Chapter 37: Geniuses Abound
Chapter 37: Geniuses Abound (Please Keep Reading)
Lin Qi heard his classmates’ astonished voices but remained unfazed. Only a faint ripple stirred within him.
Jiang Tao marveled silently: No wonder they call him Brother Qi. No matter the situation, he stays calm—unshaken even if a mountain collapses before him. Compared to him, I still have a long way to go.
…
“I think everyone should check their rankings in Tianhai City,” Class Teacher Yan Hong suddenly advised.
All attention shifted to the citywide rankings.
“This month’s Tianhai City Monthly Assessment included all ten key secondary schools and 43 regular schools across the city,” she continued. “But unfortunately, only one student from our school made it into the top ten citywide.”
Li Zhou frowned at the score sheet, his displeasure evident.
The class erupted in whispers.
Lin Qi glanced at the rankings and saw Li Zhou’s name.
[Grade Rank #1, City Rank #9]
“Wait, Li Zhou’s only ninth in the city? He nearly dropped out of the top ten!”
“His Vital Energy Stat is 9.8—that’s almost breaking into the next realm! If he’s only ninth, how strong are the top eight?”
The room buzzed with disbelief.
“Look at Yu Jing, ranked second in our grade—he’s only fifteenth citywide, far behind Li Zhou. Qi Yuelin’s even worse at 24th!”
“Some of us are ranked below 40th…”
Students who once felt invincible now felt their confidence shatter. Yu Jing and Qi Yuelin stiffened at the gossip.
“Even I’m ranked 100th,” Jiang Tao muttered, laughing bitterly. “I was seventh in our grade.”
The class struggled to accept their standings. Martial Artists in their final year rarely faced citywide assessments before, leaving them unaware of their true positions. Now, reality hit hard.
Yu Jing’s face darkened most. At Tianhai No.2 High, he’d nearly matched Li Zhou, fooling himself into thinking he could surpass him. Now, the gap felt insurmountable.
The classroom fell silent, the weight of inadequacy crushing their spirits.
Yan Hong spoke again: “In Tianhai City alone, ten elite schools produce thousands of students—geniuses as plentiful as river carp. Without effort, you’ll only be discarded. This is just the beginning.”
Her words pressed like boulders on their chests.
“The upcoming Cang Province Assessment will rank all senior Martial Artists provincewide. You’ll compete against even more prodigies. Only true geniuses will rise.”
No one could mask their anxiety.
Yan Hong concluded, “The rankings are out. The Training Hall and scholarships will be processed tomorrow. I’ll send the score sheet to the group chat. Class dismissed.”
As students packed up, Jiang Tao sighed, “There are too many geniuses. We need to work harder.”
Lin Qi nodded calmly. “Our rankings may be low now, but with our innate talents, we still have room to grow.”
“Right!” Jiang Tao agreed.
“Chen Zichuan,” Lin Qi called as they walked to the Martial Arts Classroom, “congratulations on your progress.”
“Yeah, Chen! You’re a genius too,” Jiang Tao added, giving a thumbs-up. “You jumped from 50th to 35th in grade—second only to Brother Qi!”
Chen Zichuan, uncharacteristically smiling, replied, “Thanks.”
…
Back at the Training Hall, Lin Qi changed into his uniform, swallowed a Physical Energy Capsule, and prepared for his final session at Jiang Tao’s Hall tonight. Tomorrow, he’d finally have his own independent Training Hall.
He checked his Status Panel:
[Name: Lin Qi (17)]
[Occupation: Martial Artist]
[Template: Erlang Deity·Yang Jian (6%)]
[Innate Talents: Stomach Reinforcement, Dragon Vigor Tiger Might]
[Martial Arts: Harmony Stance, Five Elements Boxing·Tiger Form, Fundamental Spear Manual, Mountain-Shattering Spear Method]
[Vital Energy Stat: 8.2]
[Fist Techniques: Second Stage 10%]
[Spear Techniques: First Stage 92%]
[Body Techniques: First Stage 87%]
He exhaled. Over a month since activating his Template, his progress astounded him. His Vital Energy Stat had surged to 8.2, just 1.8 shy of the Second Realm. His techniques far exceeded his expectations.
“This is only natural,” he mused. “With Dragon Vigor Tiger Might, I train longer hours, recover faster, and stay energized. If I can’t break top twenty now, I’d deserve to trip on tofu and die.”
“The Second-Class Genius Loan is now achievable. Tomorrow’s Stellar Rank Event will decide everything.”
With that, he began his stance training.
…
In the Principal’s Office, Jiang Zhiguang stared at the projected score sheet on his ergonomic chair, his expression grave.
“These results…”
He suddenly grinned, lifting his porcelain teacup. “Outstanding!”
“Tianhai’s ten elite schools fall into three tiers: No.1, No.8, and Senior High lead the first tier. No.3 Senior High and others form the second. Our No.2 High and three others are third-tier.”
“Historically, we’ve never had a top ten student. This year, Li Zhou changed that. The class’s overall rankings also surpassed past cohorts.”
Yan Hong, seated on the sofa, analyzed charts and graphs. Zhang Cheng lounged opposite, stubbing out a cigarette.
“Li Zhou earned his spot,” Zhang Cheng said. “But the class’s overall improvement? That’s my coaching.”
He glanced at Lin Qi’s score, smirking.
“Hiring you was the best decision,” Jiang Zhiguang admitted.
“After this Assessment, the major Martial Arts Pavilions—especially the Big Three—will scramble to recruit talents with contracts and sponsorships. How many A-Rank contracts do you think our students can secure?”
Zhang Cheng shook his head. “Tough. Only Li Zhou, Yu Jing, and Qi Yuelin have a shot.”
…
The next day, Zhang Cheng stood before the class.
“First, the Monthly Assessment results: anyone dropping out of the top thirty loses their Training Hall access. Pack up and vacate the premises.”
He turned to Lin Qi. “You’re moving to Room 503.”
Lin Qi nodded. Finally, his own Training Hall. No more waking at 4 AM to rush here. The class already knew their “study demon” trained before dawn.
“You’ve seen your rankings,” Zhang Cheng barked. “Feel the pressure? Good. Turn it into power. Train until you can’t stand—then train harder. Improve your ranks!”
He glared. “I expect everyone to rise in the Provincial Assessment a month from now. If you lack the guts, quit now and make way for those who will fight!”
The class erupted into training.
(End of Chapter)
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