First in Class

"Tch, still keeping us in suspense." Zhou Yuan curled his lip and did not press further.

Qin Yan merely smiled without speaking. The fewer people who knew about this, the better.

Whether it was Director Wan's appearance or the support he might receive, neither needed to be publicized. He understood better than anyone that loose lips could lead to trouble.

The next day was spent entirely on academic exams.

Qin Yan had always been good at academic subjects, so this Monthly Exam was not particularly difficult for him.

That evening, he was summoned to the principal's office again.

Wu Ming and Wan Xueping were still the only two people in the office.

"Xiaoyan, you're here." Wan Xueping greeted him with a smile, holding a silver-gray metal box in his hands and passing it over. "Open it and take a look."

Qin Yan accepted the box with both hands. The instant his fingertips touched it, he could clearly feel the surging Blood Qi fluctuations contained within! This feeling... could it be?

He took a deep breath and gently opened the lid.

In an instant, a soft red glow filled his vision!

Inside the box were rows of crystal-clear glass tubes, each filled with a viscous liquid like molten rubies—Blood Qi Potions, the very thing he knew best!

Qin Yan gave them a quick count. There were a full fifty tubes!

One cost 2,000 Huaxia Coins on the market. Fifty meant a full 100,000 Huaxia Coins! Qin Yan had never seen such an enormous amount of cultivation resources all at once!

"Huh, what's this?"

His gaze swept over the edge of the box, where there was also a smaller jade bottle. Its surface was smooth and warm, and inside were around ten pills the size of longans. Their color was deeper, almost dark red, and they radiated energy fluctuations purer and denser than those of the Blood Qi Potions.

"Haha, those are Blood Qi Pills."

Principal Wu Ming explained with a smile from the side, "Their effects are much stronger than Blood Qi Potions, but they're also gentler and easier to absorb. Of course, their price is also more 'beautiful.'"

Qin Yan's heart shook violently! Blood Qi Pills! He had only heard of them from school brochures and his classmates' envious discussions!

Their market price was as high as 10,000 Huaxia Coins per pill! The value of this small bottle alone was enough to match those fifty Blood Qi Potions!

This tiny box was worth a total of 200,000 Huaxia Coins!

"Xiaoyan, these are your basic resources for the next half month."

Wan Xueping spoke calmly, as if he were mentioning something utterly insignificant.

Half... a month? 200,000 was only half a month's worth of resources?

At that moment, Qin Yan truly felt the immense disparity that resources could create!

A sum that could bankrupt an ordinary family might be nothing more than a routine "investment" to certain people.

"Director Wan," Qin Yan did not let this sudden windfall cloud his mind. He raised his head calmly and asked, "What do I need to do in return? Or rather, what do you require of me?"

A trace of approval flashed through Wan Xueping's eyes. He liked clear-headed young people who understood their limits.

"The requirements are simple." He held up two fingers. "In half a month, I want to see your Blood Qi reach 80 Cal and your Martial Arts Skill stabilize at around 88 points. Can you do that?"

"Yes!" Qin Yan agreed without hesitation.

To him, this requirement could even be called rather lenient.

"Very good." Wan Xueping nodded in satisfaction. "Remember, that is the minimum requirement. If you fail to meet it, next month's resource allotment... will be gone."

There was an unquestionable severity in his tone.

"I understand. I'll give it everything I have," Qin Yan promised solemnly.

After giving him a few more instructions, Wan Xueping let Qin Yan leave.

That night, Qin Yan practiced his Spear Technique in the gymnasium for another four hours before leaving the school.

When he got home that evening, he found that his father was unexpectedly home early.

"Dad, why are you back so early tonight?"

Qin Yan was surprised.

For the past month, his father had worked overtime until late every night. Qin Yan knew that his father had taken on the most dangerous and exhausting jobs at the factory for those 20,000 yuan.

But he had no way to solve that problem.

All he could do was work hard and get into a Martial University.

"Xiaoyan, didn't you know?" his father, Qin Shouzheng, asked.

"Know what?" Qin Yan looked utterly confused.

"It's like this. Today, our factory director specifically came to see me and arranged an easy position for me. He even kept saying that I had a good son. Xiaoyan, you really don't know what happened?"

Seeing that Qin Yan seemed unaware of what was going on, Qin Shouzheng's heart filled with worry.

The factory director? Qin Yan did not know him, nor did he possess that kind of influence.

Influence?

Qin Yan seemed to realize something.

Of course. Only Director Wan had such standing and connections.

"Dad, don't worry. It's a good thing."

Qin Yan smiled and reassured his father. Then, he selectively told his family that he had performed excellently in the Monthly Exam, caught the attention of a leader from the Education Bureau, and might receive some training support.

As for the risks and political factors involved, he skipped over all of them to avoid worrying his parents.

"The Director of Education Bureau?!" All three members of the family were stunned.

None of them had expected Qin Yan to come into contact with such an important figure and receive his appreciation.

"Wow! Qin Yan, you're amazing!" His younger sister, Qin Xiaoxi, jumped up excitedly. "Does that mean you can walk sideways around school from now on?"

Qin Yan's face darkened. "I'm not a crab. Why would I walk sideways?"

"Son," his mother, Chen Juan, was worried about something else. "That director... he didn't make you agree to any excessive demands, did he? Our family may be poor, but..."

"Mom, don't worry yourself sick," Qin Yan explained patiently. "Director Wan just thinks I have talent and wants to nurture me.

If I can get into a good Martial University this year, that will be part of his political achievements too, right? It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."

Only after Qin Yan repeatedly reassured and explained things to them did his parents reluctantly set their worries aside. The family finally had a peaceful, warm dinner together.

Back in his room, Qin Yan had to admit that Wan Xueping's methods were indeed shrewd and thorough, worthy of a Director of Education Bureau.

This care for his family had been silent and unobtrusive, yet it carried tremendous weight. Without realizing it, Qin Yan had accepted another favor from him.

He opened the silver-gray metal box, took out a Blood Qi Potion, and drank it in one gulp without the slightest hesitation. Then, in the center of his room, he assumed the perfected fifth layer stance of the Sky-Supporting Qi Pillar and began absorbing the medicinal power with all his strength.

The next day, the Monthly Exam's overall results and rankings were officially announced.

Qin Yan's results caused an enormous stir!

Qin Yan: Blood Qi: 72 Cal, Martial Arts Skill: 86 points, academic subjects: 76 points.

Overall score: 158 points (Note: Blood Qi + Martial Arts Skill points)

Class rank: 1st

Grade rank: 9th

Lin Yang looked at his own total score of 157 on the light screen, then at Qin Yan's glaring "158" and "1st," and fell into a long silence.