Admission to Class A

"Come on, let's give it a try too."

Before the Wind Severing Fist stone tablet, Li Yun suddenly rose and spoke to his younger sister beside him.

Li Zhining's gaze flickered. She stilled her gently turning hands and nodded.

She had actually just grasped a little of its true essence and felt she had reached the introductory level, but she had not immediately gotten up to take the test. She was waiting.

Waiting for her brother beside her to master it too.

Ever since she had become old enough to understand things, she had noticed her brother growing increasingly impatient with his cultivation.

After spending so much time together, she could vaguely sense what he was thinking.

Of the three siblings, both she and their eldest sister were more talented than their brother. Their eldest sister went without saying-she had become the disciple of a renowned master as a child. But with Li Zhining and her brother remaining at home, the people around them inevitably kept comparing them and offering praise.

Yet Li Yun, her older brother, had the least talent for cultivation among the three siblings. As a result, whenever her progress surpassed his in the Martial Arts Arena, he would work especially hard, training furiously through the night...

"Let's go."

Li Yun dusted off his backside and stood. Sweeping his gaze around, he spotted a familiar figure elsewhere by the stone tablet: Li Yuanzhao.

But Li Yuanzhao was wholly absorbed in comprehending the technique and had not noticed him, just as Li Yun had no idea when he had arrived.

Instinctively, he glanced beside Li Yuanzhao. Not seeing Li Hao there, he frowned.

Still, he gave it little thought. With an inward snort, he led his sister toward the center of the square.

"If we don't pass the demonstration, we'll go back and practice some more," Li Yun told his sister.

Li Zhining nodded slightly.

Five people were demonstrating before the middle-aged man, while a few spectators stood outside, hoping to find inspiration and something to learn from their movements.

Suddenly, the siblings spotted another familiar figure among them: Li Hao.

"Him?"

Li Zhining looked puzzled.

"He must have come to watch and steal a few pointers."

Li Yun raised his eyebrows, a cold smile flickering in his eyes. Although he did not know when Li Hao had arrived, he must have climbed the mountain later than they had. Even Li Yun was not confident he had mastered the technique, much less Li Hao.

Outside the demonstration area, Li Hao waited quietly. His extraordinary perception alerted him to the people approaching from behind, but he neither turned nor acknowledged them.

He had taken the initiative to greet them many times, only to receive distance and avoidance in return. Back then, he had realized that the siblings who had once run happily into his courtyard every day to listen to stories were gone.

Soon, the demonstrations ended.

Only three of the five passed. The other two still lacked polish and had not reached the introductory level; their forms were inaccurate.

"Let's go."

Li Yun led his sister forward. Facing the middle-aged man, who stood a head taller than him, he remained haughty. "We studied the Wind Severing Fist."

Recognizing their identities from their attire, the middle-aged man nodded slightly and smiled. "Please demonstrate."

The siblings immediately assumed their stances and began. Soon, they had completed the set of fist techniques.

When Li Yun turned, his waist did not move with him, preventing the strength of his whole body from reaching his fist and weakening its force somewhat.

Secretly astonished, the middle-aged man asked, "How long have you been studying it?"

"Half a day," Li Yun replied calmly, though a hint of pride showed in his eyes. He vaguely sensed that he had made a small mistake and that the result might not be very good.

But after all, he had only studied it for half a day.

The original requirement for admission to Class A was to comprehend it within three days. Surely his progress was already very impressive.

"Impressive!"

Sure enough, just as Li Yun had expected, the middle-aged man exclaimed with a touch of amazement. The corners of the boy's mouth involuntarily lifted...

"Young lady, you've reached the introductory level and passed."

The middle-aged man took a waist tag from his belt and handed it to Li Zhining beside him.

Li Yun froze briefly.

"Your fist technique still needs a little polish. Practice some more, and you should master it soon," the middle-aged man told Li Yun.

Looking slightly embarrassed, Li Yun turned to his sister. "When did you figure it out?"

Li Zhining put away the waist tag and hurriedly replied, "Just now."

She was not really lying. She had indeed only understood it recently-half an hour ago at most.

"Geniuses like you, who can reach the introductory level of a high-grade technique in half a day, are rare even in the Class A Institute," the middle-aged man said with a smile.

"You mean others have managed it too?" Li Yun's expression shifted slightly.

"There were a few yesterday," the middle-aged man said with a smile. This year's recruits were all excellent, considerably better than those of previous years.

Li Yun felt his cheeks burning, and his fists clenched involuntarily.

Just then, the middle-aged man noticed someone approaching. Looking up and seeing another person from the Divine General Residence, he immediately smiled. "Have you come to demonstrate too?"

"Yes."

Li Hao nodded.

Hearing this, the siblings could not help glancing at Li Hao. Li Yun suddenly felt a little better. At least there was someone else to cushion his fall.

"Please." The middle-aged man gestured.

Li Hao was equally straightforward. He raised his hands and threw two punches, their force like blades, accompanied by the faint ring of iron cutting through the air.

The middle-aged man's expression changed instantly, and he stared at Li Hao in shock.

Li Hao had already withdrawn his fists. "Was that enough?"

Coming to his senses, the middle-aged man could not help asking, "Did you arrive yesterday?"

"Today."

"..."

The middle-aged man froze for a moment. Another possibility surfaced in his mind, sending a sudden chill through him. Not daring to dwell on it, he immediately took out a waist tag and handed it to Li Hao. "This is a Class A Institute waist tag."

