The moment the proctor left, the examination hall exploded into chatter once more — a chorus of sighs, groans, and nervous laughter.
But this time, the focus wasn't on the test.
It was on Liang Xiao.
"Liang Xiao, congratulations!"
"Yeah, seriously — fifty bonus points! That's amazing!"
"Haha, we should start calling you Lord Liang Xiao from now on!"
Several classmates hurried over, forcing smiles to cover the envy and jealousy glinting in their eyes. All that remained visible was awe.
Liang Xiao responded politely, smiling and nodding, then quietly picked up his admission ticket and headed for the exit.
"Liang Xiao, over here!"
Wu Jun waved from the front of the corridor, jogging up to him. "You must've gotten a cultivation bonus, right? How many points did they give you?"
"Fifty points," Liang Xiao replied with a small grin.
Wu Jun winced. "Tan Weifeng got a hundred. I was in the same exam room — he's officially at the first level of Qi Refining."
Liang Xiao only nodded slightly. He had already expected it.
Tan Weifeng came from money; cultivation resources were never a problem. It was no surprise he'd broken through to the first level after finishing his Foundation and Qi Cultivation stages.
To surpass him, Liang Xiao could only rely on one thing — his academic strength.
Not far away, Tan Weifeng was surrounded by admirers, soaking in their praise like sunlight.
But as news spread from Liang Xiao's exam room, a murmur reached him.
"Young Master Tan, I heard he only got fifty cultivation points. You got a full hundred — that's double!"
"Yeah, with your grades and that bonus, you'll easily be the top scorer in Changlin City!"
"That guy's from the slums. How could he ever compare to you, Young Master Tan?"
The flattery flowed freely, and Tan Weifeng's chest swelled with satisfaction.
Indeed — he had earned one hundred cultivation points, fifty more than Liang Xiao.
His performance in the written subjects had been steady. The formation question at the end had been tricky, but he was confident Liang Xiao wouldn't score much higher.
He had every reason to believe victory was his.
Tan Weifeng glanced across the courtyard, spotting Liang Xiao's calm figure in the crowd.
A cold sneer tugged at his lips.
So what if you've become a cultivator? You're still just a slum rat. You'll never beat me.
Soon, everyone — students, teachers, and parents — gathered at the school playground for the graduation ceremony.
A massive electronic screen hung above the stage, waiting to display the results.
Beyond the school gates, a huge crowd of parents and onlookers pressed close to another identical screen outside, eager to see their children's names appear.
"Liang Xiao, you probably know your total score already, right?" Wu Jun asked, glancing sideways at him. "Which school are you planning to apply to? With your bonus, you'll have no trouble getting into a top university."
Liang Xiao smiled faintly. "We'll talk about it later. It's too early to say."
Wu Jun grinned, shaking his head in admiration. "If I can get six hundred points, I'll go to another city for college — just to see what life's like outside Changlin."
Outside the gates, Liang Wen squeezed through the throng with little Liang Yuan by his side, clutching a pair of cheap ten-yuan binoculars from a street stall.
Today was the day the results would be announced — the day his eldest grandson's fate would be revealed.
And now that Liang Xiao had become a cultivator, he might even rank in the city's top ten.
As a grandfather, how could he not come to see this moment?
"Grandpa, can you see my brother?" Liang Yuan asked eagerly.
"Let me… let me take a look…"
Before he could answer, the crowd suddenly erupted.
"It's on! The screen's lit up!"
"The results are coming!"
Liang Wen's hands trembled as he lowered the binoculars and looked toward the enormous screen above the school gates. His breath caught in his throat. His lips quivered.
Inside the playground, the students were in chaos.
"The results are out!"
"Quick! Help me find mine!"
"Hey, no cutting in line! I was looking first!"
The noise was deafening — a mixture of excitement, terror, and raw anticipation.
Liang Xiao and Wu Jun looked up together.
Then, suddenly —
"Liang Xiao, look! Your name's at the very top! You're number one!" Wu Jun shouted, voice brimming with disbelief and joy. "That's insane! You did it!"
Liang Xiao's eyes widened, and a brilliant smile spread across his face.
At the top of the list, in glowing golden letters larger than all the rest, was written:
[First Place – Liang Xiao]
Chinese: 148
Mathematics: 150
Chemistry: 100
Physics: 100
Basic Knowledge of Monsters: 96
Spiritual Herbs and Formation Theory: 150
Cultivation Bonus (Near Qi Refining Stage): 50
→ Total Score: 794
"Seven hundred and ninety-four points…"
Liang Xiao whispered the number, his grin widening with every digit.
Then his gaze dropped to the next line.
[Second Place – Tan Weifeng]
Chinese: 150
Mathematics: 140
Chemistry: 92
Physics: 87
Basic Knowledge of Monsters: 98
Spiritual Herbs and Formations: 126
Cultivation Bonus (Qi Refining Level 1): 100
→ Total Score: 793
"Hah! Just one point!" Wu Jun burst out laughing. "He's gonna lose his mind!"
Liang Xiao's eyes glinted. He turned his head slightly, spotting Tan Weifeng across the field.
Sure enough, Tan's face was ashen, his lips trembling.
"Damn it! Damn it! Just one point!"
His fists clenched until the knuckles went white. The humiliation burned hotter than any flame.
He had double Liang Xiao's cultivation bonus — yet he still lost.
It was unbearable. Every murmur in the crowd felt like mockery. Every glance like a dagger.
One point!
That single number echoed in his skull like a curse.
Meanwhile, Wu Jun let out a triumphant whoop. "Found mine! