A trace of worry still lingered on Duan Kun's face. Wang Zhan was the most outstanding disciple he had ever mentored, and even though he trusted Wang Zhan's mental fortitude, he couldn't truly rest easy until he saw him pull through.

However, when their eyes met, he saw the fighting spirit in Wang Zhan's.

"It seems you've pulled through. You're even more outstanding than I imagined," Duan Kun said with a relieved smile.

"Old Duan." Wang Zhan started to get up, but Duan Kun quickly pressed him back down onto the bed. "You're a patient; don't bother with all that. I don't care for such formalities."

Only after Duan Kun sat down opposite Wang Zhan did he remark, feigning a slight complaint, "Say, when did you inexplicably start calling me Old Duan?"

"Heh, doesn't it sound more friendly?"

Duan Kun shook his head and chuckled, not really minding.

"Vice President Lu already told me what happened. He specifically instructed me to come and talk things through with you once you woke up, but it looks like that's not necessary anymore. Still, I can't have come all this way for nothing. Ask me anything you want."

Seeing Wang Zhan perk up, Duan Kun said with a helpless sigh, "It's a bit too early to tell you some things, but since you've already experienced it, there's no point in hiding it anymore. It would only lead you to make wild guesses."

Wang Zhan nodded eagerly, then impatiently asked, "What's the deal with the Original Organization?"

"Just as I thought, it's this question." Duan Kun said, with an 'I-knew-it' expression. "Well, humans are naturally prone to infighting, even when facing a powerful enemy. The Original Organization is essentially a group of people who hold different views from us martial artists. Neither side could persuade the other, so they just decided to do their own thing."

"Old Duan, that's too general. I want to know more specifics."

Duan Kun nodded and, not keeping him in suspense, said directly, "Our faction of martial artists—or to be more precise, the elite martial artists of the Orthodox Academy Faction—firmly believe that the potential of the human body is limitless! We channel Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, converting it into our own Internal Breath of Essence, which allows us to unleash power far exceeding the body's natural capabilities."

"And that's just for ordinary martial artists. Once one reaches the Grandmaster realm, they can command the Spiritual Energy within a vast surrounding area with every move, as if it were an extension of their own limbs. At even higher realms, they can move mountains and fill seas with a flick of their fingers. Merely witnessing such power from afar is enough to make one's heart pound."

Wang Zhan knew Duan Kun wasn't exaggerating; he himself had witnessed a Grandmaster in battle.

Although Lv Zhenglong and Yuan Shisan had fought with great restraint that time, the mere aftershocks of their clash had made Wang Zhan, standing hundreds of meters away, tremble to his core.

"Then what about the martial artists of the Original Organization?"

"The martial artists of the Original Organization, on the other hand, believe more in evolution!"

"Evolution?"

"Yes. They feel that life forms like humans are not perfect enough! Because they know firsthand what terrifying beasts humans confront on the true battlefields, they are more inclined to achieve greater strength by altering the human bloodline."

"If they're not even human anymore, what's the use of becoming stronger?" Wang Zhan said, rather speechless.

Duan Kun surprisingly shook his head, "Do you think I'm strong?"

"Teacher, you're a Martial General. Of course you're strong," Wang Zhan replied matter-of-factly.

Above Martial Artist is Warrior, above that is Martial Master, and only then comes Martial General.

Wang Zhan himself had no idea when he could break through to become a Martial General; of course, that rank was powerful.

To his surprise, Duan Kun gave a bitter laugh.

"What if I told you that some beast races have newborn young that possess strength comparable to a Martial General?"

"What?!" Wang Zhan jumped in surprise.

"Don't be surprised; beasts are just that illogical," Duan Kun said helplessly. "That's why the Original Organization came to be. The people in it are, in truth, martial artists who've grown terrified of beasts. They realized that a realm of strength humans might take ten, even dozens of years of arduous cultivation to achieve, some beasts can match simply by maturing. So, they decided if you can't beat them, join them, and they're trying every conceivable way to change the human constitution."

"Through Gene Potions?"

"That's right, through Gene Potions," Duan Kun nodded.

Wang Zhan had a moment of sudden understanding, but then he quickly grew puzzled. "But I've heard that Gene Potions are quite prevalent on the Black Market. If the Original Organization harbors ill intentions, why doesn't the Federation ban them?"

"Because among the highest echelons of the Federation, there are also members of the Original Organization."

"Ah?"

"Hah, what's so surprising about it? This is an open secret," Duan Kun said nonchalantly. "Some firmly believe in the limitless potential of martial artists, while naturally, others believe in so-called species evolution. The bigwigs at the top have been arguing about this for many years. The current situation is, in fact, a result of tacit approval from both sides."

Hearing this, an idea flashed through Wang Zhan's mind.

"So, the higher-ups are letting things run their course, wanting to see what kind of changes Gene Potions can ultimately bring to humanity!"

"Precisely. That's why, whether it's the martial artists of the Academy Faction or people from the military, even though they are all very dissatisfied with the Original Organization, they generally don't try to wipe them out. Firstly, it's very difficult to eliminate them completely and cleanly. Secondly, doing so would inevitably anger those at the top and invite significant trouble."

