Top Ten, No Questions Asked

At that moment, everyone's eyes converged on Lin Chen.

Lin Chen could clearly feel the gazes behind him, pricking his back until it grew hot.

Some said that a gaze had no tangible killing power.

But ever since his blood and vitality had reached 1,500, Lin Chen had discovered that his five senses had become far sharper. Just like now, though he did not turn around, he could clearly sense the many eyes fixed on him from behind.

It was an extremely mysterious feeling.

The instant Lin Chen stepped out from the line, the eyes of Yu Yongnian and the other two instructors also fell upon him.

At first, the three did not pay him much attention. But after a few breaths, their expressions turned serious. They exchanged glances, each seeing surprise in the others' eyes.

Strength was one manifestation of vigorous blood and vitality.

The greater one's strength, the more vigorous one's blood and vitality, and vice versa.

At this stage, the students' blood and vitality still floated on the surface of their bodies and could not be concealed. Having taught so many batches of students, the three instructors could already judge a student's strength simply by carefully observing their appearance.

That was also why Instructor Liu had seen through Zheng Kai's hidden strength at a glance earlier.

From the results of their careful observation just now, there was a high chance that Lin Chen's strength had reached four hundred jin.

"Brother Yu, did you give him special treatment?" Instructor Liu asked curiously in a low voice.

"Sending him to work in the cafeteria counts as special treatment?" Yu Yongnian replied faintly, leaving Instructor Liu speechless.

What kind of special treatment was that?

Instructor Liu and Instructor Chen exchanged a glance. Both had decided that Yu Yongnian must have helped Lin Chen behind the scenes and given him special treatment; he simply did not want to admit it.

As for why Yu Yongnian had taken a liking to Lin Chen and even lent him a hand, only Yu Yongnian himself knew.

"This student wishes to try the four-hundred-jin Stone Weight..."

Walking up to the Stone Weight, Lin Chen looked at the three instructors and spoke solemnly. The moment his words fell, another uproar broke out behind him.

Although the students present had already guessed as much when Lin Chen stepped forward, they still could not believe it. It was simply too unbelievable.

What if... what if Lin Chen had some other reason?

Or perhaps Lin Chen had misheard and taken four hundred jin for three hundred jin.

Though the chances were slim, could they possibly be slimmer than Lin Chen gaining two hundred jin of strength in three months?

"Begin."

Instructor Liu nodded in agreement. If Yu Yongnian had helped him, Lin Chen reaching four hundred jin was nothing much, and he would not be overly surprised.

Lin Chen gripped the Stone Weight's handles with both hands and began to exert force slowly.

"Oh, he really dares to touch it. Just wait and see... the... the Stone Weight left the ground... in a moment he'll... he lifted it."

Grip the handles, raise the weight, bring it to the abdomen.

Lin Chen completed it in one fluid motion, without the slightest pause or reversal.

Thus, a single sentence from many students went through three distinct tones in fits and starts.

Mockery, doubt, disbelief...

Not far away, Xu Botao and Cheng Ying stood with their mouths slightly open. Yan Dexing's eyes were wide as saucers, Zhao Jingchuan was struck dumb, and Lu Yongfeng remained expressionless.

"Brother Lu... he, he lifted it! Your record has been tied!"

After a long while, Yan Dexing suddenly shouted. Lu Yongfeng rolled his eyes inwardly.

Do I not have eyes? Could I possibly not have seen it?

Could I not know my record has been tied?

You shouted it so everyone could hear. What exactly was that supposed to mean?

Why are you so excited? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were the one who tied it.

Lu Yongfeng's heart surged with turbulent emotion, yet his face remained utterly expressionless.

The scene was not exactly silent as a grave, but an indescribable atmosphere hung in the air.

"How did he do it?!"

At last, one student voiced the shared thought in everyone's heart.

Three months ago, he had still been at the bottom, mocked by everyone and called the stingiest student in Martial Hall history. In the blink of an eye, his strength had reached four hundred jin, placing him among Martial Hall's top ten.

