Wuling City Martial Arts College

At seven in the morning, the family finished breakfast.

"Siyue, Xiaolong." Fang Yu looked at his younger sister and brother. "The new student training camp at Galaxy High School starts in three days. Dad might not be home then, so remember to report on time."

"Okay." Fang Siyue and Fang Long nodded.

Although Wuling City No. 1 Senior High School, Galaxy High School, and several other top high schools had offered them admission, all with excellent terms, scholarships, and various cultivation resources as rewards.

However.

After discussing it as a family, they ultimately chose Galaxy High School, which belonged to the Galaxy Group and ranked second overall among Wuling City's high schools.

When it came to martial arts training, it was on par with Wuling City No. 1 Senior High School.

"This past month, I've taught you everything I could about the basic stance technique and basic fist forms."

"A master can show you the door, but cultivation is up to you," Fang Yu said. "You've already signed with the Galaxy Group ahead of time, and they'll give you at least 500,000 Star Coins a year in training funds... You mustn't slack off."

"The contracts you signed can be upgraded."

"If you perform better, the Galaxy Group will take the initiative to upgrade the terms. Those are conditions I never even dreamed of back then." Fang Yu looked at his brother and sister. "Both of you have the potential to reach the top ten in Wuling City's martial arts exams, or even take first place."

"But how far you ultimately get in three years depends entirely on you."

Every year, the eight great martial artist groups recruited young geniuses across New Moon and Blue Star, signing them early and giving them considerable resources.

Getting signed early was difficult. One had to have an Astral Aspect of an exceptionally high grade, such as a high-grade Astral Aspect.

Or have a somewhat lower-grade Astral Aspect but an astonishing talent for martial arts skills, such as reaching Subtlety while still in high school... Or have both.

Moreover!

If they performed well, the eight great groups would spare no resources on them. Naturally, in return, once martial artists signed with a group, they would have to serve it in the future and venture into the Primordial Star. The penalty for breaking a contract was staggering... After decades, this business model had long since matured.

In high school, Fang Yu had shown decent talent for martial arts skills, but he had never awakened an Astral Aspect... He hadn't had the slightest chance of signing a contract.

His brother and sister had gotten off to a strong start, and that made Fang Yu happy.

"The Galaxy Group's full martial arts instructors are all advanced martial artists, and even the assistant instructors are intermediate martial artists. Study hard," Fang Yu said. "If there's anything you really don't understand, you can call me too."

"Okay." Fang Siyue and Fang Long both nodded.

After cultivating for the past month, they understood exactly how formidable their older brother was. In terms of skill and teaching ability, he was probably no worse than many advanced martial artists.

And he had taught them one-on-one.

If they had hired someone, the instruction fees for this month alone would have cost tens of thousands of Star Coins.

I hope my brother and sister can keep this up, Fang Yu thought.

Once he went to school.

The moment the list of students advancing to undergraduate programs was confirmed, he would have to leave for his university... Both martial arts universities in the province were in the provincial capital, hundreds of kilometers from Wuling City, so coming home would be much more troublesome.

"Big brother, don't worry. We'll work hard at cultivation and try to get into a top university on New Moon." Fang Siyue seemed to sense Fang Yu's concern.

Fang Yu smiled and patted his sister's head.

Without him noticing, the little tagalong who had once followed him everywhere had grown over 1.7 meters tall. With her hair in a ponytail and dressed in martial arts clothes, she had grown into a young woman, though her face was still a little youthful.

"Xiaolong, take good care of your sister at school," Fang Yu said.

"Don't worry, bro." Fang Long nodded firmly. He wasn't much of a talker, but he was sturdily built and had grown quite a bit over the break, reaching nearly 1.8 meters.

Fang Yu figured his younger brother might grow taller than 1.9 meters someday.

Being tall and well-built was a tremendous advantage in the early stages of martial arts cultivation.

"Grandpa." Fang Yu looked at his grandfather, who was doing calisthenics in the pavilion... Fang Zhiyuan hadn't cultivated martial arts in his younger years, but after retiring, he had become especially attentive to his health and fitness.

"Haha."

"I heard everything." Fang Zhiyuan took off his headphones and walked over to Fang Yu, smiling. "My eldest grandson is so capable. You'll have no trouble getting into an undergraduate program."

"Our Fang family is finally going to have an undergraduate."

Fang Yu's heart stirred.

As far as he knew, his great-grandfather had also attended a martial arts college... In all these decades, the Fang family really had never produced a martial arts undergraduate.

In this era, having a martial arts undergraduate in the family was something well worth celebrating.

"You've done everything very well, so I don't have much to say." Fang Zhiyuan patted Fang Yu on the shoulder. "Your dad's been busy these past few days and couldn't see you off."

"Your mother passed away early. Be more understanding of your dad."

"I've let him down. I haven't been a good father."

"But he's done right by you. He worked hard for thirty years, and that was why you could take up martial arts when you wanted to." Fang Zhiyuan spoke with some emotion. "Don't let all his years of effort go to waste."

"Go on."

Fang Yu's home wasn't far from school. He took a driverless taxi and arrived at the school gates half an hour later.

Today was the day third-year students returned to school.

There were quite a few students at the gates.

"It's been over a month." Fang Yu got out of the car with his bag and looked at the school gates, which were dozens of meters wide and quite imposing.

Wuling City Martial Arts College likewise claimed to be the top institution of higher education in Wuling City... Judging by its administrative rank, that was indeed true. It was half a rank above even Wuling University.

In this era, martial arts were what mattered most.

"Beep, beep." A large, all-black SUV pulled up beside Fang Yu, sounding its horn. The driver's window rolled down, revealing a young man in sunglasses and casual clothes.

In the front passenger seat sat a pretty girl in a white spaghetti-strap dress and light makeup. She was looking at Fang Yu curiously.

