Getting Stronger By Fighting

So, after he caught up with his teammates, the two vice principals came looking for him directly.

Yes, everyone knew. Though only a few days had passed since they had last seen each other, everything had changed. Wang Zhan was destined to grow distant from them, yet future calamities would ensure their connection remained.

Wang Zhan looked at the two vice principals and said solemnly, "Deans, rest assured, I will give you a proper accounting regarding Zhou Weiya and Zhou Weiqing. I am, after all, the captain of the Chu State Military Martial Academy Team. I've had it with them for a long time. Now is the perfect time. Just watch me crush these little cockroaches."

Liu Zhenfeng and Lv Zhenglong couldn't manage a smile; their expressions turned serious as they whispered, "Wang Zhan, you kid, do you have any idea what price the Martial Arts Academy has paid to rescue you?"

If the big four hadn't intervened—and don't forget, the Xu family had already mobilized a Grandmaster—Wang Zhan was doomed. Once other factions saw a Grandmaster take action, they would have all piled on, eager to let this rising prodigy fall prematurely, reduced to a pile of dry bones. Once reduced to dry bones, it would only prove his fate wasn't strong enough. And if his fate wasn't strong enough, he wasn't a genius of the Federation. His death would be meaningless.

Wang Zhan fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "I have some suspicions, but I'm not certain. Deans, you don't need to feel too much pressure. I, Wang Zhan, take responsibility for my own actions. This matter was my responsibility to begin with, and I won't shirk it."

If Wang Zhan hadn't been so reckless and attention-grabbing, if he hadn't been so vindictive and heedless of the consequences, the Chu State Military Martial Academy wouldn't have taken such an enormous risk for him. That Academy wasn't just Wang Zhan's; it belonged to all of Chu State. It represented the strength of all Chu State's people, a strength built layer by layer through the flesh and blood of their forebears who had surged forward wave after wave in sacrifice.

Therefore, Wang Zhan was prepared to accept it, to accept it calmly. Flies don't target an uncracked egg. What Wang Zhan needed to do was to turn himself into an egg so volatile that if they dared to bite it again, they might find themselves poisoned or blown to smithereens.

Liu Zhenfeng nodded. This truly is a good student. At least he's more willing to take responsibility than most, and courageous enough to bear it. He then spoke candidly, holding nothing back. "This time, for the big four to intervene, the suggestion from your military mentor was for the Dean to contact them and arrange for you to become an exchange student with flexible enrollment status. From then on, while you wouldn't completely sever ties with Chu State Military Martial Academy, you'd primarily carry the label of the big four. You'd no longer be considered direct lineage of Chu State Military Martial Academy, and it's uncertain if you'd become direct lineage for the big four either—unless you join the Military Department. Chu State Military Martial Academy, in turn, will receive donations and assistance from the big four, helping it to continuously improve its ranking among the Federal Martial Arts Academies…"

Wang Zhan understood.

This affair definitely involves that old scoundrel Li Chengyuan from the Military Department, constantly scheming to force me into joining, Wang Zhan thought, a cold sneer forming internally. I can join the Military Department, but are you really so sure I'll stand on your side? Besides, good things are rarely pushed so aggressively. Li Chengyuan's haste only proved he had significant designs on me, and his connection to Wang Yidao was likely more than just a matter of inherited legacy. And then there's Mingyue. She's clearly one of Li Chengyuan's hounds. The moment I decided to defy Li Chengyuan's will, it was destined that Mingyue and I would have to make a clean break; we'd become irreconcilable.

Of course, this exchange student arrangement offered uncertain advantages for Wang Zhan but tangible benefits for the Chu State Military Martial Academy. It was just that Wang Zhan himself would be the price.

…

Three people were huddled in a room, discussing something unknown.

Meanwhile, the online world had completely erupted, to the extent that even the Chu State Military Martial Academy Team belatedly discovered Wang Zhan's monumental achievements through the internet.

"Wang Zhan, male, eighteen years old, first-year student at Chu State Military Martial Academy, Level 3 Warrior…"

"Federation Calendar 2256, November 10th: In the Chu State Wilderness, detected signs of activity from an Evil Source Organization gene research base. This led to the exposure of said base, which was then besieged and annihilated by a coalition of forces including the Chu State Military Martial Academy, various Chu State departments, and the Military Department."

…

"Federation Calendar 2257, February 23rd: On the Oceania Death Battlefield, unexpectedly received an urgent military directive. Accepting the mission under perilous conditions, he fought his way through a relentless pursuit and encirclement by the Evil Source Organization, ultimately making a desperate escape. Following a fortuitous encounter, he temporarily broke through to the Martial General Realm. With a single Fatal One Slash, he slew thirteen henchmen of the Evil Source Organization, one of their core combatants, and over twenty General-level beasts on the Death Battlefield. Subsequently, after much maneuvering and despite suffering grievous injuries that led to paralysis, he finally reached the Eastern Battlefield. He successfully delivered the mission objective, earning distinguished military merit for the Federation."

…

"Federation Calendar 2257, February 28th: On the Eastern Battlefield within the Oceania Death Battlefield, he was targeted for assassination by a henchman of the Evil Source Organization—a former Lieutenant-rank warrior of the Eastern Battlefield and a Federation defector (since lawfully executed by the Federation). Despite this, he launched a desperate counterattack from an impossible situation. Following the clues, he subsequently uncovered the full extent of the Evil Source Organization's infiltration at the Eastern Battlefield, bringing the perpetrators to justice and delivering them to the Federation. He demonstrated profound righteousness and never sought credit for his actions."

