Translator: CinderTL
Jiang Ye, tired of his recurring nightmares and restless sleep, decided to skip sleep altogether.
While it was still early, he began practicing his boxing in his room.
As soon as he assumed his stance, he immediately sensed a difference.
"My understanding of the cultivation method seems much deeper now."
Recalling Chen Zilu's guidance, Jiang Ye found the memories had become remarkably clear, every detail sharp and vivid. Previously, these memories had been hazy, with many details overlooked.
"Is this what it feels like to be a genius?"
Jiang Ye immediately immersed himself in the practice, completely absorbed.
As the saying goes, "The master leads you to the door, but cultivation is up to you."
No martial arts instructor could possibly explain every minute detail of cultivation. Therefore, how much a student could grasp from the instructor's demonstrations depended entirely on their own comprehension. Some aspects remained elusive even after repeated observation.
However, martial arts prodigies could independently grasp these crucial points, reaping immense benefits.
Jiang Ye had now become one of them.
He gazed at Chen Zilu in his memory, his eyes lingering on her chest, waist, and hips.
"From beginning to end, the energy flows seamlessly, each movement following the last, tightly interlocked."
"So, that's how the Divine Dragon Tail Sweep is used."
In just a few minutes, Jiang Ye had gained profound insights.
Lost in a state of selfless absorption, he practiced the Star Martial Cultivation Method tirelessly, oblivious to fatigue.
Before he knew it, dawn had broken.
Jiang Ye noticed the bright sunlight streaming through the window and realized it was already 11 AM.
Fortunately, it was a single rest day, so he didn't need to go to school.
"I didn't realize I'd been practicing for six hours straight."
Jiang Ye was drenched in sweat but felt immensely rewarded.
"I heard that advancing to Major Success is far more difficult than reaching Small Success. But why does it feel even easier than when I was at Small Success?"
It had taken Jiang Ye three full days to progress from 99% to 100% in the Small Success stage of the cultivation method.
According to Chen Zilu, the difficulty of advancing to Major Success was more than five times greater than that of Small Success.
This meant he might need half a month to improve by just 1%.
But that was before.
"I wonder how much I've improved?" Jiang Ye glanced nervously at the system panel.
[Techniques]
[Star Martial Cultivation Method: Major Success (3%)]
"Just six hours, and it's already improved by 2%?!"
Jiang Ye stared in astonishment at the progress.
What should have taken a month, he had accomplished in just six hours?!
Is this my true potential?
Jiang Ye knew this remarkable progress was undoubtedly due to the physique enhancement he had just undergone.
His martial bone had now evolved to Mortal Body Grade B, and his comprehension had permanently increased by 10%.
This meant his martial dao aptitude had improved exponentially.
Though still a Primordial Endowment, it was now vastly different from before.
"And this is just the reward for clearing the first level of the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder."
"If the first level's reward is already this astonishing, what wonders await in the higher levels?"
Jiang Ye's anticipation soared.
Even if the second level only offered another physique transformation, it would be utterly astounding.
However, reaching the second level would likely require achieving Perfection in his cultivation method, or even breaking through to the first breakthrough.
"Brother, Brother~"
"Lunch is ready!"
As Jiang Ye pondered, Jiang Ting's crisp, cheerful voice rang out from beyond the door.
"I'm coming," Jiang Ye replied, feeling genuinely hungry after a morning of practicing martial arts.
At the dining table, Jiang Ting looked at Jiang Ye and asked, "Brother, why didn't you come out when I called you last night? You even locked the door. Were you up to something naughty in your room?"
Jiang Ye had locked the door before entering the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder last night, just in case.
"Where did you learn such nonsense?" Jiang Ye glanced at his sister.
Jiang Ting grinned. "My classmates say that if a boy locks himself in his room and refuses to come out, he must be up to no good."
Hearing this, Jiang Ye couldn't help but recall his experience of being pinned down and rubbed against by various beauties all night.
Seeing Jiang Ye's pensive expression, Jiang Ting's playful smile vanished.
Her small face grew anxious. "Brother, what did you do? The police won't come to arrest us, will they?"
Jiang Ye flicked her forehead. "Stop imagining things. Eat your food!"
"Okay, okay," Jiang Ting stuck out her tongue and obediently began eating.
Jiang Ye glanced at the empty corner of the table, thinking, "Mom and Dad must have gone to work."
Although Jiang Dahai worked as a night security guard, he sometimes had to stand guard during the day as well.
As for Li Anping, she took on a part-time job in addition to her regular work.
After all, Jiang Ye was at a crucial stage in his cultivation, and his daily appetite was considerable. To ensure he could eat meat with every meal, their expenses were inevitably high.
"I've achieved Major Success in the Star Martial Cultivation Method," Jiang Ye thought. "According to my teacher, I can now participate in trials to earn money."
