The competition venue was buzzing with tension.
In the area designated for Ziyun High School, Le Muluan's forehead was beaded with sweat.
She had just completed her fourth round of mana oscillation.
The mana she had been refining repeatedly now resembled a hazy mist, floating and sinking unpredictably within her dantian, becoming increasingly difficult to control.
"Three more times. Just three more, and I'll succeed," she muttered to herself.
Meanwhile, Song Hailong's breathing grew heavier.
A vast surge of mana, like layers of white clouds, rose from his dantian, gradually forming a swirling vortex.
"This is the last oscillation," he thought, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
"Victory will be mine."
Boom! Boom!
A sudden roar echoed from the distance.
Song Hailong's expression shifted.
Someone had beaten him to it? No... wait...
He quickly realized something and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Two people? Two people finished before me?"
In the distance, Xiong Bufan stood with his palms pressed together.
Wisps of white, cloud-like mana flowed from his hands, forming a lively cloud that soon began to dissipate, unable to hold its shape for long.
But Xiong Bufan wasn't paying attention to that.
Instead, he turned his gaze toward the source of the booming sound.
"Just a step behind me? Is it someone from Bailong High or Ziyun High?" he wondered, his eyes narrowing as he saw a pillar of white energy shooting into the sky, solid and unyielding.
"What's the point of showing off like that? This is a speed competition, not a display of defensive techniques. What a show-off!"
Over at Songyang High School's competition area, Zhang Yu stood with his palms open.
Streams of white energy surged from his hands, rising straight into the air like a column of white smoke.
The spectacle quickly drew the attention of everyone around him.
After hastily practicing the Wuji Cloud Hand technique and failing to produce any defensive energy, Zhang Yu suddenly felt a deep understanding of the technique.
With a single thought, his mana oscillated seven times in rapid succession, transforming into a powerful surge of energy that erupted from his palms, creating the stunning scene before him.
Watching this, Teacher Yan clenched her fist in excitement and quickly pulled out her phone to snap several photos of Zhang Yu.
"His talent for mana control is astonishing," she thought.
"The previous exams didn't do justice to his abilities."
Reflecting on Zhang Yu's recent improvements, she realized that his rapid progress in mana control had significantly boosted his cultivation efficiency.
Bai Zhenzhen, watching from the sidelines, felt a swell of pride.
"He's grown up," she murmured, her heart warmed by the sight.
Soon after, the results of the third round were announced.
Xiong Bufan from Hongta High School took first place.
Zhang Yu from Songyang High School secured second place.
Song Hailong followed closely in third.
Le Muluan from Ziyun High School was pushed to fourth.
As the third round concluded, the overall scores for the competition were tallied.
The students' reactions varied as they looked at the final rankings.
First place: Song Hailong from Bailong High School, with a total score of 290.
Second place: Le Muluan from Ziyun High School, with 287 points.
Third place: Xiong Bufan from Hongta High School, with 285 points.
The top three spots were once again dominated by the elite schools, leaving a significant gap between them and the rest of the competitors.
However, most of the students' attention wasn't on the top three but on the fourth-place finisher.
Fourth place: Zhang Yu from Songyang High School, with 273 points.
Songyang High, though a prestigious school, stood out like a sore thumb among the top ten, surrounded by the names of the three elite schools.
It was as if a crack had been forced open in an otherwise impenetrable wall of dark clouds.
"Fourth place... How much is the prize money again?" Zhang Yu couldn't help but smile as he looked at the rankings, already thinking about the reward for his performance.
He was more than satisfied with his placement.
While he was confident that he would eventually surpass his competitors, he knew that, for now, he still lagged behind the top students from the elite schools.
He needed more time to grow.
Making it to fourth place felt like a stroke of luck, a blessing from the heavens, combined with his own relentless effort.
Qian Shen stared at Zhang Yu, his mind reeling.
He clearly remembered Zhang Yu's monthly exam score was only 620, six points lower than his own.
Yet, here was Zhang Yu, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the top students from the elite schools, all of whom had scores above 650.
"Again... Just like at the art exhibition, Zhang Yu always manages to outperform what his scores suggest," Qian Shen muttered, clutching his head in disbelief.
"It's as if the 700-point evaluation system can't fully capture his potential."
"This man..."
Qian Shen's gaze hardened as a surprising thought crossed his mind.
"This man, who can't be perfectly measured by scores, might one day force a reform of the high school evaluation system, making it more accurate."
