Around midnight.
Mingyue Community.
A staff member from the Extreme Martial Club Hall arrived at Wei Wen's villa, carrying a suitcase.
"Mr. Wei Wen, these are the first five stages of the Nine Stage Thunder Blade technique you purchased. You can open it directly with your fingerprint," the staff member said respectfully, handing over the suitcase.
Wei Wen casually took it and lightly pressed his finger against the top.
Beep!
"Fingerprint verification passed."
After opening the suitcase, Wei Wen quickly confirmed its contents: a single book about five centimeters thick and five CDs.
Nine Stage Thunder Blade. Seeing the title on the secret manual, Wei Wen immediately closed the suitcase.
"Please sign here," the Extreme Martial Club Hall staff member said with a smile, though his eyes held a trace of shock.
'The first five stages of the Nine Stage Thunder Blade cost half-price, which is still 5 billion Hua-Xia coins! How can a new warrior afford this?'
After Wei Wen signed, the staff member reminded him of the taboos associated with the manual.
Simply put, the copyright belonged to the Thunder God. Individuals who purchased the manual only had the right to use it personally; they were forbidden from copying, reselling, or teaching it privately.
For example, Wei Wen's purchase of the Nine Stage Thunder Blade would be recorded in the joint databases of the Extreme Martial Club Hall, HR Alliance, the Thunder Dojo, and other major organizations.
If someone like Luo Feng, who hadn't purchased the manual, was caught practicing or using the Nine Stage Thunder Blade, he would be arrested.
Furthermore, having someone else purchase it on your behalf was not allowed, as the database would only record the proxy buyer's information. However, this copyright restriction didn't apply to weapons and equipment, which Wei Wen planned to have others purchase for him.
"Just this manual and five CDs, and it sells for 10 billion," Wei Wen mused with a smile. "Who knows how many people have bought the Thunder God's Nine Stage Thunder Blade? It's easy to imagine how incredibly wealthy he must be."
"Creating secret manuals is clearly the most profitable venture. If I'm ever short on money in the future, maybe I can make some by selling my own techniques."
"But with Luo Feng working for me, money shouldn't be an issue."
"Besides, for the true powerhouses on Earth, money has largely lost its meaning. Many of the things I desire can't be bought with currency."
…
In the second-floor training hall.
Wei Wen opened the secret manual and skimmed through it.
The Nine Stage Thunder Blade was divided into three parts: the core blade technique, along with supporting movement and cultivation methods.
The blade technique focused on amplifying explosive power, potentially reaching up to seven times the user's base strength.
The accompanying movement technique, Flickering Light, was also excellent. It would aid Luo Feng in comprehending movement arts and could serve as a reference for Wei Wen himself.
The cultivation method, Nine Volume Manual, was likely the most powerful guidance technique on Earth, allowing for highly efficient absorption of genetic energy.
This was also the reason why the Thunder God, the creator of the Nine Stage Thunder Blade, possessed the strongest foundational physique on the planet.
"Let's try practicing this blade technique first." Standing in the training hall, Wei Wen began swinging an ordinary blade repeatedly according to the manual's instructions.
The reason the Nine Stage Thunder Blade could exceed conventional power limits lay in a unique method of force application.
For instance, when an ordinary warrior swung a blade with all their might, they typically exerted 100% of their body's strength.
However, a practitioner of the Nine Stage Thunder Blade would only use 70% of their power in the initial swing.
At the precise moment of the strike, they would strive to generate a second wave of force from within their body.
Thus, the two forces—each 70% of their strength—would superimpose, resulting in a 1.4-fold explosion of power!
Wei Wen swung his blade hundreds of times, repeatedly attempting to add a second burst of hidden force immediately after the first.
But he consistently failed. A blade swing was over in an instant. Trying to unleash an initial force and then simultaneously generate another internal burst within that fleeting moment was something most people couldn't achieve.
Even Luo Feng had practiced for nearly a month in the original timeline before succeeding.
"It seems I can only wait patiently for Luo Feng," Wei Wen thought to himself.
At the same time, Luo Feng's warrior status was finalized. Just as in the original story, he chose to purchase and study the first three stages of the Nine Stage Thunder Blade.
[Your bound companion, Luo Feng, has purchased the first three stages of Nine Stage Thunder Blade. You have obtained the optimized version of the first three stages of Nine Stage Thunder Blade.]
In the second-floor training hall.
Wei Wen, who was sitting cross-legged, opened his eyes in surprise. A stream of information about the optimized Nine Stage Thunder Blade had suddenly appeared in his mind.
"I've seen the original Nine Stage Thunder Blade created by the Thunder God and found it confusing from the start," Wei Wen reflected. "But now, with this optimized version, my training speed should increase significantly."
"Although my current innate talent might not be exceptional, my progress with the Nine Stage Thunder Blade might even surpass Luo Feng's."
The original Nine Stage Thunder Blade was a tedious technique, relying primarily on the principle of practice makes perfect—repetition until the essence revealed itself through sheer familiarity.