"Though I'll probably have to wait until the next semester."
This reminded Jiang Ye that the final exams were tomorrow.
"Final exams... I'm aiming for the top three!" he vowed silently.
Securing a spot in the top three would earn him a scholarship of several thousand, or even tens of thousands, yuan—a sum that would make a significant difference for him.
Jiang Ye glanced at Xiao Jiang Ting, who was diligently eating her rice, a soft tenderness flickering in his eyes.
Their life might be ordinary, but it was good. He hoped it could stay this way forever.
Suddenly, something occurred to Jiang Ye.
He secretly opened the 'Low Martial Achievement' panel, curious if he could see Jiang Ting's innate talent.
The moment he focused the panel on Jiang Ting, two lines of text appeared above her head:
[Physique: Mortal Body]
[Innate Talent: Primitive]
"So this is Talent Visualization?"
Jiang Ye's gaze turned peculiar.
Could he really see other people's physiques and innate talents?
To test his theory, Jiang Ye rose and walked to the window, looking down at the passersby below.
Above each person's head, several lines of small text appeared:
[Physique: Mortal Body (Grade D)]
[Innate Talent: Primitive]
[Physique: Mortal Body (Grade D)]
[Innate Talent: Primitive]
"Hmm?"
"Strange." Jiang Ye suddenly noticed something. "Why does Jiang Ting's physique only say 'Mortal Body' without a grade?"
He looked at Jiang Ting again, and the text remained the same:
[Physique: Mortal Body]
[Innate Talent: Primitive]
"Odd." Jiang Ye stroked his chin, suddenly recalling something.
The little girl wasn't Jiang Dahai and Li Anping's biological child. Like him, she had been taken in after being abandoned.
Due to health issues, Jiang Dahai and Li Anping couldn't have children of their own. For years, they had raised Jiang Ye as their sole heir. But when Jiang Ye was five, they found a little girl abandoned on the street.
At the time, their financial situation was precarious, and Jiang Dahai initially resisted adopting her.
But Li Anping, having grown up as an orphan herself, couldn't bear to leave the child behind and insisted on bringing her home.
Did Mom pick up a treasure? Is this girl's physique more extraordinary than I thought? Jiang Ye pondered, quickly shaking his head.
He recalled from his textbooks that martial dao prodigies were born with transcendent abilities. Yet Jiang Ting had never displayed any special talents throughout her life.
Ultimately, she still has a mortal body, Jiang Ye sighed inwardly. Even if it's somewhat unique, it can't be that extraordinary, especially since it's just a Primitive Talent.
In this world, Innate Talent reigned supreme. Ninety-nine percent of Primitive talents were destined for mediocrity.
While Jiang Ye was lost in thought, Jiang Ting was secretly observing him. When she saw him pacing back and forth by the window, she couldn't help but think, Did Brother really do something bad?
Her small, pale fist clenched, a flicker of determination in her eyes.
"Brother, don't be scared!" Jiang Ting declared loudly, summoning her courage. "If the police come, just tell them I did it!"
Jiang Ye froze, startled.
Jiang Ting, still clutching her fist, explained, "I'm just a little kid. Even if I did something wrong, the police won't do anything to me."
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Jiang Ye said silently, "Your brother hasn't done anything wrong!"
He walked over and ruffled the little girl's hair, feeling both amused and exasperated.
After dinner, Jiang Ye returned to his room to continue cultivating. He only emerged for dinner before resuming his practice.
He cultivated until one o'clock in the morning the next day, finally collapsing into a deep sleep, his body exhausted.
Perhaps due to his extreme fatigue, Jiang Ye drifted into a half-dreaming state, where he seemed to see a vision of his younger self.
In the vision, he was just a one-year-old infant being held by a young man as they approached a magnificent, golden-hued palace.
Jiang Ye noticed the young man bore a striking resemblance to him, with deep-set eyes and a high, prominent nose that seemed like a perfect match.
The young man gazed at the palace ahead.
The plaque above the entrance was inscribed with four large characters: "Cosmic Divine Path."
In a daze, Jiang Ye heard the young man murmur to himself, "I must succeed."
Then, Jiang Ye watched as the young man strode forward with unwavering determination.
The dream flickered and fragmented.
The scene shifted, and Jiang Ye found the young man had vanished. The one-year-old version of himself lay alone in the darkness, wailing loudly.
The night was pitch-black, an endless darkness engulfing him like a rising tide.
"!!!"
Jiang Ye jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat.
"Another one of those strange nightmares..."
He clutched his head, realizing he'd been having the same nightmare for days.
But this time, the dream was unusually vivid, so clear that he remembered it perfectly even after waking.
"Why am I having these dreams?"
Normally, memories from before the age of one should have long faded.
Yet this particular memory seemed deeply rooted in Jiang Ye's mind.
He realized that perhaps his growing strength was causing these childhood memories to resurface.
