As the students walked out of the Secret Realm, a teacher from the Martial Inspection Department felt a vibration in his pocket. He smoothly pulled out an Information Receiver designed to receive data and started tapping away with a CLICK-CLACK-CLACK.

Ever since the Secret Realm had suddenly swallowed the students, the data feed from the Recording Rings had been cut. For over ten days, they couldn’t be sure if the students had met with disaster or not.

Now that they were back, the data was loading again...

Huh?!

The teacher’s eyes suddenly flew wide open as he gasped, "A kill count of 311, seventeen Middle Tier Demon Beasts, including one at the level of a High Tier Demon Beast?!"

"!!!"

Hearts skipped a beat. A dozen or so teachers from the Martial Inspection Department standing nearby successively pulled out their own Information Receivers, their eyes bulging as they stared at the screen.

[First Place - Site Eight: Jiang Qiu]

[Kill Count: 311]

[Detected: 293 Low Tier Demon Beasts, 17 Middle Tier Demon Beasts, 1 High Tier Demon Beast]

[Second Place - Site One: Li Juefeng]

[Kill Count: 103]

[Detected: 95 Low Tier Demon Beasts, 8 Middle Tier Demon Beasts]

[Third Place - Site Eight: Xie Kuang]

[...]

"Jiang Qiu’s kill count is three times Li Juefeng’s?!"

"That High Tier Demon Beast... could it be that Jiang Qiu even killed the Demon Plant?!"

The ensuing uproar, like a stone cast into a valley startling a flock of birds, happened to interrupt the conversation between Zhao Gongzheng and Jiang Qiu.

"Heh, no wonder he was able to get the Demon Plant Fruit..." Zhao Gongzheng paused, stunned. He nodded, sizing up Jiang Qiu for a moment before raising an eyebrow. "But how did you kill the Demon Plant?"

When Jiang Qiu walked out of the Secret Realm ahead of Li Juefeng, with all the other students following behind, it was clear that he had been the most outstanding performer within the realm, having already won the approval of the majority.

Even the way Li Juefeng looked at him was different from his usual cold indifference toward other students; instead, it held a certain indescribable determination and longing.

’Could it be...’

"Director Zhao, he has mastered Ancient Martial Spear Technique," Li Juefeng, standing nearby, stepped forward and cut in, his eyes shining brightly. "The Demon Plant’s hide I could only scratch, he pierced through with a single spear thrust!"

’Mastery of Ancient Martial Spear Technique?’

’And he killed a High Tier Demon Plant in one strike!’

A muscle in Zhao Gongzheng’s cheek twitched. Wu Shan, Li Ang, and the other teachers all raised their eyebrows. Their gazes, like scattered light tracing back to its flame, all converged on Jiang Qiu’s perfectly calm face.

Some Martial Artists might go their whole lives without comprehending a single Ancient Martial Spear Skill of their own, relying entirely on inherited techniques.

Yet this high school student, Jiang Qiu, had managed to comprehend the Ancient Martial Spear and step onto the Path of Mastery all on his own!

Behind them, the heads of the students, short and tall, also quietly lifted. Their dark eyes glittered like starlight, as if they were all simultaneously recalling a scene that would be etched into their memories for a lifetime, making their blood run hot.

"It was a moment of sudden insight. I was lucky enough to step onto the Path of Mastery for the Ancient Martial Spear, and it happened to be just enough to kill the Demon Plant."

Jiang Qiu’s eyes brightened as he smiled.

It wasn’t surprising that Li Juefeng would speak up for him. During their time in the Secret Realm, the person who had spoken to him the most was Li Juefeng, the very one who spoke the least to everyone else.

But every word out of his mouth was about the spear. After hearing just a couple of insights on Spear Technique, he would lament not being part of the Genius Program—

If he had shown this level of talent in middle school, he would have surely been selected for the Military Department’s Genius Program, just like the principal’s grandson, Sun Yongsheng.

All sorts of Body Refining Resources, multiple field training sessions outside the city to kill demons, numerous combat tests with precious rewards, training in both the Spear Dao and Archery Dao...

According to Li Juefeng, if he had entered the Genius Program earlier and trained with the other students from the Inner City, he might have had a chance to contend for the title of one of Gao Yuan City’s top ten prodigies.

’But why all the regret? Just because I missed out on the resources from the Genius Program, does that mean I can’t fight to be one of the top ten prodigies?’

At this thought, Jiang Qiu lifted his chin slightly, the light in his eyes as sharp as a sword’s edge.

