4: Chapter 4 The Night Before the College Entrance Examination with Superpowers

Combat technique proficiency is divided into five levels: entry, proficient, mastery, Perfect, and Transcendent.

At the entry level, one has a preliminary grasp of the skill and can perform the combat technique.

At the proficient level, one can use the combat technique with ease.

At the mastery level, one has a unique understanding of the combat technique and can adapt it flexibly during use.

As for the Perfect and Transcendent levels, those represent breakthroughs in comprehension, something profoundly mysterious.

Su Mu returned to the spot where he had just been practicing his combat technique and closed his eyes tightly.

During the fight just now, Su Mu had gathered all the lightning at the tip of his spear, and he felt as if he had touched upon something.

Standing still, he held the spear in one hand by his side.

Black electric arcs flickered back and forth along the shaft of the spear; initially, the arcs moved very slowly.

Gradually, the arcs flickered faster and faster until the entire spear was covered in electricity.

Su Mu opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling up.

His proficiency in the B-rank combat technique, Thunder Cloud Spear, had reached the proficient level.

He sat down cross-legged, resting the long spear across his lap.

He clicked on the Blue-quality Combat Technique Proficiency Card he had just obtained.

Blue-quality Combat Technique Proficiency Card: Can increase the proficiency of a B-rank or lower combat technique by one level.

It was truly a case of 'getting a pillow just as one feels sleepy.' He directly selected the Thunder Cloud Spear and used the proficiency card.

Ding! The Combat Technique Proficiency Card has been used successfully. The proficiency level of the combat technique Thunder Cloud Spear has been upgraded to mastery.

Instantly, a wealth of practical combat experience regarding the Thunder Cloud Spear flooded Su Mu's brain, and his body felt as if it had undergone thousands of refinements.

As soon as he picked up the spear, he immediately knew various offensive methods and would subconsciously thrust the spear out.

Su Mu now felt increasingly confident about the college entrance examination in a few days.

He trained for another two and a half hours, not leaving the Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall until all his training time was exhausted.

Next, he needed to head back to school.

He now possessed an S-rank ability, a B-rank alloy weapon, and a B-rank combat technique.

Currently, his weakest point was his level; he was still an entry-level ability user.

To break through from entry-level to a First-order Ability User...

One first needed to comprehend Source Power, and then use an Ability Cultivation Method to circulate that Source Power to break through to Rank 1.

He had no way to get an Ability Cultivation Method for now; their prices were significantly higher than combat techniques.

He could only hope the system would provide a powerful cultivation method.

Now, he was going back to school to collect the Source Power Potion provided by the Ministry of Education to comprehend Source Power as soon as possible.

Just as Su Mu left the Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall, the lobby manager rushed to the branch manager's office on the second floor.

He gave the branch manager of the Jianglan City branch a detailed account of Su Mu's fight against Sun Zan.

At the same time, he also shared his conjectures regarding Su Mu's ability.

The branch manager crossed his hands, deep in thought.

An Earth Armor formed by an A-rank Earth-type ability was pierced through in a single strike.

Then Su Mu's ability rank must be at least S-rank. He had heard that Jianglan No. 1 Middle School had an S-rank ability awakener this year.

It seemed it was this Su Mu.

Having figured everything out, the branch manager was determined to recruit Su Mu into the Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall.

"The next time this Su Mu comes to the hall, notify me immediately!"

On the other side, Su Mu had already returned to school and received the Source Power Potion from the principal.

He returned home in the evening, and after washing up, he went back to his room.

He took out the Source Power Potion; the liquid was transparent, looking just like a bottle of clear water.

He drank it directly and then closed his eyes, preparing to welcome the Source Power.

Three minutes later, nothing happened.

Ten minutes later, nothing happened.

Su Mu: ???

Why is there no feeling at all?

Could it be that I drank a fake potion?

Seeing that more than ten minutes had passed without any reaction, Su Mu no longer hesitated and simply lay down to sleep.

At midnight, thunderclouds rolled in the sky. The light rain that had fallen all day suddenly turned into a torrential downpour.

