Light

Light

Zhang Xinglie continued, "Regrettably, a lot of people treated me like a freak."

"My brain has been different from most people's since I was little."

"I always stubbornly pondered one question after another, and I had to think them through to the deepest level. So in my early elementary school years, even during exams, I could not be bothered to answer questions that looked laughably simple. That was a waste of time."

"Because I spent so much time immersed in thought—or rather, because I used my brain for thinking instead of everyday life—I could not do many things."

"I could not tie my shoelaces properly, buttoned my clothes wrong, and did not even know to wipe my nose when it ran. No matter how you looked at it, I seemed like an idiot incapable of taking care of himself."

"But in truth, I did not care at all. I had never cared about such things since childhood."

"Instead, I thought some people were truly stupid, always doing meaningless foolish things. Adults included. I could not even be bothered to say another word to them. Only later did I learn that old married couples were like that too."

Everyone burst into laughter, especially the adult alumni.

"I was very strange, but compared with me, Zhou Leng was also very strange—perhaps even stranger than I was."

"Because he never thought there was anything wrong with my poorly tied shoelaces. He would wipe my nose for me. He said he thought I was amazing."

"He thought I was smarter than everyone else."

"Whenever someone mocked me, he would always stand beside me and glare furiously at them."

"So don't be fooled by the fact that I'm No. 8 High School's senior brother. Back in first and second grade, I was only Zhou Leng's little brother."

"To this day, I still do not understand why he was so strange. Think about it: so many adults and children thought I was weird, as though the whole world had pronounced a judgment of truth upon me. Yet he, a child himself, simply did not care."

"Looking back now, it was as if I scorned the world. But when the world beat me up, there was nothing I could do. Zhou Leng, however, dared to resist."

"I was a little moved then, but I still thought he was an idiot—a strange idiot."

Some people laughed.

"Later, I gradually grew up. More precisely, I began actively correcting my instincts, learning through reason how to survive in this world. Little by little, I became more and more normal."

"To me, those things were not difficult. It only depended on whether I was willing to learn them."

"Around fifth or sixth grade, I became a little genius. In both academic exams and Martial Dao, I excelled at everything. By sixth grade, I had fought through all the nearby elementary schools without meeting a single rival."

"The adults and children who had once treated me like an idiot completely changed their attitudes. No one dared laugh at me again. Do you think Zhou Leng became my little brother?"

"He was still that strange idiot. His studies were clearly ordinary, and his Martial Dao was ordinary too, yet he never followed me around like those so-called little brothers."

"In his eyes, I would always be the companion he had grown up with—a friend named Zhang Xinglie."

"Whether I was surrounded and attacked while my nose ran, or beating up a crowd of older students by myself, I had never changed in his eyes."

"Apart from being a little strange in that regard, he was utterly ordinary."

"His family circumstances were ordinary. I had never seen him take pills."

"His personality was ordinary. He normally did not know how to deal with people either, and he had little emotional intelligence."

"His studies were ordinary. His overall grades were decent, neither high nor low."

"His Martial Dao was ordinary. He had a slight edge, but he could not be called a genius."

"No one around him had any expectations for him."

"But I felt that he would definitely become different one day."

"I did not know why I thought so, until Principal Lu called me and told me that West Sea Martial University had revoked Zhou Leng's supplementary admission eligibility."

"I was beside myself with rage."

Zhang Xinglie narrowed his eyes slightly.

"At first, I did not understand why I was so angry. When I was young, people mocked and insulted me, yet I was never angry. I had encountered so many things and never gotten angry."

"I sat there, thinking and thinking, but could not figure it out."

"Until I woke up the next day, I finally understood."

Zhang Xinglie slowly swept his gaze across the entire venue.

"Because when I was at my most ordinary, even clumsy, his eyes pierced through the towering walls woven together by countless people and saw the light upon me."

"Now that he had clearly begun to shine, he was being firmly blocked by the wall that was West Sea Martial University."

"I suddenly realized: was it possible that every person actually had light upon them, only for it to be blocked as well?"

"So I returned from Xiong City and stood here."

"Only so that more people could see the light upon Zhou Leng."

"And so that the light of more ordinary people could be seen."

Principal Lu applauded vigorously.

Nearly everyone applauded with all their strength, the sound far surpassing any previous round of applause.

Xu Qingjin lowered her head and wiped the corner of her eye. Then she raised her head, smiling as she applauded.