…

"Federation Calendar 2257, March 4th: Erupted into action in Jing State's E7 District. Employing special methods, he forcefully slew two Grandmaster-level accomplices of the Evil Source Organization and intimidated over a dozen other Grandmaster-level experts from the organization, preventing any of them from causing further trouble, thereby single-handedly quelling the Jing State crisis…"

Finally, only a single line of text remained, brilliant and dazzling, yet veiled in a bloody enigma, starkly reminding people of Wang Zhan's identity:

"Youth of Chu State, Hero of the Federation. Legend of Justice, Bane of Darkness! Peerless Saber Master, Dashing Youth—Wang Zhan, the Hope of the Federation!"

This compilation might have seemed crudely put together. But when paired with a series of thrilling video clips, the impact was so profound that it sent shivers down everyone's spines and filled them with a shared sense of honor.

There were scenes depicting the countless infamous deeds of the Evil Source Organization.

There was Wang Zhan on the Death Battlefield, an invincible figure wreathed in a murderous aura, fearlessly cutting down foes.

There was the tragic sight of Wang Zhan on the Eastern Battlefield, paralyzed and ambushed, being knocked out of a building by an assassin, falling helplessly.

There was Wang Zhan in the dark of night in Jing State, suppressing experts who ambushed travelers, and forcefully eliminating Grandmasters who had invaded residences and disturbed the peace…

Each scene was enough to make one's heart pound and limbs turn cold with terror.

A mere Warrior, yet capable of slaying a Grandmaster—how extraordinary must one's talent be to achieve such a feat?

Though many found it hard to believe, the evidence presented, corroborated by confirmations from their own powerful friends or elders, left them with complex emotions.

"If creatures like beasts exist in this world that can enhance physical constitution, then naturally, there must also be divine medicines capable of making someone incredibly powerful in an instant. Otherwise, how could there be beasts that reach the Martial General or even the Martial King realm from birth? To achieve something like that, one needs at least exceptional talent, built upon a solid foundation. Then, the worst-case price might be like this kid here—paralyzed and bedridden. Perhaps temporarily, perhaps for a lifetime. Ultimately, it still comes down to talent…"

A genius capable of directly withstanding Martial General-level power—what did that even signify?

If the videos hadn't also mentioned that Wang Zhan's parents were ordinary people, many would have suspected his parents were actually powerful beasts. It was so outrageous, almost no one was willing to believe it.

Yet, for those at the Chu State Military Martial Academy or others familiar with him, Wang Zhan's deeds inspired nothing but awe—boundless awe. They were convinced this was the gulf between a genius and an ordinary person. Otherwise, how could the Wang Zhan who was so unremarkable in his third year of high school suddenly skyrocket to prominence?

This is a genius. This is what a true genius looks like! Is the Federation's top-ranked genius truly superior to Wang Zhan? Even if they felt that supposed top genius wasn't fit to hold a candle to Wang Zhan, surely he couldn't be better than Wang Zhan. Otherwise, such a person wouldn't be human.

Wang Zhan himself likely had no idea he was teetering on the very edge of what it meant to be human.

Challenging opponents three levels above oneself? For a genius, that's manageable. But four or five levels? That's demonic, something beyond a mere prodigy. Of course, whether those "levels" referred to minor stages or major realms was largely irrelevant to the people of the Federation; as long as it was a human achieving it, that was enough.

If ordinary people reacted this way, what about those individuals who had truly clawed their way up from the very bottom of Federation society?

…

"So, there really are geniuses like me in this world! Spanning three major realms… three major realms! What damn Federation, what trash Grandmasters! Even though I'm just an ordinary person, with my Mental Storm alone, I can utterly destroy you…"

In a dilapidated, crumbling building somewhere, a genuinely short and chubby young man sobbed silently, tears streaming down his cheeks. He had hidden himself away for so long, enduring so much bitterness. To avoid being captured and dissected by the Federation or the Original Organization, he, an ordinary person, had already experienced countless things no ordinary person should ever have to face. For instance, an ordinary person killing a Martial Artist; an ordinary person using a Mental Storm to kill Martial Masters; or using his vast mental energy to scurry and hide like a rat.

After a long while, he decided. Geniuses should rally around someone like Wang Zhan. The chubby young man had done his own research. Wang Zhan was genuinely from an ordinary background. His mother was an ordinary person, his father too. Although his sister wasn't ordinary, Wang Zhan himself had been an ordinary person before his third year of high school. This means Wang Zhan and I, both being geniuses, have common ground! He would accept someone like me!

"I want to find him, I want to find him, I must find him…" the chubby young man muttered to himself. Even though only instant noodles kept him company in his squalid surroundings, Wang Zhan seemed like a guiding light.

And it wasn't just the chubby young man. There was one who could see for three thousand miles, another whose ears could hear across an entire city, one whose strength could slay a Grandmaster Realm expert, another whose gaze could mesmerize even Martial Masters—and countless other such extraordinary individuals. They were all drawn to Wang Zhan, this figure who shared so many commonalities with them. He swiftly became their guiding beacon, someone they were destined to rally around with fervent passion.

"Wang Zhan… Wang Zhan… Wang Zhan…"

His name was whispered everywhere.

They needed a leader; they needed a true god.

Undoubtedly, a genius like Wang Zhan—who, despite his low realm, could win every battle, suffer grievous wounds yet never die—was precisely the kind of figure they should pledge allegiance to.

Federation histories would later call this the "God-Making Movement."

The hidden mastermind: Li Chengyuan…