It was the third month since Mo Yu had arrived at Dawn Academy.
The military training had finally come to an end. Standing in front of the sink in the dormitory, Mo Yu gazed at his sunburned face in the mirror and grinned, showing his white teeth.
His entire body was sore, but he felt deeply satisfied.
After three months of military training, his physical fitness had improved significantly.
The sense of fulfillment from his growth was addictive.
During the military training, Mo Yu had seen many new students with outstanding talent.
In their year's combat department, there were three descendants of blood-forged warriors.
Their physical fitness, as well as their bloodline potential, far exceeded that of normal people.
For the same physical training, they handled it effortlessly. The improvements they gained from training were much higher than normal people's.
For example, for the same physical training project, a normal person's physical improvement might be 1, but for a blood-forged warrior's descendant, it would be 2 or even higher.
Other aspects like adaptability, learning efficiency, etc., were also superior to normal people.
Such growth potential was truly enviable.
However, Mo Yu understood in his heart that these descendants of blood-forged warriors only started with a higher starting point; it didn't mean he had no chance of surpassing them.
After all, they were all the same species.
The potential for growth in blood-forged warriors' descendants was still not beyond human limits.
In Mo Yu's view, there were still plenty of opportunities to make a comeback.
For example, by becoming a believer and borrowing a powerful talent ability from the great man Feng Qi—this was essentially gaining a chance to overtake others on a shortcut.
But he also understood an important truth: only becoming strong on his own was the true foundation.
Becoming a believer certainly allowed him to borrow talent abilities, but many powerful talents required solid physical fitness to withstand. If his foundation was weak, no matter how strong the talent ability was, it wouldn't be able to display its full combat power.
Some talent abilities even had high basic physical requirements.
If his physical fitness didn't meet the standard, borrowing such abilities could cause serious bodily harm or even paralysis.
There were many other problems with borrowing talent abilities.
Improving physical fitness was the most practical way to resist these issues.
During the three months of military training, while Mo Yu had felt pressure, it also sparked an endless amount of motivation inside him.
After the military training, their class was given a 3-day break, but Mo Yu had no intention of resting.
After washing his face, he sat down at his desk, woke up his computer screen, and began browsing through the cultivation technique database.
He knew that the first big decision he would face after entering Dawn Academy was coming soon.
That decision was choosing his cultivation technique.
Before coming to Dawn Academy, the students had all been practicing the most basic techniques, like physical exercises.
But now they were about to face their very first real cultivation technique.
This choice was significant and would have far-reaching effects on their future.
The situation had been briefly explained by their instructor during military training. Once the combat classes officially started, there would be a technique teacher who would give them a detailed explanation and recommend a technique based on each student's individual situation.
But Mo Yu still intended to understand his options now, in preparation for when the time came to choose his technique.
While browsing the technique database, each technique had reviews from users below it.
Sorting by popularity, the first technique that appeared was "Roaring Tiger Fist," its cover depicting a roaring tiger, with the three bold characters "Mighty Tiger Fist" burning like flames.
This technique had the highest discussion rate, not because it was particularly exceptional, nor because it had many practitioners.
There were certainly many more advanced body-refining techniques than the Mighty Tiger Fist.
But this technique was the first major gift from Feng Qi to humanity, which made it highly significant. When opening the technique's page, the comments below were filled with praise for the great man Feng Qi.
After casually browsing through the comments, Mo Yu exited the page for Mighty Tiger Fist and began looking at other types of techniques.
Time passed quickly as he continued browsing.
At this moment, a pop-up window appeared in the lower-right corner of his computer screen.
Opening it, Mo Yu saw that it was a message sent by the head of the combat department for this year's students, @All Students.
Opening the announcement, the six words "Star City Supreme Council" caught his eye.
Realizing that this was an official notice from the Supreme Council, Mo Yu stood at attention.
The Star City Supreme Council held extraordinary significance in the eyes of all Star City residents. It was made up of the city's administrators and top-level power institutions, and it made the decisions that determined Star City's future direction.
As Mo Yu carefully read through the content of the notice, his expression gradually changed to one of surprise.
The notice mentioned something important.
