mijobooks Chapter 40 Association Physical Examination
Chapter 40 Association Physical Examination
"Just turned 17?"
"What? Brother Lu, you're only 17? Pshaw, what Brother Lu? You're clearly younger than me!"
An Yourong and Jiang Yueying were both shocked. They thought this person was at least 20 years old, but they didn't expect him to be a boy younger than themselves!
Lu Ren looked a little confused, touching his slightly stubbled chin: "Do I look that old?"
"It's not that you look old, but you said before that you've been wandering around in the virtual world for a long time, and indeed, you sometimes sound very mature, like an adult."
Jiang Yueying also looked shocked. "Old, old-fashioned, like an uncle, and a bit greasy."
After all, he is indeed a middle-aged man, but to call him greasy to his face is just too impolite.
Lin Huanghu smiled and said, "Judging from this, Brother Lu is younger than Yueying. Yueying was born in May 1961, and you were born in June."
"Is this little one actually older than me? I really didn't realize."
"Brother Lu... Pshaw! Little Lu! I'll call you Little Lu from now on. Little Lu isn't even 18 yet, why aren't you in vocational school?"
"I...I don't have any money. My family is very poor. My parents are both dead, and I have a younger sister to support."
"……ah."
The three of them looked at him differently, especially Jiang Yueying, who surprisingly offered Lu Ren a few words of comfort and told him that she had some pocket money on her and that she could help him if he needed it.
Lu Ren just thought the child was so kind and cute that he wanted to pick him up and kiss him.
Jiang Yueying and An Yourong were very curious about Lu Ren's decision to go out and make a living at such a young age, while Lin Huanghu, standing to the side, became serious.
"Only 17 years old? That means Brother Lu is still in his prime..."
"Climbing period? What's that?"
Lin was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "Brother Lu, you don't know?"
Lu Ren was filled with questions. He came from a self-taught background and really didn't know anything.
Lin Huanghu explained to him: "The speed at which a professional's strength improves is not constant. It can be roughly divided into six periods based on the speed of improvement: the polishing period, the climbing period, the plateau period, the second climbing period, the explosive period, and the stagnation period."
The polishing period is between the ages of 16 and 18. This period is when a profession has just awakened and is at the Flowing Firefly Realm. The speed of strength improvement is relatively slow. If one can break through to the Candle Illumination Realm before the age of 18, the polishing period can end early and one can enter the ascent period.
The ascent period and the refinement period coincide, both between the ages of 16 and 18. However, the ascent period only occurs if one breaks through to the Candle Illumination Realm before the age of 18.
Therefore, not everyone has a period of rapid advancement. The earlier you awaken your profession and break through to the Candle Illumination stage, the longer your period of rapid advancement will be.
The speed of progress during the Ascension Phase is extremely fast. For example, after I awakened my profession, it took me a year and a half to break through to the Candle Illumination Realm. Then, entering the Ascension Phase, it only took me three months to go from the early stage of the Candle Illumination Realm to my current bottleneck... I originally thought I could break through to the Flame Relic Realm in one go, but I turned 18 last month, and my Ascension Phase has already ended.
At this point, he felt somewhat helpless, realizing that his talent was still insufficient, as true geniuses typically broke through to the Flame Realm during their ascension phase.
Lu Ren seemed to have heard Shen Yaoxing say something similar before, but these were not essential knowledge for venturing into the Void Realm back then. Shen Yaoxing didn't explain in detail, and he didn't listen carefully.
"After the age of 18, it's a plateau period. At this time, the speed of improvement in strength will become slightly slower, similar to the polishing period. In fact, most people don't have a climbing period; they go directly from the polishing period to the plateau period."
Between the ages of 22 and 25, there is a second period of rapid growth, during which strength increases at an unprecedented rate. This time, there are no restrictions, and even if one is still at the Flowing Firefly Realm, there will be a significant increase in strength.
When you turn 25, there will be a short period of explosive growth. This period only lasts for a few days, but it is very crucial. Many professionals can break through their bottlenecks during this period.
After the explosive growth period, the improvement of strength becomes extremely slow, and it feels like there is no way to make any further progress. Most people's strength will not change anymore, which is the so-called stagnation period.
