A Contract? Debate

"Blade technique at the Subtlety level?" Yan Fu found it just as unbelievable.

Ordinarily, when they spoke of Subtlety in technique, they meant the degree of control one had over one's body, a union of body and mind. Simply put, it was "the extent to which the mind could direct the body"... The higher one's level of Subtlety, the greater one's control over the body and the more of its potential one could draw out. Naturally, the power one could unleash would be greater as well.

Lesser Mastery of Minute Subtlety meant controlling the muscles and bones throughout the body to fully unleash one's normal strength: one's basic punching power.

Greater Mastery of Minute Subtlety went a step further, controlling the flow of qi and blood throughout the body. At a critical moment, one could make an arm or leg suddenly unleash nearly twice its usual power... This was Dark Force, but it was a burst of power beyond the body's normal limits and could not be sustained.

Using Dark Force in prolonged combat would also leave the body weakened afterward.

Once a person attained Subtlety in controlling the body, it was relatively easy to attain it in movement techniques.

But Subtlety in blade technique? That was another matter entirely.

A weapon was an extension of the body, but it was not connected to the body's consciousness... It required a perfect union of body, mind, and weapon. Even the martial arts teachers at the college had all needed years of arduous practice to attain Subtlety in weapon control.

To become a teacher at a martial arts college, Subtlety with a weapon was a basic requirement.

What a technical genius.

My student's talent for technique really is extraordinary. And it seems the further he goes, the stronger his momentum becomes. In his first year, his technique only ranked in the top five in his class. In his second year, he broke into the top hundred of his year, and by his third, he was in the top ten.

Now he's unquestionably first. Even Wu Ya most likely hasn't attained Subtlety with a weapon yet. Yan Fu marveled inwardly. That makes sense. His Void Star Aspect never awakened during his three years at college, so his mind must have undergone considerable tempering.

He's very steady. Perhaps he'll achieve great things someday.

Physical talent and talent for technique were two different things.

Physical talent could be judged in broad terms from the rank of the Astral Aspect one awakened. The higher its rank, the more efficiently one absorbed Star Power, and naturally, the faster one's life level rose.

Talent for technique, however, came partly from the strength of one's mental power. The stronger it was, the faster one's thoughts moved.

The other part depended on "comprehension." Some experts had ordinary comprehension in their early years, but after experiencing more and having their minds tempered, their comprehension might undergo a remarkable transformation.

Conversely, some peerless geniuses shone brightly and advanced by leaps and bounds early on, but if they suddenly suffered a major setback, there was a chance they would never recover.

Jade had to be carved before it could become a fine piece.

But too much force could also destroy the jade entirely.

He's not like some legendary geniuses, who could attain Outer Landscape perception and unity of heaven and man at twenty.

Still, he's already outstanding.

Even compared with some elite students at Huguang Martial Arts University, he's not at all inferior in technique. Yan Fu thought, What a pity. I didn't get to know him well enough before, and we haven't built up much of a teacher-student bond.

Previously, he had simply treated Fang Yu as an ordinary "outstanding student" and thought he had only a slight chance of becoming an Advanced Martial Artist.

But now...

He felt that even if Fang Yu did not awaken his Void Star Aspect, his future as an Advanced Martial Artist was assured.

He's attained Subtlety with a weapon at such a young age. If he spends another two years studying for his bachelor's degree, and with the help of the Starry Sky Base on Primordial Star, there's a good chance he'll reach the Inner Landscape in technique. Yan Fu pondered. Once he enters the Inner Landscape...

He'll be able to make one Star Coin go as far as five.

With several tens of millions, he'll have a chance of becoming an Advanced Martial Artist.

The higher one's level of technique, the more of the body's potential one could draw out, and the greater the effect of the same medicines and treasures.

If he can awaken his Astral Aspect, an Earth Martial Artist... might not be beyond his reach. Yan Fu's heart stirred.

He had spent his life teaching and nurturing students. If one of his students became an Earth Martial Artist, it would be something worth boasting about even in his old age.

After all, an Earth Martial Artist was guaranteed a place on Wuling City Martial Arts College's "honored alumni wall"... Since the college's founding, only a handful of its graduates had become Earth Martial Artists.

"Congratulations, Old Yan."

"Teacher Yan, you have to treat us to dinner tonight."

"Old Yan, you were hiding a trump card like that? You taught him well."

"This Fang Yu never showed what he could do before, but today he's made a name for himself in one stroke!" The other teachers congratulated Yan Fu again, all of them moved.

No one mentioned the Void Star Aspect again.

His level of technique was far ahead of the rest.

His life level could also be considered the highest. Whether Fang Yu had awakened his Astral Aspect was no longer so important.

After all, this was only an assessment for admission from a junior college to a bachelor's program, not an assessment for recommended admission from a martial arts bachelor's program to graduate school. The requirements were not so high... These teachers had all but decided that Fang Yu was first.

"Haha."

"He worked hard himself," Yan Fu said with a smile, while considering how to build a closer relationship with Fang Yu.

In the ninth-floor office.

