Chapter 47: Huge Breakthrough

Chapter 47: A Monumental Breakthrough

The news of Qin Feng's successful promotion to a C-level contract did not stir much of a stir in the vast waters of Qiming First Martial Arts Senior High School.

Apart from Qian Duoduo and Shi Potian in Dorm 402, and a few teachers, almost no one knew about it.

For the tens of thousands of martial arts students, their attention remained fixed on the traditional geniuses who topped the overall rankings.

A name still ranked beyond the nine hundred mark, even if it achieved a stunning perfect score in the practical simulation, would soon be drowned out by a flood of new information.

This suited Qin Feng perfectly.

What he needed was not empty fame, but a low-key, efficient improvement in strength.

...

The next morning, at exactly five o'clock.

The sky was still a deep, inky blue, and in the distance, the core area of Qiming was outlined in a golden silhouette against the faint light of dawn.

Qin Feng's biological clock woke him from his slumber with pinpoint accuracy.

Unlike before, he did not head directly to the public martial arts room today. Instead, after washing up, he walked alone toward the school's administrative building.

He was going to collect his first batch of resources under the C-level contract.

Administrative Building, Academic Affairs Resource Distribution Center.

When Qin Feng arrived, the place was empty.

In the duty room, an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in a loose training suit, sat leisurely sipping a cup of hot tea.

It was Professor Gu Yue.

Seeing Qin Feng enter, Professor Gu Yue set down his teacup, and his usually half-closed eyes revealed an undisguised look of appreciation.

"You're here."

"Good morning, Professor Gu."

Qin Feng bowed respectfully.

"Mm."

Professor Gu Yue nodded. He took a silver briefcase from a temperature-controlled metal cabinet beside him, stamped with Qin Feng's name and student ID, and placed it on the counter.

"This is your resource for this month. Take good care of it."

As he spoke, he opened the briefcase, revealing the neatly arranged items inside.

Two pale golden glass tubes filled with a viscous, flowing liquid—Intermediate Spiritual Energy Potions.

Two dark brown blocks resembling compressed biscuits—Intermediate Physical Repair Bathing Agent Packs.

And a slender syringe containing a clear blue liquid—Lower-Level Mental Strength Enhancement Potion.

"For the bathing agent packs, you need to dissolve them in plenty of water. It's best to use a bathtub, with enough water to submerge your entire body, including your head, so that every hidden injury on your body can be fully repaired."

"The spiritual energy potion can be taken orally. Although the potency is mild, the energy is vast. After taking it, you must engage in high-intensity body-tempering practice to fully absorb the medicinal power. Otherwise, the energy will stagnate and damage your meridians."

Professor Gu Yue gave detailed instructions.

"As for this mental strength recovery potion, it can aid recovery. You can use it after high-intensity battles in the Imperial Arena..."

He paused, looking at Qin Feng. "But remember, you must not purchase other mental strength potions privately. Only use the 'safe' potions recommended by the school. External aids are ultimately external. The cultivation of mental strength relies more on your own will and insight. Do not become overly dependent on them."

"Your student understands."

Qin Feng carefully committed every word to memory.

Professor Gu Yue nodded with satisfaction. After a moment's thought, he decided to offer one more piece of advice.

"Qin Feng, do you know what this C-level contract resource means for a first-level martial artist with a life force index of only 3.0?"

"It means... waste?"

Qin Feng pondered for a moment and gave an answer.

"Half right."

Professor Gu Yue smiled. "It's not waste—it's 'excess.' It's like making a child eat the portion of an adult man. Forcing it down won't help them grow; instead, it will choke them to death."

"These resources are prepared for second-level martial artists. Their bodies have already undergone a round of tempering and can withstand such a massive energy impact. But you cannot."

"So, to maximize the effectiveness of these resources without being 'choked' by them, you have only one option."

Professor Gu Yue raised a finger, his tone turning serious.

"That is, in the time ahead, you must push your body to its limits, again and again, without rest! Only when your body is in a state of extreme depletion, like a dry sponge, will it frantically absorb this external energy to repair and grow."

"So, my advice to you is: you can temporarily set aside your killing techniques. You only need to maintain about ten Imperial Arena ranked matches per day to keep your feel and combat awareness sharp."

"You must devote ninety percent of your energy entirely to the practice of the Imperial Body-Tempering Method! Practice without regard for cost, without asking why, without holding back! Train until you can no longer stand, then use the bathing agent to repair, use the potion to replenish, and the next day, continue!"

"Yes, your student is grateful for the instruction."

Qin Feng bowed deeply once more.

