Mind Enlightenment

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

A group of students leaned against the wall, chatting about gossip.

"For next month's martial arts class, our class will be taught by Li Yuan, as Jin Fan is going to participate in the Southeast Region Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament."

"Isn't it said that Li Yuan was the one supposed to participate in this Youth Martial Tournament? He spent the last three years of winter and summer breaks earning the credits for it; the qualification for the Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament was all earned by him."

"Who knows? Anyway, that's what Jin Fan said himself when they went to the Martial Arts Training Room to ask questions."

"Among the teachers under thirty, Jin Fan is indeed the one with the best talent and strength. It will bring more honor to our school if he participates."

Students often know about news like teachers going on business trips or taking leave earlier than many of the teachers themselves.

For instance, this time, Li Yuan learned about the news in advance from the students' conversation.

Li Yuan is thirty years old this year, which is the maximum age to participate in the Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament.

He had sacrificed a lot for this opportunity.

Three years of relying on credits to trade for a spot in the Youth Martial Tournament.

He has been stuck at the Fourth Grade Realm for a long time; only by promoting to a Fifth-Rank Martial Artist can he qualify for the selection of Intermediate Lecturer.

The Youth Martial Tournament lasts for one month, and participants receive one portion of B-grade Nutrient Fluid every day.

Having transmigrated to this High Martial World for ten years, Li Yuan knows the importance of resources deep down.

Even if he doesn't achieve much in the martial arts exchange tournament, thirty days of B-grade Nutrient Fluid will provide him with a huge boost.

With this opportunity, he will surely be able to promote to a Fifth-Rank Martial Artist.

At thirty, he is already called "middle-aged" by many students.

Li Yuan also wants to earn more money so his family doesn't have to live so frugally.

He is currently terrified of receiving calls from his parents at night.

He fears they might get sick or suffer a sudden accident.

With no savings in his hands, he cannot afford even a slightly expensive medical bill.

This Southeast Region Youth Martial Tournament is the most critical opportunity for him to promote to the Fifth Rank.

If he doesn't seize it, it will only get harder in the future.

Moreover, this qualification for the Youth Martial Tournament was something he earned himself.

This time, Li Yuan will not compromise.

At six o'clock on Friday afternoon, the students left school to go home.

The teachers of Lingnan Martial Arts No.1 High School gathered in the Multimedia Conference Room to hold the Weekly Meeting.

The Weekly Meeting summarizes the work of the current week and arranges the work for the next.

If the Education Bureau has any inspections or the like, they are also reminded during the meeting.

After the official work arrangements were finished, the school leaders prepared to briefly mention other miscellaneous matters.

Director Ma Tingde brought up the upcoming martial artist exchange tournament.

"Regarding the Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament at the end of next month, after discussion by the school leadership, it has been decided that Jin Fan will represent Lingnan Martial Arts No.1 High School. We thank Li Yuan for his efforts. The qualification for this martial arts exchange tournament was earned through Li Yuan's hard work. Everyone, let's applaud to thank Li Yuan for his contribution."

Applause erupted throughout the large classroom.

Li Yuan stood up and nodded toward the surrounding teachers.

The applause died down, but Li Yuan did not sit back down.

"Does Teacher Li Yuan have something else to say?" Director Ma looked at Li Yuan and asked.

Li Yuan took the floor: "Director Ma, I fought for the qualification for this Youth Martial Tournament for myself. Therefore, I intend to participate in this tournament myself."

The teachers in the large classroom turned their heads abruptly, looking at Li Yuan with expressions of astonishment.

In front of so many people, Li Yuan had spoken so directly.

Sitting in the front row, Jin Fan's expression remained calm, but there was a hint of displeasure in his eyes.

Director Ma Tingde was also very surprised.

In his impression, Li Yuan would at most complain to him in private.

Director Ma glanced at the principal beside him.

Li Yuan's response was a direct contradiction to the school leadership.

The principal wore an expression of impatience, clearly blaming Director Ma for failing to keep Li Yuan in check.

"Teacher Li Yuan, the school leadership has already made a decision on this matter, so let's not discuss it further. As educators, we must have vision and look at the bigger picture."

With these few words, Director Ma attempted to suppress Li Yuan.

After turning thirty, Li Yuan had come to understand a simple truth.

Ordinary people should never believe in "looking at the bigger picture."

Ordinary people are never invited to the table; when it comes time to divide the spoils, they have no say.

An ordinary person who focuses on the long term only ends up suffering now, and continuing to suffer later.

Therefore, today, Li Yuan intended to fight for himself.

"Director Ma is right, so I ask Teacher Jin Fan to maintain that vision and look at the bigger picture. The qualification for the Youth Martial Tournament was earned by me; there is no need for such blatant robbery."