"Who was that young man?"
Jiang Ye was certain it wasn't Jiang Dahai.
Recalling the man's features, he noticed a striking resemblance—about seventy to eighty percent—to himself.
"Could he be my biological father?"
A chill ran through Jiang Ye's heart at this startling possibility.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
As a transmigrator, the identity of his biological parents mattered little. What truly mattered were the people around him now.
After breakfast, Jiang Ye took Jiang Ting to Ancheng Primary School.
At the school gate, Jiang Ting suddenly said, "Brother, can you bring me a hot dog today?"
Jiang Ye chuckled. "Why the sudden craving for a hot dog?"
Jiang Ting replied earnestly, "My classmates said that eating hot dogs makes you stronger."
"?" Jiang Ye looked puzzled.
Clenching her tiny fist, Jiang Ting declared, "I want to grow up quickly and become strong so I can help Mom and Dad with their work."
Jiang Ye patted her head and smiled. "That's my job, not yours."
"But I can help you, Brother!" Jiang Ting tilted her head up.
Jiang Ye shook his head with a smile, then nodded. "I'll bring you a hot dog after school. Now hurry along."
"Hehe, thank you, Brother! You're the best!"
The little girl hugged his arm, gave him a quick kiss, and skipped into the school.
Ancheng Third High School.
As Jiang Ye stepped onto campus, he immediately sensed a solemn atmosphere.
The usual vibrant energy was gone. Students hurried toward the classroom buildings, their faces etched with either tension or anticipation.
Today was the day of the final exams.
As Jiang Ye walked, he glanced at his status panel.
[Cultivation Method]
[Star Martial Cultivation Method: Major Success (5%)]
"After a day of cultivation yesterday, the method has advanced by 4%."
A 4% increase in a single day!
This was the Major Success stage, over five times more difficult than the Small Success stage. Each 1% improvement felt significant.
Even students in the Elite Class rarely achieved such progress.
"Is this what a Grade B Physique is like?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but marvel. "What kind of miserable life was I living before?"
Reaching Major Success in the cultivation method had indeed made progress far more challenging than during the Small Success stage.
Yet for his current Mortal Body Grade B, cultivation now felt even easier than before.
It was like the same advanced math problem:
For a struggling student, it would be a brain-wracking puzzle.
But for a top student from Peking or Tsinghua University, it would be as simple as 1 + 1 = 2.
Lost in thought, Jiang Ye arrived at his exam hall.
The vast classroom held only about twenty students at this time.
The morning exam was a cultural assessment.
Due to their martial arts training, the students had excellent vision. To prevent cheating, the school mandated a minimum three-meter distance between each examinee.
As the top student in cultural subjects, the exam posed no challenge for Jiang Ye.
Of course, he didn't take it lightly. After finishing the paper, he meticulously reviewed it several times before submitting it at the bell.
Even at martial dao universities, cultural subjects accounted for 30% of the final grade.
For the geniuses in the Elite Class, cultural scores were typically perfect.
Geniuses excelled in all aspects.
The cultural exam concluded.
Jiang Ye ate lunch in the cafeteria and immediately headed to Class Nine's martial dao training hall.
Inside, many students were already practicing diligently, making a final push before the exam.
Pfft!
Nearby, Li Zhichao forcefully injected himself with a stimulant, preparing for the assessment.
This was a permitted pre-exam drug, administered an hour before the test to avoid violating regulations.
However, it was significantly more expensive than ordinary stimulants.
He's really loaded, Jiang Ye couldn't help but think.
He knew Li Zhichao's parents were both cosmic martial artists holding high-level positions in major corporations.
In terms of family background, he naturally couldn't compare.
Thinking this, Jiang Ye subconsciously opened his interface and looked at Li Zhichao through it.
The next moment, two lines of small text appeared above Li Zhichao's head:
[Physique: Mortal Body (Grade C)]
[Innate Talent: Primitive]
"He's only Grade C?" Jiang Ye was slightly surprised, but then he remembered Li Zhichao's cultivation speed and understood.
Li Zhichao had achieved Small Success in his cultivation method by the first year of high school, and he broke through to Major Success at the very beginning of the second semester of his second year.
While this speed surpassed that of students in regular classes, it still lagged far behind those in the Elite Class.
Jiang Ye then looked at the others and saw that most of them had Grade D physiques.
Only a few among the top ten students in the class had Grade C physiques.
"Mediocrity is the norm after all," Jiang Ye sighed, shaking his head.
Then, anticipation began to build within him. "I wonder how much my strength has truly improved for this final exam."
There were only two major exams in the second year of high school: the initial assessment at the start of the semester and the final exam.
The final exam was particularly important because the top ten students, especially those from impoverished backgrounds, could apply for financial aid.
If one managed to rank in the top three, the scholarship amount would be substantial.
(End of the Chapter)
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