Translator: CinderTL
"With such a severe injury, you're saying you're fine? Get to the hospital immediately!"
Zhang Jianwu's face turned ashen as he examined Jiang Ye's wound.
The injury was far more serious than he had imagined. Yet the boy was acting as if nothing had happened!
Jiang Ye offered a helpless smile.
He genuinely felt nothing; the pain was negligible to him.
Moreover, in a state of pain, all his attributes received a considerable boost. He could feel a slight warmth radiating from the wound as his cells accelerated their healing process.
Still, the director's concern was valid. If the wound became infected, it could take months to recover, potentially affecting his College Entrance Examination.
Nodding in agreement, Jiang Ye rose and followed Zhang Jianwu toward the exit.
Wang Zi'ang immediately declared, "Brother Jiang, I'll come with you."
Zhao Qingli hesitated for a moment before adding, "I'll go too."
Nearby, Lin Yushu chuckled, "I'll stay behind. Good luck to you all."
As he spoke, he cast a deep, lingering glance at Jiang Ye.
The strength Jiang Ye had displayed today had taken him completely by surprise.
Ancheng City People's Hospital.
A plump female doctor in a white coat meticulously bandaged Jiang Ye's shoulder.
The doctor chuckled softly. "You're quite resilient, young man."
"Normally, a wound of this severity would already be swelling and inflamed by now, but there's not a trace of it on you."
"Just rest well for the next month, avoid strenuous activity, and you'll recover quickly."
Hearing the doctor's words, the others nearby breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Jiang Ye wasn't surprised and grinned. "Everyone's constitution is different."
His physical constitution far surpassed that of ordinary people.
A strong constitution inherently meant exceptional immunity, making it nearly impossible for viruses or bacteria to invade his body.
"Good to hear you're okay," Zhang Jianwu said, also relieved.
If Jiang Ye's injury had affected his performance on the College Entrance Examination, it would have been a case of losing the forest for the trees.
Zhao Qingli, however, asked with concern, "Doctor, will this affect his cultivation?"
"As long as he avoids practicing intense art techniques, he'll be fine," the doctor replied with a smile.
"Understood. Thank you for the advice," Jiang Ye nodded.
Soon, Jiang Ye and the group left the hospital.
Wang Zi'ang lamented, "Looks like you won't be able to participate in the class assessment in a few days."
He remained deeply curious about the true extent of Jiang Ye's current strength.
Jiang Ye still vividly remembered the scene where he had shattered the black-clad man with three punches.
Hearing this, Zhao Qingli also looked at Jiang Ye with curiosity.
The strength Jiang Ye had displayed earlier had astonished her as well.
Despite possessing only a Primitive innate talent, he had unleashed such formidable combat power.
Jiang Ye chuckled. "Let's talk about it next month. By then, I should be mostly recovered."
The Elite Class held monthly assessments covering the same four martial dao categories as the College Entrance Examination.
"I'm looking forward to your performance next month," Wang Zi'ang said with a grin. "Maybe another powerhouse will join the top ten."
Jiang Ye shook his head. "Don't exaggerate. Making it into the top fifty would be good enough."
Wang Zi'ang chuckled. "I've figured you out, kid. You love playing the 'underestimate yourself first, then shock everyone' card."
"You've mastered the art of emotional manipulation," he said knowingly.
Zhao Qingli chimed in coldly, "I agree. You even fooled me."
Jiang Ye: "..."
Wait, is it wrong to be humble?
He sighed helplessly. "I'm really not as strong as you think."
"Jiang Ye, enough already."
Even Zhang Jianwu, standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh and scold, "Excessive modesty is just another form of arrogance! Stop pretending, kid!"
Jiang Ye shook his head and sighed, saying nothing more.
I'm really not that strong! Why doesn't anyone believe me?
In truth, his combat prowess only seemed formidable due to the combined effects of the Beauty's Inquiry and Find Joy in Suffering buffs.
With these two major enhancements, he could defeat opponents approaching the first breakthrough.
Without them, he might not even be able to beat Wang Zi'ang in his current state.
Top ten in the grade? Jiang Ye pondered.
He genuinely didn't know where his current strength would rank him.
After all, he hadn't taken any assessments since his cosmic tempering.
In another month, he'd undoubtedly improve further.
How high could I climb? Jiang Ye found himself growing curious.
"Oh, right," Wang Zi'ang suddenly said. "How should we split the hundred thousand yuan reward for completing the mission?"
The hundred thousand yuan wasn't an individual reward but a team bonus.
Zhao Qingli declared coldly, "Jiang Ye contributed the most to this mission. He gets half. Any objections?"
Jiang Ye: "...Whatever the class monitor says is fine."
Wang Zi'ang shrugged, naturally agreeing without issue.
Zhao Qingli nodded. "Then it's settled. After the reward is distributed, Jiang Ye gets 50,000, and Wang Zi'ang and I each get 25,000."
Shortly after, Zhao Qingli and Wang Zi'ang parted ways.
