In the height of summer, the sun blazed over Nanjiang City, and the heat was so fierce that even the cicadas cried without pause.
With the scores and cutoff lines announced, people's lives gradually returned to normal. But for Lin Ye, the days ahead were clearly divided in two: one part was the cool air from the AC at home and his mother's occasional, hesitant glances; the other was the steaming heat inside the public training hall and the traces of sweat dripping onto the floor.
His progress over the two months had been steady.
In particular, his determination to bring Lost Track Steps to Consummation led Lin Ye to quietly revise his schedule once again. He increased his daily training from four hours to six. He devoted two hours in the morning or evening to Thunder Blade, and all four afternoon hours to Lost Track Steps, immersing himself wholeheartedly in its myriad variations.
As a result, his progress became even more visible.
Lost Track Steps went from gaining around ten points a day to twenty. On the occasional day when he overdid it, he even racked up twenty to twenty-five points of proficiency. Thunder Blade gained five to ten points a day, and as he grew more familiar with the technique, that figure was edging closer to ten.
He also occasionally went out to the virtual combat room for a few matches. That was when Lost Track Steps, which had reached the Great Achievement stage, displayed its terrifying suppressive power. Often, just as his opponent was about to launch a move, Lin Ye would rely on his superb spatial awareness to appear at their side with a flicker. He didn't even need to draw his blade; one punch was enough to knock them down. This left him rather troubled.