Chapter 47: Only Seeking No Regrets
"17.8 meters per second?"
"I didn't see that wrong, right?"
"How can he be so fast? It's unbelievable. Is he really from the regular class?"
"Yuan is amazing!"
"Li Yuan is incredible." The hundred or so students outside the testing area erupted into exclamations of surprise.
Li Yuan's classmates from Class 3-2 were mostly filled with shock and excitement. If there was one phrase to describe their feelings, it would be 'Li Yuan is becoming more and more impressive.'
However, the elite class students, while also shocked, had a different reaction: 'This Li Yuan is so impressive?'
"Did he really not awaken his martial arts potential?"
"With this kind of physical fitness, he must be close to level 8.0, maybe even already at level 8.0." The elite class students were full of disbelief.
As elite class students, they generally had a sense of superiority over those in the regular classes. They knew Li Yuan was strong, especially in martial arts skills, even surpassing Lin Lanyue. However, they subconsciously believed that without awakening martial arts potential, Li Yuan's cultivation speed would be much slower.
But Li Yuan's current performance? It was already surpassing most of the elite class students.
"Damn! He's even faster than me. His physical fitness is almost the same as mine? How did he improve so quickly?" Gu Qianghan was wide-eyed. "Does that mean his raw score will outshine mine?"
Gu Qianghan, who ranked third in martial arts in the year-end exams of the second year, had a 40-meter burst speed of 17.6 meters per second.
"Lanyue, he...?"
The chubby girl standing next to Lin Lanyue had her mouth wide open in a circle: "With this burst speed, he would rank third in our class, right?"
Lin Lanyue ignored her friend, lost in thought: "How did he do it? Is this why he could sign with Starlight Martial Hall?"
The winter sun was just right, and a gentle breeze blew.
The girl stared at the handsome boy in the white martial arts uniform amidst the crowd.
The boy had a bright smile, basking in the enthusiastic cheers from his classmates, without glancing at the girl.
"Lanyue, stop daydreaming."
The chubby girl couldn't help but push her friend's hand: "I admit Li Yuan is handsome, even more so than the boys in our class, but you don't have to be so infatuated."
"You're the one who's infatuated," Lin Lanyue glanced at her friend. "I'm just curious about how he improved so quickly."
"Curious?"
The chubby girl, Peng Qiqi, laughed coquettishly: "Curiosity is the first step to falling for someone. If you don't want the handsome guy, I won't be polite."
"Looks like you're the one falling for him," Lin Lanyue tilted her head. "Besides, I don't think Li Yuan is handsome. As martial arts students, we prioritize strength, not looks."
"This isn't handsome?" Peng Qiqi teased, "Then you must not like any of the boys in our school."
"To catch my eye, they at least have to stand on the podium first." Lin Lanyue smiled slightly, pulling her friend's hand: "Let's go, it's time for the 100-meter test."
"The podium?"
"Lanyue, listen to yourself," Peng Qiqi exaggeratedly said, "Only the top martial arts student in the year gets on the podium. Who can compete with you? Oh, I know, you're interested in the juniors from the first and second years?"
"So you like the young ones, huh!"
.....
"Young man, are you really from the regular class?" The two proctors, who were from other schools, were equally astonished by Li Yuan's performance.
Among third-year students, it's rare to find those who haven't awakened their martial arts potential with physical fitness above 6.5.
Let alone reaching 7.9 or 8.0.
The two teachers paused the test to check the equipment and reconfirm Li Yuan's identity from a distance.
"Yes," Li Yuan nodded.
"Impressive, another good talent from Guanshan." One of the older martial arts teachers couldn't help but praise: "Young man, keep up the good work. Even without the potential bonus, with your physical fitness, you have a shot at getting into the martial artist class at Jiangbei Martial Arts University."
"Thank you, teacher," Li Yuan smiled.
The martial artist class at Jiangbei Martial Arts University is similar to the elite class, receiving the best training from the university. However, that wasn't Li Yuan's goal.
...
Time passed, and the physical tests for 100 meters, 1 kilometer, and 10 kilometers continued.
Lin Lanyue was the most eye-catching. Her physical fitness was overwhelmingly ahead, leaving all the elite class students far behind, even exceeding the second-place student by a significant margin.
Li Yuan was the second most watched. In terms of physical test data, there were several students in the elite class comparable to Gu Qianghan. But Li Yuan was unique; he was from the regular class and couldn't practice high-level training methods, yet his physical fitness surpassed 90% of the elite class students.
"Li Yuan's progress is incredible."
