As a Senior Fighter, Liu Yun had a room of his own, dedicated to testing all kinds of combat abilities. One of the machines inside, the Punch Strength Tester, had been specially reinforced and could even withstand a War General's punch.
Liu Yun stood in front of the tester and adjusted his stance. Centering his movements on his waist, he fine-tuned his posture several times.
The Machine Race's core wasn't a sturdy steel body, but its incredibly powerful computing ability. As long as it had enough processing power, even many inconspicuous things could be integrated and put to use. Liu Yun had used nothing more than simple Chinese medicine to greatly increase his strength.
On top of that, his computing power corrected every punch individually, allowing him to bring his body's strength to its limit. Liu Yun suddenly swung a punch forward, slamming it hard into the Punching Target.
"7,000 kilograms!"
The Punching Target gave him a rating of 7,000 kilograms. A punch with that much force could break through an ordinary wall.
Looking at the result, Liu Yun was thrilled. He hadn't expected computer assistance to let him reach this level! Even among Senior Fighters, such punching power was rare.
"Maybe I can get even stronger. If I break 8,000 kilograms, I'll become a War General outright. Then let's see who dares mess with me!"
He spoke with conviction. In modern society, Warrior Level Martial Artists were a little like the warriors of old—the lowest tier of nobility. But once someone reached War General Level, they became a person of status and standing, the kind who could even have someone dealt with without getting their own hands dirty.
Liu Yun tried a few more punches. His strength kept climbing, and his hardest punch reached 7,600 kilograms, just one step away from Junior War General.
He also practiced with a weapon. The long spear swept through the air in his hands with a fierce whoosh. Computer assistance was clearly more effective in technical fields. The earlier punches had only relied on brute force, but spear techniques required intelligence.
With computer assistance, even a Junior War General would have a hard time getting the better of him. The Machine Race lacked only powerful bodies; given a sufficiently strong body, they could immediately reach the peak of that level.
For the next month, Liu Yun put the idea of surgery aside and focused solely on cultivating. He took countless doses of Chinese medicine, making his body stronger and stronger. After a month, his punching strength finally reached 8,000 kilograms, which meant he had fully become a War General.
"With a Machine Race Clone to assist me in combat, even though I've only just entered the War General realm, I should still have terrifying strength among those at the same level."
Liu Yun said this with great confidence. Chinese medicine was remarkable, combining thousands of years of experience from the ancients with the spiritually rich plants and animals of the land of China.
Most of the people who mocked Chinese medicine nowadays had never found the right way to use it. The Machine Race Clone's reexamination and selection of the medicines had also been crucial to Liu Yun's success.
However, he had to take the assessment alongside a group of newcomers, including the protagonist, Luo Feng. That still made Liu Yun feel somewhat awkward.
By now, he had completely changed his way of thinking, and naturally needed to make new plans for his future.
The next day, after making sure the Crystal had gotten enough sunlight, Liu Yun hung the now-warm Crystal around his neck and headed out to take the Martial Artist assessment again.
Liu Yun knew the entrance to the Limit Dojo very well. He had even filled in as a security guard there once. The few people stationed at the entrance were all his brothers. As soon as he arrived at Moonlight Central Residential Area, he instinctively pulled out a Huazi cigarette.
"Well, look at you! Liu Yun, it's been a long time. You're looking much better!"
"You're back? I don't think you even need to take the test. Everyone knows what you can do. Anyone gives you trouble, they'll have me to answer to."
The two Martial Artist guards on either side said with a laugh. Soon, smoke swirled around them. Only people who had spent time here would know these little details.
Liu Yun didn't put on airs. These men knew his situation inside out, so he said with a smile,
"Rules are rules. I can't make things difficult for you or cause you trouble. Once I pass the test, I'll give you a surprise. My strength has improved a lot!"
Neither man really believed him. They were close, but Liu Yun's case had once consumed a great deal of resources without being cured. They had also heard that he was using Chinese medicine to recuperate, but what could a little Chinese medicine possibly do?
They let Liu Yun in and told him to do as he pleased. He naturally obliged, and they didn't even check his credentials.
As a residential area reserved for Martial Artists, Mingyue Residential Area was filled with detached houses. The scenery was beautiful, with carefully arranged landscapes and an abundance of flowers and trees that dazzled the eyes.
The assessment hall stood at the center of the residential area. When Liu Yun arrived, he saw several people waiting at the front desk. Among them was a thin young man in a black training suit, whose appearance caught Liu Yun's attention.
"So that's Luo Feng? He really does look utterly unremarkable."
Liu Yun now had the strength of a War General, and couldn't help but look down on Luo Feng a little. Put him in a crowd, and he'd be impossible to pick out. Yet he was the strongest person in Swallowed Star.
"This person... Why does he seem so powerful? I feel like I've seen him before."
Looking at Liu Yun's aura, Luo Feng vaguely recalled his past. He knew Liu Yun had been a Martial Artist for a long time, but had lost his strength because of an injury.
It was a little surprising that Liu Yun seemed to be taking the assessment with them now, but Luo Feng soon returned to his usual expression and focused on passing the test.
Liu Yun secretly kept an eye on Luo Feng. More Martial Artists soon arrived, and Liu Yun was already chatting with Luo Feng. It was clear that Luo Feng wasn't snobbish, so he got along well with Liu Yun despite Liu Yun's awkward status.
Before long, everyone had arrived. The person in charge checked that the numbers matched, but didn't call roll. He simply waved them along.
They took an open elevator to a huge training ground. A dozen or so Martial Artists were chatting there, led by Jiang Nian, the manager of the Limit Dojo.
Surprisingly, Li Lei was also among them. He was a Martial Artist, after all. When he saw Liu Yun coming to take a recovery test, disdain welled up in his heart.
"Hmph, what makes him think he belongs here? I'll teach him a lesson and make him leave in disgrace."
He had made many friends there, and believed they would know what to choose between a ruined Martial Artist and a young man with connections and influence.
So he began making arrangements in secret, hoping to get rid of Liu Yun. He absolutely couldn't let Liu Yun pass the test smoothly. He would either have to make sure Liu Yun failed the Quasi-Martial Artist test or kill him out in the wilderness.
Liu Yun also knew that society had fallen into decline and people had become callous. It was rare to find someone as chivalrous and warm-hearted as Luo Feng. How could Li Lei not be plotting against him?
"Hmph. I can't make a move here. When we go outside, I'll make sure Li Lei dies without a grave."
He planned it out in his mind. He was hidden, while Liu Yun was exposed. They hadn't even fought yet, and Liu Yun had already lost seven-tenths of the battle. There was no need to worry about what might happen later! But who could have known that Liu Yun would soon teach him a lesson, making him afraid to act recklessly.
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