Practical Assessment

For the next month, Lin Yun barely stepped outside.

Aside from a trip to the Limit Dojo on the first day after completing the Five Hearts Toward Heaven Cultivation Method, where he displayed a punch force of nearly 10,000kg directly in front of Jiang Nian, leaving the man dumbfounded before he made a suave exit, Lin Yun had already completed the first and second clauses of his contract with the dojo—and exceeded them at that. His first time practicing Genetic Origin Energy had tripled his punch force! And reaching 10,000kg was already roughly the level of a veteran Primary War General!

As long as he completed any one of the remaining clauses, Lin Yun could apply to enter the War God Training Camp. Although, for him at present, he could reach the peak of the War God level without any bottlenecks even without the training camp, he would still need some guidance for his later breakthrough to the Planetary Level, and the War God Training Camp was the best opportunity for that!

After that, the villa in the Bright Moon Residential District became his cultivation base. Every morning, he would practice movement techniques and basic blade techniques in the courtyard, striving to reach the Micro-Level of movement as soon as possible. In the mornings and afternoons, he would sit cross-legged in his room, holding a Magic Beast crystal core, running the Five Hearts Toward Heaven Cultivation Method to absorb the life energy within. At night, he would shift his consciousness to the Coiling Dragon World to meditate in the back mountains of the Ernst Institute, tempering his magical power and soul power.

Two worlds, two bodies, cultivating in sync and mutually reinforcing each other.

The effect of the crystal cores was even better than he had anticipated. He used Level 3 and Level 4 cores as his daily "rations," absorbing a few each day to steadily increase his Genetic Origin Energy, while Level 5 and Level 6 cores were used to push through minor bottlenecks, each absorption bringing a noticeable improvement. Under the nourishment of the life energy, his body became increasingly powerful and resilient.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

On February 28th, the evening before the actual combat assessment, Lin Yun sat cross-legged on his bed, holding a Level 6 crystal core in his hand, slowly absorbing the energy within.

The life energy in the crystal core flowed into his body like a trickling stream, greedily devoured by his cells. He could feel that the Genetic Origin Energy within him had reached its absolute limit; every cell was like a water jar filled to the brim, unable to hold even a single drop more.

Peak High-Level War General.

He was only one step away from the War God level.

Lin Yun opened his eyes, shook off the residue of the crystal core that had turned to powder in his hand, and let out a long breath.

"So close," he muttered. "Just missing a catalyst."

The War God level was a watershed on the path of a martial artist. The gap between a High-Level War General and a Primary War God was not just the total amount of Genetic Origin Energy, but a qualitative leap. Many martial artists were stuck at this threshold for years, decades, or even their entire lives without being able to cross it.

But Lin Yun was not in a hurry. He had plenty of time and plenty of resources. Moreover, he had the cultivation system of the Coiling Dragon World as a supplement. With the accumulation of two worlds stacked together, breaking through to War God was only a matter of time.

He stood up and stretched his body. His bones emitted a faint cracking sound, and his muscles were like taut bowstrings, filled with explosive power. He clenched his fist, feeling the power gathering in his palm—a peak High-Level War General, combined with the Spiritual Force of a peak Intermediate War God; looking at the younger generation of the entire Jiangnan Base, he likely couldn't find a second person with such strength.

"Tomorrow is the actual combat assessment." Lin Yun walked to the window and watched the sky outside gradually darken. "Participating in the assessment with my current strength... it really is like using an anti-aircraft gun to swat a mosquito; it's overkill."

He couldn't help but chuckle.

The Quasi-Warrior actual combat assessment involved facing Beast Soldier Level monsters. For an ordinary quasi-warrior, this was a life-or-death test, but for him, at the peak of a High-Level War General, it was no different from a stroll.

However, he could not reveal his full strength.

A fifteen-year-old High-Level War General—this talent was too shocking. While the Limit Dojo would focus on cultivating him, what about other forces? The HR Alliance, the Thunder Dojo, underground organizations... even foreign organizations might set their sights on him. A genius, before they have grown up, is often the most vulnerable.

"Low profile, keep a low profile," Lin Yun reminded himself in his heart. "Showing the level of a Primary War General is enough. It will allow me to pass the assessment without being too eye-catching."

