Blade Art - Perfection

Li Wen's consciousness sank into the invisible domain built by lv3 [Absolute Focus]. The sounds and gazes of the outside world, even the passage of time, all grew indistinct.

Only the icy feel of the standard-issue Fine Steel Blade in his hand, and the blade principles flowing through his mind, growing ever purer and clearer, were real.

The Tiger Guard Blade Art had long since transcended its fixed forms in his hands.

Every swing was no longer an imitation, tracing someone else's movements, but a natural pursuit of the optimal solution for every muscle, bone, and flow of blood and qi in his body.

Subtle adjustments to angle, force, and speed came effortlessly. His Blade Force flowed without pause, quick and slow in harmony. Every slash deftly overcame the air's resistance and more accurately predicted its target's path.

The bottleneck that had held him back from that final step, like a layer of film, was now covered in countless fine, spiderweb-like cracks under the unrelenting impact of his concentrated insights.

While Li Wen was immersed in the world of blade art, the other martial arts students in Class 21 arrived at the martial arts classroom earlier than usual.

Clearly, the recent news of the Flying Star Class's progress and Li Wen's rapid improvement in blade art had given them quite a jolt.

Yet when they pushed open that familiar door, heavy with the scent of sweat and perseverance, the scene they had expected came into view.

In the corner of the classroom, Li Wen was already drenched in sweat as he practiced. The familiar sound of a Fine Steel Blade slicing through the air carried a rhythm that sounded different to everyone now.

"Tsk, the grind king's at it again, as expected." Someone muttered under his breath, his tone tinged with the usual helplessness and a numb "just as I thought."

"Hey, wait..." A boy who had been practicing blade art for months and was likewise driven to distraction by the final bottleneck of Advanced Greater Accomplishment was the first to notice something strange. He stopped, brows knitted, and stared at Li Wen's movements.

"Do you guys feel like the grind king's blade... is different today?"

"Hm?" Prompted by him, several other classmates who were also stuck at the bottleneck focused their attention on Li Wen.

"It does seem a little... smoother? I can't put my finger on it."

"Like... every move is more precise? That feeling..."

"Could he..." The first boy's voice took on a note of incredulous alarm. "He only reached Greater Accomplishment in blade art less than a week ago, right? Is he about to... break through to Perfection?!"

The words landed like a boulder tossed into a placid lake.

The pupils of the boys who knew just how unyielding this bottleneck was, like an impregnable wall that drove people to despair, instantly shrank.

The shortest time any of them had been stuck at the bottleneck was over a month. Some had even endured nearly half a semester of it. Day after day of hard practice had done nothing to budge it.

And now, someone who had only crossed the threshold of Greater Accomplishment seven days ago was about to leap over the chasm that had mired them in misery and pain?

Shock, envy, bitterness, a hint of indescribable jealousy, and a crushing sense of disparity seized their hearts.

"Xue Jun! Xue Jun's here!" Someone with a sharp eye spotted the class's top student just stepping through the doorway and immediately called out, as if he had found someone to lean on.

"Xue Jun! Come look! The grind king... is his blade art about to break through?"

The urgent atmosphere left Xue Jun, who had just entered, bewildered. He instinctively shook his head. "What are you talking about? It's only been a few days since he reached Greater Accomplishment..."

But the others looked unusually serious, not as if they were putting on an act. They even moved aside to point out Li Wen in the corner. Xue Jun's heart gave a jolt. He put aside his doubts and looked over with a critical eye.

After only a glance, Xue Jun's brows knitted together of their own accord.

As the only person in Class 21 currently at Advanced Technique - Perfection, he knew all too well that feeling of being on the verge of a breakthrough.

The blade art Li Wen was practicing differed in its details from Xue Jun's spear art, but its smooth, seamless flow, as if it could pierce the final layer of paper at any moment, was at least seventy to eighty percent like what Xue Jun had felt before his own breakthrough.

A powerful shock caught in Xue Jun's breath.

