The next day, noon.
It was the lunch break, and figures were sparse in the Martial Dao Gym.
In a corner, Li Qingshan leaned against a cushion, eyes closed, as if fast asleep.
An hour passed,
and Li Qingshan opened his eyes, glancing at the Panel.
[《The Starry Sky Beckons》 98/1000 (Mastery)] → [《The Starry Sky Beckons》 100/1000 (Mastery)]
"Up another two points — sure enough, the daytime can't be wasted either."
This was the inspiration he'd gotten slacking off during Cao Shaoyu's lesson last night.
The Space had a 1:10 time flow; just six free minutes in reality was enough to run through 《The Starry Sky Beckons》 once inside.
"Nights basically guarantee 20 points; piece together the days and I can manage about ten more."
"That's thirty a day — one month to reach Greater Achievement!"
After a quick reckoning, Li Qingshan nodded in satisfaction.
But proficiency didn't come from nothing.
Li Qingshan looked at the Space's [Available Time: 323 days] and frowned slightly.
Each point of proficiency took four run-throughs — four hours.
30 points was a full hundred and twenty hours, five days.
And the Space only ignored stamina; he still needed sleep to recover mental fatigue — at least one more day.
In other words, for every day that passed in reality, six days of the Space's available time were spent.
As 《The Starry Sky Beckons》' progress climbed in great strides, the Space's "available time" was draining fast.
"The remaining time is enough to fully master 《The Starry Sky Beckons》, but not much will be left. Time to plan ahead."
Li Qingshan pinched the bridge of his nose, thoughtful.
"Kill monsters? But where am I supposed to find monsters..."
Having tasted the Space's "super multiplier," he had no wish to go back to the hard days of before.
Just then, a burly figure came in through the front door.
Li Qingshan's gaze shifted, locking onto him.
In the afternoon, after another Body Forging session, all the students slumped to the floor.
Wan Keshan, hands behind his back, walked up to Li Qingshan.
"Kid, if you've got something to say, say it — don't pull this on me!"
Li Qingshan had been staring at him since he walked in, until it gave him the creeps.
"Uh, was it that obvious?"
Li Qingshan smiled sheepishly and said:
"Teacher, I just wanted to ask — where did the Wolfsbane from the first lesson come from?"
"Still thinking about that Wolfsbane?"
Wan Keshan's expression changed, his brow furrowing.
He felt this student of his was a touch unwell in the head.
From the gut-splitting on day one to later asking how to kill a Wolfsbane solo,
none of it was the behavior of a normal student.
With nothing for the past half month, he'd thought Li Qingshan had finally settled down.
He hadn't expected today's "surprise."
"Teacher, don't read too much into it."
Seeing Wan Keshan's brow furrow deeper, Li Qingshan hurried to explain:
"I'm just curious about Astral-Realm mutant beasts and want to learn more."
"Curious?" Wan Keshan's gaze shifted, half-smiling.
"Once you reach the New Continent, you'll have all the time in the world to be curious. For now, just cultivate and settle down."
The New Continent?
Li Qingshan paused, then probed:
"Teacher, was that Wolfsbane sent from the New Continent?"
"Of course. Unless an evil god's power is at work, an ordinary savage beast can't break the Astral Realm's bonds on its own." Wan Keshan explained offhandedly.
"The New Continent has an 'Astral Gate' under suppression. The Wolfsbane was caught inside it."
"An Astral Gate!"
Li Qingshan's spirit lifted.
The textbooks covered both the "Astral Realm" and "Astral Gates."
The Astral Realm referred broadly to otherdimensional spaces with dimensions unlike reality — unknown in number, unknown in size.
The one certainty was that all known mutant beasts so far had invaded the human Federation from the Astral Realm.
An "Astral Gate" was an entrance to the Astral Realm.
"But the textbooks never said there was an 'Astral Gate' right on the New Continent!"
The thought flashed past, and Li Qingshan's eyes brightened.
The Wolfsbane had been caught from the Astral Realm.
Within that Astral Realm, there had to be countless more mutant beasts!
To him, an "Astral Gate" was nothing less than the entrance to an experience dungeon.
With enough strength, he could not only reap great amounts of "available time,"
but even raising the Martial Dao Space's level wouldn't be out of reach.
But all of that was something to consider only once he reached the New Continent.
Distant water couldn't quench a present thirst; unwilling to let it go, Li Qingshan said:
"Teacher, is there really no savage beast to be found on the Old Continent?"
"The nerve of you!" Wan Keshan glared and scolded:
"And if you found one, then what? You expect to tie down its limbs like in class and 'study' it as you please?"
"Or do you think you've got the strength to kill a savage beast now?"
"Uh..."
Li Qingshan, somewhat dazed by the scolding, hesitated, then ventured:
"Teacher, actually..."
"Enough. Don't aim above your station."
Wan Keshan waved him off and said earnestly:
"Savage beasts on the Old Continent are all accounted for, each with its own use. You don't just find one because you want to."
"And for the Old Continent's stability, any beast brought in must pass layer upon layer of review — an extremely strict process."
"Last time's Wolfsbane, I had to file a report in advance just to requisition it."
"In short, if you want to see more beasts, train hard and grasp the fourth stage of 《The Starry Sky Beckons》 — muscle-rhythm — as soon as you can."
"Only then will you have a hope of testing into a New Continent Martial Dao University in your third year."
After another round of encouragement, Wan Keshan turned and left.
Watching the teacher's striding back, Li Qingshan shook his head.
He'd been about to say he already had the strength to kill a Wolfsbane solo.
But as it stood, saying so or not made no difference.
Given the Old Continent's review system for beasts, he had no way to get near one for now.
"Looks like to 'kill monsters,' I'll have to reach the New Continent first."
Li Qingshan reined in his thoughts for the moment, in no great hurry.
Three years was too long; he couldn't wait.
But with the Panel, he didn't need three years at all.
"Grasping" the fourth stage of 《The Starry Sky Beckons》 needed only another month of proficiency grinding.
By then, his Body Forging progress would quickly catch up to the second-years, even the third-year seniors.
After dinner, Li Qingshan and Zhao Hongzhou boarded a bus for the Yinghai flagship.
Evening was the gym's busy hour, people coming and going.
"Coach Li!"
The front-desk girl's eyes shone, her face wreathed in smiles.
Other trainers passing by greeted him warmly too.
"Brother Li, you're here!"
Li Qingshan nodded back with a smile and headed for the fourth-floor classroom.
The moment he entered, he saw the nimble little fatso treading out 《Phantom Step》, his face full of excitement.
"Coach!"
Cao Shaoyu stopped and ran over eagerly to greet him.
Li Qingshan smiled knowingly.
"Won your fight?"
"Heh heh, Coach, you have no idea — I finally got my revenge today. That bastard Lou Jiang couldn't even grab the hem of my shirt..."