CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 37: STEP BY STEP, TOWARD THE PINNACLE

"Annual household income less than a hundred thousand?"

Zhao Qingli’s pretty face showed surprise.

She had seen many so-called geniuses from the regular class.

Even with original talent, as long as enough resources were poured in, they could barely catch up to the tail end of the advanced class.

But an annual household income less than a hundred thousand means a poor family.

A student from the regular class, also from a poor family, entered the top hundred of the grade?

Very rare.

"What?" Wang Ziang looked at her and smiled, "Do you also think he’s a hidden dragon?"

Zhao Qingli replied calmly, "The director’s judgment is certainly sound."

"Being able to enter the top hundred already proves his potential. If I were in such a family situation, I might not be doing better than him."

Wang Ziang gave her a deep look.

The thing he admired most about this woman was that despite being incredibly wealthy, she never took pride in it.

Of course, admiration aside.

For Wang Ziang, if you have the capital to show off but don’t, then what’s the point of living?

"Don’t belittle yourself."

Wang Ziang smiled and said, "Like me, although my family background is ordinary, I’m still third in the grade. This is the advantage of newborn talent."

The girl gave him a cold glance.

Compared to her, Wang Ziang’s family background was indeed ordinary.

But compared to Jiang Ye? The other party would definitely be considered well-off.

However, at this moment, Zhao Qingli did not refute.

As Wang Ziang said.

No matter how outstanding the regular class students are, in the end, it is still original talent.

Original talent may allow one to strive and catch up in the early stages of cultivation through hard work and various factors.

But reaching the stage of star sky refinement will expose the true disadvantage.

A hidden dragon? It’s just growing a few dragon scales, seemingly mystical at first, but far from being comparable to a true dragon.

...

In the hall.

Jiang Ye woke up from the virtual cabin, and by this time, class nine had completed their assessments.

When he saw his ranking, he let out a sigh of relief.

Top hundred in the grade!

"I just don’t know what the scholarship amount will be."

Jiang Ye mumbled.

On the way back to the classroom, he suddenly saw Li Zhichao with a face of mourning.

"Congratulations, first place." Li Zhichao also saw him and immediately looked pale and said.

Jiang Ye’s mouth twitched slightly.

Even if he snatched first place, was there a need to be so sad?

Someone who didn’t know might think his wife had been stolen!

"Buddy, are you okay?" Jiang Ye couldn’t help but offer consolation.

"I’m fine."

Li Zhichao shook his head and sighed, "I’m just a bit disappointed in myself. I couldn’t meet the goal of one shot a day this summer."

"..."

Now Jiang Ye didn’t know how to comfort him.

Should he encourage him to work harder at getting shots?

In the end, Jiang Ye could only pat him on the shoulder, indicating it’s human nature.

...

Back in the martial arts classroom.

The electronic blackboard at the back of the classroom had already shown the class rankings for this time.

Jiang Ye unsurprisingly remained in first place.

But at this moment, Jiang Ye looked towards the bottom of the ranking.

There, a gray name was displayed:

"Xia Qing."

It’s been more than a month since the other party disappeared.

But to this day, there was still no clue.

To prevent the spread of panic, the school explained the disappearance of individual students as transferring schools or dropping out.

But soon, someone guessed something was wrong.

Because shortly after the school year started, the school arranged safety lectures, mentioning the ’Divine Concealment Organization’, and announced the characteristics and hazards of this organization.

Reiterating to avoid going out at night.

This inevitably led people to think that those suddenly missing classmates might be related to the Divine Concealment Organization.

"These Divine Concealment Organization scum are more abhorrent than the Shadow Race."

Many clenched their fists secretly after hearing the lecture.

Only Jiang Ye sighed inwardly.

He knew very well that the Divine Concealment Organization had a way to make people rapidly grow stronger.

This kind of temptation is not something everyone can resist.

He had cheats with him, indeed unafraid of such temptation, but what about others?

For countless students with original talent, following a normal path of promotion, only a handful stand out.

Most will end up as laborers, the dregs of society.

If there were an opportunity to become strong quickly, to rise above others.

Would you take it or not?

"I can’t control others, only myself."

Jiang Ye took a deep breath.

"Top hundred in the grade is just the beginning."

"I will climb the Martial Arts Celestial Ladder step by step until I reach the highest, the strongest!"

Jiang Ye’s gaze was firm and pure.

Speaking of the Martial Arts Celestial Ladder, his heart stirred slightly.

Two days ago, he tried climbing it again.

He found that he could already reach halfway to the second layer.

If this progress continues.

Jiang Ye guessed that after breaking through the perfection of the cultivation technique, he might ascend to the second layer.

"I wonder what the reward for the second layer of the Martial Arts Celestial Ladder is?" Jiang Ye was expectant.

When he ascended the first layer, he received three rewards.

The rewards for the second layer should be even more generous.

But all of this will have to wait until his cultivation technique reaches perfection.

In the martial arts classroom, Chen Zilu dressed in a pristine martial arts uniform, with white lace socks, strode in to start the first martial arts class of the new semester.

Jiang Ye listened attentively.

He was surprised to find that the gains from this class far exceeded his expectations.

Thanks to the previous 50% increase in comprehension.

Plus the effect of the Ancestor’s Friend.

After a class, his speed of improving the Star Martial Cultivation Technique was over twice as fast as before.

"Maybe it won’t even take a semester for my cultivation technique to break through to perfection!"

Jiang Ye felt extremely satisfied.

...

Three days later.

Jiang Ye was called to Chen Zilu’s office.

"Teacher."

Jiang Ye looked at the cold yet pretty woman in front of him, feeling quite expectant, he vaguely guessed the purpose of her call.

Chen Zilu didn’t waste any words.

She took out two stacks of money from the drawer.

"This is your poverty aid grant for the semester and the top hundred in the grade reward," Chen Zilu said.

Jiang Ye opened the money bag to look.

At the end of the term assessment, he was second, and the aid grant was ten thousand yuan.

As for the reward for being in the top hundred in the grade...

"Twenty thousand?"

Jiang Ye was a bit surprised; the reward for the top hundred in the grade was more than the aid grant.

"You are originally a poor student and a regular class student," Chen Zilu smiled, "The reward for being in the top hundred in the grade is slightly higher as well."

"But only this once."

She added, "Normally, after fiftieth place in the grade, there is only a ten thousand yuan scholarship."

Hearing this, Jiang Ye was moved.

Could it be special application by the teacher?

"Thank you, Teacher," Jiang Ye said sincerely.

Chen Zilu smiled, "This time it wasn’t me; it was Director Zhang who applied it for you."

"Director Zhang?" Jiang Ye was slightly surprised.

Immediately, he couldn’t help but feel emotional.

When strength and talent rise, benefactors around seem to appear more.

Like flowers attracting butterflies.

This thirty thousand yuan would be quite a help for him.

...

In the following days, Jiang Ye repeated the two-points-one-line training.

Time flew by.

Thanks to the 50% increase in comprehension.

Jiang Ye’s strength improved rapidly at an astonishing rate.

Star Martial Cultivation Technique: Great Success (60%)

Great Success (70%)

Great Success (80%)

Great Success (90%)

Great Success (100%)