My Student Has the Makings of a Top Scholar

The expert cleared his throat before answering, "This is a hope—the hope of our Hedong Province."

"Our Huaxia has produced talent generation after generation. In recent years, some first-tier bases, especially the Jingcheng Base and the Modu Base, have seen precedents of College Entrance Exam candidates defeating Level 3 Exotic Beasts."

"Therefore, we naturally hope that our own Hedong Base Province, a land of outstanding people, can also produce such a heaven-sent talent in the College Entrance Exam to catch up with the first-tier bases."

"If—and I mean if—a dark horse like that were to emerge one year and we hadn't prepared a Level 3 Exotic Beast in advance, wouldn't that be a laughingstock?" the expert said, half-jokingly.

It wasn't just the official livestream; at this very moment, the "Huaxia Heroes" platform was buzzing with heated discussion.

"It's starting, it's starting! Everyone, hurry and watch my son; he's already reached the 90th spot on the Top Hundred," a candidate's parent shouted, trying to pull viewers into the official livestream.

"I'm still betting on Li Ganzhong from Longcheng No. 5 High School in the provincial capital. With a cultivation of Ninth Stage Martial Artist, he stands alone—who can compete with him?"

Various grassroots experts were also acting as analysts in their own livestreams, maintaining high viewership as well.

As for the Guanyun City official livestream, besides the host, there were split-screen feeds for three candidates: Lu Chong, Xiang Yueya, and Xue Cheng, the three official Martial Artists.

They represented Guanyun City's hope for this year, the promising seedlings capable of competing with other municipal bases.

Sitting beside the host was an elderly man with graying hair but a spirited demeanor—Principal Wei Jianguo of the First High School.

"Principal Wei, you have been teaching martial arts and educating people for over thirty years and have led twenty-one batches of College Entrance Exam candidates. Surely you have unique insights into this year's situation."

"Could you give us a rough prediction? Especially regarding the final scores and rankings of our three candidates from Guanyun City?" the host asked curiously.

The nearly one million viewers in the livestream were also commenting below, wanting Principal Wei to provide a forecast.

Principal Wei calmly set down his teacup, looked directly into the camera, and said loudly, "Without a doubt, the strength of our three candidates from Guanyun City is excellent. It is inevitable that they will enter the Top Hundred."

"Old Principal, that's just empty talk. Who doesn't know that three official Martial Artists can break into the Top Hundred?" some viewers immediately commented, teasing him.

However, no one in the comment section dared to insult this old principal who had been rooted in Guanyun City for over thirty years.

They didn't dare, nor did they want to, as most of them had once been his students.

"Haha..." Principal Wei gave a mischievous smile, stroked his beard, and said, "Just joking. In fact, I can tell everyone with certainty."

"The provincial top scorer for this batch has already been reserved by our Guanyun City."

Boom...

The comment section below exploded instantly. The old principal was truly daring to say such a thing. Who? Who could possibly hope to seize the provincial top spot?

Setting aside the other cities of the same rank, this statement clearly showed no regard for the provincial capital's base.

One had to know that out of the fifty-one Martial Artist candidates in the entire province, the provincial capital Longcheng alone accounted for half, including several Fifth Stage Martial Artists and one at the Sixth Stage. What did our tiny Guanyun City have to compare with them?

Some viewers from other cities had already started stirring up trouble, claiming the old principal was exaggerating and grandstanding.

Even the host interrupted, feeling a bit awkward: "Principal Wei is joking, but I'm sure everyone understands—it's just the old principal's expectations."

Principal Wei did not accept the out; instead, he said solemnly, "I am not joking, and I dare to stake my own reputation on the fact that my prediction is not far from the truth."

"The person in my eyes who can take the provincial top spot is our First High School student, Lu Chong."

Kid, this is all I can do for you, Principal Wei thought to himself. Even if it draws some hostility, at least it will help you gain some popularity.

However, the viewers below were becoming increasingly restless. Was Principal Wei actually serious?

A Martial Ancestor-level powerhouse, and a principal at that, was not playing around when he staked his own reputation in such a public setting.

Yet, no one understood—on what basis?

The audience's curiosity was completely piqued by the old principal.

No, no, we have to pay attention to that candidate named Lu Chong and see what is so special about a student held in such high regard by the old principal.

Viewers who still didn't believe Principal Wei had already clipped the livestream footage and were sharing it everywhere.

"The old principal of Yuncheng First High School is talking big, claiming his student has the potential to be the top scorer."

"Overestimating his own abilities; a small high school in a fourth-tier base city actually dreams of dominating the entire province."

Various discussions and taunts spread across all major platforms in Hedong Province within just half an hour, truly attracting a massive wave of attention to Lu Chong.

Lu Chong himself didn't even know that his personal livestream had already surged to over a million viewers, reaching a staggering three million—it was on the verge of surpassing Xiang Yueya's.

However, a large portion of this was driven by skepticism and the desire to watch a spectacle.

But when they truly began to focus on Lu Chong, they couldn't help but be shocked.

Is this candidate too fierce? How has he already charged into the territory of Level 2 Exotic Beasts?

How long had the candidates been in the hunting ground? Less than an hour.

Most candidates were still lingering in the territory of Level 1 Exotic Beasts, and many would likely stop there.

Even those who had reached the level of official Martial Artist were only charging into the territory of Level 1, Ninth Stage Exotic Beasts to pause for a moment.

On one hand, it was to explore and adapt to the environment of the Taian Hunting Ground; on the other, it was because night was falling, and they wanted to hunker down in a relatively safe zone for the night before venturing deeper.

Yet, Lu Chong, currently being watched by over three million people, was charging forward without a moment's hesitation and had already crashed into the territory of Level 2 Exotic Beasts.

The Level 1 Exotic Beasts blocking his path along the way couldn't stop him at all. He moved through the treacherous mountain forest as if walking on flat ground, casually disposing of the beasts that tried to ambush him.

It was precisely because Lu Chong had been sprinting through without pause, merely glancing at things as he passed, that he hadn't managed to secure many locators; he currently had a mere 426 points, barely scraping onto the leaderboard.

However, Lu Chong was not anxious, because he had only just reached his home turf.

Having reached the Fourth Stage of the Martial Artist realm, Lu Chong had long since lost interest in those First Stage Exotic Beasts; only Second Stage Exotic Beasts could ignite his desire to fight.

Furthermore, the points represented by Second Stage Exotic Beasts were in no way comparable to those of the First Stage.

A single Second Stage, First Rank Exotic Beast was worth five hundred points, the Second Rank was one thousand, and so on; a Second Stage, Ninth Rank Exotic Beast was worth twelve thousand eight hundred points.

Before he set off, the Old Principal had specifically informed him that the Guanyun City Department of Education had promised that whatever score Lu Chong achieved in the practical exam, the Department of Education would multiply the reward money by ten times that total score.

With such a lucrative benefit on the table, how could Lu Chong resist?

Therefore, no one was going to snatch his Exotic Beasts.

No, that wasn't right—they weren't going to snatch his money.