C1 Audition

In the year 2020, at the Ganquan Space Launch Test Base in the Star Continent, Shi Xiaoling was quietly lying in the airlock of a time machine, waiting for the countdown to start.

In a few minutes, he would travel back to the Bright Moon Continent from two thousand years ago. He was not sure what would happen there, what would happen, and whether he would succeed in finding and bringing back the "Nine Elements Clearing Technique".

He didn't even know why he had finally been chosen to implement the national longevity improvement program.

A year ago, Shi Xiaoling was just a normal librarian in the Star Continent's Capital Library. Because he liked exercising, he looked like he was in his early twenties.

Shi Xiaoling came from an ordinary background, his parents were both ordinary teachers, and he had a good-natured older sister in his family. Their family relationship was simple and harmonious. He thought of himself as a smart man, but he was not very sociable, much less skilled in slapping his own horse. In the current planetary continent, where the world was slowly changing, regardless of whether it was his work or his relationships, he had suffered setbacks many times. The only thing that comforted him was that his health was not too bad.

One must know that for the past hundred years, the air, soil, water resources, and other living environments had all deteriorated. As the health of the citizens deteriorated, so did the life expectancy decline, and many people more or less suffered from some chronic diseases. Shi Xiaoling grew up in a wealthy family, but was able to maintain his healthy and strong physique. In the Star Continent, this was already considered quite rare.

However, although Shi Xiaoling was good-looking, he was only a low-paid librarian. He could not see any opportunities for him to be promoted to become rich, and he did not have any family background. Under the request of his parents, he went to a blind date many times, but always encountered difficulties. Shi Xiaoling's parents were a bit worried, and they would often nag at him in his ear. This made Shi Xiaochun feel quite frustrated.

Since his student days, Shi had always been a fitness enthusiast, and one of his hobbies was to collect and study ancient fighting techniques. Normally, he rarely went out to play with his peers. As long as he had the time, he would hide in his little room and blindly practice those so-called ancient martial arts techniques.

However, apart from his physique being stronger than others, Shi Xiaoling had not mastered anything. However, he did not care much about it as it was just his hobby. He could always get a lot of fun from this hobby.

Shi Xiaoling did not collect and study these ancient Martial Skills for the sake of fighting with others. Although his body was healthier and stronger than ordinary people, he had a gentle personality and had never been one to fight with others. His classmates, colleagues, and even family members did not quite understand his personal interests and felt that he was wasting his time.

What was the point of spending so much time in such a modern, well-developed society studying ancient martial arts that was hard to tell the difference between real and fake? Moreover, Shi Xiaoling's innate ability was not that outstanding. He did not have outstanding strength, jumping, or explosive strength. Even though he had participated in several big amateur fighting competitions, he ended up suffering a crushing defeat.

Both his parents and sister urged Shi Xiaoling to give up his hobby and find another promising job to do while he was still young. He wanted to buy a house and car as soon as possible so that he could marry his wife and children and live a peaceful life as a citizen.

Shi Xiaoling was somewhat troubled by his family's constant exhortations. Fortunately, he was always able to get some fun from his hobbies. Whenever he immersed himself in the wonderful world of ancient martial arts, he could quickly forget all his worries. Although he was not considered young, Shi Xiaoling had always dreamed that one day he would be able to master some martial arts technique passed down from the ancient times and become someone with superpowers.

Unfortunately, after many years of studying, Shi Xiaoling did not make any substantial progress. However, he was still not tired of it.

In order to avoid being ridiculed by his parents and sister, Shi Xiaoling did not tell his family about his true thoughts, but only said that training in martial arts was part of his fitness plan.

Actually, Shi Xiaoling did not know much about the history of this "National Life Improvement Plan". However, through the media, he knew that this plan was initiated by the Great Chief Yuan Zhongtian ten years ago. The purpose of this plan was to obtain a secret that would allow all citizens to live healthy and even live forever.

Initially, the plan was to select the candidates among the elites within the military police. After a series of selections, the final entrants would be given the heavy responsibility of travelling through time and space to carry out this grand plan.

Ten years ago, when the media first revealed the final entrants to the plan, they had gone on to describe the talents, IQ, and physical prowess of the elites who had made it into a hero's idol by naming them "Long Life."

It seemed that with these elites, it would not be a problem for them to complete the "National Lifespan Improvement Plan". It seemed that it would not be long before all the citizens of the Star Continent had a chance to live forever.

