The Tester Was Unregistered

Early the next morning, after breakfast, Feng Jiansong and his wife took Feng Qingmo to the military's martial arts school.

This was Feng Qingmo's first time leaving home since he had crossed over. Though his eyesight was poor, when he spread out his Spiritual Force, everything around him appeared in his mind in another way.

The temperature was low on that winter morning, and their breath came out like white mist. As he breathed the air, fresher than the air in his previous life, Feng Qingmo's thoughts gradually settled. He had barely slept all night, but the unease of having crossed over and his apprehension about the uncertain future all faded away.

At the entrance to a vast martial arts school in Jiangnan City's main district, the three of them went inside. The armed guards saluted Feng Jiansong and his wife. After glancing at Feng Qingmo, they clearly recognized him and allowed him to enter with his parents.

The training room reserved for Martial Artists was empty.

"It's still early, so there aren't many people here." Feng Jiansong went over to turn on the Punch Strength Tester and gestured for his wife to turn on the Speed Tester.

"Come on, let's test your punch strength first." Feng Jiansong stepped back two paces, watching Feng Qingmo expectantly.

"Okay."

Feng Qingmo stepped forward and planted his feet. He pivoted on his toes, drawing strength from the ground and channeling it through his legs, waist, and arms before throwing a punch with his right hand.

Bang!

A soft thud sounded, and the target on the Punch Strength Tester wobbled slightly.

"Good! Not bad!" Feng Jiansong looked at the bright number on the display and let out an excited cheer.

"Very impressive, 3,079 kilograms! Qingmo, you're amazing!" Zuo Huifen said happily from the side.

"Come on, let's test your speed next." Feng Jiansong habitually put an arm around his son's shoulders and led him to the starting line of the running track. He pointed ahead. "Run this way, as fast as you can!"

Feng Qingmo nodded and bounced lightly twice. Then, with a whoosh, he shot forward. The gust he stirred up made Feng Jiansong's hair fly.

"Good!" Zuo Huifen couldn't help clapping her hands together. "55 meters per second! Qingmo, you're almost as fast as your mom..."

"Mm, that's true." Feng Jiansong nodded with a smile. "Your mom's strength is her neural response. She isn't much faster than you are now... Go test your neural response next!"

In a spacious office, a middle-aged man was making tea when a soft beep suddenly came from the computer on his desk.

He looked up and called out, "What's going on?"

An electronic voice came from the computer speakers. "The system log indicates that Punch Strength Tester No. 5 was just activated. Tester unregistered."

The man furrowed his sword-like brows. "Unregistered?"

He stood up to pull up the surveillance footage, but the computer beeped again.

"The system log indicates that Speed Tester No. 2 was just activated. Tester unregistered."

The middle-aged man walked over to the wall of surveillance monitors and prepared to pull up the footage. Hearing the computer's alert, he asked, "What were the results?"

"Punch strength: 3,079 kilograms. Speed: 55 meters per second."

The man quickly opened the surveillance feed for the training room, but it was empty. He turned to glare at the computer. "Where is he?"

"..."

The computer clearly couldn't answer. Shaking his head, he began pulling up the footage from earlier.

"So it was Jiansong..." The footage showed Feng Jiansong and the others. Suddenly, he frowned. "Is that Qingmo? Wait, can that kid really hit with over three thousand kilograms of force?"

The computer chimed again. This time, before he could ask, an electronic voice came from the speakers. "Neural Response Tester activated. Tester unregistered."

"What were the results?" The middle-aged man watched Feng Qingmo sprinting along the track and asked casually.

"Perfect score at Beginner Warrior Level. Excellent at Intermediate Warrior Level."

"Oh!" The middle-aged man let out a surprised exclamation. Had Qingmo's eyesight recovered after he started cultivating? I need to go take a look. I wonder how long he's been a Martial Artist. Hitting with three thousand kilograms of force already is quite impressive...

With that thought, he switched off the surveillance monitors, left his tea untouched, and headed straight for the training room.

"Qingmo, well done, well done." Zuo Huifen held Feng Qingmo's arm and walked toward the training room with a broad smile. "That neural response..."

Any mother would naturally be delighted to see her son doing so well.

"All right, stop praising him before he gets a big head..." Feng Jiansong teased with a smile. He was about to say more when the training room door suddenly swung open. He hurriedly looked up.

"Director!"

Feng Jiansong quickly greeted him.

"Mm, Jiansong." The middle-aged man nodded. "And your wife is here too..."

He looked at Feng Qingmo. "This must be Qingmo. I haven't seen you in two years. You've grown so tall..."

"Hello, Uncle Jian!" Feng Qingmo quickly greeted him with a nod.

The man before them was Luo Benjian, director of the military martial arts school in Jiangnan City and an Advanced War General.

"Director," Zuo Huifen said with a smile, "Qingmo met the Quasi-Martial Artist standard a few days ago. Brother Song taught him Five Hearts Towards Heaven, and Qingmo successfully cultivated yesterday. So we brought him to the school today for a test..."

"He only succeeded yesterday?" Luo Benjian repeated softly. "I thought Qingmo had passed the Martial Artist Assessment ages ago..."

He suddenly turned and stared intently at Feng Qingmo. "You only succeeded yesterday, yet today you can hit with over three thousand kilograms of force. Doesn't that mean your very first session increased your punch strength by more than two thousand kilograms?"

Because of his poor eyesight, Feng Qingmo rarely came to the martial arts school to train. Luo Benjian hadn't seen him in several years. He had assumed Feng Qingmo had passed the Martial Artist Assessment long ago and reached a punch strength of three thousand kilograms after a year or two of cultivation. That would have been decent, but not particularly impressive. Now that he'd learned Feng Qingmo had only succeeded yesterday, the truth was worlds apart from what he'd thought.

Feng Jiansong and Zuo Huifen exchanged a helpless glance. He'd thought it was so early that Luo Benjian wouldn't be at the school.

He looked at Luo Benjian and nodded. "Yes, Director. Qingmo only succeeded yesterday. After his first session, his punch strength increased by nearly two thousand kilograms!"

"Then Qingmo hasn't taken the Quasi-Warrior Assessment yet? And he hasn't taken the Martial Artist combat assessment either?" Luo Benjian's tone grew serious.

"That's right."

"Come, come, Jiansong, sister-in-law," Luo Benjian said, suddenly excited. "And Qingmo too. Come on, let's go to my office for tea..."

Without waiting for a response, he pulled Feng Jiansong and Feng Qingmo toward the door. Under the immense strength of an Advanced War General, father and son had no chance to refuse. Zuo Huifen could only follow behind them.

"Sit, sit." Once they entered the office, Luo Benjian continued making tea. "You're in for a treat today. Have a taste of this Da Hong Pao. My senior brother brought it to me the last time he passed through Jiangnan City..."