The next morning, in the exclusive Martial Arts Room for Class 1-3, the atmosphere of morning training was even more fervent than usual.
Yesterday’s monthly exam had been a shot in the arm for every student.
Whether they were top performers or felt they were falling behind, everyone channeled that pressure into the sweat they were now shedding.
At seven o’clock sharp, on the lectern at the front of the Martial Arts Room, space distorted slightly, and the holographic projection of their homeroom teacher, Wu Shangfeng, appeared right on time.
He wore the same unchanging black training uniform as always, his face as stern and severe as if it were carved from rock.
The moment he appeared, all sound in the Martial Arts Room came to an abrupt halt.
All the students stopped what they were doing, quickly fell into formation, and fixed their gazes on the lectern in unison.
Wu Shangfeng wasted no words. He directly opened his wrist-mounted terminal and sent the report cards to each student’s personal device.
"The results of this month’s exam have been distributed. Review them yourselves."
His voice was flat, without a ripple of emotion.
Qin Feng tapped open the file that popped up on his terminal.
A virtual report card, both high-tech and formal, unfolded before him.
[Qiming First Martial Arts High School - First-Year Second Monthly Exam Report Card]
[Name: Qin Feng]
[Student ID: GY1031488]
[Class: First Year, Class 3]
[I. Academics]
[Score]: 100 (Full Marks: 100)
[Grade Ranking]: 1 (Tied)
[II. Martial Arts Assessment]
[Imperial Body Refining Technique (Beginner) Rating]: Excellent
[Physical Data]: Life Force Index 10.067, Punching Force 5102 KG, 100-Meter Dash 4.98 seconds
[Overall Score]: 500 (Full Marks: 500)
[Grade Ranking]: 1 / 15,000 (Tied)
[III. Combat Simulation]
[Combat Art Demonstration: "Thousand Army Spear"]: Rating: Perfect Score
[Virtual Duel]: Rating: Perfect Score
[Overall Score]: 500 (Full Marks: 500)
[Grade Ranking]: 1 / 15,000
[Total Score]: 1100 (Full Marks: 1100)
[Overall Grade Ranking]: 1 / 15,000
[Improvement Ranking]: 1 / 15,000
A perfect score!
Perfect scores in every subject, every category!
His grade ranking, whether for a single category or the overall score, was an undisputed number one!
When Qin Feng saw the report card, even with his calm temperament, he felt a sincere surge of joy.
It was the best possible reward for his frenzied and arduous training over the past two months.
In the first month, he had gone from the bottom of the grade rankings to the top 1,000, all thanks to his aptitude for combat arts. In the second month, after shoring up his weakness—his life force index—he had shot straight to number one in the grade!
At the same time, the entirety of Class 1-3 erupted into chaos.
"Holy shit! Number one in the grade! Qin Feng... he took first place in the entire first-year grade rankings!"
"Unbelievable! On the entrance exams, he was ranked somewhere past 60,000th place!"
"His improvement is too fast."
If the previous practical combat class had only made their own classmates realize how formidable Qin Feng was...
...then this time, this report card—in black and white, placing him above all fifteen thousand geniuses in the grade—was an irrefutable, official declaration of his terrifying prowess to everyone.
Two months.
From a student with a life force index of just over 1.23 at enrollment to the top of the entire first year, becoming the most dazzling star among fifteen thousand prodigies.
That rate of progress was too frightening.
Qin Feng could clearly feel the gazes of his classmates, filled with awe and reverence.
He paid them no mind.
Instead, he was contemplating the matter of his aptitude.
’Maybe my aptitude really is beyond ordinary.’
Qin Feng mused.
His Thousand Army Spear was at the Great Success Realm, which had earned him a perfect score in the combat simulation.
Meanwhile, the second-place student in the entire first year’s combat simulation had a total score of only 290 points.
That score meant the second-place student’s combat art realm probably hadn’t even reached "Lesser Success." They could use the techniques proficiently, but were still a long way from true mastery, where the weapon moves like an extension of one’s own arm.
After both training in combat arts for two months, the gap was so enormous that Qin Feng couldn’t help but suspect he might be a genius.
Not that he would grow complacent because of it.
After all, he had put in his fair share of blood, sweat, and tears.
Snapping out of his thoughts, he saw that Wu Shangfeng had begun to award the grade points.
"Now, I will announce the grade point rewards for this monthly exam."
