"Boom!"
The last class of the afternoon.
Inside the cultivation room.
A student named Lai Zhijun is practicing the Basic Spear Skill Thirteen Forms.
His spear technique just broke through today, reaching the Mortal Realm; his combat power value has hit 9.3232.
He is four months younger than Ling Feng, and turned eighteen around the same time as Qingqing.
As his spear skills broke through and his combat power improved, Lai Zhijun became fired up—his spear whirled with fierce momentum, as if it was about to roar, promising another transformation that would push his technique to the Mortal Realm.
Yang Liru stood on the side, watching Lai Zhijun's performance with obvious satisfaction.
After a while, Lai Zhijun finished practicing; Yang Liru led the applause, saying, "Everyone, let's congratulate Lai Zhijun for reaching the Mortal Realm in spear technique and for soon becoming an entry-level martial artist."
"Congrats, Lai Zhijun!"
"Lai Zhijun, you're our role model."
"Clap clap clap clap clap!"
The classmates congratulated him warmly.
Ling Feng also applauded Lai Zhijun; the two both lived in West Warehouse District, and the original Ling Feng was once good friends with Lai Zhijun.
After Ling Feng crossed over and gained the Coasting Along Fate, his approach to study and cultivation became lazy—three days of work, two days of loafing—and Lai Zhijun gradually distanced himself.
Now, they had no dealings whatsoever.
"Thanks, Teacher Yang, thanks, everyone. I'll keep working hard in cultivation, cherish every minute and second, and seize every learning opportunity, striving to become an entry-level martial artist as soon as possible.
I want to sprint toward Divine Martial University, become a strong Elemental Martial Artist in the future, move my parents into the Inner Ring City, and hope to encourage everyone here along the way."
Lai Zhijun bowed to everyone.
"Lai Zhijun, we're rooting for you."
"We believe in you."
"Let's all get into Divine Martial University together."
"Everyone, let's go!"
Everyone chimed in, clapping and hyping Lai Zhijun again.
Getting into Divine Martial University, becoming a powerful Elemental Martial Artist, earning enough points to get their families moved to Inner Ring City—this was everyone's goal and wish in the room.
"Ling Feng, I remember you and Lai Zhijun both live in West Warehouse. Now that Lai Zhijun is about to become an entry-level martial artist, you should learn more from him."
A female classmate suddenly remarked.
"Uh... alright."
Ling Feng nodded awkwardly, caught off guard by the mention.
"Forgive me for being blunt, but Ling Feng's attitude toward study and cultivation isn't something I can agree with. Last night, Teacher Yang specifically asked us to learn from Teng Qingshan and watch his livestream together.
Ling Feng didn't even show up in the stream, and was instead following a gaming streamer—and even advertised that planted muscle arm in the group chat.
Mind you, a set of planted muscle arm isn't something the average family can afford."
Lai Zhijun snorted coldly.
In this era of scarce resources and tough survival, Lai Zhijun couldn't fathom how someone like Ling Feng could be nearby.
Hearing this, several classmates whispered among themselves.
"Lai Zhijun, please step down for a rest."
"For this class, I've invited Teacher Xu. Teacher Xu is a Master of Gun Technique; he runs a training school outside and often goes to Inner Ring City as a private tutor. Let's clap for him."
Yang Liru interrupted. Seeing Ling Feng being disliked gave her a weird satisfaction, but since she no longer had any hope for Ling Feng, she didn't want Lai Zhijun wasting time on him.
"Xu Zhiyuan, Teacher Xu!"
"Wow!"
As soon as Yang Liru finished speaking—
In the center of the cultivation room, a figure appeared out of nowhere.
It was Xu Zhiyuan, the famed Master of Spear Technique from South City.
At that moment, he had just finished a private lesson in Inner Ring City, and was in his student training chamber, using modern tech to project his image into the cultivation room of Ninth Middle School.
"Hello, Teacher Yang. Hello, students."
Xu Zhiyuan smiled.
Far away in Inner City, inside his student training room, light screens surrounded him; the people on the screens were the students of Senior Three, Class Eight.
"Hello, Teacher Xu."
Everyone responded respectfully.
"In an hour, I have another private lesson. Time is precious, so let's all practice the spear technique together."
Xu Zhiyuan said.
With his status, he rarely taught Outer Ring students. Today, it was only for Yang Liru's sake that he was offering remote guidance.
The students had all heard of Xu Zhiyuan's reputation; the original Ling Feng's bracelet even contained quite a bit of teaching content from him.
But most of it was free and public material.
Today, seeing Xu Zhiyuan arrive—even if just as a projection—was a first for the whole class.
"Yes!"
No one dared slack off.
Everyone grabbed a long spear from the Soldier Landing Platform.
Following Xu Zhiyuan, they practiced the Basic Spear Skill Thirteen Forms.
Ling Feng also picked up a black long spear and practiced the Basic Spear Skill Thirteen Forms with Xu Zhiyuan.
Today, with help from the Coasting Along Value, the Basic Spear Skill Thirteen Forms leveled up from mastery to Mortal Realm.
The combat power value had reached 9.28812 this morning.
Because of the all-weather breathing and exhaling ability, Ling Feng's combat value decimal points kept shifting, especially since he drank half a bottle of nutrient liquid potion in the morning.
So, even with just a single morning and afternoon, Ling Feng's combat value now had climbed to 9.57721.
This is the preciousness of the nutrient liquid potion.
Of course, the major boost was thanks to the all-weather breathing and exhaling ability; that skill made the half-bottle nutrient liquid potion's effects get fully absorbed and used in Ling Feng's body.
Otherwise, the progress wouldn't have been so rapid.
"Boom!"
As combat power increased—
The Basic Spear Skills evolved from mastery to Mortal Realm. Ling Feng now practiced the Basic Spear Skill Thirteen Forms; while not the most outstanding among classmates, he too had fierce momentum, and hints of a booming noise seemed ready to burst out of his spear moves.
Yang Liru stood aside, supervising everyone as they followed Xu Zhiyuan in practicing the Basic Spear Skill Thirteen Forms.
Her eyes swept over each student's spear skills one by one.
Soon, she spotted Ling Feng in the corner.
At first, she only glanced over.
Suddenly, she realized something odd.
Her gaze doubled back, and she saw Ling Feng's spear moves—not only faster, but stronger than Lai Zhijun's, especially the seamless transitions between each move.
And there was a faint booming sound in his technique.
If that booming sound truly formed, it meant the spear moved so fast it triggered a sonic burst—a sign the technique had reached the Mortal Realm.
Normally, only when one's skills in spear technique reaches the peak of Mortal Realm or Great Success does this appear.
As Ling Feng's homeroom teacher, and a pollution-resistant Elemental Martial Artist, Yang Liru wasn't a Master of Gun Technique, but could immediately tell: Ling Feng's spear technique had transformed from mastery to Mortal Realm.
Could it be that last night, after Ling Feng spammed the game forum, he got up at midnight and cultivated, and made a breakthrough in spear technique?
She knew it—there's no such idiot in the world who'd ignore the crucial opportunity for a skill breakthrough. Turns out Ling Feng wasn't as useless as she imagined.
Thinking of this, Yang Liru flashed Ling Feng a smile, her eyes about to offer encouragement and congratulations—only to see Ling Feng, practicing well, suddenly put his spear back on the Soldier Landing Platform, sat in the corner, and started massaging his own shoulders and legs.
"Uh..."
Yang Liru's smile froze. She felt like she'd just been played.