Chapter 34: Results Released, The Top Student Appears

Watching Wang Hai's departing figure, Zhang Yu remarked with emotion, "What a truly responsible and wonderful teacher."

Beside him, Bai Zhenzhen leaned in, asking suspiciously, "What exactly happened just now? All that laughing, handshaking, and talking..."

"Did Wang Hai suddenly discover you're his long-lost biological father?"

Zhang Yu shook his head. "There could be many reasons, but ultimately... it all comes down to my performance in this monthly exam."

"A-Zhen, as long as my grades keep improving and my skills get stronger, I'll have more and more good friends in this world, won't I?"

Looking at 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? No, that should be impossible...*

That evening, upon returning to the suburbs, Zhang Yu began practicing the Zhou Tian Qi-Gathering Method just as he had before. His next goal was to raise the method to Level 10.

In the blink of an eye, the next morning arrived, and Zhang Yu had successfully raised the Zhou Tian Qi-Gathering Method to Level 8 (37/160).

After a day of passive breathing interspersed with active breathing, his Mana had also increased once more, from 11.8 to 11.9.

Furthermore, thanks to Wang Hai's sponsorship, Zhang Yu's savings—even after deducting his expenses from the past few days—had suddenly reached over seventy-two thousand yuan.

The moment he saw this balance, Zhang Yu's mind raced with various ways to spend it.

However, he ultimately suppressed his impulses, intending to see what kind of contract the school would offer him after this monthly exam before planning how to use the money to improve himself.

...

Songyang High School, 4:00 AM.

Inside the faculty office.

After another night of staying up late, Su Haifeng received the results of this monthly exam.

To allow students to understand themselves, know their grades, and receive guidance as quickly as possible, the teachers had worked overtime to calculate the scores and rankings for all participating students on the very night of the exam.

A cause for celebration, indeed.

Su Haifeng looked toward the specific rankings and scores.

1st Place: Bai Zhenzhen, Total Score: 651.

Su Haifeng nodded slightly, thinking, *Bai Zhenzhen is still the undisputed number one. It's a pity her Daoist Arts score is only 60; otherwise, her total would be even higher.*

2nd Place: Qian Shen, Total Score: 626.

Su Haifeng thought, *Qian Shen has been making steady progress, especially with that 80 in Daoist Arts pulling his score up.*

3rd Place: Zhang Yu, Total Score: 620.

Su Haifeng froze, rubbing his eyes to look more closely.

3rd Place: Zhang Yu, Total Score: 620.

"How is this possible?"

Su Haifeng sat up straight and hurriedly checked Zhang Yu's specific scores for each subject.

General Knowledge: 48; Dao Heart: 135; Mana: 142; Physical Education: 145; Martial Arts: 90; Daoist Arts: 60.

"This..."

Su Haifeng was shocked. And that was with a Daoist Arts score of only 60.

If his Daoist Arts had been just 7 points higher, he would have reached 627, surpassing Qian Shen to become the second in the grade.

In other words, Zhang Yu had jumped from 10th in the grade last time straight to 3rd.

No... according to Su Haifeng's estimation, the boy's performance should have regressed to 20th place three weeks ago. Aside from Mana, his other subjects should have been steadily declining, causing his total score to drop to nearly 30th place.

"How could there be such a massive improvement?"

"Did he win the lottery?"

The more Su Haifeng looked at Zhang Yu's scores, the more bewildered he became—especially the Mana score of 142 and the Physical Education score of a staggering 145.

He couldn't help but call Wang Hai, wanting to ask what was going on and if Zhang Yu's scores had been entered incorrectly.

At 4:00 AM, the cultivators of Songyang were at their most energetic.

Wang Hai answered the call quickly. "Is something wrong, Teacher Su?"

Su Haifeng asked, "I see here that Zhang Yu's Physical Education score is 145? Is there some mistake..."

While Wang Hai had been quite pleasant toward Zhang Yu today, it didn't mean he had become a soft-tempered person.

He was still that gold-medal teacher who loathed anyone challenging his professional authority.

Hearing Su Haifeng's doubt, he snorted coldly and interrupted him directly. "Teacher Su, are you questioning our physical standards, or are you questioning our professional integrity?"

As the ace PE teacher and a "gold-medal influencer" of Songyang High School, Wang Hai feared Su Haifeng not in the least.

"If you have objections to the grades, then apply for a recount."

"But I can tell you, Zhang Yu's score is absolutely correct. It is 145."

"Not only has his physical strength reached Level 1.25, placing him at the top of the grade, but his bodily structural proportions are also exceptionally excellent."

"With the foundation he has built, his physical strength will undoubtedly continue to rise. He is bound to be a leading figure among this cohort; it's not impossible for him to participate in future athletic competitions."

Athletic competitions, much like Mana competitions, were judged on content that far exceeded the high school curriculum.

Achieving excellent results in them not only brought massive prize money but also provided an advantage in university interviews and could even earn bonus points on the college entrance exam.

