Martial Ascent to Divinity

Rao Mingxian's grandfather is the principal of Fifty-Ninth Middle School, and the family has substantial connections, always getting first-hand news. He is quite popular among Zhang Xinglie's friends.

The November monthly exam saw Ruda taking first place again, raising his social status significantly.

Zhou Leng and the others are in Zhang Xinglie's friend group, but everyone is busy and rarely speaks there.

"Nothing good comes from a dog's mouth," Rao Mingxian joked and looked at Zhou Leng, "I knew you'd be here, let's sit together, leave the spot next to us for Zhang Xinglie."

Just as Rao Mingxian sat down, a voice came from outside the door.

"Sorry, I'm a bit late!" Zhang Xinglie pushed the door open with a smile on his face.

Everyone stood up, looking toward Zhang Xinglie.

His black hair was standing up, like a lion's mane.

The corners of his eyes pointed upwards, his eagle eyes sharp.

"Wow, he's gotten bigger again, a real Lion King!"

"His skin's darker too."

"He's got quite a few injuries, been doing practical training?"

"Sit down first, let's order, no rush to chat. Waiter..." Zhang Xinglie walked over and patted Zhou Leng on the shoulder, as usual, he would sit next to Zhou Leng when he was around.

"These, one hundred skewers each..."

"Make it a hundred and fifty, a hundred is too few, not enough to eat..."

"You don't want to save him some?"

"Save what? This guy's a tycoon now. Trust me, order like there's no tomorrow, add twenty lamb kidneys, a hundred skewers of kidneys, and fifty, no, make it a hundred portions of bull whips..."

All thirteen of them were heavy eaters, ordering skewers without any hesitation.

The waiter, seeing the situation, brought several utility bins and placed them at their feet after taking the order.

Then, box after box of beer was brought in.

"Come on, let me toast to everyone first, thank you for giving me face..."

They downed a few rounds of drinks first, then slowly ate side dishes like smashed cucumber, peanuts, crab claws, and dried fish to go with the drinks.

While waiting for the skewers, they chatted.

After the pleasantries, someone asked, "Old Zhang, why did you suddenly come back?"

Everyone turned to look at Zhang Xinglie.

Zhang Xinglie chuckled, downed his drink in one go.

"I sold my qualification for the Yunhua Martial Arts Academy Elite Training Camp."

"What?"

Some were surprised, others regretted, and some showed helpless expressions.

Zhou Leng was moved because Instructor Deng Zhijue said he had already secured a qualification for the 'Martial Arts Hundred Great Training Camp,' and a notification would be coming in a few days.

These training camps are usually closed-off, lasting at least half a month, some even a month, with special ones much longer.

The Hundred Great Training Camp, Top Ten Training Camps, and Yunhua Jinjing Training Camp, the levels increase in that order.

If it's a Yunhua Jinjing level training camp, going for half a month or a month alone is well worth it.

But the effect of the Hundred Great and Top Ten Training Camps might not be better than training under the Frost Giant Tree.

Not only is there the Gate of Purgatory, but also the medicinal fruits of the Fierce Beast World.

Zhang Xinglie smiled and said, "I was really unwilling a few days ago, but I've thought it through now."

"Is it worth it?" someone asked.

"Different people are suited for different choices. Do you know how much money the few classmates who rank better than me spend on cultivation since childhood?"

As Zhang Xinglie spoke, he crossed his index fingers and tapped them together, "Ten billion body, each spends over ten billion. The one in first might have spent over twenty billion, during the college entrance exam, they were already in the Body Refining Stage, now they're in the Vitality Stage."

There are four realms in the Qi Blood Realm: Qi Nourishing, Blood Transport, Body Refining, Vitality.

Everyone was stunned for a moment; during the college entrance exams, most people were still striving for Qi Nourishing Perfection.

Now, still pushing towards the late stage of Blood Transport.

Meanwhile, others were already in the Body Refining Stage during the exams...

The disparity between ordinary Top Ten and Yunhua Jinjing is despairingly large.

"As for me, I'm only at the early stage of Body Refining," Zhang Xinglie said.

"No one's asking you to be a Martial Arts Director?"

"And the cost of becoming a Martial Arts Director? Others offer billions, what's the cost?" Zhang Xinglie countered.

"Yeah, there's no such thing as a free lunch," Rao Mingxian said with special emotion.

Zhang Xinglie continued.

"I also want to be a Martial Arts Director, earning millions or even tens of millions a month."

"But after seeing those harsh contracts, I had second thoughts."

"Small companies can't afford to keep me."

"For large company contracts, they don't treat me as a Martial Arts Director, but as a Martial Arts employee."

"The contract clearly states, if the company has matters, I must attend."

"If the company needs to gamble, I must participate."

"A single contract binds me to decades of guarding for them, how can I focus on cultivation?"

"Being that kind of Martial Arts Director is worse than a pill loan."

"I consulted teachers and some classmates, ultimately choosing to wait."

"After that, I got the elite training camp qualification."

"Then, waves of people came to me wanting to buy my spot, and I also asked around."

"There were many things I didn't understand before, but the more I inquired, the more I learned."

"Entering the elite training camp could indeed make rapid progress in a short period, but the problem is, my pill foundation isn't sufficient."

"After leaving the training camp, I'd still have to toughen up slowly."

"But by selling the qualification, I get a large sum of money at once, enough to make up for my shortcomings within a short time, even within a year or half."

