Chapter 48
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Chapter 48: Top Ten!
At the Magic Power Competition venue.
In the area designated for Purple Cloud High School.
Le Mulan’s forehead was covered in dense beads of sweat.
She had just completed her fourth Magic Power oscillation. The mass of Magic Power, repeatedly ravaged and refined, had transformed into a hazy, white mist. It bobbed and drifted unstably within her dantian, becoming increasingly difficult to control.
“Three more times. Just three more times and I will succeed.”
***
Song Hailong’s breathing grew increasingly heavy.
A vast surge of Magic Power, like layers upon layers of white clouds, rose from his dantian and gradually coalesced into a swirling vortex.
“The final Magic Power oscillation.”
“As expected, I am still the one who wins in the end…”
Boom!
Boom!
A rumbling sound suddenly erupted from somewhere in the distance.
Song Hailong’s expression changed in an instant.
Someone had actually succeeded before him?
No, that was not right. He quickly realized something, his eyes widening in astonishment. There are two of them. Two people were faster than me?
In the distance, Xiong Bufan clasped his palms together. Wisps of white, cloud-like Magic Power surged from his claws and formed a ball, making it seem as if he were holding a lively cloud. However, the cloud was already beginning to dissipate, clearly unable to last for long.
But Xiong Bufan paid it no mind. Instead, he turned his head toward the source of the roar.
“Only a step behind me? Are they from Bailong High School or Purple Cloud High School?”
Xiong Bufan stared at the pillar of white energy that shot skyward, a condensed cloud column that refused to disperse. Surprise filled his eyes. What is he doing? This is a competition of speed. Everyone is trying to be fast, so why bother cultivating his protective Gang Qi to such a degree?
He is taking showing off way too far!
***
In Songyang High School’s competition area.
Zhang Yu spread his palms, and streams of white energy surged wildly from them, drifting straight upward like a pillar of white wolf smoke rising to the sky. In moments, it had drawn the attention of more and more spectators.
After Zhang Yu had frantically, or more appropriately almost haphazardly rushed through the Limitless Cloud Hands at top speed, as if swallowing a date whole, and had naturally failed to convert any of it into Gang Qi, he felt that he had mastered the technique.
With a single thought, his energy followed his will. Streams of magic power completed seven consecutive oscillations, transforming into vigorous Gang Qi that erupted from his palms and created the scene before them.
Watching this, Teacher Yan clenched her fist in excitement, then quickly pulled out her phone and began snapping a series of photos of Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu’s talent for controlling Magic Power is this astonishing? she thought to herself . It seems the content of the previous magic exams couldn’t fully reflect this aspect at all.
Recalling Zhang Yu’s recent growth in Magic Power, she sighed inwardly. She suspected it was precisely this improvement that had so significantly boosted the efficiency of his Breathing Technique.
Bai Zhenzhen watched the scene, deeply moved, her heart swelling with a gratified pride. “The kid has grown up,” she murmured.
A moment later, the results for the third round of the Magic Power Competition began to appear one after another.
1. Xiong Bufan (Red Pagoda High School)
2. Zhang Yu (Songyang High School)
Song Hailong followed closely behind, securing third place.
Le Mulan from Purple Cloud High School was pushed down to fourth place.
As the third round gradually concluded, the students’ total scores for the Magic Power Competition were released.
Many students stared at the final rankings with a mixture of expressions.
1. Song Hailong (Bailong High School) – 290 points
2. Le Mulan (Purple Cloud High School) – 287 points
3. Xiong Bufan (Red Pagoda High School) – 285 points
The three famous school still swept the top three spots in the overall rankings, and they had opened up a massive gap between themselves and the rest of the competitors.
Yet at this moment, the vast majority of students in the arena were not focused on the top three. Their gazes were fixed on the fourth-place finisher.
Fourth place was Zhang Yu from Songyang High School with a total score of 273.
Although Songyang High School was also a Key High School, its presence in the top ten felt jarring, surrounded by the names of the three famous school.
