Rewards Earned, Four School Joint Event!

Top ten in class placement!

This represented the ten most outstanding students among those in this year's senior class at Shenyun First High School who had aspired to practice martial arts since the start of the school year!

Among the more than four hundred students present—and, from another perspective, among nearly fourteen hundred students in the entire grade—they were the very best!

"This is how this world differs from my previous life."

"A world where martial arts reign supreme!"

Seeing everyone's expressions, Su Ye could not help sighing inwardly once more.

After all, in his previous life, placing in the top ten of a grade or receiving awards for individual subjects in high school might have filled students with honor and earned them the envy of others.

Yet students with excellent high school grades did not necessarily become superior to others or live well after entering society.

But this Great Era of martial arts was different.

Martial arts were power itself!

Outstanding grades not only meant boundless future potential—they also meant that the student already possessed strength surpassing their peers!

That was the real deal!

Sun Rui swept his gaze over the ten students who had performed exceptionally in the three rounds of testing. His eyes lingered briefly on Su Ye, and he even offered him a gentle smile before speaking:

"The top ten in class placement are not ranked in order."

"Ji Xuan, Li Yue, Qiu Yan, Fang Yuan, Ji Lin, Ji Xiaofang, Yao Hong."

After a pause, Sun Rui let out a breath and said:

"Ye Xingli, Lin Qingyue... Su Ye!"

As the teachers took the lead in applauding, scattered claps gradually swelled into a fervent roar, crackling like thunder throughout the Martial Arts Arena.

Though it was said that the rankings were in no particular order, there was clearly meaning behind the order in which the names were called!

After three rounds of testing!

Perhaps in the first round, Su Ye had drawn some controversy because he lacked Martial Bones.

But taken across all three rounds, he was already the "number one in class placement" in the minds of most students!

The thunderous applause and the envious gazes focused on Su Ye did not stir much emotion on his face. He simply walked onto the stage, calm and composed.

This sight made many teachers nod.

From this, it was clear that this kid had a fine temperament!

"Su Ye, stand here."

Yao Hong smiled faintly at Su Ye, her seemingly playful gaze signaling the center spot.

The others conscientiously made room for Su Ye in the middle. There was no dispute over it either, for Su Ye's results were indeed "unmatched."

Su Ye did not waste time declining. He took the center position and looked at the students below, unable to stop a thread of gratification from rising in his heart.

Even with the Manifestation Talisman, he had seized every minute and every second to cultivate over the past week.

Scenes from that past week flashed through his mind.

At home, drenched in sweat and aching from the waist down, he had still persisted in holding the forms of the Tiger Form Thirty-Two Styles.

In the middle of the night, cicadas chirping outside, mentally exhausted yet still persevering in circulating the Azure Cloud Breathing Technique.

And at the Vast Sea Sword Hall, practicing the Extreme Shadow Swordplay despite the mockery of the trainees...

"After bitterness came sweetness; at last, I made the top ten!"

Looking at the prepared certificates below, the corners of his lips could not help lifting slightly.

These were not merely certificates!

Sure enough, Sun Rui shouted loudly:

"To reward these ten students for their diligence and hard work."

"The students who placed in the top ten in this class placement will receive thirty thousand in student aid, as well as the qualification to read any book worth fifty contribution points on the third floor of the school library."

Thirty thousand in student aid!

Many students' eyes immediately lit up. For the vast majority of ordinary students, this was no small sum!

It was enough to buy six Bone Tempering Pills!

Even if used for tuition, it would cover roughly two years!

And the library reading qualification was not worth any less than those thirty thousand in scholarship funds!

The first and second floors of the library were freely open to students and contained "general-purpose books."

But only teachers were qualified to enter the third floor, unless a student had been granted access. It contained many rare cultivation manuals, martial skills, and Breathing Meditation Methods!

Su Ye's smile grew even brighter at those words.

"Dad, Mom, I've earned this money back for you..."

His parents' combined monthly income barely exceeded ten thousand.

And with the mortgage and all kinds of pressures of daily life, there was no shortage of expenses.

He could fully imagine how difficult it had been to scrape together those fifty thousand. They might even have taken out bank loans or borrowed money from others.

Yet through the Vast Sea Sword Hall and this top-ten class placement, he had already earned back forty thousand!

"Besides, even if I have the Manifestation Talisman, sufficient resources can still greatly accelerate my martial cultivation."

"If not for the Qi Recovery Pills I exchanged from Zhang Yuan, I could not have tempered ten Martial Bones by now."

Su Ye understood this clearly.

Money! Resources!

These were the greatest obstacles that stumped countless students who aspired to martial arts.

Therefore, he would naturally not miss any opportunity to earn money.

Lin Qingyue stepped onto the stage with an unpleasant expression on her pretty face. She deliberately avoided Su Ye and stood on the other side.

Soon, the award ceremony began.

Su Ye received his certificate and a "Library Card." After taking a photo, he stepped down from the stage.

On his way down, Lin Qingyue suddenly came to Su Ye's side and said in a low, icy voice that only the two of them could hear:

"Su Ye, I did underestimate you."

"But do you really think a little talent can bridge the Foundation of a great family built over centuries? Don't be too naive!"

"Right now is when you are closest to me!"

"It won't be long before I show you where the true gap between us lies!"

Talent?

There were far too many talented people!

Yet the Four Great Families stood high above all others, having endured for centuries. That was true Foundation!

Su Ye's performance in this test had indeed surprised her, but so what?

She, Lin Qingyue, could eat Bone Tempering Pills and Qi Recovery Pills like candy and drink all kinds of energy-restoring potions like water. Could Su Ye do that?

She would charge forward in triumphant song, continuously Tempering her Martial Bones and advancing at tremendous speed without slowing down.

But Su Ye would slow because of all sorts of problems, such as resources!

Furthermore, the Lin Family possessed all kinds of top-tier Breathing Meditation Methods, top-grade Third-Rank Martial Skills, and even private tutors to guide cultivation.

None of those were things Su Ye could possess!

As if she had held it in for a long time, she finished speaking coldly. Without waiting for Su Ye's reply, she strode straight off the stage, proud and aloof.

Su Ye merely paused slightly, a faint smile appearing on his face.

The gap? The moment they were closest?

Perhaps that was indeed true, only the other way around!

The current Su Ye was no longer the same as before. His resolve toward martial arts stood firm and lofty, and with the temperament of two lifetimes, he naturally would not bicker with Lin Qingyue or compete with her out of spite.

Facts spoke louder than words!

After the top ten in class placement had stepped down.

Sun Rui stepped forward once more and said concisely:

"Next, I will announce an important matter."

"To promote exchanges between students from different schools."

"Led by the military, our four major Shenyun high schools will open the Monster Subduing Tower in one month and hold a 'Four School Joint Event.'"

The moment these words fell, the entire venue erupted!