34: Chapter 34 Winter Vacation

January 11th.

Early morning.

Dawn had just broken, the faint light struggling to tear through the heavy curtain of the winter night, painting a thin layer of grayish-white onto the window frames.

Li Wen opened his eyes right on time.

The first semester of the third year of high school had officially come to an end; today was the first day of winter break.

He didn't slack off just because it was a holiday, getting up before the alarm went off as usual, as if a biological clock accurate to the second had long since been etched into his body.

As was his custom, he first stretched, his joints letting out a slight crackling sound, dispersing the sluggishness brought by sleep.

Then, his consciousness sank into his Sea of Consciousness, skillfully awakening that familiar virtual panel.

【Name: Li Wen】

【Age: 18】

【Realm: Unranked (Rank 6.3)】

【Class: Scholar lv3 (256→268/400)】

【Skill: Blade Technique - Top Tier (Entry 24→27/100)】

【Cultivation Technique: Splitting Edge Golden Fiend Method (Minor Achievement 50→70/100)】

Although his Physical Body Rank remained firmly at the 6.3 mark, Li Wen clearly felt that after the race against time and the near-masochistic Basic Method cultivation during the two days of final exams...

...as well as the baptism of yesterday's battle against the virtual Green-Clothed Man who had reached Minor Achievement in a Top-tier Technique, his body's foundation was quietly strengthening and transforming.

The tearing pain brought by every extreme circulation of his Cultivation Technique was minutely refining his muscle fibers, pushing his blood-qi activity steadily toward the threshold of 6.4.

He could feel that the thin barrier was already showing signs of loosening.

Blade Technique, Cultivation Technique, knowledge... everything was climbing upward in an orderly fashion along that difficult but incredibly clear path.

Hope, like the brightening daylight outside the window, dispersed the gloom weighing on his heart.

“Phew...” He let out a soft breath, ruffled his slightly messy hair, threw back the covers to get out of bed, and opened the bedroom door.

In the living room, the familiar aroma of breakfast had already spread.

His father Li Hong's figure was busy between the kitchen and the dining table; those deliberately softened movements and desperately suppressed sounds of breathing pricked Li Wen's heart like fine needles.

“Dad, you should also make sure to get more rest.”

Looking at those eyes that couldn't hide their fatigue despite trying to stay spirited, Li Wen walked to the kitchen door. The words rolled in his throat a few times, but in the end, he swallowed all the worries and questions that followed, letting them turn into a single sentence of slightly dry concern.

Li Hong's movements paused, then he turned around, forcing a smile onto his face and waving his hand dismissively:

“It's nothing! I'm just idling around at home anyway, and besides, I go to sleep early.”

He spoke in a relaxed tone, as if the suppressed coughing from last night was just Li Wen's imagination.

“Go wash up first. The sooner you finish eating, the sooner you can study. You can't slack off even on break; the Flying Star Class... that's a big deal.”

“Mhm.” Li Wen gave his father a deep look, said nothing more, nodded, and walked silently toward the bathroom.

Cold water splashed on his face, bringing a jolt of clarity.

Having lived together for eighteen years, he knew the man's character like the back of his hand. It was a typically stubborn, middle-aged macho personality, as immovable as a mountain rock.

He cared for the family as if even if the sky fell, it should be held up alone by his no-longer-broad shoulders; whether he could bear it or not, he never thought of letting his wife and son share even a fraction of the heavy pressure.

For such a “foolish” yet incredibly great father, Li Wen knew that the only thing he could do right now to effectively lighten the other's inner burden was to study even more crazily and Cultivate even more recklessly, using tangible progress to support his father's hopes.

The more he showed anxiety and worry about his father's illness, the more Li Hong would blame himself, falling into the painful vortex of being an “incompetent father dragging down his son.” So, no matter how bitter, he had to swallow it; no matter how worried, he had to pretend not to know.

After washing up, he returned to the living room, and the father and son sat across from each other to have breakfast.

Though it was called eating together, it was mostly Li Hong constantly moving fried eggs, meat slices, and vegetables into Li Wen's bowl, while Li Wen accepted them all in silence, gulping down the food that was full of both paternal love and the energy his body required.

Every bite felt like swallowing a heavy responsibility.

“By the way, A Wen,” during the meal, Li Hong stopped his chopsticks, his eyes carrying a hint of cautious yet intense expectation.

“You finished your final exams these past two days. Have the results... started coming out yet? Any progress?”

As a parent, a child's academic achievements are always the heaviest stone hanging over one's heart.

Li Wen forcefully swallowed the last bite of food in his mouth, his throat bobbing. “I was planning to tell you in a couple of days even if you didn't ask.”

He put down his bowl, a hint of a smile appearing on his face—a confidence born of strength. “The Academic scores haven't been announced yet, but the results for the Martial Dao skill assessment came out yesterday.”

“Is it a big improvement?” Li Hong's heart instantly leaped into his throat. His chopsticks, holding a piece of pickled vegetable, hung in mid-air, his voice carrying an imperceptible tension.

He knew better than anyone how difficult Li Wen's path of study was. Now that the family had suddenly encountered misfortune, he was even more afraid of his son being discouraged.

“Big enough that you won't believe it,” Li Wen said, looking at his father's nervous expression, his smile widening slightly. “So I originally thought about waiting until the Report card was issued to show it to you in black and white; only then would it be shocking enough.”

“You brat, you're not bragging to me, are you?” Li Hong's heart settled halfway. He spoke with disbelief, but a glimmer of hope ignited in his eyes.

He naturally knew his own child; honesty was etched into his bones. Since starting school, his Report cards only ever varied between failing and barely passing. Lying? He almost never did.

“Top ten in the class,” Li Wen said word by word, carefully controlling the impact. “There shouldn't be any problem with that.”

He didn't dare mention his grade ranking, let alone the battle with the Green-Clothed Man that had shocked the whole school, fearing that too great a surprise would be hard for his father to bear.

“Top ten in the class?!” Clack. The chopsticks in Li Hong's hand dropped onto the table. For a moment, he forgot to chew, and the pickled vegetable he had just picked up fell back into the bowl.

He suddenly looked up, eyes wide, staring at Li Wen in disbelief as if he were meeting his son for the first time.

The child who, aside from being “hardworking,” was considered by almost all teachers to have zero talent for the Martial Dao? The son who had been at the bottom of the class for years, barely managing to pass? He had suddenly broken free from the bottom-tier mire and charged into the class's top ten, a symbol of strength and potential?!

This information was like a great bell ringing in his head, requiring time to digest and confirm.

“...You, you're not teasing me?” Li Hong's voice trembled slightly, the massive surprise making him feel a bit dizzy.

“The Report cards should be issued in a couple of days,” Li Wen said, picking up a tissue to wipe his mouth. He stood up, his tone calm yet full of power.

“You can see for yourself then.” He didn't plan to explain too much, letting this surprise slowly brew and boil in his father's heart; it might help dilute some of the bitterness of his illness.