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In the southern part of Yangzhou City, within Jiangnan Base City, a shabby-looking building stood among towering structures, casting a somber presence in the area.

On the narrow staircase within, household debris was piled up along the walls, further constricting the already cramped corridor. Anyone walking up or down had to maneuver carefully to avoid the clutter.

Xia Zhi hurried up the stairs, deftly sidestepping the obstacles in his path. An elevator, a luxury in such low-rent housing, was a convenience reserved only for residential complexes where the middle class and above resided.

In this world, under constant threat from monsters, base cities were densely populated, and space was at a premium. The stark reality was that different people enjoyed different living conditions based on their contributions to the country and city.

Lower-level laborers were confined to low-rent housing like this, while middle-class families and above could afford better living environments. The best villas were exclusively reserved for warriors.

These warriors, who battled monsters and defended the cities, were the reason base cities remained safe havens. Powerful and revered, warriors ventured outside the city to hunt monsters, selling the valuable materials from the creatures' corpses to the government and various organizations for substantial rewards.

While an ordinary person could live comfortably on an annual income of hundreds of thousands, a warrior could earn millions, even tens of millions, for slaying a single monster. Consequently, warriors held a high status in society, enjoying numerous privileges and the respect of ordinary people.

For a warrior, obtaining a villa was merely one of the many privileges they were entitled to. Ordinary people could only dream of such luxury, forced to live in government-provided low-rent housing, struggling daily for survival.

Xia Zhi moved quickly and easily through the debris-laden stairway. "Back so soon?" neighbors occasionally greeted him as he passed. "Why are your clothes so dirty?"

"It's nothing, Aunt Liu. I was practicing at the martial arts gym today," Xia Zhi replied with a smile.

"Hurry home then; your grandfather is waiting for you to come back for dinner."

Reaching the twenty-seventh floor, Xia Zhi opened the door and stepped inside. He took in the familiar sight of the small, modest apartment.

The room was just over 30 square meters, with a simple table and a few chairs in the living room. Against the walls were small appliances, collected and repaired by his grandfather, who couldn't bear to sell them despite their age.

Several dishes were already on the table, covered with lids to keep them warm. Hearing the door open, an old man with gray hair emerged from the inner room. His shirt, though patched with holes, was freshly washed. His left sleeve hung empty—he was a one-armed old man.

"You're back. Why so late today?" the old man asked, his gaze softening as he looked at Xia Zhi.

"Next week is the quasi-warrior assessment. I stayed behind to spar with a few seniors for extra practice."

"Go wash up and change your clothes. Let's eat first," the old man said with a gentle smile.

After a simple but hearty dinner, Xia Zhi turned to his grandfather, who was sitting and sipping tea. "Grandpa, my physical fitness is close to the quasi-warrior standard. I'll be training hard for the next few days, so don't wait for me to eat at night. I'll be having my meals at the martial arts gym."

"Are you confident this time?" The old man's eyes lit up at Xia Zhi's words.

"Our instructor says I'm almost there. If I work hard in these final days, I should succeed. Once I become a warrior, we can move out of here. Grandpa, you won't have to work so hard anymore. You can stay at home, tend to your flowers, and play chess."

"Good, good. Grandpa's looking forward to it. You'll pass the assessment for sure," the old man said, beaming with pride. "Don't worry about me—I'm not that old yet. I want to see you grow strong and slay those monsters!"

"Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll go train now, and you should rest early." With that, Xia Zhi left and headed upstairs.

On the rooftop, the flat concrete surface had a cleared space of nearly 100 square meters—his usual spot for martial arts practice. As Xia Zhi stood on the edge of the roof, a few cold glimmers of light flashed in front of him, the rapid movement producing a faint swishing sound.

After a long while, the cold light halted in midair, revealing two flying knives. The metal blades gleamed under the moonlight.

"Is this the power of a spiritual master? It's strong. Controlling two flying knives at once is my current limit. How can a warrior at the same level defend against an attack from a flying knife that isn't constrained by the body and can change direction freely?" Xia Zhi mused, envisioning how this power might play out in battle.

"I can't let anyone know that I'm a spiritual master. I need to be able to protect myself. When Luo Feng awakened, he had only one dark golden orb. I have two, which means I have greater potential. And with the nine-story pagoda for training, I'm destined to stand at the pinnacle of the universe and break the cycle."

After inheriting the original owner's memories, Xia Zhi realized that the world he had been reborn into was the same as that in a popular novel he had read in his previous life.

Recalling the novel's grand backdrop and vast starry sky, Xia Zhi felt a surge of excitement and determination for the future.

"The *Tai Shang* Body Refining Technique is the supreme foundation-building method for cultivation. It's divided into three levels: the first strengthens tendons, the second bones, and the third blood. This technique trains the body from the inside out, with each level corresponding to the warrior, warlord, and god of war levels in this world's power system. Once the technique is fully mastered, breaking through to a higher level will be possible."

"There's only a week left until the quasi-warrior assessment. I need to master the first level. Li Wei, you don't want me to participate in the assessment? Not only will I participate, but I'll also make a name for myself! Only by proving myself as a genius can I access more resources and rise quickly. You'll see who the real trash is."

Xia Zhi opened his stance, following the postures and breathing techniques outlined in the *Tai Shang* Body Refining Technique. Instantly, the previously gentle and calm cosmic energy surged violently, rushing into his body. The pores all over his skin seemed to open wide, absorbing the energy that his cells, once saturated, had been unable to take in. Now, under the powerful influence of the refining technique, another feast of strength enhancement began. His cells evolved rapidly, and from time to time, the tension within his body emitted a sound like a bowstring being drawn tight.

*Thunk, thunk, thunk.*

With each resonant sound, Xia Zhi's body continued to strengthen.

...

In the early morning, Xia Zhi's grandfather left the house with a stack of sacks in one hand, descending the stairs.

"Morning, old one-armed. Out so early?"

"Is your family going for the assessment today?"

"I heard your grandson's taking the quasi-warrior assessment today. You're going to be living in luxury soon," a neighbor remarked.

When Xia Zhi was very young, his grandfather had moved here with him, already one-armed. For so long, the neighbors who knew him simply called him "Old One-Armed," to the point that his real name had been forgotten.

"Yes, just out for a stroll. Xia Zhi's taking the assessment today," the old man replied, acknowledging the neighbors' greetings.

"You've worked hard all your life, old one-armed. You deserve to rest," another neighbor remarked, looking at the old man's gray hair with a hint of emotion.

"The old man isn't ready to stop just yet. I can't be a burden on the boy," the old one-armed said, shaking his head. After a few more exchanges, he made his way downstairs, loaded the sacks onto his tricycle, and rode out of the community, his voice ringing out in the morning air as he called, "Recycling waste, buying waste materials!"

In the bedroom, Xia Zhi, sitting cross-legged on the bed, opened his eyes as he heard his grandfather leave.

"Today is the quasi-warrior assessment. After mastering the first level of the body-refining technique, I can feel my strength growing almost every moment. This assessment will be no challenge for me."

He clenched his fists, feeling the surge of power coursing through his body.

"The path to ultimate power begins today."