Inside the Principal’s Office at Qiming First Martial Arts High School.
This was no office in the traditional sense, but a massive command center with a futuristic, technological feel.
Dozens of massive holographic screens, like suspended stars, circled the center of the room.
Each screen broadcasted real-time footage of students from different years and classes, showing them either training or in actual combat.
In the very center of the room, a middle-aged man in a gray tunic suit sat perfectly still. He had a scholarly face and a gentle, composed demeanor.
He was the current principal of Qiming First Martial High School, Lin Yuan.
Behind him stood more than a dozen Martial Dao teachers, each with a distinct aura, yet all were powerful and composed.
They were the pillars of this top-tier academy.
At this moment, everyone’s gaze was fixed on the largest main screen.
The screen was playing a recording of the battle that had just concluded between First Year, Class Three and the Green-skinned Warband.
From the students’ initial panic, to Shi Potian’s thunderous blow that steadied their nerve, to Qin Feng single-handedly turning the tide, and finally to all the students uniting as one to utterly crush the green-skins... The entire battle had been recorded in its entirety by a high-altitude drone, providing the clearest and most comprehensive view.
As the image froze on the moment the last green-skin was slain, a murmur of discussion, tinged with admiration, rippled through the room, too strong to be suppressed.
"Not bad. Not bad at all."
A goateed elder was the first to speak, pointing at Chu Lan on the screen, who was directing the overall battle. "This boy, Chu Lan, has the makings of a great general. He’s calm under pressure and his commands are sound. A very promising talent."
"And as for Shi Potian, what more needs to be said?"
Another teacher, a powerfully built woman with corded muscles, added, "His Ninefold Thunder Saber is already quite refined. His technique is vicious, his strikes are decisive—he’s a natural-born Warrior. His vitality index is already approaching 10. Give him another month or two, and breaking through to become a Second Level Martial Artist is a dead certainty."
"Yes, we’ve been keeping a close eye on all of them. Their performance was stable, just as we expected."
Principal Lin Yuan nodded with a smile. He picked up the cup of tea at his side and took a delicate sip. "However, if we’re to speak of the biggest surprise this time..."
His gaze fell upon a figure on the screen, one who wielded a Long Spear and weaved through the battlefield like a Wandering Dragon.
"That thrust... beautiful."
The goateed elder narrowed his eyes. He zoomed in on the footage of Qin Feng precisely striking a green-skin’s wrist with the tip of his spear, then slowed it down tenfold.
"Precise application of force, impeccable timing, and just the right amount of power. Not a single wasted movement. This is the mark of someone who has drilled the fundamentals into their very bones."
"This is... the Thousand Army Spear, isn’t it?"
A look of surprise also crossed the female teacher’s face. "This spear art... I remember it’s known as one of the hardest First-level Killing Techniques in our school to master. It places extreme demands on the user’s coordination, strategic awareness, and stamina. I can’t believe a teacher would have a new student choose this particular art."
"One month!"
"In just one month, he’s reached the ’Initiate’ stage of the Thousand Army Spear, a technique that requires an incredibly high aptitude for comprehension."
The goateed elder set down his teacup. "This... this kid’s aptitude... it’s impressive."
"He’s far beyond the ’Initiate’ stage."
Principal Lin Yuan set down his teacup. His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly throughout the room. "Look again, and look closely at his positioning and his every move. He isn’t just fighting. He is exercising ’Control’ over the battlefield. Every parry is a rescue; every thrust is to provide support. He’s like an experienced chess master, using himself and the Long Spear in his hands to tightly weave together the chaotic threads of the entire battle."
"Without him, Shi Potian’s assault would have been tied down. Without him, it would have been difficult for Chu Lan’s commands to be carried out effectively. Without him, this combat practicum would have resulted in at least five or six more serious injuries. You could say he was the lynchpin that allowed this mission to be completed with an ’Excellent’ rating."
Lin Yuan’s assessment left all the teachers present deep in thought.
They replayed the recording. This time, they no longer focused on the flashy kills, but concentrated all their attention on Qin Feng’s spear techniques, which seemed simple and unadorned, yet were perfectly timed with every single move.
The more they watched, the more profound the astonishment on their faces became.
"This boy... is extraordinary."
After a long moment, the goateed elder let out a heartfelt sigh of admiration.
Lin Yuan smiled and tapped a few things on his personal terminal.
"There. I’ve finished assigning their points based on their overall performance and sent the results to Wu Shangfeng."
He stood and walked over to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the steel campus below, a place brimming with life and vitality.
"A Chu Lan, who understands strategy and possesses a talent for command; a Shi Potian, all sharp edges and fearless momentum; and a Qin Feng, whose mastery is unadorned, whose depths are well-hidden..."
"First Year, Class Three... this is getting interesting."
...
Meanwhile, on Planet Gamma-7.
When the Teleportation Gate to Qiming First Martial High School slowly opened before them, all the students felt as if they’d been granted a pardon. Following Wu Shangfeng’s lead, they formed a line and walked into the familiar, shimmering tunnel of Subspace.
Returning to the spacious Martial Arts Room of First Year, Class Three, feeling the solid ground beneath their feet and smelling the familiar scent of disinfectant in the air, everyone felt as if a lifetime had passed since they’d last been there.