They also wanted to know whether this student was all talk and showboating, or whether he truly had a world of knowledge and strategy within him.
"Teacher Yan, the sign of Qi and Blood Sensing is bulging temples, while the sign of Qi and Blood Transportation is surging qi and blood. Even in the cold of winter, you can go out wearing only a single layer."
Jiang Shu explained. Since Teacher Yan genuinely cared about him, he didn't mind spending some time proving himself. He took off his school uniform, revealing that he was wearing only a short-sleeved shirt.
"There's another simple way to verify it: I can lift an object weighing six hundred jin. If the school leaders don't believe me, they can prepare something in advance."
After putting his uniform back on, Jiang Shu began to explain what had happened with Wang Han. "The classroom cameras should have recorded the whole thing."
"Wang Han took over my desk first, then insulted my determination to practice martial arts. And the whole thing dragged other people into it, affecting classmate Xu Shuhui's ability to study afterward."
"Since Wang Han wants the school leaders to decide who's right, Teacher Yan, why not ask them? If they all think I, Jiang Shu, was in the wrong, I'm willing to accept the school's punishment. But as for an apology... Wang Han, does he deserve one?"
After finishing, Jiang Shu put his uniform back on. Seeing that Yan Dehou was still stunned, he said softly, "Teacher Yan, if there's nothing else, I'll head back to class."
The office door opened again.
The cold wind in the corridor blew against Yan Dehou.
It slipped past his collar and cut straight through to his chest.
In an instant, Yan Dehou snapped back to his senses.
He watched Jiang Shu walk away, his gaze strange, as if he were seeing him for the first time.
"Old Yan, congratulations! You've got another student headed for a top university this year."
"Ah, I wonder if the kids in my class will do me proud this year. Three students getting into top universities would be wonderful."
"Three students getting into top universities is nothing. Xia Kingdom is supporting martial arts so heavily now. A student from your school who achieves Qi and Blood Transportation and gets into a top university without taking the entrance exam—that's worth more than three students getting in through the exam. Besides, there are still three months until the entrance exams. Who knows, maybe he'll make even more progress..."
"Good heavens... I can't even imagine it! Enough talk. Old Yan, after today, you'll have to treat us all and share some of that good fortune."
As Jiang Shu left the office, several teachers stood up and walked over to Yan Dehou. Their earlier amusement had given way to words brimming with praise and envy.
Jiang Shu wasn't their student.
But as long as he'd come from Ji City's Fifth High School,
the school's reputation would soar, and the better the school became,
the better the teachers' pay would be!
"I'll watch the footage first, then decide whether to report it to the principal."
A student who had achieved Qi and Blood Transportation.
Yan Dehou knew exactly what that meant, especially since people from Shengjing had come specifically today to explain the benefits given to martial artists.
He took several deep breaths, willing his racing heart to slow. Doing his best to calm himself, he opened the surveillance footage, put on his headphones, and scrubbed through the recording, starting from when the students entered the classroom.
Wang Han's arrogance.
Jiang Shu's composure.
Xu Shuhui's anger and near tears.
All of it played out before his eyes.
Before long, Yan Dehou paused the footage. As if he'd made up his mind, he sent the section he'd just recorded to the principal. Then he left the office and hurried toward the principal's office.
Senior Year, Class Eight.
Jiang Shu pushed the door open.
The classroom, which had been somewhat noisy, gradually fell silent.
Everyone immediately turned to look at Wang Han.
"Well, well. Jiang Shu's back. Did Old Yan send you to apologize to me and smooth things over? Tsk. If you're sincere about it, I might even forgive you a little."
Wang Han looked smug. He was convinced he'd given an excellent performance in the office.
So what if Jiang Shu was a martial artist who had achieved Qi and Blood Sensing?
He'd done something wrong.
He still had to answer to the school authorities!
Now he'd thought it through.
So what if Jiang Shu could lift a desk, or had incredible strength?
He wouldn't dare hit Wang Han.
Why should Wang Han be afraid of him?
"If you're still dreaming, make sure you go back to sleep during class later." Jiang Shu shot Wang Han a sidelong glance and sat back down. From the desk in front of him, Xu Shuhui quietly asked, "Jiang Shu, did you... achieve Qi and Blood Sensing...?"
"Yeah."
Since he'd chosen to reveal his strength to Teacher Yan, Jiang Shu had no intention of hiding it from his classmates.
Mystic Star was nothing like the Great Jing Dynasty. In the age of big data, everything you did was recorded unless you deliberately stayed cooped up indoors.
The buns he'd bought that morning, the standing practice he did in the park each day—
As long as Xia Kingdom wanted to investigate Jiang Shu, they could work out his approximate martial arts level from his daily routine in less than a day.
So there was no need to hide anything.
And Xia Kingdom would never kill the donkey after it had turned the mill, just because one or two geniuses had appeared.
Besides, he'd only achieved Qi and Blood Transportation. That was all.
At this level, he probably wouldn't even catch the eye of the higher-ups.
"Now that you've achieved Qi and Blood Sensing, Jiang Shu, the school definitely won't punish you too harshly. At most, they'll make you apologize to Wang Han and shake hands. Compared to being punished, that's nothing."
Hearing him confirm it, Xu Shuhui's anxious heart settled, and the corners of her mouth curved into a lovely smile.
Her school uniform gave her an air of scholarly refinement.
She adjusted her glasses, looking lively again.
Her pretty oval face was bright with shifting eyes, as though she wanted to take a careful look at Jiang Shu.
She'd always thought Jiang Shu was handsome and principled.
But today, he seemed a little taller, and his build a little sturdier, too.
A steady mind, an imposing presence.
Was this the change martial arts brought?
"This has to be a secret crush! Damn it, you two!"
Watching them, Wang Han gritted his teeth. He wanted to speak up.
But when he thought of Jiang Shu's strength as he lifted the desk, and remembered that icy gaze looking down at him, he swallowed his words.
Why, why was time passing so slowly?
Why wasn't Old Yan coming in yet?
He was usually so quick about everything. Why was he taking so long to report to the school leaders?
Why hadn't the school leaders come over yet?
Wang Han was miserable and torn, squirming as if sitting on pins and needles.
At last, the classroom door creaked open.
Yan Dehou walked in first. Behind him came Zhang Taining, the current principal of Ji City's Fifth High School.
Wang Han froze for a moment. Then, delight blazed in his narrow eyes.
So what if Jiang Shu had achieved Qi and Blood Sensing?
After the college entrance exams, he'd still be no more than an ordinary undergraduate.
Would the principal of the school really come to the classroom for the sake of one ordinary undergraduate?
There was only one possible reason he'd come in person: Wang Han's words had worked!
The school leaders must agree that the incident would damage the school's reputation!
Even the principal had come to punish Jiang Shu in person!
Jiang Shu was finished!
The matter was settled!
As soon as Jiang Shu was punished,
Wang Han would spread all kinds of "evidence" around the class that Xu Shuhui liked Jiang Shu, saying the class representative was into a thug, that she acted one way to people's faces... and another behind their backs...
So keen on studying? It was all an act. If she really loved studying, why had she only scored high enough to get into Fifth High School on the middle-school entrance exam?
The two of them wouldn't get away!
He could hardly resist crossing one leg over the other.
Wang Han sneered, unscrewed the lid of his thermos, and gulped down the hot water, which was at just the right temperature.
Now, he was going to see for himself.
Before you continue