12: Chapter 12 Perfection of Swordsmanship

Li Wen's consciousness was immersed in the invisible Domain constructed by the Lv3 Absolute Focus, causing the outside world's sounds, gazes, and even the flow of time to become blurred.

Only the icy cold touch from the standard fine steel quick-knife in his hand, and the increasingly pure and transparent Saber Principles flowing through his mind, felt real.

The Tiger Guard Saber Technique in his hands had long surpassed its inherent framework of Moves.

Every slash was no longer a mere imitation, but a natural pursuit of the optimal solution for every muscle, bone, and flow of Qi and Blood in his body.

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Subtle adjustments to angle, power, and speed came effortlessly; the Intent was continuous, balancing speed and slowness. Every strike thrown carried a more refined nullification of air resistance and a more accurate prediction of the target's trajectory.

That membrane-like Bottleneck obstructing the final step was now covered in countless fine, web-like cracks under the constant, high-concentration impact of comprehension.

While Li Wen was immersed in the world of Blade Technique, the other Martial Arts students of Class 21 arrived at the Martial Arts classroom even earlier than usual.

Evidently, the recent news of the Flying Star Class and Li Wen's rapid progress in Blade Technique had stimulated them considerably.

However, when they pushed open the familiar door exuding the aura of sweat and tenacity, the scene they anticipated came into view.

In the corner of the classroom, Li Wen's figure was already drenched in sweat. That sound of fine steel blades cutting through the wind, which they had long grown accustomed to, now carried a rhythm slightly different from before to their ears.

"Tsk, The Overachiever is starting again," someone muttered quietly, their tone carrying a hint of habitual helplessness and the numbness of 'just as expected.'

"Hey, wait..." A male student, whose own Blade Technique was also stuck at the Bottleneck of Advanced - Major Achievement after months of practice, was the first to notice the anomaly. He stopped, staring intently at Li Wen's movements with a tightly furrowed brow.

"Do you guys feel that, The Overachiever's blade today... feels a bit different?"

"Hm?" Prompted by him, several other classmates stuck at the Bottleneck also focused their gaze.

"It is a little... smooth in a way I can't quite describe?"

"It seems... every Move is more precise? That feeling..."

"He wouldn't..." The voice of the first male student carried an incredulous shock, "He only reached Major Achievement in his Blade Technique less than a week ago, right? Could it be... he's about to Breakthrough to Perfection?!"

This sentence was like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake.

The pupils of the male students, who knew well how solid and despair-inducing that Bottleneck was—like an impenetrable fortress—contracted instantly.

The one among them who had been stuck at the Bottleneck for the shortest time had exceeded a month, while the longest had endured nearly half a semester. Day after day of hard practice had only resulted in the Bottleneck remaining completely unmoved.

Now, someone who had crossed the threshold of Major Achievement just seven days ago was about to leap over this chasm that had once trapped them in a mire of agony, right before their eyes?

Shock, envy, bitterness, a trace of indescribable jealousy, and a huge sense of disparity instantly seized their hearts.

"Xue Jun! Xue Jun is here!" Someone sharp-eyed spotted the class's top student stepping through the doorway and immediately shouted urgently, as if finding their backbone, "Xue Jun! Quickly look, The Overachiever... is his Blade Technique about to Breakthrough?!"

Xue Jun, who had just entered, was confused by the urgent atmosphere and instinctively shook his head: "What nonsense? He only reached Major Achievement in his Blade Technique a few days ago..."

But the expressions of several people were unusually serious, not feigned. They even actively made space, pointing directly at Li Wen in the corner. Xue Jun's heart skipped a beat, and he put away his joking demeanor, looking over with a scrutinizing gaze.

After just one glance, Xue Jun's brow involuntarily tightened.

As the only person in Class 21 who had achieved Perfection in an Advanced Technique, he was extremely familiar with that imminent feeling right before a Breakthrough.

The Blade Technique Li Wen was currently demonstrating, although the details differed from his spear technique, possessed that flowing, seamless, and integrated momentum—a trend that suggested the final layer of paper-thin resistance could be pierced at any second—which was at least seven or eight parts similar to how he felt before his own Breakthrough.

A strong sense of impact made Xue Jun's breathing momentarily catch.

