It was five in the morning, and the sky was still shrouded in the deepest ink-blue of predawn darkness.
The dormitory was silent, save for the low hum of the subtle energy circulation system, like the breathing of a slumbering behemoth.
In Qin Feng's room, he had already opened his eyes right on time.
His internal clock had long been calibrated to be more precise than the most sophisticated chronometer.
He rose silently and changed into a sharp black training uniform, the lines of his muscles faintly visible beneath the tight-fitting fabric.
First, he gently knocked on Shi Potian's door. The moment the sound landed, a muffled "Hn" came from within as a response—short and forceful. Clearly, the other person was already awake.
Then, he walked over to Qian Duoduo's door and raised his hand to knock.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
From inside, there was no movement, only profound silence.
Qin Feng knocked harder, his knuckles rapping against the alloy door. The sound was exceptionally clear in the empty living room.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Who is it...? It's not even light out... Just let me sleep for five more minutes..."
Qian Duoduo's mumbled, drowsy grumbling came from inside the room, accompanied by the faint sound of him rolling over.
"It's five o'clock."
Qin Feng's voice penetrated the door, calm and devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
There were two seconds of silence from within, followed by a frantic clatter, as if something heavy had rolled off the bed with a loud thud. It was immediately followed by Qian Duoduo's short, stifled cry of pain.
A moment later, the door was yanked open. Qian Duoduo poked his head out, his hair a bird's nest and his eyes heavy with sleep. His face even bore a red mark from his recent intimate encounter with the floor.
"Is it... Is it five already?"
He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the pitch-black sky outside, his face a mask of disbelief.
Before Qin Feng could answer, Shi Potian had already emerged from his room.
He was dressed in a spotless white training uniform that complemented his stern face and steady aura. He had clearly washed up and gotten ready with maximum efficiency.
He merely shot Qian Duoduo a detached glance without a word, but that placid gaze was more potent than any harsh urging.
"I... I'll be ready in a second!"
Qian Duoduo jolted as if doused with cold water, instantly waking up. He yanked his head back and slammed the door shut with a THUD. A flurry of frantic sounds from him getting ready immediately followed from inside.
Five minutes later, the three of them walked out of the dormitory building together, heading toward Academic Building 7 in Sector C.
The early morning campus was shrouded in a tranquil, thin mist. The air was crisp and damp, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees.
The distant academic towers were faint outlines in the morning fog, with only the indicator lights at their peaks flickering faintly.
When they arrived at the massive Martial Arts Room for Class 3 of the first years, they found it was not empty.
On the spacious floor, seven or eight figures were already training in their own areas, sweating profusely.
Some were doing weighted squats, their backs soaked with sweat. Others were practicing a peculiar Breathing Skill, their breaths stirring up subtle air currents. And still others were meticulously repeating the movements of a Body Refining Technique, over and over again.
Every single one of them was completely focused, as if the entire world had narrowed to just themselves and their cultivation.
'It seems that in this school, packed with geniuses, diligence is the least praiseworthy quality. It's just the basic standard for everyone.'
"My god, are these guys monsters? It's only the first day!"
Qian Duoduo whispered, his round face filled with shock.
Shi Potian ignored his exclamation. He walked straight to an empty spot, sat down cross-legged, and began a unique breathing exercise, clearly warming up for the high-intensity training to come.
Qin Feng also found a corner, and the three of them tacitly formed a small triangular formation.
He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the cool morning air, then slowly settled into his stance.
He didn't rush to achieve results. Instead, he performed each movement very slowly, carefully experiencing the more refined and complex Spiritual Energy pathways and muscle exertion techniques of the new "Imperial Body Refining Technique (Beginner)."
His body was like a powerful bow being slowly drawn; every stretch and every twist was filled with a restrained yet surging tension.
Sweat soon began to bead on his temples, trickling down the contours of his face and dripping onto the dark floor, leaving a fleeting wet mark.
The aching soreness in his muscles washed over him in waves, but he ignored it, continuing to repeat each movement meticulously, immersing his entire mind in this state of ultimate Control over his body.
After he had practiced the entire set of the Body Refining Technique ten times, his body's energy began to show clear signs of depletion, and his breathing grew heavy.
Just then, the panel deep in his consciousness flickered silently.
[Proficiency in "Imperial Body Refining Technique (Beginner)" +1]
[Refining Method: Imperial Body Refining Technique (Minor Accomplishment)]
[Proficiency: 18/1000]
Not far away, Qian Duoduo had also long since entered a state of cultivation.
Although he complained, his actions were anything but hesitant.
While practicing the basic stances of the "Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique," his large body appeared exceptionally stable. His feet seemed rooted to the ground, and every movement carried a sense of power as heavy as a mountain, causing the surrounding air to tremble faintly.
Shi Potian was on his other side. Having finished his warm-up, he had begun practicing the Body Refining Technique.