"We've received a letter of gratitude from the Chang'an City Defense Army, along with two personal third-class merits." Lv Zhenglong smiled. "Do you know what this means?"

Wang Zhan and Song Dongming both shook their heads.

Lv Zhenglong continued, "With this letter of gratitude, the academic credits you've both earned at the Military Martial Arts Academy are more than enough for graduation! And the personal third-class merits mean that if you want to join the Military System, you won't have to start from the lowest rank. You'll be directly trained as reserve officer candidates."

Something this good exists? Wang Zhan was somewhat taken aback.

Liu Zhenfeng's expression softened considerably; it was clear his earlier sternness had been deliberate. He explained, "This kind of benefit isn't as exaggerated in other schools, but the Military Martial Arts Academy has a close relationship with the Military System, hence the favorable treatment."

"Alright, enough about that." Lv Zhenglong waved his hand. "We thought you two wouldn't return until the holidays were over. Why are you back already?"

"After experiencing the Beast Tide, I felt I was too weak, so I decided not to take a break," Wang Zhan answered truthfully.

"Good." Lv Zhenglong nodded. "Many of the school's mentors are still here. If you have any problems, you can ask anyone, even Old Liu or me."

"There's one more thing." Liu Zhenfeng suddenly knocked on the table. "Wang Zhan, when did you make an enemy of the Zheng Family?"

"The Zheng Family? What's that?" Wang Zhan was momentarily startled, unable to recall.

Liu Zhenfeng frowned slightly. "A few days ago, that young man from the Zheng Family brought several people from Yanjing Martial Arts Academy to challenge you. If there's no feud, why would he come looking for you?"

Wang Zhan paused, then the incident from the Black market flashed through his mind. Oh, I remember now. If Liu Zhenfeng hadn't mentioned it, he would have completely forgotten. "Back at the Black market, Zheng Sikai tried to steal my cultivation technique."

Wang Zhan recounted the gist of what happened.

Hearing this, Liu Zhenfeng smiled. "Good job. You don't need to worry about this. You're a student of the Military Martial Arts Academy; the Zheng Family is nothing compared to us! However, after school starts, that brat from the Zheng Family will bring people to find you again. We won't interfere in student disputes then."

"Don't worry. Whether they're from Yanjing Martial Arts Academy or not, I'll take down however many come," Wang Zhan replied confidently.

Liu Zhenfeng nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, you two go focus on your cultivation."

...

After returning to the Military Martial Arts Academy, Wang Zhan began his rigorous cultivation. He was now a level 8 Martial Artist, and his attribute points had reached 1,400, with only 50 extreme attribute points left to cultivate.

After reaching level 8 Martial Artist, the only ways for Wang Zhan to gain more extreme attribute points were through arduous cultivation or by hunting and killing soldier-level beasts. However, the strength of soldier-level beasts varied greatly, corresponding to anything from a Warrior to a Martial Master. Therefore, since he hadn't found an opportunity during the Beast Tide, Wang Zhan was left with only the path of arduous cultivation for now.

However, Wang Zhan didn't lack resources for body refining. He went to the Military Camp and exchanged all his 100,000 military merits for Grade-2 Mixed Essence Pills, receiving 25 bottles in total.

I'll use one bottle a day. This should be enough for about a month's cultivation. If it's not enough, I'll use academic credits to get more. Wang Zhan clearly planned his subsequent cultivation.

In addition to body refining, he also engaged in daily combat training with Duan Kun. Currently, for Duan Kun to suppress Wang Zhan, he had to exert the strength of a level 1 Warrior. Even so, due to occasional carelessness, Duan Kun would sometimes suffer minor setbacks against Wang Zhan.

Besides combat training, Wang Zhan also began studying the insights on the Eight Extremes Fist he had obtained from Shi Jingtian. He had also learned the truth about the ancient boxing method from Duan Kun.

"If it were anyone else, I wouldn't recommend learning the ancient boxing method, but you're different," Duan Kun said straightforwardly. "Your Talent is too exceptional. The drawbacks of the ancient boxing method will have little impact on you, but the benefits once you master it are enough to make you one of the absolute top individuals."

Receiving such an answer, Wang Zhan took the ancient boxing method much more seriously. Under Duan Kun's guidance, he quickly grasped the basics. However, grasping the basics didn't mean proficiency, much less being able to use it directly as a martial arts technique. Wang Zhan figured that, given the characteristics of the ancient boxing method, he couldn't expect to use this skill before becoming a Martial General.

Nevertheless, Wang Zhan vaguely sensed that practicing the ancient boxing method also aided his body refining. Although it definitely wasn't as good as the Body Refining Technique given by King Xing, it was better than nothing.

Time flew by during his fulfilling daily cultivation.

「A month later.」

After the winter break, the Military Martial Arts Academy finally reopened. Students returned, and the once-deserted campus was bustling with noise and excitement again.

In the classroom, Wang Zhan was still holed up in his corner, a sight the teachers had grown accustomed to. After all, Wang Zhan's breakthrough to level 8 Martial Artist and his spectacular performance during the Beast Tide were achievements the school was eager to publicize, so most people knew that Wang Zhan had already surpassed the standards of an ordinary student. Therefore, as long as he didn't disturb others, they didn't bother with him.

