December 2, 2024
Watching Wang Hai’s retreating figure, Zhang Yu sighed, "He’s really a responsible and good teacher."
Bai Zhenzhen, who was standing nearby, leaned in and asked suspiciously, "What exactly happened just now? There was laughing, handshaking, and talking. Did Wang Hai suddenly discover that you’re his long-lost father?"
Zhang Yu shook his head, "There could be many reasons, but in the end… it all comes down to my performance in this monthly exam. Zhen, as long as my grades keep improving and my skills keep growing, I’ll have more and more good friends in this world, right?"
Seeing Zhang Yu’s smug expression, Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, "Just how many points did Yu get this time? Could he have surpassed me? That shouldn’t be possible…"
That night, Zhang Yu returned to the suburbs and, as usual, began practicing the Zhou Tian Qi Gathering Technique.
His next goal was to raise the technique to level 10.
By the next morning, Zhang Yu had already advanced the Zhou Tian Qi Gathering Technique to level 8 (37/160).
After a day of passive and active breathing exercises, his mana had also increased from 11.8 to 11.9.
Thanks to Wang Hai’s financial support, Zhang Yu’s savings, after deducting recent expenses, had reached over 72,000 yuan.
The moment he saw the balance, Zhang Yu’s mind was flooded with various ways to spend the money.
However, he managed to suppress his impulses and decided to wait and see what kind of contract the school would offer him after this monthly exam.
Only then would he plan how to use the money to improve himself.
…
At 4 a.m., in the teachers’ office of Songyang High School.
After another all-nighter, Su Haifeng received the results of the monthly exam.
To ensure students could quickly understand their performance and guide their studies, the teachers had worked tirelessly to calculate the scores and rankings for all students who participated in the exam.
Congratulations were in order.
Su Haifeng looked at the specific rankings and scores.
First place: Bai Zhenzhen, total score 651.
Su Haifeng nodded slightly, thinking, "Bai Zhenzhen remains the undisputed first place. It’s a pity her Dao Arts score is only 60, otherwise her total could be even higher."
Second place: Qian Shen, total score 626.
Su Haifeng thought, "Qian Shen has been steadily improving, especially with his Dao Arts score of 80, which boosted his total."
Third place: Zhang Yu, total score 620.
Su Haifeng was stunned.
He rubbed his eyes and looked again.
Third place: Zhang Yu, total score 620.
"How is this possible?"
Su Haifeng sat up straight and quickly checked Zhang Yu’s individual subject scores.
General Knowledge: 48, Dao Heart: 135, Mana: 142, Physical Education: 145, Martial Arts: 90, Dao Arts: 60.
"This…"
Su Haifeng was shocked.
And this was with a Dao Arts score of only 60. If Zhang Yu had scored just 7 points higher in Dao Arts, he would have surpassed Qian Shen to take second place.
In other words, Zhang Yu had jumped from tenth place to third in one go.
No… according to Su Haifeng’s estimation, Zhang Yu’s performance three weeks ago should have already dropped to around 20th place.
During this period, except for his mana, his other subjects should have been steadily declining, with his total score nearing 30th place.
"How could there be such a huge improvement? Did he win the lottery?"
The more Su Haifeng looked at Zhang Yu’s scores, the more puzzled he became, especially with Zhang Yu’s mana score of 142 and a staggering 145 in Physical Education.
He couldn’t help but call Wang Hai to ask if there had been a mistake in Zhang Yu’s scores.
At 4 a.m., the time when Songyang’s cultivators were most alert, Wang Hai quickly answered the phone.
"What’s the matter, Teacher Su?"
Su Haifeng asked, "I see here that Zhang Yu’s Physical Education score is 145. Is there some mistake…?"
Wang Hai’s attitude toward Zhang Yu had been good today, but that didn’t mean he had become a pushover.
He was still the same teacher who hated having his authority challenged.
Hearing Su Haifeng’s doubt, Wang Hai snorted and cut him off, "Teacher Su, are you questioning our Physical Education standards or our professionalism?"
As Songyang High’s top Physical Education teacher and a gold medalist, Wang Hai wasn’t afraid of Su Haifeng.
"If you have any issues with the scores, feel free to apply for a review. But I can tell you, Zhang Yu’s score is absolutely correct—145. His physical strength has reached level 1.25, placing him at the top of his grade, and his body structure is excellent. With the foundation he’s built, his physical strength will only continue to improve. He’s destined to be a leader among this year’s students, and it’s not impossible for him to compete in physical competitions in the future."
Physical competitions, like mana competitions, tested content far beyond the high school curriculum.
Achieving excellent results in these competitions not only brought substantial rewards but also provided advantages in university interviews and even college entrance exams.
