Chapter 21: What Are Your Hobbies?

Tianshu Institute.

Xu Ruqing stopped at the gate after escorting Xiao Yang inside. According to the university's regulations, no freshman was permitted to enter any of the seven institutes before mastering a foundational martial arts technique. This was the school’s way of motivating students: if you wanted access to the Seven Institutes, you had to work hard and earn your place through your own ability.

This was a strict rule; even someone like Ling Dufei, already a martial artist from a top martial arts family, could not enter before mastering the required technique.

Tianshu Institute had already received word that Xiao Yang had mastered the foundational technique and would be arriving today. Mentor Sha Hongwen was waiting at the gate to receive him. Such a reception was unique—because Xiao Yang possessed the rare Perfection of the Five Elements constitution and came with recommendations from Director Lin Shaofeng, Tianshu Institute placed great importance on him.

Sha Hongwen guided Xiao Yang through registration, issued him the student badge for the Lower Grade Class 95, and then led him to his assigned dormitory—Dormitory 9527.

Official students of the Seven Institutes were all martial artists who had mastered the foundational techniques and naturally enjoyed better treatment than freshmen. Freshmen shared a dormitory room among four, while official students shared a dormitory courtyard with four others. Each courtyard had a common yard and four suites, each suite containing a bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom.

Three people already resided in Dormitory 9527, occupying the suites named Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Xiao Yang moved into the suite named Winter.

After settling his luggage, Xiao Yang followed Sha Hongwen to report to his class.

Every year, the incoming class numbered more than 28,000, who were then distributed among the seven institutes—about 4,000 per institute per year.

Except for those who achieved the fourth-rank martial artist status and graduated early, all students remained until the age of twenty-five. Very few could reach the fourth rank before twenty-five; the vast majority stayed until graduation at twenty-five, mostly as third or second-rank martial artists. As for those who graduated at the first rank, that was even rarer than early graduation—almost unheard of.

Each of the seven institutes welcomed over 4,000 new students annually, and since students only graduated at twenty-five, each institute accumulated more than 20,000 martial artist students over the years. Altogether, the Seven Institutes had well over a hundred thousand students. The sheer number made management difficult, which was why Jiangnan Martial University divided its students among seven institutes, each governed separately.

Xiao Yang entered his new class and looked over his classmates—about forty in all, far fewer than the hundred per class in the freshman division.

Sha Hongwen stood at the lectern and introduced him: “Classmates, today Class 95 welcomes a new member—Xiao Yang.”

He turned to Xiao Yang. “Xiao Yang, please introduce yourself.”

Xiao Yang was the first of this year’s freshmen to master the foundational technique and enter one of the Seven Institutes. Therefore, all the classmates before him had at least entered the university a year ahead of him—some, perhaps, two years ahead.

They were all nineteen or older, every one of them senior to him. The eyes that regarded Xiao Yang were not friendly—though not hostile, their gazes were stern, even intimidating, as if trying to put pressure on the newcomer—a traditional show of dominance from upperclassmen to freshmen.

An ordinary newcomer, faced with dozens of stern senior stares, would no doubt feel a chill of anxiety and overwhelming pressure.

But Xiao Yang possessed formidable spiritual strength, and with the Superdimensional Tome in hand, he was supremely confident. Even in the presence of a grandmaster, he could maintain his composure; the scrutiny of a few dozen first-rank martial artists was nothing to him.

He stepped up to the lectern and said, “Hello, everyone. My name is Xiao Yang—‘Xiao’ as in ‘solemn grass,’ ‘Yang’ as in ‘sunshine.’ I’m from Yuezhou City.”

A voice called out from the students, “Are you the one with the Perfection of the Five Elements constitution among the freshmen?”

Xiao Yang nodded slightly. “That’s me.”

The Perfection of the Five Elements constitution was truly renowned; with a freshman possessing such a rare gift, he had naturally become a hot topic on Jiangnan Martial University’s campus forum. Many students were aware of him.

Of course, some students who didn’t follow the forum or hadn’t heard from others were just learning this for the first time.

Immediately, a collective gasp swept through the class.

Someone even cried out, “Perfection of the Five Elements—that’s incredible!”

Many looked at Xiao Yang with entirely new eyes.

In less than a month since enrolling, he had already become a martial artist, completed the aperture-opening and meridian-clearing process, mastered a foundational technique, and left the freshman division to join Tianshu Institute. This was already an extraordinary achievement; with the added bonus of his unique constitution, who knew what heights he might eventually reach in the martial arts?

Even among the talented students admitted to Tianshu Institute, only a tiny fraction would ever become grandmasters. In a class of forty, it was unlikely even one would become such a formidable figure.

But Xiao Yang—achieving martial artist status at eighteen, possessing the Perfection of the Five Elements constitution—if he did not fall along the way, reaching the seventh-rank as a grandmaster would be only the beginning.

Many classmates secretly marveled at him: a true favored son of heaven—utterly beyond comparison.

Now, the pressure shifted: Xiao Yang felt nothing, but his classmates felt the weight instead.

Sha Hongwen directed Xiao Yang to his seat.

Martial arts cultivation was not merely about blind hard work; method was key.

