Tang Tian crawled out of the Cross Door looking like a dead dog.
He had completed all of his successful Flash Fists, a total of 80,000 repetitions. Needless to say, the [Crane-Style Qi Manual] could last for a very long time. Tang Tian could spend more time practicing than sitting still.
However, Tang Tian was good at adapting and did not mind it. Even though this was only his second day cultivating it, Tang Tian had already adapted quite well.
This time, the cultivation was painful, but compared to the previous time, it was much better.
At least when Tang Tian came out of the Cross Door, he was conscious and not in a fainted state.
However, this kind of crazy training still made him extremely tired.
The success rate of his Flash Fists dropped to between sixty and seventy percent.
As the number of repetitions increased, Tang Tian noticed something strange. He tried to correct these awkward movements, and it was precisely these corrections that led to an increase in the success rate of Flash Fist.
This was not the first time Tang Tian had done something like this.
When he trained his fundamental martial arts, he had already become accustomed to doing this. If he only followed the mentor's guidance, he felt it was very difficult to reach perfection.
The reason why his fundamental martial arts were so perfect was because he constantly corrected his movements and refined them.
The same was true for Flash Fist.
The essence of Bronze Grade Spirit Cards was not very high. It was estimated that the creator of [Flash Fist] might not necessarily have been very profound.
Spirit Cards allowed people to learn faster, but they also had certain shortcomings.
Spirit Cards contained the creator's understanding, directly matching the creator's standards. Expecting a man with an average level of strength to produce a Spirit Card with the highest essence was basically like an idiot talking in his dreams.
Bronze Grade Spirit Cards only contained shallow and vague experience.
The ability to strengthen it, the ability to train it to deeper levels, all depended on one's own understanding and hard work.
Tang Tian's level of comprehension was ordinary, but his fundamentals were extremely strong.
After unexpected training, those unfamiliar parts would disappear like dust blown away and gradually become familiar.
Rank two fist arts and fundamental fist arts were very closely related, and even Flash Fist was no exception.
Tang Tian could not explain it clearly, but the fundamental martial arts were practically engraved into his bone marrow and had become his natural instinct.
What was correct and what felt awkward—he could sense it all.
Tang Tian was also very straightforward. As long as something felt uncomfortable, he would change it until it became comfortable.
The higher the probability of releasing Flash Fist, the more correct it was.
Through all these repetitions, his Flash Fists began to quietly change, transforming into a martial art filled with Tang Tian's own personality.
As a result, the number of successful Flash Fists increased rapidly.
The highest success rate he had achieved so far was seventy-four percent.
Although this result was not as astonishing as Wang Zhen's, if the news spread, it would definitely shock quite a few people.
Tang Tian, however, was not satisfied with this result.
He was used to being someone who produced perfect movements one hundred percent of the time.
Seventy-four percent was a spectacle too horrifying for him to tolerate.
However, he was not in a hurry.
He had spent five years on fundamental martial arts, and that had trained him to become more patient.
Cultivation was all about patience and precision.
His [Crane-Style Qi Manual] was progressing rapidly, and the energy behind the Cross Door was thick and powerful.
The Crane-Style Qi Manual already had some structure.
The pathways were complicated and profound, but Tang Tian remembered them by heart.
It was a crane, as if he were drawing a small crane.
The Crane-Style Qi Manual was exactly as Old Fart Wei had said—its qi channels were extremely long.
Tang Tian's patience was already astonishing.
It was unclear what the true potential of the Crane-Style Qi Manual was, but no matter what, it was suitable for cultivation.
Cultivation time would become much more efficient, and his cultivation speed would also increase rapidly.
This made Tang Tian very happy.
With increased cultivation efficiency and his possession of the Southern Cross Hardship Plate, he would not be afraid even if he had many martial arts techniques to learn.
Fist techniques.
Finger techniques.
Palm techniques.
Light body techniques.
Joint techniques…
He would cultivate them all!
To become a god-like close-combat expert!
But why were his eyelids suddenly so heavy…
So tired…
Tang Tian fainted and fell asleep.
---
Tang Tian only woke up after three days.
Sleeping for three full days shocked even Tang Tian himself.
What surprised him even more was that his third-rank True Power had actually increased slightly.
Even sleeping could increase his True Power. What kind of True Power was this?
Tang Tian angrily jumped up.
After wasting three full days, his heart ached.
He opened the door, and the light from outside dazzled his eyes.
The afternoon sun carried a strong wave of heat directly toward him.
At the training ground, Ah Mo Li was dripping with sweat, every movement of his blade carrying one hundred percent focus.
Fly-cow…
Tang Tian looked at him, stepped out of the wooden hut with his hands in his pockets, and walked to the side of the training ground.
Pa!
He jumped onto the wooden pillar nearby.
"Hey, young man, working hard!"
Ah Mo Li heard Tang Tian's voice, stopped, and turned around.
He placed the two wooden blades on his shoulders. Sweat dripped from head to toe.
Looking at Tang Tian, he burst into loud laughter.
"Tang Fundamental, you finally woke up. I originally wanted to call you, but Old Fart said you were overworked and told me to let you sleep. But you really slept for three days. You must be really strong!"
Ah Mo Li sounded envious, as if being able to sleep for three days was some incredible achievement.
This kid said that on purpose…
Tang Tian's forehead veins throbbed.
