Chapter 13: Test Results, Ten Years of Cultivation!

Page 1/3
Second update of the day: Chapter 013!
...
"As expected, human strength has its limits, but an explosive output of 40% is not bad," Yu Le exhaled softly.
This first test gave him an understanding of his current upper limit.
His personal ability was clear to him now; while acceptable for an individual, it was not enough to pass the Burning Sky Squad's assessment.
But that didn't matter—he had a cheat!
"Well then, let's give them a little shock!"
Yu Le channeled the power of the World-Shaking Force, attempting to control it, and as his muscles rippled, he threw a punch.
Outside the chamber, Ling Xiao, who had been indifferent, Su Rui, who was sneering, and the other candidates who had passed the preliminary round all stood up.
[Ding, explosive power: 5.6 stone, explosive ratio: 74%]
"Uh, still not precise enough in my control..." Yu Le scratched his head. He had intended for the second test to reach about 60% explosive output, but learning to utilize the World-Shaking Force properly was a process.
If he couldn't even fully master his own body, how could he hope to master the powers derived from it?
Increasing the compatibility between himself and his Life Weapon was also a key aspect of cultivation.
"This score, isn't it wrong?"
It was Su Rui who raised the objection. After all, his own highest explosive ratio was only 70%, and now Yu Le's second test result was on par with his.
If Yu Le had scored high on the first test, it would be one thing, but he had only managed 40% initially, and then jumped by 30% in the second test—who could accept that?
Ling Xiao, who was in charge of the interviews, did not refute him but instead operated the controls on the fully enclosed test chamber.
His voice reached inside: "Yu Le, hold on a moment. I need to verify your second power test."
"Understood," Yu Le's voice replied.
Several people crowded around. A screen appeared on the test chamber displaying the recording of Yu Le's punch, along with other system checks performed by Ling Xiao.
Ultimately, both Yu Le's second punch and the test chamber's diagnostic functions confirmed that the data was accurate.
Ling Xiao stared at the image of Yu Le and nodded. "There is no issue. While his movements lack professional training, judging by the muscle recruitment in his arm, the force of this second punch is indeed far greater than the first."
He then spoke to Yu Le inside the chamber: "Yu Le, your first punch earlier, that was just a casual strike, right?"
"Um... yes," Yu Le replied, keeping a straight face.

Page 2/3
"Not bad, not bad. A casual punch yields 40% explosive power, and a full-effort punch reaches 70%. Are you planning to use your Life Weapon for this third test?"
"Yes."
"Very well, I look forward to seeing an even better performance." Ling Xiao cut the communication.
The others didn't say much, but Su Rui, who had previously held the best score, frowned tightly: "Mr. Ling, isn't it unreasonable for a Yellow-grade Life Weapon Awakened with no training to hit 70% power?"
Ling Xiao glanced at him and said: "I know what you want to say, but talent is not just about the grade of one's Life Weapon. If we were only comparing Life Weapons, wouldn't those of us who aren't Awakened lose the right to even survive?"
Sensing the displeasure in Ling Xiao's tone, Su Rui quickly shook his head: "I didn't mean that..."
Those who are not Awakened, often called the "Abandoned by the Heavens," can improve their standing through drugs and other training methods in the Rock Realm, but reaching the next level becomes extremely difficult.
Compared to the Awakened, becoming a martial artist often involves more investment than return, making it a choice of necessity.
Yu Le's two power tests successfully captured Ling Xiao's attention, making him even more eager for the third round.
Inside the test chamber, Yu Le summoned his Ruyi Fulong Rod. He displayed it at a length of 1.5 meters, in the style of a whistle-rod—narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.
Unlike the previous candidates, Ling Xiao broadcasted Yu Le's test screen live.
"Oh?" Ling Xiao exclaimed in surprise, picking up Yu Le's registration form. "His Yellow-grade weapon is a fishing rod? And from the looks of it, it can extend and retract freely?"
As a Monster Hunter, his instincts were sharp; he recognized the properties of the Fulong Rod at a glance.
However, fishing rod-type Life Weapons that could extend and retract were not exactly rare; the real difference lay in how long they could stretch and how short they could shrink.
What is the biggest difference between humans and animals?
It is that humans can use tools!
This applies to tool-type Life Weapons, just as it does to the Owl-Eagle crossbows Ling Xiao uses!
Through tools, power can be increased geometrically.
In comparison, Su Rui's Profound-grade "Gold-Breaking Knuckle Dusters" had a certain power bonus, but it wasn't significant because they were mainly designed for single-point penetration—the word "Breaking" summed it up.
In terms of raw power enhancement, the Fulong Rod, currently shaped like a rod, was certainly more prominent, even as a Yellow-grade weapon.
However, personal explosive power and equipment power bonuses are two different concepts...
Tools like knuckle dusters don't have high power bonuses, but they have advantages in force application!
Yu Le's arm muscles rippled as he swung the Fulong Rod downward!
If that strike landed solidly, it would be far more painful than a punch. But the test chamber didn't measure the power imbued in the weapon; it calculated the user's explosive output after complex analysis.

Page 3/3
[Ding, explosive power: 7.1 stone, explosive ratio: 93%]
Wow!
Outside the chamber, everyone except Ling Xiao and Su Rui let out gasps of amazement.
"Excellent! The compatibility with his Life Weapon is very high!" Ling Xiao praised.
Su Rui’s chubby face darkened.
After using his Profound-grade weapon and undergoing daily training, his own highest explosive output through the test chamber had only reached 70%!
How could Yu Le, a mere Yellow-grade Awakened, reach a terrifying 93%?
Well... what he didn't know was that Yu Le had held back on this strike. Not only did he avoid using the World-Shaking Force, but he had even reduced the force of his swing.
He might not have had professional combat training, but counting his previous life and this one, he had been fishing for ten years!
Over those ten years, the number of times he had cast a fishing rod was countless.
This single swing contained ten years of mastery—how could anyone compare to that?
Compared to punching, Yu Le's explosive power when swinging the rod was significantly higher. When he first arrived in this world and awakened his Life Weapon, he had tested his explosive power under both conditions.
Back then, his punch only reached 23% explosive force, while swinging the Fulong Rod had already reached 66%!
But that was just his threshold three years ago when he first awakened.
Now, his punch power had increased significantly even without specialized training, and the massive improvement in his rod-swinging power was due to his own Heaven-grade aptitude.
Su Rui’s Profound-grade Gold-Breaking Knuckle Dusters had a force bonus, but at most, it added 10%. There was no reason for Yu Le's Heaven-grade Ruyi Fulong Rod to be inferior to his!
If he used both Heaven-grade abilities, combined with his proficiency in the casting motion, he would undoubtedly exceed 100% of his own explosive power!
No! He wouldn't even need the World-Shaking Force to break that limit!
One's own explosive limit is always 100%, but whether through Life Weapons or other equipment, that limit can be shattered.
The so-called training methods that Yu Le hadn't touched could do the same.
Creak. The door of the test chamber opened. Facing everyone's gaze, Yu Le stepped out.
Ling Xiao walked up, beaming with joy, and grabbed Yu Le’s hand. "Yu Le, you must join our Burning Sky Squad!"