May Your Martial Fortune Flourish

At dusk, the setting sun dyed the sky orange-red.

As usual, Lin Ye finished his luxurious meal. After resting for a while, he returned to the Martial Arts Hall.

Compared to previous days, it was even quieter today.

Only seven or eight figures were scattered throughout the Martial Arts Hall. There would usually be more; in the evenings, a dozen or so students would come to practice.

Zhang Zhen was practicing a seemingly fierce set of kicks, constantly adjusting the angles of his moves. Li Weiwei was practicing a movement technique on the other side, her motions graceful and swift. Zhao Qiang and Zhou Qian were sparring, while Wang Hao and Zhao Lin practiced on their own. In a corner, a familiar-looking student whose name Lin Ye couldn't recall silently practiced Rolling Stone Fist.

Lin Ye quietly surveyed the room, and a faint feeling of emotion rose in his heart. Those who had persevered until now were undoubtedly the most resolute among the Martial Arts Stream students.

The pressure of the High School Entrance Exam was like a sieve, sifting away the restless and leaving behind the seeds of those who truly yearned to grow stronger and could endure loneliness and pressure.

As for whether those seeds could sprout, that depended on how each of them had prepared.

Afterward, he didn't disturb anyone. He went to his usual spot and began that evening's training. First, he used Consummation-grade Mountain-Suppressing Fist to loosen up his muscles and bones. His Fist Momentum was steady and condensed, carrying the faint impression of a towering mountain. Then he devoted himself to painstakingly practicing Lost Track Steps.

[Lost Track Steps · Proficient (460/500)]

In just over a month, he had progressed from beginner to proficient. Now, he was only one step away from Mastery Grade. As his footwork grew more fluid, the awkwardness in his shifts between real and feigned movements had greatly diminished. His short-range bursts and changes of direction had also become more elusive.

Compared with Mountain-Suppressing Fist's steady Fist Momentum, the two techniques were one still and one moving, one stable and one elusive, forming a strangely contrasting style.

"That guy really did manage to learn it."

After finishing his fist training, Zhang Zhen glanced at Lin Ye's elusive footwork and winced. He couldn't help hoping he wouldn't run into Lin Ye at the martial arts exam.

"But it's still fine, as long as he hasn't grasped the Subtlety of the Square Inch."

Zhang Zhen murmured to himself. What made Lost Track Steps truly frightening wasn't its elusive footwork, but the spatial rhythm of its Consummation stage. If someone mastered the Principle of Space, then even a Blood-Qi Realm martial artist would have a hard time facing Lin Ye, who was only in the Body Tempering Realm.

"Drip!"

Time slipped quietly by amid the fall of sweat and the soft patter of footsteps.

The number of people in the Martial Arts Hall gradually dwindled.

Night deepened.

When moonlight streamed through the windows and spilled its clear radiance across the room, Lin Ye stopped practicing Lost Track Steps. He regulated his breathing, then settled into the Primordial Stance.

This time, his mind was unusually clear.

[Primordial Stance proficiency +1...]

[Primordial Stance proficiency +1...]

[Primordial Stance proficiency +1...]

When his proficiency finally filled to the brim, a realization surfaced in his mind.

"The primordial state is one in which the original energy has yet to divide, and chaos remains whole.

Those words had been taught by his martial arts teacher in his first year of high school, when he had first begun practicing Primordial Stance. Back then, Lin Ye hadn't understood them, but now he suddenly grasped them a little. Consummation wasn't simply a matter of piling on strength. It meant bringing the Blood Qi throughout one's body into perfect unity."

In that instant, his awareness sank deep into his body. He clearly "saw" his Blood Qi surging along specific pathways, converging and circulating again and again. He also felt the Blood Qi throughout his body become incomparably smooth and harmonious.

Yet the changes didn't stop there.

The moment his Primordial Stance realm settled into Consummation, the panel appeared.

[Primordial Stance · Consummation (1000/1000), can break limits]

The words "can break limits" appeared as before.

With a thought, he tapped the option to break limits.

A more refined stance technique than Primordial Stance flooded his mind.

Spirit-Nurturing Stance!

"Nurturing the spirit" meant cultivating the vitality within one's Blood Qi and harmonizing body and mind. It not only strengthened the foundation, but also increased Blood Qi and sharpened one's perception.

Following the method of Spirit-Nurturing Stance, Lin Ye began adjusting his stance. His toes rose and fell as he felt the pulse of the earth more deeply, savoring its nourishment.

Before long, Lin Ye slowly finished the stance and opened his eyes. A gentle gleam flashed in his gaze, then faded.

