C6 Fight Again!

Despite Lu Chong's mental preparation, the moment his two martial skills truly attained the Arcane Stage, he couldn't help but be thrilled.

In under a day, he had advanced two martial skills from Small Completion to the Arcane Stage—a feat likely unparalleled in the history of No.1 High School.

Armed with these Arcane Stage skills, his chances of getting into a premier martial arts university were significantly high.

As long as he could keep improving his cultivation, entry into a top martial arts university was assured.

His current predicament, however, was his dire financial state.

Lu Chong patted his stomach, feeling the familiar pangs of hunger. His only option was to rush home and devour whatever food he could find.

Yet, even after eating everything in sight, he still felt unsatisfied.

Martial Arts cultivation was akin to a bottomless pit, and Lu Chong was acutely aware of the pressing need to make money.

Lying in bed, Lu Chong wasn't eager to sleep; instead, he pondered the automatic cultivation rates of his skills and cultivation level.

He soon noticed that once his martial skills reached Great Completion, their automatic cultivation rate had halved from 2% to 1% per hour. Meanwhile, the Qi Accepting Spell, vital for his cultivation level, maintained its 2% per hour rate.

"In other words, the greater the difficulty of my cultivation, the more the speed will naturally slow down."

This didn't surprise Lu Chong—it was to be expected.

Rather, he took it in stride, pleased to have found another method to hasten his cultivation. Beyond actual combat, diligent practice could speed up his progress.

With hunger as his companion, Lu Chong drifted off to sleep. When he awoke the next morning at six, hunger was once again his alarm clock.

The side effect of the Qi Accepting Spell's automatic cultivation was a constant drain on his energy—a principle of energy conservation in scientific terms.

There was no luxury of sleeping in for Lu Chong. He dressed in his worn blue uniform, quickly freshened up, and headed out.

Luckily, the body's previous owner had been frugal, leaving behind a savings of over two thousand yuan. After wolfing down five pounds of meat buns at a nearby breakfast stall, Lu Chong jogged to school.

The downside to ordinary food was its fleeting satiety, lacking in sufficient nutritional value.

Of course, when it came to flavor, it trumped most nutrient-packed alternatives.

Lu Chong covered the ten-plus kilometers to school in just fifteen minutes, and his Nine Shadow Step skill improved by another 2%.

Upon entering the classroom, Lu Chong was surprised to see Chen Yufei, usually punctual, already there before him.

"Mr. Chong," Chen Yufei said earnestly as Lu Chong took his seat, "I've made up my mind. Starting today, I'm going to buckle down and aim to get into a key university with you."

Chen Yufei's grades in both Martial Arts and academics were mediocre, but Lu Chong didn't discourage him, simply responding, "Then let's both give it our all."

Yet, no sooner had he spoken than Lu Chong caught Chen Yufei pulling out a smartphone to play a virtual war game.

As the classroom filled up before the bell, Lu Chong reviewed a textbook on the history of mutated beasts.

The mutation, which had initiated the Martial Arts Era, dated back over a century. Rumors swirled of an extraterrestrial civilization invasion, likened to an ecological onslaught.

Prophecies even suggested that real aliens might arrive within the next decade.

In anticipation, nations across Blue Star had been preparing for years, with reactions ranging from eager anticipation to outright resistance.

Lost in thought, Lu Chong was abruptly confronted by Sun Ze, the student he had knocked unconscious the day before. Sun Ze had spent just one night in the hospital and was nearly recovered, save for his incomplete dental work, which slurred his speech.

"Lu Chong, if you dare, let's have a rematch today," Sun Ze challenged. "You ambushed me when I was off guard yesterday. That doesn't count as a loss."

Sun Ze had been furious upon waking up, not just because he had been bested by Lu Chong, but also because he had been humiliated—carried across the field by one hand and left in the infirmary, his photo plastered all over the school forum.

If he didn't seek revenge, Sun Ze feared losing face at No.1 High School and wondered how Hsiang Yueya would see him.

Lu Chong glanced at Sun Ze but said nothing.

Yesterday's victory had been narrow, with Sun Ze's complacency his downfall.

Today, Lu Chong had even less regard for him.

"Scared?" Sun Ze taunted, leaning in and slamming his hand on Lu Chong's desk. "If you're scared, admit defeat now, in front of everyone, and apologize to me."

"Sun Ze, what's your game here? Clearly, you're not as strong as me. Are you trying to strut around and make a scene?" Chen Yufei pocketed his phone and couldn't contain his fury any longer, lashing out with a shout.

"Mind your own business," Sun Ze shot back, his tone even less courteous.

"If Lu Chong isn't up for a spar, then I'll just have to keep pummeling you today," Sun Ze declared with a menacing edge. "Trust me, you'll end up in worse shape than me."

"I'll take you on in today's combat class," Lu Chong said, looking up.

Lu Chong had no desire to get into a squabble with Sun Ze, but he was aware that Sun Ze wouldn't just drop it.

If Sun Ze refused to concede, Lu Chong was ready to give him another thrashing.

It was also a perfect opportunity for him to see if real combat could accelerate his training.

"Good. At least you're not as worthless as some," Sun Ze said with a sneer of satisfaction, throwing a jab at Chen Yufei.

Chen Yufei remained unfazed. He turned to Lu Chong and asked, "Mr. Chong, you think you can take him down?"

"Don't worry about me and don't pick fights on my behalf. I'm good," Lu Chong reassured him.

Lu Chong shook his head slightly and added, "But you do have a point. We need to fight until he yields. That's the only way we'll get some peace around here."

As the bell signaled the start of class, the mood shifted among the students when they realized their Class Teacher Wang Tong was stepping in for the absent virtual reality instructor.

Standing at the lectern, Wang Tong announced with an even tone, "The virtual esports teacher is unwell, so we'll be having a practical combat class instead."

Groans of dismay rippled through the students.

Lu Chong was indifferent, but Chen Yufei was visibly incensed, like a wolf with its tail stepped on, nearly ready to leap up in protest.

"This is outrageous!"

Yet, catching Class Teacher Wang Tong's stern look, Chen Yufei managed to swallow his rage.

Lu Chong sensed something amiss. Glancing towards the back corner of the room, he caught Sun Ze's ominous words, "You're done for."