Strength Value

In the Elite Class 5 classroom, every student looked toward Hong Chengshuo at the lectern.

"The early part of the Blood-Qi Stage has five levels. I'm sure you know them better than I do, since you're going through them now. Who can tell me how those five levels are divided?"

"Instructor, I can!"

A boy in the front row raised his hand.

"Zhang Di, go ahead."

Hong Chengshuo gestured for Zhang Di to stand.

"The five levels of the Blood-Qi Stage are: before your Blood Qi Value reaches 1 Ka; from 1 to below 3 Ka; from 3 to below 5 Ka; from 5 to below 10 Ka; and after it passes 10 Ka, the final level of Blood-Qi cultivation."

Zhang Di spoke from his seat.

"Well said."

Hong Chengshuo waved for Zhang Di to sit down.

"But let me add something. Those five levels are only the beginning of the Blood-Qi Stage. You don't truly get on track until your Blood Qi Value passes 10 Ka."

"Generally, a Martial Arts Student whose Blood Qi Value reaches 100 Ka can gather his essence and cultivate his qi to break through to Martial Artist. But a Martial Artist who breaks through that way has the least potential, because his foundation isn't solid enough.

"So remember this: the higher your Blood Qi Value climbs during the Blood-Qi Stage, the farther you can go on the martial path."

"If you can cultivate your Blood Qi Value to 1,000 Ka during the Blood-Qi Stage, you'll have the potential to become a Grandmaster-level Martial Artist. You can join the Dongchuan Province Youth Talent Group, receive strong support from the provincial government, gain special admission to Blue Star University, and have the martial arts resources of the entire Dongchuan Province directed toward you."

As soon as Hong Chengshuo finished, doubts swept through the class.

"1,000 Ka? How is that possible? Can a person even train that high?"

"So you need 1,000 Ka to qualify for the Provincial Youth Genius Group? Ordinary people could never reach that. Even the student ranked first on the Elite Student Top 100 Ranking is nowhere close."

"Is becoming a Grandmaster-level Martial Artist really that hard? No wonder Dongchuan Province has only produced so few Grandmasters out of tens of millions of people."

"Quiet down, everyone. I'm telling you this so you'll have a clear understanding of your own martial path.

"You're Elite Students, so you should look ahead—but not too far. There's no end to martial arts, and looking too far ahead will only leave you lost and uncertain. For now, just focus on the next few steps.

"Martial Arts Students in Ordinary Classes at other schools know only the five levels of the Blood-Qi Stage. They know nothing about the martial path beyond 10 Ka.

"That's because their instructors don't dare tell them that the mountain looming before them, the one that seems impossible to cross, is nothing more than a tiny step on the road of martial cultivation."

A student in the front row suddenly raised his hand.

"Instructor, does it take a Blood Qi Value of 1,000 Ka to qualify for the Provincial Youth Genius Group?"

Hong Chengshuo glanced at him. "Not every member of the Provincial Youth Genius Group has necessarily reached 1,000 Ka. My guess is that someone young enough could qualify for the Dongchuan Province Youth Talent Group at around 800 Ka.

"But let me warn you: don't set your sights too high.

"Reaching 1,000 Ka gives you Grandmaster potential, but someone below 1,000 Ka might still become a Grandmaster someday.

"Even if your Blood Qi Value falls short of that standard, you may still have a chance if your blood qi is deep and refined, and you persevere with an unbroken will."

The student asked again, "Instructor, how do we make our blood qi deep and refined?"

"Having deep blood qi means that even if your Blood Qi Value doesn't reach four digits, it can't fall too far short. You can't expect someone who broke through to Martial Artist at 100 Ka to become a Grandmaster. That's simply unrealistic.

"As for refining your blood qi, that deserves a closer explanation."

"Generally, the lower a person's Blood Qi Value, the more refined his blood qi.

"Below 1 Ka, a person's Strength Value is certain to stay at more than three times his Blood Qi Value. Once his Blood Qi Value passes 3 Ka, he may no longer be able to maintain that three-to-one ratio.

"Once Blood Qi Value rises above 10 Ka, most people's Strength Value drops below three times that figure.

"If you can still maintain a three-to-one ratio after reaching 20 Ka, that's already impressive.

"And anyone who can keep his Strength Value above three times his Blood Qi Value after reaching triple digits is unquestionably a genius.

"Refined blood qi is extremely important to a Martial Artist."

Hong Chengshuo's lecture held the students spellbound.

Chen Lie, however, had no interest in any of it.

The standards Hong Chengshuo described were for Blue Star's martial arts geniuses. Chen Lie intended to measure himself against the cosmic prodigies of the Central Galactic Empire.

During the break, Chen Lie left the classroom and went straight to the Academic Affairs Office.

There, he found a staff member and showed his Elite Student ID.

"Hello. I'm here to collect my Blood-Qi Potions and Nutrient Solution."

