Scholarship

"These 20 points of experience are the explosive result of multiple factors stacking together!"

He rapidly deduced and analyzed in his mind.

Extreme cross-tier combat—this was the core.

The last time he had gone all-out like this, facing a life-or-death struggle against a far stronger opponent, was during the midterm exam over half a semester ago.

The potential burst squeezed out under immense pressure was likely the most fundamental catalyst.

The enhancement of Absolute Focus and the foundation of Once Proven, Forever Proven.

They gave him an extremely high starting point in learning and combat application of the Rainbow Light Blade Art, reducing many basic obstacles.

And the spiritual will unleashed under strong external pressure and goal-driven motivation could also be a non-negligible bonus.

"Ultimately, it all comes down to the word 'comprehension.' Pure, reckless life-or-death combat is the trigger, [Absolute Focus] is the amplifier, [Once Proven, Forever Proven] is the foundation, pressure is the fuel... Multiple factors are indispensable, and together they shaped this precious 20-point experience leap."

Li Wen analyzed the various possibilities while rubbing his throbbing temples, walking toward the noisy Final Exam Square.

The crowd in the square and the outline of the distant giant screen had already come into view; he was about to become the focus of everyone's attention.

The winter morning sun draped a golden-red halo over the bustling campus square, but at this moment, the enthusiasm of the senior students was clearly hotter than the sunlight.

When Li Wen's figure emerged from the passage of the virtual exam area and walked back toward Class 21's position, it was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up ripples.

"Li Wen!"

"Awesome! Li Wen!"

"Damn, he actually made it into the top thirty?!"

The area where Class 21 was located erupted in a burst of enthusiastic cheers and exclamations, echoing the thrilling battle with the Green-Clad Man on the big screen just moments ago.

Having witnessed firsthand the rise of a classmate from obscurity to astonishing skill, even fighting a prolonged fierce battle against a Virtual Human with top-tier minor technique mastery, a strong sense of collective pride and vicarious excitement surged in every Class 21 student's heart.

Even the usually quiet classmates now looked at Li Wen with fervent eyes.

"That's insane! Who would've thought?"

"Before... before, I really didn't see it..."

"Tell us, what was it like facing that guy in green? Was the pressure huge?" Wei Wu squeezed forward, excitedly patting Li Wen on the shoulder, his face full of curiosity and excitement.

Li Wen had just sat down amid the cheers and hadn't even had time to catch his breath before the students from nearby Class 20 were completely drawn by the commotion, craning their necks to look over.

"What's up with Class 21? Why are they so excited?"

"Who's that guy? Getting so much attention? He looks unfamiliar."

"Did he do well in the exam? Anyone see it?" Murmurs rose and fell, seeds of curiosity quickly sprouting among the crowd.

Just then, a sharp voice with a tone of sudden realization rang out from the Class 20 crowd, cutting through some of the noise: "I remember now! Li Wen! He's that Li Wen!" Everyone's gaze snapped to the student who had shouted.

"Which Li Wen?"

"The one from Class 21 before." The Class 20 student's face was full of disbelief as he tried to recall, "The one... who practiced advanced blade art for a whole semester without even getting the basics down. I remember Huang Yu and Wang Ruiming used to talk about him, saying he trained harder than anyone but just... just struggled a lot!"

At his words, the floodgates of memory seemed to open.

"Ah! That's him?"

"Right, right! There was such a person, named Li Wen."

"What?! Him?!" More Class 20 students were also overtaken by shock. They looked at Li Wen, then at each other, barely able to connect the image of that "hardworking but fruitless" figure from memory with the youth who had shone brilliantly in the exam, even drawing a teacher to seek him out personally.

Low gasps and whispers spread rapidly. "No way? That Li Wen is this strong now? How long has it been..."

The clamorous discussion surrounded Li Wen like a dense tide. Just as he was feeling overwhelmed by the crowd's enthusiasm and curious questions, a savior arrived like timely rain.

Wang Hu's burly figure parted the crowd, striding over from a distance with a clear purpose, heading straight for Class 21's gathering spot.

His signature loud voice carried an undeniable authority, yet also a hint of warmth: "Li Wen!"

Wang Hu waved at Li Wen, who was surrounded in the center of the crowd, his voice booming and powerful. "Come over here with me."

Seeing Wang Hu appear, Li Wen breathed a silent sigh of relief. This noisy crowd was something he wanted to escape from right now.

"Oh, okay, Teacher Wang." He quickly stood up from the stool, ignoring his classmates' curious questions, and jogged through the crowd to stand before Wang Hu.

"Teacher Wang, you're looking for me?" His tone was respectful, with a hint of inquiry.

"Mm, come with me." Wang Hu looked at the youth before him, tired but with bright eyes, and nodded in satisfaction. His broad, thick hand patted Li Wen's shoulder, the steady force carrying encouragement. "I have some good news for you."

"Good news?" Li Wen was slightly startled, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. He had just finished a grueling exam; aside from his skill improvement, what good news could there be?

Wang Hu didn't intend to keep him in suspense and said directly in a low voice: "It's about the Scholarship."

Scholarship!

"My Scholarship?!" Li Wen's pitch involuntarily rose a notch, his eyes instantly blazing with intensity as he stared at Wang Hu.

What he needed most right now was money!

The expensive Qi-Blood Potions needed for cultivation required money! His father's concealed but worsening illness needed money! His family's strained financial situation needed money! This had always been a heavy stone pressing down on his heart.

A scholarship? That was like a gift of coal in a snowstorm—timely relief!

"That's right," Wang Hu said, seeing the urgency and joy in the young man's eyes, his own gaze showing relief.

"I just went to the principal's office. Principal Huang saw your performance during the assessment."

He deliberately emphasized the principal's approval, taking no credit for himself.

"He was especially satisfied and personally instructed that you apply for this semester's Second-Class Scholarship."

Second-Class Scholarship.

Ten thousand Huaxia Coins! He remembered every level and every amount of the scholarships clearly. The scholarships were divided into four tiers:

Special-Class Scholarship, fifty thousand Huaxia Coins per year.

First-Class Scholarship, twenty thousand Huaxia Coins per year.

Second-Class Scholarship, ten thousand Huaxia Coins per year.

Third-Class Scholarship, five thousand Huaxia Coins per year.

His family was in difficult circumstances, and he had always been receiving the school's financial aid.

In the past, his grades and martial skills ranked in the middle to lower part of the class. A scholarship? That was something he could only envy.