Volume One: Emerging Brilliance Chapter Seventy-One: A Person of Great Influence

In the end, Wang Jue failed to fulfill his ambition of staying up all night to reap benefits. It wasn’t for lack of desire, but rather because the Martial Association’s strict rule dictated that the doors closed promptly at midnight—no matter how reluctant the students were, they all obediently returned home. Of course, Wang Jue had still managed to while away several hours, and his gains were not insignificant. At the very least, he’d amassed over ninety thousand experience points, nearly reaching a hundred thousand. The relatively modest total was due to the fact that the trainees’ stamina had waned considerably after the initial sessions; as they exhausted themselves, the experience rewards naturally diminished. After repeated reminders from the staff, Wang Jue left with some regret, feeling he’d barely scratched the surface.

Originally, Wang Jue had intended to head home with Luo Shui, but to his surprise, she had already left before him. With no other choice, he walked home alone. When he arrived, hunger gnawed at him, but seeing his parents already asleep, he refrained from waking them. Instead, he gulped down several glasses of water in the living room, then retired to his room for the night.

…

At that very moment, in the director’s office of the Martial Association’s local branch, three individuals—a woman and two men, their status unmistakably high—sat intently watching a large television screen. On the screen played a crisp recording of Wang Jue’s earlier exploits in the gravity chamber, where he had so thoroughly dominated the musclebound trainees. The trio scrutinized every frame with utmost seriousness, as if determined to analyze each second several times over.

After replaying the footage more than a dozen times, a middle-aged man with a sword strapped to his back spoke up, his voice edged with excitement. “What do you think of this young man?”

“A genius!” the other middle-aged man, dressed in martial attire and sporting a crew cut, replied without hesitation. “A prodigy whose strength far surpasses that of Lin Zifeng!”

“So young, and yet his mastery of the fundamental steps has reached perfection. His talent for martial technique is extraordinary. And his physique—such formidable power, it’s simply unheard of for someone at the Body Tempering stage. His strength, especially, is astounding: seventh level Body Tempering, yet even more terrifying than someone at the initial Spirit Nurturing stage.”

“With a genius like this, we simply cannot let the Martial Association miss out!”

No sooner had he finished than the striking woman—her allure impossible to ignore, her age barely in the twenties—raised her finger, summoning a projected light screen. “I’ve just had someone check the boy’s basic information. His name is Wang Jue, sixteen years old, a student in Class Six, Year Three at He Ping Junior High…”

“Most importantly, he hasn’t been directly admitted anywhere, nor has he been recruited by any major faction!” The beauty narrowed her eyes, adding pointedly, “With a background this clear and uncommitted, we ought to act swiftly—before anyone else does!”

“Wait a moment. How could a genius of his caliber not be directly admitted? What’s going on?” The swordsman’s brow furrowed. “It doesn’t make sense. Someone like him should already be on every faction’s radar.”

“Perhaps Wang Jue is simply too low-key and has yet to truly reveal his capabilities?” The martial artist mused for a moment before analyzing, “Maybe he intends to make a splash during the entrance exams, or perhaps he wishes to remain under the radar a while longer. Either way, now that we’ve discovered him, there’s no point in him keeping a low profile. I suggest we act quickly—before circumstances change.”

“Indeed, I agree.” The swordsman nodded solemnly. “No matter what, we must secure a genius like him for the Martial Association.”

“Very well. I propose we extend him a top-tier contract as early as tomorrow. Any objections?”

…

The next day dawned bright and clear—a beautiful morning. Wang Jue, resuming his role as a student, was back at school as usual. Having already mastered the fundamentals of the liberal arts, he barely listened during class, instead dodging the teacher’s gaze to nap, daydream, or scroll through his phone.

Of course, Wang Jue wasn’t playing games on his phone. Rather, he was searching for any news about Lan Yiyi and her hunting team. His finger swiped tirelessly, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find the information he sought. So absorbed was he in his search that he failed to notice the teacher had quietly approached his desk.

This particular teacher, a young woman with glasses, was known for her easy rapport with students. She didn’t confiscate Wang Jue’s phone, but simply cleared her throat twice, hinting that he should restrain himself. The reason for her lenience was simple: Wang Jue’s academic performance ranked among the best in the class. It is well known that teachers tend to favor high-achieving students.