However, a few years later, the once glorious "Eternal Life" had vanished without a trace. Had these elites successfully traveled to another dimension? Did you complete the task given to you by the Führer? The people did not know, and all the media controlled by the authorities were very careful not to follow up on the news. The once sensational National Life Improvement Program seemed to be gradually being forgotten.

This year, however, the government suddenly reposted the news in the major media outlets and frequently broadcasted the relevant advertisements, recruiting young people with good physical and intelligence among the civilian population to enroll them in the National Life Improvement Program's auditions, hoping to find a suitable candidate from among the applicants to restart the great plan.

The government's promise of a very high bonus for the final entry into the program, as well as a life-long benefit for the family, excited the young people of the continent, whose economy had been depressed for years, and everyone was eager to sign up, hoping to make use of this rare opportunity to make a name for themselves.

It was said that as long as one of the last 10,000 entrants to this great "National Life Improvement Program", he would be able to earn a salary equivalent to 10 times the normal wage. If he could emerge as one of the top 10 entrants through a year or so of training, he would no longer have to worry about not being able to afford houses and cars.

If a certain someone was able to become the person who carried out the plan, not only would that person receive a generous bonus, but even his family would receive the highest level of the government's lifetime benefits.

Due to the economic downturn, high inflation and unemployment, the lives of ordinary citizens on the Star Continent had been difficult for the people in recent years. As a result, this news caused a sensation as soon as it was released by the media. All the young men and women who feel they have good IQ are eager to sign up for the national longevity improvement program, hoping to improve their own and even their families' financial situation.

Shi Xiaoling was also one of the millions of applicants, but his original intention was slightly different from everyone else. Of course, he also wanted to make a name for himself, but compared to the tempting economic conditions, what attracted Shi Xiaoling was the promise of special training in ancient martial arts for the final 10,000 entrants.

This promise moved Shi Xiaoling's heart. As a fanatical fan of ancient martial arts, although Shi Xiaoling had been collecting and studying all kinds of ancient martial arts since his student days, so much so that he could recite them from beginning to end, it was completely different when he truly practiced them. There was no way for him to display the power that those martial arts legends should have.

The reason for this was that he did not have enough true essence energy in his body, and almost all ancient martial arts required the cultivator to have a deep layer of true essence.

It was a pity that this kind of true essence only existed in fantasy novels. Although Shi Xiaoling had a strong physique and practiced boxing techniques all year round, it was impossible for him to practice true essence.

Although he had never given up, but no matter how hard he tried, he was still unable to gather and strengthen the so-called true essence energy within his body.

When he heard that the "National Life Improvement Program" was going to train the interlopers in this area, Shi Xiaoling went to register almost without hesitation. Not to mention success, he would have a chance to rise above the masses and obtain permanent benefits for his family. Just the fact that he had a problem with ancient martial arts was enough to make Shi Xiaoling feel that this was an extremely rare opportunity.

Even though Shi Xiaoling was just an ordinary librarian, who normally only trained and worked at work. He was out of place in the capital's strange and lively city life, he had never felt that he was more stupid than anyone else. He was confident in his physical abilities and perseverance.

Relying on his love and desire for the ancient martial arts, Shi Xiaoling signed up, and then he really qualified.

When Shi received the notice of entry from the National Longevity Improvement Board, the excitement was indescribable. In his entire life, this was the first time that Shi Xiaoling, who had been living an ordinary life, felt the ecstasy of success.

Although the notice had clearly stated that Shi Xiaoling was ranked 999th, which was second from the bottom, but he had finally entered the competition. He finally had a chance to learn the real ancient martial arts, and this made Shi Xiaoling excited for several days, and he was unable to get a good night's sleep.

His parents and elder sister were very happy for him after they learned that Shi Xiaoling had entered the list of the top ten thousand people in the "National Life Improvement Program". In their opinion, Little Ling, who had trained foolishly for so many years, finally had a chance to show him his prowess. Although they did not expect Shi Xiaoling to become the final winner of the National Life Improvement Program, but once he made it, his training allowance would be at least ten times more than his salary as a librarian within a year.

"It's better for him to see the world than to stay in the library or at home and foolishly study some ancient martial arts." Shi Xiaoling's parents and sister were thinking the same thing.

With the support and expectation of his family, Shi Xiaoling packed excitedly and went alone to the remote Ganquan State to attend the secret special training of the National Life Improvement Program.