The six teachers from Huguang Martial Arts University, who had been quite composed until then, all looked surprised when they saw that Fang Yu's practical combat assessment had been rated "junior college perfection."

Junior college perfection.

It meant that, under the Blue Moon Alliance's martial arts education system, Fang Yu's combat skills were considered to have reached a limit for junior college students... The college's martial arts teachers were no longer qualified to teach him.

"Junior college perfection."

"This is my third visit to Wuling, and it's the first time I've seen that rating."

"Subtlety with a weapon really is impressive. Those combat skills would rank very highly even at our university." The teachers could not help discussing it.

A life level of 20 was not enough to impress them, because anyone with money could reach it easily.

But when it came to cultivating martial arts techniques, Star Coins could only serve as an aid.

"Associate Professor Tang, what do you think?" The middle-aged male teacher looked at the young female teacher in gray. "Should we offer him a contract?"

The other teachers looked at her as well.

Associate professor... That title alone meant the young woman held a senior position at Huguang Martial Arts University. She was also the leader of their group on this trip.

Under normal circumstances, an assessment for recommended admission from a junior college to a bachelor's program was monitored throughout and jointly supervised by the Department of Education, the Martial Arts Department, and the Martial Arts Supervision Department. There was no need for Huguang Martial Arts University to send anyone.

But why had they come? And why had the university sent six teachers at once?

They were there to see whether there were any truly promising candidates.

The contract they spoke of was an "exclusive training contract." Under it, Huguang Martial Arts University invested additional resources in a select few outstanding students on top of their state-funded training, with the aim of producing top martial artists.

"Not enough."

"His talent for technique is good. If he works hard enough and uses treasures to raise his life level, he'll have a slight chance of becoming an Earth Martial Artist in the future." The female teacher's voice was cold. "But without awakening an Astral Aspect..."

"Even if he becomes an Earth Martial Artist, he'll be among the weakest of them and won't get far. The money for the contract comes from the state, so it must produce clear value."

The other teachers fell into thought.

Before becoming an Earth Martial Artist, an Astral Aspect's greatest use was improving cultivation efficiency, something money could compensate for. Primordial Star had an abundance of treasures that could help raise one's life level... But after becoming an Earth Martial Artist or a Sky-Roving Martial Artist, an Astral Aspect was extremely important.

The stronger the Astral Aspect, the greater the help it provided.

Without one... the effect on his future was too great.

"Every exclusive contract is worth a staggering amount."

"We still have assessments to attend at six more colleges, and the number of contracts is limited." The female teacher shook her head. "This Fang Yu is qualified to enter Huguang Martial Arts University... But he hasn't done enough to earn a contract."

"His future is too uncertain."

The other teachers exchanged glances and argued no further.

If Fang Yu had awakened an Astral Aspect, even a Lower Astral Aspect, they would certainly have argued for him... But without one, there really was too much uncertainty.

However...

"Associate Professor Tang." The middle-aged male teacher was still smiling. "Talent is hard to come by. For a junior college student to get this far, he must have put in a great deal of effort... Let's give him a chance."

"We have ten contract slots. One more or one less won't make much difference."

"Just as you said, if he doesn't awaken an Astral Aspect, there's a low ceiling on his future."

"But what if he does awaken one?" The middle-aged teacher smiled, standing by his opinion. "He might achieve great things."

"Better to leave a slot empty than fill it with someone unsuitable. At his age, the hope of awakening an Astral Aspect..." Associate Professor Tang frowned, then saw the look in the middle-aged teacher's eyes and changed tack. "Teacher Jiang."

"I can't agree to an exclusive contract. If you really think that highly of him, use your own slot to apply for special approval. I'll approve it, and that will give him a chance."

"All right." The middle-aged teacher nodded at once.

He had never expected her to agree to an exclusive contract... His goal had been to get her permission to use his special-approval slot.

Each of the six teachers had one "special-approval slot"... Although a special-approval slot was not as valuable as an exclusive contract, it was still worth more than an ordinary recommendation.

On the first floor, Fang Yu walked out of the assessment area.

Greater Mastery of Minute Subtlety in body control.

Subtlety in blade technique.

Life level 20... Even if I don't take first place, getting a recommendation shouldn't be a problem. Fang Yu thought, The increase in my soul's mental power really has made a huge difference.

He gently closed his eyes.

His consciousness returned to that vast, unfathomable place. At its center, the enormous Sleeping Star Aspect was far clearer than it had been before.

Even its face had become clear.

My life level has reached 20.

It seems it won't be long before it truly awakens. Fang Yu sensed it somehow. At the same time, through the enormous Sleeping Star Aspect, he perceived several messages being transmitted to him:

--

Aspect Observer

Life level: 20.1 (Intermediate Martial Artist)

Martial arts technique: Advanced Subtlety (qi and blood, Subtlety with a weapon)

Soul level: 23.4

Void Star Aspect: unknown (please strive to reach a higher life level)

Innate Divine Ability 1: Devour (faster digestion and better absorption after consuming various rare treasures)

Innate Divine Ability 2: unknown (please strive to become a higher-level life-form)