Chapter 17 - Tianjing Academy

When Tang Tian crawled out from behind the light gate like a dead dog, he had already completed a staggering eighty thousand flick punches. It must be said that the endurance of the Crane Qi Formula is remarkably strong, allowing him to devote more time to cultivation rather than meditation. Despite this being only his second grueling training session, Tang Tian's adaptability was already evident, showing that he was beginning to adjust well.

This round of hardship was still painful, but it was far better than the last. At the very least, when Tang Tian emerged from the cross-shaped light gate, he was alert rather than dazed. However, such frenzied training had left him mentally exhausted.

His success rate with the flick punch fluctuated between sixty and seventy percent. As he practiced more, Tang Tian began to notice some subtle flaws. He attempted to correct these awkward aspects, and it was precisely this action that led to a noticeable increase in his success rate.

This was not the first time Tang Tian had engaged in such a process. He had grown accustomed to this method during his foundational martial arts training. Following his teacher’s instructions strictly often hindered achieving perfection. The reason his foundational martial arts reached such a refined state stemmed from his continuous self-correction.

The same applied to the flick punch. The quality of the bronze card was inherently low, and it was likely that the creator of this flick punch did not possess a deep understanding of it. Although the method of attaching a soul card allows one to quickly grasp the basics, it also has its drawbacks. The depth of comprehension contained within a soul card is directly linked to the creator's skill level; it is utterly unrealistic to expect a mediocre individual to produce a high-quality soul card.

The insights contained within a bronze soul card are often superficial and vague. How to enhance it and cultivate it to a deeper level depends on personal perception and effort. Tang Tian's perception was average, but his foundational skills were solid. As he practiced more, the minor flaws would quickly become apparent, as if the dust were blown away.

Second-tier fist techniques are closely related to foundational fist techniques, and the flick punch is no exception. Tang Tian couldn’t articulate the underlying principles, but the basics were deeply ingrained in his bones, becoming instinctual. He could feel where things were correct and where they were awkward.

Tang Tian's reasoning was simple: as long as he corrected the awkward aspects, increasing the success rate of the flick punch would be a sign of improvement. Through his experimentation, the flick punch began to undergo subtle changes, becoming more infused with Tang Tian's personal style. Consequently, his success rate rose swiftly, peaking at an impressive seventy-four percent.

Though this achievement may not be earth-shattering, it would certainly astonish those who heard of it. Tang Tian was not satisfied with this result; for someone accustomed to executing moves with perfect accuracy, seventy-four percent felt unsatisfactory. However, he was not in a hurry; five years of foundational martial arts training had instilled in him greater patience.

After all, cultivation is a gradual process. His Crane Qi Formula advanced rapidly, and the energy density behind the light gate was quite high; the Crane Qi Formula had already taken on a substantial form. He remembered the complex and profound mental pathways with ease, and the crane shape was akin to drawing a little crane.

Indeed, as Old Wei had said, the qi channels of the Crane Qi Formula are extensive. Tang Tian already possessed incredible endurance, and with the Crane Qi Formula, while its practical application was still uncertain, it was undeniably suitable for cultivation, significantly increasing the time he could devote to practice, which in turn accelerated his training speed.

This brought Tang Tian immense joy. With the improved efficiency in training and the support of the hardship card, he was unafraid to practice more martial skills—punch techniques, finger techniques, palm techniques, lightness skills, joint techniques… all must be cultivated! He aspired to become a combat expert of divine caliber!

But why did his eyelids feel so heavy… so sleepy…

Tang Tian fell back into a deep slumber.

When he awoke three days later, he was astonished by his remarkable ability to sleep. Even more surprising was that his third-tier Crane True Power had progressed slightly. Sleeping could actually increase his true power; what an odd phenomenon!

Tang Tian sprang up in a rush, feeling a pang of regret for having wasted three days. He pushed open the door, and the sunlight outside was blindingly bright. The scorching midday sun hit him with a wave of heat.

In the training ground, Amori was sweating profusely, each strike executed with utmost seriousness.

Tang Tian was momentarily taken aback and stepped out of the wooden house, hands in pockets, walking up to the training ground beside him. He hopped onto a nearby wooden stump and called out, "Hey, kid! Working hard, I see!"

Amori had already heard Tang Tian's voice and stopped to turn around. He rested his wooden sword on his shoulder, drenched in sweat, and laughed heartily, "Foundational Tang, you’re finally awake! I was going to wake you up, but the old man said you were mentally exhausted and needed to sleep. But three days of sleep? That’s impressive!"

Amori's tone carried a hint of envy, as if sleeping for three days were a remarkable feat. Tang Tian felt a twitch in his forehead and pretended to speak solemnly, "Of course! A god-like youth sleeps like a god! I’m the Sleep God… um, Amori, you better put in the effort! I’ve been training the Crane Qi Formula, and I’m fierce now! Watch out or I’ll beat you like a dog!"