It was as if a crack had been forcibly torn through a dense, impenetrable mass of dark clouds.
Fourth place… How much was the prize money again? Zhang Yu’s lips curled into a grin as he studied the final rankings, his mind already calculating the prize money for finishing fourth in the Magic Power Competition.
He was already extremely satisfied with this ranking.
After all, although he was confident he would surpass these rivals in the future.
He had to admit that when it came to his current true strength, he still fell short of the top students from the three famous school.
He still needed more time to develop.
Though he had managed to squeeze into fourth place this time, he could not help but feel it was a miracle brought about by A-Zhen’s divine intervention and Feather Book’s filial piety. Of course, the most important factor was his own unwavering perseverance.
Qian Shen stared intently at Zhang Yu. He still vividly recalled that Zhang Yu’s Monthly Exam score had been a mere 620 points, a full 6 points lower than his own.
Yet this 620-point existence had somehow managed to rank alongside the 650-plus point elites, the high-caste prodigies, and the ultimate monsters from the Three famous Schools in the Magic Power Competition.
Again… It’s happening again. Just like at the art exhibition last time. This Zhang Yu always performs far beyond what his score would suggest.
He buried his head in his hands, his eyes still wide with disbelief. It’s as if the six-subject, 700-point scoring system can no longer fully capture the extent of his evolution.
This man… Qian Shen stared fixedly at Zhang Yu, an idea suddenly surging through his mind that even he found surprising.
This man, who defies perfect evaluation by any score, might one day trigger another reform of the high school scoring system, making it even more flawless.
At that moment, He Dayou glanced at Qian Shen, who was muttering to himself with his head in his hands. He thought to himself, What nonsense is this idiot babbling about now?
He turned his head to look at Zhang Yu, unable to suppress the turmoil welling up inside him.
Envy, jealousy… it would be impossible to deny these emotions, especially since all this was happening to a poor person he had always looked down upon.
As this thought crossed his mind, a flicker of regret even stirred within He Dayou’s heart.
In the end, he’s just a pauper. And it’s a good thing… that he’s just a poor bastard.
***
In the rest area of Purple Cloud High School.
The Competition Coach looked at Le Mulan, Lian Tianji, and the others before suddenly saying, “What do you all think about recruiting that Zhang Yu?”
Clearly, the coach wanted to recruit Zhang Yu after witnessing his performance.
Lian Tianji chimed in from the side, “Although Zhang Yu doesn’t have the ‘pedigree’ of Purple Cloud High School, he truly performed exceptionally. I think it would be a good idea to bring him over.”
The so-called ‘pedigree’ referred to a social hierarchy prevalent within Purple Cloud High School.
It typically referred to one’s educational background, specifically their attendance at Purple Cloud Nursery, Purple Cloud Kindergarten, Purple Cloud Elementary School, and Purple Cloud Middle School.
The more of these Purple Cloud institutions one had attended, the more ‘pure’ their lineage was considered.
From the side, Le Mulan asked, “Where did he get his first and second academic qualifications?”
“I actually asked him that,” Lian Tianji replied, listing Zhang Yu’s previous elementary and middle schools.
A barely concealed look of disdain flashed across Le Mulan’s face. Those schools reeked too strongly of poverty.
Seeing Le Mulan’s reaction, Lian Tianji knew there was no chance. He thought to himself, The next time I see Zhang Yu, it will likely be at the Martial Arts Competition, where we’ll have a proper showdown.
Thinking of this, a flicker of anticipation sparked within him.
***
Outside the restroom.
Just as Zhang Yu stepped out, a man stopped him. It was Han Xingye, the Competition Coach from Bailong High School.
“Zhang Yu, come to Bailong High School,” Han Xingye said, extending his hand. “Your talent is wasted at Songyang.”
“While your performance in this competition was impressive, in the future you’ll only grow further apart from us.”
Han Xingye was speaking the truth.
