Debts of Gratitude Can Never Be Repaid

After the minor interlude with Zhou Xing, all the students quieted down and immersed themselves once again in diligent study.

While listening to the lecture, Gao Teng calculated his next steps in his mind.

Zhou Xing was already broken, his life completely devoid of hope; now, it was time to steal Zhao Dapeng's cultivation.

Although the martial arts techniques Zhao Dapeng practiced were a chaotic mix that would affect the progress of his foundational techniques, practicing higher-grade martial arts would allow him to achieve better results in the college entrance exam's practical duels.

Students at key high schools, after laying a solid foundation, usually practiced high-grade martial arts to compete for top rankings.

A high ranking would not only attract the attention of pharmaceutical companies but also secure priority cultivation from universities, which was crucial for future development.

Even though Gao Teng was walking a unique path of martial arts, he still wanted to achieve excellent results in the practical duels to prove his own worth.

He wasn't worried about his foundational martial arts either; with over fifty days left until the college entrance exam, it was absolutely enough time for him to reach the perfection realm.

With this thought in mind, the class ended before he knew it, and Gao Teng awaited the strength test that occurred every ten days.

On the way to the physical training room, Meng Yao took the initiative to walk beside Gao Teng, pouting as she said, "Why are you giving me the cold shoulder?"

"You haven't said a word to me for two classes. If I didn't come to find you, were you just going to keep playing mute?"

"We were clearly eating together yesterday, yet today you act like a stranger."

Gao Teng scratched the back of his head, "I forgot to greet you."

"Forgot?"

Meng Yao found it unbelievable, "I'm so pretty and cute, shouldn't I be deeply etched in your heart? How could you forget me?"

Gao Teng nodded repeatedly, "Indeed, I shouldn't have."

"Oh, I get it now."

Meng Yao realized, comforting him, "Look, I'm not only pretty and cute, but I'm also powerful and come from a deep family background, so you must have developed an inferiority complex and are keeping your distance."

"Actually, you don't have to be like that. I won't look down on you."

Gao Teng scratched his head, "You're overthinking it."

Hearing this helpless tone, Meng Yao's eyes widened.

She looked at Gao Teng in shock, finding his expression extremely calm, as if everything she took pride in was not worth mentioning in his eyes.

"So you just didn't want to talk to me?"

"No..."

"Then I'm not talking to you either!"

Meng Yao flicked her twin tails and walked away quickly, swaying her little hips.

Watching her back, Gao Teng couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Meng Yao had a purely childish temperament; she was truly interesting, like a little goofball.

He didn't chase after her, counting silently in his heart.

Sure enough, Meng Yao suddenly turned around and ran toward him, clenching her little fists.

Once she got close, she jumped high and slapped Gao Teng on the head.

"You guy, don't you even know how to chase after me and apologize?"

"Apologies, apologies. From now on, when I come to school, I'll definitely greet you first."

"Perfunctory!"

Meng Yao snorted coldly, pulled a blister pack of pills from her pocket, popped one out, and handed it to Gao Teng.

"Do you think I just wanted to chat with you? I wanted to give you pills so your strength could improve a bit faster. You really have no conscience!"

Gao Teng didn't reach out to take it, asking instead, "Why are you so good to me?"

"Of course, it's to repay you for saving my life." Meng Yao rolled her eyes, "I asked you to take private lessons with me yesterday, but you wouldn't. This is the only way I could think of to help you."

Gao Teng smiled and refused, "Forget it. I have money to buy pills; I don't need your help."

Meng Yao said excitedly, "This is a Marrow Cleansing Pill produced by the Hundred Flowers Pharmaceutical Company; it's the highest quality pill on the market."

"The cheap pills you usually buy have low efficacy and big side effects; they can't compare to the products from big companies at all."

Gao Teng said, "I know the big companies' pills are good, but taking one or two doesn't do much for me."

Meng Yao waved her hand, acting incredibly generous, "From now on, I'll cover all your daily pills!"

Gao Teng raised an eyebrow. This was a huge sum of money; Meng Yao was truly generous.

However, he didn't want to accept this kindness. If word reached Meng Yao's family, they would suspect he had ulterior motives again.

He really didn't want to get involved in that kind of trouble.

"Meng Yao, I appreciate your kindness."

"I'm progressing quite fast right now, and I have my own cultivation plan, so you don't need to help me."

Meng Yao lowered her hand in surprise, not expecting Gao Teng to refuse again.

Such a good deal, and he actually wouldn't agree?

Gao Teng thought for a moment and advised, "Stop dwelling on the idea of repaying me. Even without me there yesterday, that snake wouldn't have posed a lethal threat to you."

Meng Yao didn't agree and retorted, "I lost all my strength the moment that snake bit my neck. I couldn't possibly have twisted it into a pretzel like you did. You have no idea what I was feeling at that moment."

"If you put it that way, I suppose you really do owe me."

Gao Teng rubbed his chin. "I'll be the one to decide how you repay me. For now, just keep in mind that my kindness is a debt you'll never be able to fully settle."

With that, he walked into the physical training room.

Meng Yao followed him inside, pouting as she said, "I offered you pills and you insisted on refusing, claiming you've been making fast progress lately. I want to see just how much your strength has actually changed."

The two of them lined up with the rest of the class. With only a dozen or so students in Class Five, it wasn't long before it was Gao Teng's turn.

He lay down inside a high-tech alloy pod. As the hatch closed, immense pressure immediately began to squeeze him from all directions.

Gao Teng's breath hitched. As the pressure intensified, his bones began to creak, emitting groans of unbearable strain.

Fortunately, this crushing sensation—as if his body were about to be pulverized—did not last long. After the pressure climbed to a certain critical point, it suddenly eased and then vanished from the pod entirely.

"Hiss..."

Accompanied by the soft sound of pressure being released, the hatch slowly opened.

Gao Teng sat up from the pod, his body feeling weak and sore, with every breath bringing a sharp, stinging pain.

"Physical strength: 3.46?"

Chen Yan took off her glasses, rubbed her eyes, and then put them back on.

She hadn't misread it; Gao Teng really did have such a high level of physical strength!

"This... how is this possible?"

Chen Yan's face was filled with utter disbelief as she looked at the sheet of paper in her hand. "Your physical data from ten days ago showed a strength of 1.56. In just ten days, how did you improve to 3.46?"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the students were shocked.

Meng Yao, in particular, had her mouth open wide enough to fit a fist. Was this what Gao Teng meant by "making fast progress lately"?

This wasn't just fast; it was completely absurd!

In ten days, his physical strength had jumped from 1.56 to 3.46. Had he been eating immortal pills?

"Gao Teng, what exactly have you been doing lately?"

Chen Yan voiced the question that was on every student's mind.