"Still thinking of me, huh? I think you’ve forgotten both me and mom."
On the other end of the video, Su Qingping quickly waved his hand and said,
"How could that be? You’re the only seedling of the Su Family. Whoever we forget, we can’t forget you."
"We’ve just been really busy lately. Your mom and I have a project with the company that needs to be discussed—tight schedule, heavy workload, but the bonus is quite generous."
"Haven’t you not left New Star for years? Once our project ends, we’ll get you a visa, so you can go explore beyond the Star River."
"And while you’re at it, visit Celestial City Star, and check out Starship University, get used to the environment in advance."
Su Qingping rambled on; at this moment, he was not an adventurer scientist, just a father who hadn’t contacted his child in a while.
"Celestial City Star, huh."
Su Tu had always wanted to get into Starship Academy, which is on Celestial City Star, the main planet of the Celestial City Star System, with countless supply stars providing resources. It’s one of the most developed planets in the Federation.
Starship University is even more renowned, ranking in the top ten among the Federation’s top 100 academies, with a strong faculty. Entering this academy means half a foot into the high-paying tier.
"Right, Dad, did you see the text I sent you?"
Before asking his class teacher for leave, Su Tu had sent his dad details of recent happenings and his decision to sign up for the martial exam.
Upon hearing Su Tu’s words, Su Qingping paused, then smiled helplessly.
"Ah, if I say no, would you listen?"
"I thought you wouldn’t be exposed to these things on Ancestor Star and could lead a stable life, but unexpectedly, your generation caught the wave of change."
Hidden in Su Qingping’s words was the fact that he already knew about Martial Arts Dao.
But this didn’t surprise Su Tu. Martial Arts Dao was popular outside the Star River, and Su Tu’s parents worked outside the Star River for years. Su Qingping, being an adventurer scientist, needed to travel to various star systems to find new resources and explore new planets.
His work environment inevitably exposed him to many martial artists; Su Tu even suspected that his dad might be a martial artist.
Yet, all these years, he kept it hidden.
"So, Dad, you knew about Martial Arts Dao all along."
"You hid it from me for so many years. I was always looking for those mysterious and majestic existences when I was a kid, and you didn’t reveal a word. Am I even your real son?"
Su Tu’s family atmosphere was good; though they were father and son, they got along more like old friends.
"Ah, little Tu, it’s not that Dad wanted to hide it from you. Even if I told you, you’d forget. There are multiple Great Divine Power Users in the Federation, joining forces to blockade Ancestor Star."
"When ordinary people hear anything about Martial Arts Dao, their cognition gets twisted."
"Only recently have they begun to lift the blockade."
Su Qingping explained.
"Alright." Su Tu had actually already guessed this point before. Without Great Divine Power Users using unimaginable methods to blockade Ancestor Star, mere bans couldn’t seal the news so tightly.
"Then tell me, are you a martial artist?" Su Tu asked.
Su Qingping shrugged helplessly: "My profession leaves me no choice. In interstellar adventures, you always encounter some idiots. Higher education is to reason with idiots, and cultivating Martial Arts Dao is so those idiots have no choice but to listen to my reasoning."
"That means your realm is pretty high." Looking at his dad’s smug face, Su Tu couldn’t help but ask.
"Only like twenty stories high." Su Qingping joked.
As for Su Tu taking the path of martial cultivation, Su Qingping accepted it naturally. The father and son chatted for a while longer, and in the end, he never mentioned his realm.
Su Tu then told his dad about recent events, omitting what shouldn’t be said.
"Zhou Wuliang, I’ve heard of him. He’s a very strong martial artist, has gone quite far in both Martial Arts Dao and mental strength. Learning from him would be the right choice."
"Don’t worry, I might be a one-in-ten-million martial arts genius, draining all the knowledge the teacher has to offer." Su Tu said with a smile.
"I guarantee it! You’re not just one in ten million; you’re one in a billion." Su Qingping spoke with such conviction it didn’t seem like he was joking.
Su Tu didn’t take it seriously, considering his dad had excessive confidence in him.
Not long after, someone called for Su Qingping from outside the video.
Su Qingping responded, then said to Su Tu: "Alright, I have to go. Your mom misses you a lot too; she’ll probably reach out tonight."
"Alright, go do your thing."
After hanging up the phone, Su Tu’s heart, once on edge, was now completely at ease.
No matter if his parents supported him or not, he would still pursue the path of Martial Arts Dao.
But his parents’ support gave him extraordinary peace of mind.
"Starship University, whether it’s the academic or martial exam, I will make it." Su Tu felt calm inside, as if getting into that academy was an inevitable path.
He had reasons to be admitted.
And that reason was...
Su Tu’s thoughts paused for a moment, then he remembered he hadn’t practiced his techniques today.
Afterward, he got up and left the lounge, as if he’d forgotten something...
One of the conditions for advancing to Eternal Life is achieving Great Success in a Tier Three technique.
This condition seems simple but is actually extremely demanding. Without a teacher, he estimated he wouldn’t even come across a mediocre technique.
And reaching Great Success in a technique is even more challenging.
One must go through the Entry Level, Small Success, and Observing the Micro stages to touch the threshold of Great Success.
Entry Level means a basic grasp; Small Success can unleash part of the technique’s power; Observing the Micro is thoroughly controlling the technique’s details, where one can see life and death in the subtleties.
To reach Great Success in a technique, one needs to fully understand its true intent, exertion methods, breathing rhythm, and movement details, perfecting each to the extreme.
One would be able to unleash 200% or more of the technique’s power.
The requirements are extremely stringent; anyone who masters a technique to Great Success qualifies as a grandmaster in it and can guide and teach it.
The final stage above even that is called Independent Self, which involves innovating and thoroughly integrating the technique within oneself, forging it into something uniquely one’s own. Very few beyond the Star River have achieved this.
Su Tu had already reached the Small Success Realm in Prajna Seven Kills, but there was a long way to go before Great Success.
In the martial arts room, Su Tu set up his stance; each movement, each lift of the hand, echoed sharply, with faint electric sparks appearing around him.
As he continued practicing, his understanding of Prajna Seven Kills deepened.
He was immersed in the pleasure of self-improvement and didn’t even notice when someone opened the door to the martial arts room.