Translator: CinderTL
Third level of the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder, the Great Platform.
Whoosh! A figure materialized.
Jiang Ye stared in astonishment at his surroundings.
"It's over?!"
He wasn't lamenting the unfinished business.
But... when had he completed the Enlightenment Trial?
Rumble!
A magnificent golden stele rose slowly from the Great Platform, its surface engraved with four majestic golden words:
"Martial Dao Great Grandmaster!"
[Congratulations! You have ascended to the third level of the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder and obtained the Immortal Monument!]
[Calculating rewards...]
"Did I really succeed?" Jiang Ye's expression was peculiar.
He had spent days immersed in endless thunder, yet failed to achieve enlightenment.
Then, after a simple foot massage, enlightenment struck?
If he'd known, he would have skipped all the effort and gone straight for the foot massage!
"As expected, one should always follow their heart..."
Still, Jiang Ye had gained significant benefits from his immersion in the thunder dao.
Take his Eight Trigrams Thunderclap Fist, for example. Though his cultivation realm hadn't advanced, the technique's power had undoubtedly multiplied many times over.
The same cultivation technique, the same realm, yet the results could vary dramatically.
Jiang Ye's comprehension of thunder techniques, while far from enlightenment, now far surpassed that of ordinary practitioners.
[You completed the Enlightenment Trial in 5 days and 11 hours, surpassing 98% of Martial Dao Great Grandmasters!]
[The dao technique you comprehended is: Foot Dao]
[Unlocked title: Foot Dao is also Dao!]
[Settlement Rewards]
[Foot Dao is Also Dao, Grounded, Heart of Enlightenment (Level 1)]
[Foot Dao is Also Dao: Active effect. Increases foot damage by 50% for 60 seconds. Cooldown: 10 minutes.]
[Grounded: Active effect. Transforms both legs into bedrock foundations, increasing resilience by 100%. Grants immunity to knockback, knock-up, and other negative effects. Duration: 60 seconds. Cooldown: 15 minutes.]
[Level 1 Heart of Enlightenment: Immediately increases comprehension by 50%. Grants a small amplification with each increase in strength.]
Jiang Ye stared at the rewards panel, his expression strange.
Foot dao... it's actually become a dao technique?
But the rewards were undeniably generous.
[Foot Dao Is Also Dao: Increases foot damage by 50%.]
This wasn't a probability-based boost! Every strike would deal an additional 50% damage for a full minuteโan effect of terrifying power.
[Grounded] would also be incredibly useful in arena battles.
But what truly thrilled Jiang Ye was the final item: [Comprehension increased by 50%, with a slight amplification as your strength grows?]
He already possessed a Upper D-grade profound physique.
Another 50% boost to his comprehension?
My cultivation speed... Jiang Ye couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.
But then a serious realization struck him.
He had been in the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder for five days.
That meant he had been locked in his room for five days straight, missing meals and school.
"This is bad." Jiang Ye immediately left the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder.
Whoosh~
Jiang Ye opened his eyes.
But instead of his own room, he saw a stark white ceiling.
He was lying in a hospital bed, a ventilator tube inserted into his mouth.
"Where am I?"
Before Jiang Ye could fully take in his surroundings, he felt a soft, delicate body pressed against him.
"Tingting?"
Jiang Ye looked down at the little girl.
Jiang Ting was clinging tightly to him, already asleep.
"Mmm~" As if sensing his movement, the little girl slowly opened her eyes.
The next moment:
"Brother!"
Jiang Ting's eyes widened as she lunged forward. "Brother, I knew you weren't dead! Waaah..."
"Hey, little girl, why are you crying? I'm fine," Jiang Ye said, pulling off the ventilator mask and rubbing his sister's head with a helpless expression.
Seeing her swollen, red-rimmed eyes, a warm current surged through his heart.
Jiang Ting must have cried countless times in the past five days.
"Xiao Ye!"
The hospital room door burst open.
Jiang Dahai and Li Anping rushed in. The moment Li Anping saw Jiang Ye, her eyes immediately reddened.
"Mom, Dad, I'm okay," Jiang Ye said, sitting up.
"Okay? You've been unconscious for five days!" Li Anping scolded, her eyes bloodshot. "We were worried sick!"
She stepped forward and cupped Jiang Ye's face, her heart aching with concern.
"Mom, I'm really fine now," Jiang Ye reassured her.
Nearby, Jiang Dahai quickly grabbed his phone, seemingly to notify someone.
A few minutes later:
"Jiang Ye!"
Several figures entered the room.
Jiang Ye looked up, his expression freezing in surprise.
Zhang Jianwu, Cao Feng, Zhao Qingli.
"You little brat! You finally woke up!" Zhang Jianwu exclaimed, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"Teacher, why are you all here?" Jiang Ye asked, a mix of helplessness and warmth in his voice.
He never imagined so many people cared about him.
"You've been unconscious for five days," Zhang Jianwu said in a low voice. "The doctors couldn't wake you no matter what they tried. We thought something terrible had happened!"
"I'm fine," Jiang Ye coughed. "I probably overdid it with my training these past few days and didn't get enough rest."
Zhang Jianwu glared at him, clearly annoyed. "I told you before, just train normally!"
Jiang Ye cleared his throat awkwardly and remained silent.
The truth was, he hadn't expected his trip into the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder to last five days.
During those five days, his physical body in the real world had been in a state resembling a deep coma.
Naturally, no amount of calling or shaking could rouse him.
This condition was eerily similar to that of a vegetative state.
No wonder everyone had been so worried.
A moment later, the doctor entered and conducted a series of examinations, confirming that Jiang Ye was indeed fine.
Only then did everyone finally relax completely.
"Jiang Ye," Zhang Jianwu said gravely, "you need to rest properly for the next few days."
"Don't push yourself too hard."
"If you miss the College Entrance Examination because of this, it would be a disaster," he warned sternly.
Beside him, Cao Feng nodded in agreement. "Jiang Ye, you already work hard enough. A day or two of rest won't make a difference."
"I understand," Jiang Ye nodded.
Zhang Jianwu and Cao Feng said no more. After giving a few final instructions, they turned and left.
"Class Monitor," Jiang Ye turned to Zhao Qingli, who was standing nearby, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "What are you doing here too?"
"Me."
Zhao Qingli was about to speak when she suddenly huffed. "It's all Wang Zi'ang's fault for worrying about you. You idiot, passing out like that without warningโdo you know how terrifying that was?"
Jiang Ye sighed. "I'm sorry for causing everyone so much trouble."
"Hmph."
Zhao Qingli snorted coldly. "Just be careful. Don't forget you still owe me a promise."
"Mm-hmm, I won't forget," Jiang Ye replied solemnly.
Zhao Qingli turned and strode away.
Meanwhile, in a black sedan:
"Director Zhang," Cao Feng said from the passenger seat, his voice grave. "Jiang Ye has to participate in the Cosmic Divine Path Certification in two days, right?"
Zhang Jianwu silently lit a cigarette, offering no response.
"Sigh!" Cao Feng sighed. "After being unconscious for five days, his chances of passing the certification are slim to none."
As the Martial Arts Teacher for Class 1, he was well aware of Jiang Ye's capabilities.
Jiang Ye was still some distance from achieving Perfection in the Eight Trigrams Thunderclap Fist.
If he had been able to focus entirely on training during these five days, he might have made significant progress.
The potential unlocked under immense pressure is often unimaginable.
But now?
After five days of unconsciousness, simply performing at his normal level would be a miracle.
"Let's leave it to fate," Zhang Jianwu said, shaking his head. He stepped on the accelerator, ending the conversation.
(End of the Chapter)
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