Thanks to Tang Qi, Xu Qingwan was well-informed about the exams. She knew that the highest score in Jiangcheng had barely reached a little over a thousand points throughout all the years. Even the best graduate in Jiangnan Province scored no more than eight or nine thousand points. Therefore, when Xu Qingwan heard Xu Jingming talk about ten thousand points, she froze for a moment in astonishment.
Quickly recovering, she instinctively chose not to believe him and, frowning, said:
"Xiaoming, don't joke like that. Tell me your real score."
"Mom, Jingming isn't joking. He really scored ten thousand points. No, more precisely, eleven thousand one hundred twenty-four points. It's already been reported on our Jiangcheng's official news account," Tang Qi said with a smile, handing over her phone.
On the screen was an article recently published by Jiangcheng's official account. The headline read: "Ten Thousand Points! An Absolute Dark Horse from Jiangcheng Second Middle School!"
The illustration for the article was an image of Xu Jingming striking the Second-Rank Bloodthirsty Ferocious Bear with his spear.
"That's Xiaoming!" his aunt exclaimed, recognizing her nephew in the photograph, and hurriedly began to read the article.
Xu Qingwan was usually calm, and little could throw her off balance. However, as she read the article, her eyes grew brighter, and a blush of excitement gradually appeared on her beautiful face.
"Ten thousand points! First place in Jiangcheng! This is wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" Xu Qingwan looked as if she had won tens of millions in the lottery.
She reread the article on the phone again and again, as if it were a winning lottery ticket. She quietly muttered to herself: "Xiaoming has finally succeeded," "Now our Xu family has a worthy successor," and similar sentiments.
After some time, she calmed down a bit.
"Xiaoming, with such a result, you can choose any of the top 10 universities in the country when it's time to apply, right?" Aunt Xu Qingwan asked, her eyes shining.
"Yesterday the school principal told me that I already qualify for special recruitment. I don't need to apply; I just wait for the universities to make their offers," Xu Jingming explained with a smile.
Tang Qi supported him: "Mom, with Cousin Jingming's results, one could say he's a contender for the title of the best graduate in the province. Even if he doesn't become the best, he's definitely in the top three of Jiangnan Province. With such a ranking, even the Three Leading Universities will be vying to accept him through special recruitment. He won't have to go through the usual application process."
"The Three Leading Universities? Special recruitment? Good, good, good, Xiaoming, you've truly given your aunt a huge surprise!" Xu Qingwan repeated "good" three times, and then eagerly asked: "By the way, when will the martial arts exam rankings be announced?"
"The exact date is unknown, but at the latest—in five days," Xu Jingming replied after a moment of thought.
The results of the martial arts exam across the country would be announced on the same day and at the same time. Before that, each province would meticulously review the exam video footage to prevent possible cheating. This was a lot of work, but no later than five days, which means before June 13th, the results would be announced.
"Excellent! After the results are announced, your aunt will arrange a celebratory dinner for you!" Xu Qingwan's smile was dazzling. After a brief pause, she asked the question that interested her the most: "But, Xiaoming, didn't you have an E-level ability? How were you able to get such a high score?"
It has been universally accepted since ancient times that the rarer an ability is, the stronger it is in combat. This was a generally recognized fact. Although there were people who became strong relying on low-level abilities, such cases were extremely rare, countable on one's fingers.
And judging by the description in the article, which mentioned lightning sweeping away entire groups of High-Rank First-Stage ferocious beasts, this clearly couldn't be the power of an E-level ability like "Weak Electric Discharge." After all, Xu Jingming was only an Awakened, not even a Superpower User...
Hearing Xu Qingwan's question, Tang Qi also looked at Xu Jingming with interest, clearly intrigued.
Xu Jingming was ready for this question and explained with a smile:
"The day before yesterday afternoon, when I was training in the living room, a lightning bolt suddenly struck the window and stunned me. When I woke up, I discovered that my ability seemed to have undergone a change and had become much stronger."
"So that's why you went to the Thunder and Lightning Martial Arts Hall later to check your ability!" Tang Qi exclaimed, suddenly understanding everything.
Aunt Xu Qingwan also nodded: "Indeed, there was some thunder rumbling the day before yesterday afternoon. Although you weren't hurt by the lightning strike, it seems this misfortune turned into a blessing, and your ability mutated. You were lucky. Later, you'll need to go through ability testing again at the martial arts hall to find out what level your ability has evolved to. Judging by the power described in the article, your ability must have evolved to at least B-level or higher."
Xu Jingming nodded in agreement. Although ability mutations were rare, they did happen, and he had prepared this explanation in advance for the evolution of his ability. Moreover, many people knew that the day before yesterday, when his ability evolved, there were indeed lightning flashes outside the window.
"Alright, be that as it may, both of you—Sister, who took 12th place in Jiangcheng, and you, who took 1st place—well done! Let's go to the market, buy some groceries, I'll cook you something delicious for lunch today!" Undisguised joy shone on Xu Qingwan's face.
