.
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---
"… Do consider it. You won't be disappointed."
"That I know, that'd be hard with you in the picture." Zhuo replied with a chuckle as Sumina blushed faintly
"Stop that. This isn't the place… You don't have the right, playboy." She replied with a smirk as she walked past him
"What? Since when… Hey!… She's gone."
'Sigh… The cold beauty of the academy… the most prominent one, I mean. She can be quite playful.'
'I just can't understand why the girls like me so much. I'm at best average-looking… I do try to act mature and to work my hardest to achieve my goals… Is this attractive? Or is it because the competition isn't that good?'
'Most boys in class are quite trouble-makers… that's how spoiled children are… If we can even call them children anymore, some of them are already eighteen… time flies.'
'Maybe it's my constitution? I know some constitutions unknowingly attract others. Maybe the clone's Cursed Immortal Body that has slowly seeped into me has affected them somewhat?… Difficult to say.'
'It could be multiple factors… I'll just focus on myself.'
"Let's see…"
'These exams are quite punk. I managed to do around 75% of them on my own and had to resort to my clone to do the other 25%…'
'This was hard. This exams aren't made for anyone to get more than like… 80% on it… My clone did it quite easily though, so my score was perfect.'
'I had to downplay it, though. If I had gotten a perfect score not only once but twice, that might've been too much. I don't think there are more than a handful of nerds in the nation that can get a score that high in the first place. I don't want to get into the database for investigation.'
'I had my clone only help me score up to 80%, which was quite easy since I managed to do most of it on my own. But once the tournament arrives, I'll be ready to get a perfect score.'
'A combination of a perfect score and my combat prowess should be enough to get me around the top thousand easily. But anything higher than that doesn't matter since I can get anywhere… I could even aim for a foreign transference.'
'Although I don't think the country would allow that… Which country would groom a cultivator only to have it go away to another country for free?'
'I am a bit curious about how the equivalent continents of Eurasia and Africa are doing, but I think I'll do fine down here in South America… although we don't call those that here.'
'Most of South America is now a massive, endless wild zones. Only some city cores are left now… The wilderness and frontiers are where the high-level cultivators are.'
'Just a few days ago, after two months of contemplation from all my clones, we managed to clear up the flaws in my cultivation and reach the limbo between Golden Core and the Nascent Soul realm.'
'The issues were mostly physical. Because I'm an ordinary person with average qualifications, my body ended up accumulating too much strain and hidden injuries.'
'There were also the rest of the medicinal properties and impurities from the medicine I consumed almost a year ago… no wonder taking medicine in droves is bad; it can take literal years to clean it up.'
'Thankfully, I did it quite efficiently and right on time. My cultivation wasn't delayed for long… although those two months could've been spent advancing my cultivation.'
'Anyhow, I now have about a year to go as far as I can through Nascent Soul. The epiphany and unusual experience from two months ago were unexpected, but they helped me advance ahead of time.'
'I shouldn't count on it again.'
'And the reason I managed to advance so quickly to Nascent Soul… is likely because of my existence itself… I am a soul which took over another body… so maybe this event made my body more susceptible to the forces of this realm.'
'My Dantian quickly transformed the seven colors within itself and now the budding energies are beginning to condense something greater… It'll take a while for it to form, but the Nascent Soul will form sooner or later.'
'This is a period of considerable sensibilities… I should avoid fighting too much until this budding takes a concrete, even if vague form.'
'My goals this year are simple… I don't need to cultivate at all. I just need to sharpen my techniques and make sure I can bridge to the middle stages of the Nascent Soul realm.'
The Nascent Soul realm is divided into Fetal Heart, Spirit Eclosion, and Sentient Incarnation. Zhuo was currently at the Fetal Heart stage, where the heart of his Soul forms.
'The third year's library also opened up for me four months ago, and after I contacted the principal yesterday, he also unlocked a few extra techniques and documents exclusive to Nascent Souls for me… I'll take my time studying those.'
'It's not yet time to rest! My parents' future awaits this!… Speaking of them, things have been quite weird recently…'
'Some of the girls I've been seeing… have started trying to build connections with my parents behind my back and often with me as well… They've been showered in gifts and offerings, and because of that, their cultivation has reached the Golden Core despite their ages.'
'My mother is happy since she looks fifteen years younger, while my father is overwhelmed by it all… He told me to make a choice already because he can't help me decide… that old man…'
'But he's right. I'll have to decide soon. Even if I don't take their hands in a romantic way, I can always join their families as an outside member. Most of them have given me this option… almost everyone in class has by now.'
'I can literally join any of their clans as a sponsored member, or become the romantic partner of those interested in me.'
'By now, some pairings have begun to appear. I think there are at least five couples in class… I wonder how their clans view this… Not my problem.'
"… For now, I'll send a report to the academy regarding my notes and experiences in this test and move on…"
'The Academy is expecting me to do well next year, so this much should make them relax a little… I should go join my friends now. We were going to watch the second and third phases of the exams together.'
'If only I could participate in them…'
…
The second phase of the national exams is always different, albeit it circles around from time to time. Last year, it was multiple small tests centered around how well you could control energy and use it. This year, it was a series of three test centered around strength.
How much strength you could release at once, how much strength you could release over time, and how much strength your body could bear at once.
The last phase was always the same, virtual combat with past exam testees. Whenever someone participates in the tests, they live behind virtual imprints, which are then brought back by the high-power virtual intelligences for students all over the nation to fight again.
In the past, the last phase of the national exam was about fighting other examinees in your own region, and once the top students in each region are chosen, they could then go to a central region to fight each other and determine the ultimate victor.
However, in modern times, this couldn't be done anymore, so virtual combat against simulated opponents was far better and more cost-effective to determine the actual combat ability of each student.
