https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-19-Live-Combat-and-Unique-Abilities/12581274/
Chapter 20: First
Chapter 20: First
With Fang Xing's current strength, he easily dominated the arena battles.
As the tournament progressed from the quarterfinals to the semifinals, the number of arenas decreased, but the number of spectators at each battle increased.
Until...
"The final match, Fang Xing versus Liu Wei. You two will decide the first and second place in this practical exam!"
On the arena, Xia Long looked at both parties and revealed a smile.
Regardless, the top two spots in the practical exam had been secured by his Grade 12 Class 2 students.
Putting other things aside, the principal should at least give out better benefits this year, right?
And if either of these two manages to get into college, he'll definitely have to reward them handsomely!
"Xing..."
Liu Wei looked at Fang Xing, a hint of eagerness flashing across his face. "Come on... I've been wanting to witness your true strength for a long time now."
As he spoke, the muscles on his body rippled like flowing water, giving off an extremely bizarre appearance.
However, Fang Xing suddenly sighed.
Liu Wei was strong!
Awakening an ability was akin to defying the heavens and altering one's fate, especially in the case of a power-type ability, the effects of which were immediately apparent.
Once they started fighting, it would be difficult for him to handle Liu Wei without unleashing his full strength.
And that would easily reveal some of his secrets.
After all, the Jade Skin could be considered a major milestone in the third realm, and his rapid progress in the Stake Technique was a testament to his extraordinary comprehension abilities.
But it would be much harder to explain away his progress in flesh-refining, even with exceptional talent, without a massive investment of resources.
'Second place in the practical exam is still a pretty good rank, and besides... there's also the written exam!'
'It's just not my style to have the hot-blooded young protagonist decisively win against a former friend after a bitter battle...'
Having made up his mind, Fang Xing finally spoke, "I concede..."
"Concede?"
Xia Long furrowed his brows, and the students and teachers around them stirred in surprise.
"Concede? Why concede?"
"It's said that Liu Wei and Fang Xing are good friends, having grown up together since they were young... Perhaps he just can't bring himself to fight?"
"Nonsense! My relationship with my childhood friend is as bare as our butts. When we took the high school entrance exam, I didn't hold back either, and I beat him black and blue... Isn't it normal for friends to spar and improve each other?"
"Hmph, how stupid! As a cyborg, we have nothing but our grades to speak of... The scores for the end-of-term exam in Grade 11 are very important. If we end up with the same score when applying for university, they will definitely review our records for a comprehensive comparison. That one point in history might just become the deciding factor on the scale... How foolish of Fang Xing!"
Some admired him, while others scoffed.
Liu Wei's face suddenly turned gloomy. "Why?"
"I don't want to fight you. That's the reason."
Fang Xing took a deep breath. "Besides... second place in the practical exam is still pretty good."
Liu Wei's heart stirred as he realized that the final grades for the term would be a combination of the written and practical exam results.
And what about his own academic performance?
It couldn't be described as a complete mess, but it was always slightly inferior to Fang Xing's.
"Alright, since the contestant has conceded, Liu Wei wins this match!"
Xia Long coughed and smiled. "This term's end-of-term exam has now concluded. The results will be released shortly!"
With the aid of the intelligent brain for marking, the written exam results had actually been available for some time.
The reason they had waited until now was solely for the outcome of the practical exam.
Soon, Fang Xing saw his scores.
[Written Exam Score: 874 points (out of 1000)]
[Practical Exam Score: 98 points (out of 100)]
[Combined Score: 175.6 (Combined Score Ranking: 1)]
"Hmm? I'm first in the grade?"
Fang Xing was a little dumbfounded, but he soon understood. "Looks like those students who excelled in the written exam didn't fare so well in the practical exam..."
"How is this possible? I'm only third?"
Liu Wei also saw his scores and found it hard to accept.
"That's normal," Xia Long explained. "The combined score is calculated by taking 90% of the practical exam score and adding it to 10% of the written exam score. Your practical exam score is first in the grade, with a total of 100 points... Your written exam score is 840, giving you a total of 174 points. You're just one point behind Bai Lianyin, who is second in the grade..."
Xia Long then turned to Fang Xing. "Although conceding when you knew you couldn't win took courage, some teachers thought that you were avoiding the battle, so your score is a little lower than it could have been. Otherwise, with your practical exam performance, you would have gotten 99 points, putting you in second place for the grade... Fang Xing, you need to continue working hard. It won't be difficult for someone to surpass you with these scores."
"Yes, teacher."
Fang Xing nodded. "I plan to spend this summer vacation cultivating and studying hard..."
"That's great. I hope you three can maintain this progress. I'll apply for a scholarship for you two next semester."
Xia Long spoke to Fang Xing and Liu Wei, then looked at Bai Lianyin, a smile spreading across his face. "Bai's academic performance is excellent, but she still needs to work harder in practical combat..."