"Old Fang, you're only getting to school today?" The young man leaned back in the driver's seat and smiled at Fang Yu. "You've got a shot at getting into an undergraduate program. Aren't you afraid of being late?"

"Lao Mo, long time no see." Fang Yu smiled. "You know me. My home's only half an hour from school."

"Changed cars again?" Fang Yu glanced at the vehicle.

It seemed to be a model that had become very popular recently.

Its styling was somewhat old-fashioned, though, making it a favorite among middle-aged people.

"Mine got hit while I was out driving for fun over the break, so I took it in for repairs. This is my dad's car." The young man shook his head. "I borrowed it for now. I'll have the driver switch them back in a few days."

Fang Yu couldn't help smiling.

The young man was Wang Mo, his classmate, roommate, and good buddy... He was a genuine second-generation rich kid, with family assets worth at least nine figures.

His father seemed to be the richest man in one of the counties under Wuling City's administration.

"Come on, call him Brother Yu." Wang Mo turned to the innocent-looking girl in the passenger seat and introduced him. "My brother here has money at home too, and he's a real martial arts expert. He's about to enter a martial arts undergraduate program."

"Brother Yu," the girl said obediently, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

She knew that anyone Wang Mo treated with such importance couldn't be an ordinary college student.

"Mm." Fang Yu nodded slightly and didn't ask her name... The girl probably wouldn't be with Wang Mo for long. Fang Yu was used to it by now.

"All right, I'll go park. See you at the apartment later." Wang Mo waved.

"Okay." Fang Yu nodded. Their dormitory building was on a mountain of its own, and vehicles generally weren't allowed on the mountain road.

Before long, he arrived at the dormitory building... Though called a dormitory, it was built like a luxury apartment complex. Everyone had a private room, and there were shared facilities such as martial arts rooms, a swimming pool, and a weapons room.

"Fang Yu."

"Old Fang."

"Fang Yu's back?" Plenty of people greeted Fang Yu along the way, both men and women.

Fang Yu was one of the strongest martial arts students in Class 5703, and he had also won the martial arts skills competition in his second year.

The two hundred students living in the building were all from Classes 5703 and 5704. They took most of their classes together, so naturally they all knew him.

Fang Yu greeted each of them in turn.

Wuling Martial Arts College enrolled 5,000 students each year. Each cohort was divided into fifty classes of a hundred students.

Class 5703, for example, meant that its students had enrolled in year 57 and that it was the third class.

On the third floor, besides a shared living room and bathroom, there were three separate bedrooms... One door was open, and the pretty girl in the white spaghetti-strap dress was diligently massaging Wang Mo as he lay on the bed.

"Old Fang, you're here?" Wang Mo waved and smiled at Fang Yu from the bed.

Fang Yu thought nothing of it. At the school, the dormitory buildings weren't separated by gender. Men and women simply lived on different floors, and visits were allowed... The Blue Moon Alliance itself also encouraged childbirth.

For a first child, the total reward was one million Star Coins.

For a second child, the total reward was 1.5 million Star Coins... And so on. Of course, the reward wasn't paid all at once. The child had to meet the alliance's requirements at different stages before the money could be claimed.

Quite a few martial arts college students registered their marriages.

After all, it was easy for martial arts college students who had reached life level 10 to obtain a parenthood certificate.

"Where's Lao He?" Fang Yu called.

"Lao He went to the central hall to look at recruitment information," Wang Mo replied. "I think he's planning to apply for graduation early... If my dad hadn't forced me back for the assessment, I'd want to apply for graduation too."

Apply for graduation early? Fang Yu thought.

Academic college programs lasted three years.

Martial arts college programs lasted four... For the first three years, the state provided dedicated training funds to encourage martial arts college students to cultivate.

In the fourth year, the training funds doubled, but only students ranked in the top twenty percent could receive them. This was another way for the state to encourage them.

It also saved a great deal of money.

Lower-ranked students could only use some of the school's basic cultivation facilities for free. If they wanted additional cultivation resources, they had to rely entirely on themselves.

For that reason, many martial arts college students with no prospects in martial arts applied to graduate early, which the school permitted.

With the new term about to begin, many companies had naturally come to recruit on campus.

Most, however, were small or medium-sized businesses. A company like the Iron Mountain Martial Arts Society, which belonged to the Iron Mountain Group, already counted as a large enterprise.

As for organizations on the level of the eight great groups, there was no chance they would come to Wuling Martial Arts College.

The eight great groups recruited only at martial arts undergraduate institutions each year. After all, the minimum requirement for their regular martial arts employees was level 30.

Even outsourced positions or martial artist positions at their subsidiaries required level 20.

Martial arts colleges? Few students reached level 20, so they weren't worth the groups' time to recruit on campus... Of the three roommates, He Jiyu had ordinary martial arts talent and the poorest family circumstances.

It was understandable that he would choose to graduate early.

Everyone has their own lot in life, Fang Yu thought. Putting it out of his mind, he turned and said, "Lao Mo, you signed up for the undergraduate recommendation assessment too?"

At the end of their third year, he remembered Wang Mo saying he wouldn't take part.

"Yeah!"

"Over the break, my dad spent a fortune buying a huge batch of treasures and forced my life level up to 20." Wang Mo lay sprawled on the bed and sighed. "He also said that if I failed the assessment..."

"...he'd freeze all my cards, go home, and start leveling an alt."

"You agreed?" Fang Yu laughed. Wang Mo didn't seem like someone willing to have children early.

"Of course not. I'm planning to have kids when I'm forty." Wang Mo shook his head. "But my dad said that if I didn't agree, he'd level a few more alts himself... For the sake of the family fortune, I have to give it my all."

"Old Fang, you can't blame me for competing with you for a spot."