That afternoon's Martial Arts Class was once again led by Instructor Xu. He was a burly, middle-aged man who, it was said, had placed in martial arts tournaments when he was young. His skills were solid.
Warming up was essential. Chen Mo jogged, stretched his legs, loosened up, and worked his joints... He did each exercise meticulously, striving to make every movement precise. He could feel the Qi and Blood in his body growing more active as he moved, flowing much faster than usual.
After the warm-up came partner drills. Instructor Xu waved a broad hand. "Find a partner, put on your protective gear, and take it easy. No heavy hits!"
The students cheered and immediately started pairing up with people they knew. Without hesitation, Chen Mo grabbed Zhang Shun by the arm. Zhang Shun looked utterly resigned, but Chen Mo still dragged him over to the protective gear.
They put on their helmets, chest protectors, and gloves, then stepped onto the Soft Cushion and assumed their stances.
"Brother Mo, go easy on me!" Zhang Shun called, though his expression gradually grew serious. He usually acted carefree, but deep down he had a stubborn streak. He was a little competitive about being paired with Chen Mo and didn't want to lose too badly.
"Begin!" Instructor Xu called as he paced nearby, watching the two of them and occasionally offering pointers.
Chen Mo took a deep breath, planted his feet firmly, and assumed the opening stance of Black Tiger Stance. He lowered his center of gravity, straightened his back, held his fists before his chest, and fixed a sharp gaze on Zhang Shun. Rather than rush in, he strictly followed the forms of Body Tempering Fist, attacking Zhang Shun with one punch and kick at a time. He strove to make every movement precise and proper while carefully watching Zhang Shun's reactions for an opening.
Zhang Shun's punches were a little frantic. His footwork was unsteady, his punches lacked force, and he left openings everywhere. Relying on his agility, he dodged left and right and managed to land a counterpunch or two, but Chen Mo blocked them with ease.
After a few exchanges, Chen Mo gradually figured out Zhang Shun's habits. He seized an opening just as Zhang Shun dodged to the side. Zhang Shun's foot stumbled slightly, exposing his ribs. Chen Mo didn't hesitate. He threw a textbook straight punch with controlled force, landing squarely on Zhang Shun's chest protector.
He controlled his strength just right, putting Zhang Shun under pressure without hurting him. Zhang Shun grunted and staggered back two steps before regaining his balance.
"Stop!"
Instructor Xu walked over, first frowning at Zhang Shun before saying sternly, "Your footwork is too loose, and you're not paying attention! Keep your arms tense when you defend. Don't go limp like a noodle—how are you supposed to block a punch like that?"
Zhang Shun lowered his head and nodded repeatedly.
Instructor Xu then turned to Chen Mo, a trace of surprise flickering in his eyes. He circled Chen Mo, carefully inspecting his stance and guard, then said slowly, "Chen Mo, your stance is solid today, and your punches are much clearer and stronger than last time. Your Black Tiger Stance has improved. Remember how this feels. When you put your strength behind a punch, coordinate your waist and legs, and transfer the power from your core into your fist. That way, you'll get twice the result with half the effort."
"Yes, Instructor Xu!" Chen Mo replied respectfully, inwardly thrilled. Even Instructor Xu had noticed his improvement. That proved the system's boost was the real deal!
The sparring continued.
This time, Chen Mo held nothing back, treating Zhang Shun as the perfect "proficiency dummy." He kept using the moves of Body Tempering Fist—attacking, defending, dodging—and strove for precision with every movement, constantly adjusting his form in the heat of practice: the angle of each punch, his position when defending, his footwork when dodging. He could clearly feel that every effective strike, every successful dodge, and even every perfectly coordinated breath and movement seemed to advance some invisible progress bar, making a faint click.
By the end of the class, both of them were drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. Zhang Shun was sprawled on the Soft Cushion, too exhausted to move. "I can't do this anymore... Brother Mo, you're too strong... Keep this up and I'll fall apart..."
Chen Mo braced his hands on his knees and panted heavily. His muscles ached in the best possible way, but he felt unusually energized. Eagerly, he called up the System Panel in his mind:
[Black Tiger Stance Lv.2 (192/200)] [Body Tempering Fist Lv.2 (18/200)]
Black Tiger Stance had gained 3 points, while Body Tempering Fist had gained a full 8!
