Sprint Between Exams

Sprint Between Exams

Early Morning, 3 a.m.

Inside an office at Songyang High School.

Su Haifeng looked over the list on his computer screen as he spoke into the phone. "Mm... there hasn't been any change in his Dao Heart scores."

"His Magical Power improved very rapidly some time ago. It looks like he put most of his time and money into Breath Circulation, which was how he managed to break into the top ten."

"His Physical Strength hasn't been tested for three weeks because of his isolation, but it had already fallen to nineteenth place before that. Now that he's shifted his focus to Magical Power, he should thank heaven if he can even hold on to nineteenth."

"His martial arts and Daoist arts haven't shown any obvious improvement either. He may drop below thirtieth place in those two subjects during this Monthly Exam."

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

"The school will probably still offer him a Ding-tier 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 score records and began reviewing the next file.

To him, Zhang Yu was only a minor matter among countless others. Songyang High School had far more matters—and far more important students—that required his attention.

Early Morning, 4 a.m.

Inside the Unfinished Building.

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

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

The panel in the Feather Scroll's preface now read:

Zhang Yu

Dao Heart: Level 1

Magical Power: 11.7

Physical Strength: Level 1.05

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

His Physical Strength had risen from Level 0.85 to Level 1.05 under his frenzied training.

Of course, the greatest improvement over these nine days had been in the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms, which had now become Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms Level 9 (89/90).

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

At the very instant he raised the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms to Level 10, countless memories seemed to flow through his mind. They were images of himself practicing the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms again and again, over and over; they were his ever deeper and more thorough reflections on his own Physical Body.

After being meticulously tempered countless times, his body had finally undergone some sort of qualitative transformation and begun adjusting itself in a more rational manner.

A roar seemed to erupt inside his mind!

As his heart pumped waves of blood and qi through every limb and bone, Zhang Yu's entire body seemed to undergo a metamorphosis.

The flesh across his body contracted and swelled, while crisp cracking sounds rang out from within his bones and joints. Even the outline of his body seemed to grow slightly larger.

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

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

Physical Strength Level 1.05 → Level 1.25

With the adjustment and optimization of his bodily structure, Zhang Yu's Physical Strength surged by 0.2 levels in one go, a full 20% increase.

In particular, Zhang Yu could sense that the improvement brought by this structural optimization was not merely a one-time increase in Physical Strength. It would have longer-term effects. His more balanced, coordinated body would allow him to travel farther and faster on the path of Body Tempering.

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

"Could it be that every skill gains such a massive improvement upon reaching Level 10?"

This was information his teachers had never taught in class.

But Zhang Yu knew without thinking that Level 10 in a skill... even for a foundational martial art like the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms, was simply too distant for first-year high school students. It was perfectly normal that the teachers had never mentioned related 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 at most, it would take him a week to raise this Breathing Technique to Level 10 as well.

Yet though he thought 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. Do not deliberately slack off or delay. 10."

Just as Zhang Yu was feeling exhilarated and reflecting slightly on his improvement, that damned countdown rang out once more.

Zhang Yu cursed a few times, but when he thought about how the thing did not even possess will or intelligence, a few curses only left him with the hollow feeling of punching cotton.

So he sat down cross-legged and meditated, circulating his breath while resting his body after another exhausting night and recovering some 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 taken on an air of grim slaughter today.

Zhang Yu looked up and saw that the banner reading "Learn until death" had been replaced by an anti-suicide slogan: "One person acts recklessly, the whole family pays."

Even the outer perimeter of the rooftop had been enclosed with an additional layer of wire mesh, making it harder for students to do anything reckless.

Beside him, Bai Zhenzhen praised, "Looks like those school leaders with human faces and beast hearts finally know how to care about students. They know the Monthly Exam can easily drive people into emotional collapse, so they even put in some protective measures." But the moment she entered the cafeteria for breakfast and saw notices announcing price increases for some dishes, Bai Zhenzhen could not help flying into a rage.

"They raised the prices again? How many times has it been since school started?"