Each student had only one chance to participate in the national exams. If they failed to meet their quota or reach the score they wanted, they could then do the secondary exams a year later. Both exams always happen with a month gap between both with the secondary exams going after… so if someone failed the first exams, they might have another chance with the secondary ones right after… but they'd be competing with those who failed last year as well.
If they had failed a month before, what chance did they have now? They're better off waiting a year and trying to catch up to those that went first afterward.
However, one could only try the secondary exams twice… not counting their first time a month after if they did try it then.
So they have two extra years to prepare… if you can't do it then… there's nothing you can do but go to an ordinary university.
Most top-end universities wouldn't even consider students coming from the secondary exams. But the world is unpredictable, and sometimes, an unusual one appears.
The secondary tests were quite interesting. Zhuo learned quite a bit about them. He also knew that the academy would be testing them like this over the year so they could prepare for the exams.
The academy would enforce on them similar tests used over the last twenty years of the national exams to get them ready for everything the exams would throw at us… and it worked.
However, the scores from the first and second phases only went as far as 66% of the maximum possible score someone could attain in the exams…
The total score for all three phases was 3000.
Of those, 1250 came from the exams. A thousand came from the questions themselves, while the rest was from the essay about one's goals and dreams. Everyone was forced to write it, and rarely did anyone from the academy get less than 200 in it.
Moving on, 750 came from the second phase… and 1000 came from the third phase.
According to some documents he read, the average score of Jal-Xin Academy for the first phase was 900 points; 700 for the questions, and 200 for the essay.
As for the second phase, that can be relative… but if one rounded up all exams in the last 20 years, then it would be 615.
As for the combat, the average score was… 335. Which was expected given most students of the academy wouldn't reach Nascent Soul before the exams.
Putting it all together, it went for something around 1850 points. But this score was only enough to get the students of the academy in the top ten thousand.
To get into the top one thousand, a score of about 2100 to 2200 points was needed at least… which was quite easy to get.
Zhuo could get the full 1250 points from the first phase with a margin of error of 50 points, and probably 750 points for the second phase with an equal margin of error… assuming he can get his clones to do the hard work for him and not get him in trouble.
The two combined can reach between 1900 and 2000 points. Half a step away from the top thousand with little effort. And right now, his strength was already enough to surpass the average score of 335 by miles. Thus, in total, his score could easily reach that value.
So the question remained, just how far could he push his final score?
According to last year's evaluations, the score needed to reach the top 100 was 550+, around 250 points above the value of 2100 to 2200 points for a theoretical gap of 2350 to 2450. It was quite a steep value given there weren't that many points left for students to snatch.
Since most of the nation scored in the first and second tests about the same as the academy did, it was all about how they went in the last phase. With that in mind, if Zhuo achieved a perfect score of 2000 points, all he needed to do to reach the top one hundred… was to act like an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator.
He didn't need to do much at all, only fight as standard and maybe try a bit harder… That was all he needed to do to reach the top hundred with perfect scores.
This went to show just how difficult getting those scores was and what a difference it meant to get even a little more… now… to get beyond that… was a little difficult.
That was because the top hundred were usually more able than others. So, getting higher scores in the first two stages wouldn't matter much. Maybe get him a few dozen positions with that score in the last phase.
For him to guarantee a position in something like the top ten, he'd have to display a score of at least 2800+…
Most of those in the top ten get scores above 900 for their third phase and near-perfect scores for their second phase. Only in the first phase may issues may arise. But given that most individuals in those positions have very high realms, their mental ability is often enough to push those points further than normal.
Still, that was within Zhuo's limits. Scoring points in the third phase is not about how well you fight but about how long and how far you can fight. Regardless of your cultivation, you gain points based on the level of your opponent and how your fight goes against them, be it defeat, a draw, or victory. Only in cases where scores are close are their fights evaluated for performance.
If he gets perfect scores, for him to get 800+ points in the last phase, he'd need to display combat power equivalent to that of around the middle to the late stage of the Nascent Soul Realm. To get perfect scores, at least with the current parameters, would mean displaying enough combat power to clash with a Soul Formation expert.
Now that's quite the gap to cross.
The second and third phases of the exams happen on the same day with long rest sessions in-between. But students are not allowed to leave their designated resting areas until they finish the exams. This is to avoid illegal doping and other methods from being abused. That was why Zhuo was concerned.
He could easily cheat on the exams by having the first clone form a mental link with him or his clones. And if he sent his fourth clone there, then he'd ace the second phase and do his best on the third one.
His fear, however, came from the possibility of being found out. His academy was quite special, and it had its own unique place to perform the exams. He knew the principal couldn't tell his powers when they were in effect. But what if they had a higher-realm cultivator or some unique method of recognition there to see if he was the real person?
He had thought about this before. That was why he had his fourth clone do all kinds of health checkups and update his ID photos and scans so he'd perfectly match with the government's database… but he feared that wouldn't be enough.
What if his clone entered the testing chamber, and it was immediately dispelled due to some unknown power? What was he supposed to do then?… Well, revealing his powers as a unique effect of his constitution would do, but he was afraid of what might happen then.
That was one of the reasons why he wanted to join a force, to have someone to rely upon when shit hit the fan. And if he managed to convince others this was some bloodline/constitution power, then they wouldn't mind him since he was the fiancé of one of their successors, anyway.
But… that was all only the case if he wanted to somehow enter the top ten or beyond. He didn't need to do any of that since there was no incentive to do so other than reputation and honor, which he cared little about .
Maybe the university might be inclined to give extra rewards to those high enough ranks to convince them to join their institutions, but that was only him speculating.
By himself, he was already qualified enough to enter any university, so it didn't matter… but if he managed to raise his cultivation even further, who knows?
Finally, with the exams done, it was time to enter the academy and face his own competition!
Class 1, 2, and 3-A were going to face each other and determine their positions. Class 1-A's goal was to defend their crown while 2 and 3-A were there to steal it so they could get a stronger chance of getting the ten thousand credits once they joined a university.
