In the world of martial arts, one works tirelessly to attain enlightenment.

Chapter 8, Chang Fei's Shock

"...I don't have a girlfriend yet, and I have something important to discuss with you. My ritual underwent a second round of specialization, and now the energy consumption is too high. Do you have any methods to obtain more spirit beast meat?"

Lin Qing: "...I knew it, you must be a genius! Wait a minute, I'll send you a file. It contains what you want to know. The spirit beast meat issue isn't difficult to resolve. When are you going to win over your catgirl girlfriend?"

"Sis, can't you think about reality? How many of those selected as exchange students are easy to deal with? Aren't you afraid I'll be taken advantage of?"

Lin Ran said helplessly.

Lin Qing: "Hmph, you're no worse than those top geniuses. You're definitely hiding your true abilities; I've already heard. Someone in one of the Alliance's central cities has already found a catgirl girlfriend."

Lin Ran: ...

"Forget it, let me look at the documents first. Don't think about those unrealistic things. Instead of me finding one, you should go to the Battlefield of the Heavens and find one yourself."

Lin Qing: "Your older sister is working hard, but it will take at least another year. I can't wait!"

"I have to endure it even if I can't stand it. I'm hanging up now."

Lin Ran opened the file.

How to obtain spirit beast meat.

The three methods are: first, purchasing; second, awakened individuals applying to enter the battlefield of the heavens to hunt; and third, the elite training program.

Lin Ran skipped the first two and focused on the third.

The training program is exactly what it sounds like: cultivating the elite of the human race. As long as someone has talent, the various benefits will be overwhelming.

Lin Ran considered her own situation; with the second specialized Spirit Ascension Ritual, joining the Elite Program should be no problem.

……

In the morning, Lin Ran studied as usual, but did not use any spirit beast meat, and only gained 832 experience points.

[Transcendent Theory LV4→LV5: 33/2500]

At noon, Lin Ran quickly finished her lunch and went to the training ground to practice the Spirit Ascension Ritual.

After he realized that his skills could be upgraded in tandem, he decided to stop practicing his health-preserving exercises and wait until he reached the maximum level before figuring out how his skills would develop.

Chang Fei arrived at two o'clock.

As soon as he walked in, he saw Lin Ran. Within seconds, he sensed something was wrong, so he went closer to watch. When Lin Ran finished practicing the whole thing, he couldn't help but show a look of shock.

"You've completed your second specialization?!"

Chang Fei was shocked.

Lin Ran said,

"I think so. Last night I suddenly felt that a few movements were still cumbersome, so I removed some of them."

Chang Fei took a deep breath and said solemnly.

"Your talents haven't been fully revealed yet. I'll tell the principal right away that you'll definitely be included in the senior year awakening ceremony. Wait for me a moment."

Lin Ran waited for a short while before Chang Fei returned, smiling broadly.

He said a lot in one breath.

"The principal has agreed. You will have a spot in the senior year awakening ceremony, and a batch of spirit beast meat will be sent to you. The secondary specialization ceremony will consume a lot of resources if you want to improve quickly. You should have already felt that."

"From now on, you don't need to follow the others in your training classes anymore. I can no longer teach you the specialized rituals. Learning the general standards or other people's experiences would only be an obstacle."

"You can practice at school or at home if you want. If you go home, remember to tell your homeroom teacher. Just come on the day the Awakening Ceremony starts. After becoming an Awakener, you will leave high school and go directly to university."

"Of course, you can also choose to continue to high school. After all, cat people will stay in high school for half a year."

As he finished speaking, Chang Fei's smile suddenly turned strange.

Lin Ran: "...Okay, thank you, teacher."

So that afternoon, Lin Ran practiced alone, consuming an average of three pieces of spirit beast meat every two hours.

I practiced it a total of fourteen times by the time school ended.

