At five o'clock in the afternoon, Chen Chu walked out of school with his shoulder bag.
However, he didn't head home directly; he was on his way to the flower and bird market to pick up the beetle the shopkeeper had ordered for him.
Walking along the road, Chen Chu contemplated the concept of compatibility in true martial arts that Luo Fei had mentioned earlier. According to Luo Fei, all exercises brought about changes in one's physical attributes, and the higher the level of the exercises, the more profound the transformation.
In such a scenario, if someone's physique was naturally well-suited for a particular type of cultivation, not only would their progress be rapid, but the potency of their techniques would also skyrocket. A few years back, a student at Nantian Martial High was a perfect example of this phenomenon. He was ideally matched with the basic skills he practiced and achieved the triple heaven realm in his first year, effortlessly defeating senior students at the same level.
Even those seniors who practiced advanced real martial arts were no match for him, given his astonishing combat prowess.
However, Luo Fei's practice was unique and unorthodox, with spiritual mastery as its focus, rather than physical attributes.
"The beetle you requested is definitely here, and to ensure its safety during transportation, my friend managed to capture two extra ones. So, it's like getting two for free when you buy one," the shopkeeper explained as Chen Chu selected a black beetle from the container.
Unlike other beetles capable of flight, the iron beetle had evolved to prioritize defense, with its exoskeleton and back merging into a single, solid structure. Despite its small size of just two centimeters, scientific research had shown that this insect could withstand over 30,000 times its own weight.
With the bugs in good condition, Chen Chu smiled and said, "Thank you, boss. I'll be sure to return the next time I need something."
"Of course, feel free to visit us anytime. You're always welcome," the shopkeeper responded, grinning broadly.
These bugs were quite common in Beizhou, similar to ants, and cost next to nothing. The shopkeeper simply arranged for a cross-border courier to deliver them upon receiving a phone call, making a small profit of several hundred yuan with minimal effort.
With wood shavings providing sustenance for the beetles in the container, Chen Chu placed them in a drawer upon returning home.
"Now, it's time to wait for the avatar's evolution," Chen Chu muttered, turning his attention to the hexagonal salamander avatar lying still nearby, exuding a steadily increasing aura of power.
On Monday, as soon as Chen Chu ventured outside, he sensed an unusual atmosphere in the air.
Patrol cars were frequently seen on the streets, and law enforcement officers manned intersections. Surveillance cameras and electric poles flashed intermittently.
"What's going on?" Chen Chu furrowed his brow.
Inside the cultural class classroom, Chen Chu took his seat, and Xia Youhui, seated in front of him, turned around to approach him.
"Ah Chu, have you heard? An Lingqing from the first class has gathered her true strength and broken through to the Second Heaven."
"Wow, that's impressive," Chen Chu remarked, genuinely awed.
To establish a foundation in just two days, reach the limit of the first heaven on the following day, and then break through to the second heaven in a matter of days—such rapid progress would make anyone envious.
But the gap was so vast that it could be disheartening. It was worth noting that more than half of the freshmen in their grade had yet to establish a foundation.
Chen Chu shook his head, dismissed the news from his mind, and retrieved his textbook from the drawer. There was an exam scheduled for the end of the month, and he couldn't afford to perform poorly in any subject just because he had been the top student at Lingshan No. 1 Middle School.
Regardless of others' talents, he had to study diligently, but...
"The Freshman Leaderboard."
In the practice room that afternoon, Chen Chu was taken aback when he heard this announcement. What could possibly be the significance of ranking freshmen who had just started training? They were all novices; was there any point in having them compete against each other?
Xia Youhui, however, appeared thrilled by the news. "I've heard that the government has allocated significant resources to nurture the next generation of practitioners, particularly those with exceptional talents, to help them progress faster."
"It's not just our Nantian Wugao in the city; neighboring first-class colleges and universities in Nanhua Wugao are doing the same. They're all implementing a ranking system for their freshmen."
"Starting on the 1st of next month, the top 50 students will be determined, and those on the list will receive an additional 5 contribution points every month."
Five contribution points equated to an extra 5,000 yuan in monthly subsidy per person. It was indeed a considerable incentive for cultivation, given that there were only a limited number of students in each school.
Even Chen Chu found himself somewhat intrigued by the idea upon hearing it. Currently, he received only 3 points each month, barely enough to cover a fraction of the standard price for Baxiang Blood Essence. If he could obtain additional Baxiang blood essence for practice, even if he couldn't break through to the first level of the exercises, it would still save him a month's worth of training time.
However, Chen Chu raised a concern, "But won't it be unfair to those who have just established their foundations if it starts on the 1st of next month?"
During this period, many freshmen had diligently worked for over half a month to lay their foundations. Now, with the competition just days away, many of them might not even have reached the first layer's threshold.
"Unfair?" Xia Youhui patted Chen Chu on the shoulder and commented, "Ah Chu, if this world were truly fair, there wouldn't be such a thing as talent or differences in birth."
"Equality would mean that everyone is identical in every aspect, which is fair, but do you think that's achievable?" He looked at Chen Chu, an expression of youthful idealism.
Chen Chu was taken aback. "I never expected to hear such philosophical words from you, Lao Xia."
"Well, I've always been this philosophical; you just never noticed," Xia Youhui replied with a touch of pride.
Indeed, he was right. While the world might appear equal on the surface, human beings were creatures of classification, and societal divisions were an unalterable fact.
After their conversation, Xia Youhui returned to his rigorous practice routine. He wasn't alone; upon learning of the official freshman rankings, many students became highly motivated.
Being listed not only promised access to additional resources but also offered a chance for recognition. After all, they were all teenagers—everyone wanted to stand out in front of their peers.
Chen Chu contemplated, "Can I make it into the top 50?"
According to Xia Youhui's information, of the more than 1,900 new students who had been training diligently for almost a month, over 700 had successfully laid their foundations.
Out of the forty-eight classes, there were over 130 "genius" individuals who established their foundations within a week, and more than 200 students with intermediate skills who established their foundations within half a month.
This meant that, in order to participate in the competition and make it into the top 50, Chen Chu would need to defeat at least 80 "geniuses" who were practicing advanced exercises.
This number didn't even include the 200-plus students who had built their foundations within half a month. Among them, there might be "geniuses" who had amassed considerable knowledge.
"I wonder how strong those who practice advanced exercises really are," Chen Chu mused, narrowing his eyes.
Although his original plan was to cultivate quietly and progress steadily, when opportunities and resources presented themselves, he knew he had to seize them. After all, the first place was the only one that anyone remembered; nobody paid attention to second place, let alone someone at the very bottom.
Besides, avoiding competition in the early stages of cultivation would only lead to a growing disparity in strength as the "geniuses" acquired more resources. Eventually, he might not even be able to catch a glimpse of their backs.
Of course, Chen Chu was only considering the possibilities. Unless his strength experienced a significant breakthrough after the second evolution of his avatar in two days, there would be no need for him to participate. If he did, he would likely find himself at the bottom of the rankings.