The blood-forging technique was officially launching a comprehensive promotion plan, starting with this year's students from Star City and Dawn Academy.
Exiting the announcement interface, Mo Yu noticed that the combat department's chat group had exploded with excitement.
All the students who had read the announcement seemed exceptionally excited.
Mo Yu couldn't help but clench his fist. He knew he was riding the wave of a new round of reforms in Star City.
The blood-forging technique was the dream of all cultivators.
There were many rumors surrounding the origins of this technique. Some said it was developed by Feng Qi, while others claimed it was created by a mysterious person who had always followed Feng Qi. However, no clear answer had ever been given.
The official sources had never released detailed information about the blood-forging technique.
The first time it appeared in the public eye was when the information about the three thousand blood-forged warriors in secret training was made public.
However, the method of cultivation for this technique had always been kept secret.
Only after becoming a blood-forged warrior could one access the full details.
The Star City Supreme Council had once explained to the public that the cultivation of this technique required vast resources, and at the current stage, Star City could not support such a large supply of resources. They had promised that the technique would be made public when the time was right.
But when exactly that time will come, no one knows.
Mo Yu never expected that he would be riding the wave of the times. Just moments ago, he was still struggling over which cultivation technique to choose for his major, but he never anticipated that the Supreme Council had decided to make Star City Academy and Dawn Academy the first pilot schools for the new promotion of techniques.
As for what to choose, Mo Yu voted with his feet—he chose the blood-forging technique.
He would major in blood-forging techniques and minor in body cultivation techniques.
He immediately opened the cultivation technique database again and logged in using his identification account.
Once in his personal homepage, he noticed a professional certification mark next to his name: [First-year student at Dawn Academy].
He clicked on the cultivation technique database again, and the options list now included "Authorized Cultivation Techniques."
Clicking it, the page shifted, and the two characters "Blood Forging" appeared before him.
Realizing that he could now begin his training in the blood-forging technique, Mo Yu couldn't help but clench his fist in excitement.
The value of the blood-forging technique wasn't just in its rapid improvement of physical fitness. More importantly, the blood-forging technique could effectively enhance the bloodline potential of the next generation.
Normal techniques could also achieve this, but they could not compare to the improvements brought by the blood-forging technique.
One only had to look at the descendants of the blood-forged warriors. In Mo Yu's eyes, they seemed almost like beasts—whether it was physical strength or logical thinking, they outclassed ordinary people in every way.
To Mo Yu, the promotion of the blood-forging technique represented the start of a virtuous cycle.
The future generations of humanity would be stronger with each passing generation.
The end point of their generation's struggles might simply be the starting point for the next generation.
The blood-forging technique also represented hope for the future.
Flipping through the descriptions and images of the blood-forging technique, Mo Yu refrained from rushing into cultivation.
Cultivating a technique wasn't a simple task; it required precision. If the cultivation method wasn't properly understood and applied, it could easily cause bodily problems.
Mo Yu decided to wait until the official classes began in 3 days. He would then train under the guidance of the technique professor or combat department instructors.
...
After 3 days of anxious waiting, Mo Yu finally attended the blood-forging technique training course.
He arrived early at Combat Class Five.
By the time he arrived, most of his classmates were already there.
It was clear that, like him, his classmates were all eagerly awaiting the blood-forging technique.
When the class time arrived, Mo Yu and the other students watched in anticipation as a strange man pushed open the door and entered the classroom.
The man who entered to teach wasn't the same technique teacher they had met during their military training.
The man appeared ordinary in appearance, but the killing intent he carried in his demeanor was undeniable. It was the kind of aura only a battle-hardened soldier would have, which made the previously noisy class fall silent in an instant.
The man stood at the front of the classroom and surveyed the students with a smile on his face:
"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Shen Ji, and I am the captain of the Infantry Squad of the Third Regiment of the Expeditionary Combat Group. I've been assigned by the Supreme Council to teach you the training secrets of the blood-forging technique. This course will last for 3 months... Perhaps some of you will become my future comrades, and I hope we can have a pleasant time together over these 3 months."
Upon hearing Shen Ji's introduction, the class erupted in surprise.
Mo Yu, sitting in the corner, was equally stunned.
