CHAPTER 21: CHAPTER 20: STAR SKY ENERGY

Back home, Jiang Ye immediately shared the good news with his parents.

"What? Second place in the class?"

Li Anping looked incredulous.

"Brother, you’re amazing!" Jiang Ting looked up in admiration.

Jiang Dahai at the dining table was also a bit surprised: "Second place? You were only 25th when the school term began!"

Jiang Ye had already prepared his explanation: "Teacher Chen said that after I achieved Minor Success in the Star Martial Cultivation Technique, my Martial Bone awakened, so my cultivation speed greatly improved."

"Martial Bone awakening?"

Jiang Dahai and Li Anping exchanged a glance.

They didn’t understand what it meant, but it seemed like at least it’s not a bad thing.

"Good!"

Jiang Dahai laughed heartily, exclaiming, "Our family is going to produce a Martial Arts genius!"

Li Anping also laughed, saying: "Ye will surely get into Martial Arts University next year."

The couple’s biggest wish was to send their two children to Martial Arts University.

This way, they wouldn’t have to follow the same path they did.

Jiang Ye coughed and said, "Mom, Dad, Teacher Chen gave me thirty thousand yuan today."

He took a stack of money out from his backpack.

"Thirty thousand?"

Jiang Dahai and Li Anping were a bit shocked.

Their family savings over many years only amounted to tens of thousands.

Thirty thousand in cash was no small number.

Jiang Ye explained briefly and also mentioned the trial happening in a month.

"Alright, we support you."

Jiang Dahai didn’t say much more, but earnestly remarked, "This money, they said to repay after you graduate. They didn’t actually plan on asking for it back, but we not only need to repay, but the earlier the better."

"You give to receive; give and take, the relationship becomes closer."

"If you fulfill your promise early, it strengthens the bond, and later it’s easier to ask them for help."

Jiang Ye nodded; he understood these principles.

But his foster father’s words were even more profound.

Jiang Dahai, after all, had been working hard at the grassroots level for decades, turning past losses into experience.

"Now that I’m working at the Shadow Hunting Bureau, our finances aren’t as tight anymore."

Jiang Dahai smiled warmly and said, "You can repay this money next semester."

Jiang Ye nodded.

Mentioning the Shadow Hunting Bureau reminded him of something: "Dad, how’s the Shadow Hunting Bureau doing lately? I heard from Teacher Chen that An City might not be very safe during this time."

"Not safe?"

Jiang Dahai shook his head: "There’s no news in the bureau, but since your teacher said so, be careful."

Jiang Ye nodded.

...

In the following days, Jiang Ye resumed his daily cultivation routines.

As summer arrived, cicadas chirped under the scorching sun.

Jiang Ye stayed home all day, cultivating tirelessly.

At night, he’d enter the Martial Arts Celestial Ladder, repeatedly honing himself through the First Layer of the Illusion Realm, enduring the tests of Martial Arts Will in the massage room.

Each night, Zhao Qingli, Chen Zilu, and other beauties put him through rigorous trials.

If it were before, Jiang Ye might not be so passionate about it.

But after the Virtual Starry Sky assessment, he realized the importance of Martial Arts Will.

"Facing the Shadow Race, beyond physical strength, a strong Martial Arts Will is crucial."

"The Shadow Race’s voice penetrates the mind, leading to confusion."

"Only a powerful Martial Arts Will can counter it."

Each night, Jiang Ye fought until exhaustion in the massage room.

His Martial Arts Will constantly improved.

A week swiftly passed.

At home.

Having completed a phase of cultivation, Jiang Ye opened the panel and glanced at it.

—— Grounded Martial Arts Achievement System ——

[Physique: Mortal Body (B Level)]

[Talent: Original]

[Cultivation Technique]

Star Martial Cultivation Technique: Great Success (21%)

[Achievements]

Martial Arts Master, Ancestor’s Friend, Martial Arts Grandmaster, Beauty Path Chasing

[Martial Arts Celestial Ladder]

First Layer

——

This week.