Hu Yi clapped, tears streaming down his face.

Principal Lu's lips moved before he shouted, "Please invite Zhou Leng onto the stage to receive his award. This is not an improvement award—it is the school's newly established First Zhou Leng Progress Award."

The applause shook the heavens.

The three Innate experts rose to their feet, and everyone else followed suit.

The former Class Three students stared at Principal Lu in disbelief. The Zhou Leng Progress Award—this meant that every generation of No. 8 High School students would speak of this name.

"Go receive it," Teacher Sun Xiong said softly.

Zhou Leng took a deep breath and walked onto the award stage.

Principal Lu handed the crystal trophy for the "First Zhou Leng Progress Award" to Zhang Xinglie.

Laughing heartily, Zhang Xinglie presented the trophy to Zhou Leng.

Zhou Leng accepted it.

The two raised their right arms, slapped palms, then clasped hands.

Principal Lu stood between them. Below the stage, camera shutters clicked without pause.

Everyone cheered.

Principal Lu took out another gift box and announced into the microphone, "As the first recipient of the Zhou Leng Progress Award, the No. 8 High School committee has decided to specially award Zhou Leng one Origin-Replenishing Pill, in recognition of his record of advancing sixty thousand places!"

With that, he handed the Origin-Replenishing Pill to Zhou Leng.

Zhou Leng accepted the gift box and bowed in thanks.

Before leaving the stage, Zhang Xinglie stepped up to the microphone again, a wild and arrogant smile curling his lips.

"I cannot answer Principal Lu's question. I do not know whether Zhou Leng deserves West Sea Martial University."

The entire venue fell silent.

"But I know that West Sea Martial University does not deserve Zhou Leng."

After saying that, Zhang Xinglie left the stage with Zhou Leng.

Some people below the stage praised Zhang Xinglie's dominance, some gently shook their heads, and others looked helplessly at Principal Lu.

After the commendation ceremony ended, Zhou Leng privately thanked Principal Lu.

After giving him some instructions, Principal Lu told Zhou Leng to see Zhang Xinglie off so he would not delay Zhang Xinglie's flight.

Thus, Zhou Leng accompanied Zhang Xinglie into a car.

"To Yulong Bay residential complex," Zhang Xinglie said.

"Not to the airport?"

"It wasn't easy to come back this time. The relatives are all waiting, and besides, today's flight to Xiong City is in the evening."

"This has delayed quite a bit of your time," Zhou Leng said.

Zhang Xinglie smiled. "It did not delay anything. I did pretty well on stage, didn't I?"

"You do everything well. You just praised me a little too much," Zhou Leng said.

"No, I was holding back."

"Hm?" Zhou Leng looked at Zhang Xinglie.

Zhang Xinglie sat with the commanding ease of a general, gazing ahead as though lost in memory.

After a long while, Zhang Xinglie said, "You know Gao Haoda and the others too."

Zhou Leng nodded. Zhang Xinglie had his own circle of friends, all of whom had been admitted to the Martial Arts Ten. They often played Magic Sports together, and Zhou Leng occasionally joined them.

"Half a year ago, when you got sick, Gao Haoda knew you and I were particularly close. He asked me why I did not give you some pills, so you could recover faster."

"I said that what you lacked was not pills."

Zhang Xinglie turned his head, and their eyes met.

Zhang Xinglie grinned.

"What you lacked was an opportunity."

"When you completed the Opening-Semester Martial Test and walked onto the award stage under the name of All-Nine Scores, when your light was seen, that opportunity arrived."

The car stopped.

"You still have a gathering to attend. Don't worry about me," Zhang Xinglie said.

Zhou Leng got out and helped Zhang Xinglie take his luggage.

Zhang Xinglie pushed his suitcase three steps, then suddenly turned around. Looking at Zhou Leng, he revealed a brilliant smile.

"Zhou Leng, do me a favor."

"Mm."

"Promise me first."

"I promise."

"Please keep climbing the path of Martial Dao, rising step by step through the rankings. Help me prove that West Sea Martial University does not deserve you."

"Okay!"

Zhang Xinglie, strong as a lion, laughed loudly as he turned and strode away. With his back to Zhou Leng, he waved a hand.

Zhou Leng watched Zhang Xinglie's retreating figure, fine sparks of fire dancing in his eyes.