Chapter One: A Hundredfold Comprehension

"Martial arts are the future; strength is protection."
"If you wish to safeguard Blue Star, to defend your home, strive to improve yourself—sweat until your last drop is spent, exhaust every ounce of your passion."
"There are only seven days left until the Martial Arts Entrance Exam. As the saying goes, better to sharpen your blade at the last minute than not at all, and you still have seven whole days. Treat these seven days as if they were seven years."
"If you do poorly in the martial exam, you’ll be forced to take the academic one. Think about it: while your classmates shine across the globe, step through the Gates to the Myriad Worlds, soar among the stars, and attain immortality, you’ll be slogging through overtime, still toiling over groceries and daily drudgery..."

Jiang Ming was still in a daze, the memory of his homeroom teacher waving his fist and spitting words of fiery encouragement before dismissal ringing relentlessly in his mind.

He had transmigrated.

Absorbing the memories, he was profoundly shocked.

This was a world beyond modernity, where martial practice was universal and martial arts flourished.

There were martial masters who opened celestial realms and forged stars.
There were martial masters who stepped into the battlefields of countless realms, waging war across the universe.
And so on.
Utterly incredible.

Even the college entrance exam was split into the Martial Exam and the Academic Exam.
The martial exam came first, the academic second. Failing the martial exam meant you could only take the academic, consigning you to be a mere cog in the machinery of society.

The martial exam was a national celebration, broadcast live, with city, provincial, and federal champions crowned.
To say nothing of being the sole federal champion—even being the city champion would catapult you to dizzying heights.

"Heh, Xiao Ming, check out those long legs!" Wang, the chubby boy beside him, chuckled.

"Long legs?" Jiang Ming was momentarily taken aback and glanced at a virtual screen projected from a nearby foot spa. A pair of fair, long legs was advertising: 'Half-price for all Martial Exam candidates; free for students ranked in the city’s top hundred for one month.'

"Heh, that’s every man’s dream, Xiao Ming. Work hard and make it into the top hundred, then you can enjoy yourself to the fullest," the chubby boy winked suggestively. "Want me to take you for a sneak peek? Get familiar with the place?"

"Get lost! I’m saving my innocence for my future wife!"

"Oh, please. We men all know how it is!"

The two were desk mates and friends.

At the intersection, they parted ways.

"Xiao Ming, coming again tomorrow?"
"No, I’ll be training at home!"
"Good luck!"
"Good luck!"

Jiang Ming walked on in silence.

From his memories, he knew his talent was average; in terms of martial arts, he was only a middling student in his class. After years of training, he hadn’t even reached the level where bone and sinew resonate in harmony.

Even if he took the martial exam, he would at best get into an ordinary martial arts academy.

Jiang Ming scratched his head, but just then, a mechanical chime sounded in his mind.

"Ding: System activated."

"Ding: Talent loading..."
"Ding: Talent loading complete."
"Ding: Martial Talent System fully initiated. Current host is at the First Realm of Martial Arts. Temporary talent 'Hundredfold Comprehension' bestowed."
"Ding: Step into the Second Realm of Martial Arts within seven days to permanently solidify this talent, or else it will vanish!"
"Ding: Temporary talent solidifying."
"Ding: Solidification complete!"

Jiang Ming froze as torrents of information surged into his mind. At the same time, it felt as if a veil of dust had been wiped from his soul; with a snap, the world before him became a hundred times clearer.

His thoughts raced, all the memories of this body and even echoes from his past life rising to the surface.

His consciousness seemed to leave his body, merging with heaven and earth, sensing the essence of creation and the mysteries of the void.

"This..."

After the initial shock, Jiang Ming was overwhelmed with joy.

"Is this the legendary benefit of transmigration?"

Taking a deep breath to calm his excitement, he began to sort through the information.

This was the Martial Talent System. Upon reaching each new realm, he would gain a temporary gift and a time-limited challenge.

Only by completing the challenge would the talent become permanent—a true part of himself.

