Chapter 139: Xiao Nan, You Ruined My Hairstyle

Strictly speaking, the duel with Li Shaohua to compete for the qualification to train in the Hollow Crystal Chamber was not an academic examination, nor did it have anything to do with the future prospects of the general body of candidates.

However, Sun Zhongli and the others still insisted on holding the duel within the school rather than finding an arbitrary location or conducting it directly at a military base. This was, in fact, to inspire the students and, as was the old custom, to demonstrate the principles of transparency and fairness.

The Li family’s strategy of building hype to boost Li Shaohua’s reputation—while perhaps not entirely honorable—had one point in their favor. It left people, including the principal, with no room to maneuver. They insisted that, on the surface, the school's foundational resources should be visible to everyone, ensuring that all students and parents could see exactly how they were awarded to the most outstanding students, rather than being handed out behind closed doors by school administrators.

The Li family was confident that Li Shaohua was the strongest, which was why they had built up the anticipation in advance. Even though Su Yuqing of the Qin family, Principal Sun Zhongli, and others were reluctant, they had no choice but to accept the challenge. Having put forward Xiao Nan to contend for the spot, they could not very well back down now. Though they did not truly believe Xiao Nan had much of a chance, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and see it through.

...

When Xiao Nan arrived at the school, he saw from a distance that a large red announcement list had been posted on the bulletin board at the school gate.

At the very top of the list, written in gold on a red background, were two names: his own and Li Shaohua’s. Both shared the same results: a Vitality score of 5.0, physical strength exceeding a thousand pounds, and an A+ excellence rating in the blood-soaked trial. The results of the other students were also listed one by one.

In front of this list was a noisy crowd of people in various attire. These included the parents of students, celebrities from all walks of life in Yuanjiang Prefecture, and, of course, many ordinary citizens from the lower rungs of the city. By now, the recommended list for this year’s martial arts students to participate in the provincial examinations had basically been finalized. Barring any surprises, this would be the final number of students from Yuanjiang No. 1 High School who would be able to enroll in Tier 1 or Tier 2 martial arts universities this year.

In this era where the path of martial arts reigned supreme, every name on that list seemed to be bathed in a golden light, dazzling to behold. If this group of students had been nothing more than raw, unremarkable teenagers just a few days ago, in a few years, each would embark on a successful career. Some might even ascend to high positions that were currently unreachable for anyone present.

Suddenly, a parent cried out with joy, "That’s my child! Since he was little, I taught him to train hard and strive for the martial arts track. I even sold off the family shop for this, and the facts prove that it was all worth it!" He pointed to a name on the list, his face a mix of tears and laughter. Yet, everyone looking at him felt only envy; no one dared to mock him. Nearby, a haggard-looking middle-aged woman also stood tall with pride. A circle of people immediately swarmed around her, offering business cards, introducing themselves, and offering congratulations, all while chattering away about how to raise children.

"Xiao Nan is here!"

Amidst the clamor, a cry of surprise suddenly rang out from the school gate. Everyone turned to look and saw a young man in a black uniform with white patterns walking slowly toward them. His incomparably handsome face wore a languid smile, and the sunlight hitting his face reflected a brilliant, golden glow.

The crowd surged forward, but stopped while still at a distance, hesitating to draw any closer. Someone nearby shouted, "Don't disturb Student Xiao Nan! Everyone, let's go inside and find a good spot; the duel should be starting soon."

Yes, the duel was the main event. It was a contest over the substantive benefits of Yuanjiang No. 1 High School’s five-year reserve. On the surface, they could not use that as the stated reason, so they billed it as a match to decide the strongest high school student. Yet, because both competitors were students with excellent qualifications who were virtually guaranteed to get into prestigious universities, this duel would have drawn the eyes of Yuanjiang citizens even if it were just an exhibition match with no stakes. Added to that was the gimmick of the distribution of the school’s core resources, so it was no wonder everyone wanted to witness it for themselves.