Jiang Ye replenished himself with leopard gall, complemented by an application of Martial Arts Essence Oil all over his body.

The so-called ’Martial Arts Essence Oil’ is also a martial cultivation resource, aiding the body’s rapid transformation, costing a thousand yuan for a small bottle.

Now, as Jiang Ye is pushing hard for a month, he’s not skimping on this expense.

Luckily, the improvements are significant.

Yet, after the Cultivation Technique surpassed 20%,

he distinctly felt the speed slowing down.

But it’s also normal.

Reaching Perfection from Great Success is the toughest phase.

Even for most students in advanced classes, it takes a year to surpass this stage.

"Once I acquire tiger gall, whale eyes, and other rare ingredients, I presume improvements will be even quicker." Jiang Ye thought.

The rarer the martial ingredients, the harder they are to obtain.

Especially in smaller places like An City.

Martial ingredients are monopolized by the wealthy.

Families like Jiang Ye’s can only purchase alternatives like leopard gall.

However, after a week of inquiries, Jiang Dahai found a channel and expected to procure tiger gall and whale eye within a couple of days.

"Still too slow."

Jiang Ye furrowed his brow: "The deeper I delve, the harder the cultivation becomes. Every 10% improvement ups the difficulty notch."

"At this rate, how will I breakthrough First Break before the college entrance exams?"

To breakthrough First Break and become a Star Sky Martial Arts Master, he must undergo multiple ’Star Sky Refinements.’

Each Star Sky Refinement consumes a lot of time.

Calculating this way, he wouldn’t possibly reach the standard of the Twenty-Five Schools Alliance before the exams.

"I’ve heard that Zhao Qingli, the grade’s top student, completed her transition from Great Success to Perfection in just six months."

"She’s also a B-Level Mortal Body, how did she manage that?"

Jiang Ye pondered.

Even if she has money and supplements daily.

Yet, he’s not far off from that at present.

Now Jiang Ye’s physique and comprehension have improved, the gap shouldn’t be that big.

"Ask the teacher."

Jiang Ye suddenly recalled that he can contact Chen Zilu anytime.

This week he had been engrossed in cultivation, not trying it until today for the first time.

With this thought, Jiang Ye immediately pulled out his communication watch.

After turning on the watch, he found Chen Zilu’s contact info and dialed directly.

Beep...

A moment later, an ear-pleasing voice came from the watch.

"What’s the matter?"

Jiang Ye hurriedly said, "Teacher, I heard that Zhao Qingli, the top student of the grade..."

He briefly described his doubts.

Upon hearing, Chen Zilu chuckled softly: "Zhao Qingli? You don’t need to compare yourself to her. Her monthly food supplement costs up to a hundred thousand yuan."

"A hundred thousand yuan every month?"

Jiang Ye couldn’t help but gasp.

A hundred thousand yuan was equivalent to his parents’ annual salary!

This...

It seems he indeed underestimated the wealth of those rich people.

"Is she eating tiger gall, whale eyes, these martial ingredients every day?" Jiang Ye couldn’t help asking.

Chen Zilu replied: "More advanced than what you mentioned, special martial arts ingredients."

"..."

Jiang Ye sighed.

The rich indeed have an unfair advantage!

"However, Zhao Qingli’s half-year transition from Great Success to Perfection isn’t just due to her food supplements."

Chen Zilu continued: "The key is, she also used ’Star Energy’ for refinement."

"Star Energy?" Jiang Ye queried.

Chen Zilu affirmed.

"Star Energy, also known as Star Energy, is a vital energy to master when ascending to Starry Sky Martial Arts."

"Star Sky Refinement before breaking through First Break utilizes Star Energy to refine the physical body, thus driving the body to break life’s shackles."

Chen Zilu said: "After achieving Great Success in the Star Martial Cultivation Technique, you can also use a small amount of Star Energy to refine your physique, accelerating progress significantly."

Having heard this.

Jiang Ye’s eyes lit up, quickly asking, "Teacher, could I do this too?"

Yet, Chen Zilu’s subsequent answer took him by immense surprise.