Lying on the bed, Su Mu's body flickered with electric arcs, which then vanished and turned into shadows.

Throughout the night, Su Mu's body was continuously enveloped by electric arcs and shadows.

Just as the sky began to brighten...

Ding! Congratulations to the host for comprehending Dark Lightning Source Power.

An hour later, Su Mu sat up from his bed, feeling refreshed all over.

He quickly raised his hands and stretched.

But the moment his hands were raised, a bolt of dark lightning flew out from his palm and hit the wall.

Su Mu: (☉д⊙)

What on earth! Is this Palm Lightning?

Su Mu jumped out of bed and looked at the scorch marks on the wall.

The power was just a little lacking.

Wait, that's not right. Su Mu closed his eyes to feel the changes in his body.

Then came wild joy; a dark current was flowing through his meridians.

Su Mu was certain it wasn't there before.

The situation was now clear: he had successfully comprehended Source Power.

With Source Power, Su Mu's control over his ability had improved significantly.

Two more days passed. Su Mu didn't go to the Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall again; the costs there were still too high.

Now that Su Mu had already learned the combat technique, going to the distant and expensive Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall...

Wouldn't that make him a total sucker?

However, this made the branch manager of the Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall in Jianglan City incredibly anxious.

Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall, Branch Manager's Office

"Has Su Mu not come to the hall for the past two days?"

"No!"

The manager was sweating profusely. He deeply regretted it; he should have reported to the branch manager while Su Mu was still at the hall.

The branch manager was also full of regret; he should have gone to stop Su Mu directly back then.

The two of them sighed and groaned.

Time passed very quickly, and Su Mu spent his final few days at the Tianyao Martial Arts Hall.

The evening of June 5th, 2036 AD.

Today, Su Mu went home early. Tomorrow was the important moment of the Ability College Entrance Examination.

Su Mu, Leng Jing, and Lin Ruoxi sat at the dining table, which was covered in delicious food.

Some were made by Leng Jing, and others were sent over by other aunties in the neighborhood.

Su Mu had truly become the hope of the entire community.

The three people, who were not related by blood but were incredibly close, sat together and had a sumptuous dinner.

After eating, Su Mu intended to wash the dishes, but he was stopped by Lin Ruoxi.

And under the strong insistence of the two sisters, Su Mu could only obediently go back to his room to rest.

Everything was quiet and peaceful.

However, in the Ability Universities in the four cities of Modu, Jingdu, Hangdu, and Guangdu, groups of teachers were engaged in heated discussions.

The center of the discussion was only one thing: this year's recruitment goals.

"Alright, everyone has received the student information from high schools in various provinces.

After these few days of screening, let's discuss which students are worth paying attention to today, so we can take action to recruit them immediately after the college entrance examination ends tomorrow."

National regulations stated that before the end of the college entrance examination, no Ability University was allowed to contact the examinees.

This was to ensure that students could participate in the examination normally and also to prevent anyone from exploiting loopholes.

However, the various Ability Universities went to great lengths to compete for students.

If they waited until the scores were released to start competing, they feared they wouldn't be able to snatch up a single good prospect.

Therefore, every university would compile information on top students from all regions before the exam.

Students who had awakened high-level abilities were listed as key observation targets to be monitored during the exam.

Once an outstanding student was identified, recruitment teachers would rush to the exam center gates before the exam even ended, waiting to recruit them the moment it finished.

"In Shu Province, there are a total of 122 A-rank ability awakeners this year, 6 of whom are worth key observation."

"In Su Province, there are 118 A-rank ability awakeners this year, with 7 worth key observation."

"In Shan Province, there are 135 A-rank ability awakeners this year, with 6 worth key observation."

Director He Kui, sitting in the central seat, was full of smiles.

"Not bad, there really are many excellent students this year.

How is Jiang Province doing this year?"

"Jiang Province has a total of 117 A-rank ability awakeners this year, with 5 worth key observation."

He Kui frowned slightly upon hearing this; Jiang Province was a bit lacking this year. But before he could speak—

"Additionally, Jiang Province has one S-rank ability awakener this year."