He stared at the ceaseless figure, and after a moment, he slowly spoke in a complex and solemn tone:

"...It seems the second person in our class to achieve Perfection in an Advanced Technique is about to emerge."

His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached every nearby student who was listening intently.

"He's really going to Breakthrough!"

"Seven days... only seven days!"

Xue Jun's judgment was like a final verdict, igniting an uproar in the small area.

Envy, admiration, disbelief, and even deeper jealousy—complex emotions flickered across everyone's faces, finally transforming into immense shock.

They realized that Li Wen, the one who only knew how to mechanically chop day after day and was sarcastically nicknamed The Overachiever, was probably truly... gone forever.

And at the center of the storm, Li Wen was completely unaware of the discussions and gazes around him. All his focus was immersed in the blade in his hand.

The body's instinctive fatigue was suppressed by the high state of mental excitement. The Lv3 Absolute Focus provided an unprecedented speed of deduction and depth of understanding.

The tenth time!

The final Move of the Tiger Guard Saber Technique—"Tiger Crouching at the Majestic Pass"!

The blade edge pierced the air, incomparably sharp! Just as the blade cut through the air, reaching the Peak of speed and power—

Buzz! It was as if an invisible shackle in his mind was violently shattered by the surging torrent of Saber Intent!

Countless subtle intricacies that he hadn't understood or grasped before instantly merged, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

An unprecedented feeling of Perfection, clarity, and absolute control spontaneously arose.

Success! Tiger Guard Saber Technique—Perfection Realm!

Just then, the bell for the second period of afternoon Martial Arts class rang without interruption, sounding urgently.

Jingle-ling-ling—!

The bell startled Li Wen out of his immersion.

Fatigue surged from every limb and bone like a tide; it was the signal of severe mental and physical exhaustion. But beneath the fatigue was unparalleled comfort and clarity.

"Hoo—" Li Wen exhaled a long, deep breath of stale air.

He subconsciously stopped his blade and scanned the crowd, only then belatedly sensing the unusual silence within the classroom.

A deathly silence. Dozens of pairs of eyes were focused squarely on him, their gazes too complex to describe. Only the life-threatening bell was still ringing stubbornly.

Then—

"Whoosh—!" Like water suddenly boiling over, an uproar louder than the bell instantly erupted, submerging the entire Martial Arts classroom!

"Bro... Breakthrough?! He really Breakthrough?!"

"Holy crap! Seven days! From Major Achievement to Perfection!"

"Seven days!!"

"Awakened! He really Awakened!!!"

Wei Wu's voice was the most excited and loud, almost a roar, his face showing undisguised ecstasy and excitement.

As a comrade on the same 'grinding' path and a classmate with no direct competitive relationship, he was genuinely happy for Li Wen.

"Good!!!" A resonant and stirring voice suppressed the noise; it was Wang Hu, the Martial Arts Teacher, who had just stepped into the classroom when the bell rang.

His face was ruddy, and his eyes shone brightly as he stared at Li Wen, taking the lead in applauding heartily:

"Good! Well done, Li Wen! It seems that for this Flying Star Class selection, Class 21 is very likely to gain another spot! This is an astonishing improvement!"

With Wang Hu taking the lead, the clamorous discussion quickly transformed into thunderous applause.

Everyone, regardless of their inner thoughts, temporarily set aside their feelings and applauded vigorously.

Amazement, complexity, and envy were all fused into the ceaseless applause, which lasted for a full five or six minutes until Wang Hu waved his hand, signaling everyone to stop, and order was restored to the classroom.

"Alright! Li Wen's Breakthrough is a good thing, the pride of our Class 21! But I hope this can serve as motivation to spur everyone else on!"

Wang Hu stood in the center of the floor, his voice booming, "Look at Li Wen. He didn't have an advantage in starting point, and resources were even a weakness, but he relied on absolute willpower and accumulation bit by bit to forcibly break through the first solid Bottleneck obstructing him!

What does this prove? Effort and persistence are never in vain! Now, everyone, get your spirits up, use Li Wen as your target, and seriously treat today's practice!"

Perhaps it was witnessing a nearly impossible miracle happen right beside them, or perhaps they were infected by the rare expectation and passion in Wang Hu's words.

