When the Golden List Names Appear, Undercurrents Surge

Star Martial Calendar, Year 3070, June 8th.

Tianlan Star, Jinzhou City.

12:10 PM.

Third Martial Arts High School, Classroom 9, Senior Year.

The students held their breath, eyes glued to the communicators on their right arms.

As the morning's college entrance examination results were announced, the classroom instantly erupted in noise.

"I, I got in! 603 points, I got in!"

"I got in too, 610 points."

A combined score of over 600 in both cultural and martial arts subjects would allow one to enter a Martial University, opening the future possibility of joining the Martial Politics Alliance and becoming an Interstellar Martial Politician Soldier.

For ordinary people of this era, this was the fastest shortcut to changing one's destiny.

The students who got in couldn't hide their joy, cheering excitedly!

Those who didn't get in lowered their heads in silence, their faces full of disappointment.

The entire school had 28 senior classes with 1543 students.

Each year, less than one-tenth of them could pass the admission score line.

Moreover, those who could get accepted either had family members in politics or the support of martial arts powerhouses.

For students from ordinary families, breaking through was exceedingly rare.

"Lu Feng! Have your results come out yet?"

In the corner by the window in the fourth row of the classroom, a plump boy with eyes narrowed into slits leaned towards his deskmate.

"Mm, I got in. 625 points."

Lu Feng was also happy, but not as ecstatic as the others.

"I knew you could do it! Remember to treat me to a big meal!"

The plump boy's name was Shen Yu. He seemed not the least bit surprised that his good brother had gotten in.

"What about you? How many points?"

"Just over 400, no chance for me." Shen Yu spread his hands, but his tone lacked much surprise.

As they were talking, a man around thirty years old walked into the classroom.

He was He Qing, the homeroom teacher for Class 9, Senior Year, and also a Three Realm Martial Artist.

"Students, please be quiet."

He stood at the front of the classroom, his voice steady. "The college entrance examination results have been announced. I believe everyone has seen their results. Here, I congratulate all students who have been accepted into a Martial University. Please fill out your desired Martial University within ten days after you return home."

"Of course, students who didn't get in must be feeling sad and lost right now! I, as your teacher, can deeply understand that feeling of disappointment. But you must know, the college entrance examination has never been the 'final stop' in life. The martial arts world requires struggle, progress, and never giving up. As long as you are willing to continue moving forward with this fighting spirit, you will always find your own path..."

He Qing spoke for a full half hour, which was also his last class for this cohort of students.

After this class, everyone would leave Jinzhou Third High School and embark on a new starting point on their future paths.

As the students bid farewell to their teacher and left the classroom one by one, He Qing suddenly called out to Lu Feng.

"Lu Feng, stay behind for a moment."

Once they were the only two left in the classroom, He Qing took a dagger from his person and handed it over.

"You are the only student from an ordinary family in our class who got into a Martial University. I am truly happy for you. This is a Blue Dai Alloy dagger. It's been with me for nearly ten years, and now I'm giving it to you."

Blue Dai Alloy was an artificially synthesized metal with a hardness five times that of diamond, capable of easily slicing through the tough hides of Alien Monster Beasts.

Lu Feng quickly tried to refuse, "Teacher, this is too valuable. I can't accept it."

He knew very well that this dagger was worth at least tens of thousands of Star Martial Coins.

"Take it. Consider it a graduation gift from your teacher."

As a student from an ordinary family, only Lu Feng himself understood the hardships he had endured to get into a Martial University.

For the martial arts college entrance exam, the cultural courses were not the most difficult; with the help of intelligent learning systems, most people could achieve high scores.

The real hurdle was the martial arts courses.

The first realm for a martial artist was the "Copper Skin Realm," which required tempering the skin and muscles to make the body's strength and power far exceed that of ordinary people.

Only by breaking through the tenth level of the Copper Skin Realm and achieving a punch force of ten thousand jin (5,000 kg) during the three years of martial arts classes could one barely meet the admission line for a Martial University.

For three years, without any resource assistance, Lu Feng had desperately tempered his physique.

He endured unimaginable pain, and his skin and muscles were almost never intact.

The effort he put in was several times that of others.

The suffering of body tempering was something almost no high school student could endure.

But Lu Feng held on.

This wasn't just for himself, but for his family.

His parents were ordinary workers who scrimped and saved to support his three years at martial arts high school.

Only by getting into a martial arts university could their lives truly change.

Lu Feng was the most determined student He Qing had ever seen in his teaching career, which was why he admired him so much.

"Teacher, thank you! I will definitely repay you in the future."

Lu Feng couldn't refuse and finally accepted the alloy dagger.

"Alright, you can go back now. Remember to fill out your university applications online within ten days and choose the martial arts university you want to attend."

"Okay!" Lu Feng nodded solemnly and turned to leave the classroom.

As soon as he reached the bottom of the teaching building, he saw Shen Yu waiting for him.

"You're finally out! What did the homeroom teacher want?"

"Nothing much, just recommended a few martial arts universities. Why haven't you gone home yet?"

"Home? What about the treat you promised!"

"Alright, alright, all you think about is food. I'll treat you to Purple Rice Balls today."

"Purple Rice Balls again?" Shen Yu looked disgusted.

"Isn't it good? Experts say it fills you up and can slightly improve your physique."

"What experts? I think you're just trying to save money!"

The two teenagers walked out of the school, chatting and laughing.

Meanwhile, after seeing all his students off, He Qing returned to his office to pack up and prepare to leave school.

With the end of the semester, he could finally put his busy schedule aside and spend two months focusing on improving his own strength.

Just then, the communicator on his wrist suddenly rang.

He lightly touched the screen, and a holographic projection appeared, showing a large, stout middle-aged man.

This was Zhao Chang, the principal of Jinzhou Third High School.

"Principal, is something wrong?"

"Teacher He, I need your assistance with something."

"Please, go ahead."

"I heard that a student from an ordinary family in your class got into a martial arts university this year? Please change his name to Zheng Tong."

"Change his name to Zheng Tong? Why? Zheng Tong only scored over three hundred points!"

"You should know Zheng Tong's identity, right? He's the grandson of the Vice City Lord of Jinzhou City."

"I know, but doing this is equivalent to stripping Lu Feng of his qualification to attend a martial arts university!"

"For a child from an ordinary family, what difference does it make if he attends a martial arts university or not?"

He Qing instantly understood. This was the Zheng family pressuring the school. To get their own child into a martial arts university, they demanded a spot from the school.

And Lu Feng, who came from an ordinary family, had become the unlucky one.

But why?

He Qing, as his homeroom teacher, knew best how much effort Lu Feng had put in and how much hardship he had endured for the past three years to get into a martial arts university!

Just because Zheng Tong was the Vice City Lord's grandson, could he simply take someone else's spot?