Chapter 22: He Is Only Worth Third Class (Please keep reading)

Fang Huiyi sat on the sofa, enjoying the cool breeze that gently ruffled her hair.

Unlike usual, her husband, Lin Zhen, was sweating profusely as he leaned close to the electric fan.

The air was filled with a sense of tranquility and peace.

Watching this scene, Lin Qi felt a surge of happiness in his heart.

During his lunch break, he had purchased two air conditioners online for 3,800 yuan.

He only had one thousand yuan left for food, but he had no regrets.

"Xiao Qi, even if your scholarship comes in, you can't spend it all on air conditioners. You need money for your own resources!"

His mother, Fang Huiyi, shook her head, scolding him for his perceived extravagance.

Lin Qi sat down and explained

"Mom, Dad, you don't need to worry about that."

"I've already purchased many resources, and I've applied for the Third-Class Genius Loan."

"The money will be disbursed in a few days."

"As for the air conditioners, the sooner we buy them, the sooner you can enjoy them."

"Don't feel burdened. This is just the beginning; our family's life will only get better and better."

"..."

...

A few minutes later.

Having persuaded his parents, Lin Qi returned to his bedroom. Thanks to the cool air blowing from the living room air conditioner, the room was also filled with a refreshing chill.

"Air conditioning really is comfortable!"

After a brief exclamation, Lin Qi put down his backpack, took a Blood-Qi Capsule, and continued his stance training.

He had come back an hour early today, so he had to put in extra practice.

"I've finally done something for the family."

Having solved one of the family's difficulties, Lin Qi felt full of motivation.

"Since I was a child, my parents have always been the ones giving everything to this family, while I have never done anything for them."

"They work too hard; they have sacrificed too much for me."

"Now, I can finally help."

As a transmigrator, although his parents hadn't told him the full extent of the family's situation to avoid affecting his studies, he had already deduced it from various pieces of information.

The family not only owed his uncle a large sum of money but also had significant loans. His father hadn't told him, but it was certainly not a small amount.

Furthermore, his mother Fang Huiyi's illness was becoming increasingly serious, requiring more money.

The family's expenses were already exceeding their income.

Fortunately, his Genius Loan application was about to be approved.

This was just the beginning; he would earn much more money in the future.

After working hard for so many years, it was time for him to shoulder the responsibility of this family.

Despite the immense external pressure, Lin Qi possessed powerful internal drive.

"My near-term goals are very clear. Once the Genius Loan arrives, I will focus entirely on increasing my Blood-Qi value and spear techniques."

"In the Tianhai City Joint Monthly Exam, I aim to break into the top thirty of the second year of high school to obtain an independent martial arts room."

"My long-term goal is to work hard to improve my ranking, demonstrate my talent, apply for more Genius Loans, pay off the family's debts, and cure my mother, Fang Huiyi."

With his goals clarified, Lin Qi threw himself wholeheartedly back into his stance training.

...

The Martial Arts Education Bureau.

This was a massive, square building colored in blue and white. It featured a multi-layered structure with streamlined curves connecting each level, creating a sense of dynamic beauty.

Inside a modern office, the walls were covered with images of blades, swords, and spears, while various holographic projections floated in the air.

Two figures, separated into different zones, were sliding their fingers across the air, constantly switching through holographic tables.

"Another senior year. We're going to be busy; as expected, overtime is inevitable."

"The number of Genius Loan applications is quite high. This concerns the future of all martial arts students, so we have to work overtime to review them."

"Tianhai Second High School, Chen Zichuan... and Lin Qi applying for a Second-Class Genius Loan? That's nothing but a pipe dream."

A woman in her twenties, wearing exquisite makeup, couldn't help but complain while she worked.

Suddenly spotting two application forms, she couldn't hold back.

"Tianhai Second High School, ranked in the top 40 of the grade, and he still wants Second-Class? He's dreaming too big. Jiang Zhiguang is really something—he overreports every single time. This is at most Third-Class," the woman said with a sneer.

A male colleague nearby pulled up the document to check.

According to the regulations of the Martial Arts Education Bureau, for Genius Loan applications, the decision between Third-Class and Second-Class was made by ordinary employees like them, working in pairs to supervise one another.

The final results were then subject to a secondary review by leadership, which was usually just a formality.

However, First-Class and Special-Class applications required personal review by the leadership.

The man also saw the two application forms and carefully reviewed the data.

"Chen Zichuan for Third-Class is fine, but this student, Lin Qi... he has decent potential."

"Moving up into the top 50 of his grade is quite rare."

The female colleague shook her head, firm in her decision

"I don't see it that way. He improved so quickly, yet he's still only in the top fifty."