Countless famous and powerful professionals were not much different in strength at age 25 compared to their current strength; the difference lay only in their richer experience, more seasoned skills, and more proficient application of power.
Of course, there are exceptions; some exceptionally talented individuals may experience a few periods of explosive growth, but such cases are extremely rare.
Lu Ren understood and nodded knowingly: "I see. So, Xiao Ying and I are both just entering our growth phase, right?"
"Hmph—"
Jiang Yueying said proudly, "I, I increased my elemental affinity by 42 points in just one week last week."
Lu Ren was startled: "Really? That amazing?!"
The growth was surprisingly rapid. When Jiang Yueying broke through to the Candle Illumination Realm, her elemental affinity was 480, which means that it should be 960 during the bottleneck period.
Her blood pressure increased by more than 40% in just one week. At this rate, she could reach the bottleneck of the Candle Illumination Realm in just over two months!
"That's right. The growth period is the most important time for professionals, just like physical development during puberty. After this period, growth will slow down or even stop."
Lin Huanghu had always thought that Lu Ren was close to 20 years old or already 20, but he never expected that this person was so young.
He still has a full year to climb, and that's not all; he discovered this just as he was registering for the passerby and Jiang Yueying.
This person was actually a professional who had awakened his powers a month ago.
In other words, he has only been a professional for one month!
If he can break through from the Firefly Realm to the Candle Illumination Realm in a month, what level can he break through to in the remaining year of his ascent?
The establishment of the Flame Realm is a foregone conclusion.
To break through to the Flame Realm before the age of 18 is extremely rare, even nationwide, but this is by no means his limit.
I wonder if he can break through to the Star Cocoon Realm. A Star Cocoon Realm at less than 18 years old... that only happened more than 300 years ago, in an era when heroes were swept away by the tides.
That era was a time when humanity's stars shone brightly.
Of course, the above are all theoretical speculations. There are many variables in improving one's strength, and no one can absolutely predict what a person's future will be like.
But theoretically speaking, Lu Ren's talent is simply terrifying.
Lin Huanghu was somewhat confused as to why the Shen family of Linjiang would let such a prodigy go.
However, judging from this, this person's talent is even a notch above Yueying's.
He walked at the very back of the three, watching the passersby and Jiang Yueying's backs.
"Ming, Ming is clearly younger than me, quick, call her Sister Yueying!"
"The fact that Xiaoying expects to be called 'older sister' only proves that she is still a child."
Lin looked at the two of them in a daze and couldn't help but feel gratified.
Whether it's personality, hobbies, or even talents, they're all similar. Tsukikage... has truly found a good man she can entrust her life to!
Lu Ren had no idea that someone behind him was looking at him with a loving, motherly smile.
He was going to do a rating assessment with Jiang Yueying.
The city's professional association's strength assessment is more standardized than that of the virtual world camp branch, and it has all kinds of equipment and professional personnel.
Based on which of the nine attributes is the highest, professionals are divided into nine categories: Warrior, Shield Warrior, Item Master, Mage, Beastmaster, Alchemist, Wizard, Mind Master, and Divine Mage.
But this is just an artificial division.
As for the attribute panel, it is actually divided into three categories: physical cultivation, magic cultivation, and divine cultivation.
Therefore, when making assessments, tests are conducted based on broad categories. For example, Jiang Yueying is a mage, but we need to test her three affinity attributes as a magician.
Elemental affinity, living being affinity, rule affinity, one primary attribute, and two secondary attributes.
Lu Ren had asked Shen Yaoxing about secondary attributes before, and Shen Yaoxing said that they would only be manifested in the Candle Illumination Realm. He later learned how secondary attributes differed from other secondary attributes.
那就是次属性会获得主属性5%到20%的裙带增益，如果主属性有100，那两项次属性就会+5点到20点。
However, Lu Ren does not benefit from this bonus because all nine of his attributes are primary attributes.
Each attribute has a specific measurement method.
The test of rule affinity involved analyzing an alchemy array, with the score based on the data analyzed within 10 minutes. Jiang Yueying's score was... 1 point.
The staff were dumbfounded. The proctor came out from behind, and he looked like an old scholar with white hair and a beard.