Li Yuan's use of the term "blatant robbery" sounded incredibly harsh.

In the conference room, the surrounding teachers held their breath.

They had not expected such a scene to unfold during today's Weekly Meeting.

As his words fell, the expressions of the school leaders grew even gloomier.

Director Ma realized that today, this matter could not be brushed aside.

"Teacher Li, the Youth Martial Tournament operates on a unit-recommendation system. The school leadership has the right to decide which teacher to send to this exchange tournament. This arrangement is made for the reputation of Lingshan Martial Arts No.1 High School; having Teacher Jin Fan participate will yield better results. As a teacher, don't lack a sense of the bigger picture like a student."

Director Ma's tone had also turned firmer.

But this time, Li Yuan had no intention of compromising whatsoever.

The "bigger picture," "long-term vision"—it was all nonsense.

"Director, you are correct that the participation is based on unit recommendation. However, the points required to earn this qualification were earned by my own sweat. I can choose to forfeit the qualification."

Li Yuan's words made it clear: he would rather choose a lose-lose scenario than yield this opportunity.

The staff at the Martial Arts High School had not expected Li Yuan to be so unyielding today.

Principal Yin, who had remained silent until now, spoke up after a moment of heavy stillness: "If Teacher Jin Fan participates in the Youth Martial Tournament, he can at least break into the top thirty. Teacher Li, can you even break into the top one hundred?"

Principal Yin's words carried a tone of interrogation.

After a brief pause, he continued: "The spot for the Youth Martial Artist Exchange Tournament was indeed earned through your hard work. But giving this spot to Teacher Jin Fan is giving it to someone more suitable. If he achieves a good ranking, won't you also share in the glory?"

Hearing Principal Yin's words, Li Yuan did not hesitate: "I appreciate the principal's good intentions, but I want to rely on myself for once. It is not appropriate to always rely on the glory of others."

Seeing Li Yuan refuse to listen to reason, Principal Yin's face grew increasingly dark.

At this moment, Li Yuan's fault was not simply fighting for a qualification, but challenging his authority.

To Li Yuan, since everything was already disadvantageous to him, he might as well fight!

He was thirty years old and had already missed many golden opportunities to improve his martial path.

"Li Yuan, we cannot just arrange for anyone to participate in the Youth Martial Tournament. If you feel it is unfair or that you have been treated poorly, the school will arrange an internal competition at the beginning of next month; the winner will represent the school. If you are still not satisfied, then we will cancel it, and no one will participate. Meeting adjourned!"

After speaking, the principal stood up and was the first to leave the main conference hall.

The surrounding colleagues stood up in silence, only beginning to whisper to one another once they had exited the hall.

In their eyes, Li Yuan had no possibility of further advancement at the Martial Arts High School.

It was even questionable whether he would be able to keep his job here.

Yet, in Li Yuan's view, the principal's so-called compromise was still unfair to him.

That was a qualification he had spent his heart and soul to obtain, and furthermore, it was his final chance.

Why should he have to compete against others just to keep what was his?

Li Yuan suppressed the negative emotions in his heart.

Without a background or backing, encountering trouble and obstacles is only normal.

At the very least, he had now secured a chance to compete.

Work had ended for the day, but Li Yuan did not head home immediately.

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

In an instant, that Light Screen appeared before his eyes once again.

On the day he turned thirty, Li Yuan discovered that some strange phenomena had begun to appear around him.

Scattered occasionally throughout the school were various Light Points.

Whenever he touched a Light Point, a line of small text would flash before his eyes.

[Experience +1]

Over these past two months, he had collected more than two hundred of these small Light Points.

He had spent time researching them several times, yet he had found no use for this experience.

The Light Screen he saw in his mind had not been anything special before, either.

But this time, as he closed his eyes to rest, some boxes and small text appeared on the screen.

Looking closely, the Light Screen had been divided into three columns.

First column: Enlightenment System.

Second column: Combat System.

Third column: Skill System.

Beside each column, he could see relevant prompts in small text.

Looking further down, the bottom of the Light Screen also recorded the experience he had gathered.

[Experience Value: 286/100]

Li Yuan tried to touch it with his thoughts, and the next moment, another line of small text popped up.

"Talent Point successfully condensed."

At the same time the text appeared, the experience value above changed to [Experience Value: 186/200].

Above the Light Screen, a small dot had appeared.

Li Yuan tried to move the small dot, and the first row of boxes in all three columns flickered.

He embedded the dot onto the box in the Enlightenment System.

The next moment, the box began to bulge, and the previously dim box started to glow.

He looked carefully at the first box in the Enlightenment System: [Mind Enlightenment].

Below the box, there was a line of small explanatory text.

"Mind Enlightenment: Significantly increases one's own comprehension and insight."