Chapter 2

"Huff!"

"Huff!"

Every foundational training method consisted of thirty-six forms, along with a specialized breathing technique.

Parker's breathing alternated between rapid and deep, perfectly synchronized with his movements, causing faint vibrations to echo within his body.

His muscles and bones resonated in unison!

This feels amazing. Parker fully immersed himself in the training.

He could sense every fiber of his muscles and bones being stimulated, growing stronger with each repetition.

This was the evolution of life.

In this era, even ordinary teenagers had the potential to break sprinting records from a century ago.

Their secret? Martial training.

If only I had made it into the top twenty during last semester's finals… Parker's thoughts wandered. I would've received not just a $5,000 scholarship but also additional life force-enhancing supplements this term.

With more of those, my body fitness would improve even faster, and I could ease some of the financial burden on my uncle and aunt.

Parker was an orphan, raised by his uncle and aunt.

His uncle worked for a state-owned enterprise, while his aunt was a middle school teacher.

By all accounts, their family wasn't wealthy, but they lived a comfortable life.

However, Jordan Parker had been frail and sickly since childhood, and his uncle and aunt had spent a fortune on his treatments.

Later, following a doctor's advice, they invested heavily in his martial cultivation from middle school onward—far more than what they spent on their own children.

Fortunately, Parker had decent talent and an exceptional work ethic. He passed the entrance exam for Northridge First High, and after entering high school, his performance steadily improved. By sophomore year, he ranked among the top 100 students in his grade, and by the end-of-year assessment, he had broken into the top 30.

His uncle and aunt were delighted.

But martial cultivation required more than just talent—it demanded money.

Especially after reaching a physique level of 6, where the required nutrients from star-forged foods, qi-enhancing medicines, medicinal meals, and specialized equipment became an insatiable drain on resources.

Compared to other top 30 students, Parker's external conditions were quite modest—one might even call them poor.

Even so, Parker understood that his uncle and aunt had done everything in their power for him.

They still had their own children to care for—he couldn't ask for more.

"But this is the sixth time."

"Ever since seventh grade, I've taken the Martial Essence Test once a year, and I've failed every single time." Parker contemplated. "If my latent martial essence could awaken, I'd get a 10% bonus on my exam score—I could easily break into the top ten of my grade."

"And if I awakened, I'd qualify for a government subsidy."

Whether or not one awakened their martial essence was the single most important factor in determining a person's martial talent—not just on Blue Earth, but across all the Septastar Worlds.

Yet Parker had never awakened.

"Every year, our school sends fewer than five students to the Five Elite Martial Schools," Parker mused. "With my current grades, getting into an ordinary Martial Cultivation University wouldn't be an issue."

"But if I don't awaken my essence, my chances of entering the Five Elite Martial Schools are slim to none."

Solara had a population of nearly two billion, divided into twenty-four provinces, each with its own Martial Cultivation University that only accepted students from within the province. These were the primary goal for most martial cultivation aspirants.

But the Five Elite Martial Schools were different. Established by the nation, they recruited students from across the entire country.

While ordinary Martial Cultivation Universities provided decent resources, students were largely responsible for their own growth.

In contrast, every student in the Five Elite Martial Schools received abundant government support.

"Only with national resources can I go further on this path of martial cultivation—only then can I become an initiate martial cultivator like Mr. Hughes… or even surpass him one day." Parker silently resolved.

His goal was clear—the Five Elite Martial Schools.

But their admission scores were extremely high.

"Step by step. There's still nine months until the entrance exams." Parker cleared his mind and focused on his training, letting go of all distractions.

Before long, a commotion erupted outside the classroom.

A dozen students from Group Three crowded around the doorway, excitement written across their faces.

"Mr. Hughes, Knox Xavier has awakened his martial essence!"

"Mr. Hughes—" Before the burly teacher could ask, several students eagerly blurted out the news.

The classroom instantly buzzed with chatter.

"Knox Xavier? He awakened his martial essence?"

"Does that mean he's moving to the Elite Class?"

"I heard students in the Elite Class get to train with advanced techniques ahead of time!" Many students couldn't hide their envy.

Only those who awakened their martial essence could enter the Elite Class.

Otherwise, no matter how high one's rank was—like Parker, who had broken into the top 30—they would still be stuck in the standard class.

"Knox Xavier?" Parker opened his eyes and turned toward the doorway, where a tall, broad-shouldered figure stood, his face slightly flushed with excitement.

Standing nearly 1.9 meters tall, Knox was impressively built, like a grizzly bear. His arms were thick and powerful, though his face still held traces of youthful innocence.

Aside from Parker, he was the only other student in their class who ranked within the top 100 in martial cultivation.

"Jordan Parker." Amid his excitement, Knox seemed to sense Parker's gaze. He glanced over and smiled.

Parker returned the smile.

In terms of martial cultivation scores—Parker was ahead of Knox.

In terms of family background, Knox Xavier was far better off.

As the two top students in the class, Jordan Parker and Knox Xavier often seemed to be in competition for scholarships, but their relationship remained amicable.

Friendships among classmates were often pure and simple.

"Damn! Parker, you didn't awaken, but that damn grizzly did? What kind of dumb luck is that?" The mature-looking boy beside Jordan Parker muttered, "With the martial essence bonus, his martial cultivation scores are about to catch up to yours."

Knox Xavier—nicknamed Grizzly.

Jordan Parker chuckled softly, "Old Zhou, are you jealous?"

The speaker's name was Logan Pierce. Due to his thick hair and mature appearance, he had earned the nickname "Old Zhou."

He had been Parker's classmate since middle school. They had gotten into Northridge First High together and were even assigned to the same class.

After five or six years, they could be considered close brothers.

"Jealous? My ass." Logan Pierce whispered, "My academic scores are high enough to get into a top university. As for martial cultivation, I'm just doing it to stay fit. Can't stay a scrawny dog forever, or even Lina will leave me in the dust… I'm just upset on your behalf."

Jordan Parker smiled.

Logan's physical fitness was average, still a bit short of Level 4, but his academic performance was outstanding, ranking in the top fifty of their grade.

With the nation's limited resources, Martial Cultivation Universities could only admit a small percentage of students.

For the vast majority, academic scores would ultimately determine their university placement.