It had to be said that Yuanjiang No. 1 High School was truly in the spotlight this year, frequently receiving good news. If one included the eldest daughter of the Qin family, who had already been specially recruited by the Qingning Academy at the beginning of the year, Yuanjiang No. 1 would have three students entering prestigious martial arts universities this year. For the people of Yuanjiang City, this was like a shot of adrenaline. As a result, the scandal that had circulated a few days ago—about Vice Principal Lin suppressing students and cheating during the vitality trials—was gradually no longer mentioned. Indeed, compared to the tangible future and hope, those less-than-glamorous matters were like minor blemishes on a piece of white jade, not worth worrying about.

As they watched Xiao Nan walk through the school gate, the crowd finally withdrew their eager gazes and began to whisper among themselves. They hadn't been unwilling to go up and curry favor; they had been afraid. The trial results on the bulletin board were clear: Xiao Nan’s combat record included killing one Tier 3 Barbarian God Priest, five Tier 2 Wolf-Barbarian warriors, fifteen Tier 1 Wolf-Barbarian warriors, and thirty-eight ordinary barbarians. He had even gone head-to-head with a Tier 3 elite Wolf-Barbarian leader who practiced battle qi, and had retreated unscathed.

Could these figures possibly belong to an ordinary student? Even Tier 3 or Tier 4 martial artists might not be able to achieve such a record. And he was merely an ordinary high school student who hadn't even entered a martial arts university yet. One could only imagine what a bright future he had. From the moment that list was posted, a deep chasm of status had been drawn between such a student and everyone present. They could envy him and aspire to his level, but none of them dared to approach him for a casual acquaintance without hesitation.

Furthermore, with the school's reserves at stake, who had the nerve to disrupt the opportunities of such a genius? If they affected Xiao Nan's mood and he lost the duel because of it, no one would be able to take the blame.

...

"Xiao Nan, are you really this prestigious at school?" Xiao Bei’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at her brother, feeling that she had never truly understood him in their daily lives. She strutted half a step ahead of Xiao Nan, soaking in the gasps and astonishment of the crowd. Without realizing it, she rose onto her tiptoes, pulled in her slightly rounded belly, and walked with her feet turned inward, trying her best to act like a refined lady.

"Walk properly." Xiao Nan looked at the little girl, who had clearly forgotten who she was and was barely able to walk, and nearly laughed out loud. He quickly placed a hand on Xiao Bei’s head to stop her from making a further fool of herself.

"Hey! Xiao Nan, you’re messing up my hairstyle!"

*Hairstyle?* Xiao Nan curled his lip. This little brat’s hair was a mess of short, wispy strands that looked like wild grass in a field, impossible to comb neatly. He didn't know where she got the idea that she had a "hairstyle." However, he had to admit, that messy mop combined with her round, porcelain-white face had a certain charm that made people want to reach out and ruffle it, or tease her until she cried—which, in his opinion, was the best way to show a sisterly bond.

"What a pretty little girl. I wish I had a daughter like that," a woman nearby exclaimed, clutching her chest.

"Ah, so Xiao Nan’s sister is this cute? If I’d known, I would’ve gone up to befriend her," a pimply-faced boy lamented, beating his chest in regret.

A large group of classmates nearby quickly moved away from him, their faces full of disgust to show they wanted no association with him. In truth, they were disgusted by his stupidity—even if he really thought that, he shouldn't have said it out loud. One could easily imagine how miserable his life at Yuanjiang No. 1 would be from now on. The large fan club nearby shot him looks that could kill. There was no need to guess; the name of Wang Chunlin, the boy with the pimples, would surely echo throughout the school, defined by one word: "despicable." With that label on his head, no matter how much talent he had, he would never be able to shake it off.

Feeling the gaze of countless eyes, Wang suddenly realized his mistake, and his face turned as pale as paper. His lips trembled, and he couldn't say another word.