Chapter 52: The Monthly Exam Ends, A Storm Gathers
Inside the unfinished building.
Zhang Yu, clad in a weighted suit, threw a punch. As his foot stamped on the concrete floor, a muffled boom suddenly erupted through the level.
Already drenched in sweat, Zhang Yu continued without pause, practicing the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms, one move at a time.
His entire body was scorching hot, emitting faint clouds of white vapor into the cold night.
A week ago, he had become able to maintain the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Mantra while wearing the weighted suit and practicing the Limitless Cloud Hand to level 10. Since then, Zhang Yu had begun to challenge an even greater difficulty: practicing the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms to level 10.
It was incredibly difficult at first, a dual trial of both body and mind.
Fortunately, as long as he could maintain the heart art, the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Mantra always brought Zhang Yu a sliver of joy and satisfaction born from anticipation.
And when he couldn’t maintain the heart art?
The power of the ritual itself would guide Zhang Yu back onto the right path, compelling him to maintain the heart art.
For instance, at this very moment, the instant his focus slackened and the visualization in his mind began to blur, he knew the ritual was about to start wailing at him again.
“Please abide by the ritual’s agreement. Strive to complete the wish. Do not deliberately slack off or delay. 10.”
Zhang Yu hurriedly focused his mind, striving to maintain the state of the Desolate Ox Soul-Suppressing Mantra, and the visualization in his mind gradually sharpened once more.
Damn it!
Although the chill had receded again, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but curse inwardly at that moment.
Just then, the sound of a phone ringing echoed through the dark, unfinished building.
Hearing the sound was like listening to celestial music for Zhang Yu.
Thankfully, this moronic ritual had some small measure of judgment, at least allowing him a short break to answer his phone.
Picking up his phone, Zhang Yu saw it was a message from the Student Council Vice President, Zhou Chechen.
Zhou Chechen: Zhang Yu, how is your consideration coming along?
Zhang Yu glanced at the time.
A student council message sent at four in the morning. That’s a normal schedule for us Songyang people.
Zhang Yu: I want to focus all my energy on preparing for the monthly exam first. We can talk about signing the contract after it’s over.
Zhou Chechen: Haha, no problem, we’ll talk after the exam then. I’ve already prepared a contract that you’ll be absolutely satisfied with. I look forward to the day we sign.
Although Zhang Yu knew that Zhou Chechen probably talked to every potential signee this way, it was impossible to say it wasn’t pleasant to be flattered by him from time to time over the past month.
A pity. In the end, it isn’t a pure friendship that wants to suck up to me without any ulterior motives.
The thought of having to continue this charade with him made Zhang Yu feel a little uncomfortable.
I wonder if he’ll turn hostile after I reject him again after this month’s exam?
Zhang Yu looked up at his Feather Book.
[Dao heart: 2 (93%)]
[Magic power: 18.7]
[Body Strength: 1.33]
After these past few days of harsh training, his strength had improved significantly.
In particular, he was getting closer and closer to a level 3 Dao heart, and his magic power level was already in a league of its own among the first-years at Songyang High School, surpassing even Bai Zhenzhen.
Only his body strength had dropped back to around seventh or eighth place, as he had stopped for over half a month and only recently resumed training it.
However, Zhang Yu estimated that if he continued his ascetic training in his current state, it wouldn’t be long before his body strength would also achieve a dominant lead among Songyang’s first-years.
But even so, he was still a great distance away from being admitted into one of the Ten Greats.
Thinking of this, he took a deep breath and threw himself back into his ascetic training.
…
The day of the monthly exam.
A grim atmosphere permeated the high school campus.
But for Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, the monthly exam itself was no longer a major cause for concern.
After smoothly finishing the morning’s theory exam and having lunch, Zhang Yu completed his midday training session and then went to the computer lab for the Daoist arts exam, finishing the test with his head covered in sweat.
Next came the final test of the day—the martial arts combat exam.
This time, the opponent he drew was Qian Shen.
Qian Shen’s gaze was complicated as he looked at Zhang Yu.
His opponent was someone who had scored six points lower than him on last month’s exam, yet whose total score in the Magic Power Competition was several dozen points higher.
So, while Zhang Yu might have a lower score, it also seemed unlikely. This contradiction made Zhang Yu all the more complex and unpredictable in Qian Shen’s eyes, the first person to ever make him so cautious despite having a lower exam score.
Zhang Yu saw Qian Shen’s cautious expression and smiled faintly.
“I’m coming.”
The next moment, he shot out a palm, his entire body appearing before Qian Shen with a whoosh.
Although Qian Shen was being sufficiently cautious, he gradually fell into a disadvantage after a dozen or so exchanges.
Finally, as a blast of wind rushed toward his face, he stared at the fist stopped just before his head and said helplessly, “I lose.”
But before the second round began, he stared at Zhang Yu and said with sudden seriousness, “You weren’t using your full strength, were you? You didn’t even use the Limitless Cloud Hand.”
Qian Shen had seen Zhang Yu learn the Limitless Cloud Hand on the day of the competition, so he naturally knew that Zhang Yu had gained the right to use the technique.
Moreover, in the martial arts classes over the past two weeks, Zhang Yu had used the Limitless Cloud Hand every time he fought Bai Zhenzhen.
Qian Shen said sternly, “Use the Limitless Cloud Hand. Fight me with your full strength.”
“We’re in the middle of a monthly exam, not a practice session in class.”