It was going to be fun!
At the same time… Zhuo could feel another unusual event circling him… A feeling he was just far too familiar with.
It was the emergence of another clone.
…
Before he could participate in the competition, Zhuo was called to the principal's office.
Like always, the old man waited for him with a faint smile on his face, "You're back, son. And this time, with quite a surprise."
"Morning, principal."
"As stiff as ever… Sit, it won't be long but I have a few things to say to you."
"… You see, I never expected you to reach Nascent Soul so quickly. You truly got lucky; not all can experience an event like yours… It was a blessing to someone who deserved it."
"Saying I deserved it is too much…"
"I won't flatter you anymore. I've said what I had to say when we first met… So how about we go down to what matters?"
"As you know, resources pertaining to the Nascent Soul realm are scarce in the city. There was a reason why the Golden Cloud Pill was so well valued to the point we had to go on a holiday."
"There are rules set in place to prevent the scattering of resources past a certain point. The nation has always enforced a centralist policy regarding that… which is why is so important to pursue those resources and enter an appropriate institution."
"Of course, that doesn't mean none enter… they are just heavily monitored. But oftentimes a few cracks form; it's just natural… it is as intended."
"The board of directors has turned a blind eye to this. Because there isn't much the academy can provide you to assist you in breaking through Nascent Soul that we haven't already given you."
The principal placed a simple silver box on the table. It was long and shiny, quite heavy as well…
"This is your scholarship… Everything you need is contained here. From resources from your first year all the way to the end of this year. You know what this means, correct?"
"Yes… this is the last of your support."
"Officially at least… But I doubt anything extra will pop out anytime soon… You see, there's a reason why there's an unwritten rule where universities and similar institutions will lock their freshmen once they join."
"The Nascent Soul realm is a spiritual and metal realm. It's mostly centered around challenging your mental cognition and spiritual attainment rather than gathering and refining energy… there aren't many resources out there that can accelerate this process."
"You'll form your spirit and cultivate it in a similar way as you cultivated yourself. You'll help it grow into adulthood and rise through the ranks of cultivation until you and your spirit are equal. Once that occurs, you'll push your spirit into the next realm, the spiritual cultivation equivalent of breaking through into Soul Formation."
"Once your spirit attains a higher cultivation realm than you, you'll have entered Spirit Eclosion. And from there, it'll be a tussle to gain control over it."
"Your spirit can never separate from your body, but it can be uncooperative. You must take control of it and seal it back inside your body, once you do, you'll have entered Sentient Incarnation."
"Once you can control the spirit as if it was a part of you, the time will come to infuse your mind into it, essentially making it an extension of your body, but able to think and act for itself as if it was you nonetheless."
"At that point, two of you will coexist within one body, although it's more correct to say its one and the same, divided between two axes."
"To advance further… you must become whole again, and the successive realms are all about that… In Soul Formation, you'll help your incarnation attain form and strengthen it so it can be manifested outside your body properly."
"In Soul Manifestation, you'll learn how to interact with the world through your spirit, and learn the many wonders that are hidden from mortal senses."
"Finally, in Body Integration, you'll fuse these aspects back into you and achieve flesh rebirth. You'll reincarnate within your own body and condense, mind, spirit, and body in one."
"Once you step out of Body Integration, you'll become a being detached from physical limitations. If your head is destroyed and cut off, it won't matter, for even a single finger of your body will carry your consciousness and will."
"There is a common factor between these realms… They're all highly spiritual realms, centered heavily on the consciousness and spirituality of the cultivator."
"Cultivating the spirit takes enormous energy; that much is a fact. But understanding the process is 90% if not more of the journey… The academy can provide you with the 10% you would've struggled to get on your own."
"The academy wants you spending your time studying and training rather than sitting down cultivating… after all, we both know the qualifications your body has."
"… Yes… My body holds me back quite a lot."
"It is a shame, but not something you cannot overcome. Once you graduate and enter a university, higher-ranked techniques comparable to those of large clans will be available to you, so you won't be held back by those anymore."
"Once you form your spirit and reach Soul Formation. Your spirit will be released from the limitations of your body. It'll be able to cultivate on its own and assist you catch up to those around you… of course… they'll also have access to their own spirits, but your goal should be other."
"Body Integration. Once you undergo flesh rebirth, you'll have another chance at creating a body suitable for cultivation. In fact, it most likely will be far superior to what these kids have. You'll finally stand on the same stage as them."
"From a certain perspective… but they have something I don't have… bloodline."
"That is true… You have nothing to back you up. You will be the one who will back up others in the future… but that is also something you can make up for."
"Bloodlines are just shards of higher techniques and powers passed down to their descendants. You can also form your own once you're there… not that you'll need it."
"What I'm saying is that you should put your goal in reaching Body Integration. That is the key to utterly altering your destiny."
"… Do you think I can do it?"
"If you definitely can. Have you seen the kids around you? Most of them will reach Body Integration in their fifties like I did… but that's a bit too long for you, isn't it?"
"… Ten years. If you work hard enough, you can reach Body Integration in ten years. As for going beyond it… I don't know."
"Ten years?! Isn't that too short?"
"Maybe… But I've seen many do it. To some, it's a standard."
"A standard?…"
"Hum… This isn't something you should do right now but… Know that there are some people that work with ideas and principles far beyond what you imagine. The world is quite wide… to some, Body Integration is just the start."
"With your beginnings, achieving Body Integration before your thirties is your only key to reaching them… But if you think that's too much, then forget everything I said."
"There may be other ways… but that'll depend on your actions and decisions… to some degree, luck as well."
The principal reached for the box and opened it, revealing a fist-sized, translucent and prismatic crystal like a large quartz.
"Is this… a Spirit Stone?"
"Correct. Not just any kind, but a high-quality one."
"What… why give such a thing to me?"