"Little sister, this is the testing area for magic practitioners. Other professions are not on this floor."
"I...I am a Dharma cultivator..."
"Huh? If it's a magic cultivator, how come their rule affinity is only 1 point?"
The old scholar was bewildered upon hearing this. He looked at the test form in his hand again. This was a test for cultivating the Dharma in the Illumination Realm, which made it even more impossible.
Even if a cultivator at the Candle Illumination Realm has poor talent, they should still have at least a few points of affinity with the rules, right?
You should have scored over 10 points, not just 1 point.
Jiang Yueying looked a little embarrassed, and seeing Lu Ren laughing like an idiot next to her made her even more ashamed.
Lin Huanghu came to her rescue: "It's because of her talent; her 'rule affinity' is suppressed."
The old scholar suddenly realized: "So that's how it is... Is it because the heavens are jealous?"
He looked at Jiang Yueying, narrowed his eyes. The little girl did not have any affinity with rules, but he could vaguely sense that her elemental affinity was... frighteningly high for someone at the Candle Illumination Realm.
Lin Huanghu politely reminded, "Could you please grade and record this, teacher?"
"Alright, since you only have 1 point, we should change the magic circle test for you. But I just checked, and the little girl's rule affinity is only 1 point, right? It's pointless to use the Flowing Firefly Realm to test the magic circle. We can only give her 'Flowing Firefly Dingxia'. If you have any objections, we can arrange a test."
"The Fireflies Falling" is at the level of an average person; any college student you randomly pick off the street could get that score.
"No, no objections..."
The old scholar sketched something on the paper, stamped it, and then looked at Lu Ren: "You need to be tested too, right? Give me the test form."
"Huh? Me?"
Lu Ren was taken aback, then shook his head: "Old sir, no, I'm a body cultivator. I just came to keep this little one company."
"What body cultivation?!"
The old scholar blew on his beard. "I'm not blind anymore. Your rule affinity attribute is at least 30. Come and do the questions."
"No, I really do cultivate my body. Sir, look at this chart of mine, it's a body cultivation assessment chart!"
"Hiss, it really is..."
The old scholar looked puzzled, glancing at the boy who smiled like a fool, and then at the girl next to him who was practicing the Candle Illumination Realm.
This isn't right, nothing about this is right!
Lin Huanghu and the other two were also stunned for a moment. They knew that Lu Ren had a strange talent and could learn magician skills, but they really did not expect that he also had the attribute of rule affinity.
Although 30 points isn't high, Lu Ren, as a body cultivator, how can you have 30 points of rule affinity? You're very strange, you know that?
It's like a fish swimming in the water that suddenly grows legs. Even if it can't run fast, it's still weird if it gets ashore.
"Talent, it's talent after all, please don't mind it, sir!"
"It's talent again..." The old scholar scratched his head, too lazy to pay him any more attention.
Strange talents are rare, but they do exist; I can only say that I encountered two oddballs today.
Jiang Yueying's next test is Creature Affinity, an important attribute of the Beastmaster profession. The test involves commanding a group of ant-like creatures to complete some simple commands.
As expected, she was able to control even a single ant and achieved the "Firefly Dingxia" score.
Just like the old scholar before, the staff this time were completely baffled, thinking that Jiang Yueying was some kind of professional who had wandered into the testing grounds of the Dharma Cultivation Sect.
Lin explained again before the other party finally understood.
Seeing Lu Ren engrossed in eating sunflower seeds again, Jiang Yueying straightened her face and retorted, "I'm not a beast tamer, I'm a magician. It's normal that I can't control things... Heh, you, how come you..."
What she saw was that this guy was actually directing dozens of ants to form a character, which looked like the character "月" (moon).
"This test is actually quite fun."
He could also command two groups of ants and make them fight each other, while Jiang Yueying squatted next to him, watching intently.
"...Xiao Lu, how come you have such a high affinity for living beings? Are you a body cultivator or a magic cultivator?"
Even Lin Huanghu couldn't help but ask, "What exactly is Brother Lu's profession?"
"Me?"
Lu Ren didn't hide anything, and stood up with a smile, saying, "I'm just a passerby."