2: Qualifications: Potential talent

The dust in the abandoned factory had yet to settle, the air still seemingly saturated with the pungent odor of shattered metal.

Lin Yuan sat cross-legged in a cold concrete corner, his mind fully immersed in the profound and mysterious data panel within his consciousness.

His fingertip twitched slightly as his will focused on the 'Upgradeable' option following 'Cultivation Aptitude: Mortal Physique (Damaged/Repairable and Upgradable)'.

A hum resonated.

The panel shimmered, and a line of cold text appeared:

[Consume 10 evolution points to promote 'Mortal Physique' to 'Malleable Talent'?]

"Confirm!" Lin Yuan mentally shouted, his resolve absolute, like one burning their boats.

A thunderous sensation erupted!

It was as if scalding magma had erupted from the depths of his Dantian! A vast, torrential warmth, far exceeding his imagination, instantly shattered every clogged barrier within his body!

Wherever the warm current flowed, every cell greedily devoured the energy, emitting faint crackling pops, like parched earth finally receiving sweet rain!

His bone density increased, producing a subtle, teeth-grating friction sound; his muscle fibers frantically restructured, becoming tougher, more explosive!

What shook Lin Yuan's mind the most were those hidden injuries lurking deep within his Meridians, stubborn as maggots in bone!

Those hidden pains that had hindered him for three years, turning him into a 'waste', were now, under the scouring of the warm current, melting away like ice and snow, rapidly smoothed and repaired! An unprecedented sense of 'clarity' and 'control' swept through his entire being!

"Is this... rebirth?!" Lin Yuan's eyes snapped open, radiating sharp light. Instinctively, he began circulating the 'Basic Body Refining Technique'.

Whoosh—!

The Spiritual Qi within him responded instantly! The speed and fluidity of its movement were at least ten times greater than before!

What had once required careful, half-hour effort to barely complete one full cycle of Qi circulation now felt as natural as breathing, accomplished effortlessly in just three minutes!

He immediately looked at the detector on his wrist.

[combat power: 6.01→ 6.02→ 6.03...]

The numbers were visibly, albeit slowly, ticking upward! Although the increase was minuscule, this rate of natural growth was already something his past arduous Cultivation could hardly achieve!

His gaze shifted back to the panel:

Cultivation Aptitude: Malleable Talent (Next Stage: Outstanding Talent, requires 100 evolution points)

"A tiered leap... As expected, the higher you go, the greater the cost." Lin Yuan's expression turned grave. 100 points!

At the current rate of 2 points per day, that would require a full 50 days! This ignited an unprecedented craving for evolution points within him.

He then looked at the options following 'Primary Cultivation Technique: Basic Body Refining Technique (Yellow Rank Low Grade · Can be Deduced/Can Evolve)'.

[Consume 1 evolution point for basic deduction/optimization?]

"Just 1 point!" Lin Yuan's heart surged with heat, but seeing the zero evolution points on the panel, he forced down the impulse. "Wait! Tomorrow! Tomorrow I can verify this technique's evolution effect!"

"First, Cultivate with all my might and test the limits of this 'Malleable Talent'!" Lin Yuan closed his eyes again, driving the technique with full force.

Spiritual Qi surged like a raging river, rampaging through his renewed Meridians. Each completed cycle brought a clearly perceptible improvement!

Two hours later.

Lin Yuan exhaled a long, steady breath. The number on the detector clearly displayed: 6.12!

"Two hours, a 0.12 increase in combat power!" Lin Yuan's heart pounded wildly as his mind rapidly calculated. "At this efficiency, Cultivating 8 hours a day would yield 0.48 points! In three months... nearly 45 points?!" This number made his scalp tingle!

45 points of combat power! Forget key Martial Academies, even charging into the legendary top-tier institution, Cangqiong Martial Academy, would be more than sufficient!

However, the excitement lasted only a moment.

He keenly sensed that as his combat power base increased, the gains from subsequent cycles were noticeably slowing down! The last half-hour of Cultivation had barely yielded a 0.02 point increase!

"Bottleneck! The technique Rank can't keep up!" Lin Yuan instantly understood. "The 'Malleable Talent' Aptitude is severely hampered by this lowest-tier Yellow Rank Low Grade technique! Upgrading the technique is urgent!"

