https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-94-Advanced-Teaching-Methods-from-Key-High-School/13686523/
Chapter 95: Zhang Yu's Secret
That night, as Zhang Yu swallowed the Hunyuan Pill in one gulp, the immense medicinal force surged once more through his body, flooding every fiber of his being—his muscles, organs, and bones.
Immediately, Zhang Yu activated his Chisui Hunyuanqi cultivation, tensing every sinew and internal system, striving to absorb the torrential energy.
Every time this happened, he couldn’t help but feel the truth: the 30,000 yuan he’d spent on medicine wasn’t lost—it had become part of him, fused into his flesh and blood.
A full night passed in silence. Zhang Yu glanced at the Feather Scroll, now displaying his Physical Strength Level at 2.08. A faint, satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
It had been two weeks since the Martial Arts Competition.
Two weeks remained until the official confirmation of whether Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen would qualify for the Sports Competition Team—based on the top five in physical performance.
Six weeks remained until the Sports Competition itself.
Though Zhang Yu had focused most of his energy on raising his Physical Strength Level, the support of his cultivation technique and passive breath-sustaining method ensured that Dao Heart and Martial Energy had also advanced quietly.
The Feather Scroll now showed:
Dao Heart Level 3 (93%)
Martial Energy: 25.5
“Dao Heart and Martial Energy are progressing slightly slower now, but it’s still manageable. No need to switch to a more powerful cultivation method yet. Right now, I should keep my focus on Physical Strength.”
“At my current income, I can keep buying Hunyuan Pills. Once I earn more, I might even afford some supplementary food.”
“If I keep advancing with 10-level Chisui Hunyuanqi, I should easily make the top five in Physical Strength Level in two weeks. And in six weeks, breaking the 4.0 level in the Sports Competition? Not impossible.”
With that thought, Zhang Yu checked his bank balance.
Despite tutoring Song Hailong again and teaching extra classes in the campus district, after the new month began, he’d deducted 15,000 yuan in loan interest, under 2,000 yuan for rent and utilities, plus costs for Hunyuan Pills and food.
Now, he had just over 5,000 yuan left.
“Damn… still so broke. Hope they assign me more classes soon.”
The thought flickered in his mind, and Zhang Yu quickly headed toward school.
At the school gate, he saw the display of the latest Monthly Exam results.
It was a day of celebration across Songyang High School—teachers and students alike were in high spirits, welcoming the new academic rankings with cheer.
Recalling the exam two days prior, Zhang Yu sighed softly:
“Too bad. If only the test had been delayed a few more days… I could’ve taken it after refining my body with the second Hunyuan Pill.”
“But it’s not so bad. My physical score should be much higher next time.”
He glanced briefly at the rankings, then walked toward his classroom.
For Zhang Yu, the Monthly Exam was now just a minor concern. The real focus was the upcoming competitions.
He still remembered what Zhang Pianpian had told him:
“To get into the top ten, win every remaining competition this year—become the strongest freshman in Songyang City.”
But just as Zhang Yu stepped into the teaching building—
CRASH!
A deafening explosion shattered the air as a figure plummeted from above, hurtling toward the ground.
Zhang Yu reacted instinctively—dodging sideways, then reaching out. A soft burst of white Wuxiang Yun'gang erupted from his palm, a gentle yet powerful force that caught the falling figure mid-fall, absorbing the momentum and preventing any injury.
Staring at the person he’d saved, Zhang Yu blinked in surprise.
“You’re… Shuang Youpeng?”
He remembered this former top scorer in the first year—now a sophomore—once thoroughly humiliated in combat class by Zhou Chichen, the vice-president of the Student Union.
“Jumping off the school grounds incurs a fine, you know. Lucky I was here.”
“And besides, with your skill level, that height wouldn’t even kill you. A serious injury would just make things worse.”
But then Zhang Yu noticed something strange.
Shuang Youpeng’s face hadn’t changed much—but the man felt… unnaturally light.
The flesh beneath his clothes seemed to have vanished, as if most of his body had been hollowed out. He didn’t feel like a strong sophomore at all.
Shuang Youpeng said nothing. No thanks. No reproach. He simply stood up, silent and hollow, and walked toward the classroom building.
Zhang Yu opened his mouth, then closed it.
He sensed something in the man—complete emotional numbness, as if his spirit had already died.
Finally, Zhang Yu muttered, “You okay?”
Shuang Youpeng paused, his voice flat.
“I’m fine. Just… a moment of weakness. I still have debts to repay. Won’t do it again. And please—don’t tell anyone about this. The school will fine you.”
He paused again, then added quietly:
“The Sports Competition… you should just give up. It won’t end well.”
…
In Class 1, Grade 10.
A group of students clustered around He Dayou, congratulating him.
“Dàyǒu, your progress is incredible! You actually got first place in the Monthly Exam!”
“662 points! That’s enough to get a free tour of Bailong High School!”
“General Knowledge: 49, Dao Heart: 130, Martial Energy: 143, Physical: 150, Martial Skill: 95, Dao Art: 95… Even the top students from the three major schools can’t match this.”
