Chapter 83: Competition Slots

Chapter 83: Competition Slots (Repaying Monthly Ticket Loan 2)

Songyang High School.

Classroom.

Campus life remained as peaceful as ever, with students’ academic enthusiasm as high as usual.

The Chinese teacher droned on about the textbook, utterly ignored by the class. Below the podium, students punched the air, meditated, or gulped down pills. A few had even started fighting—this was all part of martial arts training. This was the typical atmosphere in a key high school.

Freshmen usually restrained themselves out of habit from their middle school days, but after six months, everyone had shed their pretenses and revealed their true identities as Xian Dao scholars. The teacher didn’t mind. Whether they were boxing, meditating, brawling, or popping pills, cultivating Xian Dao was far more important than her humble Chinese class. As long as they didn’t target her, she was content.

She knew even their General Knowledge Course teachers held minimal status at Songyang High School. Her classmate, who taught at Bailong High School, was often cited by school administrators as a cautionary tale: “If you don’t get into a good university through the Imperial Entrance Exam, you’ll end up like a high school Chinese teacher—worthless.”

Sighing inwardly, she thought, “If the sect and city government didn’t mandate it, key schools would’ve cut General Knowledge Courses entirely by now.”

Suddenly, a phone rang.

She opened her mouth to chide the student—“Switch to vibrate during class; don’t disturb others’ self-study!”—but froze when she saw the culprit: Zhang Yu.

Though just a General Knowledge teacher, she knew his reputation well.

The “Freshman Demon,” the “Songyang Traitor,” the “Root Impurity,” the “Gold-digger”… His nicknames were endless. Rumor had it he’d taken first place in last night’s Martial Arts Competition and arrived late to school today without consequence. With the White Dragon heiress backing him and the Student Union too afraid to challenge him, how dare she—a mere teacher—scold him for a vibrating phone?

She quickly lowered her head, pretending she’d heard nothing.

Zhang Yu, mid-cultivation to strengthen his spiritual resolve, glanced at his phone. The competition prize money had arrived.

“The amount’s modest, but at least the transfer was fast.”

Though ¥50,000 had landed in his account, ¥40,000 went to repaying Zhang Pianpian, and the rest covered meals borrowed from Qian Shen and Zhao Tianxing. His balance now hovered below ¥10,000. He knew Bai Zhenzhen’s fourth-place prize was ¥10,000—her account likely mirrored his.

Thinking ahead to next month’s loan interest, rent, and utilities, he frowned.

“Right, I need a new weighted garment too. Physique cultivation costs will skyrocket—daily food expenses alone…”

The more he calculated, the more he despaired at the endless spending.

“At least Song Hailong’s payment is coming.”

Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen received her prize confirmation. Moments later, a message popped up from Zhang Pianpian:

Zhang Pianpian: “You’re too inexperienced with your Spirit Root. Otherwise, you’d have advanced further in the competition.”

Zhang Pianpian: “Rent Spirit Roots daily from now on. I’ll fund it—just say it’s my investment.”

Zhang Pianpian: “Evolutionary-type Spirit Roots grow stronger with use.”

Bai Zhenzhen stiffened. “She knows about my Spirit Root?”

“Is she trying to cover for me?”

She understood her Spirit Root’s power well. She cultivated secretly every night at home but had always feared using it openly in school—the risks were too great. If discovered, loan sharks, gamblers, and fraudsters would swarm her, not to mention the wealthy elite.

Zhang Pianpian’s words triggered a primal fear, like someone who’d been constipated for a decade suddenly caught in the act.

Yet recalling Zhang Pianpian’s kindness, her bond with Zhang Yu, and her own 699-point exam score, Bai Zhenzhen relaxed.

“She’s trustworthy.”

A plan formed. If she used Zhang Pianpian’s name to justify renting Spirit Roots, she could cultivate openly at school.

“That’d give me ten extra hours of training daily.”

“Next time, I won’t lose so miserably.”

Though she’d placed fourth, the competition had left her bitter—a half-finished flex. Inferior stats and a thinner wallet than the top three schools’ champions had forced her to hold back, ultimately conceding defeat.

Now, with unrestricted Spirit Root use, she felt renewed confidence to rival those elite scholars.

“Zhang Yu stole the spotlight this time, but next round—my turn.”

“Sure, having a prodigy son helps, but crushing him myself and claiming victory? That’ll be satisfying.”