The entire afternoon, the atmosphere in Class 21's Martial Arts classroom became unprecedentedly focused and diligent.

The sounds of training shouts were more forceful than before, and movements strived for standard Perfection. Even those classmates who were usually somewhat slack now had a spark of unwillingness to fall behind and a desire to try in their eyes.

Looking at the improving morale of the entire class, Wang Hu's mouth curved into an irrepressible smile.

When the class was assigned, he drew this Class 21, which was full of well-connected students and had the lowest overall Martial Arts strength—a 'retirement' class. He had once been disheartened, only thinking about completing the teaching tasks.

However, Li Wen, this dark horse that suddenly emerged, brought him a pleasant surprise, even a hope for a turnaround.

He couldn't help but glance a few more times at Li Wen, who was diligently practicing and consolidating his Perfection Realm in the corner, his eyes flashing with deeper anticipation.

Merely reaching Advanced Perfection in a technique might not be enough to attract the attention of truly important figures.

But what if... what if Li Wen could seize the momentum and step into the crucial threshold of Martial Arts transcendence—the Unity Realm?

As the Martial Arts homeroom teacher who discovered and nurtured him, the reward... was enough to make his mouth water.

He had heard about the generous bonuses received by the homeroom teachers of those students in Qingshi No. 1 Middle School who had signed early contracts.

Starting at one hundred thousand, fifty thousand... that money, for him, who was stuck at the Peak of Intermediate Martial Artist and whose Qi and Blood had not yet begun to noticeably decline, was practically the key resource for Breakthrough to Super Martial Artist.

Thinking of this, Wang Hu felt his heartbeat accelerate.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turbulence in his heart:

"Steady, steady. He just reached Advanced Perfection... I need to observe more, see the subsequent display of Comprehension Ability... The Unity Realm cannot be rushed..."

He silently cautioned himself, but the way he looked at Li Wen was already like looking at his own future massive bonus—scorching hot.

The class ended bell rang.

Time flew by in focused training; in the blink of an eye, the first period of the afternoon was over.

"Li Wen!" Wang Hu's voice sounded, carrying a trace of imperceptible excitement, "Come with me for a moment."

"Yes, Teacher!" Li Wen understood immediately, put away his blade, and quickly walked to Teacher Wang's side.

He knew what this meant—after achieving Blade Technique Perfection, Teacher Wang would take him to encounter Top-tier Blade Techniques.

This was the key to reaching a higher level, crucial for whether he could stand out in the Flying Star Class selection and the final Martial Arts test.

The gap between Basic, Advanced, and Top-tier was like a vast gulf. Even the introductory stage of a Top-tier Blade Technique was enough to crush Advanced Perfection.

With only two days left until the final exam, how much could he achieve in this short time? Should he face the challenge with Advanced Perfection, bearing a huge disadvantage, or risk it all for the Top-tier introduction?

Success in the latter would be a qualitative leap; failure meant he would likely have to participate in the final assessment using his Advanced Perfection Blade Technique.

The sense of urgency weighed heavily on his heart, but it also ignited a stronger Battle Intent in his eyes.

Without another word, Li Wen followed Wang Hu quickly out of the noisy classroom.

The two hurried along the connecting corridor between the teaching buildings and soon arrived before the building with the richest collection of books in the school—the Qingshi No. 3 Middle School Library.

Entering the spacious hall, Wang Hu skillfully walked toward an elevator marked 'Faculty and Staff Only' on the side, swiping his card to activate it. The elevator rose smoothly, the numbers constantly changing, finally stopping on the sixth floor.

"Ding!" The elevator door slid open, revealing a quiet corridor covered in sound-absorbing carpet, with soft light emanating from the wall lamps on both sides.

Wang Hu walked straight to a heavy metal door at the end, engraved with complex energy patterns. The doorplate clearly read: [Top-tier Technique Room].

Wang Hu reached out and pressed the doorbell button beside the door.

Ding-dong—!

After about ten seconds, accompanied by a slight mechanical whirring sound, the heavy metal door slid silently inward.

An elderly man with vigorous spirit and eagle-sharp eyes appeared behind the door. His posture was upright, and he wore a simple practice uniform. His gaze swept over Wang Hu before finally landing on Li Wen with a scrutinizing expression.

