Mind Enlightenment

Lingnan Martial Arts No.1 High School, Third Floor Corridor.

A group of students leaned against the railing, trading gossip.

"Teacher Li Yuan is taking our martial arts classes next month. Teacher Jin Fan is going to the Southeast Region's Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament."

"Wasn't Teacher Li Yuan supposed to compete in the Youth Martial Tournament?

He earned the Grade Points over three years of summer and winter breaks. He earned that spot in the Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament himself."

"I don't know. Teacher Jin Fan said it himself when they went to the Martial Arts Training Room to ask questions."

"Of the teachers under thirty, Teacher Jin Fan really is the most talented and strongest.

If he goes, he'll bring more honor to our school."

Students often heard about teachers' trips and upcoming breaks before many of the teachers did.

This time, Li Yuan learned the news early from the students' conversation.

Li Yuan was thirty this year, the maximum age for the Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament.

He had sacrificed a great deal for this opportunity.

Three years of work had earned him enough Grade Points for a place in the Youth Martial Tournament.

He had been stuck in the Fourth Grade Realm for a long time. Only by advancing to Fifth Grade could he qualify for selection as an Intermediate Lecturer.

The Youth Martial Tournament lasted a full month, and each contestant received one B-grade Nutrient Fluid every day.

Ten years had passed since Li Yuan crossed into this High Martial World. He knew just how important resources were.

Even if he achieved nothing in the tournament, thirty days of B-grade Nutrient Fluid would give him a tremendous boost.

With that, he could surely become a Fifth-Rank Martial Artist.

At thirty, he was already "middle-aged" in the mouths of many students.

Li Yuan wanted to earn more money, too, so his family would not have to scrape by.

These days, he dreaded calls from his parents at night.

He feared they might fall ill or suffer some sudden accident.

He had little in savings. He could not afford even one moderately expensive course of treatment.

This Youth Martial Tournament in the Southeast Region was his best chance to reach Fifth Grade.

If he missed it, things would only get harder.

Besides, he had earned his place in the tournament himself.

This time, Li Yuan would not back down.

At six o'clock on Friday afternoon, the students went home.

The teachers of Lingshan Middle School gathered in the Multimedia Conference Room for their Weekly Meeting.

They reviewed the week's work and made plans for the next.

If the Education Bureau had any inspections coming up, those would be mentioned as well.

Once the work arrangements were settled, the school leaders moved on to a few other matters.

Director Ma Tingde brought up the Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament.

"After discussion, the school leadership has decided that Teacher Jin Fan will represent Lingnan Martial Arts No.1 High School at the Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament late next month.

We thank Teacher Li Yuan for his efforts.

He worked hard to earn the place in this tournament.

Let's give him a round of applause for his contribution."

Applause filled the large room.

Li Yuan stood and nodded to the teachers around him.

The applause faded, but he did not sit down.

"Teacher Li Yuan, did you have something to say?" Director Ma asked, looking at him.

"I earned that place in the Youth Martial Tournament for myself, Director Ma," Li Yuan said. "So I intend to compete."

The teachers turned sharply toward him, their faces full of surprise.

Li Yuan had said it outright, in front of everyone.

In the front row, Jin Fan's expression remained calm, though a trace of displeasure entered his eyes.

Director Ma Tingde was surprised too.

He had expected Li Yuan to come to him privately and complain at most.

Director Ma glanced at the principal beside him.

Li Yuan had openly opposed the school leadership's decision.

The principal looked impatient, as though blaming Director Ma for failing to keep Li Yuan in line.

"Teacher Li Yuan, the school leadership has already made its decision. Let's leave it there.

As teachers, we need to see the bigger picture and look to the future."

With a few words, Director Ma tried to silence him.

After turning thirty, Li Yuan had learned a simple lesson.

Ordinary people should never trust talk of looking to the future.

They had no seat at the table, and when it came time to divide the benefits, they had no say.

For ordinary people, looking to the future only meant losing out now and losing out again later.

So today, Li Yuan would fight for what was his.

"Director Ma is right. In that case, Teacher Jin Fan should see the bigger picture and look to the future.