Seeing this, Xu Jingming also smiled slightly and walked alongside his aunt, with his cousin Tang Qi...
…..
June 11th, nine o'clock in the evening.
Modu Superpower University, Admissions Office.
In the spacious office, where Third-Rank and Fourth-Rank Superpower Users were rarely seen elsewhere, it was currently full of them. They were sitting around a large round table; there were no less than thirty to forty people.
These Superpower Users looked slightly excited, as if awaiting something.
After a while, a slightly plump middle-aged man entered the room with quick steps. He waved the mechanical disk he held in his hand and said: "The National Martial Arts Exam Ranking is ready, everyone, prepare yourselves."
The National Martial Arts Exam ranking was kept under strict secrecy until the official announcement. But that only applied to ordinary people. For elite universities like theirs, obtaining the ranking a day before the official announcement was not difficult.
"The ranking is finally out!"
"It seems the ranking came out a little later than usual this year."
"Not really, last year it came out only a day earlier than this year."
"..."
For the admissions committee of Modu Superpower University, these few days were the busiest of the year. They needed to develop various special recruitment strategies based on the strength and potential of the top three students from each province.
For some students with strong abilities and great potential, more resources needed to be allocated to attract them. And for those whose abilities and potential were relatively weaker, the amount of allocated resources could be reduced accordingly.
In fact, not only Modu Superpower University, but the other two leading universities—Qingjing Superpower University and Jincheng Superpower University—also operated in the same manner.
"According to tradition, let's first look at the results of the best graduates from each province," the middle-aged man standing in front inserted the mechanical disk into a pre-prepared projector.
With a low hum, a table appeared on the screen, showing the ranking of all applicants from the more than thirty provincial administrative regions of the country.
"The first provincial administrative region—Qingjing City."
When the low voice of the middle-aged man sounded, the projection, as if possessing its own intelligence, immediately showed the ranking of the applicants from the capital of Great Xia—Qingjing City.
Everyone immediately looked at the first place in the ranking:
"First Place, Zhou Yi (Qingjing Middle School), 9343 points."
"Eve, show the relevant information about Zhou Yi," as soon as the middle-aged man finished speaking, an ethereal electronic voice sounded: "Affirmative, Director."
Then, a holographic projection appeared in the center of the round table. It showed Zhou Yi's combat scenes during the martial arts exam.
"Zhou Yi, eighteen years old, awakened A-level enhancing ability 'Bronze Body', level—High-Rank First-Stage. Father is a Fourth-Rank Superpower User…"
Every leading university possessed astonishing information gathering capabilities, and Modu Superpower University was no exception. While Zhou Yi's combat scenes were being displayed in the center, the corresponding information about him sounded in the ears of every faculty member of the admissions committee.
"'Bronze Body'? That's quite good, even among A-level abilities."
"Indeed, judging by the combat scenes, he uses his ability quite well."
"..."
The faculty members were discussing what they saw animatedly. After a while, when the holographic video ended, the middle-aged man standing in front said seriously:
"Zhou Yi is designated as an A+ level special recruitment candidate. Professor Wang Jian, please handle this."
"Understood," one of the professors stood up and nodded.
After the meeting concluded, he would immediately head to Qingjing City.
"The second provincial administrative region—Hunan Province."
"..."
Time flew by quickly. The level of special recruitment for the best graduates of each province was determined through the assessment of the Admissions Director and the faculty members.
There were quite good A+ level candidates, there were ordinary A-level candidates, and there were also relatively weaker A- level candidates. Of course, even the weakest of the best provincial graduates couldn't be too bad.
Soon, it was the turn of Jiangnan Province.
"The thirteenth provincial administrative region—Jiangnan Province."
Following the low voice of the middle-aged man, the projection quickly switched to the Jiangnan Province ranking.
"Last year, Jiangnan Province had an A+ level special recruitment candidate, I wonder what this year will be like."
"It should be A+ too."
"..."
Jiangnan Province was one of the most populous provinces in Great Xia, and in past years, the best graduates from this province always demonstrated very strong abilities.
Therefore, all the faculty members, including the Admissions Director, looked with interest at the first place in the ranking.
"First Place, Xu Jingming (Jiangcheng Second Middle School), 11124 points."
"Over ten thousand points! Jiangnan Province really went all out this year!"
"Jiangcheng? Isn't that the capital of Jiangnan Province?"
"..."
At first, the faculty members were astonished by Xu Jingming's score, but when they learned he was from Jiangcheng Second Middle School, everyone was confused.
Jiangcheng? Wasn't the capital of Jiangnan Province Ninan City? What is Jiangcheng? How had they never heard of this city?
"Xu Jingming, eighteen years old, awakened E-level natural ability 'Weak Electric Discharge', level—Awakened. Parents seven years ago…"
When the brief information about Xu Jingming sounded in their ears, the already confused faculty members present were utterly bewildered.
"What the hell? E-level ability? Awakened? How can these two things be related to the best graduate of the province?"