"Blame you for what?"
Fang Yu smiled at his words. "There are ten recommendation quotas in the second batch. If I don't get one, it's just my own lack of ability... Besides, if we can both get recommended together, we can be roommates for another two years."
At martial universities, roommates could be chosen freely.
"Recommended?"
"Old Fang, you're confident about getting recommended? If my dad hadn't bought a mountain of treasures to boost my Life Level, I wouldn't have any confidence at all." Wang Mo sprang up with a start, leaning against his doorway as he peered curiously at Fang Yu. Beside him, the young woman obediently drew back her hands.
Fang Yu could not help but smile.
During the junior-year final assessment, Wang Mo's Life Level had been at Level 18. Gaining two levels in just one short month was an exaggerated rate of progress, even within the Golden Age Bracket.
At Level 10, the standard punch force was 300 kilograms.
At Level 20, the standard punch force was 2,000 kilograms.
And at Level 30, standard punch force reached 10,000 kilograms.
The further one progressed in Life Level, the wider the gap between each level became, and breaking through grew naturally harder.
"You get what you pay for in Star Coins" was by no means an exaggeration... Fang Yu estimated that Wang Mo had spent at least ten million Star Coins over this past month.
After all, Wang Mo had only awakened a Lower-Rank Star Aspect. In terms of martial technique, at the end of their junior year, he had still fallen short of Minor Accomplishment of Entering the Minute in physical technique.
If his Star Aspect and martial technique hadn't both been unremarkable, his exceedingly high Life Level alone would certainly have put Wang Mo on the first recommendation list.
Even so,
a Life Level of 20 was basically enough to lock down a spot on the second recommendation list.
Of course, Fang Yu didn't believe the guy had achieved the breakthrough effortlessly. He had surely put in plenty of hard graft... he just acted nonchalant about it on the surface.
Wang Mo continued, "Old Fang, did you awaken a Void Star Aspect over the break?"
"No," Fang Yu shook his head.
"Then it must be Great Accomplishment of Entering the Minute," Wang Mo said with certainty. "Right, you rascal, your martial technique was already high to begin with... It must be Great Accomplishment of Entering the Minute."
Fang Yu smiled.
Not denying it was tacitly confirming it, and there was nothing to hide about this anyway.
"Holy crap!"
"Your martial technique really broke through?" Wang Mo couldn't help blurting out. "Old Fang, you're freaking insane! Great Accomplishment of Entering the Minute in the body, circulating vital energy! In our graduating class, aside from that freak Wu Ya, you've got to be the second one."
The Wu Ya Wang Mo mentioned was the true martial arts prodigy of their cohort.
He had failed to awaken a Void Star Aspect during the College Entrance Exam and was forced into a junior college. But during his sophomore year, he awakened an Upper-Rank Star Aspect in one stroke, and combined with his astonishing talent for martial technique, he had become the undisputed number one among Fang Yu's peers.
He had reached Great Accomplishment of Entering the Minute two months earlier than Fang Yu.
He had been on the first recommendation list.
"Not necessarily," Fang Yu said with a smile. "During the final assessment, there were plenty of people in other classes who could achieve perfect Sinews and Bones Ringing Together. It's been so long since then; maybe others have had technical breakthroughs as well."
"True." Wang Mo pondered for a moment. "Still, with your technique Entering the Minute, your Life Level is bound to rise fast. I remember yours wasn't low to begin with. You're probably close to Level 17 by now."
"Getting recommended is practically nine chances out of ten." Wang Mo seemed very pleased. "Once we reach Huguang Martial University, I won't be on my own."
Fang Yu gave a small smile.
Wang Mo was actually quite an interesting fellow. His family was rich, yet he never looked down on classmates for lacking money, and he got along well with most of the class.
Of course, quite a few classmates couldn't stand him either.
After all, he never hid his wealth... and wealth, for better or worse, always drew scrutiny and envy.
...
The senior-year opening assessment at Wuling Martial Junior College was solely meant to decide the Junior-College-to-Undergraduate Upgrade; only students ranked in the top 10% at the end of their junior year were eligible to apply.
Naturally, lower-ranked students who felt they had made immense progress over the break could also register by paying 1,000 Star Coins, though in practice very few paid the extra fee.
Moreover, many students in the top 10% considered themselves hopeless and didn't bother showing up for the assessment.
In Class 5703, for instance, only Fang Yu and Wang Mo were participating in this secondary assessment.
At ten in the morning, when Fang Yu and Wang Mo arrived at the first-floor main hall of the Martial Arts Building, they found fewer than two hundred students waiting.
"Wang Mo."
"Wang Mo came too?"
"He's just relying on his family's money to boast a slightly higher Life Level—he dares show up?"
"The one next to him looks like Fang Yu."
"Yeah. Fang Yu's martial technique is decent, but he hasn't awakened a Star Aspect. What a shame. Both of them are just here to make up the numbers."
These students hailed from dozens of different classes. Not many recognized Fang Yu; by contrast, far more knew Wang Mo.
There were plenty of students from wealthy backgrounds at the school, but few were as flamboyant as Wang Mo.
"Old Mo, looks like we're being written off as mere filler," Fang Yu said with a chuckle.
"A bunch of morons," Wang Mo sneered disdainfully. "Old Fang, tell me, don't they look like the nameless extras in web novels just waiting to get face-slapped by the protagonist? And I'm that protagonist?"
"A bit," Fang Yu agreed, nodding.
"Pity they only dare gossip behind our backs and nobody actually steps up... It takes some of the thrill out of slapping their faces later," Wang Mo lamented.
Fang Yu smiled faintly.
Born of jealousy or a sense of superiority... plenty of people gossiped behind others' backs, but in reality, without deep grudges, very few would actually jump out to mock someone openly.