---

Gym class.

A pungent mix of sweat and medicinal herbs filled the air—a signature scent of Songyang’s Xian Dao path.

Clanging weights and groaning bodies echoed. Students pushed themselves to the limit.

Nearby, Bai Zhenzhen radiated surging spiritual essence, drawing envious glances.

“Zhang Pianpian rents Spirit Roots for her daily? She’s too generous…”

Someone in the crowd suddenly thought of a solution. "I can love the White Dragon too. I want to be Zhang Pianpian's dog as well!"

Another student daydreamed aloud: "If Bai Zhenzhen became Zhang Pianpian's dog and gets to rent Spirit Roots daily, what if I became Bai Zhenzhen's dog? Would she let me borrow a Spirit Root for an hour each day?"

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu wasn't frantically training his body like his classmates. Instead, he retreated to a side room to practice the Back Dragon Flip Hand technique he'd recently learned.

After switching his Feather Book's specialization to this grappling martial art yesterday, the 24-hour cooldown period hadn't expired yet. For now, this was the only combat martial art he could improve quickly.

"Might as well train this for now. Once the cooldown ends tonight, I'll switch back to Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi."

Zhang Yu's hands blurred as he began practicing the Back Dragon Flip Hand.

Back Dragon Flip Hand Level 2 (4/20)

This martial art relied purely on physical force, containing eighteen moves. Though not many, each move was brutally concise—designed to break bones, throw opponents, or immobilize them in an instant.

Grappling techniques emphasized speed and precision. Each move took less than a second to execute. In the blink of an eye, Zhang Yu completed the entire set.

Reflecting on his previous martial arts training, he mused, "Combat martial arts need to be simple and fast. That's why each set finishes so quickly."

Zhang Yu knew this was why he'd managed to learn—and surpass—Song Hailong's Back Dragon Flip Hand during their duel.

Minutes later, Zhang Yu felt a surge in his mind as countless training experiences crystallized. His Back Dragon Flip Hand had advanced from Level 2 to Level 3.

"At this rate, I should reach Level 10 today."

While Zhang Yu trained in solitude, physical education teacher Wang Hai had summoned Qian Shen, He Dayou, Zhao Tianxing, and two other students.

"The school wants to select promising first-years to join the athletic competition team for specialized training."

"Are you five interested?"

Before others could react, Qian Shen asked directly, "Just us five? What about Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen?"

Wang Hai replied, "The administration feels they need more time to develop."

Qian Shen frowned. "They scored first and second in the monthly exam. They need more development, but we get chosen?"

Wang Hai couldn't reveal the student union's influence, so he used another excuse.

"They can't afford the competition team's tutoring fees and nutrition costs. How could they join?"

When the five looked surprised, he continued, "Think about it—didn't they borrow money from you for dinner before?"

The others nodded in understanding, especially Qian Shen, who now saw their financial struggles clearly.

After recruiting the five, Wang Hai called Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen over.

"Your applications for the athletic competition team were rejected again."

He looked at them with regret. "You probably understand why."

Initially, Wang Hai thought Zhang Yu was a Golden Core disciple, but after Zhang Pianpian's confrontation with the student union, he wasn't sure anymore. Regardless, he recognized Zhang Yu's exceptional potential.

He thought bitterly, "Too bad the student union won't give them a chance."

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen naturally understood the student union's interference.

Wang Hai continued, "But you're not completely out. If you maintain top five physical scores in a month, you can still represent the school."

They exchanged confused glances.

As if reading their thoughts, Wang Hai explained, "The school selected five students from the first-years for the competition team. In a month, if you can keep your scores in the top five against them, you'll qualify."

Now they understood—the student union believed the five would surpass them after specialized training.

Seeing their burning determination, Wang Hai sighed inwardly.

As Songyang High's top PE teacher, he knew the competition team's training methods well.

"This month-long trial is just the student union's excuse to exclude Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, making Zhang Pianpian powerless to intervene."

"With their current progress, reaching Physical Strength Level 2.1 or 2.2 in a month would be their limit."

"But with the special training program, He Dayou and the others could reach Level 3.0 or higher in a month."

"It's not about talent—it's the huge gap in cultivation technology. If Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen joined the program, their progress would be even greater..."

Knowing this, Wang Hai realized that once excluded from the special training, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen had no real chance to catch up to the competition team's Physical Strength Levels. Their athletic competition dreams were already over.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end