The Expeditionary Combat Group, though not one of the top 10 Domain Combat Squads, was not inferior in prestige.
The Expeditionary Combat Group also had another name: the Blood-Forging Combat Group.
Only blood-forged warriors could join this group. Initially, the group was composed of 3,000 blood-forged warriors and was tasked with the most dangerous missions.
From Shen Ji's introduction, it seemed that each combat class had been assigned a member of the Expeditionary Combat Group.
This clearly showed how much the Supreme Council valued the promotion of the blood-forging technique.
"Enough of the pleasantries. Let's start the blood-forging technique lesson."
With that, Shen Ji raised his hand to activate the screen on the podium, and after several clicks on the control panel, the blackboard behind him turned into a high-definition screen.
Shen Ji navigated to the technique database, logged into his personal account, and clicked on the blood-forging technique from the authorized techniques library.
When the images and text appeared, Shen Ji pointed to the first line of text on the screen and began explaining it, word by word.
Mo Yu, along with the other students, listened intently.
This continued for 3 months.
During this time, all other courses were put on hold as the entire class of combat students focused on mastering the blood-forging technique.
Compared to normal techniques, the blood-forging technique was more complex.
However, the physical benefits gained from the cultivation were also much more significant.
If there was any downside to the blood-forging technique, it was the consumption of training resources.
Compared to other techniques, blood-forging required additional resources, specifically blood-related resources, for training consumption.
The Supreme Council had clearly prepared for this.
In addition to the 24-hour unlimited food supply at the cafeteria, each combat student received a box of training resources every month.
Half of the box contained refined blood stones, while the other half contained spiritual plants.
This was a luxury that previous Dawn Academy combat students had never enjoyed.
In these 3 months, Mo Yu's physical fitness improved by leaps and bounds. When he received his post-training physical exam data after the military training, the changes in his physical numbers thrilled him.
But he knew in his heart that the treatment he received came from the efforts of those who came before him.
"Those who plant trees will have the descendants enjoy their shade."
Mo Yu had heard his grandmother talk about the early days of Star City's reform. Back then, there was a severe shortage of resources, often leading to power outages, and many important projects were even halted.
It was the efforts during that period that had led to the privileges he now enjoyed.
This was a virtuous cycle. Their efforts would lead to better treatment and higher starting points for future generations.
Each generation enjoyed the efforts of the previous one, while paving the way for the next.
Three months of blood-forging lessons ended, and Instructor Shen Ji left. Mo Yu also began his journey of growth.
Time flew by.
Four years at Dawn Academy passed in the blink of an eye.
On the day of the graduation ceremony, many prominent figures attended, including decision-makers from the Supreme Council.
Mo Yu sat in the audience, wearing his Dawn Academy graduation attire.
The front of the attire displayed a sword, symbolizing the battles to be fought after graduation, cutting through obstacles on the way forward.
On the back of the attire was an image of a book, symbolizing that knowledge was the foundation of growth and the driving force behind progress.
Next to him sat a woman wearing the same attire, her face beautiful.
Her name was Yan Kong.
She was Mo Yu's classmate and also his girlfriend.
Their relationship wasn't as complicated as those in dramas, full of twists and turns of love and hatred. They both liked spending time in the library, reading books on cultivation techniques, and being in the same class gave them plenty to talk about. It was only natural that they ended up together.
This was something Mo Yu hadn't expected.
He had thought that during his four years at Dawn Academy, he would never fall in love.
He hadn't taken his grandmother's warnings seriously.
But unexpectedly, he had fallen into the deep pit of love.
Yet after experiencing the sweetness of love, Mo Yu never regretted it.
He had once thought love was a hindrance to progress, but during the time he spent with Yan Kong, they motivated each other, and their learning efficiency actually improved.
Now, Mo Yu understood one important truth.
It is not unsuitable love that is a pitfall, but a good relationship only makes both people become even better.
"Yu-ge, Long-ge is coming up to speak."
At this moment, Yan Kong, sitting next to him, excitedly pointed toward the stage.
Mo Yu immediately looked up and saw a tall, sturdy man stepping onto the stage.
The man's name was Wang Long, the class monitor of their Combat Class Five.