"Spirit Stones are the basis of currency outside… In the frontier and beyond, currency holds little value and meaning. Credits and whatnot… they're barely used."
"Out there, you'll have to learn how to barter for what you want. Larger institutions have found a way to build common currencies to help avoid issues from trading, but I wanted you to get a taste of it ahead of time."
"The main method of currency out there is Spirit Stones, that's the basis of the currency. You might've heard that the economies of nations are based on Spirit Stone veins and other rare mineral deposits, and that's not wrong."
"The common folk already live under an economy centered on them; they just don't know it. Your goal with this should be to absorb it completely. This sole Spirit Stone should have enough energy to last through until you reach the latter stages of Soul Formation if not beyond, if you don't waste your energy elsewhere."
"For the next year, the board of directors wants you to focus solely on growing stronger without wasting time. So for that, we're handing you this Spirit Stone. Absorb it as you will and use it as you desire. I'd be surprised if you could consume more than 1% of it before reaching Soul Formation."
"If you find it cumbersome, you can trade it once you reach the university. Its value shouldn't depreciate much then since what matters most isn't the energy within them but the shell. That alone covers 90% of a Spirit Stone's value, don't let anyone ever scam you."
"It is common practice for depleted Spirit Stones to be used as currency, although full Spirit Stones are also used as higher-quality currency. It's up to you to choose which to go with."
"And there's one more thing… The board of directors has issued another business venture for you… Depending on your position in the national exams, we'll provide you with corresponding rewards." He said as he put another silver box on the table
"If you reach the top thousand, we'll give you a lower ranked but still equally valuable Spirit Stone. Both together will more than last you until you break through Soul Manifestation."
"If you reach the top five hundred, the board of directors would be willing in granting you early rights to some techniques you may find in the university so you can train them ahead of time and be extra prepared once you enter your institution of choice… This is a practice some larger families do to their children once they graduate so they have a competitive edge once they're left isolated."
"That may depend, however… so in case you find it unneeded or we can't provide it, granting you a slightly better Spirit Stone wouldn't be an issue either."
"If you can reach the top hundred. The board of directors will give you another Spirit Stone of the same grade as you're holding right now. Even one of them might be enough to help a Soul Manifestation cultivator break through and they're extremely valuable in the border and wilderness."
"You'll find no lack of such cultivators there, but when there are so many, resources can be scarce… you understand, right?"
"I think I do… But what if I reach higher? Top ten, for example?"
"Hum… What score did you get in the first phase of the exam?"
"80% but… I purposely flunked the other 20%."
"I see… and do you think you can get a high score in the second phase as well?"
"I can probably score within one hundred points of the maximum possible for the tests combined."
"… That wouldn't take you very far from reaching the top ten in the nation… This might be an unforeseen opportunity."
"Didn't the board think I could go this far?"
"There was a possibility, but it was ruled out… The Academy has only produced a few top ten finalists in its existence. For another to come right now… and a commoner at that… would truly be out of the ordinary… very well."
"I have yet to convince the board, but if you can take a spot in the top ten… nothing short of that. If you can, we can converse about an even greater reward… I'm talking about something as valuable as ten if not more of those Spirit Stones in your hand."
"Enough wealth to last you until you reach Body Integration. These Spirit Stones are what we cultivate with, after all." He said with a faint smile as he pulled one of the boxes back underneath the desk
"… Why go this far?"
"You asked this same question around a year ago, and my answer remains the same."
"A period of change is coming. One tide you'll be young enough to experience and potentially ride on… But it's up to you if you'll go with it… or drown."
"You're at the prime age to experience its many aspects. The choices before you are countless… The chances are coming and fast, you might've already noticed them given your studies. It the signs have been there for the last few decades."
"A little here and there, changes targets, small but connected ideas… The picture is almost being drawn… You'll understand soon enough."
"… Does this have anything to do with reaching Body Integration before my thirties?"
He smiled but did not continue.
"… I'll try my best, sir."
"As you should… But I'd like to add one more thing before you. It's not a requirement or anything… I wanted to tell you that it's okay to pursue romance."
"Huh?! Pardon?"
/Chuckle…/
"I've seen your interactions with your classmates. The senses of a Body Integration are quite strong… I say it's okay. You've done enough, and the board is happy with your actions… You should be free to do as you want. Go do whatever you want."
"…"
"We have only one requirement… try to keep the news at a minimum. The academy wants full rights to the claims of your progress. And whatever qualifications you can display at the exams must reflect on the academy… that's what the board wants."
"It seems the academy is really bent on increasing its reputation… I can't see how that's valuable… at least not as much as you make it seem."
"Perhaps to you, the investments we've been given may seem excessive, but the outcome has been exemplar to us. Your class and all others have been surpassing all expectations, and if you continue to do so and can achieve what I told you last time, the academy could easily gain funding for years of operation… but that doesn't matter much."
"It's all about reputation and prestige. And there's nothing quite like raising a commoner from nothing into champion. That's the kind of opportunity an organization only gets once in a decade."
"So it's for bragging rights?"
"Hm?... HOHOHO! Quite an unusual line of thought, but I'd say that's the case! But you see boy, this academy is mostly funded by individuals and large clans. Reputation is our largest negotiation token."
"To us, any investment in you would be worth it to receive that label."
"If that makes you happy… then I'll get to work."
"I don't doubt it… anyhow, that's all I wanted to say. Be free to choose and enjoy youth, but remember my words. Until graduation, try not make it seem as if someone else is training you. This is for your benefit as well."
"Once you graduate, what you do won't matter as much, but I'd be thankful if you didn't stir too much trouble until the exams ended… although we can have those talks later. We have a lot of time to go through it all."
He checked his wristwatch and raised his hand, causing the doors behind Zhuo to fling open.
"You should go now; the competition is about to start."
"… Is there even a point in me being there? Everyone is more than able to defend themselves."
