The Elite Martial Arts Training Class

"One by one?"

Everyone was a little puzzled, but since no one had spoken along the way, maintaining their aloof personas, they still remained silent. A burly student took the lead, stepping forward without a word and entering the room.

The door was slightly ajar, but strangely, the inside was pitch black—nothing could be seen. The moment the student entered, no sound came from within, as if he had vanished into a pool of still water.

Zhao Hanhai waited a few seconds before speaking. "Next."

With someone leading the way, the rest didn't hesitate. They followed one after another, entering in order.

Soon, it was Shen Qian's turn.

As he stepped inside, a sudden gust of wind rushed past his ears. A dark figure lunged at him. Instinctively, Shen Qian dodged, but the shadow relentlessly pursued him. Left with no choice, he raised his arm to block.

Thud, thud…

He stumbled back a few steps in the darkness, staying on high alert—yet the shadow had disappeared.

"Proceed."

A deep voice rang out. It was only then that Shen Qian noticed the light behind him. Though puzzled, he followed the instruction and moved forward.

Passing through the dark corridor, the space ahead suddenly opened up—a courtyard-sized area, as big as a basketball court. It was empty, except for the seven students who had entered before him, gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves.

As Shen Qian stepped in, the first burly student grinned at him. "Hey, you got hit too?"

"To be precise, I was ambushed," Shen Qian corrected him.

"Class 111, Zheng Shaoyang." The burly student extended his hand.

Shen Qian had always liked straightforward people. Nodding, he shook Zheng Shaoyang's hand. "Class 109, Shen Qian."

By now, Shen Qian had pieced things together. From Zheng Shaoyang's words, it seemed everyone who entered had been attacked by that mysterious shadow. Coupled with the registration form earlier, it was easy to deduce—

This was a test. Or rather, an assessment.

And since Shen Qian had been caught off guard, he hadn't even had a chance to decide whether to hide his strength. In other words, now that he was here, there was no turning back.

Though it didn't align with his usual cautious approach, he figured that if the school had gathered so many top students together, it was unlikely to be for anything bad.

As for how he knew they were all elites? Simple. That shadow was strong. Though it held back, an average person wouldn't have been able to withstand the attack.

Besides, he was the only one from Class 109… Without Ding Yi, Class 109 had indeed fallen to the bottom of the rankings. Not a single strong contender left.

At that moment, the remaining students entered—some with calm expressions, some frowning slightly, and some limping, seemingly injured.

The last to arrive was Zhao Hanhai, accompanied by a cold-looking young man with sharp features. He wore a sleeveless training shirt, revealing his muscular physique.

"Congratulations, everyone. You've all passed the assessment. No one falsified their registration forms. That level of integrity is commendable—each of you will receive ten extra points," Zhao Hanhai said with a smile.

This unexpected reward was a pleasant surprise. Shen Qian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If he had followed Teacher Liu's advice to "come clean" from the start, he'd probably be losing ten points instead of gaining them.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why you've been gathered here," Zhao Hanhai continued.

"Every person standing here has an explosive force exceeding 140kg. Some of you are already on the threshold of becoming martial artists. What you lack might just be that final push…"

"In just over two months, the college entrance exams will take place. The school has specially established this Elite Martial Arts Training Class to help you reach new heights and enter the exams in peak condition."

No one seemed too surprised by this. As top martial arts students, they weren't as exceptional as those who had been directly recruited by prestigious universities, but they were well aware of each other's abilities. Many had already suspected something like this.

Seeing new faces like Shen Qian and the short-haired girl wasn't unusual—some people simply kept a low profile.

A training class?

Shen Qian pondered the words. So, it was a special program?

And the 140kg threshold… No doubt the system had orchestrated this.

"This hasn't been done before. This year is special. As for why, you'll come to understand in time."

Zhao Hanhai's tone was meaningful. "To avoid unnecessary controversy, I hope you'll all keep this training program confidential. Our schedule won't interfere with your regular studies."

Everyone nodded. That was easy to understand.

People don't resent having less—they resent others having more.

If news of this special treatment spread, many students would surely protest.

What, geniuses get special privileges?

Reality is cruel and indifferent—it doesn't bother explaining itself.

"Since we're from different classes but will be training together for the next two months, let's start with some introductions," Zhao Hanhai said with a smile.

---

On the third floor of a small building, two figures stood side by side, leaning against the railing.

As Zhao Hanhai explained things to the students, they quietly observed.

"Sigh, damn it. The real geniuses have already been snatched up by the Four Great Academies. All that's left are the scraps… Every year, they poach students without warning. And our teachers? They just let it happen! Confucius said: 'If this can be tolerated, what cannot be?!'"

The speaker was a young man in his early thirties. His appearance was odd—though he sported a trendy buzz cut, he wore an old-fashioned robe. He cursed fluently while quoting classical literature.

"Brother Liu, Confucius also said: 'Do not be concerned that others do not know you. Be concerned that you do not understand others.' Isn't it too early to judge?"

Beside him stood a middle-aged man with graying temples. He chuckled.

"Principal Huang, I've seen their records. No need to console me." Liu Changqing waved his hand, sighing. "'Do not worry about rank—worry about whether you stand firm.' …Damn it!"

After reciting the phrase, he still couldn't resist swearing, making Principal Huang twitch slightly.

"I'm not just trying to comfort you." Huang Tao gestured below. "Take Zhou Xiaoguang, for instance. He has the greatest potential among them. You probably don't know this, but when the Four Great Academies were recruiting, he happened to be on extended leave. Otherwise, he would've been taken too."

"Oh?" Liu Changqing's interest piqued. "From what I read, he's only barely at the level of a prospective martial artist. Is there something I missed?"

"The records you saw were from last semester. He hasn't broken through yet—not because he can't, but because he's aiming for something beyond an ordinary martial artist…" Huang Tao smiled.

"Really?"

Liu Changqing's eyes lit up. He nodded in approval. "Didn't expect a regular high school student to have such ambition. That's a promising seedling… What about the others? Any more like him?"

He couldn't help but ask eagerly.