Chapter 33: A Stunning Debut

Early the next morning, before the admissions assessment had even begun, the Puhai Martial Arts Square was already swarming with people.

On the first day's gene fusion rate test, a host of astonishingly gifted geniuses emerged.

The top name on the massive electronic ranking screen was Ai Xi, with an assessment score of S (96.0073), from Jianqiao University.

Ai Xi, the number-one ranked student, was a young girl from Europe with a gene fusion rate of an astonishing 96%—undoubtedly an S-class.

Ai Xi was not the only one to reach S-class; Mu Erku from Africa also achieved an S-class gene fusion rate.

Even though he had just barely crossed the S-class threshold, a 95% fusion rate was still astonishing.

Students who had arrived on the first day full of confidence grew uneasy after seeing others' gene fusion rates.

Most students here taking the Blue Star's Top Ten Academies assessment had already taken gene fusion rate tests themselves.

Of course, even tests conducted at the most authoritative institutions, like the Huaxia Martial Arts Gene Detection Center at Puhai Square,

were not perfectly accurate, with maximum discrepancies of up to twenty percentage points.

"Wanran, are you three really confident?" Geng Qianxing, entering Puhai Martial Arts Square for the second time, felt his own confidence waver.

To be honest, when he first arrived, he had been brimming with confidence.

The things Ding Huan taught—not just his three students, but even he himself—had gained immensely.

Added to that, Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lü Zi had always been bursting with confidence, which greatly bolstered Geng Qianxing's own.

After the partial results of yesterday's first-round assessment came out, Geng Qianxing had felt uneasy.

But as the team leader, he couldn't show discouragement, so he held back his questions.

Today, seeing the massive rankings again—the two glaring S-class names and a sea of A-class ones—he couldn't help but ask.

As soon as he asked, Geng Qianxing regretted it.

At this moment, a teacher was supposed to rally the team, not deflate them—wasn't this exactly what deflation looked like?

Li Wanran, usually so confident, said hesitantly, "Teacher Geng, even if we don't get a high grade in the first-round gene fusion test, passing should still be no problem, right?

Our strengths lie in the third and fourth rounds."

"Yes, we have absolute confidence in the third and fourth rounds," Fang Chong's confidence seemed undimmed.

The Basic Long Fist—he felt stronger the more he practiced.

Unfortunately, he'd only ever sparred with Lü Zi and Li Wanran, never fought outsiders, so he didn't know just how strong he really was.

Li Wanran and Lü Zi both trained in the Basic Long Fist, and whenever they sparred, it was always evenly matched.

That's precisely why he looked forward to the third and fourth rounds.

"I should've had you three tested first."

Geng Qianxing regretted it—he should've taken the three to the Puhai Martial Arts Gene Detection Building beforehand.

At least then they'd have had some idea.

"Teacher Geng…" Huang Chengwei, walking toward the Luhe Shangwu University waiting area, ran into Geng Qianxing and awkwardly called out.

To be honest, he resented his parents' arrangement.

Since he was going to fail anyway, now he hadn't even stayed at Yujiang University for training—and worse, he had to wait in the Luhe Shangwu University zone. It was utterly humiliating.

That Professor Fu—honestly, in Huang Chengwei's view, was all reputation and no substance.

Three months of training, he didn't charge less, but what he taught was mediocre at best.

Gene basics, what to pay attention to during testing to boost fusion rate, the dawn breathing method…

How much had he actually learned in three months? Huang Chengwei knew better—he'd improved a little, but that little improvement was negligible.

It would've been better to stay at Yujiang University; at least Yujiang had two decent teachers.

Especially Teacher Ding Huan—he at least spoke well and knew how to boast.

And Teacher Geng's knowledge of gene fundamentals, Huang Chengwei felt, was superior to Professor Fu's. People with big reputations aren't necessarily the most capable.

Geng Qianxing nodded, said nothing, and led his three students back to the lonely Yujiang University waiting area.

He had no resentment toward Huang Chengwei's choice—people naturally seek higher ground—but he still felt something lacking in humanity.

The assessment announcement sounded again, and wave after wave of students entered the testing area to continue the first-round gene fusion rate test.

As if timed perfectly, just as Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lü Zi were at their most tense, the announcement called their test numbers.

"Don't be nervous, do your best," Geng Qianxing said, though he himself was extremely nervous.

It was impossible not to be nervous—but Fang Chong and the others had to walk into the testing area regardless.