"Maybe you'll be surprised… you see, in the last few months, Class 2 and 3-A have undergone strict training in special summer camps only for today."
"What?"
"Your professor told you many times. Class 2 and 3 would receive some support…"
"Wait, what I thought was that the top ten of Class B and C would be receiving extra resources to compete with the lower than… not an entire class."
"And you're right; it's just that in the last four months we prepared a special summer camp for them to train at. You see, we do tend to give fewer resources to class 2 and 3, but to some degree, isn't this an opportunity for class 1?"
"Pressure can brew excellence… that's why you're here, isn't it?"
"… Sigh… You're making this difficult. Class 1-A already doesn't receive as many resources as the others, but we're forced to fight them off constantly?"
"Class 1-A already receives a lot. Maybe not directly, but professors, facilities, and just the scholarship from your student IDs is quite excessive. Maybe you think it isn't as much because your idea of receiving resources is based around tangible items like this, but to us, these kids already receive enough of them. We have to provide them with something else…"
"I hope you don't mind."
"… I've been getting tired recently…"
"It may just be your Spirit. It takes quite a bit of mental power to sustain even if you don't feel it. You'll likely want to sleep or mediate more frequently. This will remain for quite some time… another reason why institutions isolate newcomers. Once you reach Nascent Soul, you become quite passive and slow… at least until you break through."
"But enough of all that, go now!" He said as he waved his hand, sending Zhuo flying outside with his box
"We can continue our talk at some other time. I've spoken enough for an old man, now give me some time to rest."
/Clack!/
The doors to the office closed behind him, leaving Zhuo flabbergasted.
"… Trouble everywhere…"
'Fighting and romance… I'm tired. I should get the fourth ready, he may be needing to fight a little today…'
Zhuo left for the competition, his eyes heavy and weary…
…
He walked through the building's hallways and eventually into the open. He made his way along the long road between departments, not in a hurry at all.
He had a feeling that today he wouldn't be needed at all…
He arrived at the third-year section in about a quarter of an hour, and it took him a few more minutes to go through the area and enter the stadium where the competitions took place.
He could hear the voices of excitement and the chatter from a long way in the streets below. Not to say the many cars parked around, filling the parking lots with activity as people came and went. He recognized a few, having made himself used to the usual family members and servants of most members of his year after continuous exposure to them.
He greeted some and went on his way, going after his classmates, who were likely already confronting the others.
From the wild energy in the air, he could tell that battles had already begun.
…
Zhuo stepped inside the stadium, taking a glance at the surrounding situation.
'It's slightly larger than last year. Is it because of our class' popularity?'
'This… might be a bit too much for me to handle. I can see the parents of some of my friends and even some other unknown people around them… I recognize some of them from conversations and pictures.'
'I can't say if that's the case for all of them, but I'm pretty sure around half of the parents of everyone here should be around Soul Manifestation. If they're on the older side, around their sixties, then they're likely already at Body Integration… some of them are even higher.'
'The reason for that is some clans use Body Integration as a base realm before their main lines are allowed to create the next generation. This ensures a healthy line and the preservation of their bloodlines.'
'And that's not all. If they brought some of their busier family members here, the ones that work outside of the central regions like this city, then wouldn't their cultivation be even higher than that's the average out there?'
'I don't even know what's beyond Body Integration. I think it's something about creating something… There isn't anything in the books, the teachers don't talk about it and neither does the principal.'
'There is likely a reason for that… But that doesn't matter. Right now, it's not safe to change into the fourth clone. Which means… I'll have to fight on my own… shit.'
'I should be able to do it… I'll figure things out. It's not like I'm useless. I know how to fight, just not as well as my clone that's all… and that's still far above everyone here… but not enough to justify my dominance over them.'
"… Sigh… Let's get this over with."
He stepped inside and went to his classmates at the bottom of the stadium, joining his team soon after.
The competition went on as it had last year. Battles, direct confrontations in many areas, and so on. Merely through body versus body clashes, nothing else.
While in the third-year students would be taught mostly how to use their weapons, it was still too soon for that. Classes in weapon handling would begin tomorrow after everything was over… Although everyone here, including Zhuo, had already begun studying and training with weapons.
Like the principal said, most of the students from class 2 and 3 had reached the Lifelessness stage despite being considerably behind class 1 last year, and a few had even reached Nascent Soul like him.
There were around 120 students in their year, and about 10 of them had stepped into Nascent Soul. And only half of that was from class 1. It wouldn't be an easy clash.
Zhuo also kind of understood why the academy didn't allow students from other classes to compete to get into others. If all the exceptional talents from class 2 and 3 joined class 1, the competition might die out as class 1 grew too heavy for others to tackle.
By doing things like this, the talented students in class 2 and 3 that failed to join class 1 in their first year were now forced to work even harder to elevate not only themselves but those around them to clash with class 1 to achieve their position.
There was still a disparity of talent, but at least this way there was a chance for them to claim their spot.
The same could be said for class B. The competition for the position of B-1 was extremely tense, maybe even more than that in class A. The reason was obvious. The top students in class B would have numerous chances to join class A, something they couldn't miss out on.
Zhuo was even expecting that some students in class A might be switched this year if class B continued with their momentum… It wasn't anything he had to worry about though.
He put his attention only on today and the overall scores of those in class 1-A. After all, if their scores fell too much, they might be overtaken, and that would be too much.
Zhuo greeted everyone and took a seat, waiting to be called into action… but never did. Everyone in class tried their best to push everyone else away without having to rely on him. It was quite interesting to see.
… Maybe a bit too much even… He noticed how some girls were trying exceptionally more today than he had ever seen… and the reason was quite evident. Those girls were trying to get his attention.
They weren't the only ones doing that, though. He could see many of his classmates trying harder to get the attention of others as well, not only their classmates but their family as well.
