Chapter 34
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Chapter 34: The Results Are Out, the Top Student Is Revealed
Watching Wang Hai’s retreating figure, Zhang Yu mused, “He’s truly a good and responsible teacher.”
Bai Zhenzhen,who had been nearby, sidled over while her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What just happened? All that laughter, handshaking, and talking…”
“Did Wang Hai suddenly realize you’re his long-lost father?”
Zhang Yu shook his head. “There could be many reasons, but ultimately it all boils down to my performance on this month’s exam.”
“A-Zhen, as long as my grades keep improving and my skills grow stronger, won’t I make more and more good friends in this world?”
Seeing Zhang Yu’s smug expression, Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, Just how many points did Yu Zi score this time? Could he have surpassed me? That can’t be possible…
That evening, Zhang Yu returned to the suburbs and resumed grinding the Cosmic Orbit Energy Gathering Method as before. His next goal was to raise it to Level 10.
Before he knew it, morning had arrived. Zhang Yu had already advanced the Cosmic Orbit Energy Gathering Method to Level 8 with an experience of 37 out of 160.
After a day of passive breathing combined with active cultivation, his Magic Power had increased again from 11.8 to 11.9.
Thanks to Wang Hai’s financial support, Zhang Yu’s savings, after deducting recent expenses, had reached over 72,000 yuan.
The moment he saw this sum, Zhang Yu’s mind raced with ideas for how to spend it.
However, he ultimately suppressed his impulses. He decided to wait until after the monthly exam to see what kind of contract the school would offer him, and then he would plan how to use the money to improve himself.
***
Four in the morning at Songyang High School.
In the teachers’ office.
After another typical all-nighter, Su Haifeng received the results from the monthly exam.
To help students understand their performance, learn their scores, and guide their studies as quickly as possible, the teachers had worked tirelessly. They calculated the scores and rankings for all students who participated in the exam on the very night it was held.
Wonderful, just wonderful.
Su Haifeng turned his attention to the specific rankings and scores.
1st Place: Bai Zhenzhen, Total Score 651
Su Haifeng nodded slightly, thinking, Bai Zhenzhen remains the undisputed top student. It’s a pity her Dao Arts score was only 60. Otherwise, her total score could have been even higher.
2nd Place: Qian Shen, Total Score 626
Su Haifeng thought, Qian Shen has been steadily improving. His Dao Arts score of 80 really boosted his overall score.
3rd Place: Zhang Yu, Total Score 620
Su Haifeng was stunned for a moment. He rubbed his eyes and looked again carefully.
3rd Place: Zhang Yu, Total Score 620
How is that possible?
Su Haifeng sat upright and immediately checked Zhang Yu’s individual subject scores.
His scores were 48 in General Knowledge, 135 in Dao Heart, 142 in Magic Power, 145 in Physical Education, 90 in Martial Dao, and 60 in Dao Arts.
“This…”
Su Haifeng was shocked. And this was with a Dao Arts score of only 60 points.
If Zhang Yu’s Dao Arts had been just seven points higher, he would have reached 627 points, surpassing Qian Shen to become second in the class.
In other words, Zhang Yu had jumped from tenth in the class last time all the way to third this time.
No, that wasn’t right. According to Su Haifeng’s calculations, Zhang Yu’s rank three weeks ago should have already dropped to around twentieth place. Over the past few weeks, aside from his Magic Power, his other subjects should have steadily declined, pushing his total rank down to nearly thirtieth.
How could there be such a massive improvement? Did he win the lottery?
Su Haifeng’s doubts grew with each subject score he examined, especially when he saw Zhang Yu’s Magic Power score of 142 and a staggering Physical Education score of 145.
He could not help but call Wang Hai to ask what was going on and if there had been a mistake in recording Zhang Yu’s scores.
It was four in the morning, this was a prime time for the cultivators in Songyang.
Wang Hai answered the phone quickly. “What is it, Teacher Su?”
Su Haifeng asked, “I’m looking at the results here, and it says Zhang Yu’s Physical Education score is 145. Is there some mistake?”
Wang Hai’s attitude toward Zhang Yu had improved greatly that day, but that did not mean he had suddenly become a good-tempered man.
He was still the same gold-medal teacher who hated it when anyone challenged his authority in the classroom.
Hearing Su Haifeng’s doubts, he snorted coldly and cut him off. “Teacher Su, are you questioning our Physical Education standards, or our professional integrity?”
As Songyang High School’s star Physical Education teacher and a top recruiter, Wang Hai was not the least bit intimidated by Su Haifeng.
“If you have any objections to the results, you can file for a re-evaluation.”
“But I can tell you Zhang Yu’s score is absolutely accurate. It is 145 points.”
“This is because not only has his Physical Strength reached Level 1.25, placing him at the forefront of his class, but his physique is also absolutely excellent.”
“With the foundation he has built, his Physical Strength is certain to increase. He is bound to become a leading figure among this year’s students, and it would not be impossible for him to participate in Physical Competitions in the future.”
Sports competitions, like Magic Power competitions, involved tests with content that went far beyond the high school curriculum.
Achieving outstanding results in these competitions not only came with substantial prize money but also provided an advantage in university interviews and could even earn bonus points on the National College Entrance Examination.
As the school that had produced the city’s top Physical Education student, Songyang High School had always held a distinct advantage in these competitions.
