“The admission rate for cultivation academies is too low. If you don’t apply to a cultivation academy and just study hard, you can still get into a good university. But if you go for the cultivation academy, you’ll have to undergo six months of fully closed special training. If you fail the academy’s assessment, you’ll have wasted half a year of study, and whether you can still get into a good university will be a problem.”

“Miss Martinez really is going to cultivate immortality!”

At this moment, Grace Bennett’s voice rang out again: “Cultivation candidates, please report to Yunxiao Hall. Martial arts candidates, report to the Martial Hall. For the next six months, you’ll be spending your time there. I hope that after half a year, everyone can get into a school they’re satisfied with. Whether you can leap over the dragon gate, the opportunity is in your own hands. The rest of the candidates, stay behind.”

Chapter 5: Martial Arts

Henry Cooper, David Bolton, and Chloe Harris quickly went to pack their things.

“William Carter.”

Lily Martinez called out, “Didn’t you apply to the cultivator academy?”

“That’s right, William Carter was always talking about wanting to apply to the cultivation academy when he enrolled. How come he didn’t sign up?”

Another female classmate asked curiously.

At this moment, David Bolton, who also applied to the cultivation academy, chuckled, “He hasn’t even completed Foundation Establishment. Even if he applied, he definitely wouldn’t get in. Last year, all the academies required applicants to have at least second-stage Qi Refining internal energy.”

Lily Martinez glanced at William Carter, but didn’t think much of it.

Although William Carter was her deskmate, her cultivation progress was far ahead of her peers, so she mostly chose to study on her own. She only asked because she remembered William Carter always saying he wanted to apply to the cultivation academy, and found it odd not to see his name—there was no other reason.

“Let’s go, then.”

Lily Martinez nodded, said nothing more, and took the lead in leaving.

Henry Cooper gave William Carter a gesture to walk home together after school, then followed along with David Bolton and Chloe Harris.

Seeing this, William Carter felt a bit empty inside.

Partly because his attractive deskmate was leaving, and partly because he was now missing his chance at the cultivation academy.

After Lily Martinez and the others who were applying to the cultivation academy left, William Carter and the other martial arts candidates also packed up and followed.

But their departure didn’t get the whole class’s attention.

In today’s world, almost all the strongest people at the top are sword immortals.

Cultivating immortality brings longevity, but martial arts does not.

Plus, the way of the sword immortal is unmatched in offense, so the difference between the two is clear.

It’s like mages and warriors—even if both can become gods in the future, the status and prestige they enjoy along the way are completely different.

William Carter and eighteen others left the academic building and arrived at the Martial Hall a hundred meters away.

The Martial Hall is divided into four sections according to students’ levels: three training areas and one rest area. Each of the three training areas is as large as an indoor basketball court.

When William Carter and the others arrived, quite a few people were already waiting.

Besides the students who had planned to take the martial arts exam early on, the rest were new members like William Carter, totaling over a hundred people.

Since martial arts classes don’t require desks, the hundred or so people gathered in small groups, making the hall seem a bit chaotic.

Twenty minutes later, a burly man radiating strength entered from outside, accompanied by a female assistant instructor in her thirties.

As soon as this man appeared, the previously chaotic Martial Hall quickly quieted down.

“I am your teacher for the next six months, James Martinez, and I’ll be responsible for teaching you martial arts knowledge!”

James Martinez swept his oppressive gaze over everyone in the room: “I will do my best to teach you everything I know in these six months, but I am not your parent. Your future is in your own hands. Whether you study, whether you put your heart into it, whether you work hard—that’s all up to you! If you can’t endure hardship or fatigue, it’s fine if you don’t come to my class. I have only one requirement: do not affect others. Understood?”

“Understood!”

Everyone exchanged glances and responded in unison.

“To practice martial arts, first you must understand what ‘martial’ means!”

James Martinez turned and wrote the large character for ‘martial’ on the blackboard behind him.

“The original intention of martial arts is a kind of self-transcendence of life! On a macro level, it’s a skill developed by humans in their struggle with nature to survive. On a micro level, it’s the self-improvement and evolution of cells’ instinct to survive! Therefore, the essence of martial arts is to break through limits! To surpass limits! To surpass oneself! And to achieve this, you need not only an extremely strong will, but also fearless conviction!”

As James Martinez spoke, his tone became noticeably more passionate: “Fighting against heaven and earth is martial! Battling bloodily is martial! Pressing forward relentlessly is martial! Surpassing oneself is martial! Breaking through limits is martial! The evolution of life is also martial! Practicing martial arts is a process of bitter searching, seeking your true self!”

After this speech, the students were all fired up, as if they couldn’t wait to achieve mastery, roam the wilderness, commune with heaven and earth, battle fierce demons, and seek their own breakthroughs.

“Whether it’s cultivating immortality or practicing martial arts, it all starts after Foundation Establishment. In our Xiyu Nation, and even on the planet Xuanhuang, Foundation Establishment is considered a basic ability—everyone can achieve it. But on some backward planets, Marrow Cleansing is called ‘Master’, Organ Refining can be titled ‘Grandmaster’, and Blood Exchange is revered as ‘Transcendent Saint’. So you must never underestimate…”