Chapter Fifteen

The students below began to murmur among themselves.

"Could it be that Luo Chen has broken through to Spirit Power Level Four?"

"Impossible! With his character, even the heavens wouldn't favor him!"

"Do you think maybe the testing device is malfunctioning?"

"Yes, that must be it! Luo Chen's results couldn't possibly rise so absurdly. It's just too ridiculous!"

...

Oh, and of course, there's always the possibility that the testing device is faulty.

The instructors naturally shared these doubts. Thus, Hogg, the instructor of Breathing Techniques, stepped forward and delivered a punch to the testing device.

A string of numbers appeared.

Of course, this wasn't a reflection of Hogg's true strength; he was merely testing the apparatus. As a Breathing Techniques instructor, Hogg's control over his strength was particularly precise.

The test completed, he turned to Jason and said, "The testing device is functioning perfectly."

Hogg was an authority, and once he spoke, none of the students dared to question further.

The students' perception was not as sharp as the instructors'. They assumed Luo Chen's sudden leap was due to a breakthrough in spirit power. Compared to them, the knowledgeable instructors found the result even more unbelievable. Could a Level Three Spirit Warrior, without breaking through to Level Four, really improve his test score by over two hundred pounds in just half a month?

Jason was momentarily at a loss for how to comment on this student. Eventually, he cleared his throat and said, "Luo Chen, learning is a journey without end. Please, don't become arrogant!"

This statement yet again revealed Jason's skill with words. To praise Luo Chen now would be inappropriate, but such tremendous progress couldn't go unacknowledged. Neither praising nor criticizing, Jason subtly affirmed Luo Chen's achievement.

How could it be? How could this fellow make such astonishing progress, an absolute leap?

Those who envied Luo Chen, or were displeased with his impact on the class's reputation, and those waiting to see him fail, all found it hard to believe. Even Luo Chen himself was surprised—after his performance beneath the Thunderfall that night, he was certain he'd improved, but he hadn't expected the leap to be so dramatic.

Yet what filled his heart most was excitement. He gave a salute and said, "Instructor Jason, I understand." With that, he returned to the ranks.

The students were then instructed to practice individually in the trial field, while the instructors of Class Six, Year Three, gathered for a discussion—naturally, the topic was Luo Chen.

Class advisor Jason asked, "Everyone, what do you make of Luo Chen's performance just now?"

Wood, the instructor of Defensive Techniques, spoke first. "Luo Chen's great progress is unmistakable. When he struck during the test just now, his stance was far more stable than last time. He barely shifted under the feedback."

Before this test, Luo Chen was only average in the class, but he had always been Wood's favored student, since Luo Chen's diligence under the Thunderfall showed especially in his defensive techniques. Wood kept a close eye on his tests.

Since skills in martial arts, hidden weapons, and agility didn’t show up much in strength tests, and Luo Chen’s results in those areas were mediocre, the instructors didn’t pay much attention. Now, all eyes turned to Hogg, for Luo Chen’s progress in strength clearly stemmed from the Breathing Technique, and Hogg was most qualified to speak.

Gwendoline, the instructor for hidden weapons, said, "Hogg, what do you think? Has Luo Chen been practicing some questionable technique? If so, we need to intervene before this child is led astray and ruins his life."

Among the instructors of Class Six, Gwendoline was the most compassionate; even with Luo Chen's poor reputation, she cared deeply for him.

"No," Hogg replied after a moment's contemplation, "his spirit energy is pure, neither hollow nor restless. Otherwise, the numbers on the testing device would be unstable. I suspect Luo Chen has experienced an 'awakening.'"

"Awakening" is a martial arts term. Occasionally, a spirit warrior will suddenly gain insight—discovering the cultivation path, method, and approach best suited to their own constitution. Then, they surge ahead, rising like a rocket. Unlike the temporary boost that comes from breaking through a bottleneck, awakening leads to sustained, unstoppable progress.

Back in the era of Earth's ancient civilizations, cultural academies sometimes saw mediocre students suddenly advance as if they'd taken a miracle drug. That was the sign of an awakening.

A genius is someone born with exceptional constitution and a remarkably high IQ. By contrast, those who awaken might have ordinary bodies and aren't particularly clever, but the path they choose is perfectly suited to their nature, and their development may outpace even the geniuses, as their bodies and minds undergo a marvelous chemical reaction!

Some families possess secret techniques tailored to their lineage and constitution, yielding notable results for them but unsuitable for outsiders. For example, the Kevin family's Radiant Battle Aura technique, even if understood by others, would produce negligible results—perhaps even less than the Breathing Technique developed by the Hall of Martial Saints, which is designed for the masses.

The effect of awakening is even greater than that of family-specific techniques, but in the realm of spirit power cultivation, awakenings are exceedingly rare—almost legendary, one in ten thousand.

The instructors at Westin Academy were all seasoned, experienced individuals. They had heard of awakenings, and it was the only plausible explanation.

Jason spoke with a hint of excitement. If he had taught an awakened student, it would indeed be a point of pride. "Very well, let's continue to observe. It's said that progress after awakening is unstoppable. If Luo Chen's scores rise dramatically again in the next test, then we'll know for sure!"

In simple terms, awakening is like a sudden explosion of luck, except the awakened one's luck is powerful enough to last, and nobody knows when it will end. If Luo Chen's progress returns to normal next time, then he hasn't awakened.

Awakenings are said to occur more frequently under special circumstances. Could it be that Luo Chen, frightened by that monster, had a lucky explosion and awakened? If so, then this boy is unbelievably fortunate—blessed by disaster!

The instructors were all a bit puzzled.

[If only the luck of thieves could explode like this, and recommendation votes suddenly surged by several hundred, that would be delightful~~~]