Zhang Jianwu kept Jiang Ye behind and had him sit in a black sedan.
"Director, what's up?" Jiang Ye asked, looking at him curiously from the passenger seat.
Zhang Jianwu smiled. "You performed exceptionally well in this operation. Your combat skills even surprised me."
"You're too kind, Director," Jiang Ye replied with a bashful smile.
"However, the real reason I kept you behind is something else." Zhang Jianwu's smile faded.
Jiang Ye nodded. "Go on."
Zhang Jianwu paused, then said, "I have a proposal."
"If you seize this opportunity, you might receive an additional 20 points on your College Entrance Examination score."
"An extra 20 points?" Jiang Ye's breath caught in his throat.
What did 20 points mean?
For students scoring below 700, it was insignificant.
But for those scoring above 700, it was an absolutely staggering number.
700 was the minimum score required for admission to the twenty-five school alliance.
The twenty-five school alliance comprised twenty-five universities, each with its own distinct standards.
After all, jumping from 700 to 900 points was a massive leap of two hundred points.
The top universities in the twenty-five school alliance, such as Penglai University and East Sea University, only admitted students with scores above 850, and some even required nearly 900 points.
"If I could get an extra 20 points," Jiang Ye's eyes flashed, "my chances of getting into those elite universities would skyrocket."
"Even better, I might have a shot at the ten great schools!"
He knew all too well that every point above 800 was incredibly hard-earned.
Zhao Qingli's case proved this.
As far as Jiang Ye knew, Zhao Qingli's monthly expenses now far exceeded a hundred thousand yuan—and were likely much higher.
Her parents were undoubtedly pulling out all the stops to support her College Entrance Examination preparations, pouring in vast resources and money.
Yet after two months of relentless effort, she had only improved by 35 points.
Even this modest progress was considered extraordinary within Ancheng Third High School, and indeed across the entire city.
Apart from Zhao Qingli, no other student scoring above 800 had shown such rapid improvement.
And that was just for scores above 800. What about scores above 850? The difficulty of further progress would be exponentially greater.
With these thoughts in mind, Jiang Ye turned to Zhang Jianwu, the director, and asked, "Director, what exactly is the proposal you mentioned?"
"Applying to become a Reserve Star Practitioner."
Zhang Jianwu smiled. "If you can become a Reserve Star Practitioner before the College Entrance Examination, you'll receive an additional 20 points on your exam score."
"Reserve Star Practitioner?" Jiang Ye blinked in surprise.
He had heard Star Envoy Liu mention this before, but he hadn't realized becoming a Reserve Star Practitioner could actually boost his College Entrance Examination score.
Zhang Jianwu chuckled. "Reserve Star Practitioners are part of the Federation's official ranks. They're highly sought after in every province."
"If you qualify, even martial dao universities will prioritize your admission."
Jiang Ye frowned. "Does joining the Federation's ranks automatically grant extra points?"
Zhang Jianwu shook his head. "You need to register with a specific university, declaring your intention to join as a Reserve Star Practitioner. For example, if you pre-register with West Mountain University, you'll receive an additional 20 points on your College Entrance Examination score when you apply there."
"Register?" Jiang Ye paused, puzzled.
Why would registration be necessary?
"Are there any restrictions after registering?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask.
"Restrictions? None at all," Zhang Jianwu replied, shaking his head. "The Federation's provinces all want to attract students into their official ranks."
"Currently, most official positions are concentrated in the Eastern and Southern Ten Provinces."
"In contrast, our Western Ten Provinces suffer from a severe shortage of qualified personnel for government positions," Zhang Jianwu lamented.
"If a student can secure admission to a university in the Western Ten Provinces, it essentially guarantees them a government job here, allowing them to contribute to the region's development," he explained.
"For example, West Mountain University in our West Mountain Province offers substantial benefits to such candidates. Universities in other provinces might not offer such generous score bonuses."
Hearing this, Jiang Ye finally understood the situation.
Aha!
In essence, each province had established this policy to compete for government positions.
So, the ultimate goal in the universe is still a government job.
Even the twenty-five school alliance was vying for these coveted positions!
Curiosity piqued, Jiang Ye asked, "Director, do universities in the Eastern Ten Provinces offer similar score bonuses?"
West Mountain University, though part of the twenty-five school alliance, ranked lower and required only 750 points for admission. Jiang Ye hadn't considered it a primary target.
"The Eastern Ten Provinces?" Zhang Jianwu paused, surprised. "Their universities might only offer a 10-point bonus."
"Why? Are you considering applying to universities in the Eastern Ten Provinces?" he asked, studying Jiang Ye.
Jiang Ye nodded.
The top-tier universities within the twenty-five school alliance were concentrated in the Eastern Ten Provinces.
Zhang Jianwu shook his head. "Those universities require at least 850 points or higher."
Jiang Ye's current score was 520.