He began speaking like a deep thinker.
"Of course. A youth like a god must sleep like a god! This is called Godly Sleep… Oh, fly-cow, you better work harder. I am now cultivating the Crane-Style Qi Manual. It is extremely fierce. Be careful not to get beaten like a dog!"
Ah Mo Li laughed loudly.
"Tang Fundamental, I have also learned a new martial art, [Wild Earth Blade], and it is very powerful! Come, let's spar for one round! This time I will face you seriously.
Old Fart was right. Only by using your strongest martial arts to defeat your opponent can you show the greatest respect!"
Tang Tian frowned deeply.
Lines appeared on his forehead as he groaned.
"It's over… this guy has been brainwashed by that old ground beetle!"
"Who are you calling a ground beetle?"
A dull voice suddenly appeared behind Tang Tian.
Tang Tian trembled and turned around to see Old Fart glaring at him with a vicious face.
Tang Tian's face immediately lit up with a bright smile.
"Ah ha, Old Fart! I was just talking about how powerful you are, since even this stupid cow can be tamed."
"Tang Fundamental! How dare you call me stupid! You're dead!" Ah Mo Li shouted.
"Why are you yelling like a ghost?"
Old Fart Wei suddenly glared at Ah Mo Li, and Ah Mo Li immediately fell silent.
Tang Tian suddenly felt that something was strange.
He subconsciously scratched his head.
Did something happen in the last three days while I was sleeping?
Since when did this stupid cow become so obedient to Old Fart Wei?
This is strange…
"Alright. I will take the two of you somewhere today."
Old Fart waved his hand.
"Go clean yourselves up first. Don't embarrass me."
Tang Tian could not help but say, "Old Fart, the two of us are cleaner than you."
Old Fart blushed and coughed lightly.
"Give me a moment."
With that, he disappeared into the air.
---
Tang Tian and Ah Mo Li stared in shock at the three huge words before them:
Crystal Sky Academy.
Beside the three of them, people traveled back and forth constantly.
These people wore luxurious clothing, and they all looked impressive.
From time to time, they would cast strange looks toward them.
Three men wearing torn and old clothes naturally attracted a lot of attention.
"Hey, old man, are you sure you didn't bring us to the wrong place?" Ah Mo Li could not help asking.
Crystal Sky Academy was the number one academy in Star Wind City, and also the most prestigious school in the city.
Those who could enter the school were either extremely rich or absolute geniuses.
Aside from a few years when Shangguang Hui Heng Kong was born, the number-one ranking of Crystal Sky Academy had remained as stable as a rock.
The academy had the best teachers in Star Wind City, the strongest instructors, the most complete training facilities, the largest Star Rock Shops, and the highest-level Spirit Card stores.
Looking across Star Wind City, Crystal Sky Academy stood at the peak of all famous academies.
Just at that moment, a middle-aged man stepped forward.
"May I ask if you are Headmaster Wei?"
"Yes, that's right," Old Fart Wei replied proudly.
"Please follow me. The Headmaster has been waiting for you."
The middle-aged man gestured for them to follow.
Old Fart Wei nodded and said to Tang Tian and Ah Mo Li,
"Follow me, and don't get lost."
The two of them followed closely behind.
"This is not normal… not normal. We must stay alert so the old fart doesn't sell us off," Tang Tian muttered.
"Uh-huh, uh-huh. We two geniuses must be worth quite a lot," Ah Mo Li nodded repeatedly.
Old Fart Wei, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped moving.
Tang Tian and Ah Mo Li bumped their heads into him.
The middle-aged man always had a polite smile on his face, but when he heard their conversation, he could not help showing a trace of disdain.
Students passing by were extremely curious about the three of them.
The way they dressed did not match Crystal Sky Academy at all.
However, the three of them seemed completely unconcerned.
Old Fart Wei looked fierce and serious, while Tang Tian and Ah Mo Li constantly looked around curiously, gasping at everything they saw.
Crystal Sky Academy had many facilities they had never seen before.
The academy was extremely large.
Eventually they arrived at the Headmaster's office.
The middle-aged man saw the Headmaster standing at the door and was shocked.
He had followed the Headmaster for many years, and this was the first time he had seen the Headmaster personally come out to welcome someone.
"You finally came!"
The old man suddenly laughed and walked toward them with open arms.
Old Fart Wei also smiled and walked into the embrace.
"I had no choice but to thicken my skin and borrow your place for a while."
"There's no need for such polite words between the two of us."
The old man laughed, then turned and scanned Tang Tian and Ah Mo Li before asking happily,
"Are these the two disciples you have chosen?"
Old Fart Wei shook his head and pointed at Ah Mo Li.
"He specializes in blade arts. I have had my eye on him for several years. I finally kidnapped… oh, I mean recruited him!"
Then he pulled Tang Tian forward.
"I think this one is suitable to walk the path of a close-combat expert. But you know I am not an expert in that field.
I didn't want to neglect him, so I had no choice but to bring him here as well."
"A close-combat expert?"
The old man looked at Tang Tian strangely and began examining him again.
"Hmm… also, he should become an outstanding close-combat expert," Old Fart Wei added.
"Not an ordinary close-combat expert."
The old man's interest grew, and he laughed.
"Let's go inside and talk. Assistant Xu, take these two boys around."
The middle-aged man quickly bowed.
"Yes."