Su Haifeng was even more astonished to hear Wang Hai’s high praise for Zhang Yu. Ignoring the other teacher’s unfriendly tone, he pressed on, “But hasn’t he been slacking off in Physical Education for the past three weeks? How could his score have improved so dramatically?”
Wang Hai’s old face flushed. After a moment’s pause, he explained, “Zhang Yu isn’t like the ordinary students. He has his own path of development and knows how he needs to cultivate.”
Thinking to himself that Zhang Yu was a Golden Core expert’s disciple who certainly did not need his meddling, Wang Hai continued, “It was precisely because I saw this that I gave him the freedom to train as he saw fit.”
“Never mind letting him train on his own. He could skip my class altogether from now on and it would be fine.”
“This is what we call individualized teaching.”
After ending the call with Wang Hai, Su Haifeng still found it hard to believe. Was Wang Hai really talking about Zhang Yu? That pauper?
Frowning in thought for a moment, Su Haifeng made another call.
“Hello? The monthly exam results are out. Zhang Yu placed third in his grade with a score of…”
After reporting the score, Su Haifeng sighed and said awkwardly, “I must admit, I was completely wrong about Zhang Yu.”
“With a performance like this, it would be perfectly normal for the school to offer him a B-tier or even an A-tier contract.”
“That part is beyond my authority. I expect someone from the Student Council will approach him in a day or two.”
A male voice on the other end of the line said, “Understood.”
“Do your best to stall the Student Council for me. I’ll try another way.”
Su Haifeng said, “You know how those people in the Student Council are. I can’t stall them. Whatever you’re planning to do, you had better do it quickly.”
***
It was 6:30 in the morning.
The entrance to Songyang High School was already bustling with students arriving for class.
As Zhang Yu stepped through the gates, he saw the updated monthly exam results flashing on the giant screen at the school entrance.
Student privacy? Psychological burden? Such concepts were naturally nonexistent at Songyang High School.
Not only were the results blasted across the huge screen at the entrance, but each classroom door was also plastered with the entire class’s monthly exam scores. Even the cafeteria’s electronic displays constantly flashed the latest rankings.
Zhang Yu could even hear the school-wide broadcast discussing the monthly exam while he was in the restroom. It praised students with high total scores and great improvements while simultaneously shaming those whose scores had dropped or were low.
Songyang High School was defined by its all-encompassing, privacy-free, and psychologically taxing environment.
“…And today, we extend our special congratulations to Student Zhang Yu from the First-Year Demonstration Class.”
“Student Zhang Yu has leaped from tenth place in the grade to third place in this monthly exam, achieving a total score of 620. This is a remarkable seventy-point increase and a truly meteoric rise.”
After finishing in the restroom, Zhang Yu washed his hands while listening to the broadcast. He could not help but nod to himself. “Publicly announcing the scores does have its positive aspects. There is some merit to this approach.”
When Zhang Yu next walked into the classroom, he immediately became the center of attention. People frequently glanced his way, their eyes filled with a variety of emotions.
Qian Shen looked at Zhang Yu, then at Bai Zhenzhen. Their scores of 620 and 651 floated before his eyes, completely overshadowing the other students around them.
As expected, besides Bai Zhenzhen, this Zhang Yu will also be my rival for the next three years of high school.
Qian Shen felt as if he could already see the future. He imagined the three of them locked in fierce competition, their battles evenly matched and their victories uncertain, ultimately ending with all three earning spots at top universities.
He was fired up!
He eagerly pulled out his Talisman Register and began studying talismans again.
Talismans are my strongest subject, yet I only scored 80 points this time. I need to practice more!
On the other side, He Dayou stared at his subject scores with a grim expression.
“A total score of 603.”
“50 points in Martial Arts…”
The 50 points Martial Arts score was so glaring that it made his vital energy surge. He wanted nothing more than to smash the desk in front of him into powder.
It was clear that his repeated defeats at Zhang Yu’s hands, coupled with his humiliating performance in two instant defeats, had dragged his Martial Arts score down to this abysmal level.
This made a trace of killing intent rise uncontrollably in his eyes as he looked at Zhang Yu.
However, as the school board director’s son, he quickly suppressed the impulse.
Every poor wretch is a valuable resource to the school. How could I possibly lay a hand on one?
Calm down. Besides, Zhang Yu should already be on the Student Council’s radar by now, right?
He and I are on completely different tracks. I can’t let him disrupt my focus. I need to concentrate on improving myself.
Giving himself the pep talks, He Dayou circulated his Mental Cultivation Technique, slowly calming his emotions.
He had figured it out. He and Zhang Yu were not competing on the same path at all. He should not let the other affect his state of mind or his grades, like what happened with his 50 points in Martial Arts.
Ultimately, improving my own strength and assets is the true path forward .
I scored 90 in Dao Arts this time. Even though it’s already my strongest subject, there’s still room for improvement.
At this thought, He Dayou took out his Talisman Register and immersed himself in his studies, no longer paying any mind to the changes around him.
Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen tilted her head to gaze at Zhang Yu. She wondered to herself, Could Yu Zi have been lying low all this time? Deliberately hiding his abilities for four months, only to amaze everyone now?
No, that’s not right. He shouldn’t have that kind of ability.
Could it be that Yu Zi… like me… has also had unlocked something ?