I earned that place in the Youth Martial Tournament. There's no need to take it from me."

The bluntness of "take it from me" made his words sound defiant.

The teachers around him held their breath.

None had expected the Weekly Meeting to turn into this.

The school leaders' faces darkened.

Director Ma realized he could not brush this aside.

"Teacher Li, places in the Youth Martial Tournament are awarded through school nominations.

The school leadership has the right to decide which teacher to send.

We made this arrangement for the sake of Lingshan Martial Arts No.1 High School's reputation. Teacher Jin Fan can achieve a better result.

You're a teacher. Don't show less regard for the bigger picture than your students."

Director Ma's tone had hardened too.

But this time, Li Yuan had no intention of yielding.

The bigger picture? Looking to the future? What bullshit.

"You're right, Director. The school does decide who competes.

But I earned the Grade Points that secured this place.

I can give it up."

Li Yuan had made himself clear: he would rather see both sides lose than hand over his chance to compete.

No one at the martial arts school had expected him to stand so firm today.

Principal Yin, who had been silent until now, spoke into the stillness. "Teacher Jin Fan can at least make the top thirty. Teacher Li, can you even make the top hundred?"

His words were a challenge.

After a pause, he continued, "You earned that place in the Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament through your own hard work.

But giving it to Teacher Jin Fan means giving it to someone better suited to compete.

If he achieves a good ranking, won't some of that honor come to you as well?"

Li Yuan answered without hesitation. "Thank you for your consideration, Principal, but I'd like to make something of myself for once. I can't always bask in someone else's glory."

Seeing that Li Yuan refused to listen, Principal Yin's face grew darker still.

In the principal's eyes, Li Yuan's offense was no longer merely fighting for a place. He had challenged his authority.

As far as Li Yuan was concerned, every outcome was bad for him anyway. He might as well fight.

He was thirty and had already missed many of the best years for advancing in the Martial Dao.

"Li Yuan, we can't send just anyone to the Youth Martial Tournament.

If you think this is unfair, if you think the school has wronged you, we'll hold an internal contest early next month. The winner will represent the school.

If you're still unhappy, we'll cancel the place and nobody will go.

Meeting adjourned!"

The principal rose and was the first to leave the conference room.

The others got up in silence. Only after leaving did they begin talking quietly.

In their view, Li Yuan had no future at the school.

Whether he could even keep working there was uncertain.

But to Li Yuan, the principal's supposed compromise was still unfair.

He had poured his time and energy into earning that place, and this was his last chance.

Why should he have to compete with others for it?

Li Yuan pushed down his frustration.

With no powerful connections to rely on, it was only natural to face obstacles.

At least now he had a chance to fight for it.

Work was over, but Li Yuan did not go home right away.

He returned to his office and closed his eyes to rest for a moment.

Suddenly, the Light Screen appeared before him again.

On the day he turned thirty, Li Yuan had begun noticing strange things around him.

Small points of light sometimes appeared across the school.

When he touched one, a line of text flashed before his eyes.

[Experience Points +1]

Over the past two months, he had collected more than two hundred of them.

He had spent time investigating them several times, but had never discovered what the Experience Points were for.

Until now, there had been nothing special about the Light Screen he saw in his mind, either.

But when he closed his eyes to rest this time, boxes and small text appeared on it.

Looking closer, he saw that the Light Screen had been divided into three columns.

First column: Enlightenment System.

Second column: Combat System.

Third column: Skill System.

Beside each column was a short note.

Farther down, the Light Screen recorded the Experience Points he had collected.

[Experience Points: 286/100]

Li Yuan tried touching it with his mind. Another line of text appeared.

"Talent Point successfully formed"

At the same time, the display above changed to [Experience Points: 186/200].

A small dot now sat at the top of the Light Screen.

Li Yuan tried moving it, and the first box in each of the three columns flashed.

He placed the dot in the Enlightenment System's box.

The box rose from the surface, and its once-dim outline began to glow.

Li Yuan looked closely at the Enlightenment System's first box: [Mind Enlightenment]

A line of explanation appeared beneath it.

"Mind Enlightenment: Greatly increases one's understanding and ability to grasp new concepts."