"Brother Yu, you were busy again today? You only got to the classroom right before class started." Wang Lin asked curiously. This adolescent boy, flamboyant on the outside and even more so inside, had nothing but beautiful women's pale thighs on his mind besides studying.
"I'll tell you when I have time. Class is starting now."
Yang Yu did not elaborate and simply took out his physics textbook.
The physics teacher arrived at the classroom right on time as well. Without wasting words, he merely said, "You're already in Grade 12. It's time for the final sprint," then took out his textbook and calmly began the lesson.
Clearly, this elderly physics teacher, who was nearing retirement, had taught too many Grade 12 classes and was long accustomed to it.
As for classroom discipline, the old physics teacher simply let things take their course and did not deliberately manage it.
However, there was no need to worry about discipline in the Key Class of this Key High School where Yang Yu studied.
Everyone was very self-disciplined.
Even those students who did not want to study would not disturb others.
Thus, the afternoon classes soon ended. Yang Yu still pretended to study seriously, while actually scribbling and drawing in his notebook.
No one else noticed this, but Yang Yu's deskmate and best friend saw it all.
The next three days went on like this.
During those three days, Yang Yu's daily training volume increased along with his improving physical fitness.
Furthermore, his Neijiaquan training was no longer limited to the Siming Internal Martial Arts, which was more focused on health cultivation. He began practicing Xingyiquan as well.
He picked up the Xingyi Five Elements Fist and Twelve Animal Forms that he had already mastered in his previous life.
Moreover, because the Cosmic Energy here was denser and his exercise results were better, Yang Yu basically recovered his Martial Way level from his previous life after only two days of practice. His physical fitness also improved at extreme speed, and the previously frail boy was gone for good.
On Thursday afternoon, as Yang Yu packed his bag as usual and prepared to leave,
his best friend Wang Lin stopped him. "Brother Yu, something has been very off about you lately. You used to love studying so much, but I've noticed these past few days that you haven't been seriously reading at all. Didn't you say you wanted to get into Jing University? If this continues, then even if your foundation is strong, you can't say for sure that you'll get into Jing University."
It was obvious that his best friend truly cared about him. Yang Yu smiled faintly. "Xiao Linzi, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
"Brother Yu! I know you're smart and talented, but studying is like rowing against the current—if you don't advance, you fall behind! Even Su Yu, whose grades are about the same as yours, can't say for certain that she'll get into Jing University. You can't keep going on like this."
Seeing that Yang Yu still looked so unconcerned, Wang Lin finally grew anxious. Faced with his best friend and brother, the seventeen-year-old did not beat around the bush and chose to say it directly.
"Xiao Linzi, I know. Thank you for caring. Come with me."
With that, Yang Yu gestured for Wang Lin to follow him.
Although Wang Lin did not know why Yang Yu had changed so much, deep down, he knew there had to be a reason.
After the two arrived at a secluded spot outside Xingfu Park, where Yang Yu often exercised, Yang Yu looked at Wang Lin's still-anxious expression and felt warmth in his heart.
Only someone who truly cared about you would react like this.
"Xiao Linzi, what is your dream?"
"Uh, Brother Yu, why are we suddenly talking about dreams?" Wang Lin looked at Yang Yu's serious face and knew he was asking in earnest.
"My dream... to be honest, aside from when I was little and knew nothing, when I set the dream of becoming a scientist, after I entered high school, I realized I simply wasn't cut out to be a scientist. Gradually, I stopped having dreams."
By the end, Wang Lin sounded slightly ashamed.
"But Brother Yu, with your intelligence and talent for learning, you definitely have the potential to become a scientist or mathematician!"
"Haha, Xiao Linzi, you think too highly of me. This is only high school. Becoming a scientist or mathematician isn't that easy. Besides, my dream was never that."
Yang Yu looked at the bustling traffic ahead and sighed leisurely. "I've had a Chronic Headache Condition since I was little. You know that too. In order to cure me, my grandfather took me everywhere to seek treatment during every vacation. Only in the past year or two, when no cause could be found, did he finally ease off a little."
"But this condition never disappeared. It comes out from time to time to torment me. Later, I came to understand that I might not be able to hold on someday and simply die. If that happens, what use will good grades be?"