He pulled up the detailed rules for the grade point rewards, projecting them onto the holographic screen.
"The rules for grade points are the same as last time."
Everyone stared nervously at the screen, silently calculating how many grade points they would receive.
"Now, let the distribution begin."
Wu Shangfeng’s voice was like a judge delivering a verdict.
"Chu Lan, 19th in Martial Arts Assessment, 12th in Combat Simulation, 15th in Overall Score... for a total of 45 grade points."
"Shi Potian, 1st in Martial Arts Assessment, 3rd in Combat Simulation, 4th in Overall Score... for a total of 55 grade points."
"Qian Duoduo..."
As the names were read one by one, some faces lit up with joy, while others fell with disappointment.
When Wu Shangfeng reached the last name, he paused for a moment, as was his custom.
"Qin Feng."
"First in the grade for Martial Arts Assessment, 20 grade points."
"First in the grade for Combat Simulation, 20 grade points."
"First in the grade for Improvement, 15 grade points."
"First in the grade for Overall Ranking, 20 grade points."
Wu Shangfeng’s cadence was steady and unhurried.
Four first-place rankings!
He had swept the board, taking every single high-value reward available!
"For a grand total of... 75 grade points!"
points!
When that number left Wu Shangfeng’s lips, Qian Duoduo’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
He counted on his fingers, calculating rapidly.
Qin Feng got 50 grade points from the last combat mission. This monthly exam, he got another 75.
Added together, his total grade points had reached a staggering 125!
points!
That was already enough to raise his contract level directly from D-Class to C-Class!
"Oh, wait, you already reached C-Class last month..."
Qian Duoduo looked at the calm expression on Qin Feng’s face and couldn’t help but let out a wail. "Qin Feng, are you even human?! Your grade points are more than double what I’ve painstakingly saved up for two months! I’m so jealous I could die!"
Qin Feng just smiled and said nothing.
"Students who need to apply for promotion to the second year, as well as those who need to apply to raise their contract level, can send an application to my personal terminal shortly."
"That is all for today. Dismissed."
With that, his holographic projection slowly dissipated in a distortion of space.
The moment their instructor left, the Martial Arts Room immediately came back to life.
Qian Duoduo immediately sidled up to Qin Feng and Shi Potian.
"So? What’s the verdict? You two are going to apply, right?"
he asked, his face beaming with excitement.
Shi Potian nodded.
"My life force index is high enough. I’m considered a Second Level Martial Artist now, so I’m definitely applying for the second year."
Qin Feng nodded as well.
"Together."
"Then what are you waiting for! Send it! Send it!"
Qian Duoduo seemed even more anxious than they were.
Qin Feng and Shi Potian shared a smile, then each opened their Subspace Pass terminals. They found their homeroom teacher Wu Shangfeng’s communication channel, composed their application messages, and hit send.
[Second-Year Promotion Application, Sent.]
[C-Class Contract Upgrade Application, Sent.]
They both received the system confirmation almost simultaneously.
All that was left was to wait quietly for the school’s review and approval.
"Sigh..."
Qian Duoduo watched them and let out a long sigh, his face filled with unconcealed envy.
"You’re both going to the second year, leaving me all alone in the first year."
"You’ll be there soon enough,"
Shi Potian offered, a rare attempt at a joke.
"Much slower than you guys."
Qian Duoduo threw up his hands, a pained look on his face. "My life force index just barely hit 8.0. I’m still a ways off from the minimum requirement for promotion to the second year! And I don’t have enough grade points to upgrade to a C-Class contract either."
But then he clenched his fists, the fighting spirit reigniting in his eyes.
"But don’t think you two can leave me in the dust for long!"
"Just you wait! One month! After I finish this inter-school tournament and earn enough grade points, my life force index will probably be close to 10.0! I’ll see you in the second year then!"
Seeing Qian Duoduo’s drive, Qin Feng and Shi Potian both broke into knowing smiles.
"Speaking of which, Qin Feng, you’re a real monster,"
Qian Duoduo suddenly leaned close to Qin Feng, looking him up and down and clicking his tongue in amazement.
"I’ve been training my ass off for the past two months, and my life force index only went up by a little over 2 points. And that’s already considered fast in our class."
"But you? One month! You shot up from just over 3 to over 10—a full 7-point jump!"
"A total monster!"
Hearing this, Shi Potian nodded in solemn agreement.
He truly was a monster.