Amori burst into laughter, "Foundational Tang, I’ve also learned a new martial skill, the Earthly Fury Blade, it’s awesome! Come on, let’s spar! This time, I’ll take it seriously. The old man is right; the greatest respect for an opponent is to defeat them using the strongest martial skills!"

Tang Tian felt a headache coming on and muttered under his breath, "Oh no, this guy has been brainwashed by that country bumpkin old man!"

"Who are you calling a country bumpkin?" a dark voice came from behind Tang Tian.

Startled, he turned around to see Old Wei glaring at him. Tang Tian immediately broke into a radiant smile, "Ah-ha, old man, I was just saying how incredible you are to have trained this silly cow so well!"

"Foundational Tang! You dare to call me silly! You’re dead!" Amori yelled.

"Shut up!" Old Wei suddenly glared at Amori, causing him to fall silent immediately.

A strange feeling washed over Tang Tian; he instinctively scratched his head. Had something happened during his three days of sleep? When did this silly cow become so obedient?

"Alright, today I'm taking you somewhere," Old Wei waved his hand. "Get cleaned up; don’t embarrass me."

Tang Tian couldn't help but reply, "Old man, we’re cleaner than you."

Old Wei's face flushed slightly, and he cleared his throat, "You all wait for me a moment."

Before his words had faded, he disappeared in a flash from their sight.

Tang Tian and Amori looked up at the four large characters overhead, dumbfounded; they read "Tianjing Academy." Around them, the bustling crowd flowed, each person dressed elegantly and exuding charisma. They occasionally cast curious glances at the three shabby-looking figures, making them stand out distinctly.

"Hey, old man, are you sure you didn't bring us to the wrong place?" Amori couldn’t help but ask.

Tianjing Academy was the top school in Xingfeng City, the most prestigious institution. Those able to enter were either wealthy or exceptionally talented. Aside from the few years when Shangguan Qianhui rose to prominence, Tianjing Academy’s reputation remained unshakeable. It housed the strongest teachers in the entire city, the most comprehensive training facilities, the largest star stone shop, and the highest-end soul card store…

In the entire Wuan Star, Tianjing Academy was also the pinnacle of elite schools.

At that moment, a middle-aged man approached.

"Excuse me, are you Principal Wei?"

"I am," Old Wei replied casually.

"Please come with me; the principal has been waiting for you." The middle-aged man politely gestured for them to follow.

Old Wei nodded and said to Tang Tian and Amori, "Stay close, don't get lost."

The two obediently followed behind.

"This feels off; we need to be cautious, or we might get sold off by the old man." Tang Tian whispered.

"Yeah, yeah, we two geniuses must be worth quite a bit," Amori nodded vigorously.

The middle-aged man felt a little embarrassed as he walked ahead, but he didn’t show any signs of it. Suddenly, both Tang Tian and Amori received a light tap on their heads.

The middle-aged man maintained a subtle smile, but when he heard their comments, a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

As they walked, the students they passed looked at the three with curiosity. Their attire was vastly different from that of Tianjing Academy, yet the three felt no discomfort. Old Wei displayed a hint of authority, while Tang Tian and Amori wore expressions of childlike wonder, marveling at everything they saw.

The facilities at Tianjing Academy were unlike anything they had ever encountered.

The academy was vast, and after a while, they finally arrived at the principal's office. The middle-aged man was taken aback when he saw an elderly figure waiting at the door; it was the first time he had seen the principal personally greet someone.

"You finally made it!" The elderly man suddenly smiled and stepped forward, arms open wide.

Old Wei also grinned and embraced him, "I had no choice but to shamelessly borrow your space for a while."

"We don’t need to be so polite between us," the elderly man chuckled, turning to scrutinize Tang Tian and Amori with interest, asking, "So these are the disciples you chose?"

Old Wei shook his head, pointing to Amori, "This one here. He specializes in sword techniques; I've had my eye on him for years and finally managed to lure him… um, recruit him!"

Then he pulled Tang Tian over, "I thought he’d be well-suited to become a close combat expert; you know I’m not skilled in that area. I didn’t want to waste his potential, so I brought him along."

"A close combat expert?" The elderly man's eyes lit up with interest as he scrutinized Tang Tian anew.

"Yes, and he's quite an extraordinary close combat expert," Old Wei said with a smirk.

"An extraordinary close combat expert," the elderly man said, his interest piqued even more. He smiled and said, "Let’s go inside. Assistant Xu, please take these two young ones for a tour."

The middle-aged man quickly bowed in acknowledgment, "Yes."