"The deal also includes a three-year 'quota certificate,' allowing me to buy a large quantity of pills without fearing sales restrictions."

"In addition, the buyer's Innate Master comes with 100 hours of Innate training courses, worth millions."

"I've asked all the top fighters I have good relations with, including teachers and even the deputy dean at Yunhua Martial Arts Academy."

"Their answers were helpless but surprisingly consistent."

"At this stage, selling qualifications and solidifying my foundation is my only choice."

"Because we ordinary folks are not like those from the Martial Clan families."

"They have walked the most correct Martial Arts path since childhood, with the best pill resources, the best Martial Arts guidance, the most efficient demonized equipment...everything is the best."

"Their Martial Arts foundation is simply perfect. Even if they stray, with family support, they can still enter the Martial Mansion or Pioneer Company and achieve unimaginable status."

"People like us, even if my talent far exceeds ordinary people, have foundational flaws everywhere."

"If I don't lay a solid foundation now, it will be hard to make up for it later, and the gap with them will only grow."

"Only by laying a solid foundation now, slowly improving, and apprenticing to a renowned master in the future can I have the chance to stand on equal footing with them."

"Many times, we are the same."

"It's not about not wanting to choose; it's about having no choice at all."

Everyone was taken aback, and those from relatively well-off families sighed as well.

Indeed, many times, there is no choice.

Rao Mingxian sighed and said, "That's indeed the case. My dad once said that unless you are a Martial Arts prodigy, who also knows how to manage or even scheme. Ordinary Extreme Martial Artists, if they want to acquire enough resources, either have to stake their lives or ally with a major force."

Mo Hai asked, "With your aptitude, surely a Grandmaster would be willing to take you as a disciple, right?"

Everyone looked at Zhang Xinglie.

Zhang Xinglie pondered for a few seconds and said, "I want to advance even further."

Everyone suddenly understood.

"True, if I had your talent, I'd also want to reach higher."

Disciple of a Martial Saint.

"I guess the top figures in Yunhua Jinjing all aim to become disciples of a Martial Saint."

"Even if not a direct disciple, being a registered disciple would be fine."

"Unfortunately, Martial Saints and Grandmasters have strict requirements on accepting disciples, so we have no hope."

"Mainly because the power of the Martial Mansion is too strong, the Martial Saints and Grandmasters can't widely accept disciples."

"All the good seedlings have been taken away by them, what will happen to our nation?"

"After all, we are a powerful nation. In those small countries, Martial Saints and Grandmasters are the true masters; their Martial Mansions are worth nothing, which is truly tragic."

"For most people, preventing the excessive concentration of Martial Arts resources is actually a good thing."

Someone coughed lightly and said, "How much can a spot in Yunhua's Elite Training Camp sell for, let us gain some insight."

Everyone looked at Zhang Xinglie with smiles.

Zhang Xinglie hesitated a little and said, "We're all friends; just don't spread it around."

"Rest assured, this can't be said casually, it's a taboo after all."

"Eighty million," Zhang Xinglie reported a figure.

"With other perks, it's a hundred million..."

Everyone showed expressions of surprise and envy.

"Won't they lose money buying this? The camp's pills aren't worth much to them, even with Grandmaster guidance, it shouldn't be."

Zhang Xinglie slowly said, "To us, the Elite Training Camp is just a place to enhance our skills. But for their kids, it's a substantial credential on their resume. With this credential, whatever they want to join later, be it Martial Mansion, Demon City Army, Martial Guard Department, or any other force, or anything extra, it's justified."

"They lack nothing; often, all they need is an excuse."

Everyone suddenly understood.

Mo Hai sighed, "If my family had that money and related resources, I would really be willing to exchange it."

"For us, that credential's role truly isn't worth a billion."

"We don't have enough resources to maximize that credential's utility."

Rao Mingxian said, "Tell us about Yunhua's cultivation; we're quite interested in this too."

Everyone also realized the mood was a bit heavy and started asking about Yunhua's cultivation.

Zhang Xinglie opened up again.

"Yunhua Jinjing's resources are indeed extraordinary."

"High-level demonized equipment, used as one pleases. You can even apply directly to the school for what you want..."

"Everyone's daily meal expenses are fully covered, and those with slightly better grades get three meals of meat herbal cuisine, and can even have extra meals at night..."

"For someone like me, ranking in the top ten in class, just the basic rewards from the school exceed five million annually..."

"With other scholarships, the annual earning in pills is at least ten million, with some effort, it can reach twenty million..."

"Xiong City is the country's capital, with many policies and rewards..."

"If I can become a 'Student Innate,' I could get a customizable reward of pills worth thirty million..."

As Zhang Xinglie spoke, everyone marveled.

The difference in Martial Arts resources between regions is immense.

Lastly, they discussed some new skilled fighters.

"Who's Li Shenkong, the national ranking first? There's no information about him online."

"He probably made it to the protection list; otherwise, people would be gossiping about him."

Zhang Xinglie hesitated for a moment and said, "I know some things, but it's his privacy, so I can't say. I can only say that our class number one couldn't withstand a single move from him."

"Huh? Is it that terrifying?"

"Your class number one is a 'Twenty Billion Body,' an entire level difference, wouldn't that make Li Shenkong the legendary 'Hundred Billion Body'?"

"Actually, yes, he's the legitimate heir of the Li Clan, spending a hundred billion on an heir is nothing to them."

"It's a little scary..."

"Mom, I'm scared, I want to go home..."

Everyone chatted and laughed heartily.