Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sisi stepped onto the silver-white treadmill.
Boom!
The treadmill roared to life.
"Second place... I have to hold onto second place. Only then can I get the 10,000-yuan poverty scholarship in my senior year."
"But if I could push for first place, I'd get a 30,000-yuan scholarship!"
Xu Sisi mentally spurred herself on.
According to federal regulations, families with a monthly income below 10,000 yuan were classified as impoverished.
Her family was one such household.
She couldn't afford to lose!
The girl's slender, long legs began to move, sprinting with lightning-like speed.
Perhaps her self-motivation had worked.
This time, she felt her speed surge to unprecedented levels.
The 100-meter test concluded.
The electronic scoreboard displayed her speed:
"16.9 meters per second?"
Xu Sisi's face lit up with surprise. Normally, her fastest speed was only 16.5 meters per second.
Other students began their speed assessments in turn.
"Wen Yuehui: 14.1 meters per second"
"Li Zhichao: 17.0 m/s"
"Zeng Niu: 13.1 m/s"
When it was Jiang Ye's turn, he instantly drew everyone's attention.
Everyone wanted to know if this dark horse from the Punching Power Assessment could continue to shine.
Jiang Ye ignored the stares. For him, doing his best was enough.
Boom!
He sprinted wildly on the silver treadmill.
Moments later, the treadmill slowly came to a halt.
The electronic scoreboard updated with his results:
Jiang Ye: 16.1 m/s
A Grade B Physique grants a greater strength bonus but a weaker speed enhancement, Jiang Ye realized inwardly.
Below the stage, Xu Sisi breathed a sigh of relief.
In the Speed Assessment, she had undoubtedly secured second place.
Too bad, I was so close to surpassing Li Zhichao, Xu Sisi lamented inwardly, glancing at Jiang Ye as he walked off the stage. When it comes to speed, Jiang Ye really can't match me.
"Strength is his forte. I'll have to perform exceptionally well in the Arena Combat Assessment to secure second place."
Can I do it?
Absolutely! Easily!
Xu Sisi took a deep breath, a determined glint flashing in her almond-shaped eyes.
Ten minutes later, the Speed Assessment concluded.
Li Zhichao maintained his first-place position, followed by Xu Sisi in second and Jiang Ye in third.
Jiang Ye wasn't surprised. Xu Sisi had achieved Major Success months ago and specialized in speed, so it was natural for her to surpass him.
"The top performer in the second-year final exams will receive a 30,000-yuan poverty scholarship in their third year."
"Second place gets 10,000-yuan, third place 5,000 yuan, and fourth to tenth places 3,000 yuan each."
Jiang Ye had his own goals.
A higher ranking meant a larger scholarship.
While the money might be insignificant to the wealthy, it was crucial for Jiang Ye.
For the next two assessments, I'll aim for second place, but I'll fight for first, Jiang Ye thought to himself.
He wasn't arrogant despite his Grade B Physique, fully aware of the gap in their cultivation realms.
For Jiang Ye at this stage, Xu Sisi was a formidable opponent. After all, she was one of the few students in the class with a C-grade physique.
"Martial Dao Third Assessment: Arena Combat!" Zhang Jianwu's voice boomed across the arena. "First up, Xu Sisi!"
As Jiang Ye watched the arena, a thought suddenly struck him: Would fighting Director Zhang trigger a new achievement?
The Martial Dao Class Director's strength far surpassed that of ordinary teachers. If Teacher Chen could be considered the Martial Dao Patriarch, then Director Zhang must be at least a Martial Saint!
Jiang Ye waited silently, filled with anticipation.
Time passed.
Finally, it was Jiang Ye's turn.
On the arena, Zhang Jianwu's eyes flashed with scrutiny as Jiang Ye stepped onto the platform. This must be the boy Miss Chen mentioned. Let's see how he fares in combat. If he's truly capable, we might consider that condition.
"Teacher, please instruct me," Jiang Ye said, bowing slightly.
He then took a small step forward with his left foot, assuming the Tiger Pounce Fist Stance.
"Make your move," Zhang Jianwu said, his hands clasped behind his back, his aura calm and steady. He would only use the Small Success level of his cultivation method to spar with the students.