His gaze fell to the very bottom of the panel:

Grandmist Violet Qi Fusion Degree: 0.001% (Has reached current body's bearing limit)

[Methods to Increase: 1. Natural Fusion (Extremely Slow); 2. Absorb Other Grandmist Violet Qi (Unknown); 3. Martial Artist Realm Breakthrough (Significant)]

"Realm Breakthrough... that's the key!" A flame ignited in Lin Yuan's eyes.

Natural Fusion? It might not increase by 0.1% in ten years! Searching for other violet qi? Like finding a needle in a haystack! Only a Realm Breakthrough was the tangible opportunity he could grasp right now!

He examined the [evolution points] description again:

[Current Daily Recovery: +1 (Base)]

[Additional Bonus: Grandmist Violet Qi Fusion Degree × 100,000 = +1 (Current)]

"As expected! For every 0.001% increase in Fusion degree, daily recovery increases by 1 point! If I can Breakthrough to the Martial Artist Realm, the Fusion degree will surely surge, and the rate of acquiring evolution points will explode!" This discovery pushed his desire for a Realm Breakthrough to its Peak.

When he left the abandoned factory, Lin Yuan's steps were steady and powerful, each footfall brimming with newborn strength. He gazed towards the deep blue light gate piercing the sky in the city center. No more confusion remained in his eyes, only a blazing desire to conquer.

"That gate, I will set foot in it! And I will do so in the most dazzling manner!"

Returning to his cramped home, Lin Yuan didn't turn on the lights. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a cold shadow on the floor. Silently, he dragged a dust-covered iron box from under his bed and opened it.

Inside, neatly arranged, were his parents' relics: yellowed research notes, fragments of maps depicting mysterious zones, and a clear photograph of the jade pendant that had already turned to ash.

His fingertip lightly traced the intricate, profound patterns on the photograph. Lin Yuan whispered, "Dad, Mom... what exactly did you leave me? This wisp of Grandmist Violet Qi... was it an accident, or...?" Doubts buried themselves deep in his heart, but his belief in growing stronger had never been so firm.

Late into the night, Lin Yuan sat cross-legged on his bed, actively guiding his Spiritual Qi, savoring the new Cultivation experience brought by the 'Malleable Talent' Aptitude. Every minute, every second of improvement was distinctly discernible. He was like a long-parched sponge, greedily absorbing power.

Early the next morning.

Lin Yuan's eyes snapped open. The first thing he did was to look inward at the panel:

[evolution points: 2]!

"Here it is!" Without hesitation, his will locked onto the 'Can be Deduced/Can Evolve' option following the 'Basic Body Refining Technique'.

"Consume 1 evolution point, deduce and optimize!"

A hum.

The panel's light swirled, and the technique's name instantly changed:

Primary Cultivation Technique: Basic Body Refining Technique (Initial Modification) (Yellow Rank Medium Grade)

[Cultivation efficiency increased by 50%! Spiritual Qi circulation pathways deeply optimized, significantly reducing meridian load, Spiritual Qi purity increased! Includes minor Body Tempering effect!]

"50%?! And a Body Tempering effect?!" The result far exceeding expectations stole Lin Yuan's breath! He immediately tried circulating the new technique.

A rumble!

The moment he mobilized his Spiritual Qi, Lin Yuan felt a world of difference! The new pathways seemed tailor-made. Qi flowed as if commanded by his will, with an unimaginable smoothness!

More crucially, during circulation, the Spiritual Qi seemed to be repeatedly hammered and compressed by an invisible force, becoming more refined and concentrated!

With each completed cycle, not only was the combat power increase clearly felt, but his muscles and bones also transmitted waves of tingling numbness—the Body Tempering effect at work!

One hour later!

The number on the detector soared from 6.3 and steadily stopped at 6.4!

"One hour, 0.1 point!" A terrifyingly sharp light burst from Lin Yuan's eyes. "The modified version's efficiency is nearly double yesterday's! And the Spiritual Qi is purer, the burden lighter! That 1 evolution point was spent far too well!"

Feeling the surging power within him and the unprecedented pleasure of Cultivation, he cast a burning gaze at the remaining 1 evolution point.

