Pitiful Zhao Longfei

The Department of Education and the school were highly efficient; the day after the mock exam concluded, they held an awards ceremony and a College Entrance Exam pep rally on the main field of No. 1 High School.

As the city-wide top scorer for this mock exam, Lu Chong was even specially invited to take the stage and speak on behalf of the students.

Of course, what he valued more was the 300,000 in cultivation funding allocated to him.

Although it wasn't cash, he could choose which nutritional supplements or medicinal liquids to purchase with it.

With this massive influx of resources, Lu Chong believed he had a real chance of breaking through to become a Martial Artist before the College Entrance Exam, and he could also bring his Golden Cicada Robe to the stage of Perfection.

It must be mentioned that Lu Chong's rise as a dark horse, taking the crown of city-wide first place by a wide margin, had made him completely famous.

Especially since he came from an ordinary class and had progressed rapidly from the bottom of the school to the top of the city in just one month.

Given this representative nature and speed of progress, the Department of Education and various schools naturally intended to utilize him for heavy promotion.

"Look at student Lu Chong. He went from Martial Apprentice Stage 3 to Stage 8 in just one month and took first place in the city. Are you still going to tell me you don't have time to make a final push?"

"Learn from Lu Chong. There are still two months left; everything is still possible."

For a time, Lu Chong became the standard "child of someone else" among the entire senior class circle in Guanyun City.

Some students were encouraged and began to seize the time for their final sprint.

Others complained incessantly, feeling that Lu Chong had ruined their lives.

But regardless of how the outside world shifted, Lu Chong had already returned home with his ample resources, prepared to continue his closed-door power-leveling.

After the mock exam, they were granted two days of rest, after which he would join the top students selected by the school to participate in special training organized by the Department of Education.

Only he and Lou Qingqing from Class 5 had been selected; Lou Qingqing's performance in this mock exam had been quite outstanding, which was how she earned her spot.

Back home, Lu Chong first looked at his personal data—

Name: Lu Chong

Level: Martial Apprentice Stage 8 (43%)

Martial Skills: Nine-Shadow Step (Perfection), Monument-Splitting Palm (Perfection), Cloud Piercing Finger (Perfection), Mountain Leaning Back (Perfection), Eagle Claw Technique (Perfection), Iron Wire Fist (Perfection), Heart-Piercing Kick (Perfection), Wind Splitting Leg (Perfection)

Golden Cicada Robe: Microscopic (2%)

After reaching Martial Apprentice Stage 8, the speed of my automatic cultivation growth has become truly too slow.

And the Golden Cicada Robe—the final step is even slower.

This was what truly worried Lu Chong. If this trend continued, his advantage from his cheat would diminish more and more.

This also applied to the cultivation of martial skills; the higher the grade of the skill, the slower the automatic cultivation speed would become.

I must find a way to further accelerate it, especially the speed of automatic cultivation. Lu Chong knew clearly that this was his greatest advantage and could not be ignored.

For now, he could accelerate the accumulation of his cultivation by consuming higher-grade nutritional supplements.

For instance, the intermediate nutrition bars he had exchanged for today had already doubled the cultivation speed of his Qi Absorbing Art.

Then there was the medicinal bath required for cultivating the Golden Cicada Robe; he had only dared to use it once a day before, but now he could use it without limit.

"Let's begin."

Lu Chong didn't have the heart to worry about the cost; he consumed an intermediate nutrition bar while soaking himself in the medicinal bath.

He prepared to spend the next two days inside the bathtub.

Lu Chong did a rough calculation: the medicinal liquid consumed five thousand per hour, meaning over two hundred thousand for two days.

And even then, his Golden Cicada Robe still might not reach Perfection.

This is truly burning money every single second, Lu Chong couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

At this rate of burning money, he would be back to being penniless in a few days.

While Lu Chong was burning money to accelerate his cultivation—feeling the pinch but quite satisfied—

On the other side, at the Zhao Clan Martial Arts School in the north of the city—

Zhao Longfei was kneeling dejectedly in the underground cultivation chamber, while his father, Zhao Jingcheng, sat before him.

"You bastard, do you have any idea how much you've shamed me?"

"The Old Principal called me over personally and gave me a good round of sarcasm. I truly wish I could have stuffed you back into your mother's womb."

Zhao Jingcheng was nearly exploding with rage; he had only learned what his son had done in the Hunting Ground after the mock exam had ended.

Not only did he lose his ranking in the mock exam, but he also forfeited the opportunity to participate in the pre-College Entrance Exam special training.

Most importantly, the brat had actually infuriated the Old Principal, causing him to be summoned and severely reprimanded.

In truth, Zhao Jingcheng didn't mind being criticized by the highly respected Old Principal; countless high-ranking officials in Guanyun City had been raised under the Old Principal's scoldings and beatings.

But the problem was that there were too many of Zhao Jingcheng's acquaintances in the Monitoring Hall at the time; one could say he had lost face in front of the entire city.

Given the character of those teachers, his son would likely become a negative example for generations of students to come.

In front of his father, Zhao Longfei dared not act out, only saying with some grievance, "Dad, wasn't I just following your wishes to get close to and curry favor with Xiang Yueya?"

"That brat offended Xiang Yueya, so I just happened to find an opportunity to deal with him. Who knew..."

Zhao Longfei couldn't continue, but Zhao Jingcheng took over the words, "Who knew what? Who knew it would be broadcast live for everyone to see, right?"

"Can you use your brain for once? That brat performed so prominently, did you really think no one would be watching?"

"Is that how you go about finding opportunities?" Zhao Jingcheng said, frustrated that his son wouldn't live up to his expectations.

"Then what do I do now, Dad? We can't just let that brat off the hook like this." What Zhao Longfei couldn't let go of most was his hatred for Lu Chong.

Not only had Lu Chong repeatedly looked down on him, but he had also caused him to lose face completely; for the face-conscious Zhao Longfei, this was a supreme humiliation.

Zhao Jingcheng snorted and gritted his teeth, "True, a gentleman does not let a grudge go unavenged. This matter is not over."

"Before the College Entrance Exam, we will make him pay the price."

Zhao Jingcheng's tone turned sinister, "Isn't he about to participate in the Wilderness special training organized by the Department of Education?"

"We will use this opportunity to let him know the power of the Zhao Family."

Zhao Longfei's eyes lit up, but then he hesitated, "But I can't participate in the special training this time. How are we going to deal with him?"

Zhao Jingcheng replied irritably, "Don't you worry about that. Not just you, even I cannot step in personally."

"That brat is now highly valued by the Old Principal and is practically becoming a public role model, so we cannot touch him openly."

"Then what do you mean, Dad?" Zhao Longfei was a bit confused.

"Silly child, what kind of place is the Wilderness?" Zhao Jingcheng looked at Zhao Longfei and smiled gloomily, "That is the true territory of Exotic Beasts, and also a paradise for Bounty Hunters."

"Is it not easy to pay a few strangers who are Martial Artists to do the job?" Zhao Jingcheng said with full confidence.

Zhao Longfei's eyes brightened, and he quickly flattered, "Right, right, Dad, you're right. With real Martial Artists making a move, let's see how that brat dies."

"Hmph! You stay kneeling; I will go arrange it myself."