High Martial Arts: I Awaken a Low-Tier Martial System Chapter 1: Grounded Martial Arts Achievement System

February 2325, Blue Star, West Mountain Province.

An City No.3 High School.

Massive snowflakes tumbled from the heavens, blanketing the entire campus in a flawless white landscape amid freezing temperatures.

Yet inside a classroom within the teaching block, a group of youngsters dressed in light garments held firm in horse stance, fists flying relentlessly.

Jiang Ye positioned himself among the group, vapor rising from his perspiring form, utterly unbothered by the springtime cold.

"The ’Star Martial Cultivation Technique’ serves as the initial stage of martial arts practice."

A youthful and stunning female instructor clad in a spotless martial uniform moved through the students, her expression icy.

She scolded them harshly:

"You’re now in the second term of your second year. By this point, the cultivation technique ought to have hit Minor Success for most, but fewer than half have managed it."

"Following the winter vacation, hardly anyone shows improvement."

"Some claim the cold made practice impossible. Why not examine your own shortcomings instead?"

"With just a year and a half before the college entrance exam, reflect honestly: can you secure a spot in Martial Arts University?"

The female teacher halted there.

She lingered for a moment, her gaze shifting to a boy nearby.

"Jiang Ye is performing admirably." The lovely female teacher gave a faint nod, "Post-winter break, he’s advanced considerably, with the ’Star Martial Cultivation Technique’ approaching Minor Success."

The students around turned to stare at Jiang Ye.

Jiang Ye possessed striking good looks, a captivating presence, a lofty stature, and eyes brimming with youthful drive and resolve.

"Maintain that momentum."

The lovely female teacher instructed.

"Yes."

Jiang Ye offered a slight bow to the female teacher.

Minor Success hardly stood out in the class, particularly without a breakthrough yet.

Still, this achievement stemmed from his unyielding training over the entire winter break.

"Ye keeps pushing hard."

A nearby boy with dark skin sighed, "With slightly better talent, you’d have hit Great Success already."

Jiang Ye shook his head in response and replied, "Why obsess over talent? It just diminishes the value of one’s diligence."

"You’re right."

The dark-skinned boy agreed with a nod and grin, "High-talent martial artists got shifted to the elite class from year one. Here in the standard class, it’s all about endurance and sweat."

In martial arts cultivation, talent ranks first, comprehension second, and hard work third.

Comprehension remains elusive, effort is personal, but talent gets quantified precisely.

Every student in the standard class boasts only low-grade talent.

Low-grade talent equates to average martial potential.

Jiang Ye, raised in this era, had long recognized his subpar martial aptitude.

He stuck with martial training not from passion alone.

Rather, in this realm, martial arts gripped everyone, compounded by the looming "Shadow Disaster" that endangered everyday existence.

On Blue Star, close to ten million perish annually from this peril.

Embarking on the martial path to bolster oneself offers the ultimate safeguard for self and kin.

"Martial arts..."

Jiang Ye whispered inwardly.

He understood well that talent scrutiny defined martial arts entry.

He’d accepted his weak talent ages ago.

That is, until several days prior...

[Low Martial Achievement System (Unactivated)]

A interface materialized in Jiang Ye’s vision, visible solely to him.

This interface had popped up abruptly just days before.

Accompanying it were recollections from his previous existence, awakening his knowledge as a transmigrator born into this world.

At that instant, he grasped that his long-overdue golden finger had finally emerged after over a decade.

But what came next left him at a loss for words.

"This is clearly a High Martial World; why a Low Martial Achievement System?"

In this world’s chronicles.

Centuries back, Blue Star linked to the cosmos, ushering in cosmic martial arts.

Cosmic martial arts fused ancient techniques with tech, evolving over hundreds of years into peak prosperity.

Some emerged unscathed from nuclear explosions.

Others relocated mountains and parted oceans, forging immense flatlands.

Some demolished million-ton spacecraft barehanded with strikes.

Martial titans stood beneath starry vaults, shielding nations via unbreakable martial intent, eternal icons repelling dark foes.

Undeniably, this was a High Martial World defying nukes with flesh and shattering worlds with fists!

