"Mom, Dad, I'm participating in the elite assessment tomorrow. Once I pass, you can move to the protected zone, so please start getting ready."
After informing his parents, Wang Xu left the house and hurried to the assessment venue.
The assessment was straightforward; it tested strength, speed, and reflexes. As long as one met the required standards and managed to hold their ground against a virtual warrior for fifteen minutes, they could earn the title of 'elite.'
"Strength: 2056 kg, Excellent."
"Speed: 30 m/s, Excellent."
"Reflexes: Excellent."
After receiving the results for all three assessments, Wang Xu entered the virtual training arena with flying colors.
"Please guide me."
A burly man in a black martial robe appeared before him, clasped his fists in greeting, and then lunged forward with a punch aimed directly at Wang Xu's face.
Wang Xu, calm and composed, sidestepped the attack, wrapping his arm around the man's fist, and launched into a throw, attempting to take him down.
The man remained rooted to the spot and unleashed another punch. Unlike his first, this one came at lightning speed. Wang Xu's expression turned serious as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, narrowly blocking the blow...
The two exchanged blows, and since weapons were prohibited in the virtual training arena, they could only rely on physical confrontations. Fortunately, Wang Xu's "Basic Body Training" had already reached the third level, giving him a solid foundation to stand toe-to-toe with the larger man.
...…
A twenty-meter-long anti-gravity flying ship descended slowly, its hatch opening to reveal a muscle-bound man, like a coiled dragon, stepping down.
"How many people are here for the assessment today?" he asked the attendant.
The attendant, a lean middle-aged man, shook his head grimly. "The number of applicants has been dwindling. We've extracted all the talents. Fortunately, there is a promising young man undergoing the practical assessment right now."
Sighing, the burly man responded, "While gene warriors are common, truly gifted individuals are still too rare. All those with talent have been unearthed, and the number of elites decreases each year. Let's go watch that young man, there's no harm in it."
...…
"Is that him?"
The burly man arrived at the observation platform and peered through the transparent glass, watching Wang Xu in combat against the man in the black robe, the scene holographically projected in the arena.
"Yes, that's his assessment score," the middle-aged attendant said, handing over a report that listed Wang Xu's excellent results across the board.
"Hmm, not bad at all. The calluses on his hands suggest he has a talent for blade techniques. The fact that he can contend with my virtual shadow without using weapons is impressive," the burly man remarked, realizing that the warrior Wang Xu was battling against was indeed his own virtual form.
"Additionally, he has already reached the third level of 'Basic Body Training,'" the attendant added.
The man's eyes lit up as he gazed at Wang Xu, who was intently sparring with his virtual self, reflecting admiration.
Since the widespread adoption of "Basic Body Training," no one had been able to categorize this ancient martial art.
Some believed it belonged to the lower tier of martial arts due to its complex entry requirements, deeming it unnecessarily difficult to master.
Others argued it was of supreme caliber, as the benefits became evident immediately upon reaching higher levels.
Thus, it remains without a definitive classification to this day.
Wang Xu's achievement of reaching the third level at such a young age proved his extraordinary talent—not merely in training, but in his comprehension of ancient martial arts!
Relying solely on resources would never allow one to fully master an ancient martial art; only through continuous practice, exploration, and refinement can one grasp its deeper intricacies.
To say Wang Xu possessed a genius-level talent in ancient martial arts would hardly be an exaggeration.
This realization prompted a nod from the burly man.
"Time's up!"
With that mechanical announcement, the virtual image of the man Wang Xu was fighting abruptly ceased its attacks, clasped its fists in respect to Wang Xu, and vanished.
"Congratulations, Wang Xu! You have successfully passed the elite assessment. From now on, you will be one of the elites of humanity. We hope you strive for the future of our kind!" Wang Xu received a golden medal, embossed with a depiction of a meteor falling from the sky—an everlasting moment etched in human history.
A hint of excitement flickered across Wang Xu's face. He had dreamed of this elite medal since childhood, and now that it was truly in his hands, he felt that all his previous efforts and hardships had finally borne fruit!
"Wang Xu, here's your key to room 809 in building 302 of the protected zone. This is the government's reward for human elites. Accept it," the assessor said. Wang Xu could hardly contain his elation.
As an elite, he also received an array of additional training resources, so numerous that he stuffed them all into a spatial ring without even bothering to check.
"Excuse me, young brother, please wait."
