He is the type of spark that can set the entire wasteland ablaze

"Don't keep staring at the freaks from those top-tier schools. You need to be clear about your own situation. Your current vitality value is only a little over two hundred. To have reached the fourth stage in the challenge tournament and even forced the NPC in that stage to increase its power is already quite impressive."

"Based on my understanding, your performance score for this stage definitely won't be low. Plus, being able to survive two rounds in the ranking tournament is enough to prove that your martial arts technique has reached an extremely high level."

Zheng Huai spoke eloquently, then suddenly asked out of the blue.

"Did you reach Great Perfection in Rolling Stone Fist?"

"Yes."

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Lin Ye hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in admission.

Because with his vitality value, reaching the fourth stage would have been impossible without the support of a Great Perfection level Rolling Stone Fist.

"You brat."

Seeing that Lin Ye had hesitated for a moment, Zheng Huai felt a bit of frustration, yet he also felt a sense of admiration.

"If you had wised up sooner, perhaps you could have made a run for East Sea Martial University."

Great Xia Martial Arts University has a hierarchy. The top tier is undoubtedly the three national elite martial universities, followed by the seven regional elite martial universities, of which East Sea Martial University is one. Below those are the provincial key martial universities, provincial martial universities, and ordinary martial universities.

To this, Lin Ye remained silent. He couldn't exactly say that his late rise was because his golden finger had to wait for him to come of age.

Seeing that Lin Ye didn't respond, Zheng Huai didn't dwell on it and said quite straightforwardly.

"Don't overthink it. Your results this time are already very good."

"The most important thing is that you showed everyone what they wanted to see. That is enough."

"Don't worry about being taken out in seconds during the third round. The one who could take you out in seconds," Zheng Huai paused, "if I'm not mistaken, is at least a seed player from another school whose spear technique must have reached Great Perfection. Losing to such an opponent is nothing to be ashamed of."

Zheng Huai leaned forward, lowered his voice, and his tone became serious:

"I asked you here today because I wanted to give you the inside scoop. According to the instructions from the Bureau of Education, our principal intends to select five students from the overall performance of this competition for key cultivation."

"But... this shouldn't involve me, right?"

Hearing this, Lin Ye frowned slightly. Although he had made great progress, his overall performance shouldn't have been considered outstanding.

"No, it's possible... it should include you."

"Because the criteria for selection are: ordinary family background, significant progress, and potential in actual combat."

Zheng Huai said solemnly.

"In this competition, I believe you had the greatest progress in the entire school, going from the bottom of the grade in the last major exam to the top fifty in this one. In the actual combat test, you reached the late stage of the fourth level with low vitality, and you passed two rounds in the ranking tournament."

"These are enough."

Lin Ye was silent: "Teacher, but the major exam results aren't out yet. How can you be so sure..."

"How am I sure you made the most progress?" Zheng Huai took over the conversation. "Although there are no specific scores, I have been teaching martial arts for over a decade. I haven't taught ten thousand students, but at least several thousand. Who is improving, who is working their heart out, who has that drive... I can still tell."

"If you aren't on the list for this cultivation quota,"

Zheng Huai said decisively, "I will definitely go to the principal and make a scene."

Lin Ye's eyes felt a bit sore. He could feel his teacher's concern for him, a concern that came from the heart.

"I was originally worried that your total score wouldn't be enough, so I called you over to ask, but after hearing your report just now, you will definitely secure a spot."

Zheng Huai said with a smile, his expression quite gratified.

For a teacher, nothing is more gratifying than seeing their students achieve results.

Hearing this, Lin Ye stood up abruptly and bowed deeply to Zheng Huai: "Teacher, thank you for your promotion and cultivation. If it weren't for your daily guidance, I would never have reached this point."

Zheng Huai waved his hand, chuckled, and looked at the young man in front of him with a gratified expression, unable to help but recall the figure standing in a difficult stance in the empty martial arts hall after evening self-study a month ago.