Sparring was indeed far more effective than practicing alone!
Chen Mo's eyes shone. Looks like I'll need to spar with people more often, or take part in more intense combat training. In Martial Arts, you really do grow faster through actual combat. Training in isolation just won't cut it.
After school, Chen Mo didn't head straight home. Instead, he took a detour to the school library.
He needed to look up some information. For one thing, he wanted to learn about this world's literature, music, and films. In his previous life, he'd been a typical homebody who had read countless novels, listened to countless songs, and watched countless movies. If those works didn't exist in this world, he might be able to follow the path of a "copycat author" and build up some extra capital for himself. After all, Gaokao wasn't the only way forward; having more options meant more security. He also wanted to see if there were any "secrets" or study guides that could quickly improve his Cultural Class grades, like review booklets from top schools or test-taking tips compiled by renowned teachers. Those might help him "level up" more efficiently.
The library was very quiet, with only the soft rustle of turning pages and the faint scratch of pen on paper. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows and fell across the rows of bookshelves, dust motes drifting through the beams. Chen Mo moved between the shelves, running his fingers over the spines of weighty books. Now and then, he pulled one out and checked the table of contents to see if it was what he needed.
He discovered that this world's literature was very different from the one in his previous life. Many classics he knew by heart had never appeared here. An audacious idea gradually took shape in his mind.
He spent a long time browsing the study guide section, picking out several review booklets for math and physics, along with a few answer templates for politics, history, and geography. He stuffed them into his bag.
It wasn't until the librarian came over and softly reminded him that the library was closing that Chen Mo finally put down the book in his hands. He slung his heavy bag over his shoulder and walked out.
On the way home, the moon was as bright as ever, casting a faint silver sheen across the road. The evening breeze brushed his face, carrying a hint of coolness.
Chen Mo's state of mind was completely different from the day before.
Yesterday, he had stood on an unfamiliar street, watching the traffic stream past, his heart full of emotion and faint confusion. He'd felt like an outsider, adrift beyond the boundaries of the world. Today, with the system as his trump card, he had a clear plan and a definite path ahead. He was an eager participant.
He knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy. The system had merely opened a door for him and shown him a possibility. The sweat, the dull repetition, and the grueling struggle through plateaus were all his to endure and overcome. But he wasn't afraid or confused anymore. Instead, he felt a thrill of anticipation.
He lifted his head and gazed at the unfamiliar stars in the night sky. They were brighter and more brilliant than the ones over Earth in his previous life. He clenched his fists and murmured, his voice quiet but unwavering. "252 days... That's enough."
By the time he got home, it was late. His parents were asleep, and the lights in the living room were off. Only his younger sister's room still glowed with the warm light of a desk lamp. He could faintly hear her pen scratching across the paper. She was in her second year of junior high and was a hardworking kid, too.
Chen Mo slipped off his shoes as quietly as he could and returned to his room, but he didn't start studying right away. He took a brand-new notebook out of his bag, laid it on his desk, and turned on the lamp. Its warm yellow light illuminated the blank page and the focused, determined profile of the young man.
He picked up his pen and wrote "Senior Year Gaokao Study Plan" across the first page. Then he began carefully planning his schedule for the coming week and deciding which "skills" to focus on upgrading.
Wake up at six in the morning. From six thirty to seven, practice Black Tiger Stance in the open space in the residential complex;
Use morning reading period to tackle weak areas in math;
Memorize English vocabulary during spare moments between morning classes;
Before his midday break, complete a set of multiple-choice math questions;
During afternoon Martial Arts Class, ask people to spar with him and improve his Body Tempering Fist proficiency;
At home in the evening, study politics, history, and geography from seven to nine; practice Body Tempering Fist from nine to ten; then review the day's lessons and adjust the next day's plan from ten to ten thirty.
He wrote every stroke with great care. Outside the window, the city's neon lights flickered, outlining the night in a high-level martial arts world that was both similar to and different from Earth.
In the glow of the desk lamp, the young man's shadow stretched long.
On this ordinary night, his life as a "Grind Emperor" officially began. And his youth, not so ordinary after all, was unfolding into a grand new chapter, along with every little gain in proficiency.
Before you continue