Chapter 8: Complete Body Skills!

The audience fell into a stunned silence. No one had expected the final outcome to be like this.

Dustin Li swept his gaze across the crowd, snorted coldly, and turned to leave.

The students instinctively parted, making way for him. At this moment, no one dared to stand in his path.

"That Dustin Li from the junior class is a monster!"

"I've heard of people awakening their martial talent late, but when they do, their progress skyrockets!"

"That glance he gave us earlier—it was a warning. We'd better be careful from now on and not get on his bad side."

"Gavin Zhao is completely finished. Dustin Li used him as a stepping stone to make his name known."

Whispers filled the air, but no one could deny Dustin Li's strength. In the Martial Hall, raw power was everything. It was the foundation for survival and the key to earning respect.

Leaving the Black Rock area, Dustin Li didn't return to his residence. Instead, he entered a secluded bamboo forest.

Within the forest were several open training grounds, each filled with wooden stakes of varying heights, lengths, and distances. These irregularly placed stakes were specifically designed for students to refine their movement techniques.

Dustin Li leaped onto a stake, steadying himself. The aged wood bore countless scars—proof of the generations of students who had trained here. Every year, new recruits joined the Martial Hall, enduring pain and hardship in their quest for strength.

His father had taught him this truth when he was very young. The very first lesson in the Martial Hall had reinforced it.

In his mind, the meridian pathway for the second-grade movement technique "Inch Step" emerged. As he visualized and adjusted it using his Life Vein Diagram, his body moved instinctively.

"Tap!"

With a light push from his toes, he propelled himself upward, landing on a higher stake. At first, his movements were slow and deliberate, adjusting to the rhythm. But as he grew accustomed, his speed increased.

"Thud!"

A misstep—he lost his balance and fell. The varying distances between the stakes required precise control. At a slower pace, he could calculate each step, but at high speed, a single mistake could send him tumbling.

Without hesitation, he jumped up and resumed his practice.

Time blurred as he immersed himself in training, refining his body techniques with unwavering focus.

The Path to Mastery

Martial skills and movement techniques were categorized into four levels: Entry, Minor Achievement, High Level Mastery, and Perfection.

Even a second-grade martial art, when cultivated to the Minor Achievement level, could rival the entry-level of a third-grade art. Reaching High Level Mastery made it comparable to the Minor Achievement of the next grade, and Perfection could even match a third-grade Spirit Refining Master!

Thus, while higher-ranked techniques were inherently stronger, lower-tier techniques could still overpower superior ones if cultivated to their peak.

Dustin Li's Dragon Tiger Fist had already reached High Level Mastery thanks to his unparalleled comprehension, aided by the Pearl of Life and Death. In contrast, Gavin Zhao had practiced two third-grade martial arts yet hadn't even reached the entry level. That was why he had stood no chance against Dustin.

For the next half-month, Dustin Li devoted himself entirely to rigorous training—practicing martial arts and movement techniques by day, refining his internal energy at night.

As the Annual Assessment drew near, every student pushed themselves to the limit, striving for a brighter future.

"Jude Zhang has been quiet lately. I heard he spent a fortune to buy an Energy Nourishing Pill, planning to break through to the eighth level of Body Refinement."

One morning, Dustin Li awoke from meditation, deep in thought.

His own cultivation was progressing steadily, but so were his rivals. Jude Zhang had superior resources, which gave him an advantage.

As martial cultivation advanced, breakthroughs became increasingly difficult. External aids—such as medicinal pills—were often necessary to push past bottlenecks. After all, warriors had a limited lifespan to reach their peak.

It was said that those who achieved the Innate Realm could surpass mortal limits, extending their lives to three hundred years!

Before reaching the Innate Realm, even a warrior in the Energy Gathering Realm was merely a stronger version of an ordinary person.

"I need to improve faster!"

Instead of feeling pressured by the approaching Annual Assessment, Dustin Li was filled with an unshakable fighting spirit.

His Dragon Tiger Fist continued progressing toward Perfection, but his movement technique, Inch Step, was lagging behind. Determined to overcome this, he intensified his training.

He scattered thorny vines with sharp barbs across the wooden stake field, ensuring that a single misstep would lead to painful consequences.

To push himself further, he shaved the stakes thinner, making balance even more challenging.

His extreme training methods did not go unnoticed.

At first, only a few students practicing in the bamboo forest saw him. But as word spread, more gathered to witness his relentless efforts.

From afar, they watched Dustin Li move across the fragile stakes. His clothes were torn, his body covered in cuts and bruises. Below him, the thorns glistened with fresh blood.

"Is he insane?"

"No wonder his strength improves so fast—he's putting himself through hell!"

Many were shocked. Some, especially those from humble backgrounds, were deeply inspired and began pushing themselves harder in their own training.

A Breakthrough Approaches

On the wooden stakes, Dustin Li had honed Inch Step to the peak of Minor Achievement, but he sensed he was on the verge of a greater breakthrough.

He moved fluidly—sometimes dashing forward, sometimes retreating sharply, sometimes weaving unpredictably. His steps followed no fixed pattern.

Martial arts weren't about rigid routines. Memorizing movements only led to surface-level mastery. True understanding required grasping the essence of the technique.

To reach High Level Mastery or Perfection, hard work and comprehension weren't enough. A breakthrough required insight and opportunity.

There were no shortcuts in martial arts. Talent and aptitude mattered, but so did one's determination and luck.

Before obtaining the Pearl of Life and Death, Dustin had merely followed martial teachings. But now, he was truly walking the path of a warrior.

His cultivation was still low, but his martial heart was strong!

"High Level Mastery!"

Suddenly, Dustin Li stopped moving.

The wind blew. The clouds shifted. The world around him was in motion—but he alone remained still.

Then, he opened his eyes, a knowing smile playing on his lips. With a single leap, he vanished from sight.

Whispers of Strength

"Did you see that? His speed just now—did he reach Minor Achievement in his movement technique?"

"I heard Dustin Li picked three second-grade martial arts: 'Muscle-Tendon Forging', 'Dragon Tiger Fist', and 'Inch Step'."

"'Muscle-Tendon Forging' is fine, but 'Dragon Tiger Fist' and 'Inch Step' are notorious for being incredibly difficult to master."

"His Dragon Tiger Fist was already at High Level Mastery. If his movement technique has also reached that level, then..."

A hushed excitement filled the air. No one had expected Dustin Li's meteoric rise.

Yet despite his progress, most still doubted he could defeat Jude Zhang, who was about to break through to the eighth level of Body Refinement.

"No matter how talented he is, he can't beat Jude Zhang."

"Jude Zhang is from the Zhang family in Novaridge City. Why did Dustin Li even think about going against him?"

Dustin, however, paid no mind to the whispers.

Back in his room, he frowned. "My cultivation speed is still too slow."

He was at the peak of the fifth level, yet unable to break into the sixth. Without external assistance—such as pills or formations—his progress would take far too long.

"It's time to take action."

His eyes gleamed with determination. Dustin Li had a plan.