Xu Yuan's nerves were stretched taut as he fixed his "gaze" on the Martial God's brain, terrified that this foreign brain was taking root inside his head to replace his own.
Yet as time ticked by, right up until it finished taking root, the struggle for control of his body he had imagined never happened.
It simply sat quietly in that empty space, as though someone had planted a brain there like a crop.
Xu Yuan sensed no threat, but he felt nothing special either, as though the brain had grown there for nothing...
"Whatever. If it really wants to replace my brain, there's nothing I can do to stop it now anyway."
The hunger churning in his belly pulled Xu Yuan's consciousness out of his mental space.
It could die or not. He was done worrying about it.
His vision focused, and Xu Yuan saw the bread on his desk again.
The bread had already been there when Niu Gang came to the classroom, but he had had no time to spare for it then. Only now did he notice a note tucked beneath it, with a line written in delicate handwriting:
[You seem to have become a better person. Could you please not turn bad again?]
It was just one simple line, yet Xu Yuan could almost feel the girl's hopeful gaze.
He folded the note and put it away, then picked up the bread and tore open its wrapper. As he ate, he looked at the clock hanging at the front of the classroom.
Seeing that it was almost two in the afternoon, he got up and headed outside.
According to his predecessor's memories, martial arts students only had to attend academic classes in the morning. In the afternoon, they went to the martial arts class to cultivate.
Since a divine martial artist's combat strength mainly depended on cultivation realm and martial techniques, the martial arts class likewise had two kinds of lessons.
One was cultivation, and the other was martial techniques.
There was little to say about cultivation lessons: they simply sat in meditation and drew in the divine substance in the air to temper their bodies.
Martial technique lessons, however, were much more interesting.
The homeroom teacher had everyone take turns demonstrating the martial techniques they practiced, giving them guidance on the spot.
Sometimes, he even demonstrated them himself.
Martial technique lessons were held only one day a week, and today happened to be that day.
Leaving the regular teaching area, Xu Yuan arrived at the martial arts department and found the classroom for the third-year martial arts class.
He finished his bread just then. After glancing around and seeing no trash can, Xu Yuan crumpled up the wrapper, stuffed it into his pocket, and stepped into the classroom.
Unlike regular classrooms, the martial arts classroom occupied an entire floor, spanning over a thousand square meters.
There were no desks or chairs inside, only racks displaying various weapons, a few dummies for testing moves, and cushions for seated cultivation.
By then, all the martial arts students in the class had arrived.
Some were whispering to one another about next Monday's assessment, while a few grind kings were silently cultivating in meditation.
"Brother Yuan? What are you doing here?"
Xu Yuan was walking toward his cushion when he suddenly heard a familiar voice.
Turning his head, he saw two boys, one fat and one thin, walking toward him.
Luo Han and Sun Hao, the two accomplices who had run wild alongside his predecessor.
Like Xu Yuan, both were bottom-of-the-class students with first-tier talent. However, Luo Han, the fatty, was fairly hardworking and had reached Skin Grinding Third Stage long ago.
Sun Hao and Xu Yuan, on the other hand, had poor talent and were lazy to boot. They were still at Skin Tempering Second Tier.
"Didn't Luo Yaoxi stab you? Why are you still coming to class?"
Coming up to him with his big belly sticking out, Luo Han asked curiously.
Xu Yuan froze. Word spread that fast?
But he immediately understood.
Earth Star also had the internet; it simply went by a different name, the Heavenly Network.
Great Xia also had a social app used nationwide called Heavenly Messenger. Information spread no slower here than on Earth.
By now, his business had probably been discussed to death in the year group chat.
"Idiot, is that something you should be saying?"
Sun Hao slapped the back of the fatty's head. "What's a little injury to Brother Yuan? Besides, our Brother Yuan will stab her back sooner or later!"
"Huh? Stab her back? If divine martial artists like us try to kill ordinary people, won't the Martial Suppression Department execute us?"
