Comprehension

After lunch in the cafeteria, Jiang Ye returned to the Martial Arts classroom.

In this world, Martial Cultivation had become part of everyday life.

Starting in high school, students underwent frequent Martial Arts training. On average, they had at least five days a week when the entire school day was devoted to Martial Arts Class.

Quite a few students were already practicing on their own in the classroom.

When Wen Yuehui saw Jiang Ye, he immediately walked over.

"A Ye, have you heard?"

Wen Yuehui lowered his voice. "Starting next year, they're reforming the Gaokao. The university entrance requirements are going up!"

"Gaokao Reform?" Jiang Ye was taken aback.

Wen Yuehui nodded. "A lot of ordinary universities are raising their entrance requirements. You'll have to reach perfection in the Star Martial Cultivation Method. We're probably doomed!"

"And who knows how much money it'll take to reach perfection before the Gaokao."

He sighed with feeling.

Poor people studied; rich people practiced martial arts. It wasn't just a saying.

If you wanted to make rapid progress in Martial Arts, you couldn't do it without money.

Jiang Ye asked in surprise, "Will you not even be able to get into an Ordinary Martial Arts University in Chengdu?"

"You can, but only into the few at the very bottom of the rankings."

Wen Yuehui shook his head. "They're already just ordinary universities. What's the difference between the ones at the bottom and a vocational college?"

"What about the Twenty-Five School Alliance?" Jiang Ye asked.

"The Twenty-Five School Alliance?" Wen Yuehui replied casually. "Their requirements have probably gone up too, but that has nothing to do with us."

"Why are you asking? Are you thinking of applying to the Twenty-Five School Alliance?"

"You've got to have dreams."

"Is this a try-not-to-laugh challenge? Because I give up."

Wen Yuehui grinned, not taking him seriously. "I used to have dreams too. Back in elementary school, I wanted to get into one of the Top Ten Elite Schools! Too bad reality is just too cruel."

As they chatted, it was soon time for class.

Chen Zilu strode into the classroom, dressed in a White Martial Arts Uniform with white shoes and socks.

"Star Martial Cultivation Method: Fist Chapter, First Form to Thirty-Sixth Form."

"This time, I'll demonstrate the advanced techniques. Watch closely."

Chen Zilu spoke in a cool, clear voice.

Jiang Ye's eyes lit up, and he quickly focused.

The advanced techniques were usually taught to students who had reached Minor Accomplishment in the Cultivation Method or better. This was a rare opportunity.

Chen Zilu's expression remained cool as she began demonstrating the punches before the class.

Grabs, pounces, shakes, blocks—the essentials of boxing were displayed to the fullest in a fluid sequence of movements.

"Buzz!"

In an instant, Jiang Ye seemed to enter an incredibly Ethereal State.

His surroundings faded away, leaving only Chen Zilu demonstrating the moves. Every detail seemed magnified.

"Is this... a 30% Comprehension Boost?"

Jiang Ye's mind jolted as he watched her intently.

Chen Zilu moved with graceful poise, her slender waist and abdomen as fair as snow.

Jiang Ye kept his eyes fixed on her figure, studying every tiny detail.

The Star Martial Cultivation Method: Fist Chapter had only thirty-six forms, but a complete routine took an hour to perform and consumed a great deal of stamina.

"Boom!"

At last, Chen Zilu punched forward with Qi Like a Swimming Dragon, then completed the finishing stance.

She said coolly, "Now practice on your own. If there's anything you don't understand, ask me."

As soon as she finished speaking, the entire class began practicing.

Jiang Ye, however, stood motionless, making no move to begin.

Nobody knew that, at that moment, his mind was racing furiously.

"So many parts of the way I practiced before were wrong!"

Jiang Ye closed his eyes, flashes of insight appearing in his mind.

This time, Chen Zilu's lesson seemed to have opened his mind in an instant. He suddenly understood so many crucial points!

"Phew..."

The next moment, Jiang Ye slowly settled into his stance.

He threw out one fist and then another, his movements growing more and more fluid and coordinated.

"The Fist Chapter doesn't just train your fists."

Jiang Ye recalled what Chen Zilu had once said: "As you practice your punches, your shoulders, waist, abdomen, hips, and legs must all exert force together. With every punch, try to engage the strength of your whole body."

The Star Martial Cultivation Method: Fist Chapter consisted of thirty-six forms in total, each containing thirty-six moves.

It was divided into four stages: Beginner, Minor Accomplishment, Great Accomplishment, and Perfection.

If you could correctly engage your muscles with every move and complete all thirty-six forms, you would be close to Perfection.

That meant having absolute control over every inch of your body.

They said that those who reached Perfection in the Star Martial Cultivation Method could even control themselves completely in that regard—Golden Spear Unfallen.

Jiang Ye hadn't reached that level yet, but he had made great strides this time. Minor Accomplishment was now within reach.

While Jiang Ye focused on practicing his punches,

Chen Zilu's gaze moved across the Martial Arts classroom.

This was her first time demonstrating the advanced techniques to Class Nine, Grade Eleven.

But students with decent aptitude would have gained some insight by now and made significant progress.

Chen Zilu swept her gaze over the class, but didn't spot anyone like that.

"Students in the Ordinary Class have mediocre Martial Arts aptitude and comprehension."

Chen Zilu wasn't surprised. She sighed inwardly.

But just as she thought this, her expression shifted slightly. She looked in one direction.

"Hm? This student has actually grasped some of it."

Chen Zilu's gaze fell on a boy.