Wang Hu stepped forward to introduce: "Elder Han, this is student Li Wen. His Blade Technique has reached Perfection, so according to regulation, I have brought him to select a Top-tier Blade Technique." He deliberately patted Li Wen's shoulder, with a hint of recommendation.

The elder Han's gaze lingered on Li Wen's face for a moment, his sharp eyes seeming to pierce through flesh and bone, reaching directly into his essence and spirit.

He nodded slightly and stepped aside, making way: "Mm, come in." His voice was steady and powerful.

"This is his third time selecting a Blade Technique. I won't go in; I have another class soon,"

Wang Hu checked his watch and said to Elder Han, then turned to Li Wen, forcefully squeezing his shoulder, his eyes encouraging and expectant: "Choose carefully! Don't waste this opportunity! Go straight back to class after you finish choosing." With that, he turned and hurried toward the elevator.

"Thank you, Teacher Wang!" Li Wen thanked Wang Hu's retreating back once more.

Elder Han looked at Li Wen and said, "Report the names of your Basic Blade Technique, Advanced Blade Technique, and the Basic Qi and Blood Cultivation Technique you practice."

"Yes, Elder Han. Basic Blade Technique: Basic Twelve Moves; Advanced Blade Technique: Tiger Guard Saber Technique; Basic Cultivation Technique: 'Splitting Edge Golden Fiend Method'." Li Wen replied clearly.

Elder Han walked to the control panel beside the door and entered this information.

Then he instructed Li Wen: "Stand in that monitoring area and demonstrate your best Tiger Guard Saber Technique once, concentrate fully."

Li Wen walked to the empty area designated by the control panel as instructed, held his breath, and once again performed the Tiger Guard Saber Technique, which had just Breakthrough and was now smooth and perfect.

The control panel lights flickered slightly, and invisible energy fluctuations swept over Li Wen's body and the trajectory of his blade.

After only half a minute, the prismatic holographic projection in the center of the control panel lit up, clearly and three-dimensionally listing the information for four Top-tier Blade Techniques:

"Rainbow Light Saber Technique" — Compatibility: 99.9%

"Gale Saber Technique" — Compatibility: 99.6%

"Jade Tiger Saber Technique" — Compatibility: 99.5%

"Golden Dragon Saber Technique" — Compatibility: 99.3%

Rainbow Light and Gale focus on speed and agility, while Jade Tiger and Golden Dragon focus on fierce offense and attack.

But the glaring '99.9%' Compatibility at the very top of the screen, like a lighthouse in the dark night, instantly captured all of Li Wen's attention.

"Elder Han, I choose the 'Rainbow Light Saber Technique'." Li Wen unhesitatingly pointed at the Blade Technique in the holographic image that resembled a fleeting streak of light.

Extreme speed combined with his Lv3 Absolute Focus—this was the path he most desired at this moment.

Elder Han glanced at the highest compatibility, a hint of approval showing in his eyes: "Not bad. Choosing the one with the highest compatibility is most beneficial for your initiation and subsequent improvement."

He said no more, walked to the main control computer, operated it for a moment, and stated:

"Permission has been activated. For the next three days, you can use your student ID card to directly go to the 'Top-tier Technique Comprehension Room' on the top floor for immersive visual learning and initial comprehension.

Remember, three days! After the visual learning ends, you must return to regular classroom practice. The final exam is approaching, and practical combat training for Martial Arts class is also very important."

"Thank you, Elder Han!" Li Wen thanked him solemnly.

He took the look Elder Han gave him, indicating he could leave, bowed once more, and turned to walk out of the room permeated with the aura of Advanced Cultivation Techniques.

The metal door slid shut silently behind him, sealing off the gravity within. Standing before the elevator in the corridor, Li Wen clenched his fist.

Three days! Only three days to access the virtual images of the 'Rainbow Light Saber Technique'! And there were less than 48 hours until the final exam! It was a race against time, leaving no room for delay.

He took a deep breath and pressed the elevator's down button, the light from the ceiling reflecting in his eyes, mirroring the future he had just set for himself, named 'Rainbow Light.'

The door leading to a higher level had finally opened a crack for him.