Soon, several teachers emerged.
"Quiet! No making noise."
"According to the random ordering on your assessment notices, you will enter the examination grounds one by one shortly." A female instructor dressed in a loose martial arts uniform swept her gaze across all the students. "Remember, the entire exam is monitored in real time by the Ministry of Martial Arts and the Ministry of Education, recorded on file, and graded by AI machines to ensure absolute fairness... You've taken exams for so many years and are on the verge of graduating, but I will emphasize the rules once more."
"No actions unrelated to the assessment are permitted; no banned substances are allowed; no..."
"Lastly, I hope everyone takes the assessment seriously and demonstrates the standard of your daily cultivation."
"Once all assessments conclude, go eat lunch. Gather back in the first-floor main hall at two in the afternoon, where the second recommendation list will be announced directly," the martial arts teacher said. "At the same time, the application requirements for the third batch's practical combat assessment will be released."
Everyone listened in silence.
"Candidate Number 1, Luo Pengfei."
"Candidate Number 2, Duan Bai. Enter your respective exam grounds. Candidates Number 3 and Number 4, get ready," the female teacher declared briskly. Two students immediately entered the exam grounds along separate corridors.
There were two testing grounds, allowing two students to be tested simultaneously.
"I'm Number 114," Wang Mo whispered. "Old Fang, what about you?"
"Number 46," Fang Yu replied.
"You're that much earlier than me? Alright, wait for me after you finish. Old He messaged in our dorm group saying we should have a farewell lunch together," Wang Mo said. "Private Room 12 at Qionglin Court."
"Sounds good," Fang Yu nodded.
...
With only a hundred-odd students in total and two testing grounds running simultaneously, the assessment progressed swiftly. Soon, it was Fang Yu's turn. After verifying his identity, he walked straight into the testing arena.
The assessment for Martial Junior College students was actually quite straightforward.
It consisted of three major categories: Star Aspect detection, Life Level detection, and martial technique. Each category was subdivided into multiple smaller tests.
For example, Life Level detection was split into machine vital energy probing, basic punch force testing, and speed testing.
Martial technique was divided into practical combat testing, limit punch force testing, limit speed testing, weapon testing, and various other aspects... all aimed at evaluating a student's capabilities from every angle.
And Fang Yu, having not awakened a Star Aspect, naturally opted out of the first test directly.
...
On the second floor, inside a vast office, dozens of martial arts teachers sat watching the colossal projection screen at the front of the room.
The projection displayed the live conditions in both exam grounds.
The examination process was graded entirely by AI throughout, so the teachers could not intervene... but the final list still required their collective review and signatures.
Furthermore, as martial arts head teachers of the various classes, they cared about the standout students under their charge for the sake of their own performance metrics, watching to see who could make it onto the recommendation list.
For each additional student selected, they would receive an extra bonus.
"Old Yan."
"This student is from your class, right?" A tall, thin male teacher pointed at Fang Yu on the projection. "Why did he skip the Star Aspect test straight away?"
"Yeah."
"His name is Fang Yu. His technique score was ranked in the top ten at the end of last semester," a burly, slightly balding man replied with some regret. "His technique is very good, and his Life Level isn't low either. His family probably invested a fair amount of money... Unfortunately, he still hasn't awakened a Void Star Aspect."
He was none other than Fang Yu's martial arts head teacher, Yan Fu.
"Getting recommended is out of the question."
"Still, his footwork and saber technique are both solid. Let's see if he can make the cut for the practical combat assessment list in the end," the burly balding man said, shaking his head.
The practical combat assessment wasn't open to just anyone either; only students ranked within the top eighty in total score qualified to take part.
After all, the practical combat assessment took place on the Primordial Star, which entailed significant costs... It was impossible to allow everyone to participate.
At this moment, most of the teachers in the office paid no further attention once they saw Fang Yu skip the first Star Aspect test... Not having awakened a Void Star Aspect put him at far too great a disadvantage.
Under normal circumstances, making the recommendation list was virtually impossible.
Furthermore, during the junior-year final assessment, Fang Yu's martial technique hadn't reached a level of being "leagues ahead" of the rest, so naturally he drew little notice.
"The Life Level test is up next," the teacher next to Yan Fu said, pointing at the projection. "Old Yan, he looks very calm and composed, seemingly quite confident. Who knows, his Life Level might have hit Level 17."
On the projection screen, Fang Yu had already stepped up to the vital energy detector.
"Level 17? Let's hope so." Yan Fu didn't harbor much hope.
Fang Yu counted as an outstanding student in his class, so he knew Fang Yu's stats well. His Life Level at the end of the junior year had been Level 15.5.
In his view, Fang Yu's family didn't seem particularly wealthy, and he hadn't awakened a Void Star Aspect... In a month and a half, going from Level 15.5 to Level 17?
The chances were far too slim.
Yet in the very next instant—
"Level 20.1?" The teacher beside Yan Fu let out a cry of disbelief. "Is the vital energy detector broken?!"
"Level 20?"
"Who? Fang Yu? Level 20?!"
The other teachers who had previously paid no attention turned their heads one after another, all finding it difficult to believe... A junior college student reaching a Life Level of 20?
The rarity was hardly inferior to a student reaching Great Accomplishment of Entering the Minute in technique.
"Level 20? How... how is that possible?!" A shock rippled through Yan Fu's heart. "In under two months, he leaped more than four levels? His basic punch force doubled—how can that be?!"
"Even with Great Accomplishment of Entering the Minute in technique, he couldn't have improved this fast, could he?"
"Could Fang Yu's family be secretly wealthy moguls? How come I never knew about this?"
Chapter 16