Ten laps, eight thousand meters.
Finished within twenty minutes.
This was something Tang Jian had never even dared to imagine before.
Yet today, he had accomplished this feat.
He even discovered that the physique attribute in his Attribute Template had changed. It had somehow increased by 0.1, becoming 6.6.
Although every muscle in Tang Jian's body was screaming in soreness at that moment, he was truly suffering and happy at the same time.
When Yang Mao, wearing a resentful expression, and He Chong and the others, looking unwilling, finished the course and walked toward him, Tang Jian felt somewhat dazed, his brain slightly deprived of oxygen.
"Bastard, you really pulled it off. You made a killing today. Dinner's on you!" Yang Mao stared at Tang Jian with a resentful look.
"Playing the pig to eat the tiger—you're rotten to the core." Jia Ling was drenched in sweat. He raised a fist, glared at Tang Jian, and muttered.
"Alright, students, your performance today has truly made me very satisfied. You all finished eight thousand meters within twenty-five minutes, especially Tang Jian!"
Sun Yiying walked over from across the field with a smile. She gave Tang Jian a thumbs-up, her beautiful eyes curving into crescents. "Tang Jian, you've truly exceeded my expectations. You actually finished eight thousand meters within twenty minutes. What a surprise."
Tang Jian gave a dry laugh. "Teacher, I couldn't help it. My family's poor. The moment you said there was a five-thousand reward, I got fired up. My dad doesn't even make five thousand in two months. Even if I had to risk my life, I had to get that bonus."
As soon as he said that, the unwilling looks on He Chong and the others' faces vanished. Their gazes toward Tang Jian began to carry some admiration and complexity.
Liu Kun scratched his head and laughed. "Even I'm getting excited. Five thousand! Teacher Sun, you're really generous."
Sun Yiying was speechless. "So you're all money-grubbers? Does that mean I need to offer some practical incentives for future training?"
Tang Jian shamelessly tested the waters. "Teacher, are you really giving me the five thousand? Also, if there are bonuses in future training, I'll definitely be extra motivated."
Sun Yiying gave Tang Jian a charming glare and put her hands on her slim waist. "Do you think I'd cheat you out of a five-thousand bonus? There definitely won't be bonuses for future training, so stop dreaming."
"No, no." Tang Jian hurriedly waved his hands with a dry laugh.
"Liu Kun, Tang Jian, you two come with me. Everyone else, rest for ten minutes."
Sun Yiying called out, then turned and walked toward the other side of the field.
"Hey, Tang Jian, Fang Jia told me today that you offended Xie Dong from the class next door. Do you need me to handle it for you?" As Liu Kun turned around, he glanced at Tang Jian and asked quietly.
"Oh?" Tang Jian was somewhat surprised. Smiling, he shook his head. "It's nothing serious. I can handle it myself. Thanks."
"Alright, then. Let me know anytime if something comes up." Liu Kun waved a hand, looking forthright and easygoing.
Tang Jian nodded without saying anything.
Clearly, Liu Kun had only said this because Tang Jian had performed so well today and was worth befriending. Otherwise, even if Fang Jia had asked Liu Kun, he might not have been willing to help.
Still, when Fang Jia had said that night that she would ask Liu Kun to help him, Tang Jian had thought she was merely saying it casually. He had not expected her to actually go to Liu Kun.
"I'll give the two of you your bonuses after evening self-study. But you must use this money properly. Don't let me find out that you spent it all recklessly."
At that moment, Sun Yiying stopped walking, turned around, and glanced at Tang Jian and Liu Kun.
"Yes, Teacher." Liu Kun hurriedly nodded.
"Liu Kun, you can go cultivate with Lord Le now. You don't need to continue training with everyone. You need to train harder yourself, or Tang Jian may catch up to you someday."
Sun Yiying gave Liu Kun an instruction.
"Yes." Liu Kun quickly answered. He glanced at Tang Jian, smiling on the surface but dismissive inside.
In his eyes, Tang Jian might only have a stronger physique and be good at long-distance running. His card energy was far behind Liu Kun's. Could he really catch up? What an international joke.
Sun Yiying saw through Liu Kun's thoughts at a glance, but she did not say much. She waved a hand. "Go on, then."
Liu Kun immediately left with a smile. After gathering his equipment, he headed to the school's martial arts room.
Sun Yiying looked at Tang Jian and gave a soft snort. "Tang Jian, your card energy has clearly already exceeded forty-five points, and your card-making ability is so outstanding. Why have you kept it hidden? Do you know that constantly concealing it does more harm than good? It will only hold back your studies."
So it's finally come. Tang Jian thought, but he still pretended to be nervous on the surface and smiled awkwardly. "Teacher Sun, I've actually only improved greatly over the past two months. I found that whenever I used up all my card energy making cards, I slept very soundly every night. When I woke up, my body would be full of strength. Over time, my card energy grew very quickly, and I didn't dare say anything."
"After your card energy is depleted, it recovers quickly after one night's sleep? And even grows rapidly?"
