Chapter 26: Registration for the Law Competition and the Arrival of Monthly Exams

Songyang High School.

In the blink of an eye, four days had passed since the day Zhang Yu rented his Qi-Sea Spiritual Root.

Today was the day the tenth grade of Songyang High School would select students to prepare for registration in the city-wide Magic Competition.

During Magic Power class.

As the bell for the end of class rang, Zhang Yu also rarely paused his breathing exercises, opening his eyes to look toward the large screen.

After several days of bitter cultivation, his magic power had continued to rise rapidly, surging from 9.5 to 10.5. The speed of his progress drew many sidelong glances from his classmates.

Furthermore, Zhang Yu's "Circadian Qi Gathering Method" had risen from Level 6 to Level 8 (3/160). However, he was the only one who knew about this achievement; if his classmates or teachers found out, it would be more than just simple surprise.

After all, while Zhang Yu's magic power growth was rapid, it followed a pattern. If many wealthy people threw enough money at it, their magic power would increase even faster than his.

But to raise a breathing technique to Level 8 in such a short time... at least at Zhang Yu's current level, he didn't know anyone else who could achieve this.

Looking at the large screen, the magic power rankings for the entire grade had appeared.

1st Place: Bai Zhenzhen, 12.1 2nd Place: Qian Shen, 11.9

Zhang Yu continued to scan down and quickly found himself in eighth place.

8th Place: Zhang Yu, 10.5

"Eighth place, huh?" Zhang Yu nodded slightly, knowing that registering for the Magic Competition would be no problem.

But soon, a chill rose in his heart. Listening to that countdown, Zhang Yu had no choice but to close his eyes again and seize the time to begin breathing exercises.

On the podium, Teacher Yan brushed her hair aside, glanced at the rankings, and said with satisfaction, "In the past week, everyone's distraction rate has dropped by another 8%, and the efficiency of magic power improvement is 12% higher than last month. I am very gratified."

Seeing Zhang Yu seizing the time to continue his breathing exercises, she nodded approvingly and continued, "I would like to give special praise to one student here: Zhang Yu."

"Not only has he maintained a 0% distraction rate for two consecutive weeks, but in the past week, he has made a qualitative leap in magic power, jumping from 16th to 8th place. This is truly remarkable. Everyone, let's give him a round of applause."

Sparse applause broke out. Teacher Yan then announced the top ten students who would participate in the Magic Competition.

"The competition starts next month. Once I receive the specific schedule and rules, I will distribute them to you."

"Alright, class is dismissed."

"By the way, students who want to buy Spirit Gathering Pills, remember to come to my office. There is a discount promotion running recently..."

Below the podium, Bai Zhenzhen looked as if she had lost some weight; her cheeks had become somewhat sunken.

Looking at Teacher Yan's beaming face, she thought to herself, "Everyone is 'involution-ing' so hard lately, and isn't it because..."

At this thought, she subconsciously looked toward Zhang Yu's seat, only to find that he had started breathing exercises again.

"You beast! Zhang Yu, you beast! Stop it! Stop fucking 'involuting' so hard!"

After cursing inwardly for a while, Bai Zhenzhen ultimately could not bear to watch her good friend progress all by himself. She closed her eyes in agony and began her own breathing exercises.

Not far from Bai Zhenzhen, Qian Shen had been staring at both her and Zhang Yu. Seeing them both seize the break time and the time meant for talking to the teacher to practice, his heart sank.

As a student in the demonstration class of Songyang High School, Qian Shen believed that he would never fear "involution" in his life.

But over the past eight days, after competing alongside Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, his mindset had changed.

"They don't even go to the bathroom, and they don't even scratch an itch. I really can't reach their level!"

"Could it be that compared to them, I am the one who hasn't fully evolved?!"

Staring intensely at the two still practicing, Qian Shen finally closed his eyes in resentment.

Involute! Just fucking hard-core involute!

...

During Physical Education class.

Many students were either using needles or practicing body tempering, accompanied by bursts of beast-like roars. Even the floor was constantly stained with the heavy scent of sweat.

Bai Zhenzhen wiped the sweat from her forehead and subconsciously glanced at the small dark room in the corner.

Because he had previously been isolated by the PE teacher, Wang Hai, Zhang Yu had been practicing alone in that small room during recent PE classes.

However, at this moment, Zhang Yu was no longer absorbing spiritual energy through breathing exercises like he had in previous days; instead, he had begun practicing the "Thirty-Six Styles of Body Strengthening."

Amidst a series of cracks and pops, Zhang Yu's muscles bulged, erupting with fierce power as he abruptly lifted and lowered the training equipment before doing it again...

At the same time, on his Feather Book, he switched his specialization from the Level 8 Circadian Qi Gathering Method to the Level 3 Thirty-Six Styles of Body Strengthening.

Zhang Yu naturally had his reasons for doing this.

First, due to the lack of a matching spiritual root, the amount of spiritual energy Zhang Yu could personally absorb was too limited; the effectiveness of further upgrading the Circadian Qi Gathering Method was becoming increasingly marginal.

Second, since he had already secured his spot in the Magic Competition, his next goal was the monthly exam in nine days.

