Translator: CinderTL
August 31st.
Inside a room, a handsome young man with clear, bright eyes stood shirtless, practicing martial arts forms.
Though still a youth, his physique was remarkably well-proportioned, with taut muscles that gave him an air of striking virility rather than youthful softness.
Boom!
Suddenly, the young man threw a punch.
The sound of the strike exploded like thunder!
All his vital energy and spirit seemed concentrated in that single, straight punch, carrying a crushing force akin to a thunderclap.
Boom!
A deep, resonant thunderclap echoed through the room.
Faint sonic waves rippled outward.
Whoosh!
Moments later, the curtains several meters away swayed violently, as if struck by the sonic blast.
Even the window creaked and rattled under the shockwave.
"Incredible power," Jiang Ye murmured, standing still to observe the destructive force he had unleashed.
Even at this distance, his punch had affected the window.
If such a strike landed directly on a person, it could easily shatter their internal organs.
"The Eight Trigrams Thunderclap Fist truly lives up to its reputation as a lethal technique," Jiang Ye sighed, turning to check his system interface.
[Low-Martial Achievement System]
[Physique: Mortal Body (B-Grade)]
[Innate Talent: Primitive]
[Cultivation Techniques]
[Star Martial Cultivation Method: Major Success (59%) Eight Trigrams Thunderclap Fist: Not Yet Entered (99%)]
[Achievements]
[Martial Arts Grandmaster Patriarch's Friend Martial Dao Grandmaster Beauty's Inquiry Wind-Listening Ear Swiftwind Step]
[Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder]
[First Layer]
This month, he had already spent all 30,000 yuan earned from the trial.
Every day, he supplemented his martial dao training with nutritious meals.
The results were evident.
Not only was his Eight Trigrams Thunderclap Fist nearing Entry level, but his Star Martial Cultivation Method had also improved by nearly 20%.
"I must break through to Perfection in the Star Martial Cultivation Method by the end of the first semester of senior year," Jiang Ye had set as his goal.
As for the Eight Trigrams Thunderclap Fist? He would leave it to fate.
Despite his rapid progress—almost reaching Entry level in just a month—he knew the path ahead would only grow more challenging. Especially after achieving Major Success, it would require time and patience to refine his skills.
The Star Martial Cultivation Method served as the perfect example.
Moreover, his Eight Trigrams Thunderclap Fist progress had stalled at 99%, entering a bottleneck phase. Even breaking through to Entry level was proving difficult.
"During a bottleneck, progress through cultivation alone is nearly impossible," Jiang Ye sighed inwardly. "Only a sudden enlightenment can break through this barrier, but..."
Sudden enlightenment? Such opportunities were rare and unpredictable.
His innate talent had its limits. Unless his comprehension ability drastically improved again, he would have to rely on time and relentless practice.
"Brother!"
Jiang Ting's voice called from outside the door.
"Coming," Jiang Ye replied, stepping out of his room. He looked at Xiao Jiang Ting. "What is it?"
Jiang Ting, carrying a basin of water, smiled sweetly. "Brother, I'm going to wash your feet. Come sit down."
"Wash my feet?" Jiang Ye stared suspiciously at the basin of water. "Why are you washing my feet? Just tell me what you want."
Jiang Ting blushed slightly. "It's homework from school," she said. "We have to wash our elders' feet."
"Go wash Mom and Dad's feet," Jiang Ye said.
"No way! I want to wash your feet, Brother," Jiang Ting huffed. "You're an elder too!"
Jiang Ye understood the little girl. She was too embarrassed to wash their parents' feet but felt comfortable with him.
He glanced at the time. It was late at night. Their father was working the night shift, and their mother was likely already asleep.
"From now on, you have to do this for Mom and Dad. No slacking off," Jiang Ye instructed. "I'll let it slide this time. Go ahead and wash my feet."
He sat down.
"Okay, okay! I know you're the best, Brother!" Jiang Ting grinned and immediately squatted down to wash his feet.
She didn't half-ass it, either. She diligently scrubbed and massaged Jiang Ye's feet with her fair, delicate hands.
"Brother, remember to bring me something yummy from school tomorrow!" Jiang Ting said eagerly as she washed.
"You little rascal..." Jiang Ye shook his head and smiled. So that's what she was after all along.
But just as he was about to reply, several lines of text suddenly popped up before his eyes:
[New Achievement Unlocked: The Holy Maiden of the Upper Realm Voluntarily Serves You]
[Title Unlocked: Holy Maiden as Servant!]
[Reward: Comprehension Transformation: Nourished by the Holy Maiden, your comprehension has increased by 50%.]
Even though he was used to the system's sudden announcements, Jiang Ye couldn't help but gasp.
A holy maiden as a servant?
System, you son of a bitch!
She's my sister!
Who could have imagined that Jiang Ting washing his feet would be classified as her becoming his servant by the system?
"Upper Realm Holy Maiden?" Jiang Ye stared at the words.
According to the system, Jiang Ting had become the Upper Realm Saintess?
Could it be because of her Martial Fetus Holy Body? Jiang Ye wondered. But why the "Upper Realm"? Does this physique exceed the limits of a low martial world?
He recalled the system's previous assessment of Jiang Ting's physique.
He suspected this was highly likely.