"The last point... time to test that idea!" A bold plan took shape in his mind.

On the way to school, the world seemed polished in Lin Yuan's eyes.

The faint Spiritual Qi fluctuations emitted by the Medicinal Pills on the giant billboards endorsed by Martial Artists; the snippets of information contained in passersby's conversations about the 'Gray Mist Zones' outside the city; even the sparse, free-floating Spiritual Qi in the air—he could now capture and distinguish them all with greater acuity!

This was the comprehensive enhancement brought by the 'Malleable Talent' Aptitude!

Entering the classroom, Lin Yuan's posture was straight as a pine, his steps steady. When Zhao Hao habitually turned his head with a sneer, ready to commence the daily 'waste humiliation', Lin Yuan's gaze suddenly met his!

That gaze was no longer the forbearance or evasion of the past. It was like a deep pool, calm on the surface yet containing a heart-palpitating power and a sharpness that seemed capable of seeing through his facade!

Zhao Hao's prepared venomous words instantly caught in his throat. His heart inexplicably skipped a beat, a chill like being stared down by a predator crawling up his spine!

"Zhao... Brother Zhao?" the tall, thin lackey beside him noticed Zhao Hao's oddity.

Zhao Hao snapped back to himself, flushing with anger and embarrassment. He blustered in a low voice, "What are you looking at?! Waste! Putting on airs! If you have the guts, prove it in the training hall! I'll knock you down with one punch!" Yet, his voice carried a trace of imperceptible weakness.

Lin Yuan didn't respond. He didn't even look at Zhao Hao again, merely curling the corner of his mouth into an extremely faint, yet absolutely confident arc.

That arc was more provocative and oppressive than any words! He calmly returned to his seat as if he had just brushed off a speck of dust.

There was still time before the mock exam. And every minute, every second of that time was pushing him towards a higher Peak!

Zhao Hao? Soon, you will learn who the real waste is!

The bell for the last class of the morning, 'Spiritual Qi Dynamics', rang like a bugle charge.

In the corridor, Martial Arts Instructor Wang Meng stood like an iron tower.

A black tactical uniform encased his rock-like, knotted muscles. The ferocious scar running through his left eyebrow gleamed with a cold hardness under the sunlight, silently recounting the brutality of the battlefield.

His remaining right eye was sharp as an eagle's, sweeping across the classroom.

"Reserve Martial Artists! Training Ground Three! Assemble in five minutes!" Wang Meng's voice grated like grinding stones, carrying an iron-blooded, indisputable tone. "Today, we teach the initiating stance of the 'Mountain Crushing Fist'—Mountain Splitting Force!"

Inside the classroom, the twelve Reserve Martial Artists wearing silver badges instantly erupted in excitement, their faces alight with fervor and longing. Learning a genuine offensive Martial Skill was a crucial step towards becoming a Martial Artist!

Watching them rush out of the classroom excitedly, a heavy stone seemed to press on Lin Yuan's chest. He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions, and walked towards Teacher Li Wen, who was organizing her lesson plans at the lectern.

"Teacher," Lin Yuan's voice was calm yet firm, "I'd like to request leave for the afternoon."

Teacher Li Wen adjusted her glasses. Her gaze swept over Lin Yuan's still-empty chest, then settled on his eyes, which were filled with a serene power utterly different from before, as if detecting some subtle change.

She was silent for a few seconds, sighed softly, pulled open a drawer, and took out a specially made, blue leave slip bearing a faint energy imprint.

"Still... going to that abandoned factory?" Teacher Li Wen's voice was very low, carrying a trace of barely perceptible worry.

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Be careful," Teacher Li Wen handed him the slip, her gaze behind the lenses deeply fixed on him. "Remember what I said, don't... try those dangerous methods again. Only by living is there a future." Her words held meaning, clearly aware of some of Lin Yuan's past 'crazy' actions.

Lin Yuan took the slip, his fingertips registering the paper's slight coolness. Looking at the concern in Teacher Li Wen's eyes, he nodded solemnly. "Thank you, Teacher. I understand." This time, his eyes no longer held the desperate gamble of before, but the composure of one who had mastered power.