"Alright, enough with the formalities. I did fight for the resources for you, but ultimately, the spot was earned by your own efforts. If you hadn't even qualified for the ranking tournament, or if you had been eliminated in the first round, the school leaders wouldn't have considered you even if I had talked until my mouth went dry."

"This is all a result you fought for yourself. Cherish this hard-won opportunity and get into a provincial key martial university to make your teacher proud."

Zheng Huai joked with a smile.

"By the way, because this matter is still confidential, don't go around telling people. I'll go to the principal later to sound him out and ask about the cultivation specifications for this time."

After Lin Ye left the office, Zheng Huai sat in his chair for five minutes. Then, he picked up the copy of the <Senior Year Martial Arts Potential Assessment Manual> on the table, its edges frayed from use. His fingers lingered for a moment on the pages detailing the "Resource Allocation Standards," then he closed the manual, stood up, and walked toward the door.

Walking out of the martial arts hall and through the corridor of the office building, Zheng Huai encountered several other martial arts teachers from different classes. They nodded to each other in greeting, but no one asked why he was there.

After all, Zheng Huai wasn't the only teacher who knew about the school's plan to cultivate five students. Everyone was naturally there to fight for resources for the students in their own classes, so they all understood each other and shared a tacit agreement.

The principal's office was on the third floor of the administration building.

When Zheng Huai knocked on the door, a steady "Come in" came from inside. Pushing the door open, he saw Principal Zhou Zhengming reading a document.

He was in his fifties, his hair slightly gray but combed meticulously. Wearing black-rimmed glasses, he possessed an imposing air that commanded respect. He looked up, saw Zheng Huai, put down the document in his hand, and pointed to the chair in front of him: "Teacher Zheng is here. Sit."

Zheng Huai sat down in the chair opposite the desk and got straight to the point: "Principal, I would like to talk to you about the key cultivation quotas."

"Hmm, I have already received the recommendation lists from each class."

Zhou Zhengming took a document out of his drawer. "Your class recommended Lin Ye, with the reason being significant progress and outstanding actual combat potential. Let's see, the other classes... Class One recommended Zhou Zhen, Class Three recommended Chen Yuqing, Class Six recommended Chen Mo, and Class Eight recommended someone named Wu Hao..."

After finishing the list of recommended candidates from each class, he paused: "However, the final roster can only be determined after the results are released in two days and a comprehensive assessment is conducted."

"I understand that." Zheng Huai nodded, "I came to ask you, Principal, if Lin Ye from my class is selected, what will the specific training program be?"

"Heh, Teacher Zheng, you are certainly confident."

Zhou Zhengming chuckled, adjusted his glasses, and pulled a document from another stack: "The guidance plan issued by the Bureau of Education allows for minor adjustments by each school. The basic configuration is: one bottle of F-grade nutrient solution daily, one medicinal bath for body tempering per week, access to the school's Micro Gravity Chamber and Virtual Combat Room, and borrowing rights for one D-grade martial art."

Zheng Huai remained silent for a few seconds, the image of Lin Ye only ordering the thirty-yuan basic set meal at the cafeteria window flashing through his mind. In this era, not eating enough or not eating well meant a lack of stamina in one's vital energy and blood, which was certainly not a good thing for martial arts practice.

"Principal, while the plan is comprehensive, it still lacks a bit of practical grounding." Zheng Huai said earnestly, "Lin Ye is a child with a thin foundation and his family's circumstances are average. How about this... let's waive the fee for the 'deluxe' meal plan in the cafeteria for him as well, three meals a day, all-you-can-eat."

Upon hearing this, Principal Zhou Zhengming rolled his eyes at Zheng Huai in annoyance: "Do you think the school is a charity? The exotic beast meat in the deluxe meal plan is all purchased at a high price; this price is already subsidized by both the school and the Bureau of Education. Besides, if resources were so easy to obtain, what would I do if everyone came to me crying poverty later?"

"This child is truly different; he is the kind of seedling that can set the entire wilderness ablaze with just a single spark."

Faced with the principal's refusal, Zheng Huai did not give an inch.