"A bunch of vermin who can't even run a cafeteria—how are they supposed to run a school?"

Zhang Yu comforted her. "Sigh, not acting like human beings is normal operating procedure for them. Keep your peace of mind. Don't let it affect today's Monthly Exam."

But moments later, after hearing the cafeteria lady explain the new rules, Zhang Yu snapped, "Why can each person only get one five-yuan set meal a day? I could get ten yesterday! Why can't students even eat until they're full?"

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

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

Though he had received another five-hundred-yuan reward for a 0% Distraction Rate, his savings had fallen to 6,000 due to the huge amount he spent on food each day for Body Tempering, his continuous use and purchase of Nerve Filler, transportation, and other miscellaneous expenses.

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

There were also food expenses. Ever since he began high-intensity Body Tempering, Zhang Yu had felt his appetite growing larger and larger. Eating ten jin a day was perfectly normal, and his daily food costs alone amounted to several hundred yuan. That meant over ten thousand yuan a month.

Zhang Yu increasingly felt that cultivation truly became more expensive 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 work again.

Just then, Zhou Tianyi came over carrying his food and sat beside them. He shook his head helplessly. "Do you know why the cafeteria raised its prices?"

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen abruptly raised their heads together and stared at Zhou Tianyi, 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."

The original Zhang Yu had actually eaten quite a lot of Synthetic Food before he began cultivating, since it was much cheaper.

Fried insects, plant protein, recycled water, and oil—it tasted so bad even pigs would not eat it.

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

Thus, upon hearing this, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen let out another round of mournful sighs and angrily cursed Oasis Company and the Municipal Government for not acting like human beings.

After breakfast, because today was the Monthly Exam, the three did not return to the classroom as usual. Instead, they headed to their respective examination rooms.

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

The afternoon consisted of the Daoist arts exam, worth a hundred points, and the Martial Arts practical exam, worth eighty.

Those eighty practical points plus the twenty points from the morning's Martial Arts theory test made up the one hundred points for Martial Arts Class.

The morning tests were both written exams, and the original Zhang Yu had already mastered this material so thoroughly that he could recite it backward and forward.

After finishing, Zhang Yu did not rush to compare answers with other students. Instead, after hurriedly eating lunch, he made his way to the small garden and began training.

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 it to the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method earlier.

After pushing the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms to Level 10 yesterday, no matter how he circulated his breath with the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method during the remaining time, he could not obtain much improvement.

But if he seized the daytime break to improve the Level 1 Freehand Fighting, Zhang Yu estimated he could at least raise this martial art to Level 2.

That would certainly provide no small improvement for the Martial Arts practical exam in the afternoon.

With that in mind, Zhang Yu trained even more seriously.

As he made his moves, driven by Level 1.25 Physical Strength, every sinew and bone in his body rang in unison. Each 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 with every move he threw, increasing the power of each technique.

Freehand Fighting was a foundational practical martial art. Though it contained only fifteen moves in total—fists, palms, kicks, and throws—they could handle all manner of different practical combat situations, and every move had its own corresponding Magical Power circulation route.

Zhang Yu repeatedly practiced these fifteen moves.

As a practical martial art, Freehand Fighting's training intensity was far lower than that of the Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms.

Furthermore, Zhang Yu now possessed Level 1.25 Physical Strength, the Magical Power circulation of the Level 8 Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method, and the bodily optimization granted by the Level 10 Body Tempering Thirty-Six Forms. His speed in training the Freehand Fighting moves was thus extraordinarily swift, and 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, Zhang Yu felt the fifteen Freehand Fighting moves flashing back and forth in his mind. In the blink of an eye, they had become thoroughly familiar to him.

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

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

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

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

His body grew increasingly fatigued, his hands and feet gradually turned sore and weak, and his movements began to lose their form slightly.

But whenever Zhang Yu thought of the mountain of debt on his back and the ever heavier expenses, he gritted his teeth and persisted.

More than two hours later, a bead of sweat the size of a bean dropped to the ground with a patter.

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

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

(End of Chapter)