Chapter 57: Senior

Songyang High School.

Students from Class 1 (Grade 10) gradually entered the training hall, preparing for today's martial arts combat class.

As Bai Zhenzhen walked, she thought to herself, "What is Yuzi doing? I can't reach him."

"Sick leave? What high school student gets sick leave?"

"Could it be that he's reached his limit?"

Just as Bai Zhenzhen's mind wandered, she suddenly noticed a large group of people already standing in the training hall, in addition to the martial arts teacher, Lei Jun.

Looking at the students behind Lei Jun, especially the tallest one, Bai Zhenzhen's gaze suddenly sharpened. "Is that Door Plank Man?"

Then, seeing the students around 'Door Plank Man' Lan Ling, Bai Zhenzhen immediately recognized them. They were all Grade 11 students.

An extra year of cultivation meant that nearly every Grade 11 student was noticeably bulkier than their Grade 10 counterparts. Their secondary sexual characteristics had almost completely receded, and their exposed arms revealed dense networks of needle marks...

All these signs of cultivation indicated the Grade 11 students' power and diligence.

Of course, Bai Zhenzhen wasn't the only one who recognized them.

Soon, students began greeting the Grade 11 students.

Zhao Tianxing first bowed to martial arts teacher Lei Jun, then respectfully bowed to the Grade 11 students on the side, cautiously saying, "Hello, seniors!"

Zhao Tianxing, who originally weighed over 300 pounds, now looked like a corgi standing in front of Lan Ling.

Only after Lan Ling nodded his chin did Zhao Tianxing carefully step back.

This was the pecking order in high school, where younger students occupied a subordinate position when facing older ones.

This was due to the full year of cultivation time separating each grade—Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12—which often resulted in an absolute disparity in strength.

Some even likened Grade 10, Grade 11, and Grade 12 to the early, middle, and late stages of Qi Refinement, emphasizing the differences between the three grades.

For instance, at Songyang High School, junior students typically greeted seniors first. If a senior hadn't sat down, a junior couldn't either. If they encountered a senior in the restroom, they had to let the senior go first. When injecting medication in the same room, seniors always had priority...

Such customs had become ingrained in the daily habits of the high school students.

Of course, Songyang High School was still more humane than the three renowned schools. It was said that at Bailong High School, senior students could even make juniors kneel and kowtow.

Fortunately, the curriculum content varied greatly between grades, and teaching venues differed, coupled with academic pressure, which meant junior and senior students rarely had opportunities to meet.

This was indeed a cause for celebration.

At that very moment in the training hall, every student who entered proactively bowed and greeted Lan Ling and the others.

This only served to highlight one person's uniqueness.

Zhao Tianxing looked at Bai Zhenzhen, who hadn't greeted the seniors, and secretly worried for her. "What's wrong with Ah Zhen? The seniors will target her this way."

He could already feel several Grade 11 seniors occasionally glancing at Bai Zhenzhen, and just imagining being in her shoes made him feel awkward and nervous.

Once everyone from Class 1 (Grade 10) had arrived, Lei Jun addressed them, "Today, your seniors from Class 1 (Grade 11) have specifically set aside a class period to provide you with combat training. Let's give them a round of applause!"

What? They were going to be beaten by Grade 11 elites?

Upon hearing this, the students excitedly clapped. "Thank you, seniors!"

Some of the elite students already chuckled, thinking happily, "These are students from the Grade 11 Demonstration Class. If you wanted to hire them for combat practice outside, wouldn't a single session cost thousands?"

Some students eager to improve their combat performance were already impatient, thinking, "Being guided by a Grade 11 elite, even if it means breaking an arm, would be worth it!"

Qian Shen's gaze was fixed on Lan Ling, who was the tallest and resembled a door plank. He thought to himself, "Lan Ling, last month's second-highest overall scorer in Grade 11, the top individual in sports, the ace main player of the Grade 11 sports competition team, but..."

"No point," Qian Shen turned away. "Scores across different grades aren't comparable. These Grade 11 demonstration class students have already cultivated for an extra year... Any one of them would be unbeatable for a Grade 10 student. It makes no difference to us."

He Dayou merely smiled and nodded to the Grade 11 students, acknowledging them. After all, as the son of a school board member, he was acquainted with many of the top students from both Grade 11 and Grade 12.

Lei Jun, seeing the eager expressions on most of the students' faces, was very pleased with their morale. "Excellent, you're all full of spirit."

"Daoist techniques require money; the more you spend, the more powerful they become."

"If we want to excel in martial arts, we must endure beatings. The less afraid you are to lose, to be hit, or to be abused, the faster your progress in martial arts combat."

"Only by repeatedly taking hits, enduring abuse, and getting back up again and again can you improve your combat experience."

Seeing students eagerly raise their hands, Lei Jun was about to call on someone to arrange a sparring match when he saw Lan Ling lean in and whisper something to him.

Lei Jun nodded and looked at Bai Zhenzhen, who was hiding behind the crowd. "Bai Zhenzhen, you'll go first with the seniors, set an example for the other students."

"Lan Ling, Bai Zhenzhen is a promising student, the top in Grade 10 combat. Please guide her well."

