Breakthrough, Body Tempering Layer One!

The next day.

Morning light crept over the windowsill, scattering specks of gold.

Qin Chen sat cross-legged on his bed, his eyes tightly shut.

The next second, he snapped his eyes open, a brilliant light erupting from his pupils.

"Hoo~"

Qin Chen slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

"Body Tempering Layer One!!"

After a night of arduous cultivation, alternating between the Star Energy Cultivation Method and the Seven Injuries Fist, he had finally stepped into Body Tempering Layer One, becoming an official martial artist.

This cultivation speed could only be described as rapid.

He was certain that the vast majority of his classmates would struggle to break through to Body Tempering Layer One at this point in time.

Moreover, he hadn't just raised his realm to Body Tempering Layer One throughout the night.

By continuously practicing the Seven Injuries Fist, combined with the innate "extremely easy to cultivate" buff he possessed, Qin Chen had broken through to the Perfection level of the Seven Injuries Fist by the middle of the night.

If He Yi tried to match this speed, he wouldn't be able to catch up even if he were riding a rocket.

Furthermore, the Seven Injuries Fist at the Perfection level was not only over ten times more effective at repairing the body than when he had first started, but its power was also incredibly formidable.

After all, with side effects that exaggerated, it would be unjustifiable if the power weren't equally impressive.

"He Yi! Are you ready?"

A cold glint flashed in Qin Chen's eyes as he slowly stood up.

After a quick wash, he headed out toward Muyang Third Middle School.

Although he hadn't slept all night, he didn't feel the slightest bit of drowsiness; on the contrary, he felt incredibly energetic.

After becoming a martial artist, his body had become vastly different from that of an ordinary person.

Never mind one night without sleep, even a few more nights wouldn't have the slightest impact on him.

Before long, Qin Chen arrived at Muyang Third Middle School, and after wandering around for a bit, he reached his classroom.

His arrival caused a flicker of surprise in the eyes of those in the class.

"That guy Qin Chen actually dared to show up? I thought he would be cowering at home."

"It looks like there's going to be a good show once He Yi arrives later!"

The rustling whispers of the crowd did not escape Qin Chen's ears, but he paid them no mind.

He walked straight to his seat and plopped down.

The back row by the window, the birthplace of kings!

Having already broken through to Body Tempering Layer One, he didn't take He Yi seriously at all.

By comparison, he was more concerned about the Class Battle coming tomorrow.

Three days after the Awakening, every freshman class at Muyang Third Middle School would hold a Class Battle.

This was to determine the strength rankings within the class.

Afterward, it would be held once every month.

It was equivalent to the monthly exams from his past life.

For every Class Battle, the school would provide rewards for the top-ranked students.

It was a form of incentive.

The rewards for the Class Battle had already been made clear by their homeroom teacher on the day of the Awakening.

Since it was the first Class Battle, the rewards were naturally more generous.

The top five students would each receive a reward of 10,000 Star Coins, with an additional prize for the first-place winner.

That prize was permission for the student to enter the school's Battle Skill Pavilion to select one D-rank Combat Skill.

These rewards might not mean much to those from wealthy families, but for Qin Chen, they were extremely important.

Especially the D-rank Combat Skill for first place.

One had to know that on the open market, a D-rank Combat Skill would cost at least 100,000 Star Coins.

Even a D-rank Combat Skill with severe side effects, like the Seven Injuries Fist, was no exception.

Therefore, a D-rank Combat Skill held significant value for Qin Chen.

Moreover, just as he had said before, he wanted to find a combat skill that could lower his Star Energy Aptitude.

His Star Energy Aptitude of one point was truly making him lose his composure.

If his Star Energy Aptitude had been even a little higher, his current realm wouldn't be stuck at Body Tempering Layer One.

Just then, a commotion broke out at the doorway.

"Brother Yi, do you think that guy Qin Chen will come to school today?"

"Heh~ Given the personality of a loser like Qin Chen, how could he possibly dare to show up today after I beat him like that yesterday?"

"I already declared that every time I see him, I'll beat him..."

The voice came to an abrupt halt. Qin Chen looked up, his gaze meeting a pair of eyes that were slightly stunned.

It was none other than He Yi!

Seeing Qin Chen sitting at his desk, he froze for a moment, but a surge of anger immediately followed.

He glared at Qin Chen and said unkindly:

"Qin Chen! I remember telling you something yesterday, didn't I?"

"I said every time I see you, I'll beat you!"

"It seems the lesson I gave you yesterday was too light, making you treat my words like wind blowing past your ears!"

As he spoke, He Yi walked toward Qin Chen step by step, cracking his neck as he did so, the sound of bones grinding together popping loudly.

The rest of the class turned their eyes toward them.

Among them were expressions of sympathy, mockery, and indifference.

But everyone remained unmoved; even those who sympathized with Qin Chen would not help him.

After all, who would invite trouble upon themselves for the sake of an ordinary classmate?

He Yi arrived in front of Qin Chen. Looking at Qin Chen, who remained seated with a calm expression, a flicker of strangeness appeared in his eyes.

Something was weird!

In the past, whenever this guy Qin Chen saw him, he would act like a mouse seeing a cat, cowardly to the core.

Why was he so calm now?

Could it be that he thought he wouldn't dare to make a move inside the classroom?

A mocking smirk curled the corners of He Yi's mouth.

Before he had awakened, he might have been wary of the school's rules against fighting.

But now that he had awakened, he didn't give a damn.

His Star Energy Aptitude was over forty points, ranking him in the top five of the class.

And Qin Chen's Star Energy Aptitude was only one point.

Even if he beat Qin Chen, the school would, at most, only give him a symbolic punishment.

This sounds cruel, but that is the reality!

Because this is a world where martial artists reign supreme!!

He Yi's eyes turned fierce. His right arm shot out abruptly, his hand clenching into a fist, and he slammed it toward Qin Chen's face.

A sinister grin appeared on his face, as if he could already see Qin Chen knocked to the ground by his punch.

However, at that moment, he caught a glimpse of a faint smile on the corner of Qin Chen's mouth, and an inexplicable sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.

The next moment, He Yi's eyes widened abruptly. An indescribable, intense pain surged from his abdomen, forcing him to spit out a mouthful of bile.

His body went limp, and he clutched his stomach, collapsing to his knees. His face turned pale, and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.

He Yi struggled to lift his head, only to be met with the sight of a size-eleven foot.

Bang—

A dull thud echoed through the room. He Yi was sent flying, smashing through several desks and chairs along the way before crashing heavily to the floor nearly ten meters away.

He had been kicked all the way from the back of the classroom to the front of the podium.

A dark, clear footprint was imprinted on his face.

!!!

The surrounding crowd gasped in unison, their eyes widening as they stared in disbelief at the scene unfolding before them.

"Body Tempering Layer One!!"

"Qin Chen actually broke through to Body Tempering Layer One?!!"