Intermediate Martial Aptitude?

Martial Suppression Academy.

The largest power in Martial Suppression Office, one of the thirty-six prefectures of the Great Mystic Dynasty.

It was said that the Martial Suppression Academy had originally been the Qin Family's private military camp within Martial Suppression Office.

Later, after growing in strength, the Qin Family took the throne of Great Mystic.

Thus, that former private military camp became the Martial Suppression Academy that now dominated Martial Suppression Office.

Three hundred years later.

Although the Qin Family was no longer the ruler of Great Mystic, the Martial Suppression Academy had long since grown immensely powerful.

It now had a total of thirty thousand outer disciples, three thousand inner disciples, and more than a hundred direct disciples.

The academy was full of talent, with experts as numerous as clouds...

Yunyi County was more than four thousand li from the seat of Martial Suppression Office.

Based on the speed of the carriages, they would likely arrive at the prefectural city ten days later.

Along the way, all the disciples taking the martial examination were excited.

They constantly strengthened their cultivation and discussed how to pass the trials.

As they traveled.

Listening to everyone's conversations, Mo Chen gradually gained a clear understanding of Great Mystic as a whole.

"The Great Mystic Founding Ancestor distributed the realm according to merit. The thirty-six prefectures belonged to thirty-six martial arts experts and thirty-six martial families, rather than to his own sons and brothers..."

This method of enfeoffment was more like the division of shares on Earth.

Everyone held a stake in the Great Mystic Dynasty. They would suffer together and prosper together.

Thus, the safety of Great Mystic was no longer one family's concern, but a shared interest.

As for whether the ruler of Great Mystic's control over the realm was stable?

At least for now, it was extremely stable.

In a world where strength determined status, only the powerful had a voice.

If one lacked sufficient strength yet forcibly sat on the throne of Great Mystic, that would undoubtedly be courting death.

Thus, a saying that even Mo Chen found rather surprising circulated throughout Great Mystic.

"The ruler of Great Mystic takes turns; the thirty-six prefectures rule the realm together."

This system really is unique!

Mo Chen murmured to himself.

In that case, martial strength became power.

And power brought far more than cultivation resources—it also brought status, wealth, beauties, respect, and much more.

Therefore, the path of martial arts naturally became the means of advancement pursued by all the people of Great Mystic.

"Make camp! Set up the tents!"

A loud shout came from ahead.

The entire convoy immediately stopped and began searching for open ground beside the road to pitch their tents.

Mo Chen raised his head to glance at the darkening sky, then surveyed the surrounding environment.

This was wilderness, with no village ahead and no inn behind. Fortunately, there was a small river nearby, so they would not lack water.

The outer disciples of the Martial Suppression Academy clearly had plenty of experience camping in the wild. Before long, they had set up tents, fetched river water, and started fires to cook.

Mo Chen took down his Xuanhua axe and was about to help chop firewood and start a fire.

Then he saw Chen Xuanyin walking over with a stern expression.

"Mo Chen, come with me!"

Mo Chen stopped swinging his axe, somewhat puzzled. "Is something the matter, Senior Brother Chen?"

Chen Xuanyin said irritably, "Senior Sister wants to see you!"

With that, he turned and left first.

The moment he heard that Tantai Xiasang wanted to see him, Mo Chen answered and rose to follow Chen Xuanyin.

The two made their way to the riverbank.

They then followed the river for another three or four li before finding Tantai Xiasang in an open area, standing with her back to them as she admired the scenery.

A black spear was planted at an angle in the ground behind her.

"Senior Sister, I have brought him."

After speaking respectfully, Chen Xuanyin stepped aside and stood there like a loyal servant.

"Mm." Tantai Xiasang came back to herself and fixed her gaze on Mo Chen's face.

"Mo Chen." Her voice was pleasant and melodious.

"Miss Tantai."

Mo Chen smiled slightly and cupped his hands in greeting.

Tantai Xiasang said, "I heard that you only started practicing martial arts half a month ago?"

Mo Chen froze slightly. "Who did you hear that from?"

He remembered never telling anyone how long he had been practicing martial arts.

How did she...

Oh, no, I told Lu Jianshen once that it had been three months.

