The start of senior year was always exceptionally early.
Ji City Fifth High School.
Jiang Shu first jogged two laps around the sports field before walking to the long gallery. He regulated his breathing for several minutes, then assumed a steady and solid Horse Stance, his body rising and falling gently like waves.
At this moment, the sky was dim, and a thin sheet of ice, yet to thaw, remained on the lake in front of the gallery.
Martial Arts... what does it really take to truly step into the Martial Arts Realm? Jiang Shu murmured to himself. In his previous life, he suffered from a serious illness, confined to bed, and passed away early, only in his thirties. That was why, in this life, ever since he broke through the enigma of the womb three months ago and awakened his special abilities, he had only one path in mind—to practice Martial Arts.
Only by gathering great power within oneself can one truly master one's own destiny!
The thoughts that had drifted away were quickly reined in. Jiang Shu imagined himself as a bowl of muddy water, settling down, the impurities precipitating, leaving the water clear.
This was the "One Bowl Water Method" he had acquired in his previous life. Combined with the Horse Stance, they complemented each other, doubling the effectiveness for half the effort.
As he rose, his toes gripped the ground tightly like chicken claws, his legs tensed, his waist lifted, his abdomen pulled in.
As he lowered, his toes relaxed like duck's webbed feet, his legs loosened, his waist sat back, his abdomen expanded.
Between these rises and falls, a red sun rose from beyond the distant mountains.
The warm-toned sunlight, along with the cold January wind, fell upon Jiang Shu's hair, which had grown past his ears.
Under the thick hair, sweat steamed, and his bulging temples went unseen.
...
Not until Jiang Shu finished his stance practice, returned to the dormitory, and took a shower did the early morning alarm in his dorm room ring.
At the school gate, students also began to trickle in, entering the campus in twos and threes.
He strolled through the campus, his senses sharp, taking in all of his classmates' conversations.
"A pen, a lamp, a miracle overnight. I was really swamped yesterday. I so want to switch to being a Martial Arts Student! I heard they just have to practice the Horse Stance daily and can do whatever else they please. But us? Morning self-study at seven, evening self-study until half-past nine. We eat worse than pigs, sleep later than dogs, and wake up earlier than chickens."
"Envious? Only underachievers would choose to become Martial Arts Students. Didn't our homeroom teacher say it? The so-called Martial Arts stream is just the state trialing a college entrance exam reform. The schools Martial Arts Students can get into are mostly vocational colleges. How can they compare with us future university undergraduates?"
"That's not entirely true. As long as you can sense the qi and blood within your body, you can apply for exam-free admission to an undergraduate university. If you can actually circulate your qi and blood, that's even more incredible—straight to a top university! How many from our school get into top universities? And if they advance even further, to an academy..."
"Heh, you think the Horse Stance is some kind of supreme martial art? It's just a basic skill! Even mastering the basics won't turn you into a superhero overnight. Go look at those instructors at the martial arts gyms. They look impressive hitting sandbags, but how many of them have even achieved small success in the Horse Stance, with bulging temples? All show and no substance, just modern combat sports, not true Martial Arts! You'd better stick to your studies, you small-town exam ace."
"Pfft, what's wrong with being a small-town exam ace? Getting into an undergraduate program, finding a stable and decent job after graduation—that's the dream for many. You should be content."
In November of the year 2026 Xuanxing calendar, the Xia Country's leadership issued a decree: high school students, regardless of their focus on arts or sciences, could switch to become Martial Arts Students and practice the Horse Stance.
Anyone who achieved small success in the Horse Stance and sensed their own qi and blood would be directly admitted to any undergraduate university without exams.
However, in most high schools, aside from students who had no hope of getting into an undergraduate program and were prepared to slack off in a vocational college, almost no one chose the Martial Arts stream.
It was already senior year; no one was willing to gamble with their future.
Conversely, some new first-year high school students, facing less academic pressure and driven by curiosity and interest, began watching the Horse Stance videos released by the Bureau of Education. They fantasized about one day achieving small success in the Horse Stance and entering university without taking the college entrance exam.
Jiang Shu passed through the crowd, went up to the fifth floor, and knocked on the office door.
"Come in."
Homeroom Teacher Yan Dehou's voice sounded. Jiang Shu pushed the door open and entered. He saw Yan Dehou continuously typing on his computer, seemingly organizing some materials for the start of the term.
"Jiang Shu, what brings you here?" Yan Dehou looked up, somewhat surprised.
Jiang Shu's academic performance was average in the class. If he worked hard and got lucky, he might secure a spot in an undergraduate program.
Students like him typically had a very low profile in class. They might not visit the office even once in an entire semester. He wondered why Jiang Shu had taken the initiative to come this time.
"Mr. Yan, I'm here to apply for a leave of absence," Jiang Shu said, getting straight to the point.