An inexplicable shock churned through the students' hearts, but the first to shout was Gu Fei. He raised a fist high, his entire face flushed red with excitement.

"Never bully a poor young man! I knew you could do it, Chenzi!"

Gu Fei shared a dormitory with Lin Chen and would occasionally hear Lin Chen tell legends of the martial path. He had no idea where Chenzi had heard those stories, but they were thrilling to listen to, especially when he imagined himself as the protagonist.

There was one story he particularly loved. Its protagonist was named Xiao Yan, and he remembered one line from that protagonist with crystal clarity.

Never bully a poor young man!

Wasn't Chenzi's performance right now proof of those words?

"This is my brother!" Gu Fei turned and shouted at a student behind him.

"Gu Fei, if you put it that way, Lin Chen is my butt buddy too. After all, I see Lin Chen's butt every day. Lin Chen has been different these past few months—I noticed it long ago." The student behind him wore a mysterious expression.

Another student beside him asked curiously, "What did you notice long ago?"

"Lin Chen's farts don't stink anymore. They're filled with the scent of sweat and striving, intoxicating, pleasant to inhale, delightful to smell."

Gu Fei: ...

The other students: ...

Up ahead, a satisfied smile gradually appeared on Yu Yongnian's face. "Not bad."

"This student thanks Instructor for your cultivation. Without Instructor, this student would not be where he is today."

"This was all your own effort. What does it have to do with me?"

Yu Yongnian rarely laughed so heartily. Beside him, Instructor Liu and Instructor Chen exchanged another glance. Well now, master and disciple were putting on an act.

The relationship between Martial Hall instructors and students did not quite count as that of master and disciple; there was only the nominal role of instruction.

But in the eyes of the two men, Yu Yongnian had surely poured great effort into Lin Chen. Such special care was what truly made a master and disciple. The two of them had also had students they favored in previous classes and had privately given them extra care.

"Lin Chen, four hundred jin."

Instructor Liu directly announced Lin Chen's strength, then looked toward the other students. "Are there any other students who wish to come forward and try?"

As soon as he said this, several students actually stepped forward. Unfortunately, none of them could lift the four-hundred-jin Stone Weight. Their own strength had been around three hundred and ninety jin, and after being provoked by Lin Chen, they had thought that perhaps they might suddenly erupt and lift four hundred jin.

Unfortunately, there was no luck on the martial path. Strength could not be faked.

One jin short was still not enough.

"Today is a rest day!"

With no one else stepping forward to test themselves, Instructor Liu directly announced that they had the day off, then departed.

"Come to my courtyard later."

Yu Yongnian gave the instruction, then likewise left the Training Ground.

With the three instructors present earlier, the students had not dared to be too unruly. But now that all three had left, Gu Fei was the first to run toward Lin Chen, with the other two students from Lakeside Village close behind.

"Chenzi, you're freaking amazing! You entered Martial Hall's top ten in one go."

"Only tenth place." Lin Chen modestly downplayed it.

"That isn't important. You're top ten either way. As long as you don't specify, who would know you're tenth? When I go back to the village, I'll just say you're top ten."

Gu Fei's words made the corner of Lin Chen's mouth twitch. He recalled a joke.

If you asked someone for their ranking and they said top hundred, they were probably outside the top eighty. If they said top ten, they were most likely among the last three. If they said top three, then they were third place.

Those in fourth or fifth place would not say they were top ten; they would only say top five. First and second place would not say they were top three either.

"Lin Chen, you're truly incredible."

"Lin Chen, how did you train?"

The other two students from Lakeside Village were excited too, but Lin Chen could sense the faintest trace of jealousy in their tones.

Only human nature!

Even good brothers both feared their brother's hardship and feared their brother driving a Land Rover, much less people who were merely from the same village.

After casually dealing with them for a few sentences, Lin Chen left the Training Ground on the excuse that he had to go see Instructor Yu.

Instructor Yu had told him to go later, but he could not truly make Instructor Yu wait too long.