As a school that had produced the city’s top physical education student, Songyang High had always had an edge in physical competitions.
Hearing Wang Hai’s high praise for Zhang Yu, Su Haifeng was even more astonished.
Without bothering to address Wang Hai’s tone, he pressed, "But he hasn’t been attending Physical Education classes properly for the past three weeks. How did his score improve so much?"
Wang Hai’s face reddened slightly, and he paused before explaining, "Zhang Yu is different from ordinary students. He has his own development path and knows how to cultivate himself."
Thinking that Zhang Yu was a Golden Core disciple who didn’t need his guidance, Wang Hai continued, "It’s precisely because I recognized this that I allowed him to take charge of his own Physical Education classes. He doesn’t even need to attend classes in the future. This is what we call teaching according to the student’s abilities."
After ending the call with Wang Hai, Su Haifeng still found it hard to believe.
Was Wang Hai really talking about Zhang Yu? That poor kid?
Frowning in thought, Su Haifeng made another call.
"Hello? The monthly exam results are out. Zhang Yu is third in his grade with a score of…"
After reporting the scores, Su Haifeng sighed and said somewhat awkwardly, "I have to admit, I was completely wrong about Zhang Yu. With this performance, it’s only natural for the school to offer him a Class B, or even a Class A contract."
"That’s not my responsibility anymore. I expect the student council will approach him in a couple of days."
A male voice replied on the other end, "I understand."
"Try to delay the student council for me. I’ll see if I can find another way."
Su Haifeng said, "You know how the student council is. I can’t delay them. Whatever you’re planning, do it quickly."
…
At 6:30 a.m., the entrance of Songyang High was bustling with students arriving for school.
As soon as Zhang Yu entered the school gates, he saw the updated monthly exam results displayed on the large screen at the entrance.
Student privacy and psychological burdens? Such things didn’t exist at Songyang High.
Not only were the results prominently displayed on the large screen at the entrance, but they were also posted on the doors of every classroom.
Even the electronic screens in the cafeteria constantly flashed the rankings.
Even in the restroom, Zhang Yu could hear the broadcast discussing the monthly exam, praising students with high scores and significant improvements while shaming those who had regressed or scored low.
Songyang High prided itself on being thorough, leaving no stone unturned and no student’s feelings spared.
"…Today, we would like to specially congratulate Zhang Yu from Class 1 of the first year. Zhang Yu has jumped from tenth place to third in his grade, with a total score of 620, an improvement of 70 points. This is a leap forward…"
As Zhang Yu washed his hands after using the restroom, he couldn’t help but nod in agreement, "There’s definitely a positive side to the school widely publicizing the results. There’s something to be said for it."
When Zhang Yu entered the classroom, he was immediately surrounded by curious onlookers.
People kept glancing at him, their eyes filled with a mix of emotions.
Qian Shen looked at Zhang Yu, then at Bai Zhenzhen.
Their scores of 620 and 651 seemed to overshadow everyone else in the room.
"Indeed, besides Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu will also be my rival for the next three years of high school."
Qian Shen felt as if he could already see the future—the three of them competing fiercely, their victories and defeats hard to predict, all eventually getting into top universities.
The fire was lit!
He eagerly took out his talisman book and began studying again.
"Talismans are my strong suit, but I only scored 80 this time. I need to practice more!"
On the other side, He Dayou looked at his scores with a dark expression.
"Total score: 603. Martial Arts: 50…"
The 50 in Martial Arts was a glaring reminder of his recent defeats at Zhang Yu’s hands, including two humiliating losses.
He couldn’t help but feel a surge of killing intent toward Zhang Yu.
However, as the son of a school board member, he quickly suppressed the impulse.
"Every poor kid is a valuable resource for the school. How could I possibly act against him?"
"Don’t be angry. Zhang Yu is probably already on the student council’s radar. He and I aren’t even in the same league. I shouldn’t let him disrupt my focus. I need to concentrate on improving myself."
He Dayou calmed himself by practicing his mental techniques.
He realized that he and Zhang Yu weren’t competing on the same path, and he shouldn’t let Zhang Yu affect his performance, as evidenced by his 50 in Martial Arts.
"Improving my strength and assets is the true path forward. My Dao Arts score of 90 is already my strong suit, but there’s still room for improvement."
With that in mind, He Dayou took out his talisman book and focused on his studies, ignoring everything else around him.
Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen tilted her head and looked at Zhang Yu, thinking, "Has Yu been holding back all this time, waiting for the right moment to shine?"
"No, he shouldn’t have that kind of ability. Unless… like me, he’s also awakened?"
(End of Chapter)