I'm Serious

Yang Sheng had actually transferred into the High-Aspiration Class.

Just a few days ago, he had been a Lower Registry wretch begging him desperately. How had he suddenly become a student in the High-Aspiration Class?

How was that possible?!

Li Yan roared inwardly.

What gave him the right to enter the High-Aspiration Class? Back in his first year, he had worked so hard to curry favor with Jiang Tian.

Jiang Tian had not even spared him a proper glance.

Yet now, at this critical point only a month before the Martial Arts Entrance Exam—

the High-Aspiration Class had actually accepted Yang Sheng.

Did Jiang Tian not care about the admission rate?

Li Yan could never figure it out. After turning it over in his mind, only one answer seemed plausible.

"Yang Sheng's truck-driver father loves bribing people. Who knows how much money he gave Jiang Tian."

"I took his ten thousand yuan and did nothing because I wanted to teach him a lesson. I never expected that old bastard to refuse to repent. Who knows how much money a family of such lowly trash could have? He probably sold off his old homestead just to scrape some together and give it away."

"I used to think Jiang Tian was a respected master, but it seems he's just another fame-seeking hypocrite. Taking money to admit a piece of trash like Yang Sheng this time was incredibly shortsighted!"

"When the Martial Arts Entrance Exam ends and the admission rate gets dragged down, will Jiang Tian cry? Looks like Teacher Zhao has a chance this time."

At that thought, Li Yan sneered.

He stared at Yang Sheng, watching him walk step by step to the desk that had originally been his and pack up his belongings.

Yang Sheng did not have much to begin with.

A few basic martial arts manuals, some banknotes, and a pair of old, peeling boxing gloves.

But no matter how shabby they were, they were still his belongings.

After Yang Sheng finished packing and reached the classroom door—

Li Yan suddenly said in a low voice, "Yang Sheng, right? See you at the Martial Arts Entrance Exam."

Yang Sheng stopped and turned his face slightly.

"By then, I'll personally beat you to death with my fists."

With that, he turned and left with Liu Chang.

Leaving the stunned Li Yan behind.

"Asshole!"

Li Yan flew into a rage.

He punched the iron door, instantly caving in the heavy metal.

"Who the hell does he think he is, daring to say that to me?!"

The students who had wanted to come over and persuade him hurriedly stopped in their tracks.

They knew Li Yan's temper all too well.

Anyone who rubbed him the wrong way would not have a good ending.

As Li Yan raged impotently, Liu Chang complained to Yang Sheng, "That Li Yan is a lunatic. You actually said something like that to provoke him."

Yang Sheng said seriously, "I meant it."

Liu Chang covered her face.

It looked like she really needed to suggest to the teacher that Yang Sheng repeat a year.

She had brought it up to Jiang Tian before.

She had suggested that Yang Sheng stay back a year and take the Martial Arts Entrance Exam next year.

After all, Yang Sheng was only at Lesser Completion of Bright Force. His chances of getting into a good Martial Arts University were not high to begin with.

He was very likely to end up in a martial arts junior college.

A good undergraduate program was not necessarily worse than a junior college.

But if Yang Sheng could only get into a martial arts junior college, it would not only affect Jiang Tian's admission rate, but also Yang Sheng's own future.

And now the difficulty had risen another level.

Li Yan was clearly determined to cut off Yang Sheng's path to higher education for good.

"You really are a blockhead. Calling you wooden-headed was spot on. Li Yan is one of only three Dark Force practitioners in the entire school. Of those three, one is our senior brother Wang Chao, and the second is Qian Feng from the Rocket Class."

"You're only at Lesser Completion of Bright Force. How are you supposed to fight Li Yan?"

Yang Sheng suddenly stopped walking.

Liu Chang took two more steps, then looked back and saw that resolute look in Yang Sheng's eyes again.

"Senior Sister Liu, I'm not joking or showing off. I'm serious."

For one brief moment, Liu Chang truly believed Yang Sheng might be able to do it.

But the thought vanished in an instant.

How could someone at Lesser Completion of Bright Force fight a Dark Force practitioner?

"Then train hard this month. When the time comes, we'll see what Teacher Jiang can arrange and try to keep you away from Li Yan."

As they spoke, the two had already reached the entrance to the High-Aspiration Class.

The moment they entered the classroom—

they saw Jiang Tian passionately explaining the contents of a martial arts cultivation manual.

When he saw Yang Sheng return, Jiang Tian's eyes lit up.

"Let's welcome our new classmate!"

With that, he took the lead in applauding.

The students of the High-Aspiration Class also clapped one after another while craning their necks to look at their new classmate.

After the brief welcome, Yang Sheng found his seat and sat down.

Compared with the regular classes, the seats in the High-Aspiration Class were much more spacious.

Even the desks were specially made.

The desks in the regular classes were wooden, with only one compartment.

The desks in the High-Aspiration Class, however, were made of ironwood.

They were as heavy as steel and extremely sturdy.

They were also larger, with two compartments and even space for weapons.

Besides the desks, the greatest difference between the High-Aspiration Class and the regular classes was that every student in the High-Aspiration Class was directly issued martial arts cultivation manuals.

He had never even seen such things while he was in the regular class.

Only class officers in the regular classes could study those martial arts cultivation manuals, and even then, they could only train in the class officers' practice room.

Ordinary students were completely cut off from any chance to learn the manuals.

He opened the first manual and found that it taught Eight Extremes Fist.

It gave a detailed explanation of the specific cultivation methods for the Six Harmonies.

The key points of the first form, Iron Mountain Lean, were almost exactly the same as what he had comprehended himself.

He carefully finished reading the section on Iron Mountain Lean, then turned the page to the second form of the Six Harmonies.

Heart-Piercing Elbow.

"Heart-Piercing Elbow is incredibly powerful. Used properly, it can even let you challenge an opponent above your level. But it is extremely difficult to learn, because it demands a high degree of control over your strength. It cannot be compared to a crude move like Iron Mountain Lean."

At some point, Jiang Tian had come up behind Yang Sheng.

Yang Sheng looked up and only then realized school had already ended.

He had been so absorbed in reading that he had not even noticed his classmates leave.

"Teacher, please explain and demonstrate it for me."

Jiang Tian glanced at him and said with a smile, "I can't use you for a demonstration of Heart-Piercing Elbow. If I throw this elbow, even if it doesn't kill you, you'll lose half your life."

"Heart-Piercing Elbow emphasizes a unified cross-shaped force extending in all directions from the body. The manual says: head propping up the blue heavens, feet treading the yellow springs, both elbows and knees spreading force in all directions."

"To master Heart-Piercing Elbow, you need to progress through four stages: seeking whole-body unity through stance work, seeking hardness through single-form practice, seeking ferocity through mobile steps, and Force Penetration."

As he spoke, Jiang Tian suddenly assumed a stance.

He sank his hips and lowered into a horse stance, spread his arms in a cross, twisted his waist, braced against the opposing force, and unleashed his power. His fierce iron elbow slammed into Yang Sheng's desk.

The ironwood desk, heavy as metal, was sent flying by that elbow. It spun several times in midair before crashing to the ground.

When Yang Sheng went to set the desk upright, he found a small round dent where Jiang Tian's elbow had struck.

Ironwood was called ironwood because, besides its weight, it possessed exceptional rigidity.

It was not easily deformed.

Yet Jiang Tian's demonstration had actually left a dent in the ironwood.

If that elbow had landed solidly on a person—

even if it did not kill them, it would still cost them half their life.