He Dayou watched them with a faint, contemptuous smirk.
In the martial combat exam, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen had been paired together—finally allowing He Dayou to achieve a score that matched his true potential.
“Martial Skill? I’ve finally gotten back what’s rightfully mine.”
And Dao Art—his natural strength—had only grown sharper. Physical performance, thanks to training in the competition team, had become the best in the grade.
At that moment, his phone buzzed.
A message from a classmate he’d asked to look into Zhang Yu’s current Physical Strength Level:
Zhang Yu? The guy who skips PE? Finally got his Physical Strength Level from the exam hall—2.05 level?
No surprise he’s been feeding that dog Zhang Pianpian—must’ve gotten some serious supplements.
But still… 2.3 level for me? He’s way behind. And the gap will only grow.
Seeing Zhang Yu’s score, He Dayou exhaled in relief.
All his time, effort, and money spent in the competition team hadn’t been wasted.
“Zhang Yu… enjoy the feeling of giving your all—only to fall further behind.”
But while He Dayou felt triumphant, Zhao Tianxing felt crushed.
“Even Yu and A-Zhen… have been completely overtaken by He Dayou?”
He couldn’t help but envy them. But like Qian Shen, Zhao Tianxing had already left the competition team. He watched helplessly as another student joined, their Physical Strength Level skyrocketing—then outperformed him in the exam.
Zhao Tianxing thought to himself:
“Qian Shen quit because he refused to buy strength with money. He didn’t want to pay for flesh and grades.”
But after Zhao Tianxing left, he sensed Qian Shen glance at him—just once—with something like respect.
Yet Zhao Tianxing knew the truth: he and Qian Shen were nothing alike.
He lacked Qian Shen’s confidence, his courage, his unshakeable presence.
He’d quit the team because he was weak.
He couldn’t bear the thought of failing after his parents had poured their life savings into him.
“The sponsorship fee for the competition team? Would require my parents to sell our house.”
“This is only the first year… what about next year? The years ahead?”
“With all this money spent… can I even earn it back? Can I really succeed?”
He had no confidence.
He feared wasting his parents’ life savings.
He feared ending up buried in debt, with nothing to show for it.
So he’d walked away.
“I’m a failure. I said I didn’t want to buy scores—like Qian Shen. But I’m not like him. I wanted it… and I’m scared of failing.”
…
In the cafeteria, Zhao Tianxing placed his tray down, his face heavy with worry.
Then he saw Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen—eating like they were racing each other—devouring their synthetic food in a flash.
“Ugh… Yu and A-Zhen are always so cheerful. Even after being overtaken in rankings, they don’t seem fazed. I wish I could be like that.”
Bai Zhenzhen glanced at Zhang Yu’s protein milk, thinking:
“Yu’s been eating better lately. Did he find money? Or sell something he shouldn’t have?”
Zhang Yu, meanwhile, stared at Bai Zhenzhen’s bowl of gruel, thinking:
“A-Zhen needs to raise her Physical Strength Level too. Her money’s probably tight lately. I wonder if she’s interested in the Dark Tutoring Realm?”
Inside Zhang Yu’s chest, The Doll observed Bai Zhenzhen closely. After days of watching, it had reached a conclusion.
It whispered into Zhang Yu’s mind:
“Hey, Zhang Yu… did you know this woman has something inside her?”
“Pfft!”
Zhang Yu choked, nearly spitting out his food.
He turned sharply, whispering under his breath—only for himself:
“A-Zhen’s pregnant?”
On the other side, Bai Zhenzhen glared at Zhang Yu, now covered in spilled gruel from his sudden reaction.
“You’re dead, Zhang Yu! You want food? Use a better trick than that? I’ll pee in your bowl!”
The Doll’s voice echoed in Zhang Yu’s mind:
“I meant the Spirit Root. She’s got one inside her.”
Zhang Yu rolled his eyes.
“Duh. She’s renting a Spirit Root.”
The Doll chuckled.
“Really? From my observation… the Spirit Root inside her—it’s her own.”
“It’s just exceptionally good at hiding. If you weren’t with her every day, and if she didn’t use it freely in front of you… I wouldn’t have noticed either.”
Zhang Yu stared at Bai Zhenzhen, stunned.
“A-Zhen… has a Spirit Root growing inside her?”
Bai Zhenzhen snapped:
“What are you muttering about? Go buy me another lunch!”
Zhang Yu’s mind still reeling from the revelation, he grabbed his Student Card and rushed off to get her food.
Bai Zhenzhen watched as Zhang Yu’s phone vibrated on the table.
A message popped up:
Lian Tianji: Sell me one of the clothes you’ve worn.
Bai Zhenzhen froze.
Then, silently, she turned off his phone.
“No wonder Yu’s been so flush lately.”
“He’s already moved so far ahead… without me even noticing.”
“Yu… you’ve gone this far for money, for the Dao path?”
(End of Chapter)
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