C9 Diligence Is the Best of All!

As dusk settled in, Du Mei and Hou Chunhua paid a visit to Bai Le. They found him shirtless, diligently practicing the Five Bird Body Forging Technique. "Persistence pays off, Bai Le. Keep that spirit alive!" Du Mei couldn't stop singing his praises.

In a world where many succumb to their weaknesses, even those with S-grade talents can lose their way. Yet Bai Le, who had wowed everyone that morning, was already back to training by the afternoon. His focus and determination were truly remarkable.

"Please, have a seat, Principal Du, Teacher Hou," Bai Le said, responding to Du Mei's words of encouragement with a calm demeanor. He had never been one to navigate the complexities of social etiquette, not in his past life and not now.

"Bai Le, since you're still training, we'll get straight to the point," Du Mei said. "We came to ask if there's a high school you're interested in attending?"

Bai Le's well-being was of great concern to Du Mei; she hoped to steer him clear of any missteps. "Not yet," he replied honestly, admitting his lack of familiarity with domestic high schools and that he hadn't thought that far ahead, especially since his results weren't out yet.

"Well, the school has compiled information on some high schools for you to review at your leisure. It should be quite helpful," Du Mei said, handing him the materials. "You'll likely be contacted by many schools' admissions offices soon, but don't be swayed by their lofty promises. Trust your own judgment."

She then presented him with a large bag. "This is a small token from the school; please don't reject it. It's all we can offer you."

In that moment, Du Mei seemed less like a principal and more like a caring elder to Bai Le. "This..." Bai Le hesitated, feeling undeserving of such generosity.

"There's no need to feel awkward, Bai Le. You've brought great honor to our school!" Hou Chunhua chimed in with a smile. "Accept it; it includes a personal gift from me as well."

"Alright, then. Thank you, Principal Du, Teacher Hou," Bai Le said, graciously accepting the gifts.

After seeing that Bai Le had taken the items, Du Mei and Hou Chunhua rose to leave, careful not to overstay their welcome. Bai Le escorted them to the elevator.

"Li, the path ahead is yours to walk, and it won't be easy. Stay strong and keep pushing forward," Du Mei said, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder before departing. She had more to say but held back.

"Don't worry, Principal. I'm committed to going the distance," Bai Le replied, not fully grasping the weight of her words but earnestly expressing his dedication to the martial path.

Back at home, Bai Le examined the contents of the bag the school had sent: five kilograms of iron hoof water buffalo meat (beast soldier meat) and five kilograms of Dong Kui fruit. "These are all excellent items, exactly what I need," he mused.

The iron hoof water buffalo meat, a rare edible meat from a vicious beast, was not only nutritious but also known for its body-strengthening properties. It was a luxury item on the market, fetching over three thousand yuan per kilogram, even as a black market good—far beyond what Bai Le could usually afford.

His financial resources were limited to a meager stipend and the interest from his parents' savings, making such extravagant purchases out of reach for the long term.

The Winter Fruit is a product of the so-called 'New Continents'.

Following the world's transformation, the expanse of Blue Ocean Star increased exponentially.

These additional areas became known as the 'New Continents'.

Lanteglos Province borders one such New Continent and is currently in the throes of active development.

The East Fruit originates from this New Continent.

Not only is this fruit sweet and delectable, but it also boasts significant restorative properties.

On the market, it fetches around one thousand yuan per kilogram, with just three or four fruits making up that weight.

Martial cultivators have a substantial demand for such resources.

Particularly once one achieves the status of a rudimental martial cultivator, they almost exclusively depend on special foods for their daily energy replenishment.

Ordinary food simply doesn't cut it for someone at this level.

Thus, securing a reliable income source becomes a pressing concern for martial cultivators, many of whom opt to venture into the New Continents, where the financial rewards dwarf those available domestically.

In terms of martial cultivation, the hierarchy is generally categorized as follows:

Rudimental martial cultivators, 1-3 Common Rank martial cultivators, and 4-6 Profound Rank Martial Masters;

followed by 7th Grade Earth Rank Martial Saints and 8th Grade Heaven Rank Martial Saints...

Since the world's transformation and the metaverse's integration with reality forty years ago, the pinnacle achieved thus far is the 8th Grade Heaven Rank Martial Saint.

Anything beyond that remains a mystery.

...

Bai Le packed the meat and fruits into the refrigerator.

Seated on a yoga mat, Bai Le perused the high school directories.

The nation boasts over seventy martial arts academies, with military schools constituting more than half.

These military academies primarily target students with command-type combat talents and those with a higher incidence of awakening.

Talents such as 'strong attack momentum' and 'expulsion' are particularly sought after.

Meanwhile, top students and those with rare awakened talents are typically concentrated in non-military high schools for specialized training.

Among these, Bai Le favored Vast Sea University in the provincial capital of Aermagh, or more specifically, its Vermilion Bird College.

Nationally, Vermilion Bird College ranks third among martial arts institutions, trailing only the Azure Dragon College and the White Tiger College of Capital University.

What Bai Le most admired about Vermilion Bird College was its educational ethos:

"Fail to slay a thousand Vicious Beasts before graduation, and you'll leave without a diploma, job placement, or even recognition as one of our alumni."

This approach starkly contrasts with other academies that prioritize graduates' ranks and combat prowess.

What does it mean to slay a thousand Vicious Beasts?

It likely means that Vermilion Bird College frequently sends its students to either the New Continents or the front lines for real-world experience.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to achieve such a high number of kills.

As it happens, Bai Le's Intent Blade requires 10,000 beast spirits for its next upgrade, and not all Vicious Beasts yield these spirits.

By a conservative estimate, he would need to eliminate roughly 20,000 Vicious Beasts.

With that in mind, Vermilion Bird College is the perfect fit for me, offering frequent opportunities to engage on the front lines or explore the New Continents.

With his decision made, Bai Le shelved his contemplations.

He neatly stored the college materials and resumed his practice of the Five Bird Body Forging Technique and the 24 Skysplitting Forms.