"When you get home, place a drop of your blood on the swirling rune at the center of this pass."
His voice was a bit hoarse as he pointed to the black metal card, explaining the instructions to Qin Feng. "It will scan and verify your Empire citizen information, a process that takes about ten seconds. Once you're verified, you can use this card to enter the Subspace Network."
He placed the heavy card into Qin Feng's hand.
"Once you're inside, don't rush to the Imperial Arena. Go to the 'Newcomer Orientation Zone' first. You'll find detailed explanations of all the Subspace Network's functions there. Even a virtual world has its own laws."
Qin Feng accepted the card. It was cool to the touch, with a texture that felt like neither gold nor iron. The runes engraved on its surface shimmered with a faint, silvery light.
He said nothing more, simply storing the card away with care.
"Go on."
Li Weiguo took a step back and looked at the young man before him, who was far more composed than others his age. "Go home and discuss this properly with your family. Fill out your application choices."
He was no longer the pragmatic homeroom teacher obsessed with matriculation rates and bonuses, but a mentor sending his student off on a great expedition.
"Goodbye, Teacher."
Qin Feng bowed deeply to Li Weiguo again.
"Go on," Li Weiguo said with a wave of his hand. He turned and walked deep into the woods without a backward glance.
Qin Feng stood up straight, watching Li Weiguo's somewhat lonely figure disappear at the edge of the woods. Only then did he turn and, with steady steps, leave the campus that had held three years of his youth.
On the maglev bus home, the cityscape outside remained as bustling as ever. A massive holographic billboard was running a breathtaking promotional video for the Empire's latest "Mjolnir" series power armor.
Qin Feng didn't look out the window. His gaze fell on his own palm.
The Subspace Network Pass lay silently in his pocket.
...
「Evening. Hongye Community, Wang Ming's home.」
The small living room was brightly lit. The faint smell of meat and alcohol from the celebration dinner still lingered in the air.
Qin Feng, his father Qin Dahai, and his uncle Wang Ming sat around the dining table.
In the center of the table, Qin Feng's personal wrist terminal projected a pale blue light screen, displaying the Qimingxing Education Bureau's official *High School Application System*.
The interface was clean and formal. At the very top was the Empire's twin-headed eagle crest, with rows of blank fields below waiting to be filled in.
[First Choice], [Second Choice], [Third Choice]...
Qin Dahai and Wang Ming had clearly done their homework on the matter.
In front of Wang Ming was a datapad, crammed with information and analyses they had gathered from every possible source.
"Xiaofeng, your uncle and I were discussing this before you got back."
Qin Dahai was the first to speak. His voice was as steady as ever. His one arm rested on the table, his fingers tapping a gentle rhythm on the surface.
"We asked your Director Wu, and your uncle asked the veteran technicians at his factory. I also talked to a few of my old army buddies. Everyone's opinion pointed toward the same choice."
He reached out and tapped firmly on the projected light screen.
On the light screen, a name automatically populated and appeared.
[Qiming First Martial Arts High School]
"That's the one."
Wang Ming leaned in, pointing at the information on his datapad as he explained to Qin Feng, "Look, Xiaofeng, I've got it all noted down. This Qiming First Martial High School is the undisputed leader among the Seven Martial High Schools of Qiming. Bar none."
He cleared his throat, as if he were reading a battle report.
"First, it has the longest history. It was founded over ten millennia ago. Countless powerhouses have graduated from here. What's that? That's legacy!"
"Second, its faculty is the strongest. I heard from our factory director that the permanent senior instructors at Qi Yi High School are, at minimum, Level 8 Martial Artists. They even have occasional guest lectures from Planet-level Strongmen. No other school can even compare to that kind of faculty."
"Third, and most importantly!" Wang Ming's tone grew serious. "This school is directly administered by the Imperial Ministry of Education. It's a non-profit. Its sole purpose is to cultivate true pillars of the Empire. I've asked around—for any student who gets in, tuition is completely waived, and they get a generous resource stipend every month! For the absolute top-tier geniuses, the school even provides customized cultivation plans and high-grade Spiritual Energy Potions for free!"
