Dormitory building.
Just past six in the morning, Andrew Han, dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt, walked out of his dorm and jogged leisurely toward the track.
He needed to clear his thoughts.
Step. Step.
Step. Step.
The rhythmic sound of footsteps echoed across the quiet campus.
Andrew Han was one of the few students who got up early. Of course, there were others who rose at dawn, but they mostly headed to the library. Only he ran laps on the track, alone.
"First of all."
"The nature of the power within me is still fused strength. That’s because nearly half of my blood-energy and internal force haven’t fully merged yet."
"Secondly."
"Now, my First Rank fused strength has reached about sixty percent integration, and has already taken on a Condensed Mist form—enough to rival the Condensed Mist Internal Power of Martial Artists."
After that... Andrew didn’t dare speculate further.
If he really kept advancing step by step, then First Rank Condensed Mist would correspond to the Martial Artist realm’s Liquid Internal Power. But only Martial Generals possess Liquid Internal Power.
Huff.
Huff.
Andrew Han took a couple of deep breaths, pondering in silence: "The division of the Three Martial Realms has never been about the form of Internal Power, but about changes in physical constitution."
The Martial Artist realm focuses on blood refinement. Through the tempering of Condensed Mist Internal Power, one’s blood becomes as heavy as lead or mercury, strangely weighty, and faintly luminous as it circulates—granting Martial Artists extraordinary stamina and endurance.
The Martial General realm is about marrow cleansing. With Liquid Internal Power coursing through the body, the muscles, bones, and meridians undergo a fundamental transformation—becoming as tough as steel or iron, vastly increasing the Martial General’s offensive capabilities.
As for the Martial Lord, he had no idea.
But Andrew Han understood deeply: blood refinement defines the Martial Artist realm, marrow cleansing defines the Martial General realm. The form of Internal Power simply matches the state—this is the fundamental law of martial arts.
But right now.
He had forcibly broken free from this fundamental order, reaching the Condensed Mist state while still at First Rank.
It was like entering university at the age of fourteen or fifteen, when the proper age should be eighteen... University was equivalent to the Condensed Mist state, and age was akin to the Martial Artist realm.
"So."
"The only real difference between me and Martial Artists is blood refinement." Andrew couldn't help but shake his head and laugh. The Graywhite Aura had endowed him with unimaginable endurance and physical strength, likely surpassing even Martial Artists.
Time slipped by as Andrew sorted out his thoughts.
In truth, all of this stemmed from the Graywhite Aura. As early as the Middle Third Rank, he had already laid a foundation of extraordinary power; by Second Rank, he had leapt far beyond the supposed limit.
Above the Second Rank limit was the Thirty-Thousand-Pound Strength.
Beyond the First Rank limit was the abnormal Condensed Mist fused strength.
"Forget it."
"With my fusion already at sixty percent, I'll wait until I advance to Martial Artist before I analyze it in detail. After all, this isn't a bad thing."
A smile appeared on Andrew's face as he left the track.
By now it was already seven in the morning. Some students were up early for a run and had noticed Andrew, deep in thought—some admired him, some ignored him, others simply shook their heads in silence.
Andrew ran quickly.
Some students who had only just arrived ten minutes ago had already been overtaken by Andrew three or four times, leaving them feeling unsettled and filled with all sorts of emotions.
......
By noon.
Andrew had completed all registration procedures, and stopped by the dorm management office to request a replacement for the iron bunk bed he'd shattered—now swapped for a brand new one.
The teacher in charge of registration gave Andrew a strange look.
He knew that Third Rank Martial Arts students possessed immense strength, but Andrew was the first at Southland University to collapse a bunk bed on the very first day.
He simply couldn’t figure it out.
What kind of exercise could possibly do this?
"Ahem."
Andrew saw off the curious teacher, returned to his room, and looked at the brand new bunk bed, silently swearing to himself, "Next time, I’ll control my strength."
Swish.
Swish.
He casually drank two tubes of nutrient serum, preparing to resume his stance training.
Buzz!
A heavy vibration sounded softly.
Andrew paused, picked up the Martial Communicator by his bed, unlocked it, and saw a message group created by Middle Martial Artist Ethan Cheng.
"Tanya Li, Andrew, I’m fifty kilometers south of Amberbrook Township."
"After investigation, the black-clad man who distributed the cards was indeed a Possessed Specter. This means the mission isn’t finished yet—I need your help."
Seeing this, Andrew frowned... Was the card he received at Muquan Township really the work of a Specter?
But the problem was.
He had just finished university registration. Leaving school right away didn’t feel right for his student identity.
But Andrew quickly reminded himself... His main identity was as a Peerless First Rank rivaling Martial Artists, not as a student. This was the difference between living at Southland University and having his heart in the Martial Arts World.