He watched Li Wen's unceasing movements. A moment later, he finally spoke, his voice slow and solemn, his tone complicated.

"...It looks like our class is about to welcome its second person with Advanced Technique - Perfection."

His voice wasn't loud, but everyone nearby who had been listening closely heard him clearly.

"He really is about to break through!"

"Seven days... it's only been seven days!" Xue Jun's judgment sounded like a final verdict, setting off an uproar among the small crowd.

Envy, admiration, disbelief, and even deeper jealousy twisted across their faces, all finally giving way to utter shock.

They realized that Li Wen—the boy who only knew how to mechanically slash day after day, earning the nickname "grind king"—might really be gone for good.

At the center of the storm, Li Wen remained completely unaware of the discussion and stares around him. His entire mind was immersed in the blade in his hands.

His body's instinctive fatigue was suppressed by intense mental exhilaration. Absolute Focus at lv3 gave him a speed of deduction and depth of understanding he had never experienced before.

The tenth repetition!

The final form of the Tiger Guard Blade Art—"Tiger Crouching at the Pass"!

The blade tore through the air, fierce and unmatched! At the instant it sliced through the air and reached the peak of speed and force—

Buzz! It was as if an invisible shackle in his mind had been smashed apart by a surging flood of Blade Intent!

Countless subtle intricacies he had never understood or thought through before suddenly came together, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

An unprecedented sense of perfection, clarity, and absolute control welled up within him.

He'd done it! Tiger Guard Blade Art—Perfection Realm!

At that very moment, the bell for the second martial arts class of the afternoon rang out in quick succession, without a pause.

Ding-a-ling-ling!

The ringing bell jolted Li Wen from his immersion.

Fatigue surged through every limb, a sign that his mind and body had been pushed to their limits. Yet beneath the exhaustion lay an indescribable ease and clarity.

"Haa..." Li Wen let out a long, deep breath, expelling the stale air from his lungs.

He stopped his blade without thinking and glanced around. Only then did he belatedly notice the classroom's unusual silence.

It was dead quiet. Dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed on him, their expressions too complicated to describe. Only the insistent bell continued to ring.

Then—

"Whoa!" The room erupted like a pot of boiling water. An uproar louder than the bell burst out, swallowing the entire martial arts classroom!

"B-breakthrough?! He really broke through?!"

"Holy crap! Seven days! From Greater Accomplishment to Perfection!"

"Seven days!!"

"He's awakened! He really awakened!!!" Wei Wu's voice was the loudest and most excited, almost a shout. His face was alight with undisguised delight.

As a fellow member of the "grind" and a classmate who wasn't a direct competitor, he was genuinely happy for Li Wen.

"Excellent!!!" A booming, rousing voice drowned out the commotion. It was Wang Hu, the martial arts teacher, who had happened to enter the classroom just as the bell rang.

His face was flushed, his eyes bright as he stared at Li Wen. He was the first to clap, his hands striking together hard.

"Excellent! Well done, Li Wen! It looks like this time, Class 21 has a very good chance of securing another spot in the Flying Star Class selection! This is a remarkable step forward!"

With Wang Hu leading the way, the noisy chatter quickly turned into thunderous applause.

Everyone, whatever they were thinking, set it aside for the moment and clapped as hard as they could.

Astonishment, complicated feelings, and envy all flowed together in the applause, which rang on for a full five or six minutes. Only when Wang Hu waved for everyone to stop did the classroom return to order.

"All right! Li Wen's breakthrough is a good thing. He's a source of pride for Class 21! But I hope it can also motivate every one of you!"

Wang Hu stood in the middle of the training area, his voice booming. "Look at Li Wen. He didn't have an advantage in his starting point, and resources were an even greater weakness. Yet with sheer perseverance and steady accumulation, he shattered the first solid bottleneck in his path!

"What does that tell us? Hard work and persistence are never wasted! Now, get your spirits up. Take Li Wen as your goal and focus on today's training!"