"And he didn't improve earlier or later; he specifically improved right when the application period arrived. He's probably hiding his true strength."

"According to the regulations, I won't pass him. Third-Class it is."

Although the female colleague's reasoning made some sense, the male colleague subconsciously felt that this Lin Qi truly possessed talent.

However, according to the rules, passing him for Third-Class was perfectly normal. Making more moves meant more mistakes; by not acting, one avoided errors.

Thinking this, he said no more and marked the result for the application.

A moment later, in another private office, the leader—a stout, somewhat overweight middle-aged man—was busy. After a quick glance at the application results, he stamped them with "Approved."

...

Time passed quickly in the senior year; a week flew by in an instant.

Upon entering the elite class, many students felt a heavy sense of pressure.

Particularly regarding martial arts, since everyone in the class was a top performer, the intense competitive atmosphere drove many to work even harder.

One day at noon, after lunch.

Lin Qi was in Jiang Tao's martial arts room, a spacious area of two hundred square meters.

The floor was covered with soft mats, and the walls were equipped with wardrobes, weapon boxes, folding beds, and water dispensers...

It also featured a private bathroom and a washing machine, making it perfectly suitable for living in.

After lunch, it should have been time for a nap.

However, a portion of the students now used their nap time for martial arts training.

Lin Qi and Jiang Tao had originally intended to rest, but after seeing Chen Zichuan still training in the martial arts classroom at noon, they became part of that group.

Their three daily training sessions had turned into four.

"Whew~"

After standing in a stance for about ten minutes, Lin Qi stood up. Only after taking a Blood-Qi Capsule did he begin to wield his long spear.

"Mantra: Mountain-Crushing Method, Spear momentum like thunder, Power to break a thousand tons, Fierce and fearless."

"The 'Mountain-Crushing Spear Technique' possesses the momentum of thunder and great strength; it must be executed with a fierce and fearless spirit."

Lin Qi stabilized his horse stance, his eyes focused and resolute. As he swung the long spear, it whistled through the air, the tip flashing with a cold light.

With a forceful thrust, the spear body shot out like a bolt of lightning.

Lin Qi repeatedly practiced the moves of the "Mountain-Crushing Spear Technique," the key points of the technique flashing through his mind.

"Spinning Break, Sky Leap, Horizontal Block, Rapid Advance..."

After an unknown number of repetitions, his arms began to ache and tremble, but his spear technique became increasingly proficient.

At the same time, his body felt hot, his Blood-Qi surging, opening up his joints.

【Through arduous training, your Blood-Qi value has increased. Blood-Qi +0.1】

【Through continuous training, your proficiency in "Mountain-Crushing Spear Technique" has increased. Spear Technique +2%】

【Through continuous training, your movement technique has improved. Movement +2%】

【Blood-Qi: 6.4 → 6.5】

【Spear Technique: Tier 1 71% → 77%】

【Movement: Tier 1 60% → 68%】

...

"Whew~"

Lin Qi finished his set and looked at the data on the panel with much emotion.

In just one week, his progress had been rapid.

His Blood-Qi value had increased by a full 0.3.

His spear technique had jumped from 60% to 77% in one go.

His movement technique had also improved by about 10%.

The speed of progress was terrifying.

"Teacher Zhang Cheng once said that for a short period after learning a Black Iron-level manual, the realm improves the fastest. The better the foundation, the faster the growth."

"Once this period passes, the speed will slow down. I've already experienced the feeling of rapid advancement."

Lin Qi put down the spear. A stinging pain radiated from his hands; his calloused palms were now covered in bloody scratches.

The improvement in spear technique did not come without a price; long hours of training had caused the skin on his palms to break again.

Following a familiar routine, Lin Qi washed his hands and applied medicinal ointment to his palms.

"Hiss~"

The burning pain made his face twitch slightly. Finally, he wrapped them in bandages and waited for them to heal automatically.

"Brother Qi, this week has been exhausting, but I feel like the progress has been massive."

Jiang Tao had also finished his training. He sat nearby, wiping sweat and drinking a functional energy drink, the heavy scent of sweat evaporating in the room.

"Teacher Zhang Cheng is indeed stronger than 'Wu De.' Not only is his teaching ability strong, but he is also willing to give us guidance."

Lin Qi nodded. In one week, they had gained a bit of an understanding of Zhang Cheng.

He truly lived up to his reputation as a martial arts teacher for the elite class; his teaching ability was indeed formidable.

"Alright, time for class. Remember to drink some coffee, otherwise, you'll get sleepy," Lin Qi advised, while dragging his exhausted body to wash up and prepare for class.

...

(End of Chapter)