'It seems everyone's trying to be the star of the show now… Well, it was about time it happened. Maybe this will take some of the attention off me.'
'It seems everyone is getting some attention, which is great… But what should I do about those girls? It's overwhelming.'
The time was fast approaching; a choice had to be made. He had four options right now… to ignore them all and move on alone to the exams, to accept one of them and get to experience a happy third year with a girlfriend, to only accept one of them once he graduated… or to reject them all right here and end this issue.
The last option wasn't a possibility, he had already joked and flirted around with them too much for him to do that… worst possible scenario their family might get him a good kick in the back to get him in place for toying with their descendants.
'I don't know… I've really dug a grave for myself. It's not that I don't like them, but it just feels bad to choose one over the other, no matter how strange that sounds.'
'My choices for the future haven't changed since last year or even since the end of the first year… I want to join a top university or the military. Although the latter is at the bottom of my priorities.'
'There are three universities I'm interested in, and to no surprise as those three universities alone take 70% of all students from Jal-Xin Academy. Other universities aren't as worthwhile unless I want to specialise in a given field.'
'Of the three, the one I'm most interested in is the Zhuan Palace. An ancient power that existed even before the birth of the nation, coming straight from the ancient times. Although the power that originated at the Zhuan Palace is long gone, it still carries on its name and legacy.'
'The Zhuan Palace is responsible for many smaller institutions of the nation, being a major funding power that greatly assists the nation… It's also one of the top five universities in the world… even though it isn't referred to as that. In fact, none are… Universities are for mortals that cannot pursue cultivation, these places would be more akin to Sects like in ancient times.'
'Sects still exist, but they aren't as commonly referred to as that. People don't seem to like the term much, likely due to how inflexible the hierarchical structure of sects is. It doesn't conform to the modern world.'
'The Zhuan Palace is a major power in the exploration of the wilderness and has enough influence in multiple fields for me to consider settling down long term given how my clones may eventually branch off to those areas… something I can't say the same for the other two universities.'
'Once I enter the Zhuan Palace, I can likely remain in peace and quiet for a few months with the Spirit Stone the principal gave me. If I work a little harder, I could even get a little more… but what happens after?'
'I'll have to find a way to get resources, and while there likely are some ways to get those alone, I may have to find a group... since I can't keep sending my clones to do things together. It could be too risky in a place full of experts. If I had a faction to support me through thick and thin, such issues could be mitigated.'
'But I could also join a faction or find a group inside the university. This group could be from the university itself or from the academy since I doubt there wouldn't be a few students going there.'
'From the statistics alone, at least 30% of the students from the academy will apply to enter the Zhuan Palace. The number may be even higher this time around unless something unusual happens.'
'Overall, there shouldn't be much of an issue with me going there alone, but I have a feeling it'd be best if I got someone to rely on… and like I've been thinking about recently, I don't want to reach a high level of cultivation on my own without friends of family to celebrate with.'
'Cultivation shouldn't be an utterly lonely process.'
/BOOOOM!/
"… It's another victory for Class 1-A!!"
"… They sure are kicking up quite a fuss…"
'The time is fast approaching… I can't keep holding my decision on, not when this decision could mean influencing another's destiny.'
'… I'll have to go with my heart on this one… as I should've done from the start… No more wasting time; this is something I should've done last year.'
'I'll clear things up with each one of them at a time… until I find out what I truly want to do.'
"… And the next fight is…!!!"
Zhuo focused on the battles ahead, putting his convoluted thoughts aside.
…
…
/BOOOM!/
/CLANG!/
The lower-ranked battles were slowly settled, giving space for the higher-ranking ones.
As students with combat power ranking the Nascent Soul realm stepped into the ring, the battles immediately grew chaotic. Their clashes shook the arena, and their energy filled the air. If not for the protective barriers, some lower-ranked students, staff, and onlookers might've collapsed from the sheer pressure alone… including Zhuo's parents, who were watching from afar.
/Boom!/
"… Can't they take things a little less seriously?… Damn…"
Zhuo could feel the tremors shake the barrier itself even from his seat. While everyone was inside the arena, he was the only one watching from afar. Which made him stand out quite a bit.
'Come on… can't I do something? The others are starting to look at me…'
/KABOOM!/
"Woah… that was quite intense…" He muttered as he looked at a corner of the stadium
'Who was fighting over there? I wasn't paying attention…'
"… It's another victory for Class 1-A!! This time, Samina Dax-Om takes the crown against Class 2-A's top scorer!"
"So it's her…"
'That momentary burst of energy was immense for someone who broke through Nascent Soul recently. Not anywhere near the middle stages but still massive.'
/Step…/
Waving her crimson hair behind her back, Samina stepped down from the main arena and approached Zhuo with a faint smile on her face.
She wasn't entirely fine as her clones were slightly damaged and sweat could be seen on her forehead, but it was still a much grander appearance for someone who had just fought another in the same realm.
"Congratulations, that was a good fight." Zhuo said with a faint smile as he clapped at her
"Thank you. He was a strong opponent, I didn't expect Class 2-A to have such a strong fighter."
"Yeah… I heard from the principal before I arrived that everyone in Class 2 and 3-A had undergone special training during summer vacation. It must've been quite intense."
"Indeed. Had it not been for how unstable his cultivation was, I might've had to struggle a bit… not that it would've made a difference."
"That's how the queen should speak." Zhuo added with a laugh
"Don't call me that! I'm tired of that nickname… so, erm…"
/BOOOM!/
""!""
Just when Samina was about to say something, the arena shook again as a bolt of lightning flashed in the skies.
"… It's another victory for Class 1-A!! This time, Erina Celmor takes the crown against Class 2-A's second highest!"
/Land!/
Not long after the announcement was made, someone landed before them, "Did you see that?" Erina asked with a faint smile as she walked before Samina, standing between her and Zhuo.
