Join the Martial Arts School, Starting Salary 8,000 Per Month

"Lu Lin, your Golden Bell Shield has already reached the third layer. I imagine ordinary Martial Disciple-level attacks can't do anything to you now."

Li Jiangtao asked.

"Yes." Lu Lin nodded. As Li Jiangtao said this, he also recalled that after his Golden Bell Shield reached the third layer, Liu Weiran had punched him without triggering any system notification.

On the other hand, it was Li Jiangtao's earlier attack to test the Counter Shock effect that had caused Lu Lin's Golden Bell Shield progress to start increasing.

But to reach the fourth layer, he would need to be hit a full thousand times—a thousand effective attacks.

An attack of Liu Weiran's caliber could land ten thousand times without having any effect at all.

"You took the physical test for the Martial Arts Examination today?" Li Jiangtao didn't continue the previous topic, instead asking about Lu Lin's exam.

"Yes, Master Li."

"How were the results?"

"Well... under 1,200 kilograms." Lu Lin lowered his head.

In Huaguo, the martial arts apprentice stage's levels correspond to specific strength data: a Punch Force of 300 kilograms qualifies as a Beginner Martial Disciple, 600 as an Intermediate Martial Disciple, and 900 as an Advanced Martial Disciple.

Liu Weiran was at the peak of Intermediate Martial Disciple, just one step away from reaching Advanced Martial Disciple.

Although Lu Lin was an Advanced Martial Disciple, his strength index hadn't met the 1,200-kilogram requirement for the Martial Arts Examination, so he had failed. Given his family's financial situation and his parents' connections, he had no chance of entering university now.

"Good."

"Good?" Lu Lin's eyes widened. Not only did Master Li not offer a word of comfort, he actually said "good." What was good about this? Lu Lin had been aiming to enter a Martial Arts University and become a proper martial artist ever since he transmigrated to Blue Star.

"Don't overthink it, young man. You can't take the Martial Arts Examination path anymore. What plans do you have now?"

Li Jiangtao ignored Lu Lin's confusion. He knew just how important a Lu Lin who had reached the third layer of Golden Bell Shield and comprehended the Counter Shock effect was to Liu's Martial Arts School.

This meant Lu Lin could serve as a sparring partner for Warrior-level martial artists.

"I want to become a Freelance Martial Artist and hunt Monster Beasts in the Wilderness."

"Hunt Monster Beasts?"

Li Jiangtao was stunned for a long moment before he reacted. He looked at Lu Lin with some amusement. "Little Lu, that's a bit of a fantasy. Do you know why the Martial Arts Association stipulates that only official martial artists can leave the city and enter the Wilderness to hunt Monster Beasts?"

"It's not to keep ordinary people out of the process, nor is it about any conflicts of interest. It's purely because ordinary people lack Vitality Power. Relying on strength alone, or on blades, even a hundred Advanced Martial Disciples couldn't break through a Monster Beast's outer defense."

"Take the Golden Antelope Sparrow, which has relatively weak defenses. A Beginner Martial Artist can kill one with a single slash. But if you're an Advanced Martial Disciple, you could strike ten times, and the Golden Antelope Sparrow wouldn't take any damage—not even a single feather would fall."

"Besides, a Freelance Martial Artist—the emphasis isn't on 'freelance,' it's on 'martial artist.' A Freelance Martial Artist is still a martial artist. At minimum, you need to reach Beginner Martial Artist."

Li Jiangtao explained in detail, wearing the expression of someone who thought the young man had too little experience.

"But... Master Li, I remember that among the teams formed by Freelance Martial Artists, there are also many ordinary Martial Disciples. Why can they leave the city?"

"Because they don't leave the city alone."

"In the Wilderness, every time a martial artist goes out to fight, they can't carry all their supplies on their backs at all times. These people you see as Freelance Martial Artists help carry the martial artists' supplies while they fight or travel."

"Such groups lack strength and have a high mortality rate. The pay they earn is barely enough to scrape by. You're only eighteen now. Even if you didn't get into a Martial Arts University, as long as you keep training, you can slowly increase your strength. Once your Punch Force exceeds 1,200 kilograms, you can learn a Vitality Cultivation Method and become a true martial artist."

"How about this? Join our Liu's Martial Arts School now. Consider it giving yourself a chance. I can promise you on behalf of the school: once your Punch Force meets the standard in the future, I'll give you a Vitality Cultivation Method."

Li Jiangtao spoke earnestly. Lu Lin thought it over and agreed.

"Alright. But Master Li, I have one additional request."

"Go ahead."

"If I become a martial artist in the future, the school must not block my path. Of course, I'll keep my name registered with the school according to the agreement."

Lu Lin's words made Li Jiangtao inwardly surprised, and he silently praised Lu Lin's ambition.

Sixty years ago, in the northern Imperial Capital, a sparring partner advanced to martial artist after years of training and embarked on the path of cultivation. He eventually grew step by step into a high-rank Martial King. Grateful to the martial arts school that had helped him in his weak days, this Martial King allowed the school to permanently list his name under the sparring partner column, and every year, if he had time, he would go to the school to serve as a sparring partner once or twice.

Since then, major martial arts schools across Dragon Country have stopped excessively exploiting their sparring partners and coaches, instead cooperating in a win-win, equal model. But in those sixty years, no other sparring partner has ever reached the heights of that Martial King.

Lu Lin making such a request before joining showed that he had great confidence in his own future.

That was fine.

If Lu Lin became a powerful martial artist later, it would be a good connection. Perhaps he would even give back to the school regularly like that predecessor.

If he didn't, the school would lose nothing.

Advanced Martial Disciple and Beginner Martial Artist—they seemed only one step apart, but at least ninety percent of people in Huaguo were stuck right there.

Li Jiangtao agreed to the request, and Lu Lin took the contract to sign.

Given his current strength—defense at the Martial Artist level, but insufficient power and attack—Liu's Martial Arts School gave Lu Lin a base salary of eight thousand yuan per month, plus a 25% commission on sparring sessions, along with all other benefits.

Don't underestimate that 25% commission. Lu Lin would be facing real martial artists from now on. Their training sessions wouldn't cost just a few hundred yuan—at minimum, they'd be tens of thousands, and for special requests, the price could reach over a hundred thousand.

The eight-thousand-yuan salary was truly just the base. The real money was in the commissions.

"Alright, Lu Lin. Welcome to the Liu's Martial Arts School family. I've already submitted your strength and martial arts information to the headquarters' Martial Artist Grade Database. When martial artists look for a sparring partner, our school will call ahead to confirm training times for both parties. You're also free to train at the school during your usual hours."

"Our Liu's Martial Arts School is one of the largest in Dongshan City, with twelve branches and the headquarters in the city center. In the future, your orders and clients might be at other locations—that's something you need to know in advance."

"Alright."