A deep voice called out, and Wang Xu turned to see a familiar sight— the burly man from earlier, the one he had just battled.
"Director."
"Director."
The assessors saluted respectfully upon seeing the man, and Wang Xu realized this man was, in fact, the head of the elite assessment facility.
"Young brother, I see you have considerable talent. Would you be interested in joining our Free Alliance?"
The director wasted no time in making his intentions clear. "We in the Free Alliance can offer extensive training resources. Our warriors are spread across the globe, ready to assist you at a moment's notice. How about considering joining us?"
The assessors looked enviously at Wang Xu; receiving an invitation from the director meant his worth in the Free Alliance would undoubtedly be significant.
"Sorry, I'm very interested in joining the Free Alliance, but I've already become a member of the Extreme Path Ancient Hall," Wang Xu replied, bowing to the director.
Extreme Path Ancient Hall?
The director immediately understood, shaking his head in disappointment. The Extreme Path Ancient Hall was quick to recruit; it was a pity to miss out on such a promising candidate.
Having failed to persuade him, the director saw no need to press further. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Wang Xu left the elite assessment center.
...…
"Welcome to the Extreme Path Ancient Hall!"
Upon entering a towering building, a receptionist with a sweet smile approached him promptly.
Inside, the Extreme Path Ancient Hall was bustling with activity. Some were selling insect beast corpses, others were consulting coaches, while others rented training rooms. Due to limited space, many were left waiting.
"I'm here to report in. Here's my holographic chip," Wang Xu handed the chip over. The receptionist glanced at it, her eyes widening pleasantly, leading him inside with a warm smile.
The other waiting applicants stared, astonished. Who was this young man that had immediate access? They had been waiting for two hours!
As the receptionist opened a grand door, Wang Xu entered, instantly capturing the attention of everyone inside.
"Oh? We have a new member?" a slender man lounging on a sofa, sipping wine and munching on grapes, remarked with a chuckle.
"Looks like he's a bit too young," commented a red-nosed old man sitting at the bar, swaying slightly from drink.
"Welcome, welcome!" A burly man with dual blades strapped to his back approached with a grin. "I'm 'Double Blade.' Welcome to the Extreme Path Ancient Hall family!"
"Welcome!" members chimed in unison, filling the hall with cheer.
"Thank you!" Wang Xu returned their greetings with appreciation.
The membership in the Extreme Path Ancient Hall was limited to just over twenty individuals, yet Wang Xu could sense that each of these gene warriors exuded a formidable aura, far surpassing his own!
This was the Extreme Path Ancient Hall; they either didn't accept anyone or chose only the best.
Everyone here was warm and welcoming, devoid of any airs of superiority. They referred to one another as brothers, sharing jokes and playful banter. In particular, they teased Wang Xu mercilessly, igniting laughter.
"Brother Wang, here's your Extreme Path Ancient Hall holographic chip. Your identity card has been activated, granting you access to the virtual network. You can purchase any items using points there. As a new member, the hall grants you 3,000 points as a welcome gift. Make sure to use them wisely!" Double Blade handed the chip to Wang Xu.
Wang Xu thanked him and recited the command to enter the virtual network.
"Wow!"
Entering the points store of the Extreme Path Ancient Hall, Wang Xu's eyes sparkled at the myriad of rare items displayed.
The inventory included everything from technological weapons to training resources and various ancient martial arts, as well as mysterious materials unheard of outside in the world—all available for purchase with points.
Wang Xu wasn't shy about it; he transferred the 30,000 points gifted by the director into his account and began to browse for suitable gear.
"I've been without a reliable weapon. Let's see what the A-rank weapons are priced at."
Wang Xu checked the A-rank weapon list, and to his relief, they weren't too expensive—starting at just over a thousand points and the most expensive reaching around ten thousand.
"A-rank weapons are so affordable? Let's look at the S-rank ones."
Upon checking the S-rank weapon list, his heart sank; the cheapest one cost 36,000 points, while the most expensive soared over 500,000.
"Forget it, I'll go with an A-rank weapon."
Though A-rank weapons weren't as powerful as S-rank ones, they were more than adequate for dealing with fourth and fifth-tier insect beasts, easily breaching their defenses.
"Bloodbone Giant Blade, A-rank weapon, forged from fourth-tier insect beast bones, weighing 109 kilograms!"
This weapon was at the high end of A-rank gear, costing nearly 9,000 points. Instantly, one-third of Wang Xu's points were spent on this weapon.