"I…"
"Excuse me, Erina, can't you see we're talking here?"
"Oh? My apologies. I thought you were resting and walked right over you… But can you give us a moment to talk? I'm sure whatever you were talking about can wait."
"And why would I do such a thing? Shouldn't you be the one to wait since you arrived late?"
"There's a certain degree of priority, isn't there?" Erina added as a faint smile took over her lips
"How so? Care to explain? What makes you any different from everyone else?"
"…"
'I this what they call a catfight?'
Right now, Samina and Erina were the only two girls he had to concern himself with. Ever since he was confessed to by a few more girls in the new year, those two managed to somehow push all others aside from their "competition".
It wasn't something he was comfortable with, but for these noble kids, there were some social rules he still didn't know much about. One moment he was confessed, then after a few weeks, the girls were avoiding him.
He always tried to be polite and understanding, but some actions left him speechless… well… he did confront them about it, but that wouldn't change the fact that they literally crushed their opposition into submission.
Then again, if those girls were so weak-minded as to step back just because another girl said so… then there wasn't much he could do. The other girls who confessed to him weren't special to him in any way, and it made things easier for him that they stepped back on their own.
It would be a difficult thing to forget and grow past, but everyone had to cast aside their childhood crushes eventually… It was how things were done for these people. Strength overruled everything, often even emotions. Pairings were often done mostly for strength and benefits than actual emotions.
Even though he wanted to choose a partner based on romance. It wasn't like Zhuo was completely on the defensive with this either… Out of all the girls he knew, these two were the ones he had the greatest attraction and connection. So it worked out well for him, anyway.
He only needed to pick a side… and that was the issue. The only reason the two of them were still here was that they couldn't push each other around. With Samina being second highest in the rankings and Erina being the fourth, they weren't that far from each other in combat prowess.
Say whatever about him, but these two were equally perfect for him as any girl in his dreams could be… he just couldn't choose… not when he felt one of them would explode if they weren't chosen.
He didn't want to take too long either… He had taken long enough. He was going to make his decision before the latter half of the year came… because there was much he wanted to do before leaving the city into the wilderness where most cultivator universities were built.
It was going to be a long…
"… what did you just say?!"
"How about we just solve things like in the old times? Let us step into the ring and get this over with." Samina said with a scoff as she crushed her hair aside
"Oh? A fight to figure out who gets him? Fine, this is easier than waiting."
/JUMP!/
Just like that, Erina jumped back into the arena, shocking and confusing some of the onlookers. Soon enough, Samina followed after her, leaving Zhuo behind in shock.
"This…"
"It must be difficult. To be pulled around like this."
A voice sounded next to him, startling him. He turned to see who it was, only to see a Erina… but her hair was shorter…
It was her younger twin sister, Sisina!
"Sisi?…"
She sat next to him, her tone heavy, "You're a kind boy. Others would scream in protest, others would have their pride hurt or ego inflated. But you try to mediate things, you try not to hurt everyone's feelings… you dance around their emotions, trying to reach the most optimal path where everyone can be somewhat happy…"
"And that's what I hate the most about you."
"…"
"You see, life is about pushing others down and lifting others up… You have to make your choices, and regardless of what becomes of someone, you must act. Every action has a consequence, and in society, you'll rarely not collide with another… Perceptive and kind individuals will try to make choices that do not clash with another's interest or choose to prioritize the well-being of others, that is not wrong… but there is a limit to everything."
"… and you've crossed that long ago. This isn't kindness anymore. This is neglect… you're a selfish man."
"… You're right."
"Look what you've done. Your lack of action has caused numerous conflicts in class. You forced everyone to essentially cut a large portion of their childhoods and teenage years so they'd study and train more, preventing them from forming core memories with their friends. And for what? A slightly better score on a test they were already meant to succeed in? A test whose scores don't matter to around 20% of us since we won't be going through with it anyway?"
"Those kids were denied this portion of their youth because one kid was too overly competitive and uncaring about his surroundings."
"… That I'll have to disagree." Zhuo said sharply as his eyes grew firm, "I've made bad choices and handled many things badly, but I'll never regret doing my best to attain my cultivation realm. I feel sorry if I forced others into tight spots because of it, but I have a goal and I will achieve it."
"I crawled all the way here for that. From the sinkhole to the sun while you guys were born in the treetops waiting for the wind to lift you upward. I am not to blame for merely doing my best."
"I will take credit for your words… you're right after all… but the world moves forward. If you want to be a cultivator, then the requirements are rising everyday… just breezing through isn't enough."
"And above all… I think I've done quite a bit, haven't I? How many parties have we attended? How many memories have we formed?… I'd rather have ten unforgettable memories than one thousand memories I'll only record once in the next twenty years."
Sisina looked at his expression deeply… and smiled.
"Yes… That's what I like about you as well."
"What?!"
"You commit mistakes and aren't afraid of owning up to them. And if someone pushes you because of them, you'll accept your wrongdoings but won't let another pour salt and curse you unreasonably. You'll always defend yourself and those around you without hesitation."
"Truth is, despite the pressure your being here brought everyone, you also created a flurry of memories for everyone. You've always tried to help others, guide them, party with them, and try to be the better person, a guiding figure for them… these spoiled kids…"
"Many of them are like this not because of their birth solely… they became like this because of circumstances. Parents that aren't around, brothers that aren't kin… family that pushes them for unreasonable expectations."
"You gave them reasonable goals and the means to achieve it. You praised them when it was due and reprimanded them when they made mistakes… You are the mature figure many of our classmates always sought, the figure of perseverance and hard work, a symbol of truth they've wanted to see… to give them hope they can also live up to the expectations of those they look up to."
"Have you ever wondered why so many girls liked you? It was for those exact traits… not because of your appearance, talents, and smooth talk. Those certainly helped, but it's the combination that made you so polarizing to them all."