At the sound of her voice, Wang Jue quickly tucked away his phone and flashed an awkward, polite smile. The teacher, only half exasperated, gave him a look before resuming her lesson.

…

Meanwhile, outside the gates of He Ping No. 10 High School, three unexpected guests—a woman and two men—had arrived. They were none other than the trio who had watched Wang Jue’s recordings the previous night. Their sudden appearance left the school’s gatekeeper nearly unsteady on his feet, for he instantly recognized them as leading figures of He Ping Town.

The man in martial garb and crew cut at the forefront was Ning Chuan, head of the Martial Association branch and a formidable Orange Star-ranked martial artist, known as the Iron Fist. It was said Ning Chuan had achieved several great military merits in the wars between humanity and the Star Beasts—no easy feat, considering most Orange Star cultivators spend a lifetime without even a minor achievement, let alone a major one. Ning Chuan, by contrast, had notched no fewer than seven great merits, a testament to his terrifying strength. Little wonder that on the local martial forums, many considered Ning Chuan the number one martial artist in He Ping Town.

The other two were no less renowned: Feng Qingyang, known as the Swordmaster, and Zhou Yunling, the “Fire Rose,” famed for her fiery temperament. Both were deputy directors of the Martial Association branch, and each a pillar of the local martial world. Such a trio was rarely seen outside of television news; even seasoned Spirit Nurturing cultivators would find it difficult to meet one, let alone all three.

Their appearance caused a wave of excitement in the gatekeeper’s heart. “For Mr. Ning Chuan to come in person, there can be only one explanation…” he thought, his eyes wide with disbelief and his heart pounding with excitement. “A prodigy has emerged from He Ping No. 10 High—a super genius worthy of being recruited personally by the three giants!”

His heart thumped wildly at the thought. “It seems our school is about to produce a great figure!”

Barely able to contain his excitement, he hurried out to greet the trio respectfully.

Moments later, Principal Huang Dagui, having caught wind of the news, rushed over. “Mr. Ning Chuan, it is an honor to have you all at He Ping No. 10. Allow me to show you to our direct-admission class.”

Panting from his haste, Huang Dagui said eagerly, “Though all our top students have already secured direct admission to major universities, I can guarantee that if the Martial Association offers a contract, any one of them would join without hesitation!”

There could be no doubt—in Huang Dagui’s mind, the only possible reason for the trio’s visit was to recruit someone from the direct-admission class. As he had said, any of those students would abandon their offers without a second thought if the Martial Association showed interest. After all, the Martial Association was the foremost force on Azure Star; the benefits for even the lowest-ranked trainees far surpassed any university’s preferential treatment. And for Ning Chuan himself to come, it could only mean the highest-level invitation. Only a fool would refuse.

Unfortunately, as Huang Dagui looked on expectantly, Ning Chuan shook his head. “You misunderstand, Principal Huang. The one we’re looking for isn’t in your direct-admission class.”

“Ah…?” Huang Dagui was stunned, his mind unable to process this. Had he heard wrong? Not in the direct-admission class? Surely not in a regular class… Could there be a genius in the ordinary class, recognized by the Martial Association, that he, the principal, was unaware of?

“We’re here for a student in Class Six of Year Three, named Wang Jue,” Feng Qingyang explained with a smile, seeing Huang Dagui’s confusion. “Would you be so kind as to lead the way?”

“Oh,” Huang Dagui replied blankly. “Yes, of course!”

…

At that moment, the gentle, silver-framed teacher in Wang Jue’s class continued her lesson, patiently explaining problems to her students. Whether their grades were good or poor, everyone listened with rare attentiveness, scribbling notes furiously. Even Luo Shui, usually the most unruly student, was unusually focused, her brow furrowing in concentration or nodding in sudden understanding, as if utterly immersed in the sea of learning.

Alas, Luo Shui’s grades had always been at the bottom of the class. No matter how hard she crammed, it was unlikely to make much difference now. From childhood, her focus had been on cultivation, with little interest in academics, and her own abilities were the main reason she’d gained admission to He Ping No. 10.

As for Wang Jue? His eyes remained fixed on his phone, scouring the news. Though he hadn’t found what he was looking for, other stories still managed to catch his interest. Compared to his earlier carelessness, he was now far more cautious, careful not to be caught again. He understood that the teacher’s favoritism was due to his academic standing, but he dared not take it as a license for arrogance. Being caught once had been embarrassing—he didn’t intend to let it happen again.