A fifteen-year-old Primary War General, while still an astonishing talent, was at least within the realm of "understandable." The Limit Dojo headquarters had several such geniuses, so it wouldn't cause too much of a stir.

The next morning, Lin Yun woke up early, changed into his Limit Dojo training uniform, and checked his equipment.

His grandfather, Lin Guodong, stood at the door, watching his grandson's back with eyes full of pride and worry. He wanted to say something, but after opening his mouth, he eventually only said one sentence: "Yun'er, be careful."

"Don't worry, Grandfather." Lin Yun turned around and gave his grandfather a hug. "I'll be back soon. Let's have a good meal tonight and invite Luo Feng and his family over too."

Lin Guodong nodded, his eyes slightly red.

Lin Yun let go of his grandfather and strode out of the house.

Jiangnan Base, North Gate assembly point.

At seven in the morning, nearly a thousand people had already gathered here.

When Lin Yun arrived, he saw the Limit Dojo assembly point from afar. Dozens of quasi-warriors wearing Limit Dojo training uniforms were gathered in twos and threes; some were whispering to each other, some were checking their equipment, and some were closing their eyes to rest, their faces showing varying degrees of nervousness.

Feng Lu was also in the crowd. Seeing Lin Yun walk over, she waved at him: "Lin Yun, over here!"

Lin Yun walked over and stood beside her. Feng Lu looked him up and down and said with a smile: "I haven't seen you for a month, and you seem to have grown quite a bit taller. How is your cultivation going?"

"It's alright," Lin Yun smiled. "How about you?"

"My punch force has broken through 1000kg, and my speed has also increased a bit." There was a hint of pride in Feng Lu's tone, but it quickly turned into nervousness. "But I'm still very worried. I heard that the actual combat assessment is completely different from training. When actually facing monsters, many people can't even hold their blades steady."

Lin Yun nodded without saying much. He certainly knew that what Feng Lu said was the truth—training and actual combat were indeed two different things. But during this month, he had experienced countless life-and-death battles in the Magic Beast Mountain Range of the Coiling Dragon World; he was already very familiar with that feeling of dancing on the edge of a blade.

But he couldn't say that. He could only pretend to be a newcomer on the battlefield for the first time, just as nervous and expectant as everyone else.

"Everyone, assemble!"

A loud, resonant voice rang out. A middle-aged man in a black uniform walked to the front of the line. He wore the badge of the Limit Dojo on his chest, and his gaze was as sharp as a hawk's. Lin Yun recognized him—the supervisor of the Jiangnan Base Limit Hall, Zhuge Tao, a powerhouse at the High-Level War General level.

"I am the overall person in charge of this actual combat assessment, Zhuge Tao." His voice was not loud, but everyone present could hear him clearly. "The rules are simple—you will be dropped into the assessment area in the Wilderness Area. Your mission is to survive for 24 hours and hunt at least three Beast Soldier Level monsters. The more you hunt, the higher your score, but you must meet the minimum standard. You may form teams during the assessment, but the final results will be calculated based on individual kill counts."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone: "The assessment area is a C-Level Area, and the monsters are at the Beast Soldier Level. The HR Alliance and the Limit Dojo will set up monitoring equipment in the area, and every one of your battles will be recorded. If anyone cheats, they will be disqualified on the spot and permanently banned from taking the assessment."

"Finally—the Wilderness Area is not a training ground, and the monsters will not show mercy. If you feel you can't do it, you can quit now. Once you enter the testing ground, you are responsible for your own life and death."

No one quit.

Zhuge Tao nodded and waved his hand: "Board the vehicles."

The train carried the quasi-warriors out of the base city, drove for nearly two hours in the Wilderness Area, and finally stopped.

Lin Yun jumped off the vehicle, and what met his eyes was a desolate ruin. Collapsed buildings, dried-up riverbeds, and roads covered in vines. In the distance, several dilapidated high-rise buildings stood on the horizon like tombstones. The sky was gray, and the air was filled with an indescribable, fishy stench.

A loud voice reached the ears of every quasi-warrior: "Welcome to the Jiangnan City North Military District. This time, your actual combat assessment for 1,850 people will be held here in my North Military District. I hope that most of you will pass the assessment, and I also hope that all of you can survive this actual combat assessment!"

After receiving their equipment, the group entered the Monster Town in twos and threes.

