Lan Star, Yang City, Fifth High School.
"Ah~~~" With a sudden jolt, Shen Han stood up directly from his seat.
His deskmate, the chubby boy, was startled, and the surrounding classmates all stared over.
The teacher, who was in the middle of lecturing, cast an angry gaze.
"Han-ge, did you have a nightmare?" The chubby boy looked at him inquiringly.
"Is this kid giving up on himself because he's worried he won't Awaken? But even so, he shouldn't be affecting others."
"Exactly. This guy probably thinks he has no hope of Awakening at all."
The teacher, Xue Yixiang, looked at Shen Han with a gloomy face, appearing somewhat disappointed in him.
"Shen Han, even though our Fifth High School is the lowest-ranked school in all of Yang City, at least every year we strive to secure Awakening resources from the City Education Bureau for all of you students."
"Although your chances of Awakening are not high, every year there are still dozens of students who successfully Awaken with decent talents. Giving up at this point would be too much of a pity."
The buzzing in his head had just stopped, and looking at the group of unfamiliar faces around him, Shen Han himself was startled.
What is all this? Who am I? Who are they? Where am I? What am I doing?
After slightly gathering his confused thoughts, Shen Han carefully recalled what had happened before.
Originally, Shen Han was an ordinary wage earner on Earth, living a 996 (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week) lifestyle with a monthly salary that barely lasted.
On his way home from work, while crossing a large bridge, he encountered a young man who seemed to be seeking release by jumping from the bridge. Without a second thought, Shen Han leaped from the bridge to rescue him, the river water chilling to the bone.
Although Shen Han had done his best to drag the young man ashore, he still couldn't overcome the man's determination to seek release and his gradually fading consciousness.
When he woke up again, he was surprisingly in a high school classroom attending a lecture.
"Did I Transmigrate?"
The legendary Transmigration had actually happened to him, unbelievable yet real.
Shen Han hadn't had time to listen carefully to the words of his classmates and teacher. After class, he immediately rushed to the nearby restroom to check his situation.
Looking at the impossibly young face in the mirror, Shen Han finally confirmed the fact that he had Transmigrated, Rebirthing as a high school student in another world.
In his previous life, he had buried himself in his studies, never daring to relax for a moment. After entering the workforce, he was even more cautious, treading on thin ice, every step guided by rules and responsibilities.
His days were uneventful, like a glass of plain water, without a ripple, not even having experienced a deeply memorable romance.
Now, reborn, he secretly vowed that he would never let life slip away blandly again.
In this life, he wanted to live to the fullest.
Memories belonging to this life slowly emerged as Shen Han's emotions calmed down.
It turned out that the person whose body he now occupied was also named Shen Han, an ordinary high school student.
He had no memory of his parents since he was little, and it was the neighbor, Uncle Li's Family, who helped raise him.
The Li Family was not wealthy. Uncle Li only had one son, who was his deskmate, the chubby boy Li Muhua. He and Li Muhua had grown up together since childhood, so their bond was naturally very deep.
Shen Han learned that Lan Star, where he currently was, was somewhat similar to Earth in his previous life:
Both had the same education system, with a National Higher Education Entrance Examination before high school graduation, which was like thousands of soldiers crossing a single-plank bridge. Afterward, some chose to work, while others continued their studies.
However, this was also a completely different world. Here, in addition to the regular educational content that was mostly consistent with his previous life, another very important part was Martial Arts.
Yes, Martial Arts, a distant and unfamiliar term, accounted for most of the weight in the National Higher Education Entrance Examination on Lan Star.
Here, the National Higher Education Entrance Examination was divided into two major parts: cultural subjects and martial arts. The importance of martial arts surpassed that of cultural subjects, and after the National Higher Education Entrance Examination, a considerable number of students chose to pursue advanced studies in Martial Arts.
After splashing cold water on his face, Shen Han returned to his seat. After the ten-minute break, it was still Xue Yixiang's class, the same teacher who had been lecturing earlier.
"Han-ge, are you okay? You look so pale. You don't need to worry too much about Awakening. If you can't become a Martial Artist, we still have other options. If I fail to Awaken, my dad will introduce me to some non-martial arts jobs. Although the social status and income can't compare to a Martial Artist, among ordinary people, they are considered good high-paying positions. If you need it then, I'll ask my dad to recommend you too."
Li Muhua looked worried.
"It's fine, don't worry. We will both Awaken successfully."
Shen Han patted Li Muhua reassuringly.
"Oh, oh, oh, with that level, you still dream of successfully Awakening? You might as well go buy a lottery ticket next door and try your luck. The chance of winning the jackpot is higher than you successfully Awakening."
An unpleasant voice came from the front row. The owner of the voice was Sun Tianyang. A look of disdain hung on his very ordinary face.
"Han-ge, don't mind him. This guy, despite his poor grades, has latched onto the Zhu Family, one of Yang City's Three Great Families, because of his sister. Now he looks down on everyone and everything, it's really annoying," Li Muhua whispered in his ear.
Shen Han smiled and said nothing. After all, his mental age was already close to 30, and his experiences were far richer than these young people who hadn't even graduated from high school. There was no need to lose his composure over insignificant taunts.
More importantly, he needed to understand everything around him. There was too much information to digest; he had no time for bickering here.
The class bell rang, and the balding Xue Yixiang continued his unfinished lesson. "Students, the Awakening ceremony will begin at the start of next semester. After successfully Awakening, you will be able to become Martial Artists, respected by all. Only by successfully Awakening can you continue on the Dao of a Martial Artist."
"As for those students who cannot successfully Awaken, do not give up. You can use more time in your remaining high school years to study cultural subjects and other various skills. Although you may not be as glamorous and respected as Martial Artists, there are still many opportunities." As he spoke, Xue Yixiang looked at Shen Han earnestly.
"Is he so sure I won't Awaken successfully?" Shen Han couldn't help but feel a bit speechless.
It seemed that this world had an almost blind worship of Martial Artists. Only by Awakening and becoming a Martial Artist could one become a superior person. Shen Han, who had decided to live a different life, couldn't help but begin to anticipate the arrival of Awakening Day.
However, Awakening to become a Martial Artist was not that easy to achieve. Ordinary people still accounted for the vast majority of this world.
From the memories of the other Shen Han, he learned that for ordinary people, cultivating Martial Arts without Awakening would be a very difficult Dao.
Awakened individuals, however, were different. With the blessing of an Awakening talent, their cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds, creating an exaggerated distance from ordinary people. Ordinary people who cultivated Martial Arts would simply not be a match for those with Awakening talent.
However, to successfully Awaken as a Martial Artist requires very strong Mental Energy.
Aside from innate factors, the Acquired improvement of Mental Energy is mainly achieved through meditation.
In addition, Spiritual Crystal Stones and even Quenching Spirit Liquid are also excellent treasures that can accelerate the growth of Mental Energy. Placing a Spiritual Crystal Stone nearby during meditation training or consuming Quenching Spirit Liquid before training can quickly and safely enhance Mental Energy.
Unfortunately, just like in his previous life, there were too many parents in this world who hoped their sons would become Dragons and their daughters Phoenixes. The huge demand drove up the prices of these two items. The annual income of Uncle Li's Family was not even enough to buy one Spiritual Crystal Stone, let alone the more effective Quenching Spirit Liquid.
"It seems that no matter which world it is, poverty is a sin."
Shen Han couldn't help but say to himself. He had never met the parents of this life, nor had he received any treasures or Legacy from them. What about the promised Transmigration benefits? Successfully Awakening was a long and arduous Dao.