Martial arts have become extinct worldwide, yet I am forced to have a large family.

"I'm late! I'm late! I'm going to be late!"

On a campus path in the early morning, a figure was running frantically, muttering to himself.

"I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night!"

"If that bastard Yang Xian catches me again, who knows what excuse he'll use to threaten me into doing something!"

The speaker was Nan Shunian.

As soon as she finished speaking, another figure appeared beside her like a ghost and ran alongside her.

"Oh, so you're talking badly about me behind my back first thing in the morning? Am I really that bad?"

Upon hearing this, Nan Shunian was so startled that she almost fell over.

She turned her head sharply, and what came into view was that face that she both loved and hated.

"Yang, Yang Xian?" The gray-haired girl's eyes widened. "You overslept too?"

The scene from just now flashed through Yang Xian's mind instantly.

He couldn't help but cough, and mumbled, "Cough! I guess so?"

"Is that so?"

Nan Shunian immediately seized on the loophole in his words, scrutinizing him from head to toe. "Something's not right. This isn't like you."

She suddenly leaned closer, sniffed him, and gave him a mischievous smile.

"Tell me! Are you lost in the arms of some sister, completely oblivious to everything else?"

"Let me guess... Is it the ice queen Luo Bingyan? Or those twin sisters?"

According to Nan Shunian, Yang Xian must have done something bad after his "birthday party" last night.

This guy is surrounded by way too many beautiful girls!

"Neither!" Yang Xian denied it outright.

"Not them? Then who is it?" Nan Shunian's gossip fire burned fiercely:

"Could it be... your childhood sweetheart, Bai Chuyi?"

"I didn't realize you liked that kind of dull, nerdy type."

"It couldn't possibly be that Xu Huanhuan, could it?"

Yang Xian's face darkened, and he said with a forced smile:

"It seems necessary to increase your training volume today."

"It'll be perfect for you to vent all your excess energy."

Nan Shunian's smile instantly froze on her face:

"A tonic!"

"Yang Xian, I was wrong!"

"It was my fault for being so talkative! I'll never say it again!"

------

The two joked and teased each other all the way, and finally arrived at the training ground on time.

Pushing open the door, Du Gu and Liang Gaoyi were already waiting inside.

"Good morning, mentor. Good morning, senior." Yang Xian and Nan Shunian quickly greeted each other.

Liang Gaoyi nodded gently to the two of them in response.

"Good morning, everyone." Du Gu nodded. "Come in quickly, I'd like to tell you about the freshman competition."

The two walked into the empty training ground.

Du Gu cleared his throat and began to explain the competition rules:

"This freshman competition is mainly divided into two stages."

"The first stage involves selecting the top fifty from all the new students through a challenge-and-defend format. Each participant has three opportunities to go up on stage to challenge or defend their title."

"In the second stage, the top fifty selected will participate in a free-for-all. Everyone will enter the same arena at the same time, and the person who is still standing at the end will be ranked higher."

This competition format differs from the regular one-on-one elimination tournament. It avoids the possibility of strong players being unexpectedly eliminated due to early encounters, and also gives those who are slightly weaker but good at seizing opportunities a chance to survive.

It can better test a martial artist's comprehensive abilities, including endurance, tactics, and on-the-spot adaptability.

However, none of this mattered to Yang Xian.

He's determined to get first place.

If Nan Shunian were to be more ambitious and make it into the top fifty, it wouldn't be difficult for me to easily get her second place.

Just then, Liang Gaoyi suddenly spoke up:

"Teacher, I also want to participate in this freshman competition."

Upon hearing this, Du Gu immediately frowned: "You? What are you doing here, a mid-stage Second Realm cultivator?"

Among the freshmen at Chengwu University, there are many with exceptional talents, and some have even reached the third realm.

The vast majority of people are of a higher level than Liang Gaoyi.

Isn't he just asking for trouble by going there now?

"I recently mastered a new Xuan-level boxing technique, and I'd like to try it out on stage," Liang Gaoyi said firmly. "Incidentally, I also want to gain more practical combat experience."

"Nonsense!" Du Gu's tone became sterner. "That kind of low-level combat experience is completely useless to you; it's a complete waste of time!"

"Can……"

Liang Gaoyi wanted to argue, but under Du Gu's stern gaze, he finally lowered his head and said, "...You're right."

Seeing Liang Gaoyi's dejected look, Yang Xian felt a pang of unease.

Yesterday at the logistics department, if Liang Gaoyi hadn't appeared in time, Xiaobai and I probably would have had to waste a lot more time and effort.

He remembered this favor.

Now, it's time to pay it back.

"Professor Du, I think you should let the senior participate," Yang Xian stepped forward.

Du Gu turned his gaze to him, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Yang Xian continued, neither humble nor arrogant:

The saying goes, "What you learn from books is never enough; you must put it into practice to truly understand."

"In the path of martial arts, you can't go far by working in isolation. Combat experience, regardless of level, is a valuable asset."

"Moreover, true strength is honed through countless battles, not through mere daydreaming in the training ground."

Du Gu looked at Yang Xian and remained silent for a moment.

"Sigh! You brat, do you think I don't know these principles?" He sighed and waved his hand.

"Forget it, anyway, it'll be hard for you to make any further progress after you reach the second realm."

"Consider it a vacation for you, get out and stretch your muscles!"

After saying that, Du Gu turned and left the training ground, seemingly unwilling to say anything more.

Nan Shunian looked at this and then that, and whispered to Yang Xian, "The way the mentor and senior are talking is so strange, like an encrypted call. I can't understand a word they say."

"I don't know either," Yang Xian shook his head.

What is all this about?

What does it mean that "low-level combat experience is useless"?

For someone like Senior Liang who clearly lacks practical experience, shouldn't any combat experience be the most lacking thing?

Playing more games can't hurt.

Furthermore, since it is known that Senior Liang's F-level talent will be difficult to improve after reaching the second realm, why force him to keep cultivating?

They even prevented him from participating in competitions to gain experience?

Isn't this a complete contradiction?