Terrifying Potential!

Shen Qian waited until after seven. As the students in the Physical Testing Hall gradually dispersed, the Martial Arts Simulator finally became available.

He entered the simulation pod and swiped Grandpa Xu's work ID.

"Log in?" The Simulation Machine interface lit up.

Shen Qian had always skipped this step in the past, but this time, he chose "Yes."

"Welcome, 'Dried Up Confusion'!"

Shen Qian froze for a moment, then couldn't help but snort with laughter.

Dried Up Confusion... Hahahahaha.

Who would've thought Grandpa Xu had such a literary streak deep down?

After laughing enough, Shen Qian took a photo with his wristband before putting on the helmet and neural lock, entering "Select Scene."

After logging in, there were a few more scenes available to choose from, but Shen Qian still selected the most familiar one: the "Bronze Man Formation."

After setting the number of bronze men to one, Shen Qian tapped "Start."

His consciousness blurred. When it cleared, Shen Qian was already standing atop a stone platform, surrounded by hazy clouds and empty void.

Across from the platform, a bronze man stood silently, waiting for Shen Qian to launch the first attack.

Without hesitation, Shen Qian moved. In what seemed like an instant, he crossed three meters and appeared before the bronze man, throwing a punch at its face.

Bang!

Three years...

This was the first time Shen Qian had struck a bronze man.

The bronze man did not even manage to raise its hand before it instantly fell.

Though he had expected something like this, Shen Qian was still astonished, a complicated feeling rising within him.

"The stage has ended. Data is being calculated. To challenge again, please exit and make a new selection."

The familiar notification sounded beside his ear, but this time, it carried an entirely different meaning.

He had finally cleared the first stage of the Bronze Man Formation.

And he had done it in a single move.

"This punch feels like a complete farewell to the past..."

Shen Qian murmured as he looked down at his hand.

Ding!

A notification sounded, and a panel displaying the statistical data appeared before him. As expected, there were simplified and detailed display modes.

After Shen Qian selected detailed mode, there was another several-second delay before a dense mass of data appeared on the panel. However, only a few of those figures held any meaning for Shen Qian at his current stage.

Username: Dried Up Confusion

Data Statistics:

Physical Strength: 231 Kg

Burst Strength: 191 Kg

Instantaneous Speed: 7.9 s/100 m

Physical Strength Grade: Z

Physical Toughness Grade: Y

...

Physical Potential: 999 Kg (?)

...

(▼Click to expand for more detailed data)

...

Friendly Reminder: The martial path is arduous. Please keep working hard!

His Burst Strength had exceeded 190, and his hundred-meter speed had broken eight seconds!

Shen Qian drew a deep breath, his heart filled with nothing but delight.

According to textbook standards, the Burst Strength of a First Stage of Elementary Martial Artist was only between 150 and 250, and that was with the amplification of vital energy!

In other words, with only the physique of an Extraordinary Quasi-Martial Artist, Shen Qian was already capable of rivaling many First Stage of Elementary Martial Artists.

What shocked Shen Qian most was his Physical Potential.

999 Kg!

This was the theoretical Limit Strength of his current physique.

It was also the greatest change to his body after opening ten apertures.

If he remembered correctly, this was already the maximum strength of a Ninth Stage of Elementary Martial Artist...

"A Ninth Stage of Elementary Martial Artist has vital energy filling the body. Every movement can unleash immense power, granting formidable destructive force."

That was the exact wording from the martial arts theory textbook.

In other words, if Shen Qian kept tempering his body, then even without vital energy, he could rival top-tier Beginner Martial Artists with pure physical strength alone.

A body with ten opened apertures could only be described as monstrous...

Shen Qian noticed that the row displaying 999 Kg on the data panel had turned red, with a question mark beside it. Tapping it brought up a notice indicating that the statistics might be incorrect and asking Shen Qian to conduct another test.

But Shen Qian was certain that the data was not wrong.

Only this figure could match the sheer awesomeness of his Ten Apertures Body.

It also explained why he had remained hungry ever since waking up. His body truly was crying out to be fed.

Shen Qian exited the stage and entered again. This time, he selected two bronze men.

Unlike when there had only been one bronze man, the two of them attacked him from both sides almost the instant the simulation began.

Though both were still only at the First Stage of Elementary Martial Artist, the seamless coordination between the two bronze men immediately left Shen Qian scrambling.

After a fierce struggle and taking several solid hits, Shen Qian barely managed to clear the stage.

"Although I've absorbed the system's combat memories several times, I'm still far too inexperienced when it comes to fighting techniques. I'm nowhere near battle-hardened yet..."

Ignoring the newly displayed statistics, Shen Qian frowned and thought it over. He decided he should come to the Physical Testing Hall regularly to practice his real combat skills.

Hunting Scavengers could not be the norm, and not every battle had to be a fight to the death. Shen Qian needed a second option as well.

After fighting several more times, Shen Qian stopped once he could deal with two bronze men with relative ease.

With every additional bronze man, the strength of the Bronze Man Formation increased geometrically.

With his current strength, there was no way he could clear the stage with three bronze men unless he summoned the system to help him, but that would defeat the purpose...

After making a trip to Grandpa Xu's office and returning the work ID to the still-busy Grandpa Xu, Shen Qian did not linger and headed straight out of the Physical Testing Hall.

The moon was bright and the stars sparse. It was already past nine, and the enormous campus was deserted, without even a ghost in sight...

"Shen Qian!"

The sudden shout gave Shen Qian a jolt.

He hesitated for only a second before turning and running.

Huo Ling'er had just finished training and come outside. She had initially been inexplicably happy to see Shen Qian, but she froze when he immediately dashed into the woods and vanished.

By the time Huo Ling'er came to her senses and chased after him, Shen Qian had already disappeared without a trace.

Huo Ling'er gritted her teeth, but could only stomp her foot helplessly.

Elsewhere, Shen Qian had already slipped out of the school gates. Seeing that Huo Ling'er had not followed him, he let out a sigh of relief.

For the near future, he had no idea how to face Huo Ling'er. One socially mortifying incident was more than enough. He should just let time heal those awkward wounds.

Shen Qian, who had been preparing to go home for dinner, slowed to a halt again.

He remembered how his mother had been forced to go to Old Hu's place last night to carry back a whole box of noodles because there had not been enough food...

"If I eat at home, Mom won't say anything, but she can't keep staying in the kitchen all the time. But if I care about Mom, I won't get enough to eat either. Maybe... I should eat out?"

Shen Qian quickly made up his mind, but he felt a little reluctant to spend the money.

Even after Lin Xiaoqian and the others' advance payments had arrived, making him once again a distinguished youth carrying a fortune of ten thousand yuan, with his current appetite, one meal could easily cost him more than 500 yuan. That was truly extravagant.

Just as Shen Qian was hesitating, an intensely bright light stung his eyes.

He looked up and saw that the place by the school gate that had once been a hair salon had somehow opened into a restaurant.

The glowing sign of the restaurant read "Pang Dahai Seafood Buffet," and a banner hung beside it: "Grand Opening Special! Original price: 198 yuan. Current price: 58 yuan. Eat all you want! Free drinks!"

"Gulp!"

Shen Qian swallowed weakly.

Pure heaven. Tell me, is this some kind of kind stranger...?