The group had missed an entire week of class to create the talismans for their guild. When they re-joined classes, they have already missed out quite a bit, but because of Kairos’ tremendous win over Lux and Von previously, the other students were acting rather humble this time around.

The instructors, advised by Principal Gai, likewise made no comments about the small group’s disappearance.

In the end, their academic results are their own responsibility now, if they skip too many classes, they might get expelled. Of course, it is still a privilege only given to them, and something that is proving to be more aid than expected.

At their current strength, restricting them to follow the class schedule will only slow down their progress, however, because of the things they missed, they now had a little catching to do.

The Combat Class is split into two halves. The first part of the course is rudimentary practice to build up the students’ martial foundation. To become strong, repeated training is unavoidable. However, besides that, life experience, real combat, tempering one’s body and the cultivation method are all vital things to improve one’s cultivation level.

All these factors are split into three: Martial Way, Martial Path, and Martial Strength.

Martial Way is about how much one had experienced in life, and the combat one had survived. Kairos and their group had been stuck at Peak Mortal’s Way for a long time until their fight with the Orc King allowed them to breakthrough. Later on, after experiencing the savage battles in the Silent Lambs Empire, they reached Mid Heart’s Way, their current stage. It should be said that reaching Peak Heart’s Way will allow one to progress from A rank till Triple S rank, the highest cultivation level on Gaia. To reach the Immortal Realms, the usual way, is to breaking through Heart’s Way into Spirit’s Way and attempting to go beyond Peak Triple S.

Conversely, no matter how much they strengthen their bodies, if they cannot reach Peak Heart’s Way, they are not matured enough on the path of Dao, and their inexperience will limit their progress.

The five boys are now at Entry B rank, and they have until Peak B rank to find a way and progress into the next stage, Peak Heart’s Way. Most practitioners are stuck at this place, unable to enter into the admired A ranks. Even talented geniuses who reach B rank at an early age might not be able to experience the things needed to enter Peak Heart’s Way, making A rank forever out of reach.

What determines the experience one needs to advance further, is well-defined by the belief one has. The practitioner calls it the Martial Path.

For those of the Righteous Faction on the Righteous Path, they need to do things without betraying their own heart, experiencing love, honour, courage and other things that tug at their heartstrings to help them mature. Sometimes, all they need is a grand battle, and one can swiftly reach the next Martial Way’s stage.

Reversely, those of the Demonists Faction on the Evil Path requires one to create a demon in their heart. Many of them are those that had betrayed their beliefs and fallen. There are some that worshipped power, fame, money or other vices, but all of them believe in being true to their desires.

To them, those of the Righteous Faction are all hypocrites. It is interesting when one gets to know them, that many on the Evil Path are not wicked. They merely believe that all men have tendencies of evil and should never lie to themselves in what they are capable.

Then, the final, almost legendary Martial Path is the Heavenly Path. Those are practitioners who had touched the Dao of heaven and walk a path transcending what is important to the most people seeking after the eternal.

What are fame and money, when all of these are temporal?

What is power, but a mere tool?

What are laws, wisdom and justice of mere men?

Who determines what is good and evil, when immediate suffering could turn into greatness, and swift justice could become eternal regrets?

Those of the Heavenly Path discards all these. Only one thing is required: To face the present while looking to the future.

It is not envisioning what would happen next, for that would make them schemers, but an iron-clad will to reach their final goal.

The most astonishing thing about the goals of Heavenly Path practitioners is their simplicity. Be it protecting their loved ones or merely wanting to experience a higher level of battle, as long as they never to turn their backs on their target.

The Martial Path that Kairos and those who became Origin Energy Users are all, without exception, the Heavenly Path. But, this only determines their start.

Whether they could remain depends on themselves. The cultivation method one chooses to adopt is the primary factor that guides one towards a Martial Path, but experience and character forge the way forward.

The third and last cultivation requirement is one’s Martial Strength.

A person’s body is like a fine weapon. Refining, forging, tempering it relentlessly will allow one to become a capable vessel to possess greater cultivation. Without it, no matter what one experiences, no matter how advanced one is on their Martial Way, one cannot break through the gates to the next rank.

Gaining Martial Strength is what Combat Class is for.

A familiar looking instructor headed the class. Because of the number of students participating, he called out each student leader’s name who in turn ensured their group’s attendance.

Kairos noticed he was stared at and given a wink by the instructor.

“Ah, it’s Head Instructor Yi De?”

It was unexpected that a Head Instructor would take a junior year class, but seeing that this is the Foster Father of Jones, Kairos couldn’t help but have a smile on his face.

“Kairos Astroire, is your group present?” the Disciplinarian Head asked.

Without closing his eyes, Kairos scanned the crowd using his Soul Perception, and half a second later he nodded a reply.

“Well then, with everyone here, shall we start?”

