Chapter 66: Promotion to Sophomore Year

Chapter 66: Ascending to Sophomore Year

The silence in the cafeteria lasted only a moment.

As Qin Feng and Tie Lin each dispersed, the suppressed murmurs burst forth like a breached dam, instantly flooding the entire space.

Almost as Tie Lin bowed in thanks, a quick-eyed student had already uploaded the complete video they recorded to the campus forum of Qiyi High.

The post’s title was crafted with striking impact.

[Live Report! Grade One Champion Qin Feng’s ‘Lesson with a Stick,’ Second-Ranked Tie Lin Bows in Submission!]

The video was short, only three minutes long.

From Tie Lin issuing the challenge, to Qin Feng picking up the iron rod and assuming the “Coiling” stance, to his unreserved on-the-spot explanation, and finally ending with Tie Lin’s heartfelt bow of gratitude.

The entire process was crystal clear.

This post, like a deep-water bomb thrown into boiling oil, instantly detonated across the campus forum.

Views and replies skyrocketed at a visible pace.

“Holy crap! I was there! Qin Feng’s opening stance—such overwhelming presence! I felt my legs go weak even from ten meters away!”

“This… is the ‘Coiling’ of the *Thousand Troops Spear*? The pressure is immense; it didn’t feel this strong when facing Tie Lin before.”

“Don’t be foolish, upstairs. Tie Lin only masters the ‘form,’ but he grasps the ‘spirit’ and ‘essence’! Didn’t you hear Qin Feng explain it himself? That’s an understanding at the level of great mastery!”

“Too insane… Not only is he strong himself, but he can also break down his understanding and teach it to others. What kind of monstrous insight is that?”

“The most crucial thing is his magnanimity! Tie Lin clearly came to challenge him, yet he wasn’t angry and truly ‘didn’t begrudge teaching.’ That’s the kind of breadth of mind I respect.”

“I’m a fan now, a die-hard supporter of Qin Feng from today!”

The video’s buzz even surpassed the earlier discussions about monthly exam results.

Before this, Qin Feng’s title of “Grade One Champion” was just a cold, lofty statistic to many.

But now, through this video, the name became vivid, three-dimensional, and adorned with an aura akin to a “grandmaster.”

At the center of the storm, Qin Feng himself had long returned to Dormitory 402.

The outside clamor had nothing to do with him.

He sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes shut, running the *Imperial Meditation Method* while in his mind, he repeatedly reviewed every detail of his ranked matches in the Imperial Arena.

Shi Potian was also cultivating, radiating a faint chill, his entire presence condensed like ice.

Only Qian Duoduo couldn’t sit still. With animated excitement, he forwarded various hot posts and hilarious replies from the forum in the dorm trio’s private channel.

“Old Qin, you’re famous, totally famous! At least a third of the forum posts are about you now.”

“Someone even set up a betting pool on whether you’ll win the freshman championship in this inter-school league.”

“Old Shi, they’re analyzing you too, saying you’re the only one in the freshman year who can go toe-to-toe with Old Qin in raw strength.”

Qin Feng and Shi Potian exchanged a glance, about to say something.

A crisp notification sound rang out simultaneously on both Qin Feng’s and Shi Potian’s wrist terminals.

“Beep!”

Shi Potian raised his wrist, and a virtual screen unfolded before him.

[Qiming First Martial Arts High School · Academic Affairs Office Notice]

[To: Shi Potian, Class 3, Grade One (Student ID: GY1031471)]

[After review, your C-level contract upgrade application has been approved. Effective immediately, your student contract level will be upgraded to C-level, and related resource permissions have been updated. Please proceed to the designated area tomorrow to collect your C-level resource allocation.]

[Sender: Academic System]

“Nice one, Old Shi!”

Qian Duoduo immediately leaned in, his face full of envy. “Congratulations! You’re a C-level big shot now! From now on, our dorm has two C-level powerhouses and one D-level little newbie like me.”

Shi Potian nodded, acknowledging the congratulations. But then he glanced at Qin Feng, who had also finished his cultivation, and said, “You’re still faster.”

“C-level contract resources are distributed monthly, and next month, the number of mid-level potions and mid-level bath packs will each increase by one. Qin Feng got it a month earlier than me, meaning he can consume more resources sooner. The gap will only widen.”

Shi Potian’s tone was calm, as if stating a fact, but Qian Duoduo still caught a hint of faint… envy.

“Beep!”

Another notification sounded, and this time, all three terminals lit up simultaneously.

The sender was their homeroom teacher, Wu Shangfeng.

Qin Feng and Shi Potian exchanged a look, both realizing this should be the reply regarding their promotion applications.

They opened the email at the same time.

On the screen was Wu Shangfeng’s usual, concise notice.

[Notice]

[Sender: Wu Shangfeng]

[Recipients: Qin Feng, Shi Potian]

[Subject: Approval of Sophomore Promotion Application and Explanation of New Academic Year System]

[1. Your application to advance to the sophomore year has been approved by the Principal’s Office.]

[2. New class assignments are as follows:]

[Qin Feng: Sophomore Class (7)]

[Shi Potian: Sophomore Class (25)]

[3. Starting tomorrow, you will officially become sophomore students. The sophomore year adopts a new teaching management system. Specific details are as follows; be sure to memorize them:]

[I. Teaching Mode: Complete self-study system. The sophomore year will no longer have fixed cultural or martial theory classes. All learning content must be arranged by students themselves. Physical training methods will be taught within the sub-space network—Qiming First Martial Arts High School private domain. No permanent instructors.]

[II. Practical Courses: Irregular individual practical classes. Note! All practical classes in the sophomore year are individual task modes, no longer conducted by class. Professional mentors will select and assign various tasks on the sub-space network based on your respective strength levels and areas of expertise.]

[III. Grade Evaluation: Monthly exams abolished, replaced by a points ranking system. The sole criterion for sophomore students’ grades is ‘points.’ On the 1st of each month, rankings will be based on all sophomore students’ points for that month, and merit point rewards will be distributed accordingly.]

[IV. Points Acquisition: Imperial Arena—Qiming First High (Sophomore) private domain. All sophomore students must engage in battles within this exclusive private domain to earn points.]

[a. Matching Mechanism: Completely random. No fixed vitality index.]

[b. Historical Footage: The private domain stores battle footage data of the most outstanding graduates since Qiming First High’s founding. Students may freely choose to battle against these legendary senior alumni’s footage; victory yields substantial merit points.]

[Above are the core systems for the sophomore year.]

[Finally, I hope that in the near future, you too will become outstanding graduates challenged by your juniors, leaving your own footage forever in the history of Qiming First High.]

[Wu Shangfeng]

The lengthy notice carried a massive amount of information.

When Qin Feng and Shi Potian finished reading the last line, both fell silent.

The atmosphere in the dormitory grew somewhat stagnant.

“This…”

“What’s the deal with this Imperial Arena private domain and earning points?”

Shi Potian frowned and asked the crucial question.

He was clearly less knowledgeable than Qian Duoduo about these rule-level matters.

(End of chapter)