Lan Ling, still practicing with the barbell in his right hand, slowly came down to the floor and gently said to Bai Zhenzhen, "Junior, let's spar."

Bai Zhenzhen's face darkened. She slowly walked forward under the envious gazes of the crowd, but in her mind, she was already cursing Door Plank Man to hell and back.

That damn shrimp-head man! He clearly has ill intentions. Is he using the contract issue as an excuse to beat up a junior student?

She suspected that the upcoming fight wouldn't just be a simple spar; he would likely seize the opportunity to teach her a good lesson.

Strike first!

As soon as Bai Zhenzhen entered the ring, she swiftly launched a kick aimed at Lan Ling's lower abdomen, a vital point.

But the opponent didn't even dodge, allowing her to kick him with a thud.

Despite being kicked in a vital spot, Lan Ling's expression remained unchanged, and he didn't take a single step back, as if nothing had happened.

Instead, Bai Zhenzhen felt as if her kick had landed on a block of granite, and her foot bones seemed on the verge of cracking.

"Is there such a huge gap between me and Grade 11 students?"

Just as Bai Zhenzhen was about to retreat, she felt her ankle clamped by a hand as strong as an iron pincer.

Lan Ling gripped Bai Zhenzhen's ankle and smiled. "Junior, it seems you've underestimated me."

While the two were fighting, Lei Jun was also providing commentary to the students.

"Good sneak attack! Remember, in combat, a sneak attack is a profound skill, the best choice for overcoming a stronger opponent."

"However, Bai Zhenzhen knows too little about Lan Ling."

"Lan Ling completed the 'absolute' sterilization surgery long ago. Not only does he no longer have any gender characteristics or suffer from hormonal influences, but he has also eliminated many conventional weaknesses..."

"Now Bai Zhenzhen is locked by Lan Ling. Although she keeps kicking and trying to break free, Lan Ling's physical strength is above level 6, while Bai Zhenzhen's is only slightly above level 1.4, right? Once you're locked, it's over..."

Mid-commentary, a sudden bang erupted beneath Lei Jun's feet, and his figure shot out like lightning.

At the same time, a loud crash echoed through the air.

To everyone's shock, Lan Ling violently flung Bai Zhenzhen away. She flew with a series of afterimages, crashing towards the training hall wall.

But just as Bai Zhenzhen's head was about to hit the wall, Lei Jun appeared behind her. Together, they burst through the wall and flew out of the training hall with a loud crash.

Moments later, Lei Jun returned to the training hall, supporting a limping Bai Zhenzhen. He looked at Lan Ling with a somewhat displeased expression. "Wasn't that too rough?"

Bai Zhenzhen was one of the top students in Grade 10 martial arts combat. If she sustained a serious injury, it would be a decline in Lei Jun's performance metrics.

Lan Ling smiled gently. "I trust that with you present, Teacher, she'll be fine."

"This is also a good opportunity to teach the junior a lesson about underestimating opponents in combat."

With that, he looked at Bai Zhenzhen and said, "Junior, have you thoroughly learned this combat lesson? Shall we continue?"

Seeing his renewed invitation, anger flared in Bai Zhenzhen's eyes. A long-hidden power stirred within her, eager to break free like a butterfly from its cocoon.

She thought to herself, "No, I can't expose it. If I expose it here, it'll be over..."

Lei Jun was about to intervene but was suppressed by a look from Lan Ling. "Teacher, I'll be careful from now on."

Although Lei Jun had suspected it before, at this moment, he could finally confirm it.

Recalling the student council's previous demand to exclude Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu from the martial arts competition, he understood that today's events were also at the student council's behest.

Thinking of Songyang High School's student council, he could only sigh inwardly and warn them, "This is my class. Don't go too far."

Lan Ling smiled faintly. "Don't worry, Teacher. Student Bai Zhenzhen is an important high-value student for the school. I certainly won't let her get seriously injured."

At this point, the other Grade 10 students around them also sensed the unusual atmosphere but couldn't quite understand what was happening.

He Dayou's eyes flickered. As the son of a school board member, he had already figured it out: they were suppressing Bai Zhenzhen. Had there been an issue with signing a contract? Were they trying to drive down Bai Zhenzhen's price?

Thinking of this, he felt a slight pity that Zhang Yu wasn't present today; otherwise, he might have witnessed the poor fellow's embarrassment.

Just then, a male voice echoed from the direction of the training hall's entrance.

"Hey, are you bullying my intern?"

To everyone's astonishment and surprise, Zhang Yu walked in from the entrance. As he spoke, he raised his right hand, his fingertips swiftly tracing across a black-and-white talisman book.

Confinement Talisman—Activate!

The next instant, countless golden specks of light flickered around Lan Ling, transforming into giant golden palms that seized him.

Just as Lan Ling was about to move, his head, shoulders, arms, legs, and waist were each pinned down by nine golden giant palms.

"Confinement Talisman?"

"Zhang Yu, that pauper... Where did he get a talisman book to use a Confinement Talisman?"

Feeling the nine giant palms firmly pressing him down, even trying to push him to the ground inch by inch, Lan Ling became enraged.