Chapter 24: Instinct
Agh!
With a low roar, Chen Chu stepped forward, gripping the saber with both hands. He executed an upward sweep, followed by a sharp and swift downward chop. He didn't stop there, stepping diagonally forward to execute rapid slashes and thrusts, followed by a turning horizontal sweep.
The saber, the bravest among a hundred weapons, was fierce and domineering. Its wielder should exude an imposing aura, much like a fierce tiger descending from the mountain.
While Chen Chu was practicing basic saber techniques, other students gradually arrived on the third floor. Each of them found an unoccupied area and began their own cultivation. These students all came from Class Three, ranging from the first to establish their foundation, like Yi Rui, to those who had just recently done so. In total, there were only about ten people.
According to school regulations, during the first year, one martial arts teacher would be assigned to oversee five classes, providing only preliminary instruction.
At the start of the second semester, when the separation into academic and cultivation courses began, the students from those five classes who had established their foundation would be combined into one. At that point, they would be considered Pang Long's formal students, numbering less than a hundred.
By the second year, the number of these students will be further reduced, as many who were progressing slowly or had inadequate aptitude choose to give up. After all, half of or even a whole year was a long time to endure the hardship of cultivation and the tediousness of meditation. Not everyone could do it.
Soon, more than ten cultivation areas on the third floor were crowded. Some students, like Chen Chu, practiced saber techniques and swordplay, while others trained with weapons such as staves and clubs, and others still were practicing boxing and kicking techniques.
Regardless of whether they were practicing unarmed combat or wielding weapons, these students, thanks to their robust foundational attributes, emitted a whistling sound with every move, showcasing an impressive and formidable presence.
While they were practicing, Pang Long would occasionally come out to inspect things. If he noticed anyone having issues with their cultivation, he would offer a few words of guidance. Some classmates with doubts about their cultivation would also seek him out for advice.
However, Lin Xue, Xia Youhui, and the others were scarcely seen on this floor. They had secured a temporary activity room for their cultivation sessions while awaiting formal approval for the designated cultivation room. The wealthy and talented students from other classes would also rent individual cultivation rooms to practice quietly.
After half an hour of practice, Chen Chu stopped. He was panting heavily and sweating profusely, as he waited for his vitality and blood to slowly stabilize.
Next, it was time for the official cultivation. As he listened to the surrounding grunts and whooshes of his classmates practicing, Chen Chu held the saber hilt with his right hand while slinging it diagonally across his back.
He relaxed his body, closed his eyes, and focused all his attention on the blade on his back.
While the external aspect of the Insightful Blade Art was akin to the Wisdom King, there was also an internal aspect called the Insightful Eye Realm. The sharpness of the blade would stimulate the senses to an infinite extent, creating a sixth sense in the subconscious that enabled one to sense danger beforehand.
The main purpose was to avoid sneak attacks from cunning and mutated beasts in the forest. Large animals like lions or tigers could still pose a threat, and over the decades, some of the mutations that animals and insects had gone through had resulted in entirely new species, possessing bizarre abilities. Sudden attacks by these creatures had caught many practitioners off guard.
This was also the reason why Chen Chu had chosen this saber art. The prerequisite for the pursuit of immense power was survival. Few students, however, chose to cultivate this art. The entry requirements were high, calling for a spiritual perception surpassing that of an ordinary person.
Chen Chu dared to cultivate it not only because he considered his spiritual talent to be decent enough, but also due to the fixed characteristics of proficiency from the attributes page. As long as he could successfully enter the Insightful Eye state once, he could then enter it anytime and anywhere.
But…
Around noon, Chen Chu, who had stood in quiet meditation for over two hours, opened his eyes. A wry smile appeared on his face as he acknowledged his failure.
However, this outcome was within his expectations. He hadn't expected to enter the Insightful Eye state on his first attempt. If not the first time, then maybe the second or third. There was no need to rush.
***
"You all, don't spend all day practicing. Even if some of you have good talents and wish to pursue the path of cultivation in the future, that is for the future. For this semester, you are still academic students. The end-of-month exams are next week, so focus some more on your studies."
On Friday, in the Class Three homeroom, Chen Qi stood on the platform, expressing her dissatisfaction.
All of the students were present today, including Chen Chu, Lin Xue, and the others. This was because everyone had received a notification from the homeroom teacher yesterday; despite their cultivation of true martial arts, they still didn't dare to be negligent in the face of Chen Qi, their homeroom teacher, who was apparently formidable… at least, according to Xia Youhui.
"It's almost been a month already. Time really flies, doesn't it, Ah Chu?" During the break, Xia Youhui sighed while leaning back in his chair.
Chen Chu nodded slightly. "Indeed."
In the blink of an eye, he had been cultivating true martial arts for over a week. Every day was spent either practicing the Dragon Elephant Art or honing his saber techniques. Even before going to bed at night, he would go through another round of cultivation. In this busy yet fulfilling situation, time had seemed to pass unnoticed.
A few more classmates had successfully established their foundations, one after another. Unfortunately, these classmates had somewhat inferior talents. Only one of them had reached the First Heavenly Realm during their Foundation Building, while the others were still putting in dedicated efforts to do so.
In addition, there were still twenty-five students in the class who had not yet built their foundations. A portion had already given up, with only a few being unwilling to accept defeat. The latter were eager and impatient, hoping to make a breakthrough in the final week.
In contrast, those students who had already achieved a breakthrough appeared calm and relaxed, free from that initial pressure.
Xia Youhui asked, "Ah Chu, it's Saturday tomorrow. Do you have any plans?"
"What plans? I'm continuing cultivation, of course." Chen Chu looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"I knew you would say that." Xia Youhui rubbed his forehead. "Ah Chu, we're high school students, and now that we've completed our Foundation Building, there's no need to live like monks. Don't you want to celebrate our youth? Spend the day with a couple of pretty girls, go shopping, watch a movie, and have some bubble tea on our day off?"
Xia Youhui exchanged a glance with Chen Chu. Not far away, the charming and lovely Luo Fei was engaged in a conversation with Li Wenwen, her head slightly lowered and a subtle blush on her face.
Clearly, Xia Youhui was signaling for Chen Chu to ask Luo Fei out for some fun tomorrow. In his view, Chen Chu was handsome and charming, while Luo Fei was pure and beautiful. The two also got along well in class, making them a perfect match. As good friends and close buddies, it was only natural for Xia Youhui to try to play matchmaker.
In response, Chen Chu shook his head with an exasperated expression. "Not interested."
What do these little brats know about love? Don't you understand that everything in this world is fake, except for your own fists?
Chen Chu wasn't a monk, of course. He still liked looking at beautiful women. However, he wasn't even an adult yet. It was way too early to think about these matters; they could wait until he had become stronger.
"Not interested? Ah Chu, you're not interested in Luo Fei? Could it be that you..." Xia Youhui looked at Chen Chu with confusion, his eyes suddenly widening in disbelief. He lowered his voice, "Could it be that you… You like the class monitor, that heartless girl?"
"...My ass. Don't talk nonsense here, it's not good if that gets out." Chen Chu furrowed his brow slightly.
"Fine, no more kidding around, Ah Chu." Seeing Chen Chu becoming more serious, Xia Youhui scratched his head. This friend of his was really immersed in cultivation, day in and day out.
He had thought he had an opportunity to matchmake them, but it seemed like he was just overthinking things.
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