It involved endlessly honing the skill of force application and power control to achieve the effect of multiple power bursts.
In truth, for someone like the Thunder God, who was essentially fumbling in the dark to create his own power-generating technique, his self-created method was naturally incomparable to the optimized Nine Stage Thunder Blade.
Furthermore, an individual's wisdom is ultimately limited, which is also why the original Nine Stage Thunder Blade had its flaws.
The optimized version had rectified the issue of unsynchronized defensive amplitude and was fundamentally more advanced than the Thunder God's creation.
Simply recalling this optimized force application method, Wei Wen immediately sensed the difference. At the very least, the practice process had become much more straightforward.
Wei Wen had practiced the original Nine Stage Thunder Blade for several hours earlier without any progress.
But now, merely contemplating this optimized Nine Stage Thunder Blade... his ability to control his power was rapidly improving. The speed of this progress shocked even him.
Wei Wen pondered the principles of the Nine Stage Thunder Blade, constantly adjusting the force, speed, and angle of his swings as he began to slowly grasp the first layer's force application.
As time passed, his expression shifted—sometimes frowning, sometimes brightening with understanding, sometimes silently adjusting his strength.
While Wei Wen was engrossed in practicing the optimized Nine Stage Thunder Blade, he received a call from Zhou Zhengyong.
"President Zhou is calling me at this hour? I wonder what's going on..." Wei Wen wondered as he answered the phone.
"Wei Wen, your warrior status has been processed. You should have received the start-up capital and your free secret manual quota by now," Zhou Zhengyong said cheerfully.
"The fact that I received far more start-up capital and free manual credits than an ordinary warrior is all thanks to your guidance, President," Wei Wen replied with a smile.
"Haha, don't worry about such a small amount," Zhou Zhengyong said lightly. "The manuals are half-price now. I assume you've already made your selection."
"I've already bought one," Wei Wen confirmed.
"Oh?" Zhou Zhengyong was slightly surprised. "Which manual did you choose?"
In Zhou Zhengyong's view, passing the B-level assessment was no easy feat.
If new warriors bought high-level manuals like World Annihilation or Nine Stage Thunder Blade, they often focused only on the ultimate power described, failing to see the terrifying difficulty involved in practicing them.
They might not make any progress even after a month.
Therefore, he believed Wei Wen should have chosen something simpler and easier to learn.
Perhaps the ceiling of such a manual wasn't as high, but it would allow for faster improvement in a short period.
After all, he planned to apply for a spot for Wei Wen in the elite training camp. If successful, the potential achievements would be significant.
"The Nine Stage Thunder Blade," Wei Wen replied.
"..." Zhou Zhengyong's mouth twitched. His worst fear had been realized. "Did you use up your entire free manual quota on it?"
"If you still had any free credits left, I'd recommend you buy a simpler manual."
"The quota is gone," Wei Wen shook his head slightly. "I bought the first five stages."
"Hey!" Zhou Zhengyong let out a heavy sigh. "If I had known, I would have warned you earlier. Now, I can only hope your comprehension is as strong as I believe it to be, and that you can improve rapidly within this month."
"Are you confident you can reach the first, or even the second, stage of the Nine Stage Thunder Blade within a month?"
He knew from Wei Wen's ability to grasp micro-level movements in a short time before the quasi-warrior exam that his comprehension was terrifying. But the difficulty of the Nine Stage Thunder Blade manual was equally terrifying.
Many warriors might never even step into the first stage in their entire lives. For Wei Wen to have any hope of securing a spot in the elite training camp, he had to at least reach the first stage within this month.
However, Wei Wen understood his own innate talent better than anyone. Since his cultivation talent and comprehension weren't sufficient, he usually had to rely on the system's feedback.
Yet, Wei Wen firmly believed that as Luo Feng grew step by step and gained opportunities, he too would be able to enhance his own talent and comprehension through the feedback. It wouldn't be too late for him to work hard then.
"I've just started practicing the Nine Stage Thunder Blade," Wei Wen said after a moment of silence. "I don't find it too difficult. Reaching the first stage within a month shouldn't be a problem."
Firstly, according to his knowledge, it would take Luo Feng over a month to reach the first stage after purchasing the manual. Following the system's feedback rules, Wei Wen could reach at least the second stage in that time, making the first stage easily achievable within a month.
Secondly, after the system optimized the Nine Stage Thunder Blade manual, the correct method of exerting force would be easier to practice, significantly reducing the difficulty.
Even if Wei Wen didn't teach Luo Feng the optimized version and didn't rely on system feedback, he was still confident he could complete the first stage in over a month.
If he did teach Luo Feng, accelerating his progress, wouldn't the system's feedback be even more exaggerated?
If Wei Wen really went all out, reaching the first stage in a month would be trivial; he could even reach the optimized third stage directly.
"You seem quite confident. I truly hope you possess such potential," Zhou Zhengyong said, a glint of expectation in his eyes.