Sun Yiying scrutinized Tang Jian from head to toe suspiciously. This boy isn't even particularly well-built. Yet he just erupted with such explosive power and endurance. He should have already reached his limit.
"Yes. Teacher, everything I said is true, but..."
Tang Jian looked around, scratched his head nervously, and said, "Teacher, I'll tell you a secret. Please don't tell anyone else.
Actually, two months ago, I obtained a technique that seemed to be a cultivation method. I couldn't resist practicing it at the time, and then... then every night when I slept, I would think about the technique, and this started happening."
"What!?"
Sun Yiying widened her beautiful eyes and stared at Tang Jian. "You obtained a technique that might be a cultivation method?"
"Yes. That's right." Tang Jian nodded, feeling relieved inside.
As long as Sun Yiying believed him, that was enough. Revealing the Three-Point-One-Line Technique was a measure born of necessity.
Otherwise, his strength had improved so quickly already, and his future rate of improvement through using the red card to cheat would only become faster.
Without some explanation, not only Sun Yiying, but even others would become suspicious and covetous of him.
But if he could gain Sun Yiying's trust and remain under her protection, things would be different.
If his strength improved quickly in the future, even if others were suspicious, they would assume Sun Yiying was skilled at cultivating students or had given Tang Jian special treatment.
Of course, Tang Jian himself being a promising talent was also part of it, but it would not arouse too much covetousness or make people wonder what secrets he possessed.
Sun Yiying was a student at the prestigious Jinghua University. Her status was anything but ordinary. Moreover, Tang Jian had interacted with her in his previous life, so he naturally knew that her character was trustworthy.
The Three-Point-One-Line Technique was not an exceptionally precious technique. It might be incredibly valuable and stir greed among the other teachers at Xicheng No. 1 High School, but to Sun Yiying, it was merely ordinary.
That was why Tang Jian had not hesitated to reveal the Three-Point-One-Line Technique to gain Sun Yiying's trust.
He knew that Sun Yiying would never become greedy and do anything to him over such a mere technique.
Besides, even if Sun Yiying were interested in the technique, Tang Jian could simply tell her. It was just a technique. One more person knowing it would not cost him anything, so Tang Jian did not mind.
"A cultivation method that lets someone automatically cultivate while sleeping at night? What kind of method is that?"
The more Sun Yiying thought about it, the more curious she became. Her beautiful eyes held a strange light as she stared at Tang Jian. "Tang Jian, would it be convenient for you to tell me about your cultivation method?
If it isn't convenient, then forget it. But if you can, Teacher hopes to... observe the state in which you cultivate automatically."
"Observe me cultivating?"
Tang Jian's brows shot up, and his eyes widened.
Tang Jian looked at Sun Yiying awkwardly. "Teacher, that... my cultivation state isn't really suitable for observation. I can't exactly lie down on the ground and fall asleep right away.
But if you're interested in the Three-Point-One-Line Technique I learned, I can tell you about it now."
"Heh, you brat. Didn't you fall asleep the moment you lay down in class before?"
Sun Yiying narrowed her eyes and glanced at Tang Jian. Then her eyes suddenly widened. "Wait, what did you say? You... you learned the Three-Point-One-Line Technique?"
"Yes." Tang Jian answered as though it were only natural.
Sun Yiying's expression turned strange. "Tell me the details of this technique."
As though she had thought of something, she added, "Don't worry. If your technique truly is the Three-Point-One-Line Technique, it shouldn't be worth too much. But if you tell Teacher, Teacher will compensate you. If... if it's another technique, Teacher won't treat you unfairly either."
"Compensate me?" Tang Jian was instantly thrilled. He felt that Teacher Sun was simply adorable.
Although the Three-Point-One-Line Technique was not particularly precious, its market price was still 1.8 million Federal Currency.
The version he could recite had no visualization diagram, reducing its value by ninety-nine percent, but it was still quite expensive if Sun Yiying intended to compensate him.
Thus, under Sun Yiying's expectant gaze, Tang Jian recited the complete mnemonic formula of the Three-Point-One-Line Technique.
Afterward, at Sun Yiying's signal, he personally demonstrated it once as well.
When Sun Yiying sensed Tang Jian operating the technique to gather the card energy within his body, she was thoroughly convinced, though not without disappointment.
She had thought Tang Jian had encountered some great opportunity and learned some extraordinarily powerful cultivation method.
But now, it seemed that this was all there was to it.
Although the Three-Point-One-Line Technique was indeed quite good, and in Sun Yiying's eyes, it certainly counted as a fortuitous encounter for a mere high school student like Tang Jian, it was nothing special to her.
She was a student at a prestigious university. The cultivation methods currently provided by her school were no worse than the Three-Point-One-Line Technique, and the methods she would obtain in the future would only be better.
Thus, to her, the Three-Point-One-Line Technique was far too commonplace.