The staff member took Chen Lie's Elite Student ID and checked it.

"Elite Class 5, Chen Lie?"

He scanned the ID, then handed it back along with a slip.

"All set. Collect them at the resource distribution desk next door."

Chen Lie took his ID, nodded, and went to the distribution desk. With the slip, he collected two Blood-Qi Potions and a box of premium Nutrient Solution.

As an Elite Student, he could collect two Blood-Qi Potions and a box of premium Nutrient Solution every month. Together, they were worth at least twenty thousand Star Dollars. They were supplied exclusively to the school; he couldn't buy them even if he wanted to.

That was one of the privileges the school gave its Elite Students.

Chen Lie had also seen training equipment on the Elite Campus that rivaled a Martial Arts Hall's, as well as a cafeteria serving Nutritional Meals exclusively to Elite Students.

Martial Arts Students in Ordinary Classes had no access to any of it. Fortunately, there were only a little over a thousand Elite Students; otherwise, the school might not have been able to afford it.

With the two Blood-Qi Potions and the box of Nutrient Solution, Chen Lie left the school and headed for the Dongchuan Martial Arts Hall.

The Elite Campus had training equipment as complete as the hall's, but it had no Personal Training Rooms. For him, the hall was much more convenient.

He reached the bus stop beside the school and boarded a Flying Bus.

A little over ten minutes later, Chen Lie got off and entered the Dongchuan Martial Arts Hall.

He found a Personal Training Room, opened the two Blood-Qi Potions and the box of premium Nutrient Solution, and drank them one bottle at a time.

He consumed all six bottles of premium Nutrient Solution and both Blood-Qi Potions.

Energy soon spread through his abdomen. He immediately took off his shirt and began practicing the Basic Body Tempering Technique.

The two Blood-Qi Potions and the box of premium Nutrient Solution weren't especially potent. After only half an hour of practicing the Basic Body Tempering Technique, he had absorbed all the nutrients they produced.

He put his shirt back on, left the Personal Training Room, and went to a Blood Essence Detector to check his blood qi.

Inside the detector's chamber, a blue light began to scan him.

Before long, the detector announced the result.

"Beep. Scan complete. Blood Qi Value: 8.03 Ka."

Chen Lie stepped out of the detector and looked back at the reading.

"No. I still need to find a way to make money. Without enough nutrients, my Blood Qi Value won't rise!"

Chen Lie shook his head. Gaining more than 1 Ka had done nothing to cheer him up.

With the Central Galactic Empire's advanced Martial Arts Knowledge at his disposal, he was tens of thousands of years ahead of Blue Star's martial arts geniuses.

As he remembered it, the Central Galactic Empire's geniuses routinely gained dozens or even hundreds of Ka in a single day. They had ample resources, while he had to worry about where his next supply would come from.

With his resources used up, Chen Lie prepared to leave the Dongchuan Martial Arts Hall.

As he crossed the ground-floor lobby, he saw Chen Xingyao and a group of her classmates coming down from the Cultivation Rooms.

Chen Xingyao spotted him at once, but she gave no sign of recognition and didn't go over to greet him.

Li Xianyu, however, grabbed her arm and shook it excitedly.

"Yaoyao, it's your brother! Your brother's here..."

Chen Xingyao's mouth twitched. "I see him. Stop shaking me, would you? You're hurting my arm."

Seeing how excited Li Xianyu looked, Chen Xingyao grumbled inwardly.

Since when did that wretched girl get so two-faced?

She knows perfectly well my brother isn't very strong, and I don't want everyone in class knowing about his situation. Why draw all their attention to him?

Does she think having a top student in an Elite Class for a sister gives her the right to make me look bad by comparing him with her?

How nasty!

"Sorry."

Li Xianyu quickly let go of Chen Xingyao's arm.

She trotted over to Chen Lie and greeted him with great respect.

"Hello, senior."

Chen Lie nodded. "Go train."

"Okay!"

Li Xianyu nodded repeatedly.

Then Chen Xingyao stormed over to Chen Lie.

"Chen Lie! Why did you skip the prep class Mom signed you up for again?"

"Something came up, so I couldn't make it," Chen Lie said.

"Nonsense! Why does something always come up when it's time for prep class? Are you really that busy?

"Hmph. You're getting worse and worse. I'm telling Mom when we get home."

As Li Xianyu watched Chen Xingyao's furious expression, her eyes darted back and forth.

So Chen Xingyao and her brother are on such bad terms? They start fighting the moment they meet.

To Li Xianyu, Chen Xingyao was being foolish. No wonder her Blood Qi Value had never surpassed Li Xianyu's. Her brother had probably barely given her any guidance.

Why pick a fight with him? You're only hurting your own Blood Qi Value.

If I had a brother like him, I'd put him on a pedestal. How could I bear to criticize him?

But Chen Xingyao never mentioned having a blended family. Why else would things be so tense between her and her brother?