"Talents are usually innate, born of blood and lineage. Now I’m being granted them—am I defying the very heavens?"

Jiang Ming leaned against the wall, deep in thought.

He now clearly understood the power of Hundredfold Comprehension: it enhanced his ability to grasp techniques, skills, or any subject a hundredfold.

It even granted photographic memory.

"Hundredfold Comprehension dramatically boosts understanding, logic, and reasoning, but now I need to temper my body and reach the next realm in seven days—a daunting task!"

The First Martial Realm was the Bone-Tempering Stage. There was no specific strength requirement; put simply, it meant refining the body until power was infused into the bones. When the bones felt tingling and numbness, and the sinews and bones resonated together, that marked mastery.

Going further, you learned to channel and unify your strength, wielding it as easily as your own arm—this was perfection.

At that point, you needed to sense the world, draw in the energy of heaven and earth, and open the dantian and sea of qi within—the Second Martial Realm.

Jiang Ming thought no more and hurried home.

He lived in Jinhua Residential District, an ordinary place.

On the third floor, he unlocked the door and stepped into a three-bedroom apartment—spacious, yet silent.

He could not help but sigh.

He was the only one left in his family.

After a brief inspection, he sat on the sofa to plan his next steps.

To reach the Second Martial Realm in seven days was a slim hope, but he resolved to fight for it. If he succeeded, even just having Hundredfold Comprehension as a permanent talent would ensure smooth progress in martial arts and a promising future.

"To temper the body, nourish blood and energy, and strengthen bone and sinew, I’ll need proper nutrition—which means money!"

"And a training method!"

As Jiang Ming pondered, a screen appeared before his eyes.

Name: Jiang Ming
Cultivation: Bone-Tempering Stage (First Martial Realm)
Techniques: Gentle Fist, Military Fist, Thunder Fist, Ninefold Wild Thunder Slash
Talent: Hundredfold Comprehension (temporarily solidified)
Mission: Break through to the Second Martial Realm in seven days

The information was simple.

The Ninefold Wild Thunder Slash was a saber technique, designed for killing. The martial exam included combat assessments, and his 'previous self' had barely reached the basic level.

Gentle Fist was a body-tempering technique taught in elementary school—universal and easy to learn, with no risk of injury, though its body-forging effects were limited.
It served as the foundation.

In high school, students learned Military Fist, a technique distilled by martial masters and suited for nationwide instruction. However, it was brutal; improper practice could cause injuries, so it was only introduced in high school.

High schoolers had vigorous vitality, fully developed bodies, and strong comprehension—making them ideal practitioners.

As for Thunder Fist? That was a more advanced body-tempering art, difficult to even begin, but with powerful effects upon success.

Besides Gentle Fist and Military Fist, high school students could choose one additional technique.

Most chose to try, but few truly succeeded; the majority relied on Military Fist.

Training proficiency was ranked as Initiate, Basic, Advanced, and Perfected.

From his memories, Jiang Ming knew his Gentle Fist was at the Advanced level, while his Military Fist was only at Basic.

As Jiang Ming thought, the details of Gentle Fist surfaced in his mind. After pondering and slight analysis, he grasped its essence.

He stood and assumed the stance, beginning to practice.

Gentle Fist embodied 'gentleness,' like water—the softest of things, embodying the highest virtue.

Water benefits all things without contention, moistening them silently, gentle as a caress.

With the first round, he fused the achievements of his 'previous self.'
The second, he fully mastered the Advanced level.
The third, his movements became subtle, his force measured to the finest degree, and he perfectly expressed the essence of Gentle Fist.

His body trembled gently; a surge of power rose from deep within, coursed through his limbs, then settled again.

He felt his strength increase.

"So this is the terror of Hundredfold Comprehension?"

Jiang Ming was astounded, then broke into a smile.

He also realized something else:

"When Gentle Fist reaches the Perfected stage, it triggers a burst of potential—so it’s true!"

Exhaling a breath of turbid air, he felt considerably lighter.