Great Xia's foremost ironclad law: divine martial artists must not indiscriminately kill ordinary people.
"Who said I meant that kind of stabbing? I meant that kind of stabbing~"
Sun Hao waggled his eyebrows, his face brimming with lewdness.
"Ohhh~~"
Understanding dawned on the fatty, and he let out a string of strange chuckles.
The corner of Xu Yuan's mouth twitched.
No wonder they had gotten along with his predecessor. They really were all fucking scum!
"Well, if it isn't Xu Yuan. You still have the nerve to come to martial arts class?"
"You nearly got killed by an ordinary girl. You've really done our martial arts class proud!"
Luo Han and Sun Hao's voices drew everyone else's attention. Seeing Xu Yuan, they broke into mocking laughter.
Ordinary students feared Xu Yuan, but these martial arts students weren't afraid of him in the slightest.
With Xu Yuan's meager strength, if he dared throw his weight around with them, they would teach him how to behave in minutes.
Listening to their jeers, Xu Yuan couldn't help grinding his teeth.
Although reason told him they were mocking his predecessor, he was now the owner of this body, after all. It felt a little too personal.
Still, as a twenty-six-year-old, he wasn't about to fly into a rage over a few taunts from minors. He merely patted one student on the shoulder and said:
"Please refrain from saying things that undermine unity among classmates."
Everyone froze. Why does this guy sound like some government official?
"What are you all crowding around over there for?"
Just then, a strong, resonant voice came from the classroom's front entrance, and everyone scattered.
Xu Yuan looked up and saw a stubbled man of about thirty, with a thoroughly mature, uncle-like air, stride into the classroom.
Lin Yuan, Bone Forging Third Stage, was the only senior martial arts teacher at Yang City No. 3 High School.
In his six years at No. 3 Middle School's martial arts department, he had taught the third-years every single year—a clear indication of his standing at the school.
With Lin Yuan's arrival, the grind kings immersed in cultivation also emerged from their meditative state and stood up.
Lin Yuan gave them an approving look before turning to Xu Yuan and the others.
"The assessment is next Monday, yet you're all still slacking off. You must be very confident."
He wore a half-smile. "In that case, why don't I just give you all a holiday? You'll be happy, and so will I."
Embarrassed, everyone lowered their heads without a word.
Lin Yuan snorted before getting to the point. "Today will be the last lesson I teach most of you!"
"Tomorrow is the weekend, and next Monday, you'll face your first dividing line as martial arts students: the martial arts class assessment!"
"When the time comes, fewer than half of you will remain."
At those words, everyone except those confident of passing felt their hearts grow heavy.
Lin Yuan had said this to make them feel a sense of urgency. Seeing his goal achieved, he continued:
"Cultivation realm accounts for seventy percent of your assessment score, and martial techniques account for thirty percent. Whatever your cultivation realm is now, it'll probably be much the same during the assessment!"
"But a breakthrough in martial techniques is possible within a short time! So today, you must seize this opportunity!"
"Those of you who still haven't reached initial mastery and have never demonstrated your martial techniques in front of me, don't be afraid of embarrassment. Perhaps if you perform it once according to your understanding, I'll be able to spot your problem and guide you to initial mastery. That could earn you another ten or so points on the assessment!"
Martial technique cultivation was divided into initial mastery, minor mastery, major mastery, perfection, and the Transformation Realm.
Reaching major mastery meant one had truly crossed the threshold of proficiency in a martial technique.
As for perfection and the Transformation Realm beyond it, without sufficient comprehension, one could forget about them.
Lin Yuan had become a senior martial arts teacher because he had cultivated multiple first-tier martial techniques and two second-tier martial techniques to perfection.
As for the Transformation Realm...
Anyone who comprehended even a single first-tier martial technique to the Transformation Realm was considered a martial arts prodigy!
In the martial arts class assessment, anyone who demonstrated a perfected martial technique would receive the full thirty points for that component.
