Joy Upon Joy (Third Update—Please Follow and Vote)

On this end of the call, Ji Xuantong put down his phone.

"I knew it. My two disciples could make it!"

It had been a long time since he had felt so thoroughly at ease.

"Sudden enlightenment" was not considered a particularly high evaluation. With current technology only able to test one's innate bone structure, some geniuses of comprehension were inevitably overlooked. As they gradually revealed themselves through later cultivation, they were generally given the label of "sudden enlightenment."

Sudden enlightenment meant that one had entered the nation's watchlist.

Next, the nation would slowly raise its stakes and invest in you. If you could maintain your momentum or grow ever fiercer, the resources provided by the nation would steadily increase. But if you were merely a mayfly blooming for a day, the nation would ruthlessly set you aside and let you return to obscurity.

Such was the cruelty of society.

This was still Great Xia. In other countries, poor innate bone structure meant there was practically no chance to turn one's life around; every channel for advancement had been blocked by those with vested interests.

Are kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born to their stations?

Great Xia had left many opportunities for ordinary people.

"Damn it, I need to break through the second stage sooner."

Every time he spoke with Qingtian Cang, the man would throw a soul-searching question at him.

All of a sudden.

Old Ji's phone rang. It was his daughter, Ji Feiyan.

Dad, did you take Lu Chenzhou as a direct disciple?

"Yes."

All right, but don't place too much hope in him. I've seen plenty of similar people at school... I'm afraid the higher your expectations, the greater your disappointment.

"No need to worry. Your junior sister and junior brother both passed."

Silence fell on the other end of the line. Ji Feiyan clearly had not expected that.

...You're not lying to me?

"Why would I lie to a little brat like you?"

I expected Shi Ruyu's result. She's already at the seventh stage, after all, and the school would generally give her a chance to charge toward becoming a Martial Artist... But Chenzhou, I truly didn't expect that.

"Hah, when it comes to judging people, your old man still has the better eye! You can't compare!"

Fine, fine, you're amazing. I won't argue with you.

No matter what, this was good news.

Ji Feiyan also hoped that her family's martial arts academy would grow stronger.

"Nothing else, Dad. I've got to get back to work."

I don't have anything else either. Do you need me to help hold things down at next month's Martial Arts Academy Exchange Tournament? I can have a friendly match with the geniuses from the other academies.

"No need. Focus on school and break through the first stage early for me."

Don't worry, Dad. Bye.

After hanging up, Ji Xuantong told his wife the good news as well. She also praised him for having a good eye and good fortune, having picked up two promising martial arts seedlings in half a year.

At last, Ji Xuantong arrived at the training grounds.

"Chenzhou, Ruyu, come with me."

The senior and junior disciples, who had been exchanging punches, stopped. Seeing the academy master so solemn, they roughly understood what this was about, and they could not help feeling nervous.

It was not that they were overly concerned with gains and losses.

Opportunities did not wait for anyone. They had to seize them!

In the martial arts room, Ji Xuantong sat upright and proper.

"Your test results are out."

Lu Chenzhou tried his best to calm himself. Whatever the result, he had to accept it calmly. He could not lose his fighting spirit over failure; he had the Martial Dao Tree.

A momentary setback was nothing worth mentioning.

Fine beads of sweat seeped from Shi Ruyu's forehead as well.

She took a deep breath and asked:

"Teacher, how did it go?"

Ji Xuantong took a sip of tea and smiled.

"You two are both fine. You have both been preliminarily assessed as having sudden enlightenment. Keep working hard from here on, advance steadily, and your achievements will not be inferior to those with average bone structure!"

Hearing this, the two of them let out enormous breaths of relief.

Lu Chenzhou tilted his head back, striving to keep his emotions calm.

Shi Ruyu was filled with a thousand feelings, and finally said with an excited smile:

"Thank you, Teacher! Thank you, Senior Qingtian Cang! Thank you, school!"

Ji Xuantong said:

"Settle your emotions. This is only the beginning; the road ahead is still long. Oh, and Chenzhou, you no longer need to apply for Pingjiang Martial University's special admissions. You will transfer to the Su City Branch Campus affiliated with Dragon City University of Martial Arts. When you reach your third year of high school, you can take the college entrance examination together with the martial academy students there."