Still, I'm surprised the Low-Martial Achievement System would unlock this kind of achievement, Jiang Ye thought.
Most of the achievements he had unlocked before were related to his strength.
Even the glitches he exploited were closely tied to his power.
But this one was clearly an exception.
A saintess as a servant... this must be a social achievement, Jiang Ye mused.
It reminded him of certain online games he had played in his previous life.
There were many types of achievements.
Growth, Lifestyle, Social, Combat, Exploration
Since he could unlock social achievements, there might be many more waiting to be discovered.
"Damn it, no newbie guide? Are you trying to make things difficult for me?" Jiang Ye grumbled.
Since activating the system, he had figured out all its functions through trial and error. If only there were a manual, he wouldn't have had to struggle so much.
Jiang Ye shook his head and refocused on the reward he had just received.
"50% increase in comprehension?"
His eyes lit up at this. His cultivation speed might be about to skyrocket again.
After washing his feet, it was nearly midnight. Jiang Ye didn't continue cultivating; instead, he immediately entered the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder to resume his training in the illusionary realm.
The next day, September 1st, was the first day of school.
Ancheng Third High School was buzzing with tension as each class prepared for the opening assessment exams.
Jiang Ye arrived at school but didn't immediately head to the classroom for the test. Instead, he went to the faculty office early.
A stunningly beautiful young woman sat gracefully at her desk, clad in a white dress and white socks, her cold, elegant aura radiating an otherworldly charm.
It was Chen Zilu.
"The exam is about to start. What are you doing here?" Chen Zilu asked, glancing at Jiang Ye as he entered.
Jiang Ye produced a box of cake and grinned. "Happy birthday, Teacher."
Chen Zilu froze for a moment, her lovely eyes shifting to the cake with genuine surprise. "You knew?"
She had never told Jiang Ye her birthdate.
"Just a guess," Jiang Ye chuckled. "You did give me your V chat ID, after all."
Chen Zilu shot him an appraising look before accepting the cake. "Thank you. That's very thoughtful of you."
"You're welcome," Jiang Ye grinned, then hurried back to the classroom for the exam.
"That guy..." Chen Zilu murmured, pursing her rosy lips.
She opened the cake box and glanced inside, a faint smile blooming on her delicate features.
It's the thought that counts.
Though the cake wasn't expensive, it deepened her fondness for Jiang Ye.
Chen Zilu carefully closed the box, locked it in her cabinet, and left the office.
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
Jiang Ye walked out of the office, his gaze fixed on the panel before him.
After a moment, he sighed. "Giving gifts doesn't unlock achievements?"
In many games, gifting female friends, provided the relationship level was high enough, would unlock social achievements. This was one of the reasons Jiang Ye had rushed over early to give Chen Zilu the cake.
But alas, the system didn't trigger a new achievement this time.
Though disappointed, Jiang Ye didn't dwell on it. After all, it was just an experiment. Chen Zilu had always been kind to him, and it was her birthday. Giving her a cake was perfectly reasonable, especially since it could deepen their bond.
"Time for the exam," Jiang Ye muttered, taking a deep breath and striding toward his classroom.
In their final year of high school, every assessment carried significant weight. Even the initial placement exam was proctored by teachers from other classes.
The proctor for Class Nine was a burly man with a thick beard.
"The opening placement exam begins now!" the bearded teacher announced sternly. "Everyone, proceed with the test in order!"
Below the podium, Wen Yuehui leaned toward Jiang Ye and whispered, "A'Ye, did you pass the trial?"
"I did," Jiang Ye replied with a nod, not hiding the truth.
"Really? Congratulations!" Wen Yuehui was genuinely surprised. The school's trials were notoriously difficult. For Jiang Ye to pass, given his current level of strength, must have been an extraordinary feat.
"I heard there's a cash prize of several thousand yuan for passing the trial," Wen Yuehui thought to himself, sighing inwardly. "Now the gap between A'Ye and me will definitely widen even further."
Precisely because of his close friendship with Jiang Ye, he didn't want to fall too far behind.
Jiang Ye, on the other hand, remained unfazed.
Having endured the summer trial, he felt little pressure about the baseline assessment.
However, he was eager to see if his current strength could place him among the top hundred in the grade.
Chen Zilu had mentioned that the top hundred students were eligible for scholarships.
Soon, it was Jiang Ye's turn.
He approached the punching power tester, adjusted his stance, and unleashed a thunderous punch.
Boom!
A dull thud reverberated through the room.
After testing his punching power, Jiang Ye didn't linger. He turned and strode toward the silver treadmill.
This assessment would test both punching power and speed simultaneously.
Thump!
On the treadmill, Jiang Ye's legs blurred into a phantom streak as he sprinted.
Only after a moment did he finally come to a halt.
The entire class fell silent, their eyes fixed on the electronic whiteboard at the front.
"Jiang Ye," Xu Sisi murmured, watching intently.
As the second-place student whom Jiang Ye had surpassed, she was particularly focused on his results.
This assessment would reveal whether she had reclaimed her second-place ranking during the summer break.
Before long, Jiang Ye's punching power and speed results flashed onto the screen:
"Punching Power: 960 kg"
"Speed: 19.1 m/s"
(End of the Chapter)
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