Blood-Qi Stage

After sitting in the office for a while, Ren Hongguang glanced at the time and said to Chen Lie, "Let's go, the students should all be gathered by now."

Chen Lie stood up and followed Ren Hongguang to the classroom of the Grade 12 Class 16, a standard class.

As soon as they entered the classroom, a chaotic din of noise flooded Chen Lie's ears.

Ren Hongguang walked to the front of the classroom, clapped his hands, and said, "Everyone, quiet down. I have an important announcement to make."

Once Ren Hongguang finished speaking, the entire classroom fell instantly silent.

He cleared his throat and said, "Our classmate, Chen Lie, has passed the Elite Student Assessment and has successfully promoted to the Elite Class. Let us all congratulate him."

As he spoke, Ren Hongguang led the applause, and the students in the classroom followed suit.

However, the students clapping were all wearing expressions of bewilderment.

After a roar of applause died down, many students began to voice their questions.

"Wait, what did the mentor just say? Chen Lie? He got into the Elite Class?"

"Chen Lie passed the Elite Student Assessment? Are you kidding me! His blood-qi value isn't even a fraction of mine."

"Exactly, must be a hallucination. If Chen Lie can get into the Elite Class, wouldn't that be the equivalent of me getting early admission to Blue Star Martial Arts University?"

Hearing the students' murmurs, Ren Hongguang explained, "I know you all might find this hard to believe, but Chen Lie has been hiding his true strength at school all this time.

He only revealed his strength today because he had to participate in the Elite Student Assessment; his blood-qi value has actually already broken through 6."

As soon as Ren Hongguang's words fell, the classroom went silent once again.

Many students looked at Chen Lie, their eyes filled with awe—the kind of awe that ordinary martial arts students reserve for elite students.

In the Martial Arts Era, status is determined by strength. Regardless of gender, age, or background, everyone harbors a deep-seated tendency to admire the strong.

When the strong move, it is surely profound; when the weak posture, they are merely clowns.

"I hope you will all learn from Chen Lie in the future, work hard to increase your blood-qi values, and remain humble in victory and undaunted in defeat.

I believe you are all aware of the massive chasm that exists between elite students and ordinary martial arts students.

Elite Class students are guaranteed admission to a key martial arts university, and those with exceptional talent even have the hope of entering Blue Star Martial Arts University, thereby achieving a meteoric rise.

Do you really want to fail to get into even an ordinary martial arts university and end up at the very bottom of society once you leave school?"

With that, Ren Hongguang scanned the students in the classroom, looking at them as they sat in terrified silence, and launched into another lecture.

After a full ten minutes of preaching, Ren Hongguang finally looked at Chen Lie, who was waiting to the side.

He quickly said, "My apologies, Chen Lie. I've taken up your time.

Since you've passed the Elite Student Assessment, you will definitely need to report to the Elite Class tomorrow. Before you leave, why don't you leave a few words for your former classmates?"

Chen Lie thought for a moment and said, "On the path of martial arts, if one can harbor a spirit of perseverance and a heart that moves ever forward, one will surely achieve success."

"Well said!"

After Chen Lie finished, Ren Hongguang led the applause, and then the entire classroom began to clap.

After the applause, Ren Hongguang said, "I hope you all remember Chen Lie's words: if you are perseverant and move ever forward, you will surely achieve success in martial arts!"

After the motivational lecture, Ren Hongguang didn't want to delay Chen Lie any further, so he had the students send him off.

The only female student in the class with a blood-qi value over 1 took advantage of the crowd thinning out to quietly approach Chen Lie.

"Chen Lie, can I add you on Green Bubble? If you have time, could you share some of your experience in increasing your blood-qi value with me?"

Chen Lie nodded without refusing, even though he couldn't even remember the name of the girl standing before him.

It was already past seven o'clock when he returned home.

As soon as Chen Lie stepped through the door, he saw his younger sister, Chen Xingyao, walking toward him.

"Chen Lie, what did Mom say to you yesterday?"

"Nothing much."

"Then... are you planning to give up on martial arts? Actually, you don't have to be discouraged. Many people have slow blood-qi growth before they break through 1, but after that, their cultivation speed picks up."

"Who told you I was giving up on martial arts?" Chen Lie countered.

"Uh? Then why are you using those messy supplements? Do you know that misusing supplements can damage your martial arts foundation?" Chen Xingyao added.

"I know what I'm doing; it won't damage my foundation."

"Suit yourself, I can't control you anyway!"

Chen Xingyao huffed and turned back to the sofa.

She felt that Chen Lie had been incredibly annoying lately. She was clearly concerned about him, yet he maintained an indifferent attitude that really irritated her.

Although Chen Lie used to argue with her loudly about certain things and didn't act like a proper older brother, at least he wouldn't have dismissed her words like this before.

After dinner, Chen Lie returned to his room, sat cross-legged on his bed once more, and practiced the Lingguang Divine Refining Chapter.

After a night of cultivation, his progress was not apparent.

Mental energy cultivation is just like martial arts cultivation; without resources, progress is painfully slow.