The gene fusion rate test here differed from others: elsewhere, candidates stood on machines and placed both hands in testing slots.

Here, a needle was inserted into the back of the hand; once blood seeped out, the test was complete.

Geng Qianxing hadn't even sat down when the three returned.

"So fast? How was it?" Geng Qianxing asked immediately.

Li Wanran shook her head. "We don't know. We went in, the needle pierced our backs, blood came out, and the test ended—less than three minutes total."

"The results will show on the big screen soon," Lü Zi added.

Fang Chong snorted. "Names on the big screen are all those who passed—at least E-class."

"If you don't even reach E-class, knowing your score is meaningless. Wait—that's not right. If we don't reach E-class, we won't even get to the third and fourth rounds…"

Fang Chong fell silent, then stared wide-eyed at the massive electronic score screen standing in the square.

On the global ranking screen, the top name was Lü Zi, with an S-class assessment score, fusion rate 98.

That was the global ranking screen.

"Lü Zi, you're number one—fusion rate over 98%—how are you this strong…?" Fang Chong finally reacted.

At that moment, not just Fang Chong, but Geng Qianxing and Li Wanran were also stunned—they had all seen Lü Zi's S-class result.

After the S-class score on the screen was a parenthetical: 98.0339—the fusion rate data.

A 98% fusion rate was nearly the best ever recorded in the first round of the Blue Star's Top Ten Academies admissions assessment.

Lü Zi also clenched his fists; he had always sensed his score wouldn't be bad, and now it proved true.

And there was one more thing: only Teacher Ding knew he had become a Level One Gene Cultivator.

As a Level One Gene Cultivator taking this level of assessment, he would surely achieve excellent results in the third and fourth rounds.

"Li Wanran, you're S-class too… no, Fang Chong, you're S-class as well…" Geng Qianxing was so excited he could barely speak coherently.

Li Wanran and Fang Chong, who had just been envious of Lü Zi, now froze in shock—they saw their own scores: one ranked second, the other fourth.

On the global first-round gene fusion rate assessment screen, Li Wanran's score stood prominently in the second column.

Li Wanran, assessment score S (96.1107), Yujiang University.

Fang Chong's name appeared in the fourth column: Fang Chong, assessment score S (95.2261), Yujiang University.

The former first-place Ai Xi dropped straight to third.

Geng Qianxing and the others were overwhelmed with excitement, while outside, Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lü Zi's families and friends all suspected the screen had malfunctioned.

When they realized the scores were genuine and valid, Li Wanran's mother burst into tears.

Fang Chong's father deliberately rubbed his eyes, thinking that after today's assessment, his son Fang Chong would have nothing more to do with it.

His son Fang Chong had at least taken the Blue Star Top Ten Academies' recruitment assessment; now finding him a job would be much easier.

This recruitment assessment was elimination-based: if you failed the first round, you had no chance to enter the second.

What was going on? Fang Chong hadn't just passed the first round—he got an S-class score?

Then Fang Yinbao remembered: Fang Chong had repeatedly said he was confident, that their teacher was extremely powerful.

He'd just brushed it off before, but now it was true?

Compared to Fang Yinbao's stunned expression, Yujiang University's principal Tan Bei was truly overwhelmed, repeatedly rubbing his eyes, fearing he was seeing things.

Though he longed in his heart for Yujiang University to have a student admitted to one of the Blue Star Top Ten Academies, deep down he knew the odds were nearly zero.

He merely deceived himself, unwilling to accept that Yujiang University would become a thing of the past.

But what had he just seen? In the first-round assessment, Yujiang University's students Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lü Zi all achieved S-class scores?

And Lü Zi was temporarily ranked first? Was his vision not blurred? He'd rubbed his eyes for so long.

Tan Bei, having endured the harshness of society, quickly snapped to his senses and burst into loud, joyful laughter.

He turned to find a few acquaintances to share his excitement, then realized he had no familiar faces beside him.

Tan Bei's excitement faded; people only learn who truly cares for them in hardship.

When Yujiang University was thriving, if he stood here, his sides would have been crowded with teachers and staff from every department.

Now only he stood alone.

No—there was still one: Geng Qianxing.

Hmm, Teacher Geng was a talent, and a loyal, devoted comrade.

When he returned to Yujiang University, he would make Geng Qianxing one of the school's leaders.

Only a teacher like Geng Qianxing could ensure Yujiang University's lasting prosperity.