The waist tag was white, with a black character on one side: A.

Li Hao accepted it, glanced at it, and casually put it away. After offering his thanks, he turned and left, leaving two pairs of rather stunned eyes behind him.

"He... he passed too?"

Only after Li Hao had gone some distance did Li Yun finally blurt out the question.

The middle-aged man withdrew his gaze, looked at him, and nodded. "His Wind Severing Fist is at least at the adept level. He may even have... perfected it."

Li Hao's demonstration had been too brief for him to judge the precise level.

But without question, he had absolutely reached the introductory level.

"Adept? How is that possible?" Li Yun's eyes widened.

He knew Li Hao had only left the residence with them today and had climbed the mountain later than he had. How could he possibly have comprehended it to the adept level in such a short time?!

Even his younger sister had only just reached the introductory level!

At that thought, he could not help turning back to stare at that figure in disbelief.

Li Zhining stared blankly at the receding figure. Suddenly, some of the adults' praise for Li Hao back at home surfaced in her mind:

"That child is so clever."

"Yes, remarkably precocious. I've never seen such a clever child. Give him the slightest hint, and he understands."

"It's a shame he can only temper his body. Otherwise, with a mind that sharp, he would definitely become an extraordinary genius."

That's right... the adults only ever said his cultivation ceiling was low. No one ever said he wasn't clever.

The little girl gently bit her lip and tightened her grip on the waist tag.

"I'm back."

Li Hao jogged briskly back to the two elders.

Seeing the Class A waist tag in his hand, both understood. Shen Yunqing smiled. "Congratulations."

"You're too kind, senior." Li Hao smiled slightly, then added, "Shall we... play another game?"

This kid... The two exchanged a glance, both inwardly speechless. Why did it feel as though this boy was even more addicted to playing than they were?

"All right, another game." Zhao Zongyuan had already finished reviewing their previous match and understood his mistakes. He now had the courage to fight again.

Delighted, Li Hao immediately sat down. "After you, senior."

The two once again battled across the board.

To keep his opponent from giving up, Li Hao did not attack too fiercely. He slowly maneuvered back and forth before winning by a narrow margin.

And so an amusing scene unfolded in the square: all the other disciples were studying and practicing diligently before the stone tablets, throwing punches and kicks.

In one corner, however, a boy traded blows with two elders across a game board. Zhao Zongyuan's irritated cries and Shen Yunqing's hearty laughter rang out from time to time, drawing plenty of glances from the other incoming disciples.

At the sight of that peculiar scene, strange looks surfaced in many of their eyes.

"You brat! Were you playing in your mother's womb?!"

Driven to desperation by his losses, Zhao Zongyuan was so angry he wanted to throw the pieces.

Li Hao smiled.

Shen Yunqing asked curiously, "You must have put quite a bit of effort into developing this skill. How do you usually cultivate?"

This is how I cultivate... Li Hao said inwardly, but outwardly he merely gave a foolish chuckle.

As they played, the two elders chatted with Li Hao about matters within the academy.

"Boy, did you know a prince enrolled yesterday? He entered Class A too. I heard he only needed two hours to comprehend the technique."

"The young lady from the Nangong Family came too. Her talent is quite frightening, and I hear she isn't even the strongest of her generation in her lineage."

"Boy, these will all be your rivals in the Class A Institute. You should keep an eye on them."

Their well-meant concern only made Li Hao's head ache. He said to the two elders, "Can't we just concentrate on the game?"

"..."

Both elders stared at him.

They had taken quite a liking to the boy, which was why they were telling him all this, yet he did not even want to listen?

Play, play, play! So you came to Tan Palace Academy just to play, did you?!

Angered, Zhao Zongyuan grew serious again and focused all his attention. Yet a while later, his face turned ashen once more as he lost by a narrow margin...

The sun was sinking behind the western mountains. Li Hao was engrossed in the game when he suddenly heard a voice beside him:

"Hao Ge?"

Li Hao turned and saw Li Yuanzhao looking at him cautiously.

"Hmm?"

"I got my waist tag," Li Yuanzhao said. They had arrived late, so he too had spent half a day studying.

"Oh." Li Hao nodded, unsurprised. This boy's aptitude was on par with Li Zhining's. He might look stocky and simple, but his little eyes gleamed with cunning. He was very clever.

"Um... they're waiting at the foot of the mountain for us to return to the residence together. Hao Ge, what do you think..."

"Let them go back first. We'll return a little later," Li Hao said.

Across from him, the two elders' faces darkened. Had this brat become addicted to winning?

"No more, no more." Zhao Zongyuan waved a hand. "It's getting late. Go home."

"It's fine. I can still see."

"You brat..." Li Hao left them unsure whether to laugh or cry. Shen Yunqing said, "Let's stop here today. If you want to play, we can have another match once classes begin."

Li Hao wanted to continue, but seeing that the two elders seemed to have lost all their enthusiasm along with their games, he could only refrain from forcing them. "All right. Thank you both for your hospitality today, seniors."

With that, he placed a piece, securing victory in this game.

Looking at the experience he had gained, Li Hao finally rose with a smile and bowed to the two elders before leading Li Yuanzhao leisurely down the mountain.

"To think the Divine General Residence has a boy like that. How strange." Watching the two boys depart one behind the other, the elders wore peculiar expressions. They exchanged a glance, then shook their heads and laughed.

(End of chapter)