"Brother Yu..." Not many people knew about Yang Yu's Chronic Headache Condition. It was precisely because of this that the two were so close.
"Xiao Linzi, you probably don't know what my real dream is, do you?"
Without waiting for Wang Lin to answer, Yang Yu said directly, "I want true freedom!"
"Freedom without fearing Death God!"
"Freedom without fearing life and death!"
At this point, Yang Yu seemed high-spirited.
"Freedom to hold my fate in my own hands!"
"Good grades? Getting into the best university? Compared to what I truly seek in my heart, those things are nothing but illusions."
Wang Lin stared blankly at Yang Yu, who was brimming with confidence and spirit. "So..."
"So I began studying what truly interests me—the Martial Way!"
"The Martial Way?"
"That's right!"
"Only when I practice martial arts can I truly feel that I'm alive, truly understand what freedom is."
"Xiao Linzi, train in martial arts with me! I know your family circumstances. You don't actually need to struggle so hard; you only need to be capable enough to inherit what you have. Besides, with your current grades, even if you studied nothing at all, getting into an ordinary 985 University in the end would be no problem. That would be enough for you to answer to your family."
"But!"
Yang Yu's gaze was sharp as lightning as he looked at Wang Lin. "Only your own strength is your greatest support. Only a powerful body can make you feel the reality of this world. Wealth is ultimately just something outside yourself! When danger comes, only your own strength is truly reliable!"
"Even if you possess vast wealth, if your body is weak and frail, what use is it when disaster strikes and you cannot use it?"
"What you said makes a lot of sense, Brother Yu. Actually, I had a Wuxia Dream when I was little too!" Wang Lin, stirred by Yang Yu's words, nodded fiercely in agreement. "But unfortunately, when I worked out at the gym my family owns, my Father shattered my Wuxia Dream with two slaps."
"Two slaps?"
"Cough, cough. Yes. I collapsed before he could land the third one."
"Uh, Uncle was wrong to do that. But it's not too late to start practicing martial arts now!"
"Because of my Chronic Headache Condition, I've actually always paid attention to knowledge about martial arts, but I never put it into action. Until one late night some time ago, when my condition flared up again and I almost didn't make it through, I realized that I didn't have much time left."
Yang Yu had calmed down by then. Looking faintly at the passing traffic, he said, "Rather than waste my time on dry knowledge I don't even like, I'd rather pursue the Martial Way that truly interests me during the last stretch of my life."
"Brother Yu, your body..." Wang Lin looked worriedly at his best brother.
"Haha, I'm only preparing for the worst. Only after experiencing true life and death can one see one's heart clearly."
That was also Yang Yu's true thought. He had been reborn after transmigrating into his own body in a parallel world, and it was even the vast and magnificent world of Swallowed Star. Naturally, he could not disappoint Heaven's favor.
Moreover, deep in his heart, he had long grown tired of his formerly unchanging life and yearned for more thrilling and dangerous challenges!
To constantly surpass himself through challenges!
To keep walking down the path of becoming stronger.
"What Brother Yu said is wonderful. I've decided—starting today, I'll practice martial arts with you too!"
Wang Lin's old Wuxia Dream had been stirred, and now he vaguely understood what he truly wanted to pursue.
Having never lacked food or clothing since childhood, he had also found life rather dull. It was only under the influence of his family and those around him that he had followed along and worked hard at studying.
In truth, not many people genuinely loved studying from the bottom of their hearts.
At least Yang Yu did not.
And it was clear that the secretly flamboyant Wang Lin did not either.
The two like-minded friends exchanged a glance.
Then they smiled silently at each other before bursting into hearty laughter.
"You two seem to be laughing quite happily, huh? Did something good happen? If you can't tell us, then let us be happy too."
A voice suddenly rang out. Yang Yu and Wang Lin turned their heads and saw Yellow-Haired Punk at the front, the very one Yang Yu had frightened away a few days ago. Beside him stood a slightly older hoodlum with green hair, who looked to be around twenty.
Behind the two of them were another seven or eight little punks, some older and some younger, all wearing the look of street thugs.
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