An Existence Beyond Your Reach

Since the arrival of the Spirit Revival Era, martial strength had reigned supreme on Sky Net Star.

Every year, the martial artist assessment had always been a grand event for humanity. Whenever this time came around, martial artists whose strength had improved all looked forward to receiving their corresponding benefits ahead of schedule.

As for those young martial artists just starting out, they hoped their martial talent would be recognized.

Though most of their cultivation was not particularly high yet, as long as they passed the test and the Martial Dao Alliance deemed them highly promising, soaring into the sky in a single leap would not be far off.

Of course.

For an unknown young person to obtain resources far exceeding their strength level solely through martial talent was by no means so simple.

According to the Martial Dao Alliance's rules...

Those whose test results were D, E, or F rank would be eliminated outright.

Those who tested at C rank could be rated as possessing low-grade martial talent.

B rank represented mid-grade martial talent.

A rank represented high-grade martial talent.

Under normal circumstances, the vast majority of young martial artists taking the assessment possessed unremarkable martial talent. Such people could at most cultivate to the completion of the Postnatal Realm in their entire lives.

But if the assessment result was C rank, that could be considered decent talent. So long as nothing unexpected happened, they were practically guaranteed to advance into the Xiantian Realm.

For instance, before Lu Yun was injured, many believed his martial talent was quite good and that his future achievements would not fall below those of his father, Lu Xingwen.

If one could go a step further and be assessed as B-rank, or even A-rank, then one would become a key target for the Martial Dao Alliance's cultivation and might become a core force protecting humanity in the future.

Then...

Above A-rank martial talent, did even higher levels of talent exist?

The answer was, of course, yes.

But those belonged to peerless prodigies of transcendent grade, standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid that most people could only gaze up at for their entire lives.

The Martial Dao Alliance collectively referred to geniuses above A-rank as... S-rank.

In the annual talent-testing stage, whenever a genius of this level was discovered, the Martial Dao Alliance would absolutely spare no expense to bring them into its fold.

Because as long as geniuses of this caliber could grow normally, they were practically guaranteed to become Sea-Opening Realm powerhouses in the future.

Every one of them was a future backbone of humanity.

Unfortunately...

S-rank geniuses were simply too rare. Sometimes, not even one could be found for decades.

For Lu Xingwen of the Heavenly Origin Martial Arts Hall, his greatest hope was that Lu Yun's test result would be somewhat outstanding.

If Lu Yun was lucky enough to receive B-rank certification...

Then, according to the Martial Dao Alliance's usual practice...

They might very well issue some rare spirit medicines that were difficult to buy on the market. Perhaps they could heal the damage to Lu Yun's dantian.

Early that morning, Lu Xingwen got up before dawn and personally made Lu Yun breakfast.

When Lu Yun opened his door, still bleary-eyed with sleep, Lu Xingwen pretended not to care as he asked,

"How's your condition... today?"

"Don't worry, Dad! I'm only afraid my results will be so good that you won't be able to stop smiling!"

Seeing that his son was indeed in good condition, Lu Xingwen finally relaxed a little. He patted Lu Yun on the shoulder and instructed,

"The martial arts assessment is a major matter. I hope you can achieve a good result. Of course, your body hasn't fully recovered yet. Even if this time's result isn't ideal, we can come again next time."

Lu Yun smiled and nodded, muttering to himself,

I'm only afraid the results will be a little too ideal...

While they were talking, the bus responsible for transporting candidates to this martial artist assessment had already arrived outside the martial arts hall.

Hearing the horn outside, Lu Yun casually grabbed another meat bun, waved at Lu Xingwen, then turned and pushed open the door.

Not long after.

The bus slowly drove into Zhoushui Bridge District 2 of Tong City. There stood a crescent-shaped building capable of holding forty to fifty thousand people.

This martial arts assessment was being held there.

Led by two volunteers, Lu Yun soon arrived before an automatic number dispenser.

After inserting his ID card into the slot and receiving his number, he found an empty seat and began waiting for the automated voice to call his number.

"Ha! I was wondering why you looked so familiar. Isn't this Lu Yun?"

Lu Yun was getting bored and had been about to check his phone when a mocking voice suddenly rang by his ear.

He followed the direction of the voice and saw a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youth in a red tracksuit and baseball cap, staring at him with an arrogant look.

Four or five other slovenly youths of roughly the same age stood beside him.

They appeared to have come to take today's martial arts examination as well.

"Sun Zhengchu!"

Lu Yun narrowed his eyes slightly, already recognizing who he was.

In his memories, Sun Zhengchu was the only son of Deputy City Lord Sun Hongyi. He was overbearing and domineering by nature, and had once pursued Chu Lingxue, only to be brutally rejected. The reason was that Chu Lingxue said she already had someone she liked.

After making inquiries afterward, Sun Zhengchu became convinced that the person Chu Lingxue liked was Lu Yun, so he was always looking for trouble with him.

"Lu Yun! Come to think of it, ever since you were injured last time, it seems we haven't seen each other again."

"Before coming here just now, I was even wondering whether we might run into each other."

"Heh heh... looks like we really are fated!"

"But..."

"I heard your dantian was destroyed and you can't cultivate anymore? Why are you still here taking the assessment? Don't tell me you think a miracle will happen?"

Sun Zhengchu looked at Lu Yun disdainfully. There was not the slightest attempt to hide the naked humiliation in his words.

He said to the companions beside him, "Ha! Come take a look, all of you. This is Tong City's genius youth—the sort of existence you won't be able to reach after today!"