Realm-Hopping Martial Master

I spent a day traveling between two worlds.

One time was while I practiced the Horse Stance.

The other time was, yeah, also while I practiced the Horse Stance.

When I returned from the world of the Da Jing Dynasty, it was already past six in the morning, and the biting cold wind pierced through the cracks in the window, hitting Jiang Shu square on.

"Qi Blood Transport even saved me the money for a down jacket. If you round it up, it's like I just earned a few grand."

"Today, a senior brother broke through to the Grand Circle of Qi Blood at Hungry Tiger Martial Arts Hall, but because he was too old, he couldn't become an official disciple. He had to leave the hall and get recruited by some rich family to become a high-ranking Protector."

"Seems like with Martial Arts, the faster you improve the better. Once you're late, there's no path upward, you just end up as some rich guy's Protector, stuck in a tiny county for the rest of your life."

*Solidified classes, resources divided up by the upper crust. For regular folks without talent, is there even the tiniest way out? Luckily, I've got my cheat code.*

"Teacher Yan said there's a big Martial Arts lecture today. No idea if the higher-ups will spill any new info."

I casually stretched my limbs, glanced at my panel, and leaped lightly off the bed. Wearing only my underwear, I pulled on my school uniform and pushed open the door.

Xuanxing calendar, 2027, March 1. Monday.

The morning sunlight shone down on every patch of land in Ji City.

Ji City No. 5 High School.

When Jiang Shu arrived, it was exactly eight o'clock. The campus speakers played gentle music while the leader's voice came on, asking homeroom teachers to organize their students and bring them in an orderly fashion to the athletic field.

"Phew, if only we could have this kind of big lecture every day, where they talk for an hour or two straight. Just like today, I get to skip math and English classes."

"Kid, you're still too young. You don't understand yet, but every 'gift' destiny gives you has a secret price tag attached. You skip math today and English tomorrow, but then your college entrance scores drop a point or two, and there goes your dream college."

"Get lost, man. You shake my fucking bunk all night and now you're pretending to be some sage. 'Gift from destiny, dream college.' What college are you even gonna get into? I think that X Institute from the app reviews would suit you perfectly. X Tech's gate faces west—no phoenixes, just lost souls coming out."

"Damn, is there really such a cool school? Alright, I'll put it down as my first choice!"

"???"

At every classroom doorway in the building, students had already lined up. Jiang Shu made his way to the back of his own class's line, naturally standing at the end, then followed the crowd downstairs toward the field.

Soon enough, the athletic field filled up with students from all three grades.

After the flag-raising ceremony finished like usual, the school leader stepped onto the podium, tapped the mic, and said,

"Teachers, students, good morning! After a whole winter break and a few days of getting settled back at school, I trust everyone's full of energy and ready to dive into their studies. I wish all of you steady progress and ever-higher achievements."

"Since ancient times in Xia Country, we say, 'The pen secures the world, the sword keeps it safe.' For over three months now, Xia Country has been promoting Martial Arts and the Horse Stance. Our school specially invited Mr. Zheng from Shengjing to share with us the real secrets of Martial Arts."

"Now, let's welcome Mr. Zheng with a big round of applause!"

Applause washed over the field like high tide.

A middle-aged man in a black jacket climbed up to the flag platform, thousands of students' eyes fixed on him.

"Good morning, students, my name is Zheng Yanbo. Today, I'm honored to be at Ji City No. 5 High School to talk to you about Martial Arts in Xia Country. For those keeping up with the news, you probably know today isn't just our school's big Martial Arts lecture—other high schools in town are joining in too."

"Last November, our Xia Country officially brought Martial Arts into the college entrance system. Horse Stance small success, Qi Blood Sensing? You get direct admission to undergrad! Horse Stance Great Success, Qi Blood Transport? Straight into Key Universities! And with Horse Stance Perfection? The Grand Circle of Qi Blood? You go directly into the top academies! That alone shows how much Xia Country values Martial Arts."

"I know a lot of you are still hesitant, still wondering, 'If I get into college with Martial Arts, what majors can I pick? Will my degree even mean anything when I graduate? In this internet age, in an era of hot weapons, what's the point of Martial Arts anyway?'"

"Well, I'm here today to tell you."

Zheng Yanbo paused, scanning the crowd.

Just as he expected, not many students on the field were actually listening closely.

With his sharp eyesight, he could see every student's expression with total clarity.

Some glanced around, chatting and giggling, some bowed their heads or looked up in a daze, and even in the front rows, a handful already sat with eyes closed, catching some shut-eye.

*Maybe only years from now will they suddenly realize: on this seemingly ordinary morning, the gears of fate had already started turning.*

"Martial Arts is going to surpass every other major! Martial Arts is different from any academic subject. Right now, typical college grads are scrambling to send out resumes, searching desperately for any work, hoping to land a job for a few thousand bucks a month, living a nine-to-five that's predictable and deadening."

"Liberal Arts, Science, Engineering—it's tough to actually change your fate with any of those. But with Martial Arts? That's your leap from fish to dragon! No joke!"

"Qi Blood Sensing, 300 pounds of force. Qi Blood Transport, 600 pounds. Grand Circle of Qi Blood, 900 pounds. After that, you become a real Martial Artist. Inner Strength surges in your body, your punch explodes the air—one blow is worth a thousand pounds!"

"Bright Force! Dark Force! Transforming Force!"

"These are the three new Martial Arts Realms just issued in Xia Country. You don't need to know what separates them. Just know—even a Bright Force Martial Artist at the first Realm will outrank your average civil servant! For rides—train or plane—it's all free! Any tourist attraction? Go in and out as you like!"

"For work, as long as you're interested, you can apply to any high school in Xia Country—and you're guaranteed a Martial Arts teaching job!"

Zheng Yanbo didn't speak fast; in fact, none of this info had been released to the public before.

So as soon as the words left his mouth, an uproar swept the crowd.

The students didn't think much—it's not like they'd tried job-hunting yet. The perks that shocked them most were the status, the travel for free, the endless vacation possibilities—a direct hit to their restless hearts.

The teachers, though, thought deeper. Martial Arts added to college entrance, Martial Artists ranked above civil servants, free access to teaching jobs in any high school, and now today's full-on government push for Martial Arts…

All of it screamed just how much Xia Country's top brass cared about Martial Arts—way more than they could imagine!

Martial Arts wasn't just some top-down whim!

The falling of a single leaf can foretell autumn for the whole world.

Yan Dehou adjusted his glasses, unable to resist glancing at Jiang Shu, who stood at the very end of their line.

Meanwhile, up on the platform, Zheng Yanbo's voice didn't skip a beat as he said each word clearly.

The final news hit like a bomb exploding on the surface of water,

"But all this? Still isn't enough! Nowhere near enough to show how much Xia Country values Martial Arts!"

"From this moment on, Bright Force Martial Artists will officially receive national Martial Arts allowance."

"No need to work—ten thousand a month!"