He could feel that the adjustments from Spirit-Nurturing Stance had given his body the equivalent of a gentle cleansing. His condition was better than before: his Blood Qi was full, his mind clear, and his control over his own body had reached a new level.

[Name: Lin Ye]

[Realm: Late Body Tempering Stage (330/500)]

[Martial Arts: Spirit-Nurturing Stance · Consummation; Mountain-Suppressing Fist · Consummation; Lost Track Steps · Proficient (465/500)]

Now, two of his martial arts had reached Consummation, and Lost Track Steps was only thirty-five points away from Mastery Grade.

If he concentrated on practicing over the next three days, he should have no trouble advancing Lost Track Steps to Mastery Grade.

He looked around. Only Zhang Zhen and Li Weiwei remained in the Martial Arts Hall, though both were nearing the end of their training and would probably leave once they finished.

Zhang Zhen had just finished practicing his kicks and was wiping away his sweat with a towel. When he noticed Lin Ye looking his way, he nodded at him.

At the same time, Li Weiwei finished her movement training for the day. She was breathing a little hard, her cheeks flushed, and looked quite alluring. She tidied the damp strands of hair clinging to her forehead. When she noticed Lin Ye looking at her, she gave him a warm smile.

Zhang Zhen tucked his towel into his bag, then took out his water bottle and drank deeply. Between gulps, he grinned and called out to Lin Ye.

"Lin Ye, keep it up!"

"Don't mess up at the High School Entrance Exam. I'll be waiting for you at Qingjiang Martial University."

Zhang Zhen teased him.

"With your grades, Qingjiang Martial University should be a sure thing. You might even have a shot at one of the Regional Martial Universities."

Lin Ye smiled.

Zhang Zhen's grades were good. For one thing, his theoretical foundation was solid and his academic scores were high. For another, his Blood Qi Value wasn't low. He might not seem good at actual combat, but that was only when he was up against stronger opponents.

"You never know. Qingjiang Martial University, the key university in the province, is a safe bet for me."

Zhang Zhen shrugged. Lin Ye wasn't wrong. With his grades, he had a good chance of getting into a Regional Martial University.

Just then, Li Weiwei came over after packing her things. Seeing the two of them laughing so happily, she couldn't help feeling curious.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Universities."

Lin Ye smiled. "Where's our class monitor planning to go? One of the top martial universities?"

"Jiangnan Martial University or Modu Martial University, maybe. I haven't decided. If I don't do well, I might choose Tianshu Martial Academy."

Li Weiwei thought it over for a few seconds.

"Not Kyoto Martial University?"

Lin Ye was a little curious. Jiangnan Martial University and Modu Martial University shouldn't have been as famous as Kyoto Martial University. As for Tianshu Martial Academy, it ranked first among the Regional Martial Universities, but still wasn't one of Great Xia's top martial academies.

"It's a secret."

Li Weiwei covered her mouth and chuckled.

"After all those questions, what about you, Lin Ye?"

Zhang Zhen asked.

"Me?"

Lin Ye thought it over. His former self had once considered getting into an ordinary Martial University a pipe dream. Now...

"Qingjiang Martial University, I guess. If I'm lucky, I might make it into East Sea Martial University."

Lin Ye smiled, his tone carrying a hint of satisfaction.

"East Sea Martial University isn't ranked very high among the Regional Martial Universities, but you really do have a good shot, Lin Ye. You're at the Late Body Tempering Stage now, aren't you?"

Zhang Zhen muttered. He hadn't seen Lin Ye get tested lately, so he wasn't sure how far his Blood Qi had advanced.

Lin Ye smiled without confirming or denying it.

"All right, I knew it."

Zhang Zhen pursed his lips, said nothing more, and waved as he strode away.

"Lin Ye,"

Li Weiwei asked, "your stance technique seems to have improved again. When you finished just now, your breathing seemed so harmonious."

Lin Ye couldn't help marveling at how observant Li Weiwei was. "I've figured out a few things."

He didn't elaborate, but neither did he deny it.

"That's wonderful."

Seeing that Lin Ye hadn't denied it, Li Weiwei smiled, her eyes filled with pure admiration. "I understand. Keep it up and stay in good shape. I believe you'll do well on the High School Entrance Exam."

"We'll... see each other at university."

Her words carried a hint of anticipation.

"See you at university."

Lin Ye replied firmly. Li Weiwei's smile grew brighter, and she waved before leaving the Martial Arts Hall.

