```
Not long after, the classroom gradually filled up, and all the students occasionally cast stealthy glances at Chen Jiujun, who was sitting by the corridor, but they dared not whisper about it in the classroom.
When the class bell rang, the homeroom teacher Yang Jun entered with a radiant face and immediately looked toward Chen Jiujun, smiling and nodding.
"Alright, students, the one-month winter break is over, and it's time to refocus because from now until June is the intense sprint toward the college entrance exam..."
On the first day of the new term, it was essential to establish a good mindset, especially at such a critical time as the second semester of the senior year.
Yang Jun, though among the younger teachers, had plenty of experience in leading classes and a rich teaching level. After his speech, everyone in the class felt the tension and regained their usual study mode.
"By the way, I suppose you're all aware that Jiu Jun here stood out in the Wanzhou Academy's special recruitment selection and was successfully chosen as a Wanzhou special recruit."
Yang Jun waved Chen Jiujun over and said, "Jiu Jun, come, share your experience with everyone, or if you have anything to say to your classmates."
The students in the class immediately became excited.
"That's great! The experience of being a Wanzhou special recruit must be very useful!"
"I wonder what types of assessments there are in Wanzhou University's special recruitment. I'm really curious; it could help me prepare specifically."
"Quiet down, Chen Jiujun is coming up, listen carefully, and take good notes!"
"..."
The students whispered among themselves, and quite a few took out their notebooks, ready to take some serious notes.
Chen Jiujun strode beside Yang Jun, looked at his fellow classmates below, and after a brief pondering, he said, "To be honest, all of you here are far behind the geniuses at top universities, and not a single one of you could get into a top school even if you practiced day and night without rest.
Give up the pointless illusions, recognize your own strength and position, and you might get into a better second-tier college."
These words from Chen Jiujun instantly quieted the room to an extreme, and even Yang Jun beside him was stunned, not expecting Chen Jiujun to be so "blunt."
The next moment, the whole class erupted. While many of the girls remained silent, the boys could not suppress their anger, and they stood up, one by one, shouting out loud.
"Chen Jiujun, aren't you getting a bit too arrogant..."
"Exactly, what's with the attitude? Does becoming a special recruit make you think you're above everyone else?"
"What an attitude, really..."
"..."
As if he hadn't heard, Chen Jiujun nodded to Yang Jun and then returned to his seat.
What these mediocre people thought or said didn't matter to him at all. What he cared about were the geniuses out there who were on his level!
Yang Jun felt a bit embarrassed, but he quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Alright, alright, quiet down!" Spreading his arms to signal everyone to stop, Yang Jun cleared his throat and said, "Jiu Jun is trying to ring the alarm bell for you all. There indeed are many geniuses out there. If you keep your feet on the ground and push a little harder, it's not impossible to get into a top university in the future..."
Su Yuan, seeing that Jiang Jun next to him remained calm, asked curiously, "Haven't you always wanted to get into Shuzhou College? Aren't you angry about what he said?"
Jiang Jun replied indifferently, "Whether I can get into a top college is up to me, not something his words, Chen Jiujun's words, can negate."
```
Jiang Jun's gaze was firm and confident, and she was not at all influenced by Chen Jiujun.
Su Yuan nodded silently to himself, thinking that even putting aside strength, Jiang Jun's mindset had already surpassed that of most people.
With a Star Apprentice at the Ninth Rank and green mid-grade Soul Card, as long as one is willing to work hard, there's still a fair chance of getting into Shuzhou College.
"But what about you? Don't you mind? After all, you were once the number one genius at the school," said Jiang Jun after a moment's thought, adding, "Even though it was merely fleeting."
"I don't care," Su Yuan said with a wry smile, shaking his head. This girl, she could throw shade without leaving a trace.
In fact, Su Yuan thought that Chen Jiujun was a bit too arrogant, especially after he had become a special recruit of Wanzhou Academy. However, what he had said earlier wasn't completely wrong— he had merely spoken a reality that most people in the class didn't want to hear.
The Star Beast Atlas Class, Cultivation Class, and Combat Training… The day passed quickly for the average high school student.
Just before six o'clock, while Teacher Wang Xiuyun of the Blue Sea Star General Language class had yet to dismiss the class, Yang Jun had already come to the classroom.
"So, that's all for today's lesson. Teacher Yang has something to say to you about the joint trial tomorrow," Wang Xiuyun said, packing up the teaching materials and giving a fist pump to encourage everyone, "Good luck!"
"Thank you, Teacher Wang!"
Wang Xiuyun nodded, then walked out of the classroom, leaving the podium to Yang Jun.
Yang Jun said slowly, "The joint trial is tomorrow, and like previous years, it will take place in the rainforest Secret Realm of Guangchuan City. It will last two days and one night.
I've mentioned the points to be aware of many times already, so I won't go over them again. However, let me again sync the latest list of participants for the joint trial:
This time, our class will have Chen Jiujun, Jiang Jun, Zhao Wan, Li Pan… Ren Junqi, and… Su Yuan, participating. A total of 28 people."
"Su Yuan?" From his seat by the corridor, Chen Jiujun looked at Su Yuan with some surprise, "I didn't expect that he would finally awaken. I hadn't even noticed before.
But awakening now is too late. He is no longer the rival I need to look at. It's the geniuses who were specially recruited with me that matter."
Chen Jiujun didn't look further, shaking his head and withdrawing his gaze.
Once upon a time, Su Yuan's breakthrough to the Star Apprentice Sixth Stage had been nothing short of sensational.
No one had expected that this boy from an ordinary family would be the first to advance to the Sixth Stage.
As a "second-generation star," Chen Jiujun, always too proud to regard others highly, could hardly accept that a commoner had broken through before him.
Thus, he was determined to catch up. And half a month after Su Yuan's breakthrough, Chen Jiujun followed suit and managed to break through himself.
But he had lost this time. Chen Jiujun was resolved to awaken his Soul Card and advance to the Seventh Stage earlier than Su Yuan to prove he was the greater genius!
However, contrary to everyone's expectations, Su Yuan was unable to awaken his Star Card for a long time, resulting in a decline. Without Chen Jiujun even exerting effort, Su Yuan had already fallen behind and was quickly surpassed.
This left Chen Jiujun feeling both disappointed and disdainful.
It was rare to encounter someone who could cultivate faster than himself at school, and to think it had come to this?
Teacher Yang, however, gave Su Yuan an encouraging nod, liking this student very much. There was still a chance for Su Yuan to get into a second-tier college as long as he had awakened now. He just hadn't had time to check which Soul Card Su Yuan had awakened to yet. That would have to wait until after the trial was finished.