Chapter 119: Can't Arrange the Classes

In the lounge area of Baillong High School, Yu Xinghan was looking at the rankings on the Sky Pillar, particularly the name at the very top.

"Is that Zhang Yu?" he thought to himself. "No wonder Senior Sister Li valued him back then. Although he was eventually eliminated by me during the disciple selection, he definitely had his merits." He glanced at Song Hailong beside him, thinking, "It's time to find a new sparring partner."

Meanwhile, Song Hailong seemed to sense Yu Xinghan's gaze. He watched Yu Xinghan's departing back, then turned his attention back to the names on the Sky Pillar. "Perhaps I should also find a new sparring partner," he mused when he saw Zhang Yu's name at the top. A hint of regret even welled up in Song Hailong's heart, thinking he shouldn't have canceled his previous sparring sessions with Zhang Yu. If he hadn't, he might have witnessed Zhang Yu's transformation to his current level step by step.

In the Songyang High School lounge, Yu Xinghan approached, drawing surprised glances from everyone. Although Zhang Yu had defeated him this time, Yu Xinghan's dominant performance in the first three stages of the competition was still deeply etched in their minds. Seeing Yu Xinghan up close, the Songyang High School students were forced to retreat, intimidated by the aura of the Core Formation disciple, the top student of Baillong High School.

A girl beside He Dayou whispered, "Isn't it Baillong High School's custom to kneel? Should we kneel to greet him?"

"What nonsense are you talking about!" another boy interjected. "This is Ziyun High School. Do you even know what the Ziyun etiquette is for greeting the top student of a grade?"

He Dayou, unable to bear the sight of his compatriots kowtowing to a Baillong person, said coldly, "This is Songyang High School's lounge area. The ground beneath our feet is Songyang High School's land. A simple bow is more than enough for this Baillong person."

Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, "What a bunch of useless people. It's up to me, the fifth-place finisher in the sports competition, to step forward and speak with Yu Xinghan." She approached Yu Xinghan and asked, "Can I help you?"

Yu Xinghan glanced at her and said indifferently, "Let's add each other as friends."

Bai Zhenzhen was slightly taken aback. This person came to add her as a friend? She wouldn't have guessed it; this Core Formation disciple enjoys making friends so much?

Coincidentally, Bai Zhenzhen also liked making friends, so she immediately said, "A friend slot costs 500."

"Then never mind," Yu Xinghan said, putting away his newly replaced phone. "I wasn't all that keen on adding you anyway."

Bai Zhenzhen quickly interjected, "How about 100? Is 100 acceptable?"

Seeing Yu Xinghan actively pull out his phone again to add friends, Bai Zhenzhen was astonished.

"Is this guy really a Core Formation disciple, a rich person? It was the first time Bai Zhenzhen had seen a wealthy person haggle with her over a few hundred yuan."

"I primarily came here to see Zhang Yu," Yu Xinghan said, looking at Zhang Yu, who was still resting on the sofa.

Yu Xinghan was not someone who had been invincible since birth, nor had he never encountered anyone stronger than himself. Moreover, even when facing weaker opponents, there were sometimes aspects he could learn from and reflect upon. Just like his recent sparring partner, Song Hailong, whose indomitable and upright spirit was something he could emulate. It constantly reminded him not to become arrogant just because he was the top student, and not to abandon a major advantage of martial arts—sneak attacks—for trivial pride or pretense.

Of course, besides learning, there was another important reason he had hired Song Hailong as a sparring partner. But this reason was a secret known only to Yu Xinghan, a secret shared by no one else on heaven or earth.

And strictly in terms of learning, Zhang Yu, right before him, offered even more valuable insights.

"Those exquisite physical techniques..."

"I really want to learn them."

"I want to learn his ways."

At that moment, Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu as if he were a grand meal brimming with knowledge, wanting to thoroughly absorb him bit by bit, transforming him into nourishment to make himself stronger.

So Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu and said, "Spar with me. I'll pay you 6,000 an hour. Are you in?"

Zhang Yu's eyes flickered. Although prize money and endorsement fees were soon coming in, in Kunxu, no one ever complained about having too much money. Zhang Yu simply asked, "How would we train?"

Yu Xinghan rubbed his chin, thinking as he spoke, "It'll be... practical combat training. Just try everything you can to defeat me."

Zhang Yu: "15,000 an hour."

Yu Xinghan: "7,000 at most."

Zhang Yu: "7,000 is impossible. It has to be at least 12,000. I can't be paid less than Song Hailong, can I?"

Zhang Yu recalled that Song Hailong was paid 10,000 an hour when he sparred with Yu Xinghan.

Yu Xinghan reluctantly said, "Then 11,000. That's the highest I'll go. If you're not in, I'm leaving."

Watching Yu Xinghan turn to leave, Zhang Yu quickly said, "Alright, alright, 11,000 it is!"

So, by the time Yu Xinghan left, he had already added Zhang Yu as a friend and arranged for their next practical combat training session at Baillong High School.