Anyone who demonstrated a martial technique at the Transformation Realm would receive an additional twenty points on top of those thirty.
That essentially guaranteed a pass.
However, since No. 3 Middle School established its martial arts class, not a single student had ever cultivated a martial technique to the Transformation Realm.
Even across all of Yang City, only four such prodigies had appeared to date.
Every one of them had shone brilliantly!
"All right, enough unnecessary chatter. Same rules as always. Come up one at a time in student number order."
Keeping it brief, Lin Yuan strode toward the open space at the back of the classroom.
The students followed, then formed a large circle of their own accord so they could observe and learn.
"Brother Yuan, are you going to have a go today? If you are, I will too."
Standing beside Xu Yuan, Sun Hao asked in a low voice.
They were among the students Lin Yuan had mentioned: those who had never even reached initial mastery and had never demonstrated their martial techniques in front of their teacher.
"I'm injured."
Xu Yuan gave a casual excuse, his expression a little unnatural.
The Martial God's brain had become unusually active the moment he heard the words "martial techniques."
So active that Xu Yuan could "see" its cerebral cortex wriggling slightly!
"Oh, right. You're injured, so you can't go. Then I won't either. Even if I reach initial mastery, I won't pass the assessment anyway." Sun Hao gave up outright.
As they spoke, student number one had already stepped in front of Lin Yuan, carrying an unsharpened spear.
His name was Zhou Ling. With fourth-tier divine talent and a cultivation realm of Skin Grinding Seventh Stage, he was one of the five students with the highest divine talent in class.
"You're going to demonstrate your Tiger Roar Sky-Piercing Spear? I'm afraid there won't be much guidance I can offer you, then."
Lin Yuan spoke as he looked at the spear in Zhou Ling's hands.
No. 3 Middle School's martial arts class offered only four free first-tier martial techniques for students to choose from.
They were the elbow technique "Savage Bull Heart-Shattering Butt," the fist technique "Mountain-Crushing Strike," the sword technique "Wind-Swayed Sword," and the saber technique "Layered Wave Slash."
Lin Yuan had cultivated all four to perfection, so guiding students in them was something he could do with effortless ease.
However, a small number of students came from exceptional backgrounds. Besides the techniques provided by the martial arts class, they also practiced techniques obtained through other channels.
For techniques of this sort, which he had never personally practiced, the guidance Lin Yuan could offer was relatively limited.
"My Mountain-Crushing Strike has already reached major mastery, so it'll be difficult to improve it anytime soon. That's why I'd like your guidance on my Tiger Roar Sky-Piercing Spear today, sir!"
Zhou Ling lifted his chin slightly, his face full of pride.
"All right, then. Show me."
Without saying more, Lin Yuan stepped back a few paces, leaving the space to Zhou Ling.
Zhou Ling nodded, twirled the spear in his hands, and assumed the opening stance of the Tiger Roar Sky-Piercing Spear.
His right hand gripped the butt, while his left supported the shaft, holding the spear across his chest!
"Vmmm!"
A moment later, Zhou Ling moved!
The spear swung violently, blasting out a swish as it tore through the air!
Zhou Ling's body followed the spear, its tip raising shrill whistles wherever it passed!
"So fast!"
"So fierce!"
The students marveled, eyes wide as they held their breath and focused!
"Roar!!!"
Suddenly, a faint, almost elusive tiger's roar erupted. Lin Yuan's heart jolted slightly. A tiger's roar with the thrust-major mastery of the Tiger Roar Sky-Piercing Spear!
This brat hadn't come for guidance at all. He was here to show off!
Meanwhile, as Xu Yuan watched Zhou Ling in the center, he was completely dumbstruck.
The shock in his eyes was more than a hundred times stronger than anyone else's!
But what shocked him wasn't how badass Zhou Ling's spear technique was. It was that the Martial God's brain was transmitting streams of insight into the Tiger Roar Sky-Piercing Spear to him!
This second-tier martial technique of Zhou Ling's-he seemed... about to reach initial mastery...