But Lu Jianshen has already become a ghost. He doesn't count as a person.

"Never mind who I heard it from. Just tell me, is it true?"

Tantai Xiasang clearly had no intention of beating around the bush. She watched him calmly, waiting for his answer.

Mo Chen sighed. "I never thought my astonishing martial talent would finally be impossible to hide."

Tantai Xiasang looked at Mo Chen and pursed her lips.

Chen Xuanyin had been standing meekly with lowered eyes, but now he looked up at Mo Chen in surprise.

He had really only begun practicing martial arts half a month ago?

Tantai Xiasang suddenly stepped forward and placed her right hand on Mo Chen's shoulder. Her red lips parted slightly. "Relax. Don't be nervous."

Then astra energy flowed from her fingertips and swiftly made a circuit through Mo Chen's muscles and bones.

Just as Mo Chen felt a numb, tingling sensation spread through his entire body, Tantai Xiasang's hand had already left his shoulder.

"This is..."

Tantai Xiasang frowned slightly, her expression faintly puzzled as she looked at Mo Chen. "Intermediate martial aptitude? You really weren't lying?"

"Intermediate martial aptitude?" Mo Chen looked bewildered.

Tantai Xiasang explained, "For martial practitioners, aptitude and comprehension are the most important things. Aptitude is divided into six grades: low, intermediate, high, earth, heaven, and saint. Each grade represents a person's potential in martial arts."

Mo Chen hurriedly asked, "Then what is the potential of someone with intermediate aptitude like mine?"

He had thought his martial talent was incredibly heaven-defying...

Well, damn. It turned out to be nothing special.

Tantai Xiasang shook her head. "With your aptitude, at most you can break through to the great completion of the Condensing Astra Realm. Beyond that, you will have no chance of advancing further. Unless... you can find a heaven-and-earth spiritual fruit that remakes your body, or cultivate a martial art that alters your aptitude. Only then can you break through this shackle."

Mo Chen blinked. "So, my martial path will end at the great completion of the Condensing Astra Realm?"

Tantai Xiasang turned away and nodded. "Over the past thousands of years, there have been almost no exceptions in the records of all ancient texts."

Mo Chen raised a brow and asked, "Then with aptitude like mine, is it possible for me to enter the Martial Suppression Academy?"

Tantai Xiasang turned her head to look at him. "Yes! But at most, you can enter the outer sect."

Mo Chen breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as I can enter the outer sect, there is still a chance."

A trace of disappointment flashed through Tantai Xiasang's eyes.

She had originally thought Mo Chen was a genius with even greater talent than hers.

That way, she would have had someone to help her.

Unfortunately, she had been disappointed once again!

Just then.

Mo Chen thought of something and asked curiously:

"By the way, Miss Tantai, aptitude and comprehension are the most important things for martial practitioners. You've explained aptitude, but what about comprehension? Does it have different grades as well?"

Tantai Xiasang shook her head. "No! Comprehension is far too mysterious and difficult to classify. Some people have heaven-grade aptitude, yet cannot break into the Five Elements Realm and split mountains in their entire lives. Others have low-grade aptitude, yet attain sudden enlightenment one day and successfully split mountains!"

Mo Chen's eyes lit up. "Then even if my aptitude is only intermediate, it doesn't mean there is no path forward for me, right?"

He knew his own situation best.

Things like aptitude grades probably did not apply to him.

With the system's power, even if he had to grind away bit by bit, he could still surpass most martial practitioners.

Then the explanation for why he learned martial arts so quickly could be placed on his comprehension.

"Comprehension is too mysterious. No one can explain it clearly."

Tantai Xiasang knew that none of the martial forces in the world placed their hopes on comprehension.

After all, comprehension could not be controlled, while aptitude was obvious at a glance.

Compared to the difficulty of selecting disciples based on comprehension.

Selecting them based on aptitude was the most direct and simplest method.

Hearing this, the corners of Mo Chen's lips curled up as he declared confidently:

"If that's the case, then my comprehension should be saint-grade!"

Tantai Xiasang and Chen Xuanyin both looked at Mo Chen strangely, once again as though they were looking at an idiot.

They had no idea where Mo Chen's blind confidence came from.