Lin Yun did not rush to act. He found a relatively hidden spot and slowly spread out his Spiritual Force. Everything within a radius of a thousand meters was clearly presented in his consciousness.

With his current strength, this assessment truly held no challenge. However, he needed to put on a performance—he couldn't appear too relaxed, nor could he seem to be struggling too much. By displaying the strength of an "Initial Level Warrior" just right, he could pass the assessment without drawing unwanted attention.

"Then... let's take it slow." Lin Yun withdrew his Spiritual Force, chose a direction, and walked forward at a leisurely pace.

The first Monster was encountered after a quarter of an hour.

It was a Beast Soldier Level Iron-Armored Lizard, the size of a calf, its body covered in black scales, currently gnawing on something beside a collapsed building.

Lin Yun did not use his throwing knives, nor did he use his Spiritual Force. He drew the battle blade from his waist and strode forward.

The Iron-Armored Lizard sensed the threat, whipped its head around, and a fierce glint flashed in its vertical pupils. It opened its massive jaws, let out a low hiss, and then pushed off with all four limbs, pouncing toward Lin Yun.

Lin Yun dodged to the side, his battle blade tracing an arc as it precisely struck the neck of the Iron-Armored Lizard—the weakest point of its scales.

"Crack!"

The blade sliced into flesh, the Iron-Armored Lizard's head fell to the ground, and its headless body twitched a few times before going still.

One strike, one kill.

Lin Yun shook the blood off his blade, cut off the Iron-Armored Lizard's ears, and tucked them into his backpack—the ears served as proof of the kill, and the military would calculate points based on the number of ears.

The entire process was clean and efficient, taking less than ten seconds.

"Too weak." Lin Yun sighed inwardly and continued toward his next destination.

Over the next few hours, he "encountered" over a dozen Monsters—Shadow Cats, Tiger Mastiffs, Iron-Haired Boars... Every single one was killed in a single strike, never dragging things out. His battle blade was like the scythe of the Grim Reaper; wherever he went, no enemy could withstand a single blow.

By the afternoon, his backpack was already filled with over twenty pairs of Monster ears.

"That's enough." Lin Yun looked at the sky. "If I keep killing, it'll be too conspicuous. I'll find a place to rest and wait for the assessment to end tomorrow."

He found a relatively intact building and settled into a room on the third floor. He set up a few simple traps at the door and window, then sat down against the wall, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

His body in the Coiling Dragon World simultaneously entered a state of meditation, his magic power flowing slowly as his Spiritual Force recovered rapidly through the Dual World Resonance.

The night was peaceful. A few blind Monsters tried to approach, but they were all dealt with by the traps; Lin Yun didn't even open his eyes.

The next morning, the signal for the end of the assessment sounded.

Lin Yun opened his eyes, stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and headed toward the assembly point with his backpack full of Monster ears.

Quite a few people had already gathered at the assembly point.

Lin Yun glanced around and noticed that most people had the look of survivors who had narrowly escaped death, while others wore dim expressions—their teammates hadn't returned. The air was filled with complex emotions: joy, sorrow, exhaustion, and relief.

Feng Lu was also in the crowd. Her left arm was bandaged and there were a few bloodstains on her face, but her spirits were decent. Seeing Lin Yun, she squeezed out a smile: "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lin Yun said. "Your arm..."

"Got scratched by a Shadow Cat, it's nothing." Feng Lu waved her hand. "What about you? How many did you kill?"

"A dozen or so," Lin Yun casually mentioned a number that was neither too high nor too low.

Feng Lu widened her eyes: "A dozen? By yourself?"

"Yeah."

Feng Lu was silent for a moment, then shook her head: "You really are a monster."

Lin Yun smiled and didn't respond.

Zhuge Tao stood on the roof of a truck, his gaze sweeping over everyone as he spoke slowly: "The assessment is over. To those who returned alive, congratulations—from today on, you are official Warriors."

A cheer erupted from the crowd. Some were moved to tears, some hugged their teammates tightly, and some let out long shouts to vent the fear and pressure that had built up over the past 24 hours.

Lin Yun stood in the crowd, watching all of this, his heart as calm as water.

Official Warrior.

From today on, he was no longer a "Quasi-Warrior," but a true Warrior. This meant he could legally enter the Wilderness Area to hunt Monsters, accept missions from the Dojo to earn contribution points, and learn more advanced Guidance Techniques and secret arts.