At once, the Martial Arts Hall fell completely silent, with Lin Ye alone inside.

The lights stretched his shadow long across the floor, while the metal surfaces of the equipment reflected a cold gleam. The warmth left behind by everyone's training slowly faded, bit by bit.

The Martial Arts Hall was now utterly still. Lin Ye could even hear his own steady, powerful heartbeat.

Lonely?

Perhaps a little, but more than that, he felt a familiar immersion, one that even brought him a measure of comfort.

For the past three months, this was how he had spent countless nights: accompanied by his sweat and his breathing, watching the proficiency on his panel steadily rise.

It had brought him immense joy.

So, what should he do next?

Naturally, practice Lost Track Steps and grind out those remaining thirty-five proficiency points.

Lin Ye then devoted all his energy to practicing Lost Track Steps.

He settled into position and quietly rehearsed the steps.

He no longer pursued speed or unpredictability. Instead, he focused on the bottlenecks he encountered, repeatedly feeling out the subtle connections between his steps and breathing, the shifts in his center of gravity, and his spatial awareness—connections that still weren't completely smooth.

A step, a turn, a pivot.

His mind was clear, and his body moved on instinct.

[Lost Track Steps proficiency +2...]

[Lost Track Steps proficiency +2...]

Time slipped quietly away, and the night outside grew ever darker.

When the clock struck ten, the Martial Arts Hall's bell rang again. Lin Ye finally stopped. He glanced at the Proficiency Panel, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly as a quiet joy welled up in his heart.

His proficiency had risen quickly just now, increasing by twenty points in an hour—far faster than usual. Although he hadn't made it to Mastery Grade in one leap, it had reached (485/500), leaving only the final fifteen points before he advanced.

At the same time, he felt he had gained a deeper understanding of his footwork, and a slightly clearer grasp of that "intent."

Perhaps tomorrow, he would advance to Mastery Grade naturally.

Since the hall was now closing, he stopped practicing. He turned off the lights, picked up his bag, locked the door, and left the Martial Arts Hall.

The campus at night was completely different from how it looked by day. With the High School Entrance Exam fast approaching, it was also much emptier than usual. Tree shadows swayed in the breeze, and only a few scattered lights remained in the distant classroom buildings.

Meanwhile, the day's bustle and excitement, along with the students' parting sorrow, seemed to be absorbed by the stillness of the night.

He walked along the corridor, feeling the cool evening breeze and hearing his own footsteps inside the Martial Arts Pavilion.

Just as he reached the stairwell, footsteps suddenly sounded from the stairs above. Lin Ye looked up and saw someone with a backpack, whose figure seemed familiar, slowly coming down.

It was Chen Mo.

Lin Ye recognized him at once. Chen Mo had just finished training too. His bangs were damp with sweat and clung to his temples, and his face still carried a flush from his intense workout.

Just then, Chen Mo also looked up, and their eyes met.

Both of them froze, surprised to find themselves in this situation again.

The air fell silent for a moment.

Their gazes quickly shifted away. Chen Mo moved his lips, seeming to want to say something, but his habitual silence kept the words trapped in his throat. He merely nodded at Lin Ye in greeting. Lin Ye hesitated for a moment, then, seeing Chen Mo nod to him, nodded back.

And so, the two of them descended the stairs one after the other in silence, their footsteps especially clear in the quiet night. After they had walked for a while, Chen Mo picked up his pace and caught up with Lin Ye just as they left the Martial Arts Pavilion.

Under the dim yellow streetlights, they walked side by side toward the school gate.

They continued in silence for a short while, until the brighter streets beyond the school gate came into view. Just then, Chen Mo suddenly stopped and said softly,

"Good luck on the High School Entrance Exam!"

Lin Ye was taken aback. Then he turned to look at him.

Under the dim yellow streetlights, he could still make out Chen Mo's dark, plain features and the earnest look on his face.

"Yeah. You too."

There were no fancy words, no rousing encouragement, just a few simple, direct words—the plainest blessing one traveler could offer another.

But after saying that, Lin Ye felt it wasn't quite enough. He thought for a moment, then offered the blessing most often used in this martial age.

"May your martial fortune flourish."

"May my martial fortune flourish?"

At those words, Chen Mo froze too. A faint but deeply genuine smile appeared on his usually expressionless face.

He nodded at Lin Ye as well.

"May your martial fortune flourish too."

"Me?"

"May my martial fortune flourish?"

Lin Ye smiled, suddenly feeling that the phrase "may your martial fortune flourish" was wonderful.

"Then may martial fortune flourish for both of us."