Jiangnan Base City, Limit Dojo Headquarters.
Zhuge Tao sat in his chair, reviewing the latest Quasi-Warrior Assessment results from Yangzhou City.
"This is ridiculous. How did Zhou Ze manage this? He's increased the number of Quasi-Martial Artists in Yangzhou City by so much!"
Zhuge Tao could hardly believe it. According to the report, whenever Zhou Ze taught an evening class, all the senior trainees in Yangzhou City flocked to the Yi'an District Limit Martial Arts Branch. Even senior trainees from the surrounding satellite cities came from far and wide to learn from him.
"It's a waste to keep a Master Teacher like him in Yangzhou City. He could easily come to Headquarters and teach at the Basic Training Camp!"
Zhuge Tao was decisive. He immediately made a call.
"President, there's someone I'd like to talk to you about..."
Zhuge Tao had originally planned to wait until next year's Martial Artist Combat Assessment results came out before deciding. But after seeing what had happened over the past few months, he knew that if he didn't act soon and the Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall snatched Zhou Ze away, he'd be a disgrace to the dojo.
Meanwhile, Zhou Ze had just finished practicing the Ninefold Thunderblade. By entering a state where he absorbed Luo Feng's insights, his comprehension had become so extraordinary that it was as though his and Luo Feng's abilities had combined and then been elevated, giving him the ability to experience sudden enlightenment at any moment.
As a result, he had quickly mastered the sixth level of the Ninefold Thunderblade and reached the level of mastery! His punch now exceeded the power of a Junior War God. Even weaker Junior Lord-level Monsters were no match for him.
He walked up to the Punch Force Tester and, without using any Force Application Technique, slammed his fist into the target.
30,234 kg!
A mid-level War General's punch force ranged from 16,000 to 32,000 kg. Zhou Ze's punch force was already close to the Senior War General Level, but it was still useless. That last one or two thousand kilograms stood before him like an insurmountable chasm!
"Damn! I haven't improved at all. I've actually gotten weaker..." Zhou Ze sighed. His physical talent was pathetic. He suspected that if he hadn't pushed himself to train so hard, he would have barely reached the Junior War General Level.
Earthlings had terrible physical potential. Their lowest-grade bloodline was a huge handicap.
"I'll just take it easy and wait for Luo Feng to get me Water of Life, Dragon Blood, and Spirit of Plants..." Zhou Ze smiled, without a trace of resentment.
"Beep beep~"
Just then, Zhou Ze's phone rang. He saw that it was an official number from Limit Dojo Headquarters and answered. Zhuge Tao's voice came through:
"Zhou Ze, this is Zhuge Tao, director of the Limit Martial Arts Hall Headquarters in Jiangnan Base City. I've been keeping an eye on you lately..."
Zhuge Tao went on at length, but Zhou Ze understood what he meant.
During this time, Zhou Ze had been giving a lecture and coaching trainees at the Limit Martial Arts Hall once a week. His classes were always packed, to the point that Jiang Nian had been forced to impose restrictions. Even so, trainees kept finding people to pull strings for them.
But none of that had anything to do with Zhou Ze. He just did his own thing. If anyone came to ask, he gave them guidance. He was already unusually gifted at teaching, and after getting his cheat, he could get straight to the point with every lesson!
He didn't spend much time training his Psychic Power, but with his exceptional comprehension, he could still control six flying knives at their maximum power and open six secondary-consciousness windows at once.
As long as the senior trainees who received his guidance worked hard, they could easily master what he taught. Though Earthlings weren't physically gifted, they often had good comprehension, especially those who became senior trainees before turning thirty.
Under his instruction, the number of Quasi-Martial Artists in Yangzhou City had skyrocketed!
"Director, I understand what you mean, but I'm used to living in Yangzhou City, and I have a lot of freedom here. Teaching is teaching, wherever you do it. I can still make a difference in Yangzhou City..."
Zhou Ze declined tactfully. As an angel investor, Zhuge Tao had naturally offered him plenty of benefits, but Zhou Ze wasn't making up his reasons.
The Basic Training Camp really did have too many restrictions. In Yangzhou City, he had much more freedom. He only had to go to the dojo once a week and teach for one evening. It was far more comfortable this way.
"All right. It really is a shame..." Zhuge Tao said regretfully. "You and the President have both impressed us with your talent for teaching. If you did well at the Basic Training Camp, perhaps the Hall Master would personally reward you with Water of Life, or even Dragon Blood..."
Zhuge Tao still wasn't willing to give up. Even a fool knew what mattered more: a single genius, or a Master Teacher capable of cultivating a whole group of "geniuses."
"Thanks for the offer, Director..."
After ending the call with Zhuge Tao, Zhou Ze smiled. He had a good impression of this angel investor. Zhuge Tao had a sharp eye for talent and was decisive with his investments!