Jiang Ye eyed the "Unactivated" label on the interface, utterly speechless.

In this high martial realm, handing me a low martial system— no surprise it stayed dormant!

Luckily, through the years, his tenacity had sustained him. Golden finger or not, his martial devotion remained unshakable.

Of course.

He knew low-grade talent demanded exponentially more toil to tread the cosmic martial path.

Furthermore, Jiang Ye’s aptitude ranked merely mid-tier even among the standard class.

"Annually, fewer than fifteen from the standard class enter Martial Arts University, and that figure varies."

Jiang Ye mused, "So I need to crack the top ten in class for a shot at Martial Arts University."

The class’s top ten had attained Minor Success in ’Star Martial Cultivation Technique’ by second year’s first semester.

As Jiang Ye advanced, they pressed forward tirelessly too.

Overcoming them proved no simple feat.

"One step at a time—with sufficient grit and toil, success is within reach."

Jiang Ye’s thoughts settled into calm.

Meanwhile, after berating the class, the lovely female teacher announced softly, "Everyone, prepare yourselves; the entry assessment is next."

At those words, the students buzzed with energy.

The assessment marked a key event at semester start.

"Ranking time again—maybe I’ll sneak into the top ten this round."

"I’m sunk; probably dropping to the bottom again."

Students buzzed with nerves or thrill, fidgeting restlessly.

Jiang Ye felt anticipation too; this test would reveal his winter gains against the others.

…

Shortly, the female teacher reached the classroom’s heart, tapping a floor button with her foot.

"Buzz!"

A gleaming silver-white device ascended from below.

This was the punch force tester.

Entry assessments mirrored college entrance martial exams, split into physical checks and combat sims.

The physical’s opening was punch force measurement.

As the female teacher logged names, students stepped up sequentially.

"Wen Yuehui, 351 kilograms."

"Li Zhichao, 475 kilograms."

"Zeng Niu, 235 kilograms."

"…"

Moments ticked by.

At last, Jiang Ye’s moment arrived.

"Jiang Ye, you’re up."

The lovely female teacher eyed Jiang Ye longer; this exceptionally handsome, diligent youth left a strong mark.

"Yes."

Jiang Ye drew a deep breath, approaching the punch force tester.

He fixed his stare on the machine ahead, right fist gradually lifting.

"Hoo!"

Jiang Ye’s feet rooted to the floor, spine coiling like a rising dragon, power surging into his right fist.

He unleashed a mighty blow toward the circular target.

"Bang!"

A resounding impact echoed as the screen’s digits raced.

kilograms.

kilograms.

kilograms.

Quickly, it stabilized at ’245 kilograms’.

"Nearly hits the Minor Success benchmark."

Jiang Ye took the result in stride.

kilograms defined Minor Success for Star Martial Cultivation Technique.

His force placed mid-pack in class, ahead of some, behind others.

Ring!

[Host’s punch strength detected!]

[Grounded Martial Achievement System activating…]

Returning to his place, Jiang Ye froze as text overlays appeared.

"System activating?"

This Grounded Martial Achievement System truly awakened?

[Warning! Warning!]

[Your punch strength hits the system’s ceiling, exceeding 90% of global population!]

[Performing strength evaluation…]

Reading these, Jiang Ye could scarcely believe it.

"Me? Hit the system cap?"

"Outpacing 90% of humanity?"

You’ve got to be joking!

His 245 kilograms might impress in his old life, but here, any teen managed it effortlessly!

Barely trying, and he maxed the system?

[Evaluation complete: your punch strength qualifies as Martial Arts Master level!]

[Title acquired: Martial Arts Master!]

"Martial Arts Master?" Jiang Ye stood stunned anew.

After all this, that’s the verdict?

"Grounded Martial… did the system mistake this for a low-martial world?"

"Even in grounded martial settings, over 200 kilograms for Master status—what kind of primitive realm is that?"

As Jiang Ye struggled to accept it.

A fresh message surfaced.

[’Martial Arts Master’ achievement unlocked; scan reveals your physique as deficient.]

[Reward: Physique Boost!]