Chapter 42: Shi Yu, Ten Feathers?

Once everyone in the intensive training class had arrived, the opening ceremony officially began.

On the rostrum, the relevant leaders had already taken their seats.

The teachers and students in the audience were seated according to pre-arranged arrangements, and the entire venue was in orderly peace.

Yu Guochuan sat beside Shi Yu, whispering to introduce the leaders seated on the stage.

There was Cui Guotao, director of the municipal education bureau representing the organizers, as well as Li Jiaren, president of Central South University, and Xia Xingqiu, director of the Martial Arts Research Institute, representing the hosts.

The teachers and students in the audience looked up toward the stage, while those on the stage also kept their eyes on the audience.

Not long after taking his seat on the rostrum, Xia Xingqiu spotted Shi Yu sitting in the front row.

Ever since learning of Shi Yu's outstanding performance in the Yuelu Mountain war simulation game and receiving a phone call from Xia Yuan, Xia Xingqiu had maintained a high level of attention toward Shi Yu.

"Xingqiu, which one is Shi Yu?" Li Jiaren, the president of Central South University beside him, leaned sideways and asked in a low voice.

"The third one from the right in the front row."

Li Jiaren took a closer look and nodded. "Indeed, he has quite a distinguished appearance."

Xia Xingqiu said, "Old Li, if you want to recruit Shi Yu to Central South, you need to make your move early, otherwise it will be too late."

"It's not that simple," Li Jiaren shook his head slightly. "Knowing ourselves as we do, what kind of conditions do you think we could offer that would make Shi Yu give up Tsinghua or Fudan?"

"Whatever we can provide, they can provide as well, and even more generously."

Li Jiaren sighed. "For most students, they take pride in entering the top three elite universities. After graduation, they constantly have the name of their school on their lips, fearing that others might not know."

"But for certain students," Li Jiaren's gaze swept over the handsome young man in the audience, "the school will take pride in him instead, constantly promoting him and pasting his portrait on the walls."

"Such talent, how can we compete for it?"

"To be honest, let alone Shi Yu, we might not even be able to win over Xu Shuo or Sheng Jianxing."

Li Jiaren scanned the audience. "Our focus should still be on students around the eighth level of divine soul; the certainty of success is much greater there."

"Of course, as for Shi Yu, we should still do what needs to be done and maintain a good relationship."

"Even if he doesn't attend university in Star City, once he graduates in the future, we can hire him as an off-campus counselor," Li Jiaren said with a smile. "And further down the line, we might even appoint him as a specially invited professor. There are still plenty of methods."

Hearing Li Jiaren's words, Xia Xingqiu's eyes suddenly lit up.

"If that's the case..."

He leaned close to Li Jiaren's ear and whispered a few words.

Li Jiaren's eyebrows raised slightly as he looked at Xia Xingqiu in surprise. "This... is not entirely out of the question."

After pondering for a moment, he said, "However, we need to coordinate with the Education Bureau and Yali High School. As for the reason, we can just say it's to help Shi Yu achieve better results in the national college entrance examination and break into the Heavenly Rankings."

After the two whispered to each other for a moment, the opening ceremony officially commenced.

"Dear students, esteemed teachers, hello everyone!"

"Today, we are solemnly gathered here to..."

The resonant and powerful voice of Cui Guotao, director of the municipal education bureau, echoed throughout the martial arts gymnasium.

He first reviewed the history of Star City's college entrance examinations, then spoke of the profound significance of the intensive training class, and finally looked ahead to the future.

All of this made the teachers and students in the audience drowsy.

It wasn't until he began introducing the curriculum arrangement of the intensive training class and the final reward mechanism that everyone finally perked up.

The curriculum of the municipal intensive training class was entirely set according to the subjects of the Great Xia college entrance examination.

For ordinary students, the Great Xia college entrance examination lasted three days.

The first day consisted of various numerical tests, including the divine soul test, physical constitution test, and cultivation level test.

The morning of the second day tested martial arts theory, while the afternoon was dedicated to martial arts techniques assessment.

The third day consisted of actual combat simulations, divided into morning and afternoon sessions.

Once the three days of examinations concluded, everyone's scores were ranked in descending order based on their accumulated points.

If a student failed to break into the top 2,000 nationwide, their journey in the college entrance examination would come to an end right there.

If a student's points placed them within the top 2,000,

they would then advance to the most thrilling battle for the Earth and Heavenly Rankings!

This phase would last anywhere from nine to twelve days.

This was also one of the grand annual events in Great Xia.

The primary purpose of the Star City intensive training class was precisely to prepare for these final Earth and Heavenly Rankings.

Therefore, in addition to conventional martial arts theory, martial arts techniques assessment, and combat simulation, the training course also included the survival mode unique to the Earth and Heavenly Rankings, otherworldly slaughter, and the final championship arena battles.

The entire training program would last for three weeks.

First, martial arts professors from Central South University would explain the key points of each subject.

Then, each student's proficiency would be individually assessed, and personalized guidance would be provided.

Finally, tests for each subject would be conducted according to the scoring standards of the college entrance examination, followed by score ranking.

To encourage the enthusiasm of teachers and students participating in the training, rewards would be distributed based on the score rankings.

The school with the highest total score would receive one million.

The individual first-place winner would receive a bonus of five hundred thousand.

The schools and individuals ranking second would receive five hundred thousand and two hundred fifty thousand respectively.

Those ranking third would receive two hundred thousand and one hundred thousand.

The remainder would consist of consolation prizes of an encouraging nature.

Half an hour later, Director Cui's speech came to a close.

Following that, Li Jiaren, president of Central South University, said a few brief words, and the intensive training class finally began its first subject—the cultivation level test.

As for the divine soul, since it had already been tested at various schools the previous week, there was no need to repeat the verification in such a short time.

Qian Mingjie, a sophomore student at Central South University, yawned as he led this group of elite high school students from Star City to the cultivation assessment room on the second floor of the martial arts gymnasium.

Stimulated by Shiyu, he had stayed up very late last night battling in the Bronze Zone on the Primordial Realm platform, and had finally managed to gain some points.

Qian Mingjie's hometown was in Wuxi City, and he didn't plan to go back during the summer vacation, choosing to stay at Central South instead.

Consequently, he had been summoned by the teachers of the Martial Arts Research Institute to handle the reception work for this intensive training class.

Looking at these vibrant junior students, he couldn't help but sigh: Fortunately, he never had to take the college entrance examination again!

Even now, he would still occasionally have nightmares about failing the college entrance examination and wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night.

Then he would sigh with relief, realizing he was already lying safely in his university dormitory, and all was well...

"Everyone line up in front of the testing apparatus and step forward only when your name is called," Qian Mingjie shouted, holding the name list in his hand.

In this era, there were specialized instruments capable of testing and evaluating a martial artist's cultivation level with precision and stability.

The cultivation testing apparatus was octagonal, with intricate patterns engraved on every surface, containing the power to sense and guide the vital energy of heaven and earth.

Martial artists simply needed to place their palms on the testing screen of the instrument, and the detector could scan the vital energy cultivation within their bodies. High-end models could even display the attribute of the martial artist's cultivation.

"Liang Cheng... Gathering Qi into the Sea."

After glancing at the result, Qian Mingjie checked off a name on his tablet.

"Sheng Jianxing... First-layer of the Qi-Absorption Realm."

"Wan Song, Jiang Chenchen... Both are Gathering Qi into the Sea."

"Next!"

"Shi Yu..."

After calling out this name, Qian Mingjie couldn't help but freeze.

Why did this pronunciation sound so familiar?

Shi Yu...

Shiyu?!