’In the Northwest Province, someone is always dying because of the Demon Race. I don’t want that person to be someone I know, and I especially don’t want it to be me.’

’To become that strong, I must first enter Northwest Martial University as one of Gao Yuan City’s top ten prodigies, and fight for the highest-tier resources to broaden my future potential as a Martial Artist...’

"Good! Such spirited ambition! Jiang Qiu, for this training hunt, I support you for the title of best performer."

Zhao Gongzheng gave Jiang Qiu’s shoulder a PAT, PAT, and laughed heartily. "You all go with Teacher Zhang to the armored vehicle. The rest of the teachers, stay behind. We’re holding a temporary meeting."

"Okay."

As he finished speaking, a teacher with the surname Zhang led the students away, carrying the bodies of their fallen classmates. The teachers who remained at the street corner began chattering amongst themselves.

"Looks like Director Zhao is going to hold the vote for best performer right here. Jiang Qiu is sure to get the honor..."

"Of course. We were tricked by the Demon Race this time. Most of us Outer City High Schools who organized training hunts recently suffered heavy losses. Even First Middle, who was rescued in time, lost half their students. But he managed to lead most of his classmates out alive. That’s enough to be recorded in the school annals."

"What Jiang Qiu did can be considered a great service. After Gao Yuan City was ambushed by the Demon Race this time, First Middle—which has always been the main source of outstanding students from the Outer City—will most likely lose its position. And our competitive strength hasn’t been weakened much..."

"Quiet." A voice as heavy as a mountain crushed the previous speaker’s words. Zhao Gongzheng’s hawk-like eyes swept over the now-silent crowd. "Everyone has witnessed Jiang Qiu’s performance. There is no room for objection to him receiving the title of best performer."

Hearing this, Li Ang exhaled through his nose and said nothing, his eyes dimming.

’The Qiang Su Fragrance I prepared for my son... I’ll have to find another way...’

"The reason I’ve asked you to stay is to discuss several other matters," Zhao Gongzheng said, his expression solemn, the gray light reflecting off his glasses. "Many Outer City high schools have had accidents during their training hunts. Gao Yuan City has now been classified as a high-risk examination zone by the provincial college entrance exam planning group. It won’t be included as a candidate location this year. We must improve our students’ abilities to face what will likely be an even more stringent exam."

"Also, in response to the break in the student pipeline at some Outer City High Schools, the City Martial Education Department will be mobilizing Martial Arts Resources on a large scale. Our Eighth Middle School has retained a high number of students, so we can fight for a portion of it."

"Therefore, next we must discuss what proportions of the allocated Wusu Fragrance, and even Qiang Su Fragrance, will be distributed to each site..."

At this, Li Ang’s index finger twitched, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

’To think that Gao Yuan City would make such drastic changes, possibly just because we were tricked by a few special egg-sacs laid by the Red Flame Mother Spider. Isn’t this an overreaction?’

’Then again, it’s a good thing. There might be new Qiang Su Fragrance being transferred in...’

"There is one more thing. It’s something I’ve been considering, not just a spur-of-the-moment decision."

Zhao Gongzheng’s firm and forceful words broke Li Ang from his thoughts, and the gazes of the others focused on him. "Jiang Qiu. I heard this name not much earlier than you did. At the time, he wasn’t on the list of outstanding students, yet he dared to challenge Wang Guanjia, who was then first in Class Eight, right in front of me. He left a deep impression."

"Later, after Teacher Wu Shan spoke with me, I also decided to teach him Spear Technique seriously. I never expected that in seven days he would defeat Xie Kuang, the student with the most martial arts potential at Site Eight."

"When it came to the training hunt, Teacher Wu Shan championed him for the top spot, and you all heard the result from Li Juefeng’s own mouth."

"In the Secret Realm, Jiang Qiu comprehended his own Ancient Martial Spear Technique skill and killed a Demon Plant on par with a High Tier Demon Beast in a single strike." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

After a pause, Zhao Gongzheng’s gaze swept over the crowd of brightly-eyed teachers, his voice as final as a gavel’s strike. "If a martial arts talent with such an astonishing rate of progress can’t be called a prodigy, then few in Gao Yuan City are worth cultivating."

"He deserves more resources, better conditions. The upcoming resource allocation must be skewed in his favor."

"Furthermore, I will petition the principal. On behalf of all the Martial Artists of Eighth Middle School, I will apply to the Military Department through the Martial Education Department for a provisional spot in the Genius Program for Jiang Qiu."

"Who supports this? Who opposes?"