William Bennett speculated at this moment: this eye most likely came from some godlike being of ancient times, and by a twist of fate, fused with his own left eye...

　　Even at night, when he opened his eyes, he could clearly see objects outside.

　　The pitch-black night had almost no effect on William Bennett's vision. His eyes could even make out birds flying in the sky several miles away...

　　Lying in bed at night, William Bennett felt his left eye twitching frequently, emitting a faint warmth that blended into his blood and deep within his body.

　　Amidst this strange sensation, William Bennett gradually fell asleep.

　　Early the next morning.

　　William Bennett woke up early, stretched his limbs, and practiced his punches in the narrow courtyard.

　　"This little courtyard is too shabby, the environment is terrible. When I become stronger in the future, I must let my parents move into a spacious compound."

　　William Bennett thought to himself.

　　Soon, he began to perform the thirty-two forms of the Fiery Yang Fist.

　　Whoosh, bang, bang...

　　His fists whistled through the air, vibrating fiercely, their power astonishing.

　　William Bennett had just thrown a few punches when he sensed something was off.

　　With each breath, his vital energy surged within him, powerful and unceasing. Each punch carried at least four or five hundred pounds of force.

　　"Huh!"

　　William Bennett was slightly surprised, his fists like two blazing balls of fire, whistling impressively.

　　Bang! Crack!

　　A punch landed on the big tree in front of him, and a branch as thick as a fist snapped into several pieces in an instant.

　　"Something's wrong! This is definitely not the strength of the first level of martial arts, could it be..."

　　William Bennett's heart pounded.

　　To verify his guess, he took a deep breath, gathered all his strength, channeled his vital energy, and stomped hard on the ground.

　　Boom!

　　The ground shook, the soil crumbled and broke apart, and William Bennett's foot was forcibly driven half an inch into the earth.

　　His face lit up with joy, and with another palm strike, he smashed a large stone weighing dozens of pounds in front of him, shattering it into pieces.

　　All this strength was far beyond what the first level of martial arts could reach.

　　"Second level of martial arts... I've actually broken through to the second level!"

　　William Bennett was ecstatic, closing his eyes to feel the even stronger vital energy within him.

　　He had originally thought it would take another day or two to break through to the second level, but unexpectedly, after just one night's sleep, he had advanced naturally.

　　Merging his consciousness into his left eye, William Bennett discovered that the faint blue spiral halo in the pitch-black space had extended from about one foot nine inches to two feet.

　　He vaguely sensed that his energy was stronger than before, along with other indescribable changes...

Chapter 004 James Bennett

　　"Now that I've advanced to the second level of martial arts, at least I'm no longer at the bottom among the Zhao clan's peers, and I'm qualified to participate in the 'family martial arts tournament.'"

　　William Bennett was excited for a long time before gradually calming down.

　　Martial arts are divided into nine levels, each one harder than the last, rising like a pyramid.

　　As everyone knows, levels 1 to 3 of martial arts are called the "Strength Refinement Stage," and the title is Martial Disciple!

　　Martial Disciples focus on tempering the body and strengthening vital energy, laying the foundation for higher realms to come.

　　The body is the root of all cultivation, so consolidating training in the Strength Refinement Stage will directly affect later realms.

　　Although Martial Disciples are the lowest rank and only count as entry-level, reaching the peak of the third level is not to be underestimated—they possess at least seven or eight hundred pounds of strength; and some with naturally strong constitutions have over a thousand pounds of strength, able to tear tigers and leopards apart and split mountain bears with their bare hands.

　　Now that William Bennett had broken through to the second level, he had at least four or five hundred pounds of strength, far beyond the range of ordinary people. If he combined this with powerful martial techniques, even a dozen ordinary people wouldn't be able to get close to him.

　　"If I can advance to the third level of martial arts and have seven or eight hundred pounds of strength, my power will at least double."

　　William Bennett thought to himself.

　　Of course, what he truly yearned for and longed for was to become a true martial artist of the fourth level or above.

　　Levels 4 to 6 of martial arts are called the "Qi Accumulation Stage," and the title is Martial Artist—a true martial artist!

　　Upon reaching this realm, a martial artist's physical qualities, strength, and vital energy are greatly enhanced, and they can also strengthen their internal organs, comprehend "martial inner force," surpassing the realm of mere physical attacks. Their power undergoes a qualitative leap, granting them all sorts of incredible abilities.

　　Once one becomes a true martial artist, they truly transcend the ordinary and become a person above others.

　　Back in Qingye Town, William Bennett had set his sights on becoming a true martial artist. Entering the Zhao family brought him a step closer to that goal.

　　...

　　After advancing to the second level of martial arts, William Bennett immediately shared the news with his parents.

　　Second level of martial arts?

　　His father Andrew Bennett and mother The Bennett Family were both astonished, then immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

　　For William Bennett to break through to the second level at his age, and without much outside help, showed that his talent was above average.

　　"Next, you need to fully prepare for the 'family martial arts tournament' in two months. We don't expect you to achieve a great ranking, just don't embarrass yourself too much."

　　Andrew Bennett showed a gentle smile.

　　The Bennett Family also looked gratified, as if a burden had been lifted.

　　They were basically satisfied that William Bennett had come this far, without too many extravagant hopes.

　　However, William Bennett's own goals were not limited to this—he was determined to become a true martial artist, even to reach the pinnacle of martial arts.

　　"Now that I've advanced to the second level, my status in the clan has improved somewhat, and I'm qualified to enter the first floor of the 'Xuanwu Pavilion.'"