Ye Qingxue at Level Sixteen

"How many students from our school will be able to advance to the 14th grade this year?" The dean of students asked in a low voice, standing beside Zhao Jianguo.

Zhao Jianguo didn't answer immediately. His gaze swept over the throng of people on the playground, and he pondered, "Based on past data, the 14th grade is a threshold. More than 80% of those who reach the 14th grade can get into a top-tier university. This year..." He paused, "... we'll see."

The bespectacled teacher next to him chimed in, "Several of our school's S-rank students should have a chance to reach level fourteen. Ye Qingxue goes without saying, and Wang Hao, Lin Yuan, and Chen Zimo all have a chance. Especially Wang Hao; his family has invested a lot of resources, and he had an S-rank core card on the day he awakened. His martial soul theme has strong early-game burst power and high dungeon-clearing efficiency, so reaching level fourteen should be a sure thing."

"And level fifteen?" the female teacher asked.

"Level 15?" The bespectacled teacher pushed up his glasses and shook his head. "Level 15 is a completely different concept. Normally, even for an S-rank, reaching level 15 within a week of awakening is impossible with just personal strength. It requires a large number of cooldown removal items, sufficient resource investment, and extremely high dungeon-clearing efficiency. In previous years, our school has only produced two or three at most level 15 students."

"The competition this year is indeed fiercer than in previous years." The old professor stroked his beard and slowly began to speak. "I heard from the provincial capital that several key high schools in the province have already had students who made it to the 16th grade. And it's not just one. In previous years, the 16th grade was a sure thing for Tsinghua and Peking Universities, but this year..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant. There are many top competitors this year, so the cutoff scores have risen accordingly.

The teachers on the platform discussed among themselves, their eyes occasionally glancing towards the entrance to the playground, waiting for the students to arrive one after another.

As time went on, more and more students appeared on the playground.

A teacher was using a portable assessment device to scan each student as they passed by. The device's screen displayed their grade data one by one.

"Level 12... Level 13... Level 11... Level 12..."

"Currently, the highest level is thirteen, and most are around level twelve."

"The overall level is alright this year," the bespectacled teacher nodded. "Slightly better than last year. At this time last year, the average grade was just over eleven."

"Yes, what we've seen so far is basically within expectations," the female teacher agreed.

After a while, several students who had been the focus of attention appeared one after another.

Lin Yuan arrived. The assessment instrument scanned him; he was at level fourteen. Several teachers nodded slightly, their faces showing satisfaction.

Chen Zimo also arrived. The appraisal device scanned him; he was level fourteen. This was also within expectations.

But then, a student on whom high hopes were placed appeared, and the number that popped up on the assessment device was level thirteen.

"Thirteen?" The bespectacled teacher frowned. "I remember he awakened an A-rank core card, and the theme wasn't bad either. How come he's only level thirteen?"

"Perhaps resources haven't kept up." The old mentor shook his head. "A-grade cards aren't as efficient at clearing dungeons in the early stages as S-grade cards. If there's no extra support from home, level 13 is normal."

"Hmm... I'm slightly disappointed, but it's still within acceptable limits."

The atmosphere on the podium was calm, without many surprises or unexpected events.

Then, Wang Hao arrived.

The moment the testing device scanned him, the numbers on the screen stunned several teachers simultaneously.

Level 15?

"Wang Hao is at level 15?"

"Confirm? Scan again."

I scanned it again. Still level 15.

There was a moment of silence on the platform, then it erupted.

"Level 15! Wang Hao actually reached level 15!"

"An S-rank core card, with a martial soul theme, and able to reach level 15 in a week... that's no small feat."

"His family is well-off, so he must have invested a lot in cooldown removal items and resources. But even so, reaching level 15 shows that he is extremely efficient at clearing dungeons."

Zhao Jianguo nodded slightly, a rare smile appearing on his face, "Wang Hao, although he's a bit impetuous usually, is indeed quite talented. Level 15, a top school is guaranteed for him."

"With Ye Qingxue joining the team, our school should be a shoo-in for first place in the city this year," the head of academic affairs breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ye Qingxue hasn't arrived yet?" The female teacher glanced at the entrance to the playground. "Her level should be around level fifteen, right?"

"Level 15 is a certainty," the bespectacled teacher stated confidently. "Her SSS-rank Snow Queen, combined with the Ice and Snow World theme, is a perfect match, making her dungeon-clearing efficiency far beyond that of ordinary people. She cleared the Nightmare Trial dungeon on the day of her awakening, and will definitely be grinding levels like crazy in the wild for the next few days. Level 15 is just the minimum."

"What about level sixteen?" someone asked.

The bespectacled teacher paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Level sixteen... it's too difficult. Level fifteen to sixteen is a hurdle; the experience required is almost three times what it was before. And the higher you go, the stronger the monsters and the more difficult the dungeons become. Even with an SSS-level core card, reaching level sixteen within a week requires extremely comprehensive strength..."

It's not just about resources and talent; you also need a deep understanding of the dungeon's theme, precise control of the combat rhythm, and a bit of luck.

"Over the years, how many students in Rongcheng have been able to reach level sixteen within a week?" the female teacher asked.

"Not a single one," the old mentor said decisively. "We're a small city; our resources, information, and student body can't keep up with the provincial capital. The top high schools there produce one or two prodigies who reach level sixteen every year. In Rongcheng, the fastest person in history to reach level sixteen was only eight days after awakening."

Everyone fell silent.

"So, Wang Hao reaching level 15 this year has already given us a pleasant surprise," Zhao Jianguo said, his tone steady. "Add Ye Qingxue to that, and with two students above level 15, in previous years, they would have easily been the top students in the city."

Before he finished speaking, a slight commotion arose at the entrance to the playground.

Ye Qingxue has arrived.

She wore a white light armor, with several ice-blue cards inserted in the card box at her waist. Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her steps were neither hurried nor slow.

The morning light shone on her, gilding her cool, aloof face with a faint golden hue.

The moment the diagnostic instrument swept over her, the numbers that popped up on the screen stunned everyone.

"Level 10...16?"

The podium fell completely silent.

Several seconds later, the bespectacled teacher finally spoke with difficulty, "Level 16? Are you sure?"

"Confirmed. Scan again... still level 16."

"Ye Qingxue, Level 16."

Zhao Jianguo's pupils contracted sharply, and then the expression on his face changed from shock to ecstasy.

He took a deep breath, trying his best to maintain the principal's composure, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

"Level sixteen," he repeated, his voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement. "Seven days after awakening, level sixteen. This score would rank in the top ten in the entire province."