But even though Zhou Ze liked him, he still didn't want the hassle. With Luo Feng around, it wouldn't be long before he could lie at home while Luo Feng got him Water of Life, Dragon Blood, and even Spirit of Plants. Why go through all that trouble to travel to Limit Dojo Headquarters, all the way out in West Asia near Europe?
In the training hall of Zhou Ze's villa in Bright Moon District.
"Don't use the Ninefold Thunderblade's Force Application Technique yet."
At Zhou Ze's words, Luo Feng adjusted his breathing slightly. He looked like a gorilla charging forward, driving his whole body's strength into the movement as his fist swung in an arc.
Bang!
A low thud rang out, and a number appeared on the Punch Force Tester's display:
"16,101 kg."
Seeing that number, Luo Feng was dumbfounded. He stood frozen, unable to move, as if the result couldn't possibly be real.
"Teacher, is the tester broken?" Luo Feng scratched the back of his head, still unable to believe it.
Zhou Ze rolled his eyes. "It's only sixteen thousand. I thought all that crazy training would get you to twenty thousand. Turns out your physical talent isn't much better than mine."
"Based on how much your punch force increased the first time you absorbed cosmic energy, you're only above average—not even elite. The improvement you've gotten is mostly from your Psychic Power..."
By combining his blade technique, movement technique, and Guidance Technique, Luo Feng was practically cultivating Genetic Energy constantly as he trained. Naturally, his physical fitness had improved quickly.
Luo Feng didn't know what to say. "Teacher, my punch force has reached the mid-level War General range, and you're holding me to such a high standard?"
Luo Feng sighed, feeling somewhat helpless.
"That's enough for you?" Zhou Ze raised an eyebrow. "Being content means knowing where you stand and recognizing that you're making steady progress. It doesn't mean settling for what you've got."
"If you want to become a true powerhouse, you need to set your sights high..."
Luo Feng nodded confidently. "Yes. Thank you, Teacher. I understand. I'll definitely surpass the Hall Master!"
"No. That's only a small goal for your first stage..." Zhou Ze said quietly.
Luo Feng stared blankly at him.
Ignoring Luo Feng's stunned expression, Zhou Ze continued, "Don't just stand there. Keep going. Use the fifth level of the Ninefold Thunderblade!"
"Oh... right!" Luo Feng quickly snapped back to attention. Using the fifth level of the Ninefold Thunderblade, he slammed his fist into the Punch Force Tester:
"67,201 kg."
"War God Level! The minimum punch force for the War God Level is 64,000 kilograms. Teacher, my punch force has reached the War God Level!" Luo Feng was thrilled. He eagerly told Zhou Ze again and again.
Zhou Ze said calmly, "That's just the force you're generating with your technique. You think other War Gods don't use any techniques? My Force Emission is stronger than a Junior War God's, too."
As the protagonist of Swallowing Starry Sky, Luo Feng instinctively made the sort of gesture only a protagonist would make, scratching the back of his head with a grin. "I'm just excited."
"Combining everything, I'm not much weaker than an ordinary Junior War God now!" Luo Feng's eyes shone with confidence.
"More or less," Zhou Ze said with a nod. "You need to have a clear understanding of your own strength. It's like the money in your pocket: know how much you actually have. Don't fool yourself."
"You should go find a Junior Lord-level Monster to test yourself against and figure out your actual strength. You're a Spiritual Psychic, after all. An ordinary Intermediate Lord-level Monster can't hurt you."
"Right, right." Luo Feng nodded quickly. The pressure from the hundred-billion bounty weighed far less on him now. He believed it wouldn't be long before he had the strength of a mid-level, or even high-level, War God.
Zhou Ze nodded slightly. "That's enough."
"What's enough?" Luo Feng asked curiously.
"You're strong enough to apply for the Elite Training Camp, also known as the War God Preparatory Camp," Zhou Ze said.
"The War God Preparatory Camp? It doesn't sound all that special. Teacher, you said I already have the strength of a Junior War God as a warrior. Do I still need to go there?"
Luo Feng pursed his lips, making an expression that would never have appeared in the original story.
"It's not the same. Our Hall Master is the world's strongest, and Headquarters has plenty of good stuff..." Zhou Ze said with a smile. "You'll get better training there, especially when it comes to your physical fitness!"
"What's the point of having a great Force Application Technique? Your basic physical attributes are what matter..."
Zhou Ze spoke softly.
"But..." Luo Feng's throat bobbed. He was a little choked up.
Zhou Ze raised an eyebrow. Seeing Luo Feng's expression made him feel awkward. He couldn't stand this sort of thing. "It's not like we won't see each other again. Why are you acting like we're parting forever...?"
"Come on, come on. Don't be so sentimental..."
Before you continue