Without being given instructions, every student of their year spread across the open field at an arm’s distance apart from another. Kairos’ group, not knowing what will happen, followed the others and took their place as well.

“As before, we will start with perfecting your form. The method of breathing and Ki regulation, in particular, are the most important things for combat,”

When the boys heard this, they could not help but stifle a laugh. What Mortal Realm form-practice can match with The Breath of the Ancients?

The head instructor continued to issue out directions on the traditional art of movement that could enhance Ki efficiency, and the students repeated his instructions.

The technique itself is famous within Saint Empire, handed down after being refined by countless predecessors. An epitome of human wisdom.

But in the eyes of Kairos and his group, it couldn’t be helped that it felt somewhat, lacking.

As the students carried out the different stances and forms that Yi De required of them, the Head Instructor pulled out a Ki detection device to scan everyone’s energy use.

As he pointed the tool at each student, his device change in colour, indicating how well they do.

He strolled down the rolls with a satisfied look on his face.

“This year’s batch is pretty hardworking. Perhaps the Orc raid they experienced aided them far more than we thought?”

He noted several individuals with more talent than the rest. The Mountain Cat Clan brothers, George, Small and Smaller. The heir apparent of the White Snow Clan, Luciette. The heir apparent of the Devilheart house, Calculus. The boy from the famous family of generals, Resounding Thunder house, Lan Lei.

The Snowdrifts also did splendidly, having recently started practising the Breath of the Ancients, but when he reached Kairos’ group, he hastily hid his artefact back into his robes.

“What… what the heck is going on here?! White indicator? That’s impossible!”

The energy use of a person is classified by the device from White to Black, the darker the colour, the less effective it is.

“White indication should only appear on those who cultivated divinity into their blood, immortals! But, these kids… All five of them?”

He had no information to make any logical assumption on such a result. The majority of the students falls between Black and Purple, only the most talented amongst them to reach the levels of Blue.

This is excluding those who are born with immense talents, like Jones.

Discounting the probability of all five of them are natural geniuses in using their energy, especially considering Kairos’ purported terrible bloodlines, the only possibility is a martial arts they possess.

It was knowing that made him quickly stow his device away. He could guess that the martial art itself must be something unseen within the confines of the Mortal Realm, possibly of immortal or even divine origin.

He thinks back to the ancient immortal, Old Ye, who stayed at their Solitary Blades Clan for a while and shuddered.

“Did that revered master teach them martial arts? If the news of this is discovered, there would be no way to protect Kairos and his little group.”

While the other kids are aiming to become Imperial Guards or Grand Elders of an organisation, Yi De knows that the friends of his adopted son will one day rise to the Immortal Realms, and he is most unwilling to jeopardise their future.

After everyone had their form judged, the Head Instructor with an awkward expression on his face moved the students to the second part of the class. Combat ranking.

Normally, he would announce who did the best, but this time, Yi De smoothed things over and kept the results the boys achieved a secret.

They have been immensely lucky that the instructor is somebody they know, but secrets like this are bound to be found out sooner or later.

Yi De just hopes that the Snowdrifts would be able to become strong enough for the time when the world knows their abilities, and judge them to be a threat.

Weighing the benefits, Kairos continued to encourage everyone to practice The Breath of the Ancients. If things happen to sour, he has a secret weapon, to fall back on: The absurd ability to create new martial arts.

If need be, he could make a fake version of any technique he learned so far. It is far harder to cripple a technique yet make it work, than creating a new one.

They have already bound everyone with a Soul Jade, more for the protection of the individual than served any coercing purpose. The compelling effect of the Soul Jade will prevent others from extracting information out of a person, for one’s soul would shatter before the truth is stolen.

It was a cruel thing to decide, but Kairos nevertheless issued it.

Before Old Ye, the Immortal had returned, he had asked Kairos, the leader of the Snowdrifts, “Forming a guild would place the lives of all who joined in your hands. At that time, will you be able to make a command that will rob them of their future?”

When Kairos heard this, his eyes flashed with a strange light. His reply shocked the immortal.

“I will provide them with the strength to choose their own destinies.”

It was all he said at that time.

For people like them, where a day that is cooler than normal could mean death, what Kairos is offering is worth undertaking. Even if with freedom, comes danger.

The students made way for the instructor to lay down combat arenas. Those aiming solely for academic achievements prepared themselves to be instantly forfeited, while the others got ready to do their best.

There are ten arenas were created using talismans to form barriers. Any fewer and it will take forever for the class to finish.

Within those arenas there are a large number of Elemental Spirits for the students to challenge, those that defeated more will gain a higher score.

The students that are in front of the queue quickly take their places before the arena prepared for them. The first ten are the leaders of the groups along with their vice-captains, included Kairos, Alan, Sasha, Luciette, Alucard, George, Snow, and of course, Calculus.