Every Elite Class student was being watched by drones.
Principal Zhang rubbed his thinning hair beneath the bright glare of his scalp and chuckled.
"Just as I thought. Nothing gets these kids excited like the real thing... But that's not quite enough. Let's turn up the heat."
He sent a message through his smartwatch.
"Send every group's results to the kids in real time. Oh, and throw in a few highlights!"
His smartwatch flashed.
Soon afterward...
"Beep."
"Beep, beep."
The students below felt their devices vibrate.
Many pulled out their phones to check the message.
"Holy crap!"
Xia Zhiqiu let out a yelp.
"Look! The school made Rat-Killing Rankings!"
"Our group isn't even first. We're fifth!"
At that, the others checked too.
Xia Zhiqiu opened a highlight video, ready to share it with everyone.
Then he saw...
Xiao Qiyue, Mu Wanrou, Zhang Xuan, and even Su Ye had pulled out the latest smartphones. Zhang Xuan had gone a step further, flamboyantly bringing up a Light Screen.
Xia Zhiqiu: "..."
Well, damn. He was the odd one out.
"A'Su, even you've got a smartphone now? Can we still be friends?"
Su Ye pulled Xia Zhiqiu over to watch the Light Screen with him.
"The Patrol Bureau gave me this. I wouldn't have bought one myself... But once you get into university and become Extraordinary, the school will give you a smartphone too. I just got mine a little earlier."
"True! Once I become Extraordinary, I'll have a real smartphone too. That Light Screen is so cool—it's way bigger than a phone screen!"
Xia Zhiqiu quickly cheered up and watched the Light Screen with Su Ye.
Just as Xia Zhiqiu had said, Su Ye's group had killed seventeen field mice, placing fifth among the ten groups.
The first-place group had already killed thirty-two.
Xiao Qiyue spoke up to encourage everyone.
"We're behind for now, but that's because we spent time eating and waiting for the Luoluo Beast Meat to arrive."
"Now we have everything we need. Each time we use the meat, it draws in plenty of field mice. We can kill a batch at once. Give us another two or three rounds, and I'm sure we'll rank well."
Mu Wanrou nodded.
"Qiyue's right. With the Luoluo Beast Meat, the other teams can't match our killing speed."
Zhang Xuan, however, frowned.
"Have you watched the highlight videos?"
"Not yet. Why?"
"Then I suggest you watch the first and third ones."
Zhang Xuan wouldn't have brought them up for no reason.
Everyone opened the videos.
Meng Li was the star of the first one.
They watched him punch a field mouse right out of the ground, then swing the iron pillar in his hands with a rushing roar.
Su Ye couldn't help marveling.
His strength really is boundless.
Meng Li had shaken a field mouse out of the ground by sheer force. Even Su Ye couldn't do that.
As for the third video...
It featured Shangguan Lin, who had ranked first in Martial Arts in the former Class Two.
Like Meng Li, he was at the Ninth Level of Kaiyuan.
What caught Su Ye's attention was the gleaming sword in Shangguan Lin's hand.
A teammate poured water into a field mouse's burrow. The instant it poked its head out, Shangguan Lin cut it off with one stroke.
"What a fast sword!"
Su Ye couldn't help exclaiming.
Xia Zhiqiu shook his head. "A'Su, you're being too modest. Your blade's plenty fast too."
"No. It's different."
When Su Ye used a blade, he relied mostly on his own strength, speed, and agility.
But Shangguan Lin...
"That's because Shangguan Lin trains in the Thousand Jun Sword Technique as well as the Basic Combat Technique," Xiao Qiyue said as she came over.
Su Ye looked puzzled. "A sword technique? Aren't people in the Kaiyuan Realm supposed to train only in Fighting Techniques?"
Training in the Kaiyuan Realm meant tempering the body until it could hold more stellar energy from Heaven and Earth.
Generally, Fighting Techniques were needed to exercise every muscle in the body.
People usually waited until they became Extraordinary before training in blade or sword techniques.
Xiao Qiyue smiled.
"The Shangguan Family is a Martial Family that has practiced swordsmanship for generations. The Thousand Jun Sword Technique Shangguan Lin trains in is a Martial Skill designed specifically for the Kaiyuan Realm. It tempers the body and builds tremendous strength while letting him learn swordsmanship early. Once he becomes Extraordinary, he can switch straight to the Shangguan Family's Extraordinary Martial Skill, the Kirin Sword."
"I see."
Su Ye and the others nodded.
They had never imagined there were sword techniques made specifically for the Kaiyuan Realm. It was an eye-opener.
Xia Zhiqiu couldn't help sighing.
"No wonder Shangguan Lin's sword is so fast."
"Oh, no. With his swordsmanship, won't he kill field mice incredibly fast if his teammates give him their full support? If we don't speed up, we'll never catch them!"
That gave everyone a sense of urgency.
Of the four Supernatural Ability Awakeners in Second High School's Elite Class, three were on their team.
It would be downright embarrassing if they couldn't even make the Top Three!
Xiao Qiyue and Mu Wanrou immediately set aside their disgust for the field mice and eagerly brought out the container of Luoluo Beast Meat.
"Quick! Let's lure in another batch. Bring in more this time—we want to kill some too!"
But...
Su Ye walked over to Xiao Qiyue.
"Xiao, besides the Thousand Jun Sword Technique, are there other Martial Skills that let someone learn blade or sword techniques early?"
Xiao Qiyue paused, then caught on.
"You want to train in a weapon-based Martial Skill? But haven't you already trained in the Basic Combat Technique and Police Combat Technique?"
"I just want to know a little about them, in case they help right now."
Su Ye looked at her expectantly.
After spending time with Xiao Qiyue, Su Ye had realized she knew far more than he did about cultivation and the various Cultivation Methods and Martial Skills. She was exactly the person to ask.
"Hmm..."
Xiao Qiyue thought for a moment.
"There are a few weapon-based Martial Skills you can train in during the Kaiyuan Realm... The Patrol Bureau has one called the Basic Blade Technique. Its name is simple, but it's a powerful, practical Martial Skill that focuses on improving strength and movement."
"But in my opinion, it doesn't develop the body as thoroughly as the Police Combat Technique. Learning a little about it is fine, but spending too much time on it wouldn't be worthwhile."
Worried that Su Ye would waste too much time on the technique, Xiao Qiyue reminded him once more.
In the Kaiyuan Realm, mastering one Martial Skill mattered more than learning many.
Taking one Martial Skill to Perfection was far more useful than reaching Mastery in three.
Su Ye knew she meant well.
But...
I have my cheat!
No matter how many Martial Skills he learned, he could raise them all if he had enough Slaughter Value.
Learning one more would only benefit him.
And as it happened...
One of the benefits of joining the Patrol Bureau was that he could apply for one free Martial Skill at each realm.
This was the perfect chance to use it.
Before you continue