"Also, you've officially joined the headquarters training camp and will report there at the end of August. Have you thought about how you'll improve yourself during this time?"
"Work hard and train diligently," Wei Wen said seriously, stating the obvious.
"Hard training is crucial for any warrior, but actual combat experience is equally important," Zhou Zhengyong said after a thoughtful pause.
"You were recommended early by our Hall and became a warrior without taking the practical combat assessment. However, this also means you missed a valuable opportunity to temper your will."
Zhou Zhengyong's demeanor shifted, and a unique, formidable aura emanated from him.
As a warrior who had emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood, his willpower was indeed something Wei Wen couldn't match.
Even though it was just a three-dimensional projection, Wei Wen instantly felt the invisible pressure radiating from Zhou Zhengyong.
'No wonder in the virtual universe, the pressure from an immortal can render all star-level geniuses powerless to resist,' Wei Wen thought, inwardly shocked.
A clear realization dawned on Wei Wen.
Although the Lie Flat system had helped him and made him seem like a genius to outsiders, he had always lacked real combat experience and tempering.
A warrior who hasn't experienced true combat—what kind of warrior is that? Even after entering the training camp, he would have to venture out to hunt monsters periodically.
It was best to adapt to fighting monsters as soon as possible.
"Your current talent isn't bad, but you are a new warrior after all. You can't compare to those geniuses who have undergone long-term training and cultivation."
"I'm afraid it might be difficult for you to adapt to the environment there initially," Zhou Zhengyong continued.
"So, before you go to the training camp, I plan to arrange for an elite warrior team to take you outside the base city to gain some actual combat experience."
"No problem," Wei Wen agreed without hesitation after a moment's thought.
"The warrior team should return the day after tomorrow. Prepare yourself in advance. The day after tomorrow, you and the warrior team will set off for the wilderness area for training."
"You and Luo Feng. With your talents, you both have a very solid chance of at least joining the basic training camp," Zhou Zhengyong explained. "With hard work and your innate talent, you can even try for a spot in the elite training camp."
Wei Wen suddenly smiled when he heard Luo Feng was going too. The faster Luo Feng grew, the better it was for Wei Wen.
In Zhou Zhengyong's eyes, Luo Feng might only be capable of joining the basic training camp. But if both he and Luo Feng ended up in the elite training camp together, Wei Wen wondered if Zhou Zhengyong would be utterly confused.
…
On the other side, Luo Feng also received a call from Zhuge Tao, informing him that he would be entering the headquarters training camp. However, he wasn't particularly happy about it.
Thinking carefully about why Luo Feng didn't want to reveal his identity as a spiritual master, one could understand his reluctance.
Luo Feng didn't want unnecessary trouble. Once it was revealed that he was a spiritual master, his peaceful life would be over. Especially after just becoming a warrior, he had read many posts on the Extreme Martial Forum and concluded that it was best not to reveal the secrets of a spiritual master.
Because every organization and force would go crazy trying to snatch up spiritual masters, as they were considered trump cards!
Each spiritual master played a significant role, enough to trigger fierce competition among various forces and powerful individuals. He would be thrust into the spotlight. While there might be privileges, his life as an ordinary warrior would be gone.
Of course, Luo Feng had already joined the Extreme Martial Club, but once his identity was revealed, he would become a key cultivation target. He would be sent to the global headquarters and receive excellent training, but... he would lose his current quiet life and wouldn't be able to stay with his family often.
However, when he thought about Wei Wen entering the headquarters training camp and progressing faster, Luo Feng also felt the desire to go.
"You seem a little troubled. Do you have any questions?" Zhuge Tao's projection looked at Luo Feng.
"After entering the training camp, when can I come back?" Luo Feng asked directly.
"There are holidays in January and February every year when you can return to your hometown," Zhuge Tao explained simply. "Of course, if you meet the graduation standards early in the next few years, you'll naturally graduate from the training camp and return home sooner."
Hearing that he could return, Luo Feng felt somewhat relieved.
After ending the call, Luo Feng began practicing the Nine Stage Thunder Blade.
Unfortunately, he hadn't even mastered the first stage yet.
"The Nine Stage Thunder Blade is indeed an ultimate manual, but it's really difficult to practice. Even now, I still can't generate that extra burst of dark energy in an instant," Luo Feng sighed inwardly.
"It's hard to imagine the later levels. How exactly does one unleash the dark energy for the final, ninth-layer thunder blade?"
Luo Feng pondered the blade technique deeply, but after thinking hard for a long time, he couldn't come up with a good solution.
So, Luo Feng thought of Wei Wen. He heard that Wei Wen had also purchased the Nine Stage Thunder Blade.
He wanted to see if Wei Wen had succeeded in cultivating it. After all, Wei Wen seemed to have higher comprehension than him. Why not ask Wei Wen for advice? He could also find out Wei Wen's thoughts on joining the training camp.
…
Enjoying the story? Get early access to 40+ advanced chapters.
👉 Join me on Patreon: patreon.com/DarkLord621