He was thin, and his head looked a little pointy, perhaps because of his hairstyle.

As she studied him, something seemed to come back to her. "Li Zhichao? Both his parents are Martial Arts Experts. Though he has Inferior Aptitude too, he's still a little stronger than the others..."

Chen Zilu considered this, then looked away.

But when her gaze happened to land on Jiang Ye, it paused once more.

"Jiang Ye? Is he about to break through too?"

Chen Zilu watched him, thoughtful.

Meanwhile, not far from Jiang Ye,

Wen Yuehui had been practicing for three hours. He stopped, drenched in sweat.

Seeing Jiang Ye still punching beside him, he couldn't help thinking, How is this guy lasting so long today?

It might have been only three hours.

But all that time, he'd had to engage his entire body. It was no less than three hours of strenuous exercise.

Suddenly, Wen Yuehui realized what was happening. He's about to reach Minor Accomplishment!

Just as he thought this,

Jiang Ye's punches suddenly grew more aggressive, and his breathing seemed to fall into resonance with his movements.

"Crack, crack, crack!"

His shoulder blades sounded like beans popping in a hot pan. His spine rose and fell like a Dragon Spine as he shifted his stance and threw a punch!

"Thud!"

His punch cut through the air, producing a muffled boom.

"I've reached Minor Accomplishment in the Cultivation Method!"

Jiang Ye came to from his state of total immersion.

He looked at his fists, his heart filling with delight.

Just moments ago, he had felt his control over the muscles in his shoulders and waist surge to a whole new level.

It was as though they moved at his command.

That meant that from now on, every punch could fully harness the muscles in his shoulders and waist, unleashing far more strength than before.

That was Minor Accomplishment in the Star Martial Cultivation Method!

On the panel, the progress of the Star Martial Cultivation Method had changed from Beginner (99%) to Minor Accomplishment (1%).

"I can't believe I broke through just like that!"

Jiang Ye was overjoyed.

There was a bottleneck between Beginner and Minor Accomplishment.

By his estimate, it should have taken at least another week to break through.

But now, he'd managed it in a single class.

"So this is the effect of 'Friend of the Ancestor'? It's incredible." Jiang Ye felt satisfied.

He knew that the 30% Comprehension Boost had played a huge part in helping him break through so quickly.

"A Ye, congratulations on reaching Minor Accomplishment!"

Wen Yuehui walked over and said sincerely, "From now on, you're one of the top dogs in Class Nine too!"

He was genuinely happy to see his friend break through.

Jiang Ye shook his head with a smile and was about to reply.

Suddenly, Li Zhichao, standing not far away, began to crackle all over as his bones and joints popped.

"Yeah!"

In a flash, he punched forward. His fist struck like clashing weapons, making everyone's eardrums ache.

"Gasp!"

Wen Yuehui stared in shock. "Li Zhichao? He's reached Great Accomplishment!"

Jiang Ye turned to look as well.

He'd only just reached Minor Accomplishment, and someone in the class had already broken through to Great Accomplishment?

For students in the Ordinary Class, reaching Great Accomplishment before the Gaokao was an impressive feat.

Reaching it in Grade Eleven? Extremely rare.

"Li Zhichao," Chen Zilu commented, "reaching Great Accomplishment in the Cultivation Method in Grade Eleven makes you far better than most."

"But the road from Great Accomplishment to Perfection is the hardest part of the Star Martial Cultivation Method. Don't slack off."

"Yes."

Li Zhichao cupped his hands toward Chen Zilu, his expression unreadable.

Chen Zilu added, "Buy some enhancement potions. They'll help a lot with your breakthrough."

Li Zhichao frowned slightly. "Could taking those hurt my health?"

"The Li Long Potion has fewer side effects," Chen Zilu said.

Li Zhichao nodded.

"Li Long Potion?" Jiang Ye murmured.

Although Chen Zilu hadn't been speaking to him, he still made a note of it. If it could help with a breakthrough, it was worth remembering.

Wen Yuehui glanced at him and lowered his voice. "A single Li Long Potion costs three thousand yuan. We'd better not even think about it."

"Three thousand yuan for one?!"

Jiang Ye was stunned, hardly able to believe it.

His adoptive mother only earned three thousand yuan a month.

"Of course. Otherwise, why do you think people say poor people study while rich people practice martial arts?"

Wen Yuehui sighed. "Rich people really should drop dead. I wish I had that kind of money."

Jiang Ye gained a clearer understanding of Martial Arts.

Looks like from now on, I'll just have to rely on my own hard work.

Meanwhile,

Chen Zilu looked toward Jiang Ye. She knew that he was one of only two students in the class who had grasped the advanced techniques.

She smiled slightly and said,

"Jiang Ye did well too. He's finally reached Minor Accomplishment."

Reaching Minor Accomplishment in the second semester of Grade Eleven was actually quite mediocre.

Though he, too, had Inferior Aptitude, Jiang Ye's natural ability was clearly far behind that of the top ten students.

But this wasn't the time to discourage him.

"Jiang Ye, if there's anything you don't understand, come ask me."

Chen Zilu said this with a smile, then turned and left.

Many students in the classroom looked at Jiang Ye with envy.

Jiang Ye was the only one Chen Zilu had offered extra tutoring to.

Even Li Zhichao hadn't received that treatment.

But it couldn't be helped. Jiang Ye practiced hard—and he was handsome, too.

Just as the boys were turning green with envy, a girl had already seized the chance, now that Martial Arts Class was over, to hand Jiang Ye a bottle of water.