On the second day, Xia Youhui successfully established a foundation alongside another boy. Within two days, a girl from the class followed suit, and the pattern continued with two more the following day. Consequently, the practice classroom became less crowded in the afternoons, and the atmosphere grew increasingly restless.
Upon establishing their foundation, these students would transition to Zone C for real martial arts training. Zone C housed freshmen, sophomores, and seniors who had already undergone foundational training, creating a stark contrast between the two worlds.
As foundation building progressed, students like Ke Linxue and others who previously attended morning culture classes became scarce. When they did appear, they seemed preoccupied and exuded a potent and intimidating aura, deterring anyone from approaching.
This situation only fueled the determination of those students who had not yet established their foundation, prompting them to become more diligent in the practice class each afternoon, a far cry from their initial idleness.
However, talent couldn't be forced, and it was either innate or absent.
Another week passed swiftly, bringing the count of foundation builders in the class to twelve, with less than half the students remaining. The classroom now felt noticeably emptier.
On a Monday, Chen Chu, who had enjoyed a pleasant weekend, entered the classroom to find Xia Youhui occupying his seat. Lin Xue and Yi Rui, both class leaders, were also present.
Xia Youhui greeted Chen Chu with a smile, "Hey, Ah Chu, it's been so long. Did you miss me?"
Chen Chu was unimpressed, "You're not a beauty, what's there to miss?"
"Besides, you just started practicing real martial arts in Zone C, so why the sudden appearance today?" Chen Chu shook his head, and once he had spoken his piece, he ignored Xia Youhui.
Observing Chen Chu pulling out his textbook, ready to begin class, Xia Youhui blinked in disbelief. After a while, he couldn't help but inquire, "Ah Chu, aren't you curious about the difference between real martial arts and foundational skills?"
Glancing at Xia Youhui, who wore a look of "Go on, ask me!" on his face, Chen Chu remained unfazed and responded, "What's there to be curious about? I can experience it soon enough."
"...Ah Chu, you're such a buzzkill," Xia Youhui sighed in disappointment.
He had arrived early today and waited for quite some time, hoping that Chen Chu would eagerly inquire about what real martial arts entailed. However, he hadn't expected such a nonchalant response. It was quite different from the enthusiastic girl at the front desk who had pulled him over with numerous questions. Waiting so long had proved to be in vain.
Chen Chu merely smiled, showing no signs of haste.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, as the melodious school bell rang out, Chen Chu, who had been practicing, gradually regained his composure, his boiling blood calming down.
"It's almost there." Feeling the energy and blood coursing through him, along with a slight fatigue after seven rounds of exertion, Chen Chu wore a satisfied smile.
During this period, he had made significant progress. He had completed his meditation five days ago, visualizing twelve petals, and managed to transport his Qi and blood seven revolutions in half an hour.
Unfortunately, as he progressed, the increase in proficiency became less and less, with each practice session adding only 4 points to the seven revolutions in one breath. Otherwise, he would have broken through much sooner.
Nonetheless, he was well on his way to completing foundational training in about three days. It would coincide with the fifteen-day mark, signifying average talent—not exceptional, but certainly not poor.
After a brief rest, Chen Chu took a shower, put on his freshly washed clothes, and emerged from the changing room.
At that moment, a girl emerged from the girls' changing room and spotted Chen Chu, greeting him with a smile, "Chen Chu, are you heading back?"
"Yes," Chen Chu nodded.
"Perfect timing, I was planning to leave early today. Let's go together."
"Sure."
This classmate was Luo Fei, whom Chen Chu had met the previous week. Over this period, they occasionally shared insights on cultivation, and their routes home overlapped for part of the way. As a result, they had gradually become acquainted.
Under the scorching sun, Chen Chu and Luo Fei, both with long hair loosely tied back, strolled side by side in the shade of the roadside trees. A gentle breeze carried the faint scent of shampoo.
"Chen Chu, it seems like you're not under much pressure to break through to rank seven today. You should be on the verge of a breakthrough, right?" Luo Fei inquired.
"Probably a few more days," Chen Chu replied.
Luo Fei cast a glance at the figures running on the distant playground and said softly, "Now that I've successfully visualized, I can transport my energy and blood nine revolutions within half an hour."
"After I get back today, I'll use up that explosive bear blood essence to practice for the night, and I should be able to establish my foundation tomorrow," Luo Fei said with a faint smile.
Chen Chu replied, "Congratulations."
Luo Fei turned to look at Chen Chu, her pretty face exuding encouragement, "Come on, Chen Chu, I'll wait for you at Area C."
Chen Chu smiled, nodded, and said, "Sure, let's work together."
As they spoke, they walked out from the shade of the tree, the sun casting a warm glow on Luo Fei's milky complexion, making her skin appear even more radiant.
Chen Chu's gaze lingered on this scene for a moment. He had noticed that the girls in their class were all good-looking, with the most beautiful being the class leader, Lin Xue. Lin Xue had purple hair with slight curls, a stunning face, and an aura of a goddess.
Next was Luo Fei. Unlike Lin Xue's exquisite beauty, Luo Fei had a pure and innocent appearance, her fair face possessing a soft, youthful charm with a hint of baby fat. Her facial features were delicate, highlighted by a pair of captivating phoenix eyes with slender, upturned corners. When she smiled, her eyes formed charming half-moons, revealing a subtle allure.
Luo Fei stood at around 1.68 meters tall, and her long black hair was often adorned with a white butterfly clip at the back of her head. The white ribbon hanging alongside her hair added a touch of freshness to her look.
This combination of innocence and a subtle, enchanting charm set her apart from the other girls in the class. Even Chen Chu, on occasion, couldn't help but be affected by her unintentional charm and would marvel at her natural beauty.
After walking together for a while, the two parted ways at a three-way intersection.
Upon arriving home at five o'clock, Chen Chu carried several bags in his hand, the largest ones containing over 20 pounds of frozen fish. This quantity would be sufficient to feed his current avatar for two days.
In the kitchen, Chen Chu carefully sliced the fish into palm-sized strips, cleaned the innards, and placed them in a basin, which quickly filled up.
On the second floor, a 47-centimeter-long hexagonal salamander lay halfway on the table. Its head, about the size of a goose egg, was slightly raised, revealing three pairs of red teeth and horns, resembling a miniature lion.
Though the avatar wasn't large at this point, it exuded a predatory aura that was gradually emerging.
Chen Chu set the basin of fish meat in front of the avatar, and with a mental command, the axolotl avatar opened its jaws wide, tearing into the fish with its sharp teeth. It devoured the meat in a few bites, astonishingly quick.
Eat, digest, grow.
In no time, over six pounds of fish meat vanished. Simultaneously, the salamander clone visibly thickened, growing to 48 centimeters in length.
Satisfied and satiated, the avatar laid down on the table to digest.
Chen Chu sat in his chair, deep in thought about which genetic traits the avatar would fuse with next.
The avatars could evolve and integrate the talents of other biological genes, offering endless possibilities. However, too many choices could sometimes be overwhelming because insects and animals possessed a myriad of abilities, many of which were too powerful for humans to comprehend.
For instance, the tiger beetle's incredible instantaneous speed, the mantis shrimp's supersonic burst attack, and...