Professor Gu Yue's words were like parting the clouds to see the sun, instantly clarifying the most core and correct path of cultivation for him in the days to come.

After bidding farewell to Professor Gu Yue, Qin Feng carried the silver briefcase filled with precious resources back to the dormitory.

On the way, he had already formulated a new, almost insane training plan for himself. From now on, his daily schedule would be:

Early morning: continuous limit-pushing body-tempering practice.

Morning: continue body-tempering practice.

Afternoon: still body-tempering practice.

Evening: ten Imperial Arena ranked matches, plus time for review—this part would take about two and a half hours.

Before bed: half an hour of Imperial Emperor Meditation practice.

Ensure eight hours of sleep each day; all other waking hours would be devoted to the Imperial Body-Tempering Method.

It was a plan of extreme monotony and extreme cruelty.

But in Qin Feng's eyes, there was only calm and determination.

Back in the dormitory, he carefully sorted the resources from the briefcase and placed them in their proper categories.

Looking at the few vials of potions that emitted an enticing luster, he couldn't help but think to himself:

"For now, these things can only stay in the dormitory. Once my martial artist level reaches four, the subspace network pass will undergo a permission upgrade, opening up a small storage space. By then, carrying resources or storing spoils will be much more convenient."

Pushing aside stray thoughts, he hesitated no longer and directly unscrewed one of the pale golden Intermediate Spiritual Energy Potions.

A strange, faintly sweet fragrance spread through the air.

He tilted his head back and downed the viscous, honey-like golden liquid in one gulp.

Boom—!

A vast, unimaginable, gentle yet pure energy exploded in his stomach like a burst dam, then transformed into countless warm currents, surging through his limbs and bones!

Qin Feng could even feel every cell in his body letting out a joyful moan under the torrent of this energy.

He dared not delay for a moment. He immediately rushed out of the dormitory and headed straight for the public martial arts room.

Coming to the familiar corner, he took a deep breath and assumed the starting stance of the Imperial Body Forging Technique.

As the technique circulated, the vast energy surging within him seemed to find an outlet, guided to methodically temper his muscles, fascia, and bones.

Sweat, like a stream, poured from his forehead, instantly soaking his entire training uniform.

His body let out a groan of unbearable strain.

But at the same time, the endless energy of the Intermediate Spiritual Energy Potion transformed into the gentlest nourishment, swiftly repairing the torn muscle fibers from the extreme training and replenishing expended stamina.

[Imperial Body Forging Technique in progress, Intermediate Spiritual Energy Potion active, Qi and blood activity greatly increased, proficiency +1]

[Your body is being rapidly repaired and strengthened, proficiency +1]

[Energy abundant, your training effect is greatly amplified, proficiency +1]

[...]

Deep in his consciousness, the panel displayed the proficiency number, jumping wildly at an unprecedented speed.

Limit!

Recovery!

Enhancement!

These three most basic and core steps of martial cultivation were now cycling at high speed on Qin Feng's body in a near-perfect loop.

Especially the steps of recovery and enhancement, fueled by the nearly inexhaustible energy supply of the Intermediate Spiritual Energy Potion, reached a breathtaking extreme!

His body, like a dry sponge thrown into an ocean of energy, greedily and frantically absorbed every bit of energy, converting it into his most solid foundation.

His vitality index, under this extreme tempering and nourishment, began to skyrocket at a visible rate.

The numbers on the panel, though jumping extremely slowly in increments of 0.01,

in Qin Feng's own perception, he could clearly feel his strength, speed, and endurance undergoing earth-shattering changes every moment.

This feeling was like a long drought meeting sweet rain—exhilarating and intoxicating.

Time slipped away quietly in the monotonous yet fulfilling extreme training.

Qin Feng had completely turned into a statue of cultivation, forgetting hunger, forgetting fatigue, pouring his entire being into this war against his own limits.

His improvement speed was at least three times faster than before.

At this terrifying rate, perhaps, as Qian Duoduo had joked,

in a month, his vitality index might break through the 10.0 barrier, officially stepping into the ranks of second-rank martial artists.

Qin Feng cultivated in silence.

After a full day, his Imperial Body Forging Technique proficiency had increased by 200 points!

A rough estimate: within about a month, reaching mastery in the forging technique and breaking through 10.0 in vitality index was highly likely!

"Keep going!"

Qin Feng's eyes blazed: "By the end of this month, with vitality index close to 10.0, I can sign up for the Qiming Star Inter-school Martial Arts League, use my freshman status, and if I break into the top ten, that's 500 merit points!"

(The chapter ends)