Special Merit Scholarship

Inside Jiang Tian's office.

After listening carefully to Liu Chang recount her experience from the previous night.

Jiang Tian frowned in thought.

He had known before that Yang Sheng worked at Skysea Boxing Gym mainly for the salary and medicinal meals.

Yang Sheng was currently in a period of rapid growth.

For Upper Registry youths at this stage, expensive medicine had long since paved the way.

They ate at least six carefully tailored medicinal meals every day.

But Yang Sheng's family was truly struggling. After class yesterday afternoon, he had declined Liu Chang's invitation to the medicinal meal cafeteria.

The main reason was that the cafeteria's medicinal meals were not cheap.

Even at the regular cafeteria, he always ate the cheapest tofu, cabbage, and steamed buns.

"What a promising seedling, but martial arts truly require money."

"As the saying goes, practicing martial arts means entering a money pit. Without resources, a martial artist can barely move forward on the path of cultivation."

Jiang Tian shook his head and began considering a solution.

Liu Chang said from the side, "Although Junior Brother Yang can eat medicinal meals at Skysea Boxing Gym now, he is progressing too quickly. His next breakthrough will require expensive medicine, but any such medicine would be a considerable expense for a family like his."

"From what I know, Bay City Logistics has gradually declined over the past two years under the Li Family's management. They have put their main efforts into logistics construction in the new district and have practically strategically abandoned business in the old district."

"Yang Sheng's father currently works in old district logistics, and his business has nearly been cut in half. His truck was bought on a loan as well. He has to pay rent and vehicle payments every day, so it will be difficult for him to support Yang Sheng's future resource needs."

Jiang Tian rubbed the space between his brows.

"Draft me a report. I want to apply to the school for a Special Merit Scholarship."

Liu Chang was startled.

The Special Merit Scholarship was a support scholarship Bay City Martial Arts High School had prepared for its most gifted students.

A single scholarship payment was one hundred thousand yuan.

It also came with precious medicinal resources needed for cultivation.

However, the application requirements for the Special Merit Scholarship were extremely demanding.

Not only did the student need strength that crushed opponents of the same level, but greater importance was placed on the student's future potential.

Only four people in Bay City Martial Arts High School's history had ever received the Special Merit Scholarship.

Without exception, all four later became advanced martial artists at the Astral Phase or above.

They had brought Bay City Martial Arts High School considerable prestige.

Yet without exception, all four had been Upper Registry youths.

At the age of senior year, they were basically all experts at Great Completion of Bright Force, and the potential they displayed was exceptionally strong.

"But Yang Sheng is not only a Lower Registry student, his strength is not outstanding among students of his age. Though his talent is extremely strong, it may take longer for that talent to be realized."

"By precedent, before they see Yang Sheng realize his talent, the Board of Trustees likely won't agree."

Jiang Tian said, "Precedent? Precedent exists to be broken. Haven't I, Jiang Tian, broken enough precedents already? Write the application now. I'll personally go see Vice Principal Tang."

Liu Chang shook her head helplessly, then drafted a report and handed it to Jiang Tian.

Without wasting a moment, Jiang Tian went straight to the school's administrative building and found Vice Principal Tang.

Bay City Martial Arts High School's core decision-making body was the Board of Trustees, which had seven trustees in total.

Below the Board of Trustees was the school's management, consisting of one principal and five vice principals.

Tang Yunsheng, the vice principal in charge of student scholarships, was one of them.

He had once been Jiang Tian's student.

Jiang Tian never knocked when entering Vice Principal Tang's office.

He pushed the door open directly. Tang Yunsheng was reviewing a document, but when he looked up and saw Jiang Tian, he hurriedly stood.

"Teacher Jiang, what brings you here?"

Jiang Tian placed a hand on Tang Yunsheng's shoulder, then took out the application.

"Principal Tang, I need you to report this application to the Board of Trustees immediately. Right now."

