Spirit Firmament Thunder Marsh Qi Control Art

"Utter nonsense!"

Wu Qingshan was the first to rise to his feet. "Chu Sheng never concealed his cultivation level."

At those words, everyone froze.

It was their first time seeing someone lie so blatantly with his eyes wide open.

Fifth Layer claimed to be Double Layer.

If that wasn't concealing one's cultivation level, then what was?

Huang Wei asked doubtfully, "Wu Qingshan, what do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. When he registered that day, Chu Sheng truly was at the Opening Meridian Double Layer."

"..."

As his words fell, no one's brain could process them for a moment.

Huang Wei could hardly believe it.

"So you mean that, counting everything, he only spent four days rising three layers in a row?"

"That's right!"

Wu Qingshan's words rang out like iron striking stone.

"Just now, Chu Sheng and I wanted to discuss changing his records, precisely to correct his current cultivation level."

"Unfortunately, none of you gave us that chance."

"So this nonsense about concealing his cultivation level is nothing but bullshit."

The leaders of No. 1 High School looked at one another, while the principal repeatedly exclaimed that it was impossible.

Rising three layers in four days was simply unheard of!

Yet Chu Sheng's cultivation level was plainly displayed before everyone's eyes.

Huang Wei waved a hand, his tone becoming exceedingly warm.

"Ah, Old Wu, why are you getting so worked up? Of course I believe you."

"It's just that your school produced such a genius, yet you kept him hidden away all this time. You deserve a punishment."

"I'll treat you tonight. When the time comes, you'll have to punish yourself with half a cup."

Baian City had produced such a genius. As the director of the Education Department, he naturally had merits to claim as well.

At this moment, how could he still have the mood to care about Sun Xiaochuan, who had been beaten half to death?

Naturally, he had to build a good relationship with Wu Qingshan first.

And just like that, the dispute over the accusations settled down.

Chu Sheng calmly walked down from the martial platform.

Unlike when he had gone up, everyone's gaze was now fixed solely on him.

Their eyes brimmed with admiration and envy.

Opening Meridian Fifth Layer—he was undoubtedly a candidate for top academies.

More importantly, he had risen three layers in four days.

If it was true, the top academies would certainly come recruit him directly!

Baian City had never had a precedent for special recruitment.

To the crowd, the following matches no longer held anything remarkable.

In the later rounds, whenever it was Chu Sheng's turn, his opponents simply chose to concede.

He was three minor realms above them? How the hell were they supposed to fight that?

"Chu Sheng, can I add you on WeChat?"

Li Yuxuan came before Chu Sheng again, a lovely smile hanging on her face.

Little did anyone know that her heart was filled with nervousness.

"No."

"...Ah... oh, okay..."

Li Yuxuan left dejectedly.

At the same time, at the Sun Family estate in the south of the city.

Upon hearing that Sun Xiaochuan had lost the competition and suffered severe injuries,

after a brief moment of shock, the entire Sun Family flew into a rage.

There were only around twenty days left until the National College Entrance Examination.

Setting aside whether he could fully recover by then, even if he did, his strength would still be affected to some extent.

And those twenty-odd days would effectively be wasted.

Most importantly, there was that Heaven-grade Breathing Technique!!

"That damn little thief actually dared steal the Breathing Technique we prepared for Xiaochuan. Truly hateful!"

"No, that was something we obtained only after emptying half the family coffers and asking Huang Wei for a favor. We absolutely cannot let it fall into someone else's hands."

"Hey, don't worry. That Breathing Technique is useful only to Xiaochuan. It would be wasted in anyone else's hands. The National College Entrance Examination is coming soon—we can trade for it with something that produces immediate results."

In the end, Sun Xiaochuan's father, Sun Zhanting, made the final decision.

"This is the only way."

Noon arrived quickly.

If you can't find a book by its title, try searching for the author—it may have simply been renamed!

The league tournament ended.

After Huang Wei delivered some official remarks and offered the students a round of encouragement,

it was time for the awards ceremony.

