19: Chapter 19 Father's Illness

However, at this moment, Li Wen's mind was still firmly controlled by the "Absolute Focus" skill.

He could not cheer, could not relax, and could not even experience any emotional fluctuation due to his successful entry into the realm.

In his consciousness, there were only two cold commands:

"Entry Confirmed."

"Consolidate Results."

Thus, Li Wen, having exited the extreme burst stance, moved again in the small Cultivation Room.

His movements no longer pursued extreme bursts but became incomparably standard and incomparably focused.

One strike, and then another.

He tirelessly repeated the newly entered "Rainbow Light Saber Technique," from the first stance to the sixty-fourth stance, time and time again.

Every movement strove for Perfection; every exertion of force was precisely calibrated.

He deeply engraved the enlightenment gained from "Entry" into every inch of muscle fiber and every reflex arc through mechanical, deeply ingrained repetition.

This consolidation was a trust in the effect of "One Proof, Eternal Proof," and even more so, the ultimate exploitation of the skill's time limit!

He wanted to solidify the precious results gained in this short time to the maximum extent.

"Jingle-jingle-jingle—!!!"

The harsh, sharp sound of the alarm clock pierced his spirit, which was enveloped by "Absolute Focus," like a cold spike.

Buzz—!

An indescribable sense of detachment washed over him, as if his brain was forcibly dragged back from an absolutely tranquil, icy sea into the noisy, chaotic mortal world.

The cold, efficient, and purely terrifying 'light filter' covering his consciousness instantly shattered and vanished.

"Ugh..." Li Wen groaned, his figure swaying slightly, as if his spine had been instantly removed.

Immense fatigue crashed down like a collapsing mountain.

Accompanying it was the familiar mental backlash.

It felt like needles fiercely stabbing his brain; stars danced before his eyes, and his ears rang incessantly.

However, just as this overwhelming fatigue and pain descended, everything that had happened in the past thirty minutes under the state of Absolute Focus instantly flooded his consciousness like a surging torrent.

"Shadow," "Startling Swan," "Brilliant Sun," "Piercing Sun"!

Failure after failure, deduction after deduction, until the final success. That sharp and vigorous sense of power belonging to a Top Tier skill.

And every strike, every detail from the final mechanical repetition for consolidation.

All memory fragments flashed and combined in his mind, clear, coherent, and perfectly detailed.

The immense sense of accomplishment from successfully mastering a Top Tier skill formed a world of ice and fire against the physical agony and mental exhaustion.

"Panel."

The thought flashed almost instinctively, and a virtual light screen visible only to Li Wen instantly unfolded before his eyes.

His gaze, as if substantial, instantly locked onto the "Techniques" column:

[Techniques: Blade Technique - Advanced (Perfection), Blade Technique - Top Tier (Entry 1 / 100)]

His gaze froze for a full second.

"1 / 100..." Li Wen's lips silently moved.

Immediately, an uncontrollable smile, like ice water melting in early spring, silently spread across his pale yet still handsome face, which was drawn by fatigue, and it grew stronger and stronger until he finally broke into a grin.

"Hehe... Haha..." The fatigue could not hide the light in his eyes, and his hoarse laughter was filled with satisfaction and the unexpected joy of having made a huge profit.

"I didn't expect... that the last few minutes of 'Absolute Focus' used for consolidating the entry actually... managed to raise my experience points a little."

This was simply an unexpected delight.

One point of experience for entry. This was not just a number; it meant the door to the Top-tier Blade Technique had completely opened for him.

It meant this path was now firmly under his feet, and subsequent improvements were no longer out of reach.

Looking at the sparkling "Entry 1 / 100" status on the panel, Li Wen was filled with an unprecedented sense of certainty.

At this moment, Li Wen finally deeply understood the world's extreme reverence for "Comprehension Ability."

Having fused two lifetimes' worth of Souls, his foundational Comprehension Ability was already far superior to ordinary people.

But even so, facing the subtle mysteries of a Top-tier Technique, he was still stuck on those few stances, unable to cross that invisible threshold for a long time.

It wasn't until Lv3 "Absolute Focus" forcibly increased this peerless Comprehension Ability by a terrifying 30%!

A quantitative change finally caused a qualitative leap. Those profound subtleties that were separated by only a thin layer of window paper were finally forcibly broken through by him.

"An ordinary person... the gift of two Souls... plus a 30% Comprehension Ability boost... is barely enough to reach the threshold for a b-rank contract?"

Information about the signing standards of the Four Great Factions instantly flashed through Li Wen's mind.

According to the news he recently gathered, those so-called Geniuses from Qingshi No. 1 Middle School who were only signed to D-Rank contracts took no less than five days to enter the Top-tier Blade Technique.

Only that legendary figure, a top student who was signed to a b-rank contract early by Kindling Hall, had a speed for entering the Top-tier Blade Technique comparable to Li Wen now—also just over two days.

Judging solely by the speed of entering the Top-tier Blade Technique, Li Wen at this moment already possessed the hard qualification to sign a b-rank contract with a top faction.

This realization made his heart tremble slightly, but it was immediately covered by a stronger sense of urgency.

"In that case... the final exam the day after tomorrow..." He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, and the flames of determination burned in his eyes.

"Top ten in the class? I've definitely secured the first tier of the Progress Award bonus."

He bent over with difficulty and fumbled for a bottle of energy drink from his backpack. He twisted off the cap and tilted his head back, gulping it down.

The cold liquid, with a faintly stimulating sweetness, slid down his throat, slightly alleviating the fatigue that made his body feel dehydrated.

Carrying the fatigue but feeling mentally refreshed and satisfied, Li Wen packed his things and pushed open the heavy soundproof door of the Cultivation Room. The noise and fresh air outside instantly flooded in.

Everything was ready, just waiting for the day after tomorrow.

...

After having a high-energy dinner in the cafeteria, Li Wen, still carrying his somewhat heavy schoolbag, walked straight to the bus stop and started his journey home.

At this moment, all he wanted was to get home early to use the evening to make a final push on the "Splitting Edge Golden Fiend Method" and push his Physical Body Rank forward as much as possible.

"Cough~ Cough~~ Cough..."

Just as he had inserted the key into the lock but hadn't had time to turn it, a muffled, heavy coughing sound, as if trying to cough out his lungs, faintly drifted out from under the door crack.

Li Wen's hand froze abruptly on the doorknob.

He silently turned the key and pushed the door open.

The living room light was dim. His father, Li Hong, sat hunched over on the old wooden stool, one hand covering his mouth, his body slightly rising and falling due to violent coughing.

"Dad," Li Wen's voice carried a tension that he himself didn't notice, "What's wrong with you?"

"A Wen is back?" Li Hong was startled and turned around abruptly, a flash of panic and an extremely forced unnaturalness crossing his face.