"This technique is currently worth a little over 1.4 million Federal Currency in Elite Base City. It isn't a top-tier technique, but it is already very rare for someone like you. I truly didn't expect that you could learn it without a teacher. That is your fortune. Perhaps you really are somewhat different from others."
Sun Yiying spoke as she gazed at Tang Jian with a strange look in her eyes.
Tang Jian pretended to scratch his head bashfully, looking completely harmless.
She was not wrong when she said the technique was worth only a little over 1.4 million Federal Currency, because it was still the year 203. If the Three-Point-One-Line Technique were sold now, it could probably fetch at most 1.5 million.
By the year 218, the price of this technique would rise to around 1.8 million due to Federal economic development and inflation. Therefore, she had not deceived him at all. Her character truly was as steadfast as it had been in his previous life.
"Are you sure you won't try it in front of me? Perhaps under my observation, I might discover what makes you different and help you develop further." Sun Yiying pressed.
"Um... Teacher, let's talk about that later. I really can't fall asleep in front of you." Tang Jian hurriedly dodged the issue.
If he truly slept in front of Sun Yiying, his thick skin would let him fall asleep just fine.
But that inexplicable red card existed within his body. If she really observed something while he slept at night, the consequences would be impossible to predict.
Tang Jian could be certain that Sun Yiying could maintain her principles and not become greedy over something worth less than ten million, nor would she do anything to a student like him. But a treasure like the red card, whose value was clearly impossible to estimate—who could guarantee that if she discovered it, she would not harbor ill intentions?
She was only his teacher, not his mother!
"Alright, then. Go back and have a good talk with your parents. You've changed so much now, and I'll speak with them too. We'll do our best to help you get into a good university.
"You told me about the Three-Point-One-Line Technique, so Teacher won't take advantage of you. Without its visualization diagram, this technique is currently worth around twenty thousand Federal Currency. How about Teacher gives you a bottle of Solar Energy Potion as compensation?"
Seeing that Tang Jian was unwilling, Sun Yiying did not force him and spoke with a smile.
"No, no, Teacher. That... you can consider the technique my free gift to you. Forget the potion." As soon as Tang Jian heard this, he hurriedly waved his hands.
If Sun Yiying had offered him money directly, he might have pretended to refuse a couple of times before accepting it. But to be honest, the Solar Energy Potion would not help him much, so he did not want to accept it.
Sun Yiying raised an elegant brow. "That won't do. Teacher isn't someone who likes taking advantage of others. Don't worry. Since you told Teacher this technique, Teacher can exchange it for some resources and won't lose out. The Solar Energy Potion—"
"Teacher Sun." Tang Jian interrupted Sun Yiying and said righteously, "If you truly want to help me, then don't give me a Solar Energy Potion. Just give me ten thousand Federal Currency.
"My family is poor, and my younger sister needs money for school too. Recently, my parents have used all their savings to support my cultivation. What I need now is only Federal Currency. A Solar Energy Potion isn't worth that much to me."
While he could sell the Solar Energy Potion for money if he got it, Tang Jian knew that he was currently just a high school student, with neither strength nor influence.
If he tried to sell the Solar Energy Potion, he would either be cheated or fail to sell it at all. It would be even more troublesome if Sun Yiying found out. He might as well ask for money directly.
"Since you insist, then alright. But ten thousand Federal Currency is too little. I'll give you twenty thousand Federal Currency directly. Including your bonus, that will be twenty-five thousand Federal Currency.
"I hope you use all this money properly, to improve your strength." Sun Yiying said sternly.
"Don't worry, Teacher." Tang Jian was almost bursting with joy inside and hurriedly nodded.
Twenty-five thousand Federal Currency. To him right now, that was truly an enormous sum.
With so much money, he could genuinely grow stronger quickly. Perhaps he would have a chance of getting into a prestigious university on the college entrance examination and entering Elite Base City.
"Mm. Go train now. I'll give you the money after school."
Sun Yiying nodded slightly, signaling that he should leave.
Tang Jian sighed inwardly that Sun Yiying was truly a wonderful person, then turned and left.
If it had been another teacher, they might not have been as generous as Sun Yiying and directly given him twenty thousand as compensation. Her status was different, so her perspective was different as well. To her, twenty thousand Federal Currency was not much at all.
Of course, if it had been another teacher, Tang Jian would never have revealed the existence of the Three-Point-One-Line Technique.
Sun Yiying watched Tang Jian's departing figure, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly. A woman's intuition told her that Tang Jian still had secrets.
But that was Tang Jian's private matter and had nothing to do with her.
Who did not have a few secrets?
Compared to that, Tang Jian's willingness to tell her about a technique like the Three-Point-One-Line Technique was already an enormous display of trust. Sun Yiying did not wish to betray that trust from her student.
Therefore, even if Tang Jian had other secrets, if he did not wish to reveal them, Sun Yiying would not force him.
She herself had secrets too, so why should she force others?
As long as Tang Jian could grow strong and get into a prestigious university, she would be deeply gratified and happy as his teacher.
Before you continue