Final Exam

The crowd erupted in an uproar. Wang Yue's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Come on, man. How long have you even been at the martial arts hall, and you're already the only personal disciple?"

Le Ping was surprised too, but when he thought about it, it was only to be expected.

"His progress has been so incredible. If it wasn't Meng Chuan, who else could it be?"

Liu Ru was the first to react. Deep down, she had known the answer all along; she just hadn't wanted to admit it.

Liu Ru forced a smile and said:

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Meng."

Only then did everyone come back to their senses. They congratulated him one after another:

"That's amazing, Brother Chuan!"

"Congratulations! Holy crap!"

Wang Dong was the longest-standing student at the hall. He knew just how discerning Master Luo was, and even now he was still reeling from the shock.

He had always known that the master wanted to take on a personal disciple and teach him his true, secret techniques, but no student had ever caught his eye.

He never expected that Meng Chuan would win the master's favor after only a few months.

"Why isn't my talent as good as his? I work just as hard..."

The world of martial practitioners was cruel. With billions of people in the world, there was no shortage of those willing to work hard. What was rare were people who were both hardworking and talented.

Once everyone had collected themselves, Luo Guanyun said:

"From now on, regardless of age, everyone at the hall except the instructors on duty will address Meng Chuan as Senior Brother. You should look out for one another, too. When you go out into the world, you're all members of my Infinite Martial Arts Hall."

Not wanting to dampen everyone's enthusiasm, he continued:

"Meng Chuan isn't my last disciple. If any of you still hope to become my personal disciple, don't lose heart. Keep training hard and show me what you can do. I, Luo Guanyun, will give everyone a fair chance."

At the master's words, light shone once more in Liu Ru's eyes. She silently cheered herself on.

"Don't lose heart, Liu Ru. Prove yourself at the Martial Arts Hall Ranking Tournament. You still have a chance!"

Luo Guanyun looked at his personal disciple, deeply satisfied.

"All right, that's everything. Meng Chuan, is there anything you'd like to say to everyone?"

As the Senior Brother to nearly a hundred students at the hall, Meng Chuan couldn't help feeling a little proud.

"I hope you'll all stay sharp and keep striving on the path of martial arts. Uphold the martial spirit and push ever onward; cultivate both virtue and body. White Crane Eternal Spring!"

Luo Guanyun led the applause.

"Well said!"

Everyone joined in, cheering in unison.

Wang Yue, mixed in with the crowd, called out mischievously:

"Senior Brother Meng Chuan, I want to have your babies!"

Meng Chuan raised a hand to his forehead.

"Get lost, you fatso!"

The second day of the second lunar month, when the dragon raises its head.

Meng Chuan got up early and went up to the rooftop to practice his boxing. Two hours later, the eastern sky had begun to brighten.

After all his hard work practicing his punches lately, his Pao Fist proficiency had risen dramatically.

[Pao Fist: Great Accomplishment (10%) → (65%) Awaiting Limit Break]

"Although my proficiency is increasing more slowly now, at this rate, I'll be able to perfect it in two weeks at most."

Meng Chuan was very satisfied with the speed of his martial training. It was already far faster than before.

Ever since he had obtained One Proof Eternal Proof, Meng Chuan's daily routine had remained exactly the same as before.

Even though his improved talent had sped up his martial training, he hadn't given himself any extra time to rest.

"Right now, improving my vital energy is still the most important thing. I have the Martial Dao Limit-Breaking Panel, so after I break through the First Great Limit and become a Martial Dao Master, I can perhaps learn more ordinary fist techniques.

"Once I grind them to the limit, I'll gain more traits that increase the speed of my martial training.

"If the effects of those traits can keep stacking, I'll be able to raise my martial talent directly, and my proficiency will build faster and faster.

"My training speed is nothing special yet. There are plenty of people with exceptional physiques and Enlightened Ones with powerful traits who train faster than I do. I'm still a long way from reaching the summit of martial arts!"

For now, though, he needed to focus on building up his vital energy. On one hand, it was to fulfill his uncle's hopes by getting into a good Martial University; on the other, it was for his own protection—to break through the First Great Limit as soon as possible and gain the power and ability to fight the Heavenly Demons.

During a break from practicing his punches, Meng Chuan took a moment to think about the path he should take in the future.

"Chuan'er, stop practicing for now. Hurry up and get to school. You have exams today."

"I know, Auntie. I'll be right down."

Today was the day of the final exams at Ping'an Middle School.

The first-year students hadn't yet split into academic and martial tracks, so they had to take exams in both. The academic subjects were in the morning, and the martial arts exam was in the afternoon.

At 7:40 in the morning, with twenty minutes left before the exam began, most of the students in Grade 1 Class 3 were bent over their desks doing practice problems or memorizing key points.

Wang Yue couldn't bring himself to read. Bored out of his mind, he gazed out the window.

"We've got final exams today. Why hasn't Brother Chuan shown up yet? Is he really not going to keep studying?"

"Wait, why am I worrying about him? A personal disciple of a Martial Arts Master doesn't need me fretting over him."

The studious atmosphere in the classroom was so intense that Wang Yue couldn't help picking up his textbook and joining in.

At the same time, teachers in the staff room were sorting the exam papers.

"Is Zong Ping from your class really taking his exams with the second-years?"

Teacher Li, Zong Ping's homeroom teacher, pulled the papers out of a file envelope and counted them before looking up to answer:

"Yeah, the principal arranged it. Said talented students get special treatment."

"Who doesn't know Zong Ping from your class? I'm telling you, you've struck gold. Make the most of it. You might be the grade-level director next year."

Another teacher leaned over and chimed in:

"That kid Zong Ping is impressive. If you ask me, you're a shoo-in for grade-level director."

Teacher Li beamed, grinning from ear to ear.

"Who knows? The principal said that if he does well, he'll start taking martial arts classes with the second-years when school starts next year. He'll be a year ahead of his grade."

"Don't go blabbing about it to anyone. Nothing's set in stone yet, hahaha."

Just then, Teacher Wang, the homeroom teacher of Class 3, suddenly cut in:

"Hey, the principal spoke to me last night too. Meng Chuan from my class is taking the second-year exams as well."

At Teacher Wang's words, all the other teachers stopped what they were doing and turned to look.

"Seriously? Isn't Meng Chuan from your class the kid who practices Guoyi Fist? Why's he taking exams with the second-years, just like Zong Ping?"

Teacher Wang pressed his lips together and put on an expression that said he knew nothing about it.

He hadn't intended to bring up Meng Chuan in the first place. Even if Meng Chuan had switched to another martial art, there wasn't enough time for him to catch up. Some of the second-years had already broken through three vital-energy gates, and Teacher Wang was afraid Meng Chuan would be eliminated in the first round.

He'd made such bold claims. If Meng Chuan came back in dead last, the slap to his face would hurt all the more.

But he and Li Min, the homeroom teacher of Class One, had never gotten along. He couldn't help speaking up today because he couldn't stand seeing her so pleased with herself.

"You'll have to ask the principal about that."

The other teachers were only too happy to watch the show. One of them patted Teacher Li on the shoulder and teased:

"Director Li, looks like someone's trying to usurp your position."

Li Min wasn't worried in the slightest. After draining her cup of tea, she picked up the exam papers and walked out of the staff room.

"We'll just have to wait and see."