Chapter 5: Intermediate Martial Apprentice

"Wait!" Evan Norman froze. Why had he not encountered a realm barrier? In the Splendid Origin Kingdom, Martial Artists were divided into three ranks. The lowest was the Martial Apprentice, followed by the Martial Master, with the Martial Ancestor standing at the peak. Legends claimed that there was an even higher realm above the Martial Ancestor, known as the Martial Venerable. Martial Artists underwent grueling Body Cultivation training to increase their strength. However, the human body had its limits. Once a Martial Artist reached one of those limits, their strength could no longer improve. Unless they broke through it. That was why cultivation was a process of breaking through one limit after another. The first limit was the might of ten thousand pounds. After breaking through it, a Martial Artist's maximum strength rose to the might of three thousand pounds. Evan Norman had broken through his first strength limit over a year ago, successfully entering the realm of the might of ten thousand pounds. That had made him a Beginner Martial Apprentice. His next limit was the might of three thousand pounds. Once he broke through it, he would become an Intermediate Martial Apprentice. Yet he already possessed the might of four thousand pounds, and he still had not touched his limit. What was going on? "Is this because of the Nine Cycles Heaven-Plundering Scripture?" Evan Norman's heart pounded. A supreme art powerful enough to cause Colin Umpleby's death could hardly be ordinary. Not only had it increased Evan Norman's strength at an astonishing rate, but it had also pushed his upper limit beyond all common sense. "No one can ever find out about this Cultivation Method." Evan Norman clenched his teeth inwardly. Otherwise, it would bring him immense trouble. Unless he became powerful enough first. His strength had increased so explosively that it was naturally a good thing. Unfortunately, it came with a side effect. Evan Norman was hungry again. He set down the wild wolf he had been carrying and started roasting it. To be honest, the meat tasted awful. It did not even have a grain of salt on it. Fortunately, he was so hungry that he could not afford to care about the taste. After cultivating the Nine Cycles Heaven-Plundering Scripture twice, Evan Norman had reached a conclusion. Once his Soul Power was completely depleted, it would fully recover within a day. In other words, he could cultivate the Nine Cycles Heaven-Plundering Scripture every day. If he increased his strength by two thousand pounds each day, then in just three more days, he would possess the might of ten thousand pounds. What did that mean? The strength of a Beginner Martial Master started at the might of ten thousand pounds! In Sunrise City, Martial Masters represented the highest level of combat power. It was said that even the strongest person in the city, the City Lord, was only an Intermediate Martial Master. From start to finish, Evan Norman needed only five days to stand shoulder to shoulder with a Beginner Martial Master. In seven or eight days, he would be able to challenge an Intermediate Martial Master. No one would believe such a claim if he told them. A faint smile touched Evan Norman's lips. Once he healed the injuries to his meridians, he would have nothing to fear from anyone in Sunrise City. "Adoptive father, I will avenge you." Evan Norman clenched his fist. After enduring the warmth and cruelty of human relationships, he missed the kindness his adoptive father had shown him more than ever. Unfortunately, his adoptive father had been murdered three years ago. Evan Norman knew who the killer was, but his strength was nowhere near sufficient for revenge. All he could do was endure. He would not have to wait much longer. On the third day, Evan Norman stopped gathering herbs and focused solely on hunting. The might of four thousand pounds was terrifying. As long as he hit his target, he could hurl a spear from far away and knock down any tiger or wolf in a single strike. Even if he missed, it did not matter. Against his current strength, a tiger was not exactly a house cat, but it was no longer overwhelmingly powerful, either. The most important thing was that his strength continued to rise at a frantic pace. That afternoon, he cultivated the Nine Cycles Heaven-Plundering Scripture again. He drew upon the power of Heaven and Earth and transformed it into his own strength. Evan Norman's strength rose to the might of six thousand pounds, yet he still had not touched the ceiling of his second limit. Good heavens! The starting point of an Advanced Martial Apprentice was the might of six thousand pounds! On the fourth day, Evan Norman's strength reached the might of eight thousand pounds. On the fifth day, it reached the might of ten thousand pounds. At last, Evan Norman felt that he had reached his limit. An indescribable restraint existed within his body, suppressing his strength at this level and preventing it from rising any further. Evan Norman decided to return. He had experience breaking through limits. It required constant high-intensity training to squeeze out his potential and shatter the barrier. However, his meridians were damaged, making such training impossible. He had to return and prepare the Dragon Tiger Paste. Once his injuries healed, he could break through his limit. His strength as an Intermediate Martial Apprentice would actually be equal to the starting point of other people's Beginner Martial Master realm. He had surpassed two entire realms! Who would believe it? Evan Norman headed toward the edge of the mountain. Great Cloud Mountain was enormous, and he had traveled quite far over the past few days. A single day was not enough to get him back to the academy. That did not matter. He could spare one more day. However, he could not let his Soul Power go to waste, so Evan Norman continued cultivating the Nine Cycles Heaven-Plundering Scripture. Heaven and Earth Energy surged toward him and transformed into strength, but his body encountered another limit and could not grow any stronger. The opposing forces collided inside him, and as more energy poured in, the conflict became increasingly violent. Evan Norman felt as if his entire body had been inflated with air and might burst at any moment. Just as he was about to stop, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. At the same time, his whole body relaxed. The surging energy began flowing into him without resistance, transforming into his strength. His limit had been broken! Evan Norman stared in astonishment. He had actually broken through his second limit even more easily than the first. According to the academy, each limit was more difficult to break than the last. That was why Martial Apprentices made up a full tenth of the population of the Splendid Origin Kingdom, while Martial Masters accounted for only one in ten thousand. Martial Ancestors were even rarer, numbering fewer than one in ten million. Yet Evan Norman's second breakthrough had been easier than his first. The Nine Cycles Heaven-Plundering Scripture! Evan Norman drew a deep breath. He had gained an entirely new appreciation for the importance of this Cultivation Method. He did not stop. Instead, he continued circulating the Nine Cycles Heaven-Plundering Scripture and allowed his strength to rise further. The might of twelve thousand pounds. Evan Norman believed that once he healed his meridians, then combined that strength with the countless Martial Techniques in his mind, he could even contend with an Intermediate Martial Master. Within a few days, he would be able to crush an Intermediate Martial Master, and perhaps even an Advanced Martial Master. After traveling for more than half a day, Evan Norman finally returned to the academy. The moon already hung high overhead. Perfect timing. Evan Norman went to the infirmary. He needed equipment to prepare the medicine, and the infirmary had everything he required. With his current strength, prying open the lock was effortless. Various medicinal ingredients were locked inside the cabinets, but Evan Norman did not bother with them. He only needed to borrow the equipment. He began preparing the medicine. His movements flowed as smoothly as water, practiced and precise, as if he had spent countless years immersed in the craft. "Done." When the sun rose, a smile spread across Evan Norman's face. He had prepared five bottles of Hemostatic Powder in total. How effective was it? According to Colin Umpleby's memories, its ability to stop bleeding was astonishing. However, Evan Norman was still a beginner and did not know whether he had made some minor error along the way. He needed to test it.