Chapter 33: The Physical Exam and Wang Hai’s Strategy
Inside the men’s preparation room.
As the students warmed up and went through their preparations, the smells of sweat, feet, and oil continuously diffused throughout the cramped space.
While enduring the foul odors of the preparation room, Zhang Yu continuously smeared the Vajra Ghee he had bought onto various parts of his body, making the lines of his muscles more distinct.
The thought that a single jar of this Vajra Ghee cost over a hundred yuan, and that one exam required a full jar, made Zhang Yu apply it all the more carefully, afraid of wasting even a drop.
“This damn school, selling necessary exam supplies for so much.”
But Zhang Yu didn’t dare go without it.
Although the Vajra Ghee had no body tempering effects, it made the muscle lines and physical structure of his entire body more pronounced, making it easier for the judges of the body tempering exam to score him.
And if he didn’t apply the oil, and the judges’ vision blurred for a moment, preventing them from clearly seeing the lines of his flesh and muscle, a low score would be a great loss.
Furthermore, with his current understanding of the world of Kunxu, Zhang Yu strongly suspected that the school’s business of selling this Vajra Ghee certainly cut the judges in for a good sum of money; it was even possible that not using the oil would directly lead to a maliciously low score.
Zhang Yu called over his shoulder, “Old Zhao, help me get my back.”
“You got it.” Zhao Tianxing dipped his hand into the Vajra Ghee Zhang Yu was holding and began to rub it across his back.
As he did, he observed Zhang Yu’s physical condition and thought to himself, Zhang Yu’s physical strength level seems quite high.
Although Zhang Yu pursued a balanced development of strength, speed, and agility, unlike Zhao Tianxing’s path of focusing on strength, he knew what to look for.
As a core student who often attended Wang Hai’s classes, Zhao Tianxing had naturally seen many top students who excelled at body tempering.
Now, looking at Zhang Yu’s muscles and feeling their marble-like texture, he could clearly sense that Zhang Yu’s physical strength was by no means low.
It seems… it seems a bit higher than my own?
But how is that possible? He doesn’t even have a supervising teacher for physical education anymore.
A short while later, Zhang Yu, Zhao Tianxing, and the rest of their group of ten arrived at the examination area, glistening with oil and wearing testing patches.
The gazes of the five physical education teachers below the stage swept across them, with Wang Hai’s eyes pausing on Zhao Tianxing and Zhang Yu before he spoke.
“Begin.”
Hah!
Hyah!
Hrah!
With a series of fierce shouts, the students on the stage took turns erupting with the full force of their bodies, their muscles bulging as they unleashed the raw violence contained within their flesh.
The platform beneath their feet creaked and groaned under the explosive force, as if parts of it could no longer withstand the abuse from these waves of body tempering monstrosities.
At the same time, the strength data from the testing patches was rapidly transmitted to the judges’ screens.
Wang Hai immediately looked at Zhang Yu’s data. “Right arm muscle burst: 443 kilograms of force. Left arm muscle burst: 422 kilograms of force…”
This much progress in just a few weeks?
What kind of demonic beast drug did he take? Is his physical structure on the verge of being destroyed?
Seeing this data, Wang Hai’s gaze sharpened, and he immediately looked up at Zhang Yu on the stage.
At the same time, not long after the ten students on the stage had unleashed their physical power, they felt five icy gazes sweep over them.
Looking up from below, one would have the impression of seeing ten ferocious, body-tempering beasts, their momentum surging.
But to the students on the stage, looking down at the five physical education teachers felt like being targeted by five terrifying behemoths.
Those cold, critical eyes were like five great beasts at a butcher’s stall, picking and choosing which cuts of meat to devour from their bodies.
In that moment, Zhao Tianxing felt like a lamb to the slaughter before the five teachers, able only to tense every muscle and do his utmost to unleash his power.
Zhang Yu, on the other hand, felt something completely different from his classmates.
He felt as if he had been instantly locked onto by five pairs of blazing eyes, a stare so intense it gave him goosebumps.
At the same time, one of the teachers below exclaimed in admiration, “What a frame! The back of a beast, the chest of a demon, the arms of a fiend. To think a first-year student has already refined their physical structure to such a degree.”
Another teacher said, practically drooling, “Look at his legs. You can tell at a glance that his joints have been shaped through countless trials. With a foundation this solid, he’s destined to soar. Why don’t I ever get students like this?”
A third teacher clapped Wang Hai on the shoulder and said, “Teacher Wang, is this another one of your specially nurtured disciples? His structural alignment is perfect. Such outstanding sculpting must have taken a great deal of effort on your part. Your year-end bonus is a sure thing now.”
Wang Hai, who had just been debating whether to betray his conscience and give Zhang Yu a maliciously low score, simply gave an awkward smile and didn’t reply after being clapped on the shoulder.
Yet, his gaze toward Zhang Yu still held a trace of irrepressible admiration.
He couldn’t help but think, Although selling drugs is my main business…
As a physical education teacher, Wang Hai simply couldn’t bring himself to give a low score to a physique as flawless as uncarved jade; the body was practically a work of art!
Besides, the comments from the other teachers had already blocked off any path he might have had to grade unfairly.