As the champion, Chu Sheng received not only the Heaven-grade Breathing Technique, but also the standard rewards for the top ten.

Three high-grade Blood Qi Pills, plus a mid-grade Earth-rank martial skill manual.

Baian City was merely a Level Five base city.

Three high-grade Blood Qi Pills were an immense aid even for students from fairly well-off families.

The students valued the mid-grade Earth-rank martial skill even more.

Many of the participating students had mastered no martial skill above high-grade Mystic rank.

Even Chu Sheng's highest was only mid-grade Mystic rank.

Under normal circumstances, this opportunity might not be obtainable even for several hundred thousand.

After all, high-grade martial skills simply did not circulate on the market.

If you learned it, he learned it, and everyone learned it, then where the hell would our advantage come from?

Chu Sheng recalled a term mentioned in the original owner's history textbook.

"Martial Canon Burning."

Before the Great Xia Federation had been established, Noble Clans and sects stood everywhere across this land.

Later, the leaders of these forces cast aside personal interests and resolutely made a decision—to cut off their own wings.

For a time, Noble Clans proactively dismissed their clan members, while sects sent their disciples back.

History called it the Dispersal Reform.

But while the Noble Clans and sects had dissolved, their cultivation arts and martial skills remained tightly clutched in certain people's hands.

In the early days of the Great Xia Federation, the government demanded that they hand over those cultivation arts and martial skills.

But who would have thought they would instead choose to burn every last one of them?

The idea was simple: pour the milk into the river before giving it to you.

Barely a hundred years after the Federation's founding, the Noble Clans and sects returned with overwhelming momentum.

After a thousand years of development, they had already infiltrated every aspect of the Federation.

Chu Sheng even suspected that the so-called Dispersal Reform had hidden circumstances behind it, and was merely a polished account created after those Noble Clans took power.

Even now, cultivation arts and martial skills remained the things every major force valued most.

Below Earth rank, you could still buy them.

But once it reached Earth rank, you wanted to buy it?

Dream on!

The mid-grade Earth-rank martial skill awarded to the top ten was also only a copied scroll that the Education Department, together with more than ten Baian City high schools, had acquired after spending heavily, calling in favors, and running themselves ragged.

It came with countless restrictions.

As for the Heaven-grade Breathing Technique,

the Sun Family had gone to great lengths, emptying half their coffers before asking Huang Wei to use his connections to obtain it from a top academy.

"Cough, cough—"

Huang Wei came before Chu Sheng and cleared his throat twice.

"Student Chu Sheng, I know you don't want that Breathing Technique. Just tell me what you want to exchange it for, and I'll do my best to satisfy you."

This thing had been prepared specifically for Sun Xiaochuan, and with only around twenty days left until the National College Entrance Examination,

a normal person would certainly want to exchange it for other resources.

Chu Sheng rolled his eyes. "Who said I didn't want it?"

He had come for this Breathing Technique in the first place, damn it!

"Ah? You're sure you want this Breathing Technique? But it won't help with the National College Entrance Examination."

"Don't measure me by the standards of those trash."

Hearing that, Huang Wei's expression stiffened.

It wasn't because of Chu Sheng's tone. Geniuses were like that...

If they could speak nicely, they wouldn't be called geniuses.

What Huang Wei thought of was the Sun Family's request.

If possible, he naturally wanted the best of both worlds.

But Chu Sheng refused.

Then there was nothing he could do.

The Sun Family did have some influence in Baian City, but as the director of the Education Department, Huang Wei had no need to fear them.

After handing the Breathing Technique scroll to Chu Sheng,

he did not forget to remind him, "This thing is only valid for one month. Keep it safe for now, and don't open it until after the National College Entrance Examination."

"Also, it bears a mark. Only the first person to open it can read it. If an outsider is present, the scroll will automatically destroy itself."

"I don't need to tell you that it must not be passed on. You know the gravity of it."

Chu Sheng nodded, then looked toward the scroll.

"Spirit Firmament Thunder Marsh Qi Control Art"