Mo Yu admired him.
Though Wang Long had an awkward appearance, he was not only smart but also had exceptional talent in cultivation. He managed to surpass the descendants of blood-forged warriors in their class, becoming one of the top potential students in their combat department. Now, he was stepping onto the stage as their class representative to speak.
Wang Long was also a very loyal person.
The combat department was full of young, impetuous people, and verbal conflicts often turned into physical fights.
When a fight broke out between their classmates and students from another combat class, Wang Long, as the class monitor, would always rush to the front.
The instructors often considered him a troublemaker and would punish him severely.
But Wang Long always promised to improve verbally.
Mo Yu clearly remembered one time after a class brawl when Wang Long was beaten up and had a swollen face. He slurred, patting Mo Yu's shoulder and said:
"Yu-Mao, the instructor must have been hungry today. His punches were weak and didn't hurt at all. Next time, if anyone bullies our class, I'll lead the charge!"
After saying this, Wang Long collapsed and passed out cold.
At that moment, Mo Yu only had one word in his heart: "Impressive."
The next day, they were heading to the frontlines, and Mo Yu made up his mind.
3 days ago, class monitor Wang Long found him and his girlfriend Yan Kong and told them that as graduation approached, he wanted to form his own Domain Combat Squad and invited them to join.
After discussing it with his girlfriend, Mo Yu made his decision.
He would continue following Wang Long and head to the frontlines together.
"Long-ge is back."
Yan Kong's reminder broke Mo Yu's train of thought. He looked up to see Wang Long, dressed in graduation attire, walking over with a radiant smile, sitting down in the seat directly across from him.
"Brothers, did I look cool up there?" Wang Long asked.
"Ugly!" everyone at the table chimed in in unison.
"Come on, you're just jealous. By the way, did anyone take pictures? Send them to me, I'll post them in the family group and let my relatives praise me."
"Please, stop showing off. You've been doing it for 4 years now. Give us normal folks a chance to live," a man sitting next to Wang Long rolled his eyes and said.
Everyone burst into laughter.
After the teasing, Wang Long's expression turned serious.
"Brothers, I've already told you my plan. I want to form a Domain Combat Squad. How about it? Are you willing to keep following me?"
Mo Yu smiled and spoke up:
"Long-ge, if you promise not to show off anymore, I'll continue following you and Xiao Kong."
"Come on, the way you said it makes it sound like I'm always showing off… but as long as you're willing to follow me, I'll wash your socks every day."
Upon hearing Mo Yu's agreement, Wang Long's face lit up with a brilliant smile.
"Long-ge, do you want me to wash your underwear?" a man sitting beside Wang Long teased.
"If you come, I'll wash them."
"And mine…"
Amid the laughter, everyone at the table made their choice and decided to follow Wang Long, joining his Domain Combat Squad.
After a few rounds of drinks, Wang Long, his face flushed, raised his glass.
"Brothers, in the future, we continue together… We're about to head to the frontlines to form our own Domain Combat Squad. Let's set a small goal for the future: to become one of the top 10 Domain Combat Squads. Cheers!"
Amid the laughter, everyone stood up and clinked their glasses.
With the sounds of the evening's songs in the background, Mo Yu, like all the graduating students, felt both reluctant to leave the land beneath his feet and excited for the future.
This chapter at Dawn Academy was about to come to an end.
Even though the frontlines held countless dangers, Mo Yu had never thought about retreating since the day he made his choice 4 years ago.
As he was about to step onto the frontlines, it would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous.
But the anxiety and fear couldn't affect the resolve deep within his heart.
Mo Yu always remembered what Feng Qi had said:
["Someone has to stand up. Why can't it be me?"]
Every era has its own burdens. Even if he didn't have the ability to push the tides of the era forward like Feng Qi, he would still be a drop of water pushing forward in the great waves of time.
At that moment, the lights of the evening changed.
The chief instructor of Dawn Academy, Lü Yue, walked onto the stage.
The evening was reaching its final climax.
As thousands of sword qi soared into the sky, sketching farewell messages in the air, Mo Yu, along with all the other students, roared and cheered, releasing the tension and excitement inside.
"The future, we're here!"