Selfless Help

Linshan City, Fifth Middle School.

Ever since Gao Teng awakened the divine power to steal cultivation, top student Zhou Xing's martial arts grades had been getting worse and worse.

Over the past week, Zhou Xing's body had grown increasingly weak. The true qi he painstakingly refined was inexplicably disappearing every day.

His martial skills were also growing harder and harder to grasp. Yesterday, he'd known them by heart, but today he suddenly couldn't get the hang of them, and his mind felt like a lump of paste.

At this rate, how was he supposed to make his classmates hand over protection money without complaint, so they could fund his purchases of all kinds of cultivation medicines?

The more Zhou Xing thought about it, the more terrified he became. Early that morning, he'd gone to the classroom and worked hard at practicing the Basic Breathing Technique.

But he'd barely refined a wisp of true qi before it vanished again!

"Damn it!"

Zhou Xing grabbed at his hair several times, utterly overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, the culprit, Gao Teng, heard a pleasant notification ring in his ears.

As soon as the bell rang for class, he'd casually hit Zhou Xing with a tenfold steal.

[You obtained 47 points of cultivation]

[You obtained 9% proficiency in Basic Eighteen Fist Forms]

[You obtained 0.18 points of physical strength]

[You obtained 0.09 points of mental strength]

[You obtained...]

Gao Teng smiled with deep satisfaction. The college entrance exams were only two months away, and with his current rate of progress, getting into a top university was absolutely within reach!

In his previous life on Earth, he'd had no special skills and worked delivering takeout until he dropped dead from exhaustion.

In this life, he could steal cultivation for free ten times a day. He could also earn merit points by hunting monsters and exchange them for even more chances to steal. With this ability, he was sure to make something of himself!

"I'll never sink to the bottom of society again and have to live by other people's whims!"

Gao Teng clenched his fists and brought up his status panel.

[Name: Gao Teng]

[Realm: Level 2 (Early Qi Condensation) (397/600 cultivation)]

[Physical Strength: 2.16]

[Mental Strength: 1.92]

[Internal Art: Basic Breathing Technique (Level 2, 6%)]

[External Art: Basic Body Forging Technique (Level 6, 35%)]

[Meditation Method: Basic Meditation (Level 7, 11%)]

[Martial Skill: Basic Eighteen Fist Forms (Level 5, 45%)]

[Merit Points: 336]

Looking at the numbers on the panel, Gao Teng couldn't help feeling a surge of excitement.

The requirements for admission to a top university were becoming a Level 3 martial artist, reaching Level 3 in physical and mental strength, and advancing the foundational techniques in internal arts, external arts, meditation, and martial skills to Level 10.

He was still a long way from that goal, but with Zhou Xing's selfless help, his dream of getting into a top university could definitely come true!

Just as Gao Teng's heart raced with excitement, his homeroom teacher, Zhao Dapeng, entered the classroom.

He knocked on the door and called to the back row, "Gao Teng, come outside for a moment."

Gao Teng's eyes shifted, and he walked out, unsure what was going on.

As the lowest-ranking student in the class, he'd always been ignored by Zhao Dapeng. Why had the teacher suddenly asked to speak with him?

They went into the hallway, and Zhao Dapeng got straight to the point. "Drop out."

"????"

A swarm of question marks popped up over Gao Teng's head.

Before he could say anything, Zhao Dapeng continued, "With your grades, you won't even get into a junior college. You'd be better off finding a job and earning money as soon as possible."

"During your three years of high school, you sold your family's house, borrowed from all kinds of online lenders, and worked nights every day. After spending all that money, how much progress have you made?"

"Don't blame me for being blunt, but you have no talent for martial arts. Staying in school is just a waste of time."

"I recently took on a construction site outside the city. Come work there as an intern for a month. Once you're hired full-time, your wages will be withheld for one month and paid the next. That way, you can pay off your online loans. Otherwise, your life will be completely ruined!"

"And if you do well on the site, you can save up and become a construction foreman someday. Isn't that better than wasting your time at school?"

After listening to that long spiel, Gao Teng could only think how irritating it was.

He possessed a once-in-a-billion-years martial arts talent. Becoming a top expert was only a matter of time. Drop out and do manual labor at a construction site?

What a joke!

"Teacher, I don't want to drop out.

"There are still two months until the college entrance exams. I'll definitely improve my grades."

Zhao Dapeng froze for a moment, then furrowed his brows. "I have no problem with people having dreams, but they shouldn't be delusional!

"Are you especially perceptive when it comes to cultivation techniques and martial arts? Do you absorb medicine especially well? Your ability to sense spiritual energy is a complete mess, too, isn't it?

"You spent so much money during your three years of high school, and you're still Level 1. Can you stop dreaming?"

"Teacher, I've already broken through to Level 2."

"Oh, Level 2."

Zhao Dapeng let out a mocking laugh. "Should I give you a medal? Should I call on the whole school to learn from you?

"Come and see! Our classmate Gao Teng spent three years reaching Level 2 at last.

"What a talent! He's the most promising student in the whole school. He's been ranked last since his first year of high school, and he's still firmly holding on to that spot. No one can take it from him!"

Hearing those cutting remarks, Gao Teng felt not the slightest ripple in his heart.

His prospects were bright. Why would he care about this crap?

He smiled and said, "Teacher, I didn't realize you cared so much about me. You even remember that I've always ranked last. I'm truly honored."

Zhao Dapeng's face darkened.

After a while, he gave Gao Teng's shoulders a few insincere pats. "Since you don't want to work at the construction site, then study hard.

"I'm sure you can get into a top university. You're the most promising student in our class!"

Gao Teng said seriously, "I'll work twice as hard over the next two months. I promise I won't let you down."

Zhao Dapeng was so angry he laughed. Gao Teng really had no shame!

He sent Gao Teng back to the classroom, then called in four other students with poor grades and gave them the same speech.

Those four knew which way the wind was blowing. They all agreed to drop out and work at the construction site, even thumping their chests to promise they'd work hard.

That put Zhao Dapeng in a much better mood. The matter of staffing the construction site was settled.

However, his anger toward Gao Teng hadn't lessened in the slightest. He'd already figured out how to make things difficult for him.

Zhao Dapeng walked to the lectern and glanced over the class, all quietly practicing.

He knocked on the lectern, bringing everyone out of their cultivation.

"Everyone, I've found you another new pharmaceutical factory.

"The medicine made by this factory is only 79% as effective as that of the major brands, but the price is very attractive.

"Take Meridian Opening Pills, for example. The major brands sell them for 168 each, while this factory charges only 78. That's even cheaper than the factory I recommended to you last time."

The students exchanged glances, and the classroom filled with murmurs.

Zhao Dapeng knocked on the desk again and continued, "Also, I got you a discount.

"This afternoon, our class will hold a team battle with two people per team. The winning team will get 20% off.

"Zhou Xing and Gao Teng, you're on the same team."