The road had only just begun.

It was already evening by the time he returned to the Bright Moon Residential District.

Lin Yun pushed open the door to his home, and Lin Guodong was sitting on the living room sofa, waiting anxiously. Seeing his grandson walk in safe and sound, the old man stood up abruptly, his eyes turning red instantly.

"You're back? Are you okay? Were you hurt?" Lin Guodong circled Lin Yun twice, looking him up and down, terrified of missing a single wound.

"Grandpa, I'm fine," Lin Yun said with a smile. "Not a single hair is missing."

"That's good, that's good..." Lin Guodong nodded vigorously, then remembered something. "Right, didn't you say you wanted to invite Luo Feng and his family to dinner? I've already called them, they'll be here in a moment."

Lin Yun nodded, went upstairs to take a shower, and changed into clean clothes.

As he went back downstairs, the doorbell rang right on cue.

Lin Yun opened the door to find Luo Feng standing there, followed by his parents and his younger brother, Luo Hua.

"Congratulations, Warrior Lin!" Luo Feng grinned and punched Lin Yun on the shoulder. "An official Warrior now, impressive!"

"Cut it out," Lin Yun laughed and pulled him inside. "Come on in and sit."

Luo Feng's father, Luo Hongguo, was an honest, hardworking laborer who wasn't good with words; he just smiled warmly, holding a bag of fruit in his hand. His mother, Gong Xinlan, took Lin Yun's hand and looked him over, her eyes full of affection: "Xiao Yun, you're the golden phoenix that flew out of our neighborhood; your grandfather is truly blessed."

"Auntie Lan, don't say that." Lin Yun felt a bit embarrassed. "Come in and sit, dinner will be ready soon."

Luo Hua sat in his wheelchair, pushed into the living room by Luo Feng. He was four years younger than Lin Yun, only eleven this year, with a cheerful and optimistic personality. Despite his paralyzed legs, he never complained about his lot in life. He looked around the villa's furnishings with curiosity, clicking his tongue in wonder: "Brother Lin Yun, this house is way too big—it's bigger than ten of our places combined!"

"If you like it, come stay often," Lin Yun said with a smile. "There are plenty of rooms anyway."

Lin Guodong brought out plate after plate of food from the kitchen, filling the table to the brim. The old man had personally cooked his signature dishes today—braised pork belly, sweet and sour spare ribs, steamed sea bass, garlic greens... The aroma permeated the entire dining room.

Everyone sat around the dining table and began to eat in a lively atmosphere.

During the meal, Lin Yun and Luo Feng chatted about their cultivation.

"What level is your strength at now?" Lin Yun asked.

Luo Feng put down his chopsticks, a flash of pride in his eyes: "Advanced Trainee. My punch force has already broken through 800kg, and my speed is almost at the Quasi-Warrior standard."

Lin Yun nodded, feeling secretly gratified.

In the original story, Luo Feng didn't reach the Advanced Trainee level until he was seventeen. In this life, under his supervision and guidance, Luo Feng had reached this level at fifteen, a full two years ahead of schedule. The two had grown up together, training and sweating together; this healthy competitive relationship had caused Luo Feng's progress to far exceed the original timeline.

"Not bad," Lin Yun said. "At this rate, you'll be able to take the Quasi-Warrior assessment before you turn sixteen."

"That's what I'm thinking too," Luo Feng grinned. "But I'm still far behind you. What exactly is your strength now? Mid-Level War General? Or High-Level War General?"

Lin Yun didn't answer, only smiling.

Luo Feng understood, shook his head, and sighed: "You freak."

The two looked at each other and both laughed.

After the meal, Luo Feng's family said their goodbyes and left.

Lin Yun stood at the doorway, watching their figures disappear into the moonlight, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

In this world, he was not alone. He had his grandfather, he had Luo Feng, and he had those who cared for and supported him.

He had to become stronger, not just for himself, but to protect these people.

Lin Yun turned back into the house, went upstairs, and walked into his room.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, took a Level 6 Crystal Core from his Space Ring, held it in his palm, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate.

Genetic Origin Energy circulated slowly within his body, and the life energy from the crystal core poured into him continuously, nourishing every single cell.

Peak High-Level War General.

He was only one step away from becoming a War God.

He would not wait long for that step.