When Jiang Tian called him Principal Tang, Tang Yunsheng knew his teacher was in a bad mood today.

When Jiang Tian was in a good mood, he generally called him Little Tang.

"All right, all right, Teacher Jiang. Please sit and have some tea first."

Tang Yunsheng gave up his office chair, poured a cup of hot tea, and respectfully placed it on the desk.

He then sat in the guest chair and carefully read the application.

Two minutes later, he wiped away the fine sweat on his forehead.

Looking at Jiang Tian, who had his legs propped on the desk as he leisurely drank tea, he said, "Teacher Jiang, an application for the Special Merit Scholarship is no small matter. And this Yang Sheng..."

"I noticed him yesterday when you transferred him into the High-Aspiration Class. Is there something special about this student?"

The news that Jiang Tian had personally transferred a student into the High-Aspiration Class yesterday had already drawn the attention of the school's upper management.

Today, Jiang Tian had personally come again to apply for a Special Merit Scholarship for that student.

Tang Yunsheng was somewhat puzzled. Just how much potential did Yang Sheng possess to merit such importance from Jiang Tian?

Jiang Tian drained his tea.

Then he said, "When you were in school, I taught you the Heart-Piercing Elbow, didn't I?"

As if recalling the past, Tang Yunsheng said, "Of the Six Openings of Eight Extremes Fist, the Heart-Piercing Elbow was the hardest to learn. Of course this student remembers."

Jiang Tian continued, "How long did it take you to reach the introductory stage with the Heart-Piercing Elbow?"

"About two weeks. You even praised me then for grasping the key points accurately."

Jiang Tian smiled.

"Do you know how long it took that child to practice the Heart-Piercing Elbow to Initial Penetrating Force?"

"Half a night."

The instant those words left his mouth, Tang Yunsheng's pupils contracted.

He knew the difficulty of the Heart-Piercing Elbow all too well.

To practice the Heart-Piercing Elbow to Initial Penetrating Force in half a night was not genius.

It was monstrous.

What kind of talent could accomplish something like that?

Tang Yunsheng's breathing became slightly hurried.

"Teacher Jiang, this isn't something to joke about."

Jiang Tian said, "It is absolutely true. But he is a Lower Registry student, and his family's circumstances are limited. To give him better prospects, I need to apply for this Special Merit Scholarship for him."

Tang Yunsheng said, "If that's the case, I'll report it to the Board of Trustees immediately. I'll try to convene a meeting today and reach a decision."

Hearing Tang Yunsheng say that, Jiang Tian smiled.

He rose and patted Tang Yunsheng on the shoulder.

"Little Tang, now that you're a principal, you spend all day in the office directing affairs. Don't forget your cultivation."

When Jiang Tian called him Little Tang, Tang Yunsheng knew his former mentor was in a better mood.

Tang Yunsheng stood up.

"I will keep Teacher's instruction in mind. Though I have a great deal of administrative work every day, I still practice my fists every night and try to recapture the feeling from back then."

Jiang Tian immediately assumed a stance. "Want to trade a few moves?"

Tang Yunsheng quickly waved his hands.

"No, no, Teacher Jiang. I'd better submit the application report first."

Jiang Tian laughed heartily.

He slapped Vice Principal Tang on the back as he jogged out.

"Run faster!"

Tang Yunsheng's expedited report indeed caught the Board of Trustees' attention.

They convened a discussion meeting at noon that very day.

That afternoon, Liu Chang rushed anxiously into Jiang Tian's office.

"Teacher, the Board of Trustees has replied to Yang Sheng's Special Merit Scholarship application."

Jiang Tian quickly asked, "What does the Board of Trustees say?"

Holding up the reply, Liu Chang said, "There is only one sentence: One week from now, Yang Sheng will take part in a school-wide test for Lower Registry students. The Board of Trustees will arrange for someone to fight Yang Sheng and assess his displayed talent."