacks of all trades? What I need to do is thoroughly bring out my strongest point. Master one trick, and it will feed me everywhere! Li Yuan understood himself clearly.

Why did he want to pursue the path of a full-time martial artist?

First, because he loved it enough.

Second, after awakening the Mind Divine Palace, Li Yuan believed that his hopes of achieving great success in martial arts were far greater than if he followed an academic path.

A little after three in the morning.

"Time to go to school." Li Yuan stepped out of the Virtual Network Pod.

He slung his bag over his back.

Without waking his aunt, younger brother, or younger sister, he quietly left home.

Driverless trams and subways operated twenty-four hours a day, but after midnight, the intervals between trips became very long.

Therefore, Li Yuan often chose to run to school instead.

He treated it as warm-up training as well.

The streets after three in the morning were empty everywhere, aside from the streetlights and the occasional passing vehicle.

As he passed the corner's Fuwei Noodle Shop, he could see that the owner had already risen and begun preparing for the day.

"Morning, Boss." Li Yuan greeted him with a smile.

"Running at night again? Be careful." The owner, dressed in work clothes, stood up and smiled back at Li Yuan.

They often ran into each other.

They did not know one another's identities or names, but over time, they had become familiar "strangers."

Twenty minutes later, Li Yuan ran to school.

He scanned his face to enter the campus.

He entered the classroom and switched on the lights.

"First, I'll practice the Basic Cultivation Method for two hours." Li Yuan stood in a corner of the classroom, calmed himself, and swiftly entered a standing-posture state.

His posture was like a boulder, his breathing method coordinating with thirty-six forms.

The cultivation of a new day began.

Panji Kaili, Rock-Breaking Mountain-Collapse, Shiru Dizhu, Stone-Shattering Sky-Shocking, Hard Clash with the Vajra, Mountain Standing, Abyss Still... the thirty-six forms had, in essence, evolved from the Rock Fist Technique.

They were further divided into training methods and combat methods.

In truth, Li Yuan had poured even more effort into the Rock Cultivation Method than into his spear technique.

I can slowly ponder spear technique.

But my Martial Arts Spirituality is destined to be difficult to awaken in the short term. None of the Seven Great Advanced Cultivation Methods suit me, Li Yuan thought. Then I must continue cultivating the Rock Cultivation Method.

Even after becoming a martial artist, I'll probably still cultivate this method. That means I must diligently study the Rock Fist Technique. Li Yuan had thought it through clearly. Only the higher my fist technique realm becomes, the higher my body cultivation efficiency can be.

Physical fitness was the foundation. Spear technique and movement technique were the weapons that brought one's physical fitness into play.

"Besides, spear technique, movement technique, and fist technique are all fundamentally a union of body and mind. Improvement in one Martial Arts Technique will also allow the others to improve more quickly."

Time passed.

Li Yuan practiced again and again without fatigue. Gradually, streams of faint heat flowed from his lower abdomen and spread throughout his body, swallowed and absorbed by his muscles, tendons, and bones.

The basic blood-energy medicinal solution he had taken several hours ago was gradually taking effect.

His muscles became more compact, his bone strength rose further, and his internal organs were being enriched and strengthened... only frenzied cultivation could ensure the medicinal solution's efficacy would not go to waste.

Li Yuan cultivated tirelessly.

In his mind, the famous words of Dongfang Ji, the foremost martial arts powerhouse of human civilization, surfaced without prompting:

"What is martial arts?"

"Martial arts are not about surpassing others. Martial arts are about pouring in all your blood, all your passion—training by day, training by night, cultivating sixteen hours every day, persevering for a hundred years. Then, when you look back after another hundred years, you will discover that you are martial arts!"

"Martial Dao is Me."

A little after four in the morning, the sky was still dark.

Boom! An intelligent off-road vehicle drove in through the school gate.

It parked automatically.

A figure like an iron tower and a curvaceous woman in black stepped out of the vehicle.

The two headed toward the office building.

"Tie Ta, this is the school where you work?" The black-clad woman had hard features and eagle-sharp eyes as she surveyed the campus. "This is the first time I've come to see you since you retired."

Xu Bo rarely smiled. "You're in a real hurry this time. Passing through Jiang City, and you can only stay for four hours."

"I came specifically to check on your medication." The black-clad woman shot him a glance. "Otherwise, with the mission so urgent, I wouldn't have stopped in Jiang City at all. Come on, take me to your Physiotherapy Room first. I'll conduct a preliminary examination."

"If the nerve injury has worsened, the director and the others will have to find another solution for you."

Suddenly, the black-clad woman stopped.

"A student is already at school cultivating this early? He seems to be doing rather well. His Basic Cultivation Method is nearly at major accomplishment, isn't it? His control over his body is very high." The black-clad woman sounded mildly surprised.

Her gaze turned toward the distance.

In the entire senior-year teaching building, only one classroom on the first floor was lit.

Through the window, she could see a student inside, intently practicing fist techniques.

Every stance and movement stood like a boulder rooted in the earth, giving off an immovable feeling.

"Li Yuan?" Xu Bo beside her frowned slightly. "He's already at school cultivating at a little past four."

"Can his body take it?"

With cultivation, excess was as bad as deficiency.

In Xu Bo's view, only by ensuring sufficient sleep, rest, food, and recuperation could one cultivate efficiently.

"Judging by his vitality and spirit, his blood energy is abundant and his mind is full of vigor. It seems he rested very well." The black-clad woman smiled. "Tie Ta, you know him? Is he your student?"

"He is my student." Xu Bo looked at Li Yuan, lost in thought.

"Come on. Let's go to my Martial Arts Room first."

(End of Chapter)