Wang Zhan fell silent. This was completely different from what he had previously envisioned.

He had assumed that the conflict with the Original Organization was a clear case of right versus wrong. Yet, who would have thought that the Original Organization's existence was actually so opportune, and even an indispensable part of the Federation?

"I had originally planned to uproot the Original Organization entirely once I became powerful enough. Now, it seems that will be very difficult to achieve," Wang Zhan frowned deeply.

"Who knows? When you become so powerful that even those bigwigs at the top fear you, what will the Original Organization matter then? Of course, before that, it's better to be cautious. Those people act without any scruples; it's too early for you to go up against them now."

"I understand," Wang Zhan responded solemnly, then asked, "So, with the higher-ups letting Gene Potions be for so many years, have there been any tangible effects?"

"Of course, there have been. Otherwise, the Original Organization wouldn't still exist," Duan Kun said. "Many martial artists who had reached the limit of their Talent have made breakthroughs after taking Gene Potions. However, the price is that they forfeit any possibility of future progress."

Wang Zhan gave a couple of helpless laughs.

Their potential was already exhausted. If they could take one more step, who would care about the future anyway?

"Furthermore, Gene Potions are addictive and can cause side effects after consumption. Severe cases can even be life-threatening," Duan Kun continued. "Therefore, any student in a Martial Arts Academy, even the lowest-ranked ones, will be told by their teachers at the opportune moment: if there's any way, absolutely do not touch Gene Potions."

"Gene Potions have indeed brought considerable combat strength to the front lines. But, by the same token, a large number of martial artists have also died because of them! It is, at its core, an immature product. Everyone who uses Gene Potions is just a guinea pig for the Original Organization—and that includes those using the versions currently circulating on the market."

Seeing Wang Zhan lost in thought, Duan Kun stood up. "Mull it over yourself. That's all I'll say for today. If there's anything else you want to know in the future, don't hesitate to ask."

"Mm, I won't stand on ceremony," Wang Zhan replied with a light chuckle.

Duan Kun shook his head, waved his hand, and then left Wang Zhan's dormitory.

「...」

After Duan Kun left, Wang Zhan checked his injuries.

Having been unconscious for a week, the piercing wound in his abdomen had already healed. After all, with his physical attributes all nearing 1,000, his self-healing ability was quite extraordinary.

Speaking of attribute points, Wang Zhan opened his attribute panel.

He was taken aback by what he saw.

Host: Wang Zhan

Strength: 1,000

Agility: 1,000

Physique: 1,000

Charm: 30

Wisdom: 18

When did my attribute points max out? Wang Zhan paused, stunned, then a guess formed. It must be the result of that attack from Yuan Shisan. Truly worthy of a Grandmaster. I was still dozens of points short in my three main attributes before this. He couldn't help but feel a bit speechless at the thought.

This method of increasing attribute points was indeed fast. A single strike had nearly maxed out the extreme attributes for his current level. But the side effects were also substantial; whether one survived was a major issue.

I need to be more cautious in the future. I can't be so reckless again.

In any case, having maxed-out attribute points was definitely a good thing.

However, just as Wang Zhan prepared to attempt another breakthrough, he realized there wasn't a single Mixed Essence Pill left in his dormitory.

I took all the previous ones to the wilderness area and used them up... That's right! Huang Fu, Song Dongming, and I killed so many high-level beasts. Their beast cores can be exchanged for a large amount of academic credits!

Wang Zhan tried to video call Huang Fu, but it went unanswered for a long time. He then tried calling Song Dongming.

This time, the video call connected quickly.

Song Dongming's face appeared on the light screen before him.

"Wang Zhan, you're awake? How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, I guess," Wang Zhan replied with a smile.

"That's good. Huang Fu and I were worried you wouldn't pull through," Song Dongming nodded, then asked, "What's up? I'm in class right now."

"Class? What class?" Wang Zhan was taken aback. We just got back from the wilderness area, what classes could there be? Not all the mentors are even back yet.

"Bro, I'm a sophomore, and you're just a freshman! The three of us were given special permission to go to the wilderness area. All the other students are attending classes as usual," Song Dongming said, giving Wang Zhan an exasperated look.

Only then did it click for Wang Zhan: he was indeed just a freshman. The other freshmen hadn't even been to the wilderness area yet.

"Sigh, I've progressed so quickly, sometimes I forget I'm just a newbie," Wang Zhan mused. "What about our beast cores? Have they been exchanged for academic credits? I'm preparing to break through to become a level 6 Martial Artist and was planning to get some Mixed Essence Pills."

"They're all exchanged. Your share is with me... Wait, you're breaking through again?" Song Dongming's eyes widened. "Are you even human?! I was just thinking that I finally broke through to level 6 and could finally be a step ahead of you, and you've caught up this fast?"

"You're level 6?" Wang Zhan's eyes lit up. He had just been wondering who he could 'farm' attribute points from after his own breakthrough to level 6.

He had initially thought Song Dongming would be no use to him anymore, but who would have guessed the guy was so unexpectedly resilient!

"Wait there, I'm coming to find you." Wang Zhan put on his clothes and hurried out of his dormitory.

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