I'll ask my teacher after I get back from the college entrance exam.

The Marquis of Jingcheng existed longer than Jingcheng, so he must know all the secrets.

...And the big boss should have told his most trusted little apprentice.

"In fact, over the years, Jingcheng has not been without its peerless geniuses, such as Wang Shuo, whom everyone knows. Even I, the city lord, once thought that he would be the one to rekindle the glory of Jingcheng."

When Wang Shuo was mentioned, everyone fell silent again. Many people knew that Wang Shuo had already gone to Beijing and would not be taking the college entrance examination this year.

However, it cannot be denied that Wang Shuo is indeed the ceiling of martial arts in the hearts of many students in Jingcheng, and also the goal that top martial arts students from various schools once chased after.

A person who breaks through to the initial stage of martial arts at the age of thirteen is extremely rare, even in the whole country.

"Wang Shuo has now gone to Beidu and will take the martial arts college entrance examination as a senior high school student at Beiwu Affiliated High School."

Chai Haotian's words once again astonished everyone in Jingcheng watching on television.

Immediately, resentment arose in the hearts of many.

How could Wang Shuo do such a thing?

"Isn't this an ingrate? Why didn't he take the exam in Jingcheng?"

“I still have a photo of us together on my phone, taken last year…”

It's hard for outsiders to understand the special feelings that most people in Jingcheng have for Wang Shuo; he's a local youth they've "watched grow up."

The year Wang Shuo participated in the National Youth Martial Arts Competition and made it into the top 100, Jingcheng even gave everyone a day off...

That's how exaggerated it is.

Sitting in the chairman's seat, Chai Haotian didn't rush to speak again, giving everyone some time to vent, but his gaze involuntarily drifted to the ancient tower standing in the center of the city.

To be honest, it had been a long time since he had visited the Marquis of Jingcheng.

From when exactly?

It was probably around three years ago when I went to question the Marquis of Jingcheng about why he refused to accept Wang Shuo.

Chai Haotian admitted that he had lost his composure at the time, but he believed that Marquis Jingcheng could understand his impatience.

Fourteen-year-old Wang Shuo knelt at the foot of the Tower of Babel for a day and a night. Even at the end, the Marquis of Jingcheng remained silent and refused to offer a single word of comfort.

This is an absolute blow to a young man whose path in martial arts was going so smoothly.

Chai Haotian didn't understand.

Did the Marquis of Jingcheng foresee this day?

But if it weren't for the indifference of the Marquis of Jingcheng, Wang Shuo probably wouldn't have left Jingcheng so resolutely and become a disciple of the Duke of Yanshan.

Fortunately, another one has emerged before the sinking...

Can Ke Shenqian compare to Wang Shuo?

Having witnessed too much of Wang Shuo's dread, Chai Haotian had no answer.

But he could only trust the judgment of the Marquis of Jingcheng.

"As the saying goes, things reach their extremes and then reverse. Although Wang Shuo is gone, another true genius has emerged in Jingcheng!"

Chai Haotian snapped out of his thoughts and abruptly stood up.

The residents of Jingcheng, who were criticizing Wang Shuo, fell silent and looked at Chai Haotian in bewilderment, seemingly not expecting such a reversal.

Many people immediately realized what was going on and started naming some of the most famous geniuses from their respective schools, but it seemed like they were missing something.

Because no one can convince everyone.

The teachers and students on the playground of No. 7 Middle School were especially puzzled at this moment.

They're not stupid. Since Chai Haotian appeared at No. 7 Middle School, it means that person is most likely at No. 7 Middle School, but... that doesn't make sense!

Being the same age as Wang Shuo means that he is probably also a senior in high school, but when has No. 7 High School ever had a genius of this caliber?

Shen Qian had already sensed something, and his eyelids twitched involuntarily.

"Just recently, he, who is the same age as Wang Shuo, even defeated Wang Shuo in a head-on confrontation!"

The "Holy crap!" exclamations from the students in Class 109 next door were drowned out by the even more chaotic "Holy crap!" sounds across the entire playground, making my eardrums buzz.

Amidst this chaos, Shen Qian heard his own name.

"He is a senior high school student from Jingcheng No. 7 Middle School, and he will be taking the college entrance examination with you this year..."

"Sink forward!"

"Many people may not know him yet, but that's okay. Today, he will stand here to speak as a student representative from Jingcheng who is preparing for the college entrance examination for martial arts."

"Now, let's give a round of applause to welcome Shen Qian!"

After Chai Haotian finished speaking, he was the first to applaud.

After a moment of stunned silence, the students from Class 109 in the audience looked at Shen Qian, who was also in a daze, and started joking.

"Shen Qian, this person has the same name as you!"

"Our No. 7 Middle School actually has a second Shen Qian? How come I didn't know?"

"Someone who can beat Wang Shuo shouldn't be unknown. Could he be a recent transfer student...?"

Zhou Xu and the others were joking with Shen Qian, but Shen Qian wondered if he had misheard.

...No, you should at least tell me in advance if you want to give a speech, so I can at least prepare a speech draft, right?

Shen Qian subconsciously felt some resistance to such a scene.

Accustomed to making a fortune quietly, he disliked seeking the limelight without purpose.

Everything that happened today was equally sudden for him.

But when he looked up and saw that everyone on the platform was looking at him and waiting for him to go on stage, he knew that now was not the time to back down.

Shen Qian looked at the Tower of Babel in the distance, which was shrouded in white clouds, but... Boss Gao did not give Shen Qian an answer.

So Chen Qian took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and subconsciously visualized the forbidden statue in his mind for a second.

The demon remained silent, while the fairy smiled.

With the surge of spiritual power, a breeze arose, and Shen Qian heard many sounds.

Those doubtful, confused, and bewildered voices during the discussion.

They were right beside my ear, yet it felt like they came from the farthest reaches of the city, from the entire city.

"Who is the one who sank before?"

All those words could be summed up in one sentence.

Who is the one who sank before...?

Shen Qian opened his eyes and saw the boundless sky. Just then, a large black bird with sharp feathers flapped its wings and flew by, circling towards the highest point.

A roc rises with the wind in a single day.

Half a poem inexplicably flashed through Shen Qian's mind.

His expression returned to calm.

Shen Qian calmly walked out of Class 109, who were still joking about his name, past Liu Simin, whose mouth was slightly open and whose gaze was fixed, past the line where more and more people were turning to look, past Huo Ling'er, who was standing at the edge of the crowd watching him with a face full of admiration, and past the cameras that were rapidly turning around.

Step by step...

He walked onto the stage.