After practicing Martial Arts, his thoughts had become as clear as crystal, and he preferred to simplify matters.
"A leave of absence? Has something happened at home?" Forgetting his work, Yan Dehou frowned slightly and stood up, asking with concern.
"No, I'm planning to switch to being a Martial Arts Student. I intend to self-study the Horse Stance at home for the final semester."
"Martial Arts Student... This..."
Hearing the words "Martial Arts Student," Yan Dehou fell silent, the countless words of persuasion dying in his throat.
Last November, the school leadership had held a meeting. The directive was clear: if a student voluntarily applied to become a Martial Arts Student, homeroom teachers were not to obstruct them in any way and had to approve the application immediately.
"Jiang Shu, have you considered this carefully? With your grades, if you really push yourself, there's still hope for an undergraduate program. Besides, even if you switch to being a Martial Arts Student, you still have to take the college entrance exam. Unless you reach the stage of sensing your qi and blood, you can't truly get exam-free admission..."
"I won't even require you to attend classes and do homework like the other students. If you're free, you can come listen to lectures, and when you have time, you can work on some practice exams. That way, if you do end up taking the college entrance exam, you won't go in with a blank mind. Preparing for both academics and martial arts isn't a bad idea. After all, there's still time before the college entrance exam; don't make such a rash decision..."
With no other teachers in the office at that moment, Yan Dehou couldn't help but speak his mind. He had been teaching for over twenty years and was extremely traditional. He hoped all his students could smoothly enter a university they were satisfied with.
The so-called Martial Arts stream, practicing the Horse Stance, didn't seem like the Great Dao to him, but rather an unorthodox path.
If the applicant were a student with truly abysmal grades, at the bottom of the class, it would be one thing.
But Jiang Shu clearly had the potential to aim for an undergraduate program.
"Mr. Yan, my mind is made up."
Without further words, Jiang Shu submitted his application form. He was familiar with the procedures; as long as it involved Martial Arts Students, the school would grant permission directly.
This situation only served to prove that the Martial Arts of this world were definitely not as simple as his classmates perceived.
"Alright."
After looking at Jiang Shu several times, then at the parental signature on the application form, Yan Dehou heaved a long sigh. He now only hoped that taking a leave of absence was a decision his student had made after very careful consideration.
"Thank you, Mr. Yan."
"If there's nothing else, Jiang Shu, why don't you head back to the classroom for now? I'll talk to your classmates in a bit, and we can have a small farewell ceremony. After all, you've all been together for over a year; there are definitely bonds."
"There's no need. It's just a leave of absence. We'll meet again someday."
Jiang Shu simply refused Mr. Yan and turned to leave.
After breaking through the enigma of the womb, his consciousness from his previous life had taken dominance. In this world, apart from the parents who had given him life and raised him, and his younger sister with whom he had grown up, no one else could stir the slightest ripple in his heart.
Besides, he had been thirty years old in his previous life.
Reborn, his mind was even more mature than before. What was there to discuss with a group of high school students who had yet to experience the world?
The number of students in the school grew, their chatter like the chirping of sparrows.
In the classroom, some classmates had already begun to diligently copy their winter holiday homework.
Jiang Shu chose not to clear out the pile of books from his desk. Instead, he walked from the academic building back to his empty dormitory.
A translucent panel appeared in his mind:
Jiang Shu—
Language/Writing of the Da Jing Dynasty: Entry-level (926/1000)
Horse Stance: Small Success (526/1000)
Two Realms Shuttle countdown: 00:00
I didn't expect that after waiting for three months, Xia Country still hasn't announced any real cultivation methods for Martial Arts. Even if the panel offers permanent validation, the progress in the Horse Stance slows down the further I go.
By the time of the college entrance exam, I'll probably only reach the Great Success Realm, able to circulate my qi and blood, and thus gain exemption from the entrance exam to top universities.
Being able to enter a top university would already put me ahead of over ninety percent of the students at Fifth High School. But with my parents being so supportive in this life, why shouldn't I strive to enter an academy?!
The Da Jing Dynasty spans eighteen provinces and two hundred and seventy prefectures, with thousands of county towns. Any ordinary county town has Martial Artists at the Refining Internal Realm stationed there. As long as one has enough silver taels, one can join a martial arts gym in the county town and learn Martial Arts!
Jiang Shu recalled all sorts of information he had gathered in Pingling County. He didn't know how the Martial Arts Realms would be defined or how Martial Arts would be cultivated on Xuanxing in the future.
But he did know the three realms of Martial Artists in Pingling County of the Da Jing Dynasty in the other world.
Skin Polishing. Bone Forging. Organ Refining.
He vividly remembered a sentence uttered by a storyteller as he closed his fan:
"A Martial Artist at the Refining Internal Realm, whose vital energy permeates their organs, will have their lifespan extend beyond 120 years!"