Gray-robed Elder kicked the stone tablet in half, exhaled and withdrew his energy, thoroughly satisfied with the power of his kick. He displayed this skill to awe the gathered students, then slowly said, “I myself am only at the sixth level of Body Refinement. Above this, there are even stronger stages—the late Body Refinement, levels seven through nine. As the qi and blood within the body grow denser, strength increases, reaching up to nine hundred jin, enough to battle black bears and rhinoceroses.”

“To reach the ninth level of Body Refinement—if you become a swordsman, you can be a National Guardian Swordsman of Wu Kingdom. If you become an archer, you can be a National Guardian Divine Archer. Experts at the ninth level of Body Refinement hold national-level status in Wu Kingdom, entrusted with safeguarding the royal capital.”

“Beyond Body Refinement, there is the even higher Primordial Spirit stage, where one can ride the sword and soar like an immortal, cast spells, and wield unfathomable powers. The first headmaster of North Slope Academy was a sword immortal, once the national advisor of Wu Kingdom. But these are not matters for us ordinary folk to discuss—best not to mention them.”

Gray-robed Elder stood with his hands behind his back, his presence as imposing as a mountain, every gesture exuding the air of one who commands the world. He had reason for such pride—he had taught at the academy for forty or fifty years, and many high officials of Wu Kingdom who graduated from North Slope Academy would respectfully address him as teacher.

“North Slope Academy has a three-hundred-year legacy and is the most venerable institution in Wu Kingdom. You, the current batch of lower academy students, are still young—most of you are just over ten years old. You still have time to train hard and strive to reach the sixth level of Body Refinement before the age of twenty, passing the academy’s strength assessment and graduation exam!”

“If you reach twenty and still haven’t attained the sixth level of Body Refinement, you’ll be swept out of North Slope Academy without mercy. Don’t think you have time to waste! Keep training!”

Gray-robed Elder’s tone grew stern as he waved for the lower academy students to continue striking the hardwood stakes. He had said these words dozens of times before. As for how many would truly heed them, that depended on each person’s fate.

Charles Bennett listened carefully to the elder’s explanation. When the elder mentioned the National Guardian Swordsman and Divine Archer of Wu Kingdom, he couldn’t help but feel a longing in his heart.

For him, the sixth level of Body Refinement was still far out of reach.

He was just a commoner, born to an ordinary farming family in Wu Kingdom. At five, he was sent to North Slope Academy, where he had studied diligently for nearly ten years. At fifteen, he had only just managed to reach the third level of Body Refinement.

His strength in the academy was quite average—he was virtually unknown.

“This year, I must break through the third level of Body Refinement and enter the mid-stage!”

Charles Bennett slammed his fists hard against the hardwood stake and began practicing his punches. He was now fifteen, with only five years left to train at the academy.

One hour… two hours.

Charles Bennett’s muscles were taut all over, every punch and kick delivered with his full strength against the hardwood stake. His knuckles were scraped raw and bleeding, sweat soaking through his coarse shirt. His muscles ached and tingled with exhaustion, his legs and arms severely depleted of strength, beginning to tremble.

“Keep going!”

Charles Bennett gritted his teeth and persevered, enduring the intense fatigue in every inch of his muscles.

Amidst the extreme exhaustion and numbness, Charles Bennett suddenly felt a trace of new strength deep within his spine and bones. The bones are the source of a martial artist’s power—this new strength surged forth swiftly and fiercely, flooding his entire body in an instant.

“Hah!”

Charles Bennett summoned all his strength, let out a shout, and leapt up, delivering a flying kick to the hardwood stake before him.

“Bang!”

The hardwood stake exploded, sending splinters flying.

“I broke through! I finally broke the hardwood stake! I’ve reached the fourth level of Body Refinement!”

Charles Bennett stared in disbelief at the shattered stake, kneeling on one knee, clenching his fists, unable to contain his excitement and joy.

In an instant, nearly a thousand lower academy students around him fell silent at the sound, all turning in unison to look at Charles Bennett, their eyes filled with astonishment and envy.

The hardwood stakes in the academy’s training ground were specially made to withstand repeated blows of up to three hundred jin of force. A third-level Body Refinement student could not break them. Only by reaching the fourth level, with strength surpassing four hundred jin and striking with full force, could one break a stake.

Charles Bennett had trained hard for years and finally broke through today.

He could now enter the upper academy, which meant his status at North Slope Academy would rise dramatically—from among over a thousand lower academy students to the upper academy, which had only about two hundred young disciples.

“Excellent! Our academy has gained another upper academy student. You should all learn from him and train diligently.”

Gray-robed Elder saw this from afar and did not hesitate to offer praise, then called Charles Bennett over and asked, “What is your name?”

“Disciple Charles Bennett, greetings to Chief Instructor Stone!”

Charles Bennett cupped his hands in excitement and stepped out from the ranks of a thousand lower academy students striking the stakes, under everyone’s gaze. Charles Bennett knew that as an upper academy student, he would no longer be practicing basic strikes, but could begin learning true martial arts.

The two hundred or so upper academy students trained on the other side of the martial arts field, in small groups, practicing advanced techniques such as the Bronze Man Post, Plum Blossom Post, swordsmanship, leg techniques, boxing, mounted archery, and more.

Gray-robed Elder led Charles Bennett to the other side of the training ground to observe the upper academy students practicing their martial skills.