On the field, Lu Chong faced Class 1's final opponent and, as before, defeated him with a single move, winning with ease.
Though this last student to take the field had mastered Nine-Shadow Step to the Microscopic level and brought three other Martial Skills to Great Accomplishment,
he still couldn't measure up to Lu Chong's two perfected Martial Skills.
If Class 1's match against Class 5 had been an overwhelming mismatch between the classes, then Lu Chong's match against those five opponents had been just as one-sided.
Even though both sides were at the Fifth Stage, their actual combat abilities were on completely different levels.
Class 5's students had nearly shouted themselves hoarse. One by one, they rushed up and surrounded Lu Chong, cheering wildly.
This wasn't just Lu Chong's victory. It was also an underdog comeback by the students from the ordinary classes, letting them finally hold their heads high.
"I can say for certain that both his Martial Skills have reached Perfection."
Xiang Yueya had watched the match closely, and only now was she certain that Lu Chong's Nine-Shadow Step and Monument-Splitting Palm had both reached flawless Perfection.
And Xiang Yueya, who had always considered herself the best martial artist among the school's students, couldn't help feeling dazed.
She had grown up immersed in martial arts at the Xiang Clan Martial Arts Hall, the largest in Guanyun City, and had trained diligently from childhood, yet she still hadn't reached that level.
Although she had three Martial Skills at the Microscopic level and was already a Martial Apprentice Stage 9, far ahead of her peers, that was precisely why she understood just how rare it was to perfect a Martial Skill.
Even among the senior private instructors at the Xiang Clan Martial Arts Hall, few had mastered a Martial Skill to Perfection.
"Yueya, what are you thinking about?" Huang Junyan, who had been quiet and reserved beside her, asked.
"Nothing. Let's go back to class." Xiang Yueya replied coolly. She glanced once more at Lu Chong, who was surrounded by the crowd, then turned and left.
Zhao Longfei shot Lu Chong a sidelong glance and snorted. "He's just getting cocky. If his cultivation weren't so weak, I'd have sent him to the infirmary myself."
"If his cultivation were on par with yours, you'd only be able to rely on your Body-Refining Martial Arts to hold out without losing," Huang Junyan said with a chuckle, then followed Xiang Yueya away.
A flash of anger crossed Zhao Longfei's face and vanished. He called after Huang Junyan, "Don't you also have to rely on other Martial Skills to counter him? Besides, neither the Mock Exam nor the College Entrance Exam will restrict cultivation levels."
At the spot where Class 5 had gathered, Lu Chong finally managed to get away when his Head Teacher called for him.
He really wasn't used to this kind of attention.
"Lu Chong, Principal Wei wants to see you." The Head Teacher led him off the field and straight to the Principal's Office.
"Teacher, what does the principal want with me?" Lu Chong asked curiously. More than anything, he wanted to know what benefits he might get.
Wang Tong looked around. Seeing no one nearby, he lowered his voice. "The principal may want to instruct you personally. Make the most of the opportunity and ask for as much as you can."
"The principal has created his own Body-Refining Martial Arts. It's quite impressive." Wang Tong grew even more secretive. "Just say you want to train your body and see if you can get him to teach it to you."
"Body-Refining Martial Arts!" Lu Chong's eyes lit up.
He had only heard of such techniques; he had never seen one.
Body-Refining Martial Arts were extremely valuable. They could greatly improve one's overall physical attributes, including strength, explosive power, and defense, on top of one's current cultivation level.
But they were especially difficult to master. They required not only exceptional comprehension but also many special aids, such as the blood of specific Exotic Beasts and medicinal extracts from mutated plants.
Wang Tong didn't explain further. He only told Lu Chong to play it by ear, since he couldn't influence the principal's decision.
Knock, knock, knock!
Wang Tong knocked on the Principal's Office door. A hearty voice immediately came from inside. "Come in."
"You go in by yourself. I'll wait outside." Wang Tong then sent Lu Chong in alone.
Lu Chong pushed the door open and saw the Old Principal seated by himself behind his desk in the spacious office. A bookshelf packed with books stood behind him.
"You're Lu Chong, right? Come sit down." The Old Principal set down his insulated cup and gestured to the chair.
Lu Chong obediently sat in the chair in front of the desk and greeted him politely. "Hello, Principal."
Principal Wei smiled warmly. "There's no need to be so formal. I may be the principal, but first and foremost, I'm a teacher. From now on, just call me Teacher."
"Yes, Teacher." Lu Chong readily took him up on it.
He more or less understood what the Old Principal meant. Combined with his Head Teacher's reminder, he realized that the principal had taken an interest in his potential and wanted to take him on as a student.
Not in the old-fashioned sense of a master-disciple relationship that was almost like father and son, but closer than an ordinary teacher-student relationship.
More like the relationship between a graduate student and their advisor in his previous life.
"You're quite impressive. Teacher Wang told me that you recently underwent a Second Awakening, and suddenly gained astonishing comprehension?" The Old Principal was pleased with Lu Chong's attitude and didn't press the matter. Instead, he asked him a question.
Lu Chong's heart tightened. He couldn't afford to say anything careless in front of someone this powerful, so he feigned ignorance. "I don't really know what's going on myself. I just feel like I've suddenly gained a lot of insight into training Martial Skills."
"Don't be nervous. This sort of thing isn't unheard of among students at your stage."
The Old Principal said calmly, "In fact, I've seen students with even more astonishing abilities."
"Still, as your teacher, I have to remind you not to get complacent."
"There are many people in this world more talented than you. With over a billion people in Huaxia, there's never a shortage of prodigies."
"But how many prodigies throughout history have truly grown into towering trees?"
"I've seen far too many prodigies lose momentum, die young, or give up halfway."
"So having talent is a good thing, but if you stop working hard and become arrogant, you'll inevitably burn out like a shooting star."
The Old Principal spoke earnestly. "Do you understand?"
Lu Chong quickly adopted a respectful attitude. "I understand, Teacher. Thank you for the reminder."
"Good." The Old Principal changed the subject. "With your talent, the school will naturally make you a priority."
"Even if you stay in Class 5, you won't be short of resources. Teacher Wang has already applied to me for those, and he'll give them to you."
"But as your teacher, I can't be stingy. It's only natural that I offer you some help on a personal level."
The Old Principal looked Lu Chong in the eye and asked seriously, "Tell me, what do you want to learn?"
"Here it comes." Remembering his Head Teacher's advice, Lu Chong answered without hesitation. "Teacher, I want to learn Body-Refining Martial Arts."
The Old Principal paused briefly, then quickly caught on. "That rascal Wang Tong. He's sold this old man out completely."
"Very well. I happen to have a High-Grade Body-Refining method called Golden Cicada Robe. I'll pass it on to you and see how you do."
"But I'll tell you in advance: you'll have to cover the cost of the medicinal ingredients needed for body refinement yourself."
Before you continue