As a school that had produced city-wide athletic champions, Songyang High School always held a certain advantage in these competitions.

Hearing Wang Hai's high praise for Zhang Yu, Su Haifeng felt even more astonished. He didn't have time to dwell on the teacher's hostile tone and pressed further, "Didn't he skip most of his PE classes over the last three weeks? How did his score improve so much?"

Hearing this, Wang Hai's old face flushed slightly. He paused before explaining, "Zhang Yu is different from ordinary students. He has his own development path; he knows how to cultivate."

Thinking that since Zhang Yu was a Golden Core disciple, he didn't need any pointing and directing, Wang Hai continued, "It was precisely because I saw this that I allowed him freedom during PE class."

"Forget about him managing his own lessons—in the future, he could even skip class entirely."

"This is what we call teaching according to the student's ability."

After ending the call with Wang Hai, Su Haifeng still felt it was unbelievable. Was Wang Hai talking about Zhang Yu? That pauper?

After frowning in thought for a moment, Su Haifeng dialed another number.

"Hello? The monthly exam results are out. Zhang Yu is 3rd in the grade, his score is..."

After reporting the scores, Su Haifeng sighed and said somewhat awkwardly, "I must admit, my judgment of Zhang Yu was completely wrong."

"With this performance, it's only natural for the school to offer him a Grade B, or even a Grade A contract."

"That's out of my hands. I expect the Student Union will be talking to him in a couple of days."

A male voice came from the other end of the line. "I understand."

"Try to stall the Student Union for me as much as possible. I'll try another way."

Su Haifeng said, "You know how those people in the Student Union are; I can't stall them. Whatever you're planning, do it quickly."

...

6:30 AM.

The entrance to Songyang High School was already bustling with students arriving for class.

As soon as Zhang Yu approached the school gate, he saw that the massive screen at the entrance had been updated with the monthly exam results.

Student privacy, psychological burden... such things naturally did not exist at Songyang High School.

Not only were the results displayed prominently on the large screen at the gate, but they were also posted on every classroom door. Even the electronic screens in the cafeteria continuously cycled through the rankings.

Even when Zhang Yu went to the restroom, he could hear the announcements discussing the exam, praising students with high scores and great improvement, while insulting those who had regressed or had low scores.

Songyang High School excelled in being thorough, having zero privacy, and maximizing psychological pressure.

"...Attention students, we would also like to extend special congratulations to Zhang Yu from the Grade 10 Model Class."

"Zhang Yu has jumped from 10th in the grade all the way to 3rd in this exam, with a total score of 620. An increase of a full 70 points—this can only be described as a leapfrog improvement..."

After finishing in the restroom, Zhang Yu listened to the broadcast while washing his hands, nodding inwardly. *The school's practice of widely publishing grades does have its positive aspects; there are certainly merits to it.*

When Zhang Yu subsequently walked into his classroom, he was met with a massive crowd of onlookers. People's gazes swept over him from time to time, their eyes filled with various emotions.

Qian Shen looked at Zhang Yu, then at Bai Zhenzhen. The scores of 620 and 651 danced before his eyes, making the surrounding students seem dim by comparison.

*As expected, aside from this 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 scene three years from now: the three of them in fierce competition, constantly battling for supremacy, and ultimately all being admitted to top-tier universities together.

He was fired up!

He couldn't wait to pull out his Talisman Book and begin studying talismans again.

*Talismans are my strength, yet I only got 80 this time. I must practice more!*

On the other side, He Dayou looked at his own subject scores with a dark expression.

"Total score: 603."

"Martial Arts: 50..."

The 50 in Martial Arts was so glaring that it made his blood boil; he felt like punching his desk into powder.

Clearly, his consecutive losses to Zhang Yu, combined with his two pathetic performances where he was instantly defeated, had caused his Martial Arts score to drop to this level.

This caused a flicker of killing intent to rise in his eyes as he looked toward Zhang Yu.

However, as the son of a school board member, he quickly suppressed this impulse.

*Every pauper is a valuable resource for the school. How could I lay a hand on him?*

*Don't be angry. Anyway, Zhang Yu should be in the Student Union's sights by now, right?*

*He and I aren't even in the same league. I can't let him disturb my focus; I must concentrate on improving myself.*

He Dayou circulated his mental cultivation method to slowly calm his emotions.

He had also realized that he and Zhang Yu were not competing on the same path; he shouldn't let the other person affect his state or his grades, much like this 50 in Martial Arts.

*Improving my own strength and assets is the only true path.*

*This time, my Daoist Arts score was 90. Although it is my strong subject, there is still room for improvement.*

With that thought, He Dayou took out his Talisman Book, ignoring the changes around him to focus on his studies.

Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen tilted her head as she looked at Zhang Yu, thinking to herself, *Did Yu-zi lie low for a long time, pretending for four months just to make a stunning debut?*

*No, that can't be right. He shouldn't have that kind of ability.*

*Could it be that Yu-zi, like me, has "awakened"?*