On the bus, Zhang Yu had thought that after obtaining the Feather Book, his future life would be: "Feather Book! Show me your limits!" But in the blink of an eye, it turned into: "Ritual! Show me your limits!" However, since things had come to this, the only way Zhang Yu could think of to break free from the ritual's power was to become stronger.
So, he had no choice but to focus on his cultivation.
As Zhang Yu breathed in and out, wisps of spiritual energy from the world around him flowed into his body, gathering in his dantian and being refined into magical power, solidifying his foundation in the path of immortality.
Recalling his practice of the "Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques" the previous night, Zhang Yu wondered if he could quickly level up his basic breathing technique as well.
With a thought, the Feather Book unfolded before him.
Zhang Yu focused his attention on the words "Basic Breathing Technique Level 1" on the page and immediately dragged it toward his character portrait.
But as he did so, a sudden realization emerged from the Feather Book: "You can only focus on improving one skill at a time. Switching skills requires a one-day cooldown."
Zhang Yu named this function of the Feather Book "Specialization."
He understood that the specialized skill could be rapidly improved, but he could only specialize in one skill at a time, and switching skills would require a day's wait.
"So, if I switch my specialization from the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques to the Basic Breathing Technique, the latter will improve quickly, but the former will return to its normal practice efficiency. Unless I switch back after a day..."
Considering his physical education class, Zhang Yu decided not to switch for now and continued to focus on improving the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques.
Time flew by, and Zhang Yu maintained his basic breathing technique until he got off the bus.
...
In the school cafeteria, Bai Zhenzhen sat down across from Zhang Yu, who looked like a walking corpse.
She glanced at him curiously and said indifferently, "Did you stay up all night last night?"
Zhang Yu swallowed a large meat bun and grumbled, "I was working hard and exercising late into the night."
Bai Zhenzhen's face remained expressionless, but her words were blunt: "You're the only one in the whole school who hasn't had the sterilization surgery. I told you not to save that twenty thousand yuan. Look at how much time, energy, and protein you've wasted."
Zhang Yu confidently swallowed an egg and smiled, "Bai Zhenzhen, let me tell you something. My self-discipline and potential are even surprising to me. It won't be long before I take your spot as the top student in our grade."
Bai Zhenzhen rolled her eyes and said mercilessly, "Zhang Yu, you can say these overconfident things in front of me, but if others hear you, they'll laugh so hard they might pee themselves. You're aiming for the top spot in the grade, not the top spot in self-pleasure. Your lack of sterilization won't help you here."
Zhang Yu shook his head in silence, thinking, "Bai Zhenzhen, you act so cold in public, but in private, you say whatever you want, huh?"
As for being the only student in the school who hadn't undergone sterilization, Zhang Yu was no longer surprised.
He had gradually gotten used to the madness of this world and this school.
However, the fact that he hadn't been sterilized was still a small secret, and he had only shared it with Bai Zhenzhen.
But now, a question suddenly arose in Zhang Yu's mind: "Why was I allowed to enroll without undergoing sterilization?"
At that moment, Zhou Tianyi also sat down with his tray and looked at Zhang Yu curiously, "You look exhausted. Did you pull an all-nighter studying?"
Zhang Yu shook his head and said, "I practiced the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques for a bit and had some insights."
As they ate and chatted, Zhang Yu noticed that Bai Zhenzhen spoke less after Zhou Tianyi arrived, reverting to her usual cold and quiet self.
After breakfast, the three of them walked toward the classroom along the playground.
Zhang Yu occasionally opened his palm, watching the Feather Book appear and disappear.
"So, no one else can see the Feather Book, huh?"
Just then, a loud bang came from the direction of the teaching building, followed by a series of shouts and screams.
A crowd had gathered in front of the building, where a body with a smashed head lay on the ground.
People around were discussing the incident, and some recognized the deceased.
"Lu Chao from Class 3 of the senior year. He used to be in the advanced class, but his grades kept dropping, and he was about to be demoted."
"Lu Chao? He was in the top ten of our grade in the second year."
Some people began to discriminate against the poor: "So what if he did well in the second year? Poor people are still poor. How many poor students can stay in the advanced class by the third year? Poor people aren't suited for cultivating immortality."
Others, who were obsessed with grades, commented, "Hmph, jumping from the sixth floor and dying? He must have been a terrible student. If it were a top student from the advanced class, they'd have to jump from at least the tenth floor to die."
Bai Zhenzhen, who was passing by, sighed, "Another senior year student jumped to their death?"
Zhou Tianyi said, "This is the third one this year. The pressure on this year's seniors must be immense."
Zhang Yu suddenly asked, "Was he poor?"
Bai Zhenzhen glanced at him and said indifferently, "He probably borrowed a lot of money. Anyone who has to borrow money to study definitely isn't rich. Students like him often start off with decent grades when they enter Songyang High School. But by the third year, they usually fall behind the rich kids and end up getting into second or third-rate universities. As for the top ten universities, it's been over a decade since a commoner from Songyang High School got into one."
Zhang Yu was slightly stunned.
He knew that the "top ten" referred to the ten universities directly affiliated with the top ten sects, the most prestigious universities that were the dream of countless students.
But he hadn't realized that no commoner from Songyang High School had gotten into one in over a decade.
