Between-Exam Sprint

Between-Exam Sprint

3:00 a.m.

Inside the offices of Songyang High School.

As Su Haifeng looked through the list on his computer screen, he spoke into the phone, "Mm... there hasn't been much change in his Dao Heart grades."

"His Magical Power improved rapidly some time ago. Looks like he spent most of his time and money on Breath Circulation, which was how he managed to squeeze into the top ten."

"Although his Physical Strength hasn't been tested for three weeks because he was isolated, it had already fallen to nineteenth place before that. Now that he's shifted his focus to Magical Power, he should thank heaven and earth if he can even hold onto nineteenth."

"His Martial Arts and Dao Arts haven't shown any obvious improvement either. Both subjects might drop past thirtieth place in this Monthly Exam."

Looking at Zhang Yu's recent academic records, Su Haifeng shook his head. "In short, I'm not optimistic that his grades will improve significantly in this Monthly Exam."

"The school will probably still offer him a D-grade contract."

"I understand. I'll do my best to persuade him to sign it."

"Though I don't know how he earned Li Xuelian's favor, the exams have already been taken. He should have recognized his own situation by now."

After hanging up, Su Haifeng casually closed Zhang Yu's academic records and began reviewing the next file.

To him, Zhang Yu was only one small matter among many. At Songyang High School, there were far more matters—and far more important students—that required his attention.

4:00 a.m.

Inside the unfinished building.

Today was the day of Songyang High School's Monthly Exam.

Although Zhang Yu's strength had improved dramatically again after nine days of torment, he was still seizing every moment to practice the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms, hoping to raise his strength a little more before the exam officially began.

His panel in the Feather Scroll's preface had now become:

Zhang Yu

Dao Heart Level 1

Magical Power 11.7

Physical Strength Level 1.05

With his Passive Breathing Technique mixed with occasional active Breath Circulation, his Magical Power had risen from 10.5 to 11.7.

Under his frenzied training, his Physical Strength had risen from Level 0.85 to Level 1.05.

Naturally, his greatest progress over these nine days had been in the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms, which had reached Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms level 9 (89/90).

As Zhang Yu threw his final punch, the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms finally surged to Level 10, reaching the limit attainable within the Qi Refining Realm.

The moment he raised the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms to Level 10, countless memories seemed to flow through his mind—images of himself practicing the forms again and again, over and over; deeper, more penetrating contemplation of his own physical body.

After being meticulously tempered countless times, his body finally underwent a certain qualitative transformation and began adjusting itself in a more rational way.

A thunderous roar seemed to sound in his mind!

As his heart pumped wave after wave of blood and vitality through his limbs and bones, Zhang Yu's entire body seemed to undergo a metamorphosis.

The flesh all over his body contracted and expanded, while crisp crackling sounds rang from within his bones and joints. Even the outline of his body seemed to grow slightly larger.

The distribution of his muscles became more suited for exerting force, his skeletal structure became sturdier and more stable, and his entire body seemed to have become more balanced and coordinated.

This optimization of his body's structure, which should have been completed bit by bit while raising the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms to Level 10, had now been completed in an instant.

Physical Strength Level 1.05 → Level 1.25

As his body's structure adjusted and optimized, Zhang Yu's Physical Strength rose by 0.2 levels in one breath—a twenty-percent surge.

Zhang Yu could especially feel that the improvement brought by this bodily optimization was not merely a single increase in Physical Strength. It would have a far-reaching effect. His now more balanced and coordinated body would allow him to walk the path of Body Tempering better and faster in the future.

Zhang Yu smiled slightly, excitement rising in his heart. "Raising the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms to Level 10 can actually actively optimize my body's structure once."

"Could it be that reaching Level 10 in any skill brings such a huge improvement?"

This was information the teachers had never taught in class.

But Zhang Yu knew without thinking that Level 10 skills—even something as basic as the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms—were far too distant for first-year students. It was perfectly normal that the teachers had never mentioned such information.

"Then next, I'll raise the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method to Level 10 and see what effect it has."

Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method level 8 (3/160)

Zhang Yu estimated that it would take him no more than a week to raise this Breathing Technique to Level 10 as well.

But despite thinking so, he did not immediately switch the Feather Scroll's Specialization to the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method, because he had other plans for today.

"Please abide by the Ritual Agreement, work hard to fulfill your wish, and do not deliberately slack off or delay. 10."

Just as Zhang Yu was feeling invigorated and reflecting slightly on his improvement, that damned countdown sounded once again.

Zhang Yu cursed a few times, but remembering that the thing did not even possess will or intelligence, he only felt the emptiness of a fist striking cotton no matter how much he cursed.

So he still sat down cross-legged, meditating and circulating his breath while resting his body after another exhausting night and recovering his stamina.

Preparing... to face the Monthly Exam.

Songyang High School.

The hurried students all wore traces of unease on their faces.

The campus itself seemed to have been stained with an air of grim slaughter today.

Zhang Yu looked up. The banner that had once read, "Live until you die, learn until you die," had been replaced with an anti-suicide slogan: "One person acts recklessly, the whole family pays."

Even the outer perimeter of the rooftop had been wrapped in an extra layer of wire fencing, making it harder for students to do anything reckless.

Beside him, Bai Zhenzhen praised, "Looks like those beast-faced, human-hearted school leaders finally know how to care about students. They know the Monthly Exam can easily drive people to emotional collapse, so they even took some protective measures." But when she arrived at the cafeteria for breakfast and saw notices that some dishes had gone up in price, Bai Zhenzhen could not help flying into a rage.

"Prices went up again? How many times has this been since school started?"

"A bunch of vermin can't even run a cafeteria properly. How can they run a school?"