Perhaps it was because they had witnessed an almost impossible miracle happen right before their eyes, or perhaps Wang Hu's rare words of hope and enthusiasm had moved them.

That afternoon, the atmosphere in Class 21's martial arts classroom grew more focused and intense than ever before.

The students called out their training counts with more force than usual, and strove to make every movement precise. Even those who usually slacked off now had a flame in their eyes, a refusal to fall behind and a desire to give it a try.

Looking over the whole class, its spirit soaring, Wang Hu wore a smile he could barely suppress.

When classes were divided, he had drawn Class 21—a "retirement" class full of students with powerful family connections and the weakest overall martial arts ability. He had once felt utterly disheartened, thinking only of getting through his teaching duties.

But Li Wen, this dark horse who had suddenly emerged, had brought him an unexpected delight—and even a chance to turn things around.

He couldn't help looking several times at Li Wen in the corner, diligently practicing to consolidate his Perfection Realm. A deeper hope shone in his eyes.

Advanced Technique - Perfection alone might not be enough to attract the attention of truly important people.

But if... if Li Wen could press forward and step into the critical threshold of martial arts transcendence—the Unity Realm?

As the homeroom teacher of the martial arts class who had discovered and trained him, the reward... would be enough to make Wang Hu drool.

He had heard about the generous bonuses received by the homeroom teachers of the few students at Qingshi No.1 High School who had been signed early.

A hundred thousand to start, perhaps even five hundred thousand... For a man like him, stuck at the peak of Intermediate Warrior with his blood and qi not yet noticeably declining, that money would be the key resource he needed to break through to Super Warrior.

The thought made Wang Hu feel his heart begin to race.

He took a deep breath, forcing down the turbulent emotions within him.

"Easy, easy. He's only just reached Advanced Perfection... Let's watch a little longer and see how his comprehension develops... The Unity Realm can't be rushed..."

He silently reminded himself, but he was already looking at Li Wen as if he could see his future windfall, his gaze blazing.

The class bell rang.

Time flew by during their focused training. In the blink of an eye, the first class of the afternoon had ended.

"Li Wen!" Wang Hu called out, his voice carrying a hint of barely concealed excitement. "Come with me for a moment."

"Yes, sir!" Li Wen understood. He put away his blade and quickly went over to Wang Hu.

He knew what this meant—after reaching Perfection in blade art, Wang Hu was taking him to choose a Peak Blade Art.

It was the key to a higher level, and would be crucial to whether he could stand out in the Flying Star Class selection and the final martial arts test.

Basic, advanced, peak—the differences between them were like a heavenly chasm. Even the Initiation Realm of a Peak Blade Art was enough to crush Advanced Perfection.

Only two days remained until the final exam. How much could he accomplish in such a short time? Would he face the exam at a huge disadvantage with Advanced Perfection, or take a risk and gamble on Peak Initiation?

If he succeeded at the latter, it would be a qualitative leap. If he failed, he would probably have to take the final exam with his Advanced Perfection blade art.

A heavy sense of urgency pressed on his heart, but it also kindled an even fiercer battle spirit in his eyes.

Without another word, Li Wen followed Wang Hu out of the noisy classroom.

They hurried along the covered walkway between the teaching buildings and soon arrived in front of the school's largest repository of books—the Qingshi No.3 High School Library.

After entering the spacious lobby, Wang Hu headed straight for an elevator marked "Staff Only." He swiped his card to activate it. The elevator rose smoothly, its floor numbers ticking upward, until it stopped at the sixth floor.

"Ding!" The doors slid open onto a quiet corridor, its floor covered in sound-absorbing carpet and its walls lit by soft sconces.

Wang Hu strode directly toward a heavy metal door at the end of the hall, inscribed with intricate energy patterns. The nameplate clearly read: [Top Technique Room].

Wang Hu reached out and pressed the doorbell beside it.

Ding-dong!

About ten seconds later, accompanied by the faint sound of machinery, the heavy metal door silently slid open.