"You give them the impression you'll continue to struggle continuously and never give up, that you'll strive upwards and with it, stick out your hand to those around him… do you know how rare this is in our world?"
"I'm not talking about the world in general… I'm talking about "our" world… the world of lineages and clans, of prestige and bloodline… In this world, it isn't uncommon for others to push you down and abandon you. We grew up being told that… to avoid trusting others, to avoid revealing our emotions so easily… to accept the words of those above us…"
"Many don't want that, many didn't even know what a world without that even meant… you were the stone that shattered a wall of this cage they had grown in… and while some saw it as a chance to experience something new, others only saw the light as something else to attach themselves into."
"For those girls those two pushed aside… it's best things ended up like this. Maybe love would've blossomed in the future, but if their attraction remained as such, then an unhealthy relationship would've followed… I've seen it far too many times."
"We went to countless parties over the years, my sister and I… We've seen far too many examples of it… that was why we promised each other we wouldn't fall into the same curse as others did before… so you can imagine how surprised I was when my sister confessed to you."
"I thought something was strange when she began acting differently around you… but how foolish of me to only realize what it was when she confessed directly last year… It took me a few days to process it, but I understood my sister was no special human after all… she was a girl too like all others, and she too fell in love."
"Both she and Samina are one and the same. I wouldn't even say they're different sides of the same coin… they're literally on the same side… even if their goals were different at first."
"Falling for the same reasons, sticking around for the same too… If there's one thing your indecisiveness has caused, is that it has given them time to process and learn these emotions they once cast aside."
"You gave them numerous chances to process it all. You went on dates, you spoke with them, you trained with them, you did everything a couple would do, and in the end they stuck around you with… What can I say? Should I blame you for not being able to choose when both options are equally appealing?"
"At least you did far more than most boys… You took a step back and chose to risk never being able to date them just for the sake of learning more about them. You did what most men cannot."
"You chased their personality… and that's one of the reasons why they're so madly in love with you… to the point they've gone up there to settle the scores."
/BOOOOOM!/
"Looks like they've started… sister was never a patient girl. I'm surprised she gave you this much leeway already…"
"…"
She looked at him with a faint smile as she looked at the ground.
"Of course… I'm just little old me at the end of the day. What truth can I say about romance and such when I haven't experienced much myself? I like talking, but decision?… Can't say I have done much on my part."
"… Even talking can be a decision. Not all actions need to be resolved with one's hands to be meaningful." Zhuo said as he exhaled faintly, "You've done a lot for the class already, haven't you? And who cares if you don't have experience? The greatest pieces of science fiction came from the imaginations of men. They may not look accurate, but does that matter?"
"Sometimes, just trying to strive for an image is enough to inspire others into a truth. And if they achieve a satisfying answer, then can you even call that fake?"
"… Sigh… you're making this hard for me…" She added as she clenched her hands faintly
"Sisi?…"
/Pull… Kiss!/
"!!"
"… Alright… now we're even… playboy."
"Sisi…?"
She flushed, looking to the side, "Don't act as if you couldn't have avoided that. That's why you're the pervert, pervert…"
"Say's the girl who kissed me first…"
"… What do you think?"
"About your lipstick? I like the cherry flavour…"
"Not that! Me!! You idiot, pervert, enemy of all women!" She exclaimed as she hit his right arm with incredible force, almost sending him flying
"URG!… That hurt… I… Sisi…"
"… Would you consider joining our family if little ol' me was included?" She asked with an awkward smile as her face grew immeasurably red
"This… buy one get two deal?"
"Just die!!"
"I-I'm kidding!…"
/PUNCH!/
She threw a stronger punch at his shoulder, but he casually avoided it by instinct, pissing her off as she sent a flurry of strikes in his direction.
"Just get hit already!"
"Wait! Let's calm down first… What were you saying before? Can you repeat it for me?"
"Arg! DIE!" She exclaimed as her ears got red
/Fuom…/
"Oh shit…" Zhuo muttered as he felt the energy rush inside her body. In a desperate moment to avoid an unusual circumstance, he jumped at her and hugged her, suppressing her energy before she unleashed it
"Ah!"
"Please… Sisina…calm down. We aren't in the arena…"
"I… was just joking… I'm not stupid…" She said faintly as she lowered her head
Zhuo took a step back with a relieved expression. But as he did so, he felt a sharp sensation on his back.
He slowly turned around to see Erina and Samina looking at him threateningly from the arena.
"Erm… I think I need to go to the bathroom real quick…"
"You're not going anywhere! Get your hands off my sister!" Erina said as she jumped from the arena with bolts of lightning circulating around her body
"I swear this isn't what you think. Let's calm down and think…"
/Pull! Kiss!/
""?!""
At that moment, Sisina pulled Zhuo closer and kissed him again. She turned to her sister and added:
"Sorry sis, but this time you'll have to be number two."
"You… damn playboy!" She exclaimed as she rushed at Zhuo
"How is this my problem?!" He said out loud as he felt his life in danger
"I'll tell you if you stay still!"
"That won't be happening…"
'This attack is even stronger than anything she showed in the arena so far…'
/FLASH!/
A lightning bolt fell in the arena, and soon enough, a boy could be seen running around the arena with two girls after him. What happened to him afterward was a mystery…
While that happened, the competition ended as expected with Class 1-A's victory. But it wasn't as easy of a win as most expected.
Maybe if they let their guards down, there was a considerable chance the other classes might catch up to them and take over their place. But for now, Class 1-A would retain their position as the best in the academy.
While many wondered about what the highest ranked in the academy was doing, the competition came to an end amidst a few friendly exchanges and other events just like last year.
The parents joined their children in the festivities, and the students were interviewed as they enjoyed the fruits of their hard work. While some did not achieve the results they wanted, everything they did so far to be here was worthy of celebration.
Soon enough, the first day of school came to an end…
…
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Notes