Lu Chenzhou smiled.

"This student understands!"

He felt an indescribable sense of relief in his heart.

He had worked toward Pingjiang Martial University for nearly ten years. Never had he imagined that he would ultimately take the initiative to abandon the special admissions examination... because he had a better choice.

Of course, he still needed to pass the college entrance examination to enter Dragon City University of Martial Arts. But with the martial academy's faculty and resources, paired with his Martial Dao Tree, he had absolute confidence.

Having finally gotten what he wished for, Lu Chenzhou asked:

"What about Senior Sister next?"

Ji Xuantong said:

"Given her age and stage, she'll go directly to Dragon City University of Martial Arts. But let me make this clear to you both: because martial universities are being transferred from the north to the south, the Dragon City University of Martial Arts you'll attend in the future will be the branch campus located in Su City. Its faculty may be somewhat weaker than the main campus... but that will not affect you in the slightest. Once you become a Martial Artist, you can exchange martial arts techniques and resources from both the main campus and branch campus using Wuda merits and money."

Neither of them minded. Getting into a top martial university was enough. Even as a branch campus, its overall faculty and resources far surpassed those of Pingjiang Martial University.

Besides, both of their families were in Su City. They had grown up there and developed an attachment to the city, and neither particularly wanted to leave. Being able to attend the branch campus was even better.

Shi Ruyu asked:

"Teacher, will the branch campus be finished this year?"

Ji Xuantong nodded.

"It will be done by the end of the year. It'll be by Stone Lake in the outer city, using the former Stone Lake University site. Congratulations, Lu Chenzhou. Your family home is about to rise in value."

Lu Chenzhou sighed inwardly.

Li Xianghua had always wanted to move into the inner city, but now there was no need at all. Lu Guoping might not earn as much in ten years of labor as their old, shabby little apartment would gain in value in the future. His father had always lamented how lucky other people were. Now it was their family's turn.

That evening.

At the entrance to the residential complex.

"Goodbye, Senior Sister."

Lu Chenzhou waved.

"Go on home. Your parents will be too happy to sleep tonight."

Shi Ruyu rolled up the car window, and the car slowly drove away.

Building 3, Shihu Garden, 2802.

"Mom, is Dad back?"

"He's back. What is it?"

"I have something to tell you."

Li Xianghua called Lu Guoping out of the bedroom, where he had been watching a drama.

The elderly couple looked at Lu Chenzhou, somewhat puzzled.

"I'll be able to transfer to a martial academy soon."

"Huh? Why? Hasn't the special admissions examination not started yet?"

Lu Chenzhou then told them about the people from Dragon City University of Martial Arts who had come two days earlier. After hearing it, the elderly couple could not speak for a long while, feeling as if they were dreaming.

In just a few days, too many dreamlike things had happened... he had entered the third stage, been accepted as a direct disciple, and was now transferring to a martial academy. Who would dare believe it?

"You're not going to regular high school anymore?"

"I'm not. Martial academies and martial universities also have general cultural education, only as electives. I can make it up anytime in the future when I have the time. Martial arts come first."

Li Xianghua's trembling lips could barely form words.

"Good... good, that's wonderful."

Lu Guoping kept taking deep breaths.

"So that means you already have one foot through the gates of Dragon City University of Martial Arts? And you won't even need to leave Su City—you can attend university right on our doorstep?"

Lu Chenzhou nodded.

The elderly couple finally wept with excitement. All the grievances and hardships they had suffered over the years were no longer worth mentioning. Towering joy drowned them so completely that they had yet to realize the immense benefits the branch campus's construction would bring to this area.

"Wuwuwu..."

Lu Guoping held the sobbing Li Xianghua in his arms.

Lu Chenzhou silently returned to his bedroom to practice his punches.

His parents also needed some time to settle their emotions.

He considered how he should say goodbye to his teachers and classmates tomorrow.

That martial arts fanatic from Wanhua High School was finally transferring to a martial academy.

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