An alert old man with keen, eagle-sharp eyes appeared behind it. He stood tall in a simple Training Suit. His gaze swept over Wang Hu before settling on Li Wen, studying him.

Wang Hu introduced him first. "Elder Han, this is student Li Wen. He's reached Perfection in blade art. By the rules, I've brought him here to choose a Peak Blade Art." He deliberately patted Li Wen on the shoulder, as if presenting him.

Elder Han's gaze lingered on Li Wen's face for a moment. His sharp eyes seemed able to pierce through flesh and reach straight to his bones and spirit.

He gave a slight nod and stepped aside. "Mm. Come in." His voice was steady and strong.

"This is his third time choosing a blade art. I won't go in; I still have another class shortly."

Wang Hu pointed to his watch as he explained to Elder Han. Then he turned to Li Wen and squeezed his shoulder, his eyes full of encouragement and expectation.

"Choose carefully! Don't waste the opportunity! Come straight back to class when you're done." With that, he turned and hurried toward the elevator.

"Thank you, Teacher Wang!" Li Wen called after Wang Hu once more.

Elder Han looked at Li Wen and said, "Tell me the names of your basic blade art, advanced blade art, and basic blood-and-qi cultivation method."

"All right, Elder Han. Basic blade art: Basic Twelve Forms. Advanced blade art: Tiger Guard Blade Art. Basic cultivation method: Fracture Edge Gold Sha Method." Li Wen answered clearly.

Elder Han walked to the console beside the door and entered the information.

Then he instructed Li Wen, "Stand in that monitoring area and perform the Tiger Guard Blade Art you're best at. Focus completely."

Li Wen followed the instructions and stepped into the open area designated by the console. Holding his breath and steadying his mind, he performed the Tiger Guard Blade Art he had just mastered, its movements perfectly fluid and natural.

The console glimmered faintly. An invisible wave of energy swept across Li Wen's body and the path of his blade.

Just half a minute later, the prism at the center of the console lit up with a holographic projection, clearly displaying four Peak Blade Arts in three dimensions:

Rainbow Light Blade Art—Compatibility: 99.9%

Gale Blade Art—Compatibility: 99.6%

Jade Tiger Blade Art—Compatibility: 99.5%

Golden Dragon Blade Art—Compatibility: 99.3%

Rainbow Light and Gale emphasized speed and agility, while Jade Tiger and Golden Dragon focused on killing power and offense.

But the glaring "99.9%" compatibility at the top of the screen shone like a lighthouse in the night, instantly drawing all of Li Wen's attention.

"Elder Han, I choose Rainbow Light Blade Art." Without hesitation, Li Wen pointed to the blade art in the hologram, which looked like a streak of flowing light.

Extreme speed, combined with his lv3 Absolute Focus, was the path he desired most at this moment.

Elder Han glanced at the highest compatibility score, a hint of approval in his eyes. "Not bad. Choosing the highest compatibility will benefit you most, both in reaching Initiation and in your later progress."

He said no more, walking over to the main control computer and tapping away before speaking.

"Your access has been activated. For the next three days, you can use your student ID to go directly to the Top Technique Comprehension Room on the top floor for immersive video study and preliminary comprehension.

"Remember, three days! Once your video study is over, you must return to normal classroom practice. The final exam is close, and practical training in martial arts class is important too."

"Thank you, Elder Han!" Li Wen said solemnly.

Taking Elder Han's silent cue that he could leave, Li Wen bowed once more and turned to walk out of the room, which was steeped in the aura of advanced cultivation methods.

The metal door silently closed behind him, shutting away the weighty atmosphere. Standing before the elevator in the corridor, Li Wen clenched his fist.

Three days! He had only three days to study the virtual images of Rainbow Light Blade Art! And less than 48 hours until the final exam! Every second counted; there was no time to lose.

He took a deep breath and pressed the elevator's down button. The overhead lights were reflected in his eyes, as if they were reflecting the future he had just chosen—the future named Rainbow Light.

At last, the door leading to a higher level had opened a crack for him.