Nearby, He Dayou glanced at Qian Shen, who was muttering to himself, and thought, "What's wrong with this idiot now?" Turning his attention back to Zhang Yu, He Dayou couldn't suppress the mix of envy and jealousy bubbling within him.
It was hard to accept that someone he looked down upon as a poor kid could achieve so much.
"He's just a poor guy, after all," He Dayou thought, trying to console himself.
"At least he's still just a poor guy."
In the rest area of Ziyun High School, the competition coach looked at Le Muluan and Lian Tianji, then suddenly spoke up.
"What do you think about recruiting Zhang Yu?"
The coach, impressed by Zhang Yu's performance, was considering bringing him into their fold.
Lian Tianji nodded.
"Even though Zhang Yu doesn't have the 'bloodline' of Ziyun High, his performance is outstanding. I think it would be a good idea to bring him in."
The term "bloodline" referred to an internal hierarchy within Ziyun High, based on whether a student had attended Ziyun-affiliated schools from kindergarten through middle school.
The more Ziyun schools a student had attended, the "purer" their bloodline was considered.
Le Muluan, however, frowned.
"What were his first and second schools?" she asked.
Lian Tianji mentioned the names of Zhang Yu's previous schools, and Le Muluan's expression immediately soured.
The schools Zhang Yu had attended reeked of poverty, and it was clear she wasn't impressed.
Seeing her reaction, Lian Tianji knew the idea was dead in the water.
"Next time we meet Zhang Yu, it'll probably be on the martial arts competition stage," he thought, feeling a tinge of anticipation.
Meanwhile, outside the restroom, Zhang Yu was approached by a man—Han Xingye, the competition coach from Bailong High School.
"Zhang Yu, come to Bailong High," Han Xingye said, extending his hand.
"Your talent is wasted at Songyang. Even though you performed well today, the gap between you and our students will only grow wider."
Han Xingye wasn't lying.
While the top students in Songyang City were usually scooped up by the three elite schools, there were always a few who slipped through the cracks and ended up at other schools.
Han Xingye had seen students from other schools excel in the early years, but by their second or third year, they were usually left behind.
"If you come to Bailong, I'll make sure you get a good contract," Han Xingye offered.
Zhang Yu suddenly asked, "If I go to Bailong, can I get into the top ten universities?"
Han Xingye was taken aback.
He hadn't expected such a direct question.
The truth was, no, Zhang Yu wouldn't be able to get into the top ten universities.
At Bailong, he would simply become another investment for the school.
The top university spots were reserved for the wealthy, not for someone like Zhang Yu.
Before Han Xingye could respond, Teacher Yan appeared, stepping between Zhang Yu and the coach.
"Coach Han, what are you saying to my student?" she asked, her tone protective.
Han Xingye smiled awkwardly.
He and Teacher Yan had crossed paths many times at competitions, and he knew she was fiercely protective of her students.
"Regardless, it's better than staying at Songyang," Han Xingye said, trying to salvage the situation.
Teacher Yan's eyes narrowed.
She knew exactly what he was implying, and it infuriated her.
But she also knew the gap between Songyang and Bailong was undeniable, so she quickly cut in.
"If you have anything to say, you can discuss it with me. Please don't bother our students."
As Teacher Yan led Zhang Yu away, Han Xingye shrugged.
"If he's smart, he'll choose us," he thought.
"Even if he can't get into the top ten."
Back at the competition area, Bai Zhenzhen was ecstatic.
"Did you see that? Fourth place! Zhang Yu got fourth place! Do you know what that means? How much are you going to invest now?"
Mo Tianyi, on the other end of the call, sighed.
"Zhenzhen, calm down. I saw it."
Bai Zhenzhen wasn't having it.
"Then hurry up and transfer the money! Your boss wasn't this impressive in his first year, was he?"
Mo Tianyi hesitated.
"Well, the boss did win some competitions back then..."
After some back-and-forth, Mo Tianyi finally conceded.
"Zhang Yu's performance is indeed outstanding. I admit I underestimated him. I'll talk to the boss and the other seniors to see if we can increase the investment."
Bai Zhenzhen, satisfied, urged him to act quickly.
After ending the call, Mo Tianyi looked at the rankings on his screen, a faint warmth stirring in his chest.
"He really did well," he thought.
"To break through the barriers set by the wealthy and reach this position... It's a shame it's so late. If only he had appeared two years earlier, I would have chosen him."
Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen was already plotting her next move.
"He's won martial arts competitions before? I need to find out who he really is."
Thanks to 'FrankChiao' for the Oscar trophy gift for Zhang Yu's character.
(End of Chapter)