With only four months remaining until the College Entrance Examination, achieving the minimum score of 750 required for West Mountain University would already be an impressive feat.
850? Almost impossible.
Yet, recalling Jiang Ye's repeated surprising performances over the past half-year, Zhang Jianwu refrained from saying anything discouraging.
"Jiang Ye," he said with a smile, "if you truly aspire to attend a university in the Eastern Ten Provinces, I support you."
"To apply for the Reserve Star Practitioner position, you need a recommendation."
"I happen to have one slot available."
Zhang Jianwu smiled. "The Unified Examination is next month. If you decide to apply, I'll give you this slot."
Jiang Ye's face lit up with surprise.
From the director's words, he vaguely understood the value of this slot.
Joining the Federation's ranks would also grant bonus points on the College Entrance Examination.
The bonus points alone would likely drive many wealthy families to fight tooth and nail for it.
And now, the director was offering it to him?
"Director," Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask, "do you really have that much faith in me?"
You're the person Miss Chen has her eye on, Zhang Jianwu thought to himself. How could I not have faith in you?
Maintaining a calm demeanor, he replied with a faint smile, "I've always recognized your potential."
"The Reserve Star Professional Assessment isn't easy, you know."
"You need to pass a brutal real-combat test to qualify."
"And that's precisely why I have high hopes for you."
Zhang Jianwu smiled. "If I'm not mistaken, your martial bone has awakened, granting you abilities that enhance your combat prowess, right?"
Jiang Ye's heart skipped a beat.
The director also believed his martial bone had awakened?
He could indeed use this as a cover story.
With this thought, Jiang Ye immediately nodded. "Teacher Chen mentioned it before as well. My martial bone has awakened, and my actual combat capabilities far exceed what the tests show."
Zhang Jianwu chuckled. "That's precisely why I recommended you for the Reserve Star Professional Assessment."
Jiang Ye nodded.
But then he remembered something and asked, "Doesn't the Reserve Star Professional Assessment require hunting Shadow Clan members in the real world?"
"Don't worry about that," Zhang Jianwu said with a smile. "The Unified Examination Bureau will handle the arrangements."
Jiang Ye hesitated briefly.
After a moment, he declared solemnly, "Alright. I'll apply."
Whether it was for the bonus points on the College Entrance Examination or the generous subsidies offered to Reserve Star Practitioners, the incentives were too compelling to resist.
"Alright, I'll remind you next month," Zhang Jianwu said with a smile. "For the rest of this month, focus on improving yourself as much as possible."
"Understood, sir."
A moment later, Zhang Jianwu drove Jiang Ye home in his black sedan.
After arriving home, Jiang Ye took out the twenty vials of medicine from his backpack.
"These medicines..." Jiang Ye pondered.
Using them himself felt wasteful. After all, Zhao Qingli could get a vial for just a thousand yuan. But selling these could fetch three thousand yuan per vial, or even more.
The biggest concern, however, was that these medicines came from the Hidden God Organization. Even though they were unopened, who knew if there might be problems?
"But where would I sell them?" Jiang Ye had no connections.
After some thought, he finally dialed Zhao Qingli's number.
He had obtained her contact information during their recent mission.
When she answered, Jiang Ye tentatively asked, "Class monitor, do you buy medicines?"
"You want to sell those medicines?" Zhao Qingli didn't seem surprised. She replied calmly, "Two thousand yuan per vial. I can exchange them for martial dao ingredients of equal value."
"Two thousand yuan per bottle?" Jiang Ye frowned slightly.
This price was significantly below the market rate.
Zhao Qingli explained, "I just checked these medications. They're smuggled drugs, only circulate on the black market."
"Two thousand yuan is the highest I can offer. Think it over."
"Smuggled drugs?" Jiang Ye was startled.
Good thing I didn't try selling them to anyone else. If they were discovered, it would be illegal.
But handing them over to Zhao Qingli was safe; her family owned a pharmaceutical company.
"Alright, two thousand yuan per bottle it is," Jiang Ye said with a grin. "I trust my beautiful class monitor more than anyone."
"Hmph."
Zhao Qingli scoffed softly, her tone aloof. "We'll complete the transaction back at school."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Jiang Ye carefully packed the medicine bottles away.
He opened the system panel to check his progress.
"Strange... I've already completed the mission, so why hasn't the settlement reward page appeared?"
When he accepted the mission earlier, the system had even popped up a "Sect Mission" achievement.
Could it be that I need to return to school first? Jiang Ye pondered.
He took a deep breath.
"I should focus on cultivating first," he thought.
He moved to the center of the room and sat down cross-legged.
Silently, he began circulating the Star Martial Advancement Method.
"The Reserve Star Professional Assessment will undoubtedly be challenging."
"Before that, I need to cultivate diligently and improve my skills."
The Reserve Star Professional Assessment wasn't just a crucial bonus for the College Entrance Examination.
Success would also grant him monthly subsidies ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands!
Jiang Ye was determined to succeed.
(End of the Chapter)