Next to Wang Zhan's seat, the little fatty Cheng Shu was still engrossed in his game console. Wang Zhan initially wanted to tease him a bit, but after a brief scan with his mental energy, he discovered the little fatty had actually reached level 3 Martial Artist. When they parted before the winter break, this guy was only a level 1 Martial Artist.

"Hey, how did you break through to level 3 in just a month?" Wang Zhan asked, somewhat curious.

Cheng Shu hit the pause button and glanced sideways at Wang Zhan. "Brother Zhan, are you kidding me? You went from a Martial Student to a level 8 Martial Artist in less than half a year. How did *you* break through?"

This rhetorical question immediately left Wang Zhan speechless. "Well... I just... have exceptional Talent, don't I?"

"Then I guess I just have a rich family and leveled up by chugging medicine," Cheng Shu said sarcastically. It was just that Wang Zhan was too demoralizing. He was level 6 before the break, and a month later, he was level 8. Going from level 1 to level 3 wasn't nearly as difficult as going from level 6 to level 8.

Having hit a soft snag with Cheng Shu, Wang Zhan wasn't bothered and simply went back to sleep.

However, not long after he drifted off, he felt someone poking his arm. "Is class over?"

He lifted his head to see Cheng Shu excitedly nudging him. "Brother Zhan, wake up! Something big is happening!"

Cheng Shu was fiddling with his personal terminal, which displayed the school forum. The pinned post on the forum had an outrageously arrogant title: 'Every single student of Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy is trash.'

Whoa, who's so audacious? Wang Zhan too became curious. Even he wouldn't dare say something like that. Who could be so arrogant, with an even bigger mouth than his?

Cheng Shu opened the post. The content roughly stated that in three days, students from Yanjing Martial Arts Academy would come to challenge them. It also declared that if Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy lost, they would have to become a vassal to Yanjing Martial Arts Academy in the Federal Martial Arts Tournament.

Yanjing Martial Arts Academy challenging us... Could this be that brat from the Zheng Family stirring up trouble? Wang Zhan was starting to understand. However, he then noticed the latter part of the post's content. "What does it mean to become a vassal in the tournament?" he asked.

Cheng Shu looked at Wang Zhan, somewhat surprised. "Brother Zhan, you're the hot favorite from our Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy for this! The tournament is just over a month away, and you don't even know this? You haven't paid any attention to the tournament at all?"

"Why bother paying attention to that? If I go, I'll win. There's nothing more to say," Wang Zhan stated nonchalantly, trying to act cool.

Cheng Shu squinted, feeling that this display of coolness was a bit overwhelming. After regaining his composure, he coughed twice. "COUGH. COUGH. Brother Zhan. This Federal Martial Arts Tournament isn't just about individual student battles. It's a competition conducted on an academy-by-academy basis! Individual matches aren't as important as in previous tournaments."

"What do you mean? Explain in detail," Wang Zhan said, his interest piqued.

Cheng Shu explained, "Basically, the team competition is academy-based. It's not about fighting each other directly, but likely involves activities in the wilderness, probably killing beasts and such. As for Yanjing Martial Arts Academy's condition, it's most likely a move to gather allies for the team competition. They probably intend to sacrifice Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy's results to help Yanjing Martial Arts Academy win the championship."

"They sure have a high opinion of themselves," Wang Zhan scoffed. "Are all these people from the Four Major Martial Arts Academies this arrogant? Demanding vassalage right away? They really think too much of themselves."

Cheng Shu nodded. "So, we're just waiting for you to take them down a notch, Brother Zhan." Cheng Shu now truly saw Wang Zhan as his idol. In his eyes, apart from being unable to bear children, Wang Zhan was omnipotent.

Wang Zhan seemed uninterested. "Let's wait until the people from Yanjing Martial Arts Academy arrive. We'll find a way to mess with them then."

As he said this, Wang Zhan suddenly had an idea. "Cheng Shu, what if I beat the people from Yanjing Martial Arts Academy? Do you think we could make them our so-called vassals, so our Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy can take first place for once?"

"That's a bold idea."

"Just tell me, is it possible or not?" Wang Zhan pressed, growing more convinced the more he thought about it. Why should they get all the benefits if they win, and say nothing about what happens if they lose? Do they really think they're invincible and can't possibly lose?

Cheng Shu pondered calmly for a long time before finally shaking his head. "I'm afraid it'll be very difficult. Given Yanjing Martial Arts Academy's pride, if they lost, they'd probably rather not participate at all than help someone else win."

"Who knows? Where there's a will, there's a way," Wang Zhan replied, full of confidence.

「Three days later, in the afternoon.」

Lv Zhenglong was personally waiting at the main gate. Before long, the figures of the Yanjing Martial Arts Academy students appeared in the distance. Led by a mentor, eight students arrived at Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy.

Lv Zhenglong stood his ground, only extending his hand for a handshake when the opposing mentor approached. While shaking hands, Lv Zhenglong remarked in a rather grim and sarcastic tone, "Yanjing Martial Arts Academy is certainly making a grand gesture, even sending a Grandmaster as a team leader. What, do you think our Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy would resort to dirty tricks?"

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