So, after grading Zhang Yu fairly, a ruthless glint flashed in Wang Hai’s eyes.
Such a massive improvement in so little time, especially with how well his physical structure has been aligned.
From the looks of it, there’s an eighty percent chance Zhang Yu has truly become a Golden Core disciple.
Since that’s the case, I have no choice but to use my final option.
…
Dinnertime.
In the cafeteria.
Because he had started practicing the eighth level of the Celestial Cycle Qi-Gathering Method again today, Zhang Yu’s appetite had shrunk considerably, and he was about to finish the food on his tray in just a few bites.
But just then, a large shadow fell over him.
Like a great mountain, Wang Hai sat down in front of him with a thud.
Then, Wang Hai smiled at Bai Zhenzhen, who was sitting nearby.
“Bai Zhenzhen, would you mind if I had a private word with Zhang Yu?”
Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu, and after he gave her a nod, she moved to a seat a dozen meters away, watching them with a curious expression.
Zhang Yu’s gaze toward Wang Hai also carried a hint of caution; after all, their relationship could hardly be called good.
But then Wang Hai said, “Let’s exchange contact info. We haven’t done that yet.”
After becoming eighty percent certain that the boy was a Golden Core disciple, Wang Hai decided to resort to his final option: giving a gift.
He would use a gift to mend their relationship.
But what to give became a new problem.
Wang Hai hadn’t gotten to where he was today without a certain wisdom when it came to giving gifts.
His first thought was naturally body tempering drugs. As a peddler of such things, giving out samples, experimental products, and even contraband was second nature to him, almost a conditioned response.
But on second thought, he dismissed the idea.
Zhang Yu himself said he tempers his body naturally. True or not, wouldn’t I be slapping him in the face by offering him drugs? No, that won’t do.
So, his thoughts turned to body tempering cultivation techniques instead.
As a star physical education teacher, another of his major income streams besides selling drugs came from private tutoring.
Tutoring the children of certain people and teaching them body tempering cultivation techniques had always been his surefire method for building connections.
But he soon dismissed this option as well.
What good are the few cultivation techniques I’m authorized to teach to the Zhang Yu of today?
He’s a Golden Core disciple, after all. Why would he need a cultivation technique from a mere high school P.E. teacher?
After thinking it over, it seems the only thing to give is…
Just then, after they had exchanged contact information, Wang Hai spoke again.
“Zhang Yu, your performance on the exam today was excellent. I was thinking I don’t have anything particularly worthy to give you, so I’ll just transfer you some money.”
“It’s just a small token of my appreciation. I hope you won’t think it’s too little.”
Picking up his vibrating phone and seeing it was a transfer notification from Wang Hai, Zhang Yu’s thoughts stirred.
He’s sending me money to smooth things over? Does he think a little cash can just erase the fact that he isolated me?
Since his past life, Zhang Yu had always looked down on such monetary transactions. As he tapped the notification, he tried to form a disdainful expression, but found he couldn’t quite manage it.
Transfer received from Wang Hai: 66,666.66.
From a dozen meters away, Bai Zhenzhen watched Zhang Yu’s expression and wondered, What in the world happened? Yu-boy can’t even keep the corners of his mouth from turning up.
At the same time, Wang Hai said with a look of utter sincerity, “Seeing your progress today has brought me great relief.”
“It was my own poor teaching ability before. I misjudged you, and for that, I apologize.”
Seeing Wang Hai about to stand and bow, Zhang Yu stopped him.
“Teacher, you were only trying to do what was best for me. How could I let you apologize?”
Zhang Yu was disgusted with his own worldliness.
Damn it, Zhang Yu, how did you become this kind of person? Were you really bought off so easily?
But this wasn’t about the money. Old Wang was a man in his seventies or eighties, a proud, face-conscious, star teacher, and he had apologized to him; there was sincerity in that.
Seeing Zhang Yu’s smile, Wang Hai breathed a small sigh of relief, but the thought of the sixty-six thousand sent another pang of pain through his heart.
Although his income was high, his expenses were far beyond those of an ordinary person, so he never had much spare cash on hand. Sixty-six thousand was by no means a small sum to him.
But he knew this was no time to be agonizing over sixty-six thousand yuan. After all, before him was the newly accepted disciple of the Golden Core True Person, Senior Starfire.
Years of experience had taught Wang Hai that if you were going to give money, you had to give enough to make an impact all at once.
He grasped Zhang Yu’s hands and said earnestly, “From now on, my class is your class. You can do whatever you want. It’s fine even if you don’t show up. Skip whenever you like. I’ll give you absolute freedom.”
What was the ultimate sign of a teacher’s respect for a student?
Having taught at Songyang High School for many years, Wang Hai had his own answer: letting them skip class freely. This was the respect he showed to a disciple of a Golden Core.
“Huh?” Zhang Yu was slightly taken aback at first, but then a wave of delight followed. For a self-disciplined student like him, being able to freely manage his class time was indeed a good thing.
Wang Hai looked at Zhang Yu’s surprised expression and said meaningfully, “Heh, it’s not as if you need my guidance anymore, after all.”
After a few more pleasantries, Wang Hai took his leave.
“Alright, I have other matters to attend to, and I’m sure you do as well, so I won’t disturb you any longer.”