This time, his students had truly made him proud, securing the top three spots in the grade. Even the principal would have to toast him a few more times at the banquet...
"Thank you, teacher."
Fang Xing shot a sideways glance at Liu Wei and Bai Lianyin, sensing something amiss between them. Coupled with the mysterious appearance of Xia Lu on that day, he felt it best to spend this summer vacation holed up at home, exploring the alternate world.
As for living expenses? Well, with the scholarship money coming in soon, there was no need to worry about taking up a part-time job.
...
"It's finally over..."
Happy Home Community.
Fang Xing closed the door behind him and relaxed on his bed.
After the end-of-term exams, the school had started its summer break.
The two-month vacation would give him ample time to delve into the alternate world he had discovered!
"Power, I need greater power!"
Thinking about Liu Wei's progress, Fang Xing felt a sense of urgency.
It wasn't a case of being worried about his brother suffering or driving a fancy SUV.
Rather, Liu Wei's transformation seemed peculiar!
While others might find it normal, the original host, who had grown up with Liu Wei, knew better.
Additionally, some of Liu Wei's recent behaviors had alerted Fang Xing to a potential danger lurking nearby.
'Maybe I'm overthinking this. Perhaps Liu Wei just got lucky with a genetic mutation, resulting in his ability...'
'But... I still need to distance myself from him as soon as possible.'
Fang Xing confronted his inner thoughts, acknowledging that his growing distance from Liu Wei was also driven by a desire to avoid detection of his abnormality by the original host's close friend.
'Even though I possess the memories of the previous host... I am not the original Fang Xing. A traverser always leaves some traces, which others might not notice, but Liu Wei could potentially sense them... So, was I unconsciously pulling away from him all this time?'
Fang Xing sighed.
The original host's friends were not truly his friends.
In the novels he read in his past life, protagonists who immediately bonded with their new fathers and mothers and formed deep friendships with their brothers upon transmigration were not his style.
Without the memories of the original host, such relationships would feel even more fake.
'I am who I am, and that's enough...'
Fang Xing sighed again as he prepared to play a video game, commemorating the youth he had left behind.
"Hmm, there's a new 18+ game out. Let me indulge in it and offer my critique..."
He put on his holographic glasses and immersed himself in the new blockbuster game, oblivious to the passing of time.
Hours later, when Fang Xing finally removed his glasses with a satisfied sigh, he realized that night had fallen outside.
"Hmm? Is that takeout?"
Fang Xing noticed the delivery notification and made his way to the door, where he found two courier parcels.
Opening them, he discovered a wig and the vintage-style robe he had ordered.
To disguise himself as someone from the alternate world, having long hair was essential. Given his time constraints, a wig would have to do for now.
The retro style was also popular on the Eagle Planet, so his purchase of the vintage outfit wouldn't raise any eyebrows.
The robe resembled the wide-sleeved garments of the alternate world, and with the distressed treatment he had specifically requested, the coarse hemp fabric dyed in a dark blue shade looked quite similar to the clothing of that world.
"Well-fed and rested, tomorrow I shall cross over... This time, I will venture into the 'Qinglinfang City' on the other side..."
With his recent language studies, Fang Xing had gained a good grasp of the alternate world's language and felt confident in face-to-face conversations.
He had even secretly approached the farming areas a few times and chatted with some of the simple-looking farmers without raising any suspicions.
"With two months to spare, I hope to achieve some results... At the very least, I should be able to get my hands on the 'Xiantian Dan'..."
Advancing in martial arts would be much easier with sufficient resources.
Progressing from the first realm, the 'Blood and Flesh Realm', to the second realm, the 'Sinew and Bone Realm', was achievable with an ample supply of 'Qi and Blood Dan'.
However, advancing from the 'Sinew and Bone Realm' to the 'Puyu Realm' would be more challenging.
Training the internal organs and enhancing one's internal energy were not overnight endeavors, and many high school students struggled to achieve this, ultimately missing out on university admissions.
"As long as I have the 'Xiantian Dan', advancing to the 'Puyu Realm' will be a smooth journey... If I can also cultivate the 'Great Dragon Stake' to the fourth stage and comprehend the 'Dragon's Intent', I'll be able to advance to the fourth realm of martial arts - the 'Courage and Spirit Realm'!"
"By the time I'm in my senior year, if I've reached the 'Courage and Spirit Realm', not only will I secure a spot in university, but I might even be able to aim for a top-tier institution... Super-elite universities like 'Blue Star University' and 'Nine Swords College' might still be a bit out of reach..."
Fang Xing quietly planned his future, his eyes gleaming with determination.
"In this brilliant interstellar age, it would be a shame not to ride the wave and forge ahead!"
(End of Chapter)
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