He finished, then chugged a big gulp of water, his face filled with awe.
Qin Dahai added from the side, his words more concise but getting straight to the point.
"The motto of Qi Yi High School is 'Talent Over Convention.' They don't just look at your current strength; they place more value on your potential. In their eyes, a diamond in the rough who fought his way from 0.4 to 1.2 in a month on his own is potentially more valuable than a genius who was spoon-fed resources to reach 1.3."
"Your history is your greatest advantage. That potential is enough to impress their admissions office."
Qin Dahai looked at his son, his gaze calm and firm.
"Of course, we looked at other schools too."
Wang Ming swiped on the datapad again. "Look at this one, Golden Dragon Martial High School. It's also ranked very high, and the faculty is good. But I had someone ask around, and the school is way too commercial. Once you're in, they charge for everything. The Gravity Room is by the hour, guidance from senior instructors costs extra, and even the nutritional meals are sorted into different tiers. Even though we can afford to support you, there's no reason to waste money like that. Their philosophy is to treat students like customers; it's a private high school."
"Then there's Star River Military Affiliated High School. It's hardcore and strict, and they give you plenty of resources. But their training focus is too narrow. Everything is geared toward serving the military, which severely limits your freedom for personal development. If you go there, you'll likely be pigeonholed as a specific type of military talent, closing a lot of other doors."
The two men took turns speaking, laying out all the fruits of their recent efforts and considerations before Qin Feng without reservation.
They didn't pressure Qin Feng into a decision. They simply laid out all the pros and cons with perfect clarity, leaving the final choice in his hands.
Qin Feng listened quietly, his gaze moving back and forth between the names of the top Martial Arts High Schools on the light screen.
He saw Golden Dragon Martial High School, which put profits first. He also saw the other schools that, while also aiming to cultivate geniuses, were a step below Qi Yi High School in terms of overall strength.
Finally, his finger moved slowly across the light screen, stopping on the name that glowed with a golden light.
[Qiming First Martial Arts High School]
He raised his head and looked at his father and uncle.
"I'm choosing this one."
His voice was not loud, but it was clear and powerful, without a trace of hesitation.
"Good!" Qin Dahai nodded emphatically.
"That's the right choice!" Wang Ming exclaimed, excitedly slapping his thigh.
Qin Feng reached out and formally confirmed "Qiming First Martial Arts High School" in the [First Choice] field of the application system.
The pale blue text locked in, turning an immutable gold.
"What about your second choice?" Qin Dahai prompted.
"Star Martial High School." Qin Feng selected another top-tier Martial Arts High School known for its flexible curriculum and focus on potential.
Although the Seven Martial High Schools of Qiming each had their own specialties and were ranked in tiers, every single one was a Sacred Land that countless applicants dreamed of—a top-tier institution of immense comprehensive strength.
Getting into any one of them meant a future with limitless possibilities.
[Second Choice: Star Martial Arts High School]
[Third Choice: ...]
Qin Feng didn't fill in a third choice.
His sights were set only on the top seven.
If he couldn't get into his first two choices, a third choice would be pointless.
He double-checked all the information, and once he confirmed everything was correct, he pressed the [Submit] button that would determine the course of his next three years.
A confirmation box popped up on the light screen.
[Application submitted. Now entering review process.]
[Final admission results will be announced in three days. An official letter of notification will be sent to your personal terminal.]
[We wish you the best in your future endeavors.]
The confirmation box disappeared, and the application interface slowly closed.
The living room fell into a brief silence.
"Dad, Uncle... oh, right."
Qin Feng took out the Subspace Network Pass. "The school applied for this for me," he said. "They told me it comes with three permissions enabled: the Imperial Arena, the Subspace Exchange, and the Subspace Transmission Network."
"Hmm?"
When Qin Dahai and Wang Ming saw the card in Qin Feng's hand, they were both stunned.