The next morning, Chen Lie arrived at school early.

Following the directions from the freshman registration office yesterday, he made his way to the office of Hong Chengshuo, the mentor for Elite Class 5.

Upon reaching the office, he saw the door was wide open, so he walked straight inside.

"Hello, Mentor Hong. I am a new student here to report."

Hong Chengshuo put down his light-computer and turned to look at Chen Lie.

"You are Chen Lie?"

"Yes." Chen Lie nodded.

"Hold on a moment."

As he spoke, Hong Chengshuo opened his light-computer again to check some information.

"Chen Lie, a third-year martial arts student. Your Blood-Qi Stage value has already broken 6, and your comprehension is top-tier. Not bad, not bad at all. Your strength value is even maintained at over three times the norm.

With this level of strength, you should have been able to promote to the Elite Class long ago. Why are you only participating in the elite student assessment now?"

"Whether in the Elite Class or a regular class, the path of martial arts cultivation remains the same, so I was in no rush," Chen Lie replied.

"Good mindset. Now, let me explain the structure and common knowledge of the Elite Class to you."

"The elite campus has sixteen elite classes in total. Each class has about one hundred elite students, meaning there are only around sixteen hundred elite students in the entire school.

Every elite student can receive two bottles of blood-qi potion and a case of high-grade nutrient solution each month."

"Can I collect them now?" Chen Lie asked.

"Anytime. Just take your elite student ID to the academic affairs office on the elite campus to collect them."

Hong Chengshuo continued, "Those who can enter the Elite Class surely have their own methods of cultivation, so I will not interfere with your martial arts training. Even if you don't come to class for a month, the school allows it.

However, keep in mind that every Tuesday and Friday, the Elite Class holds martial arts guidance sessions. Whether you choose to attend is up to you.

Considering that some elite students may not have the best family backgrounds to support their martial arts training, the school holds elite student martial arts competitions from time to time.

Those who rank high in these competitions are rewarded by the school with a large amount of martial arts resources.

There is much more, but you will have to learn about those on your own over time."

"I understand."

"Good. Go to the classroom; class will start in a little while."

"Understood."

After saying this, Chen Lie turned and left Hong Chengshuo's office.

Next to the office was the classroom for Elite Class 5, and behind the classroom was a massive martial arts training ground covering about 4,000 square meters.

Walking into the classroom, Chen Lie saw that in the large room, there were only fifty or sixty people present.

Thinking that the seating in the classroom was likely not fixed, Chen Lie found a random spot and sat down.

As soon as Chen Lie sat down, a student next to him leaned in.

"Hey buddy, are you a new student in the Elite Class?"

"Yes."

"I haven't been in the Elite Class long either. Before I got in, I felt the Elite Class was so mysterious and elite students were so unattainable.

After getting in, I realized that elite students like us, with single-digit blood-qi values, are just at the very bottom of the Elite Class. Our purpose is to serve as a foil for those elite students standing at the top."

Chen Lie asked, "Which ones are the elite students standing at the top?"

"The Elite Student Top 100 Ranking, don't you know?" The student thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Right, you're a new student, it's normal not to know."

"The so-called Elite Student Top 100 Ranking is, as the name suggests, the one hundred strongest elite students.

These elite students are all martial arts geniuses. Each month, they receive at least 100,000 Star Dollar in resource subsidies from the school. Their strength far exceeds that of ordinary elite students, so they are definitely the ones standing at the very top.

There is a large screen in the central plaza of the campus. If you have time, you can go take a look; the list for the Elite Student Top 100 Ranking is there."

Chen Lie nodded, though he naturally had no time for that.

"By the way, my name is Wang Chen. You?"

"Chen Lie!"

"Chen Lie, let me tell you..."

Wang Chen leaned closer to Chen Lie, just about to speak, when he saw a figure suddenly walk in through the classroom door. He immediately pulled back and whispered, "The mentor is here!"

Hong Chengshuo, the mentor of Elite Class 5, stepped onto the podium.

Hong Chengshuo scanned the classroom, appearing somewhat surprised. "Quite a few students came today. Let me count—there are 103 students in our class in total, and today, more than half have actually arrived."

"Students, today we will not be practicing martial arts. If you encounter any problems in your martial arts cultivation, come see me after class.

In today's lesson, I will talk to you about the future path of martial arts."

"Everyone sitting here is an elite student. Unlike the ordinary martial arts students in other schools, you are the future of Blue Star martial arts, so you are qualified to know how long the path of martial arts beneath your feet is, and at which node of that path you currently stand."

"For anyone living on our Blue Star, martial arts cultivation is like climbing a mountain that can never be conquered, even if you are a martial arts genius with the most exceptional aptitude."

"The beginning of martial arts is called the Blood-Qi Stage, which is the stage you are currently in.

The strength of one's blood-qi is of the utmost importance to a martial artist. The Blood-Qi Stage is the key step in building the foundation for martial arts.

A ten-thousand-foot tower rises from the ground; if a person's foundation is not laid well, their future achievements in martial arts are destined to be limited."