He thought to himself, "Is it because of a lack of resources and money?"
Zhang Yu also recalled some rumors about the wealthy students.
It was said that many top tutors, secret study materials, high-level cultivation techniques, and lab drugs circulated only among the rich and were never shared with the poor.
Looking at the blood on the ground, Zhang Yu thought, "If my potential hadn't been awakened, I might have ended up like this in the future."
Although the suicide incident sparked a wave of discussion, for the students who were busy with their studies and cultivation, it was just a topic of conversation during breaks.
Soon, no one paid attention to it, and the students continued their daily cultivation, striving for their future lives.
Although they were only teenagers, they all knew a harsh truth: Different grades would lead to different universities.
Different universities would determine their future sects.
And different sects would determine their entire lives.
No matter how close or distant their relationships were, if their grades were different, they would eventually go their separate ways.
...
Time flew by, and it was time for three consecutive physical education classes.
After once again rejecting the sports teacher Wang Hai's sales pitch, Zhang Yu couldn't help but feel that the teacher's gaze toward him had changed.
But he had no choice.
Whether it was due to money or health concerns, he couldn't afford to take any more drugs.
So, Zhang Yu pretended not to notice and continued his practice.
"Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques Level 2 (1/20)"
Including the session before getting off the bus, Zhang Yu only needed to practice the Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques 19 more times to level up.
This motivated him to push himself harder during the next session, driving every muscle in his body and exhausting every bit of his magical power.
Even when he wanted to take a break, the ritual's power would remind him to get back up and continue practicing.
The pain of tearing his muscles, the constant threat of death—it was both painful and exhilarating.
After more than two class periods, Zhang Yu finally collapsed on the ground, unable to move any further.
"Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques Level 2 (17/20)"
"I've reached my limit."
The ritual's power didn't push him further, clearly agreeing that he had reached his limit.
But Zhang Yu wasn't discouraged at all.
In just two days, he was close to leveling up a basic martial art from Level 1 to Level 3—something he would never have dared to imagine before.
"If I hadn't practiced extra last night, I could have finished all three physical education classes, right?"
"But with this damn ritual forcing me to seize every second to practice, I'll probably end up practicing extra at night and being too exhausted to practice during physical education classes... That's going to be the norm."
Zhang Yu felt like this was similar to his previous life, where some people would cram and study all night, only to sleep through their classes during the day.
It wasn't a healthy routine.
"It's all because of this stupid ritual. It doesn't understand time or place."
Just then, as Zhang Yu lay on the ground, he felt a shadow cover him, as if a mountain had blocked the light above him.
Wang Hai looked down at Zhang Yu and said coldly, "What are you doing during physical education class?"
Zhang Yu quickly explained, "Teacher, I practiced extra last night, and now I'm too exhausted to move."
Seeing Wang Hai's unfriendly expression, Zhang Yu added, "My Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques leveled up last night. It's now Level 2."
Zhang Yu had made this explanation because he knew that in this grade-obsessed school, most teachers wouldn't give a hard time to students with good grades.
He thought that if Wang Hai knew he had made significant progress, he wouldn't be too harsh on him.
But Zhang Yu was wrong.
There were many types of teachers in this world.
For example, most of the main subject teachers at Songyang High School liked students with good grades because they were easier to teach and brought a sense of accomplishment.
They were also more tolerant of mistakes made by top students.
Some teachers focused more on students with poor grades, dedicating their efforts to improving their performance because it was easier to make progress with them.
Many elective teachers didn't care how well their students performed.
They just showed up to teach and left on time, not wasting a single second on work.
But there was another type of teacher who cared more about whether students obeyed them and respected their authority than about their grades.
In their classes, they were the absolute authority and wouldn't tolerate any defiance.
Even if a student used a method they hadn't taught, they would mock and belittle them, making an example out of them.
And clearly, Wang Hai, who loved selling drugs and punishing students, was this type of teacher.
The physical education classes at Songyang High School were his little kingdom, and the students were his channels for selling drugs.
Zhang Yu's refusal to buy drugs had already made Wang Hai unhappy.
Seeing Zhang Yu lying down and "slacking off" only added to his displeasure.
He wanted to use this opportunity to teach Zhang Yu a lesson, to make an example out of him and shame him in front of the other students, so they wouldn't follow his example of natural body cultivation.
But Wang Hai's scolding was cut short by Zhang Yu's statement: "My Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques leveled up last night."
In Wang Hai's eyes, this was a direct challenge to his authority in the physical education class.
"So what if your Thirty-Six Body Strengthening Techniques are Level 2?" Wang Hai pointed at Bai Zhenzhen and said, "Look at her. She didn't stop taking drugs after reaching Level 2, and she doesn't slack off in class."
Zhang Yu said helplessly, "Teacher, that's not what I meant..."
Wang Hai said coldly, "Zhang Yu, I've seen many students like you. You think just because you have some talent, you can ignore the teacher's guidance and the school's teachings."
"You need to understand that the reason you were able to level up is because of the solid foundation I helped you build over the past three months of diligent classes and drug use."
"Whether you study on your own or take extra classes outside of school, those are just desserts."
"The classes in school are the main course."
"I'll report your behavior to your homeroom teacher. You'd better watch yourself."
(End of Chapter)