Hmm.
Amberbrook Township.
Andrew pursed his lips, tapped the screen of his communicator, and found Amberbrook’s location—over two hundred kilometers from Greenfield City, already near the provincial border.
So close to the border?
He frowned, hesitation flickering in his eyes.
His Master had once warned him: Before reaching Martial General, he must not go to provincial borders alone, even for official missions.
On the screen.
Tanya Li sent a message: Why did you go there? Thirty kilometers further and you’ll reach Southvale Province’s border.
Ethan replied: I know, but I had no choice. The chase led me here, and I’ve already trapped the Specter in a mountain valley—I’m determined to kill it.
Tanya was silent for a while, then sighed: An intelligent Possessed Specter is truly lethal. If it escapes into another province, it could easily cause hundreds of deaths.
Ethan seemed impatient: When will you arrive? If you don’t come, I’ll invite other Martial Artists.
Tanya sent a voice message: I’ve just finished another mission and I’m nearby. I expect to arrive before nightfall, but don’t go any closer to the border—I won’t approach it lightly. Besides, Andrew just reported to Southland University, don’t drag him into this. The two of us are enough.
Okay!
Ethan replied, then said no more.
Meanwhile, Andrew stood in his dorm and sighed, wordless for a long time... He wanted to help, but the wisest choice was to avoid unnecessary danger.
In short.
He couldn’t afford to die—not yet.
With Peerless Prodigy potential, and the mysterious Graywhite Aura, Martial Lord was almost certainly within reach—and perhaps not even his true ceiling. Even if he needed life-and-death tempering, he had to keep risk within limits.
Border zones were simply too dangerous.
Andrew thought it over: If he couldn’t go, he could just return the reward from the last mission. So he sent Tanya a WeChat message, apologizing.
He wasn’t afraid of death.
But he had to wait until his sister Lucy’s hidden danger was resolved. If he acted on impulse, he might die before reaching Martial Lord.
After a while.
Tanya replied with a laughing emoji: "You’re at the extreme of First Rank, you shouldn’t take such risks. No need to apologize. Unless it’s a close friend’s plea and you truly want to help, any accepted mission can be canceled."
You can cancel missions?
Andrew was stunned, shaking his head with a wry smile.
He remembered that his Muquan Township mission had been forced on him by his Master.
"You haven’t adapted to the Martial Arts World yet. Remember, whatever decision or choice you make—just answer to yourself. Needless emotions lead to disaster." Tanya reminded him, then stopped replying.
Clearly.
Tanya had already gone to help Ethan.
Exhale.
Andrew stopped thinking about it and continued practicing the Complete Solar Pillar Stance.
......
Time passed slowly. During this period, Kevin Lin visited, and some upperclassmen from the student union and clubs came to promote their groups, inviting Andrew to join.
At Southland University, Martial Arts students still held deterrent power.
If a Martial Arts student was a department officer or club member, whether dining out or organizing events on campus, there was no need to worry about trouble.
As for the invitations—
Andrew naturally refused them all.
At this point, his mind was focused entirely on Martial Arts training; he had no time for activities.
......
About five hours later.
Chirp chirp.
Outside his dorm window, birds occasionally flew by, singing crisply—it was already dusk.
Rustle.
Standing in the small living room, Andrew felt his blood-energy flow through his body like a stream; if you pressed close, you could even hear its powerful rush.
Unfortunately, the fusion rate had stabilized and was no longer skyrocketing.
"Even so, my advancement to Martial Artist will be much faster—I’ll probably break through by late October." Andrew released the Solar Pillar Stance and wiped sweat from his face.
After resting for a bit.
He took out his phone and sent a video call request to his mother, Linda Chen.
Ding dong.
Ding dong.
The call connected—a round, rosy face filled the screen, big watery eyes shining, waving her little hand with joy: "Brother! Brother!"
It was Lucy.
She didn’t really know what a video call was, but seeing her brother made her ecstatic.
"Haha, you’re so happy." Andrew’s eyes crinkled as he smiled and asked, "How was your day, Lucy? Did you learn anything new?"
Lucy proudly cradled the phone, propped her face on her hands, and lay on the sofa: "Lucy learned kindness today."
Linda Chen chimed in: "Old Mr. Newman is truly wise and learned."
Uh.
Andrew tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Miles Ning, eccentric as he was, turned out to be a master of early childhood education. Andrew could never guess what his Master was thinking.
But with his Master watching over them, the family was safe.
Slap.
Lucy’s chubby little palm landed lightly on the screen, and she said in a childish voice: "Kindness means refusing strangers’ requests for help, and being good to Dad, Mom, and Brother."
Andrew smiled: "That’s right."
On the screen, Lucy shook her little head twice, a bit proud, her pale hand waving repeatedly above the camera.