After breakfast, and following the customary boastful monologue from his Aunt Lin Le, Lin Ming prepared to head to school.
His mother, Mai, called out, "Today's the combat assessment, Ming. Be careful."
"Understood, Your Majesty, Mother," Lin Ming replied, stepping out of the house with his first objective clear in his mind: farm Battle Will Points.
The atmosphere at the Dragon Fly Preparatory Combat School was electric. Students streamed through the gates, huddling in groups to gossip or, more likely, to badmouth someone else.
"Attention all cadets," a voice boomed from the PA system, echoing across the campus. "The 1v1 combat assessment is about to begin. All cadets, please assemble at the main training ground."
Lin Ming blended into the crowd of students lining up. An instructor with a clipboard called out the first pairings.
"Lin Ming!"
"Here," he answered.
His first opponent: Khang. A notorious school bully.
Khang shot Lin Ming a contemptuous sneer. "Slum-rat Ming. Ready to eat dirt?" he taunted.
Lin Ming remained perfectly calm, his lack of a response only infuriating Khang further. The system interface materialized in his mind's eye.
[Name: Lin Ming]
[Age: 16]
[Cultivation Realm: N/A (Consume 1000 Battle Will Points to unlock cultivation and enter the early stage of Qi Refining)]
[Battle Will Points: 0]
[System Reminder: Host, please proceed to beat this arrogant punk into next week.]
"Begin!" the instructor yelled.
The moment the word was spoken, Khang charged forward, throwing a clumsy punch straight at Lin Ming's face.
Lin Ming didn't dodge. He took the punch square on the nose.
[+55 Battle Will Points for receiving a damaging blow to the face.]
"Nice punch," Lin Ming said, clutching his nose.
Seeing Lin Ming's mockery, Khang flew into a rage, launching a furious storm of punches and kicks that rained down on Lin Ming's body. The system notifications began to chime in a frenzy.
[Received 15 punches. +799 Battle Will Points.]
[Received 6 kicks. +360 Battle Will Points.]
[Received 1 kick to the 'groin'. +500 Battle Will Points. System Note: Dodging this attack may be more comfortable for the Host's testicles.]
The students watching the fight began to whisper amongst themselves.
"This is brutal," said Student A.
"Tough luck for Lin Ming, getting Khang in the first round," added Student B.
Just then, Lin Ming's hand shot out and grabbed Khang's ankle mid-kick.
"Hold on," Lin Ming wheezed. "Gimme... thirty seconds... to catch my breath."
The entire arena fell silent. The students were stunned. Khang, also stunned, froze in place, staring blankly at Lin Ming. Seizing the moment, Lin Ming stepped back and quickly checked his system.
[Name: Lin Ming]
[Age: 16]
[Cultivation Realm: N/A]
[Battle Will Points: 1714]
[Point History: +500 (from 1 kick to the groin), +360 (from 6 kicks), +799 (from 15 punches), +55 (from 1 punch to the face)]
Perfect! The glorious moment had arrived.
[-1000 Points have been allocated to Cultivation Realm.]
[Congratulations, Host, for breaking through to the Early Stage of Qi Refining! A Newbie Gift Pack has been awarded!]
A torrent of power surged into Lin Ming's body from the world around him. His body greedily absorbed it. The energy circulated through his meridians forty-nine times before finally gathering in his dantian (the area around his navel), forming a miniature energy vortex.
"HAAAAH!" Lin Ming let out a shout of pure ecstasy. His body felt flooded with strength. His muscles, previously underdeveloped from malnourishment, began to swell, giving him a lean but toned physique.
The students stared, mouths agape. The instructor stared, mouth agape. Khang stared, mouth agape.
Lin Ming looked at Khang. "My turn to fight back, heh heh," he said, advancing with an unnerving grin.
He dashed forward in a blur. A swift heel kick struck Khang's temple.
THWACK! CRASH!
Khang collapsed in a heap, unconscious before he could even register how he had lost.
The entire school was silent. The instructor was silent.
Three seconds later...
An explosion of cheers erupted from the stands. Everyone was floored by the sudden reversal. Lin Ming, who had been getting beaten to a pulp just moments ago, had won in an instant.
"LIN MING, I LOVE YOU!" some overexcited male student shamelessly shouted.
The fight over, Lin Ming walked towards the rest area. His eyes swept across the crowd and landed on a girl. "Su Quyen." His ex-wife from his previous life. Beautiful, intelligent. The cherished daughter of a high-ranking ASEAN official.
Power, influence, and background. It had been incredibly difficult for them to be together in the past, thanks to the fierce opposition from her family, who looked down on Lin Ming for being poor and unremarkable.
She had died in 2047, in a massacre where he was powerless to protect her. A wave of regret washed over him.
Their eyes met.
The look of unfamiliarity in her eyes was a dagger to his heart.
"It won't be like that this time," Lin Ming whispered, his lips barely moving as she watched him with a confused expression. "I will protect you."
She then turned back to continue talking with her friends.
The instructor finally snapped out of his stupor and bellowed, "Winner, Lin Ming! Next pair!"
Lin Ming sat down in the rest area, his mind already racing. 'I hope I get a stronger opponent next time.'
He checked his system.
[Name: Lin Ming]
[Age: 16]
[Cultivation Realm: Qi Refining - Early Stage (Consume 2000 Battle Will Points to advance to Mid Stage)]
[Battle Will Points: 714]
[Point History: +500 (from 1 kick to the groin), +360 (from 6 kicks), +799 (from 15 punches), +55 (from 1 punch to the face)]
Just then, Khang stumbled over, having regained consciousness. He glared at Lin Ming. "You got lucky, you slum dog! Next time I see you, I'll turn you into pulp!"
Lin Ming just smirked. "Fine by me. This monk fears no one."