Chapter 6: The Unawakened Advanced Martial Essence

The Elite Class's martial arts classroom was even larger, resembling a small stadium.

"They're testing his explosive speed?"

Parker placed his spear on the silver metal floor, walked to the starting line of the track, took a deep breath, and calmed himself.

Speed tests weren't just about sprinting.

In the Martial Cultivation Entrance Exam, students would be tested on their 40-meter, 100-meter, 1-kilometer, and 10-kilometer speeds in sequence.

The highest scoring component was the 40-meter speed test, followed by the 10-kilometer endurance run.

One measured explosive speed, while the other tested stamina.

"A battle between martial cultivators is often decided in just a few moves, sometimes even in a single exchange. Life and death hang by a thread, so explosive speed is crucial." Parker swiftly adjusted his state. "But in war, you're rarely facing just one opponent. Battles can drag on, making endurance just as important."

Parker understood that the structure of the Martial Cultivation Entrance Exam was deeply tied to warfare.

In this era, human civilization across Blue Earth and the Septastar Worlds was facing an immense survival crisis.

War had become the dominant theme of society.

Whoosh!

Using his breathing technique, Parker adjusted his body. With each inhale and exhale, he quickly relaxed. His mental strength was formidable—so much so that he could faintly sense the rhythmic beat of his organs, the steady flow of blood from his heart, and the faint surges of power coursing through his limbs.

The next moment—

Boom!

With his spine as the core, Parker's entire body tensed in unison, like a fully drawn bowstring suddenly released. The force traveled from his waist and hips, propelling directly into his legs. In an instant, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

The source of power lay in the feet, initiated through the legs.

The explosive force of the thighs far exceeded that of any other part of the body.

Whoosh!

In mere seconds, Parker dashed across the 40-meter track, slamming into the buffer wall at the end.

The buffer wall, resembling a sponge but made of a more specialized material, had been custom-designed by the school for student safety.

Beep!

On a screen mounted on the wall at the track's end, a number appeared—14.2 meters per second.

This was Parker's crossing speed, not his average speed.

"So fast!"

"It looks like Parker's physical fitness has truly reached Level 6.5." The watching students murmured among themselves, completely convinced.

They all knew that Parker's foundational cultivation method was the Unyielding Rock Training, a technique primarily focused on strength.

If his speed was already this impressive, what about his power?

"14.2 meters per second? Not bad." Mr. Hughes nodded slightly and instructed, "Now, test your punching force."

The punching force testing area was much smaller, tucked away in the classroom's corner, barely noticeable.

Parker stepped into the testing zone.

Whoosh—

Overhead instruments projected several beams of white light, enveloping Parker to ensure his movements met standard testing criteria.

The punching test did not measure extreme explosive force but rather the maximum strength a single arm could generate while maintaining a stable stance.

If a punch was so forceful that it caused instability, it was meaningless—because in life-and-death combat, an unstable stance would give the enemy a perfect opening for a lethal strike.

"Relax first."

Parker regulated his breathing, gradually loosening his tense muscles. He spread his feet, knees slightly bent, preparing to push off the ground for greater propulsion at the moment of impact.

Then, in the instant he exhaled—

His spine coiled like a great dragon, his left foot subtly shifted, his right foot pressed firmly against the ground, and the force traveled up through his waist and back, converging into his right arm.

His fingers clenched into a solid fist!

Boom!

Like a cannonball fired from its chamber, Parker's right fist slammed into the massive suspended sandbag before him.

Bang!

A deep, resounding impact echoed through the room.

Instantly…

The screen above the testing area displayed: 426 kg (Action Valid).

"Holy shit!"

"426 kilograms?! That's insane!"

"This punch force is already close to the standard for a Level 7 physique. If I recall correctly, the benchmark for Level 7 requires a punch force of 450 kilograms."

An uproar erupted among Parker's classmates—they were utterly shocked.

Martial cultivation wasn't about simple physical conditioning, and the Vitality Assessment Device's data was always just a reference.

What truly mattered was performance in real combat.

Across Blue Earth and even the entire Septastar Alliance, physical fitness levels were strictly categorized by burst speed and punching power:

Level 5: 10 m/s, punch force 200 kg

Level 6: 13 m/s, punch force 300 kg

Level 7: 15 m/s, punch force 450 kg

Level 8: 18 m/s, punch force 800 kg

Level 9: 20 m/s, punch force 1000 kg

...

While individual talent and training methods could cause slight variations, no one strayed too far from the standard.

Parker's Vitality Assessment Device displayed a Level 6.5 rating—his burst speed was within the normal range.

However, his punching power was already close to the Level 7 benchmark.

"My punch force hasn't even hit 300 kilograms yet…" Knox Xavier instinctively tightened his grip on his battle blade. "Has the gap between me and Parker really grown this wide?"

Logan Pierce, on the other hand, was excitedly discussing the scene with those around him.

"He's practicing tension within looseness, and utilizing looseness within tension. Only through true tension can one unleash explosive power. It seems my student has truly grasped the essence of basic martial training."

Brandon Hughes had a sharp eye—he could see the deeper truth behind Parker's movements.

For an ordinary person, fully utilizing their body's power was nearly impossible—reaching 90% efficiency was already considered impressive.

Only by thoroughly mastering every ounce of force in their body, condensing it together, could they achieve 100% output.

And Parker had clearly done just that.

"Not bad."

A rare smile appeared on Brandon Hughes' face.

This moment left many students secretly astonished.

After all, even when Knox Xavier awakened his martial spirit, Brandon Hughes hadn't smiled.

Parker remained outwardly calm as he listened to the murmurs around him, but deep down, he was slightly dissatisfied.

"According to my Divine Palace Interface, my burst speed should be capable of reaching 14.4 m/s, and my max punch force should be 426 kilograms." Parker frowned slightly. "It seems I still haven't fully unleashed my physical potential."

At this moment…

In Parker's field of vision, a nearly transparent light screen appeared—something only he could see.

——

[Vitality Rank: 6.6 (Uninitiated)]

Physical Fitness Index: 72 (A composite measure of explosive power, endurance, speed, constitution, mental strength, etc.)

Punch Force: 426 kg

Speed: 14.4 m/s

Mental Strength: 12.4

Body Cultivation Method: Unyielding Rock Training

Mind Cultivation Method: Grand Sun Astral Sutra

Skill Mastery Level:

Spearmanship (Tier 3, 36%)

Footwork (Tier 3, 21%)

Fist Techniques (Tier 3, 88%)

[Note: A latent high-level martial essence remains dormant within the body.]

With just a single thought, Parker could summon the light screen before his eyes, displaying his martial cultivation progress in meticulous detail.

This strange ability had awakened when he reached Level 5 in physical fitness during his sophomore year.