The furor and glory of the college entrance exams rushed in like a tide, then gradually receded.
To Xu Wuyi, the title of provincial champion was merely a footnote to his past efforts, not the end of his journey.
He followed Principal Zhangâs advice regarding the award ceremony, the cityâs recognition assembly, and the endless stream of interview requestsâdeclining what he could and keeping the rest as brief as possible.
Another day passed. As the morning sun streamed through the window, Xu Wuyi had already finished his foundational breathing exercises.
He changed into a worn, faded Martial Arts Uniform and, just as he had on hundreds of mornings past, walked toward the Honghe First Middle School campus.
Although he had already graduated, his request to use the schoolâs training hall had been approved without a momentâs hesitation.
For Honghe First Middle School, providing a temporary training space for the provincial champion was a welcome honor and a form of priceless advertising.
The familiar training hall, the scuffed rubber floors, the air thick with youthful vigorâit all put Xu Wuyi at ease.
He cleared his mind of stray thoughts and let his consciousness sink into his sea of consciousness.
[Martial Arts Diligence Record] silently unfolded. The scale on *Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace* was clearly visible.
He took a deep breath and began to practice the *Basic Body Refining Technique*, his movements precise, his heart and spirit completely absorbed.
His college career was about to begin, and he planned to advance *Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace* to the Entry Level before officially enrolling, pushing his Life Energy Level even higher.
Sweat soon drenched his back. His muscles stretched in a familiar rhythm, and his Qi and Blood surged in response.
Only this kind of daily refinement could bring the most solid gains in strength.
The end of the college entrance exams only meant the conclusion of one journey; a much vaster path of Martial Arts was just beginning to unfold before him.
...
That afternoon, there was a soft knock on the alloy door of the training hall.
Xu Wuyi relaxed his stance, his breathing even as he looked toward the door.
Principal Zhang was standing there with a gentle smile on his face.
"Principal." Xu Wuyi nodded in greeting.
Zhang Qiming came in, closing the door behind him and shutting out the noise from the hallway.
He got straight to the point. "Good to see youâre not letting your training slide. I came today because thereâs something I need to discuss with you."
He paused, choosing his words carefully. "The Lin Family sent someone. They passed a message through an intermediary."
A flicker of movement in Xu Wuyiâs eyes was his only reaction. He said nothing, quietly waiting for the principal to continue.
Principal Zhangâs tone was even, as if he were recounting some ordinary event. "Their attitude was quite deferential, and their words were full of lavish praise. They congratulated you on becoming the provincial champion and lauded you as the future hope of Martial Arts in Dongjiang Province."
"Between the lines, it was the same old story," Principal Zhang continued. "They said the Lin Family greatly admires your potential and understands that you come from a humble background. They also know that the further one progresses on the path of Martial Arts, the more astronomical the required resources become."
"The Lin Family is willing to offer âfriendlyâ assistance, sponsoring you all the way until you become an Innate Martial Artist, with no limit on the resources provided."
Zhang Qiming looked at Xu Wuyi. "Wuyi, I know you have a poor opinion of the Lin Family. But as your principal, I have to analyze this from the perspective that benefits you the most."
His tone became solemn. "The Martial Artist stage is a completely different ball game from the Martial Disciple stage."
"Martial Disciples hone their bodies and condense their Qi and Blood. They can get by on diligent training and basic resources. But once you become an Official Martial Artist, youâll be projecting your Qi and Blood and cultivating more profound Martial Arts. The resources required for that are astronomical."
"The formulas for the medicinal baths that accompany High-Tier Body Refining Methods contain many herbs that are priceless and unavailable on the open market. Then there are the Exotic Fruits to help you break through bottlenecks, and High-tier Martial Arts Secret Manuals that are compatible with your own style... Arenât all of these astronomically expensive?"
Zhang Qiming sighed, his tone full of the wisdom of experience. "Relying solely on the basic subsidies from the Federation and whatever little scholarship money you get from the university will, at best, only keep you from falling behind. Making rapid progress is next to impossible."
"Many geniuses from ordinary families get stuck at this resource hurdle and ultimately fade into obscurity."
After listening to Principal Zhang, Xu Wuyi thought for a moment before asking, "Principal, all the resources Iâd need to cultivate up to the Innate Martial Artist realmâwould that be considered a lot for the Lin Family?"
Zhang Qiming fell silent for a moment. "Yes, it would. The Innate Martial Artist realm is different. It requires many top-tier resources, things money canât buy."
Xu Wuyi mulled it over for a moment, then met Zhang Qimingâs gaze. "Principal, I understand what youâre saying. However, regarding how to acquire resources, Chu Shanhe gave me a suggestion after the tournament."
"Chu Shanhe?" Zhang Qiming sounded slightly surprised.
"Yes." Xu Wuyi then recounted what Chu Shanhe had told him.
He focused on the parts about not readily accepting sponsorship from outside powers, lest he be branded as part of a faction, and about participating in the "Federation Youth Martial Arts Tournament" as early as possible. This would allow him to earn school âpointsâ based on his performance, which could then be exchanged for rare resources.
When he finished, Zhang Qimingâs brow furrowed in thought.
Although he was a veteran educator, he didnât have an in-depth understanding of the internal resource allocation rules at top-tier institutions like the Three Greats.
After all, those rules could change annually and werenât made public. Only those inside the universities would know about them.
"Youth Martial Arts Tournament... school points..." he murmured, his eyes gradually lighting up. "Hang on, let me confirm this."
With that, he took out his communicator, walked to a corner of the training hall, and began calling several old friends, all of whom either worked at or had connections to the top Martial Arts Universities.
Xu Wuyi didnât disturb him, simply resuming his own training.
About half an hour later, Zhang Qiming returned, his face a mixture of excitement and dawning realization.
"Itâs confirmed!" he said, his voice firm. "Chu Shanhe was right! The Three Greats do indeed place immense importance on the Federation Youth Martial Arts Tournament. They see it as a key platform for testing the caliber of their students and the success of their training programs."
"The tournamentâs rewards, especially for first-year students, are incredibly generous!"
"Itâs not just about honor and prize money; the universities also award a massive amount of internal points. And these points can be directly exchanged for many rare resources that canât be bought with money."
"That includes, but isnât limited to, access to High-tier Martial Arts, private sessions with a Grandmaster, time in special cultivation grounds, and... those priceless cultivation wonders that arenât for sale!"
The more Zhang Qiming spoke, the more excited he became. "Whatâs more, using school points is a much cleaner way to get resources than accepting outside sponsorship. You donât get entangled in complex power dynamics. That Chu Shanhe... truly a credit to his Noble Family. He had this all planned out!"
He looked at Xu Wuyi, his expression transformed. "If you can make this path work, itâs definitely a better option than accepting the Lin Familyâs âgiftâ!"
"But you need to be clear about one thing: all of this is contingent on you achieving excellent results in the Youth Martial Arts Tournament."
"Otherwise, if you fall behind once, you risk always being a step behind. Regardless of any outside entanglements, your own strength is what matters most."
Xu Wuyi was lost in thought.
All the pros and cons were once again laid out before him.
On one hand, there were immense resources, easily obtainable but likely fraught with complications. On the other, there were school pointsâa cleaner but more challenging path that required him to fight for them with his own strength.
Xu Wuyi remained silent, his gaze sweeping over the training equipment in the hallâthe very same equipment that had accompanied him through countless hours of arduous cultivation.
He recalled the phrase from his [Martial Arts Diligence Record]: âOnly your sweat will never betray you.â
He lifted his head, his usual determination returning to his eyes. "Principal, Iâve decided to refuse the Lin Familyâs sponsorship."