“I don’t want a single point I earn on this exam to be fraudulent.”
“Use your full strength. Don’t insult my score.”
Zhang Yu took a deep breath. “I understand.”
He sighed inwardly. Is this rare moment of joy during my ascetic training already over?
With another whoosh, Zhang Yu charged toward Qian Shen again, then violently thrust a palm infused with Formless Cloud-Astral Qi.
Having already seen the power of the Limitless Cloud Hand in their combat classes, Qian Shen naturally chose not to meet it head-on.
As he dodged to the side, he threw a vicious kick toward Zhang Yu’s lower body.
But Zhang Yu’s other palm, wreathed in layers of cloud-like energy, blocked the incoming kick.
When Qian Shen’s kick landed on the cloud energy, it felt as if he had struck a light, insubstantial mist, but in the next instant, a ferocious force rebounded from it, blasting him out of the designated area.
The second round was over.
The third round began.
After that last exchange, Qian Shen really wanted to take back what he had just said.
He may have looked cool making that demand, but getting a low score on the combat exam was a truly miserable feeling.
Not far away, Lei Jun withdrew his gaze from Zhang Yu and Qian Shen and looked over at Bai Zhenzhen and He Dayou.
Watching He Dayou being taken down by Bai Zhenzhen in just a few moves, Lei Jun thought to himself, The skill gap is too wide. For the next monthly exam, I just won’t let Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen draw lots. I’ll just schedule them to fight each other for the combat exam.
…
The following morning held the Dao heart and magic power exams.
He stepped into the Spirit Realm once again.
This time, Zhang Yu found himself strapped to a hospital bed, with a syringe to his left and a button to his right.
A female voice came over the broadcast: For good boosters, choose Purple Cloud. Purple Cloud Supplements for all your needs, for all ages. One dose cures all ills. We thank the Purple Cloud Company for their joint sponsorship of this Magic Power Competition…
Listening to the rules explained over the broadcast, Zhang Yu finally understood that the theme of this Dao heart exam was—dependence.
Every press of the button would inject his body with a neuromodulator powder, also known as ‘Bliss Powder’.
Once the exam began, the neuromodulator powder would be automatically administered to the students, making them feel euphoric, content, and tranquil.
The requirement for the students was to press the button as little as possible. The less they injected, the higher their rank, and thus the higher their score.
Zhang Yu cursed in his heart, What a fucking bunch of devils incarnate.
Running this kind of advertisement during a monthly exam.
The person who designs these Dao heart exams is getting more and more outrageous. One day, I’m going to crush them…
…
Compared to the stimulating Dao heart exam, the magic power and physical education exams were rather unremarkable.
But when the physical education exam ended, Wang Hai once again applied to the school administration to let Zhang Yu join the competition team, only to be rejected yet again.
The official reason given was that Zhang Yu’s physical education scores had declined and he still needed time to mature.
Privately, however, Wang Hai was told that it had something to do with the student council.
After thinking it over, Wang Hai sent a message to Zhang Yu the next day.
“Do you have some kind of grudge with the student council? It seems like they don’t want you on the P.E. competition team.”
…
Inside the unfinished building.
Clad in his weighted suit, Zhang Yu stood perfectly still, sensing the changes within his sea of consciousness.
He had finally reached a level 3 Dao heart.
His control over his physical body had become more refined, the magic power in his dantian was more lively and controllable, and even every iota of vital energy and every shred of strength throughout his body felt increasingly coordinated and comfortable under his perception.
Even the mental fatigue from these many long days seemed to vanish in that instant, replaced by an incredible sense of well-being.
Dao heart 3 (0%)
This was the feeling Zhang Yu had after reaching Dao heart level 3—a stronger command over himself and his own power.
I’ve finally reached Dao heart level 3.
Now I can cultivate the Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art, right?
Zhang Yu had long been looking forward to this expert-level cultivation technique passed down from a Golden Core True Person.
Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art! Let me see what your limits are!
The very instant his Dao heart reached level 3, he eagerly switched his Feather Book’s specialization to this cultivation technique.
The Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art was a martial arts heart art that encompassed a total of nine martial disciplines: fist, palm, leg, finger, claw, saber, sword, spear, and staff.
These nine disciplines had methods for combat and methods for body tempering, but none of that was the crucial part.
The true essence of the Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art lay in comprehending the artistic intent contained within these nine disciplines, and using it to forge one’s own martial will.
Just like that time at the art exhibition, Zhang Yu once again began to practice the nine disciplines of fist, palm, leg, finger, claw, saber, sword, spear, and staff from beginning to end.
With each of Zhang Yu’s movements, the surrounding air vibrated with force, and the concrete floor boomed under his feet.
Having raised the basic-level Freehand Combat to level 5, cultivated both the basic-level Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms and the advanced-level Limitless Cloud Hand to level 10, and sparred with Bai Zhenzhen over a hundred times, Zhang Yu’s perspective was now completely different from before.
The more he trained in it, the more he could feel that it contained both methods of combat and methods of body tempering. Its scope was incredibly comprehensive; once mastered, it could be used to both temper the body and fight enemies.
…It just takes a long time.
Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art 1 (0/10)
It took Zhang Yu nearly fourteen minutes to practice all nine sets of martial arts once while wearing the weighted suit.
Realizing this, Zhang Yu felt a faint ache in his soul.
He knew this cultivation technique was going to be another long grind.