One Month

The month passed in the blink of an eye.

After this period of grueling training, Cao Bing's strength improved significantly once more.

His punching force had successfully surpassed 950 kilograms, while his speed reached 26 meters per second.

His reaction speed had improved even more dramatically. Cao Bing estimated that as long as he performed normally during the test, earning an excellent rating should not be a problem.

At the same time, Cao Bing had also learned a boxing technique called Ten Step Fist.

It was an ordinary boxing technique from the Stellar Transformation World. Without relying on internal energy, it could achieve 1.1 times the exertion of force.

It was not particularly powerful, but it was enough to push Cao Bing's punching force above 1,000 kilograms.

If he used internal energy, it should be able to reach 1.2 to 1.3 times the exertion of force.

The Yanhuo Jue had progressed nicely as well. Based on Cao Bing's estimate, the internal energy nurtured in his dantian should be enough to reach the Houtian Early Stage in another month.

"Today is the last day of the college entrance exams. Luo Feng should be about to have his breakthrough!"

A faint smile appeared on Cao Bing's lips. Estimating that the time was about right, he picked up his phone and called Luo Feng. However, it rang for quite a while without anyone answering.

"Ha, I'm an idiot too. Luo Feng should still be unconscious right now. How could he answer the phone?"

With that thought, Cao Bing called Wei Wen instead.

"Hey, Old Wei, how did the exams go?" Cao Bing asked with a smile.

"Don't even mention it! This year's college entrance exam math was just too hard!" Wei Wen said dejectedly with a sigh.

"Don't lose heart. Since the questions were difficult, maybe everyone else did even worse," Cao Bing comforted him.

"Haha, thanks. I really envy you—you went straight for the Martial Artist exam. If you really pass, don't forget your brother here!" Wei Wen seemed to feel a little better and joked with a laugh.

"Sure, definitely. By the way, where's Luo Feng? Why didn't he answer when I called him just now?" Cao Bing asked tentatively.

"Luo Feng... sigh... don't mention it... He fainted during the exam and is in the hospital now. I was just about to go see him." At the mention of Luo Feng, Wei Wen's tone immediately fell, and he let out a heavy sigh.

"In the hospital? What happened? Which hospital? I'm coming too!" Pretending not to know, Cao Bing fired off questions urgently like a machine gun.

"People's Hospital..."

"Alright, I'm heading over now... Beep, beep, beep."

Before Wei Wen could finish speaking, Cao Bing had already hung up. Wei Wen could only smile bitterly and put away his phone.

"Old Cao really is a true brother. He got so worried the moment he heard Luo Feng was hospitalized," Wei Wen thought.

People's Hospital

By the time Cao Bing stepped into the ward, Luo Feng had already awakened. Quite a few people surrounded him: Luo Feng's parents and younger brother, Wei Wen, and Wei Wen's father. The small ward was packed to the brim.

"Uncle Luo, Uncle Wei, Aunt Gong, Luo Feng, Wei Wen, Xiao Hua."

As soon as he entered the ward, Cao Bing greeted them all.

"Little Cao is here." Fortunately, aside from Wei Wen's father, Luo Feng's parents and younger brother were all fairly familiar with Cao Bing. Seeing him arrive, they quickly welcomed him.

"Old Cao, you're here. I was just telling Luo Feng that you're a real brother!" Wei Wen said, patting his chest with an expression of loyal righteousness.

"Brother Cao, sorry you had to see this." Luo Feng lay on the hospital bed, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. This college entrance exam had been a complete disaster for him.

"What are you talking about? Are you alright? I'll notify the hospital to give you a full examination. Don't let this turn out to be something serious." Cao Bing naturally knew what had happened to Luo Feng, but he still spoke with sincere concern.

Seeing how genuine Cao Bing sounded, Luo Feng's parents were somewhat moved. However, Luo Feng stopped him. "Brother Cao, there's no need. I've already been checked. These headaches are an old problem of mine. The doctor said I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Really."

Since Luo Feng said so, Cao Bing did not press the matter. Besides, Luo Feng was fine to begin with; the headaches were merely caused by his overly powerful spiritual force.

He had only said those things to earn another favor from Luo Feng.

This time, Luo Feng's fainting spell had brought him more improvement than Cao Bing's month of relentless training. After waking up, Luo Feng's physical condition, which had originally been inferior to Cao Bing's, was about to catch up with his.

Honestly, Cao Bing was truly envious.

"Brother Cao, I don't plan to go to university anymore. I'm going to take the Quasi-Warrior test." Luo Feng suddenly spoke.

"What?"

"Damn, Luo Feng, are you serious?"

The moment Luo Feng's words left his mouth, everyone present erupted.

"You've made up your mind?" Cao Bing was also greatly invigorated. He had been worried that because of his presence, the butterfly effect might cause Luo Feng not to take the Quasi-Warrior test.

"Mm." Luo Feng nodded and answered firmly.

"Xiaofeng..." Unlike the others' excitement, Luo Feng's parents were somewhat worried.

However, Luo Feng said with blazing eyes, "Dad, Mom, I was already close to meeting the standards for the Quasi-Warrior test. After this fainting spell, I'm confident I can pass the Quasi-Warrior assessment."

"Good! As expected of my son! Dad is proud of you!" Upon hearing that, Luo Feng's father was overjoyed and shouted loudly.

Meanwhile, Wei Wen's father had barely been able to get a word in since entering the room. Now, as he listened to Luo Feng and the others discuss the Quasi-Warrior test—

He could not help but feel stirred.

He looked at Luo Feng lying on the hospital bed, then at Cao Bing standing beside it and speaking eloquently, and finally at his own slightly chubby son. It would be a lie to say he was not envious.

It was as if he had made up his mind. When they got home after the college entrance exams, he would definitely train his son properly. Even if he could not become a Martial Artist, he should at least become an advanced student.

Wei Wen, who was still happily chatting with Luo Feng, Cao Bing, and the others, had no idea what kind of suffering awaited him once he returned home.

"Since you've made up your mind, Luo Feng, work hard. We'll take the Quasi-Warrior test together on July 1." Cao Bing checked the time and did not want to keep chatting. Unlike Luo Feng, who was a genius Mental Master, he needed to seize every moment to train and had no time for idle conversation.

"Mm, don't worry, Brother Cao!" Luo Feng nodded.

After leaving the hospital, Cao Bing went straight home. He needed to cultivate his internal energy to the Houtian Early Stage by tonight.

Perhaps because the body's genes in the Devouring Starry Sky world were stronger, although Cao Bing could clearly sense that Earth's spiritual energy was even thinner than the energy on Qianlong Continent in the Stellar Transformation World—

This Earth body actually cultivated the Flame Fire Art somewhat faster.

However, perhaps because this Earth body was stronger than a body from Qianlong Continent, reaching the Houtian Early Stage required more than ten times as much internal energy.

If Cao Bing had not spared no expense during this period to buy medicinal herbs that aided cultivation and use them alongside his training, it would likely have been difficult to reach this threshold so quickly.

The night passed without incident.

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Cao Bing fiercely exhaled a mouthful of turbid air and abruptly opened his eyes.

"I've reached the Houtian Early Stage!"