A martial artist needed to understand their own body, and since they often fought against beastly creatures, they had to know their enemies as well. Only by knowing both themselves and their foes could they adapt in battle.

Fighting beasts inevitably brought injuries, so healing was also an essential skill for a martial artist.

Beasts were varied and medicines even more numerous. Add to that the mysteries of the human body—there was a wealth of theory for martial artists to master.

Thus, Mondays through Thursdays were devoted to theory classes; afternoons and all of Friday were for practical cultivation, with weekends left for self-study. Theory occupied half the total class hours.

Sha Hongwen, the head mentor for Class 95, was himself a fifth-rank martial artist, primarily teaching the mysteries of the human body—discussing acupoints, organs, meridians, limbs, and the hidden potential of every part.

After one class, Xiao Yang felt enlightened. Previously, he had merely gone through the motions of opening apertures and clearing meridians, with no understanding of their deeper mysteries. Now he realized just how complex each acupoint and meridian was, and how much hidden potential they held.

With his strong spirit and keen insight, Sha Hongwen’s lessons brought about new realizations for Xiao Yang, greatly benefitting his practice of the Five Element Qi Mastery.

During the break, two classmates approached him.

“Hi, I’m Jiang Shaohuang!”

“Hi, I’m Duan Fei!”

Each extended a hand in greeting, and together they said, “Welcome to Dormitory 9527!”

Jiang Shaohuang’s name sounded elegant and noble; upon hearing it, one might imagine a refined gentleman, but in reality, he was a large, rotund figure over six feet tall, weighing close to two hundred pounds.

Duan Fei’s name was plain, but he was handsome, always neatly dressed, with a fair complexion—he looked somewhat like a young nobleman.

Both wore warm, friendly smiles.

Xiao Yang shook hands with each in turn. “Nice to meet you. But aren’t there already three residents in our dorm? Who’s the fourth?”

Duan Fei, alert and shrewd, replied, “That would be Guan Yun. He’s obsessed with martial arts—his cultivation progresses at rocket speed. After just half a year in the lower division, he broke through to the second rank and has already advanced to the middle division.”

Xiao Yang asked, “He’s in the middle division now but still lives in our dorm?”

Duan Fei nodded. “It’s up to each person. If you want to move, you can; if you prefer to stay, you can remain until graduation.”

A thought struck Xiao Yang, and he asked in surprise, “So the room I’m in—who lived there before? Did someone move out after advancing?”

Duan Fei only smiled and said nothing.

Jiang Shaohuang, straightforward and honest, explained, “Well... that Zhang Ren was supposed to live there, but none of our dorm’s residents are ordinary people—we all have our ambitions and dreams. He felt ashamed and moved out on his own.”

What a boastful thing to say.

Would someone really move out just because their dormmates were too outstanding?

If anyone else said this, Xiao Yang would not believe a word. But Jiang Shaohuang, with his honest, chubby face, had barely spoken a word since Duan Fei started talking. Clearly not one to exaggerate, he seemed trustworthy.

If so, then just how remarkable were his three dormmates?

That unseen Guan Yun was clearly exceptional—advancing to second rank in less than a year. But what about Jiang Shaohuang and Duan Fei?

Xiao Yang studied the two, unsure where their talents lay.

Neither minded his scrutiny. Duan Fei asked, “Xiao Yang, can I ask you something? What are your hobbies?”

Hobbies?

Xiao Yang thought for a moment—he didn’t really have any. Or wait—he did. Coming to Earthstar, he’d found the martial world fascinating and had completely immersed himself in the identity of Earthstar’s Xiao Yang. But thinking back to his days on Earth, he’d enjoyed carving—though it was purely amateur, and his finished works were far from impressive.

Since coming to Earthstar, absorbed in the martial world, he’d nearly forgotten about carving; he hadn’t done it for over a month. Never mind—his carving skills were so poor, there was no need to mention it.

On reflection, he realized he really enjoyed eating—especially after sampling the delicious beast cuisine of Earthstar, his taste buds had evolved; he truly loved good food.

Xiao Yang said, “My hobby is eating!”

At this, Jiang Shaohuang’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “That’s a great hobby—absolutely wonderful! My passion is cooking. I want to become a gourmet chef. Xiao Yang, you love to eat—I’ll cook for you!”

Xiao Yang looked at Jiang Shaohuang. A martial artist, and yet his ambition was to be a chef?

Meeting Xiao Yang’s gaze, Jiang Shaohuang said, “Becoming a gourmet chef is my dream.”

Xiao Yang thought to himself: Not exactly the orthodox path...

He turned to Duan Fei. “And you? What’s your hobby?”

Duan Fei’s expression became solemn. “I enjoy doing business. My dream is to become a great entrepreneur.”

Good grief—neither of you is following the standard path!

These are things ordinary people pursue. As martial artists, shouldn’t your dreams be to become grandmasters or Martial Kings?

As for Xiao Yang’s own secret ambition, it was singular—to become a Martial King. Of course, he kept that to himself.

Looking at the earnest faces of Duan Fei and Jiang Shaohuang, it was clear they weren’t lying. Among martial artists, their hobbies were certainly unique.

He could only hope that their other dormmate, the martial-obsessed Guan Yun, had a more conventional martial artist’s dream.