Although Songyang City’s top students were mostly divided among the top three famous schools, over time some inevitably ended up at other Key High Schools or even ordinary high schools.
Han Xingye had seen a few first-year students from other high schools excel in the Magic Power Competition.
But he had never seen a second-year or third-year student from another high school perform outstandingly in the Magic Power Competition.
“If you come to Bailong High School, I will personally help you apply for a contract with excellent terms.”
Zhang Yu suddenly asked, “If I go to Bailong High School, will I be able to get into one of the Ten Greats?”
Han Xingye paused, clearly caught off guard by the question. He was momentarily speechless.
The truth was, Zhang Yu would not even come close. At Bailong High School, he would merely become an investment project.
Forget the Ten Greats. The school’s primary goal in recruiting him was to prevent him from participating in the remaining First-Year competitions. After all, achievements related to the National College Entrance Examination and university interviews were merely gilded projects for the wealthy and not something the poor should be allowed to claim.
As for university, Zhang Yu would undoubtedly get into a decent one in the future, but it would never be one of the Ten Greats.
After all, Bailong High School’s resources were far superior to Songyang High School’s, and Zhang Yu would certainly receive better development opportunities there.
But a spot among the Ten Greats… was never meant for the poor.
Just then, Teacher Yan approached and stepped in front of Zhang Yu, her eyes fixed warily on Han Xingye. “Teacher Han, what are you saying to my student?”
Whether Zhang Yu had money or not, to Teacher Yan, the only thing that mattered was that he could achieve a high rank. That was her measure of success as an educator.
Han Xingye smiled wryly. All the teachers here brought students to the competition every year, so he and Teacher Yan were acquaintances.
Caught in the act of poaching her student, Han Xingye felt a little awkward. He turned to Zhang Yu and said, “No matter what, it’s still better than you staying at Songyang High School… you know what I mean, right?”
Teacher Yan bristled at his words.
What do you mean by ‘you know what I mean’? she thought. Don’t think for a second I can’t guess the insults you were about to hurl at Songyang High School just because you left them unsaid!
However, thinking of the gap between her school and Bailong High School, Teacher Yan truly feared he might say some undeniable truth she could not refute. She had to cut him off. “Alright, Teacher. If you have something to discuss, please speak with me. Do not harass our students.”
Watching Teacher Yan and Zhang Yu walk away, Han Xingye shrugged and thought to himself, “If he’s truly clear-headed, he’ll choose our side.”
Even if he still can’t get into the Ten Greats.
***
“Did you see that?”
“Fourth place! Zhang Yu took fourth place overall! Do you have any idea what fourth place means?”
“Just tell us how much you’re planning to invest.”
Listening to the commotion from Bai Zhenzhen’s end of the line, Mo Tianyi sighed helplessly. “Zhenzhen, you don’t need to be so excited. I can see it…”
“Then why aren’t you sending the money already?” Bai Zhenzhen demanded. “Even our Boss wasn’t this impressive back in his first year!”
Mo Tianyi replied, “Our Boss has certainly placed in competitions before…”
After some back-and-forth, Mo Tianyi concluded, “Zhang Yu’s performance is indeed outstanding.”
“I admit the funds I gave you earlier were insufficient.”
“I’ll discuss the situation with Boss and the other seniors and do my best to secure more investment for you.”
Bai Zhenzhen, who was already familiar with this process, urged, “Just make sure you approve the funds quickly.”
After disconnecting the call, Mo Tianyi stared at the screen, his gaze fixed on Zhang Yu’s fourth-place rank. His chest, which should have long since grown cold, seemed to warm slightly.
“A truly beautiful performance.”
“To break through the suppression of so many wealthy rivals and achieve this rank.”
“What a pity… It is too late…”
A hint of regret and melancholy flashed through him. If only it had been two years earlier, I would have chosen you without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, Placed in a Martial Arts Competition, has he? I’ll just have to find out exactly who this ‘Boss’ is.