[Ascension Ritual, Experience +82]

[Health Preservation, Experience +821]

[Health Preservation LV2→LV3: 594/1500]

[Fitness training, experience +856]

[Fitness LV2→LV3: 397/1500]

The improved health and fitness skills resulted in a significantly reduced reaction, with the tingling sensation lasting for less than five minutes.

……

School is letting out.

Yunzhu, holding Lingxi and Lingmeng's hands, greeted Lin Ran.

"Lin Ran, tonight we're planning to try some human cuisine. Do you have any recommendations? It'll be our treat, spirit beast meat is fine too."

"No, I cook for myself."

Lin Ran refused.

Unexpectedly, Yunzhu's eyes lit up.

"Really? Then can we come to your house... as guests?"

Lingxi, Lingmeng: "Can we be together?"

The three adorable catgirls looked at Lin Ran with expectant expressions.

Chen Fei: Nothing special. (Panda man with lemon eyes/expression)

Lin Ran glanced at it and said coldly.

"No, I still need to cultivate."

A mere catgirl can't compare to grinding experience.

Everyone: ...

Chen Fei felt like he was dreaming, unsure whether the problem lay with Lin Ran or with him.

That's an adorable big catgirl! And there are three of them together!

Lin Ran turned and left, her departure decisive.

Yunzhu was discouraged; her orange ears drooped and her tail hung down in dejection.

"Did we do something wrong?"

"No! You didn't do anything wrong, he's the one who's wrong! I'll go and talk to him!"

Chen Fei felt his chance had come, so he immediately patted his chest and chased after Lin Ran, but the further he chased, the further away they got...

Yunzhu: ?

She exchanged a glance with Lingxi and Lingmeng, their ears twitching slightly.

Yunzhu: Is there something wrong with this human?

Lingxi: I don't know, maybe that's just the complexity of the human race.

Reimu: Knowing that she's not strong enough, she doesn't try to improve her strength but still tries to force herself to join in. How pathetic.

Yunzhu: His relationship with Lin Ran seems to be good, so try not to make it too obvious.

Yunzhu: I think Lin Ran's change today is very obvious. He may have undergone a second specialization of the ritual. If nothing unexpected happens, he should be included in the human race's elite program.

Lingxi: According to the age calculation of the human race, this time is the time to undergo secondary specialization, which makes them the elite of the human race. There will be an awakening ceremony in the third year of high school soon, which is only a few days away. Perhaps we should change our plans. If Lin Ran joins the elite program, the opportunity to contact him will basically disappear.

Yunzhu: Let's discuss it with the elders. I believe Lin Ran has the talent.

Lingxi, Lingmeng: Okay

……

Cat-people, Embassy.

After listening to the accounts of Yunzhu, Lingxi, and Lingmeng, Qingmeng asked with a solemn expression,

Are you sure?

"It's pretty much confirmed. I heard Chang Fei say that Lin Ran doesn't need to come to the cultivation class anymore. Based on the information we have about the human race, the only possibility is the secondary specialization of the ritual."

Yunzhu said.

Qingmeng pondered for a while.

"I'll go and see for myself. If it's true, then we'll change the plan, and you and Lingxi and Lingmeng will go together."

"In human terms, marriage, flirting, and having offspring are not necessarily unacceptable. Those talented individuals who have already been discovered are too difficult to approach. People like Lin Ran are too few, so we must seize the opportunity."

"The clan chief conveyed a message to me today, urging us to strengthen ties with the human race."

Yunzhu: "Okay."

Lingxi, Lingmeng: "Okay."

The three of them left together, and there was no conflict about them being together.

This stems from the cat-people's style, where the strong prey on the weak.

A powerful male cat-man, one who dominates a dozen or so female cat-men, or vice versa.

In short, the cat-people and human races differ greatly in terms of reproduction.

However, the style of the cat people is very attractive to humans, and may be an excellent breakthrough for someone as difficult to approach as Lin Ran.

(End of this chapter)