Yet even students who had reached Major Success were invariably defeated within thirty moves.
In the next instant, Jiang Ye lunged forward like a ravenous wolf, his figure flashing across the arena with lightning speed.
His fist sliced through the air, striking his opponent with the force of a meteor.
Zhang Jianwu subtly shifted his body, effortlessly evading the blow. Simultaneously, he swung his right elbow, aiming a hammer-like strike at Jiang Ye's chest.
In a heartbeat, the two were locked in combat.
Battles between practitioners who had achieved Major Success often erupted with tremendous force.
The arena reverberated with thunderous booms, like the clash of iron and stone.
Jiang Ye adopted an aggressive, offense-as-defense strategy, leveraging his superior strength to launch relentless attacks. Zhang Jianwu, however, countered with fluid, unyielding force, making him an exceptionally difficult opponent.
Fortunately, Jiang Ye's martial arts skills were highly refined, allowing him to unleash a barrage of diverse techniques, meeting force with force.
"A'Ye's combat skills truly embody Teacher Chen's essence," Wen Yuehui murmured from the sidelines. "No wonder he's looked so drained lately. It seems Teacher Chen has been pushing him to his limits in private."
Nearby, Xu Sisi clenched her fists. During her earlier Arena Combat Assessment, she had performed at her usual level. Now, witnessing Jiang Ye's performance, she knew her second-place ranking was in jeopardy.
Li Zhichao observed from a distance, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
After more than twenty exchanges, Zhang Jianwu forced Jiang Ye off the arena.
Jiang Ye steadied himself and bowed slightly toward the stage.
The electronic scoreboard displayed his Arena Combat Assessment ranking: "Second Place: Jiang Ye."
Jiang Ye, however, paid no attention to his ranking. He immediately opened his system panel to check for new achievements.
To his disappointment, this assessment hadn't unlocked any new achievements.
"Strange," he mused. "Could Director Zhang be weaker than Teacher Chen? Or is Director Zhang's strength also classified as 'Martial Dao Patriarch' level?"
Jiang Ye suspected the latter was more likely.
As for the former... that seemed impossible!
Half an hour later, the Arena Combat Assessment concluded.
The electronic scoreboard displayed the comprehensive scores for the three Martial Dao assessments.
[Jiang Ye glanced at the board.]
[First Place: Li Zhichao, 295 points]
[Second Place: Jiang Ye, 260 points]
"260 points?" Jiang Ye pondered. "I only need 90 more points in the final assessment to meet the standard for martial dao university."
Based on historical trends:
The standard College Entrance Examination score for ordinary martial dao universities was 350 points.
Of course, the twenty-five school alliance required far more—at least 700 points.
As for the Top Ten Elite Schools, even the lowest-ranked one demanded a minimum of 900 points.
The Martial Arts Four-Part Assessment had a maximum score of 1200 points. Achieving 900 points required near-superhuman effort.
However, Jiang Ye still had a full year to improve, leaving him plenty of room for growth.
The fourth assessment—the Virtual Cosmos Combat Assessment—wasn't conducted in the classroom but in a spherical building at the school's center.
Led by Zhang Jianwu, Class Nine students made their way to the building's entrance.
Other classes were already lined up.
The school's virtual reality equipment was limited, so classes arriving late often faced long waits.
Fortunately, Class Nine was among the first to arrive.
A group of students who had completed the virtual assessment emerged from the spherical building.
"Elite Class students," Jiang Ye murmured, his expression shifting slightly as he observed them.
The Elite Class students were clearly different from those in regular classes.
Their innate talent, nurtured from their nascent stages, gave them an air of confidence and vitality.
Leading the group was a striking young woman, about 1.75 meters tall, dressed in a short top and hot pants. Her legs were long, slender, and as pale as snow.
Above her slender waist, her chest was remarkably full.
The icy beauty glanced at Class Nine with a disdainful look before turning and striding away with her long legs.
"Zhao Qingli from Class One! A terrifying existence with a total score of 700 points across all four assessments!"
Inside the building, many students watched her retreating figure with awe.
Jiang Ye opened his interface to check her details, a hint of surprise crossing his face.
(End of the Chapter)
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