Special Merit Scholarship

Inside Jiang Tian's office.

After listening carefully to Liu Chang recount what had happened the previous night,

Jiang Tian frowned in thought.

He had known for some time 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 students at this stage, Great Medicine had long since paved their path.

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

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

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

And even when he went to the regular cafeteria, he always ate the cheapest tofu, cabbage, and steamed buns.

"What a fine prospect, but martial arts truly require money."

"As the saying goes, practicing martial arts means entering a money-devouring pit. Without resources, a martial artist's path of cultivation is fraught with difficulty."

Jiang Tian shook his head and began considering a solution.

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

"As far as I know, Bay City Logistics has gradually declined over the past two years under the Li Family's management. They have now focused their efforts on logistics construction in the new district and have practically abandoned their old district business as a matter of strategy."

"Yang Sheng's father currently works in old district logistics, and his business has nearly been cut in half. His truck was bought on loan, so he has to pay rent every day while also repaying the vehicle loan. It will be hard for him to support Yang Sheng's future resource needs."

Jiang Tian rubbed his brow.

"Draft a report for me. 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 was worth one hundred thousand yuan.

It also came with precious Great Medicine needed for cultivation.

But the requirements for applying for a Special Merit Scholarship were extremely demanding.

Not only did the student need strength that crushed opponents of the same level, but their future potential was valued even more.

Throughout Bay City Martial Arts High School's history, only four people had received the Special Merit Scholarship.

Without exception, all four had later become high-level 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 students.

At their age in senior year, they had basically all been masters at Great Completion of Bright Force, and they had displayed exceptionally strong potential.

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

"By convention, before Yang Sheng has demonstrated his talent, the Board of Trustees likely will not agree."

Jiang Tian said, "Convention? Convention exists to be broken. Have I, Jiang Tian, broken too few conventions already? Write the application now. I will 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.

The core decision-making body of Bay City Martial Arts High School was the Board of Trustees, which consisted of seven trustees.

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

The vice principal in charge of student scholarships was Tang Yunsheng.

He had once been Jiang Tian's student.

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

He pushed the door open and walked in. Tang Yunsheng was reviewing a document. 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 this instant."

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

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

"Of course, of course, 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 a guest chair and carefully read the application.

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

He said to Jiang Tian, who had his legs propped on the desk as he leisurely drank tea, "Teacher Jiang, applying for a 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.

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

Tang Yunsheng found this puzzling. Just how much potential did Yang Sheng possess to deserve such importance from Jiang Tian?

Jiang Tian finished his tea in one gulp.

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

Tang Yunsheng replied as though recalling the past, "Of the Six Openings of Eight Extremes Fist, the Heart-Piercing Elbow was the hardest to learn. Of course I remember."

Jiang Tian continued, "How long did it take you to gain a solid grasp of the Heart-Piercing Elbow back then?"

"About two weeks. You even praised me at the time for accurately mastering the key points."

Jiang Tian smiled.

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

"Half a night."

The instant those words came out, Tang Yunsheng's pupils shrank.

He understood the difficulty of the Heart-Piercing Elbow better than anyone.

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

It was monstrous.

What kind of talent could achieve something like that?

Tang Yunsheng's breathing became somewhat hurried.

"Teacher Jiang, this is no joking matter."

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

Tang Yunsheng said, "If that is the case, I will report it to the Board of Trustees immediately. We can convene a meeting today and reach a conclusion."

Hearing this, Jiang Tian smiled.

He stood and patted Tang Yunsheng's shoulder.

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

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

Tang Yunsheng stood up.

"I will remember your teachings. Although I have a great deal of administrative work every day, I still practice my boxing every night and try to recapture the feeling from those days."

Jiang Tian immediately assumed a stance. "Care for a few exchanges?"

Tang Yunsheng hurriedly waved his hands.

"No, no, Teacher Jiang. I should submit the application report first."

Jiang Tian laughed heartily.

He reached out and slapped Vice Principal Tang on the back as he hurried toward the door.

"Run faster!"

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

A discussion meeting was held at noon that very day.

That afternoon, Liu Chang rushed into Jiang Tian's office in a panic.

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

Jiang Tian hurriedly asked, "What did the Board of Trustees say?"

Holding up the approval notice, Liu Chang said, "There was only one sentence. One week from now, Yang Sheng will take part in the schoolwide Lower Registry student assessment. The Board of Trustees will arrange for someone to fight Yang Sheng and observe his talent firsthand."