"Did he really not awaken his martial arts potential? How did his physical fitness improve so quickly?"
"I just checked, at the end of the second year, his physical fitness was only around level 6.0."
"In just half a year, his physical fitness improved by almost two levels, more exaggerated than the top students in the elite class."
"By the college entrance exams, how high will his physical fitness be? Level 9? Will he become a martial artist?"
"He's the top in martial arts skills and now so impressive in physical fitness?"
"What will his martial arts score be in this exam? I think he could break into the top twenty in the year."
"Top twenty for sure, maybe even top ten."
"Top ten? No way."
"He didn't awaken his martial arts potential. The top ten usually have potential bonuses. It's too hard for Li Yuan to break into the top ten, no matter how high his skills score is, he can't get a perfect score." Many third-year students were discussing.
For a time, Li Yuan became a hot topic at school, receiving much attention.
The story of an underdog rising is always popular.
Li Yuan wasn't exactly an underdog, but his lack of awakened martial arts potential made him relatable and likable to many regular students.
.....
The three-day Mid-January exams ended. The evening was for self-study, and the results would be announced the next day.
At around seven in the evening, Li Yuan was in the 7024 martial arts room at Starlight Martial Hall's Guanshan branch.
"Boom!"
"Whoosh!" "Bang!" Li Yuan, wearing a loose martial arts uniform, was practicing the 'Rock Fist Technique.'
This technique, aligned with the 'Rock Training Method,' was essentially an extension of the basic stances and exercises.
Every move seemed slow, but the sudden bursts of power were incredibly sharp.
"Fist techniques train control over the body."
"Spear techniques train control over weapons."
"My spear technique broke through to level three because my fist technique broke through first," Li Yuan thought while practicing, glancing at the Divine Palace panel: "My spear technique just broke through to 90% of level three, but my fist technique has long reached 99% of level three."
"Level four spear techniques require unity of mind, body, and weapon."
"But level four fist techniques only require unity of mind and body," Li Yuan pondered, "If I can't achieve perfect unity of mind and body, how can I achieve unity of mind, body, and weapon?"
Unity of mind and body is the foundation for the unity of mind, body, and weapon.
Fist and spear techniques are closely related. Practicing the spear is essentially also practicing the fist, but Li Yuan occasionally focused solely on his fist technique.
"The Divine Palace panel shows my physical fitness as 7.8, but based on today's physical test data, it should be similar to other students at 7.9," Li Yuan mused, "According to the college entrance exam standards, my physical fitness score should be around 435."
"My skill score, I didn't make any mistakes today, should be over 380," Li Yuan sighed.
A score of 360 represents a level three standard. To reach 380, Li Yuan estimated it required mid-level three skills.
With his near-perfect level three spear skills, how many points could he get? Li Yuan wasn't sure.
"However."
"At the most conservative estimate, as long as my cultural score is over 65, my total martial arts score should exceed 880," Li Yuan calculated. "There's hope to break into the top ten."
Li Yuan was fairly confident about breaking into the top ten in the year. But the top five?
"The chances are slim, so I won't hope for it," Li Yuan threw a powerful punch, making the surrounding air tremble slightly.
Li Yuan wasn't feeling down at all. He had done everything he could, and now it was time to wait.
"No matter the result, I have no regrets. Why worry?" Li Yuan's mind was calm as water, silently practicing his fist techniques.
The heart of a martial artist seeks only to have no regrets.
.....
At nine in the evening, at Guanshan No. 1 High School, Principal Tan Zhenlong was still working overtime.
"Beep—" the intelligent assistant's voice rang out, "Master, Teacher Xu Bo is video calling you."
"Xu Bo?"
"This guy, he can't wait for even a quarter of an hour," Tan Zhenlong shook his head with a smile, putting down the results sheet. "Little Nine, connect the call."
Whoosh~ a mass of light converged, forming a holographic screen.
The tower-like Xu Bo appeared on the screen, smiling widely.
"Old Tan, did you see the Mid-January exam results?" Xu Bo's face was full of smiles.
"I saw them."
Tan Zhenlong nodded calmly, "What's the matter, Teacher Xu, to contact me so late?"
"It's about Li Yuan," Xu Bo said.
"Li Yuan?" Tan Zhenlong nodded. "He performed quite well."
"So what?" Xu Bo looked at Tan Zhenlong.
"So what?" Tan Zhenlong smiled, looking at Xu Bo.
"What's with your attitude?" Xu Bo glared, "Don't play dumb with me. I have a video recording from last time."
"Hurry up."
"I've already sent you the scholarship application, hurry up and approve it."