Potential

The implication was so clear that Fang Xingjian would have had to be a fool not to understand. Moreover, with his talents, having such a powerful person like Huang Lin to protect him was more than he could have asked for.

Fang Xingjian immediately half kneeled and said, "Master, please accept my bow."

"Alright, alright." Huang Lin laughed, his eyes filled with satisfaction as he looked at Fang Xingjian.

The examiners watching them from the side shook their heads and sighed with regret. Each and every one of them desired a disciple of Fang Xingjian's calibre.

"Congratulations for accepting such a good disciple, Sir."

"Sir has finally accepted another disciple after so many years."

The white-bearded examiner laughed and shook his head, pointing at Huang Lin, "You're good. No wonder you wouldn't say a word when we asked why you gave him full marks for the second round. You had already thought of grabbing him as your disciple. Sigh, I'm feeling so regretful now. Why didn't I see that his Grizzly Bear Sword Technique had passed Level 10?"

"Haha!" Huang Lin smiled and turned towards Fang Xingjian. "You are gifted, I will accept you as my disciple for now." With that, he immediately turned solemn and said, "But I am extremely strict in my teachings. If you don't fulfill my expectations, I will kick you out of the academy."

Fang Xingjian showed no changes in his expression. "I'll listen to your every word, Master."

Huang Lin softened again, saying, "Mm, you may go back now. Come look for me after you've reported at the academy."

This implied that Fang Xingjian had safely passed the Prefectural Selection. Truth be told, given his results, if he had not passed then no one else would have.

Fang Xingjian returned slowly, but stopped in his tracks. After releasing the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth, he had spotted a problem. There was an additional line of numbers at the bottom of his attributes.

Current potential: 123,300.

'Wha… What is that?'

He wanted to research it when he got back, but remembering that this world had been digitized since god knew when, it had to be thorough in their knowledge regarding the Stats Window.

He turned around and asked, "Teacher, I have a question."

Huang Lin nodded. "Speak. But I have to take charge of the examinations, so questions that take up too much time will have to be discussed next time."

Fang Xingjian hurriedly asked, "Teacher, do you know what potential is?" He did not dare to say that it had appeared on his screen, so he asked indirectly.

Hearing that question, the seven examiners present looked at each other before bursting into laughter.

Seeing Fang Xingjian's perplexed look, Huang Lin replied, "You are not of nobility, hence it is normal to not know this. You should have learnt it when you were at The School of Sword Arts. Nurturing Path is the term for the process of accumulating potential to develop one's body and to enhance one's physique, right?"

Seeing him nod, Huang Lin continued. "The potential you are talking about is accumulated through the Nurturing Path. Normally, you wouldn't be able to feel it. Only once you have acquired the Training Path and once you've used your potential would you be able to see it on your screen."

All the examiners present had experienced it before. They nodded whilst listening. Huang Lin saw a hint of realization flash across Fang Xingjian's face and chuckled, "Do you understand now? The Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth was a Training Path technique. You've just unlocked the Potential Indicator on the screen."

"Hmph, trying to act smart with us? Ask us directly the next time you have a question and don't beat around the bush."

Even though Huang Lin was reprimanding him, he still reminded his student, with concern, "In martial arts, the Training Path is effective in enhancing one's physical strength, but it uses up potential every time. When your attributes are between 10 and 19 points, exhausting 10,000 worth of potential would increase 1 point in a selected attribute. When the attributes are between 20 and 29 points, exhausting 20,000 worth of potential would increase 1 point in a selected attribute. From 30 points onwards, exhausting 30,000 worth of potential will increase 1 point in a selected attribute. Correspondingly, at every stage, when enough potential gained from the Training Path techniques is exhausted, you can add some points to a particular attribute, depending on which Training Path technique you practice.

"However, training under a situation where you have insufficient potential will cause bodily harm. When you are practicing, remember not to use up all your potential."

"Your disciple understands. So the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth cultivates strength?"

"That's right. The Nine-Headed Dragon Sword Technique cultivates flexibility.

Alright, you may take your leave."

Fang Xingjian left the examination hall by another walkway. From the beginning, the whole examination process could not not be seen by the other examinees.

He was directed by the staff along the way, and left the Knight Academy for Kirst.

Halfway through, he could not help but start practicing the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth. It was his first time acquiring a sword technique in the Training Path, and he was too curious about the differences between the Training Path and the Nurturing Path, as well as the profoundness behind the former.

Truth be told, it had been difficult for him to keep it in on the way out of the academy.

Displaying the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth, Fang Xingjian took a stride with every swing, and with every stride, the earth seemed to tremble. His energy gradually increased, and after sixteen steps, Fang Xingjian's energy soared throughout his body, and his muscles and bones shook. It was as if a deity had descended, and he seemed to have doubled in size.

Hu~~~

He exhaled gently. After Fang Xingjian stopped, a great amount of perspiration burst out from all of his pores, as if he had just stepped out of a sauna.

'Is this the Training Path? Like the blazing summer, honing one's physical body, triggering one's potential. The training of the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth is indeed extremely tough. It feels tens of times tougher than the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique.'

Fang Xingjian only thought that during the process of practicing the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth his entire body seemed to have been torn apart and gone through a training like never before, especially the muscle fibres in his arms and the sides of his backbone.

After that, Fang Xingjian practiced the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth as he went on his way, and quickly found that every time he trained the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth, 10 potential points would be used up.

When Fang Xingjian was practicing for the twelfth time, the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth rose to level 2, and now each time he performed it 20 potential points would be depleted.

Fang Xingjian took big strides and swung his sword along the way, practicing the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth and hurrying home.

When he reached his rugged home, the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth had reached level 4. His clothes were all soaked in perspiration, he had bloodshot eyes and he looked like a cooked shrimp. Apparently, all his muscles, tendons and bones were emitting a large amount of heat, like a stove, due to the extreme training.

However, he did not stop, probably because the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth was the first Training Path technique he had learnt. Or because he had successfully become a Knight after passing the Prefectural Selection. Or because he had sworn in the powerful Huang Lin as his teacher, who had already gone through the second transition. Or because he felt that he had taken one step closer in his path of revenge. Whatever the reason, he was feeling a little excited tonight.

Feeling the perspiration all over his body, he stripped, revealing a toned body. Fang Xingjian followed up with another practice run of the Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth.

He did this the entire night, coming back for practice after breakfast at The School of Sword Arts. Until late afternoon, his Hegemonic Qi Slash of Heavens and Earth had reached level 6. Each practice run exhausted 60 potential points now, and in all, he had used up more than 20,000 points' worth of potential. He now had 36 points in strength, and to be able to increase an additional point to his strength, he would still need to expend more potential of less than 10,000 points in total.