“Senior Brother Young and Miss Clark really are a perfect match,” a short-haired, black-clad youth couldn’t help but say.

The chubby youth Quentin York laughed, “Of course. There are eight hundred disciples in the Martial Academy, gathering the elite from the nine towns of Donghe. In the written exam, Brother Young is only in the top hundred, but in martial arts, Brother Young is already at the peak of Muscle Transformation, and among the elite disciples of the academy, he’s definitely in the top five.”

“As long as you pass the written exam, that’s enough. Martial arts is the true path. Senior Brother Young reached the peak of Muscle Transformation at fifteen. He has a great chance of reaching the ninth level, Spirit Communication, in the future, and might even reach the tenth level, Return to Aperture,” another tall, black-clad youth remarked with admiration.

Another black-clad youth’s eyes lit up, “A Return to Aperture martial artist is a true big shot even in the whole Ningyang County.”

The other black-clad disciples couldn’t help but nod.

The Great Qian Empire values education. The state, county, and district each have their own martial academies: state sects, county academies, and district martial academies. Donghe County governs nine towns, covering hundreds of miles and a population of a million. Those who can enter the county-level martial academy are truly outstanding.

Even so, among the eight hundred disciples of Donghe Martial Academy, most can only reach the fourth or fifth level of Body Tempering before graduation. Only a very few elite disciples can reach the peak of Muscle Transformation, which is the sixth level of Body Tempering.

As for the higher seventh level, Vein Condensation?

Currently, only two disciples in the entire academy have reached it.

As for the even higher eighth and ninth levels, under normal circumstances, academy disciples can’t reach them. After all, these disciples are all teenagers and will graduate after four or five years of training.

“Those elite disciples all just focus on their own cultivation. Unlike Senior Brother Young, who still comes with us to help the disaster victims.”

The short-haired, black-clad youth snorted, “Of the thirteen disciples from the Blazing Fire Hall, Miles Lewis is the son of the county deputy, Howard Woods, Donald Warren, and the others are all from powerful families. Only Senior Brother Young is like us, coming from the common people.”

“Don’t compare Brother Young to those guys.”

The chubby youth Quentin York, while serving porridge, said, “Brother Young never takes pills every day or eats demon beast meat like them. Brother Young truly relies on his own hard work, step by step.”

“In real combat, even those Vein Condensation martial artists like Miles Lewis might not be a match for Brother Young.”

“Senior Brother Young is indeed strong in real combat,” the short-haired youth said. “Last time, when Brother Young had just advanced to the sixth level and participated in the Blazing Fire Hall competition for the first time, he defeated three disciples in a row before finally being beaten by Senior Sister Woods.”

More people joined the discussion.

Clearly, Henry Young was highly respected by them.

……

On the other side of the camp.

Rows and rows of shabby tents.

Laura Clark and her family’s guards were distributing food and clothing from the first two of the four large carts they had brought, handing them out one by one to the hundreds of children who had gathered around. Though their clothes were tattered, they were at least clean.

These children were orphans who had lost their parents in the flood. This “Orphan Camp” was only a portion of the orphans who had come to Donghe County.

Not long after.

On one side of the camp,

Under the shade of a tree.

Dozens of teenage boys, also in ragged clothes, some even sallow-faced, but all with determined expressions, stood in line.

“You have lost your loved ones and your homes, but you still have a future.” Dressed in black, Henry Young’s voice was cold and stern. He stood with his hands behind his back, as straight as a sword.

In terms of age, he wasn’t much older than these boys, but at this moment, as they looked at Henry Young, it was as if they were facing a fierce tiger, barely able to breathe.

This was the ‘aura’ of a martial artist.

“In ancient times, our human race and the demon beasts fought for dominance over this world. Six thousand years ago, Emperor Chengyang raised an army and founded the Fanyang Army, sweeping through the Central Region and establishing the first dynasty in our history—the Great Xia. Emperor Chengyang divided the Central Region into nine provinces, and only then did our human race gradually surpass the demon beasts and become the rulers of this world.”

Henry Young’s voice was like a great bell: “Do you know why Emperor Chengyang’s three thousand troops could sweep across the land?”

The boys listening all shook their heads.

“Because the three thousand Fanyang Army soldiers—the weakest among them were all Return to Aperture martial artists.” Henry Young said each word clearly, “Martial cultivation is based on tempering the body, divided into ten levels. The first three are Body Forging, four to six are Muscle Transformation, seven is Vein Condensation, eight is No Leakage, nine is Spirit Communication, and ten is Return to Aperture!”

“The first six levels are just the foundation of martial arts, and can only be called warriors.”

“From the seventh level, Vein Condensation, one can be called a true martial artist. Vein Condensation martial artists are far beyond your imagination—agile as a cat, claws like a tiger or leopard, fists that can shatter rocks, kicks that can break trees. They are true human-shaped weapons, the heroes of a town, and can become squad leaders or centurions in the army.” Henry Young looked at the group of boys before him.

The boys all showed looks of shock.

“What about the tenth level, Return to Aperture?” one boy suddenly asked.

“Good question.” Henry Young nodded heavily. “Return to Aperture martial artists have already cultivated true qi within their bodies, forming a complete circulation. With one punch, their true qi bursts forth as gang qi, able to unleash the Hundred-Step Divine Fist and kill from afar. On the battlefield, they are said to be able to take on ten thousand enemies alone. They are no longer ordinary mortals—almost like gods or immortals!”

“Hundred-Step Divine Fist? Almost like gods or immortals?”

The boys were stunned. They couldn’t even imagine what kind of person could be so powerful—surely even the rampaging demon beasts would be easily slain by them.

“Is the tenth level, Return to Aperture, the end of the martial path?” someone else asked.

“No.”