One Month

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

After this period of grueling training, Cao Bing's strength had improved considerably once again.

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

His reaction speed had improved tremendously as well. Cao Bing estimated that as long as he performed normally during the test, earning a superior-level rating should not be a problem.

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

It was an ordinary fist technique from the Stellar Transformation World. Without relying on Internal Force, it could achieve 1.1 times force output.

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

If Internal Force was used, it should be able to reach 1.2 to 1.3 times force output or even more.

The Yanhuo Jue had progressed nicely as well. Based on Cao Bing's estimate, the Internal Force nurtured in his dantian would 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 break out!"

A faint smile appeared on Cao Bing's lips. Judging that the timing was about right, he picked up his phone and called Luo Feng. The ringtone went on for quite a while, but no one answered.

"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 dialed Wei Wen's number instead.

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

"Ah, don't mention it! This year's math exam was ridiculously hard!" Wei Wen said dejectedly, his tone full of despair.

"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're going straight for the Martial Artist test. If you really make it, don't forget your brother here!" Wei Wen's mood seemed to improve somewhat as he laughed and joked.

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

"Luo Feng... ah... 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 sank. He let out a heavy sigh.

"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, Cao Bing had already hung up. Wei Wen could only close his phone with a bitter smile.

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

People's Hospital

By the time Cao Bing entered the hospital room, 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 tiny room was packed to the brim.

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

As soon as he entered, Cao Bing greeted everyone.

"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 hurriedly 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 great loyalty.

"Brother Cao, sorry you had to see this." Lying in the hospital bed, Luo Feng revealed a bitter smile. 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 some real problem." Cao Bing naturally knew what had happened to Luo Feng, but he still spoke with genuine concern.

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

"Really?"

"Really."

Since Luo Feng said so, Cao Bing did not say anything further. Besides, Luo Feng truly was fine. The headaches were merely caused by his excessively powerful spiritual force.

He had only said all that to earn another favor from Luo Feng.

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

To be honest, Cao Bing was truly envious.

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

"What?"

"Damn, Luo Feng, are you serious?"

The moment Luo Feng spoke, everyone present exploded into an uproar.

"Have you made up your mind?" Cao Bing was energized as well. He had been worried that, because of his presence, some butterfly effect might cause Luo Feng not to take the Quasi-Warrior test.

"Mm." Luo Feng nodded firmly.

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

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

"Good! You truly are my son. Dad is proud of you!" Upon hearing this, Uncle Luo was overjoyed and shouted loudly.

Meanwhile, Wei Wen's father had barely managed to get a few words in since arriving. Now, listening to Luo Feng and the others discuss the Quasi-Warrior test, he could not help feeling stirred.

He looked at Luo Feng lying in the hospital bed, then at Cao Bing standing by the bed and talking confidently, and finally at his own slightly chubby son. It would have been a lie to say he was not envious.

It seemed as though he had made up his mind. Once they got home after the entrance exams, he would definitely train his son properly. Even if Wei Wen could not become a Martial Artist, he should at least become a Senior Student.

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

"Since you've made your decision, 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, he was not a genius Mental Master and needed to seize every moment to train. He had no time for idle conversation.

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

After leaving the hospital, Cao Bing headed straight home. He needed to cultivate his Internal Force to the Houtian Early Stage that night.

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

—his Earth body actually cultivated the Flame Fire Art faster.

However, perhaps because this Earth body was stronger than the bodies on Qianlong Continent, reaching the Houtian Early Stage required more than ten times as much Internal Force.

If Cao Bing had not spent money without restraint during this period to buy medicinal herbs that aided cultivation, it would probably have been difficult for him to reach this threshold so quickly.

The night passed without incident.

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

"The Houtian Early Stage is achieved!"