Just then, his phone vibrated. Yu Xinghan opened it and saw it was Li Xuelian calling. Remembering her previous instruction for him to report his weight in the last round, Yu Xinghan smiled slightly as he answered the call: "Senior Sister Li, you must have seen the competition results?"

Li Xuelian didn't dwell on the final round. In her view, it was purely an unexpected event; no one could have predicted Zhang Yu would achieve such results at that stage. Her prior judgment was not wrong. However, Zhang Yu himself... was somewhat unexpected for Li Xuelian.

At that moment, however, Li Xuelian had no interest in discussing this with Yu Xinghan. She simply stated clearly, "The contract has been adjusted. The upcoming advertisements and endorsements will feature both you and Zhang Yu..."

After explaining the contract details, Li Xuelian was about to hang up. But Yu Xinghan suddenly said, "Senior Sister Li, I'd like to ask Zhang Yu to train with me. He has many strengths that are worth learning from and absorbing." Then, a little nervously, Yu Xinghan added, "I negotiated a fee of 15,000 an hour with him. Do you think you could approve that?"

As a Core Formation disciple, Yu Xinghan could be considered both very wealthy and very poor. Wealthy, because True Immortal Xinghuo and Li Xuelian had invested countless resources into him, enough to make many rich students in Songyang City envious. Poor, because every expense he made required Li Xuelian's approval, and his personal monthly allowance was only 5,000 yuan.

This paradoxical state of being both poor and wealthy was precisely why he had initially refused Bai Zhenzhen's friend request. After all, Li Xuelian might not approve a 500-yuan friend slot with Bai Zhenzhen, which would make it too expensive for him. It was also another reason he had previously hired Song Hailong as a sparring partner. This was an opportunity for him to embezzle training fees.

"15,000?" Li Xuelian mused, recalling Zhang Yu's performance. She said indifferently, "Alright. Just remember to record your payment records and the sparring process each time and report them to me."

Yu Xinghan understood. She was afraid he would falsely report tutoring fees and duration, or engage in internal theft. He had his own ways of dealing with it. After Li Xuelian hung up, she found herself slightly curious about the outcome of Yu Xinghan's sparring with Zhang Yu. After all, Yu Xinghan had been trained by True Immortal Xinghuo for a long time. In Li Xuelian's opinion, he would undoubtedly far surpass Zhang Yu in practical combat.

"...But this Zhang Yu truly has something worth Yu Xinghan learning. 15,000 is well worth it."

"Perhaps we should have signed Zhang Yu back then too."

When she conveyed the physical competition results and her thoughts to True Immortal Xinghuo, she also received his reply. True Immortal Xinghuo said with some regret, "That Zhang Yu seems quite good. I underestimated him back then. If we had more resources, we definitely should have signed him."

"But since the resources we have are only enough to cultivate one disciple, we can only choose the most outstanding and promising one."

"Alright, Xuelian, what's past is past. There's no need to worry over gains and losses or add to your troubles."

Inside the Songyang High School lounge.

Zhang Yu had just finalized the sparring arrangement with Yu Xinghan when he received another sparring request from Song Hailong. But before he could finish discussing the price with Song Hailong, he received a message from Le Mulan.

Le Mulan: "Can I ask you to help me practice ground combat?"

Zhang Yu suddenly felt in high demand and busy. He sighed, "Ah, there are so many lessons I can't fit them all in, and I won't be able to earn all this money!"

Bai Zhenzhen, who had been watching Zhang Yu reply to messages, heard him and said, "Yuzi, if you can't handle all the sessions, I can substitute for you."

"I'm not the same person I was two months ago during the martial arts competition."

Zhang Yu's gaze shifted. He thought of Bai Zhenzhen's fifth-place finish this time. In fact, Bai Zhenzhen's results and rate of progress were already remarkably fast and impressive. If she had come from a good background, then as long as she continued this performance throughout her second and third years of high school, she would undoubtedly be able to enter the Top Ten. However, due to her poor background, she needed to meet even higher requirements to enter the Top Ten.

"A-Zhen's progress speed is only slightly slower than mine, and even faster than Song Hailong's and Le Mulan's."

"There's definitely no problem with her sparring with Le Mulan or Song Hailong."

"And..."

Zhang Yu knew that A-Zhen also really needed the money.

"With money, A-Zhen's improvement will be faster, and in the future, she'll be able to join me in entering the Top Ten."

Thinking about entering the Top Ten with A-Zhen, a slight cloud of worry formed in Zhang Yu's mind. He remembered that his sister's original requirement was for them both to secure the first and second places in the competition. But Yu Xinghan, Song Hailong, Le Mulan... each one was more intense, more formidable than the last. He didn't know what impact A-Zhen's current competition results would have on their chances of entering the Top Ten.

"I'll ask my sister tonight."

That same evening, shortly after the competition ended.

Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Zhang Pianpian met under a bridge. The three stood by the river, casually chatting for a few moments. Looking at the flowing water before them, Zhang Pianpian suddenly asked, "Zhang Yu, if I gave you a chance to join me on the second level in two months, would you be willing?"