Zhang Yu consoled her, "Sigh, not acting like human beings is their normal operating procedure. Keep a level head. Don't let it affect today's Monthly Exam."

But moments later, after hearing the new rules from the cafeteria lady serving food, Zhang Yu raged, "Why can each person only get one five-yuan meal a day now? Yesterday I could still get ten! Why can't students even eat their fill?"

"Alright, alright, Yu Zi." Bai Zhenzhen patted Zhang Yu's shoulder and comforted him. "Don't act on impulse. A teacher is looking over here. I'll help you buy one more Poor Man's Meal."

After carrying their food to a table and sitting down, Zhang Yu checked his savings balance.

Although he had received another five-hundred-yuan reward for a 0% Distraction Rate, his savings had fallen to six thousand due to the huge daily food expenses required for Body Tempering lately, the continual use and purchase of Nerve Filler, transportation, and other miscellaneous costs.

And a new month was about to arrive, which meant new loan payments, new rent, water, and electricity bills...

Then there were food expenses. Since beginning high-intensity Body Tempering, Zhang Yu had felt his appetite growing larger and larger. Eating five kilograms a day was perfectly normal. His daily food expenses alone came to several hundred yuan, which meant more than ten thousand yuan a month.

Zhang Yu increasingly felt that Immortal Cultivation truly cost more and more money the further one cultivated.

"I hope I can get good results in the Monthly Exam and secure a good contract."

"Otherwise, I'll have to go work again."

Just then, Zhou Tianyi carried his food over and sat beside them. Shaking his head helplessly, he said, "Do you know why the cafeteria raised its prices?"

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen abruptly lifted their heads together, staring at Zhou Tianyi and waiting for him to continue.

"To promote Oasis Company's Synthetic Food, the Municipal Government raised tariffs on ingredients imported from other cities. In the future, food prices throughout Songyang City—aside from Synthetic Food—will probably keep rising."

"I heard the Principal is also considering replacing the cafeteria's Pre-made Meals with Synthetic Food in the future."

Before beginning Immortal Cultivation, the original Zhang Yu had actually eaten quite a bit of Synthetic Food, since it was much cheaper.

Fried insects, plant protein, recycled water, and oil—the taste could only be described as something even pigs would refuse to eat.

"We won't even get to eat Pre-made Meals anymore?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen let out another round of lamentations, cursing Oasis Company and the Municipal Government for not acting like human beings.

After breakfast, because it was the day of the Monthly Exam, the three did not return to the classroom as usual but headed to their respective examination rooms.

The morning consisted of the General Education exam and the Martial Arts Class theory exam. Both were written tests. The former was worth fifty points, while the latter was worth twenty.

The afternoon consisted of the hundred-point Dao Arts Exam and the eighty-point Martial Dao Practical Exam.

Those eighty practical points, combined with the twenty points for the morning's Martial Dao theory exam, made up the hundred points for Martial Arts Class.

The morning exams were both written tests, and the original Zhang Yu had long since learned this material inside out.

After finishing, Zhang Yu did not hurriedly compare answers like the other students. Instead, after quickly eating lunch, he seized the time to begin training in the small garden.

Freehand Fighting Level 1 (0/10)

Zhang Yu switched the Feather Scroll's Specialization to Freehand Fighting. This was also why he had not switched to the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method earlier.

After raising the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms to Level 10 yesterday, no matter how much he circulated the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method during the remaining time, it would have been impossible for him to gain much improvement.

But if he seized the daytime break to improve his merely Level 1 Freehand Fighting, Zhang Yu estimated he could raise this Martial Arts skill to at least Level 2.

That would certainly provide no small improvement for the afternoon's Martial Dao Practical Exam.

With that thought, Zhang Yu trained even more seriously.

As he moved, driven by his Level 1.25 Physical Strength, the sinews and bones throughout his body rang in unison. Every fist and palm strike carried bursts of wind and thunder.

At the same time, threads of Magical Power circulated to different parts of his body along with each move he unleashed, strengthening the power of that move.

Freehand Fighting was a basic practical Martial Arts skill. Though it only contained fifteen moves in total, including punches and palms, kicks and throws, they could handle all sorts of different combat situations. Every move also had a corresponding Magical Power circulation route.

Zhang Yu repeatedly practiced these fifteen moves.

As practical Martial Arts, Freehand Fighting was far less intense to train than the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms.

Furthermore, Zhang Yu's current Level 1.25 Physical Strength, level 8 Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method Magical Power circulation, and the bodily optimization brought by the Level 10 Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms made his training speed in Freehand Fighting soar. After just over fifty minutes, he raised Freehand Fighting to Level 2.

Freehand Fighting Level 1 (0/10) → Freehand Fighting Level 2 (0/20)

In an instant, the fifteen moves of Freehand Fighting flashed back and forth through Zhang Yu's mind, becoming thoroughly familiar to him in the blink of an eye.

But Zhang Yu did not stop. Though he could feel some fatigue in his body, he still decided to continue practicing this Martial Arts skill.

"There are still two and a half hours before the afternoon exams begin."

"I'll see whether I can push Freehand Fighting to Level 3 before the exam."

Zhang Yu repeatedly practiced the fifteen moves of Freehand Fighting, sweat pouring down like rain.

His body grew more and more exhausted. His hands and feet gradually became weak and sore, and his movements began to lose their shape slightly.

But whenever Zhang Yu thought of the mountain of debt on his back and the increasingly heavy expenses, he clenched his teeth and persevered.

More than two hours later, a bead of sweat as large as a soybean dropped onto the ground with a patter.

Steam rose from Zhang Yu's entire body, his muscles burning fiercely from more than three hours of high-intensity exercise.

Yet a faint smile appeared on Zhang Yu's face. He had finally successfully pushed this Martial Arts skill to Level 3.

(End of Chapter)