"My magic power has increased significantly recently. Even without active breathing, the passive effect of the Level 8 Circadian Qi Gathering Method provides 65% of the effect of active breathing."

"My magic power score for this monthly exam won't be bad. If I continue to invest heavily... the cost-effectiveness for increasing my score is getting a bit low."

Zhang Yu calculated in his mind: "To improve my monthly exam scores next, I need to look at Dao Heart, PE, Martial Arts, and Dao Arts."

"Regarding Dao Heart... although I haven't mastered the Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Manual, I have fully comprehended its mysteries. I should be able to get a good score in the Dao Heart exam."

"As for Martial Arts, besides the 20 points for theory, the remaining 80 points depend on combat. To improve that, I'd need to hire someone to spar with me, which won't happen that quickly."

"Dao Arts is even harder; it's impossible to improve in such a short time."

After thinking it over, Zhang Yu felt it would be better to spend the next nine days improving his Thirty-Six Styles of Body Strengthening and his physical strength.

In particular, while practicing the Thirty-Six Styles, he discovered an additional benefit brought by the Circadian Qi Gathering Method.

As he circulated his strength and his muscles constantly contracted and expanded with his effort, the magic power circulation within his body continued to run. As the magic power flowed, it converted wisps of spiritual energy into magic power.

During this process, as the magic power flowed through his worn tendons and torn muscles, it began to nourish the parts damaged by exercise, replenishing flesh and accelerating repair, thereby enhancing the training effect.

Originally, reaching Level 3 of the Thirty-Six Styles of Body Strengthening would allow one to use magic power to achieve a similar effect.

But now, under the operation of the Circadian Qi Gathering Method, a more complex and delicate magic power circulation continuously covered Zhang Yu's entire body, greatly enhancing his recovery and body-tempering efficiency.

He felt that if he could normally only practice the Thirty-Six Styles twenty or thirty times a day, with the assistance of the Circadian Qi Gathering Method, he could now practice at least fifty or sixty times.

Thus, for the upcoming period, Zhang Yu planned to "involute" his Thirty-Six Styles of Body Strengthening.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, a sudden sense of emotion welled up in his heart.

"I seem to be getting more and more used to this 'involution'."

"Sigh, this damn Kunxu is truly turning people into ghosts."

However, after practicing the Thirty-Six Styles fifteen times in a row, Zhang Yu realized he was wrong.

He lay on the ground, drenched in sweat; the floor, soaked by his perspiration, seemed to show a faint human silhouette.

Even if the PE teacher, Wang Hai, saw this scene of diligent practice, he would surely say: "Good work, take a rest."

But the one supervising Zhang Yu right now was not a person, but a Ritual: *You must keep training.*

"Please abide by the ritual agreement. Work hard to fulfill your wish. Do not intentionally slack off or procrastinate. 10."

Zhang Yu lamented, "Idiot! I'm at my limit!"

It was bitter!

This body-tempering labor was far more grueling than breathing exercises.

Zhang Yu felt as if his lungs were wheezing like bellows, and every inch of flesh in his body sent out a tearing, aching pain.

"I was too young to think I had already adapted to this broken world."

Listening to the continuous countdown in his ear, Zhang Yu remained lying on the ground like a dead fish. It wasn't until the countdown neared its final moment that he suddenly leaped up, enduring the full-body soreness and exhaustion to continue his training.

Thirty-Six Styles of Body Strengthening, Level 3 (22/30).

After finally finishing another round, Zhang Yu collapsed once more into his own sweat. As he listened to the chilling countdown, he felt the power of the Ritual, which seemed poised to tear his body to shreds.

"Is this a world a human can adapt to?"

"Damn it... before I'm driven to jump off a building, I must break this broken Ritual!"

That noon, Zhang Yu acted out of character. Under the surprised gazes of Bai Zhenzhen and Zhou Tianyi, he spent over 100 yuan in one go to order a massive bucket of food.

If the growth of magic power required absorbing more spiritual energy, then the improvement of body-tempering required more and more nutritious food.

"I'm going to eat ten pounds!"

Seeing Zhang Yu's lunch portion, Bai Zhenzhen knew exactly how hard he had trained in PE today.

"Does he feel he's 'involuted' enough with magic power for now and is starting to 'involute' his physical strength again?"

When did this guy start being such a maniac?

Was it the extra competitive drive that comes from not being neutered?

Watching Zhang Yu swallow a whole chicken leg in one bite and crush the bones into powder with a few chews, Bai Zhenzhen unconsciously sped up her own eating.

Zhou Tianyi said helplessly, "Slow down, you guys. No one is grading your eating speed."

Not far away, Su Haifeng, who was also eating in the cafeteria, watched the slow-moving students and thought to himself, "Lunch breaks are still too long."

"I keep saying the school should install more surveillance cameras in the cafeteria. Anyone whose eating time exceeds 10 minutes should be publicly criticized and fined."

With this thought, he drafted a proposal, intending to send it to the principal as a "valuable suggestion for cafeteria reform."

In the days that followed, besides his regular classes, Zhang Yu practiced the Thirty-Six Styles of Body Strengthening whenever he had time. When he reached his physical limit and could no longer train his body, he was forced to breathe in spiritual energy.

Tortured day after day in this manner, the time finally arrived for the monthly exam nine days later.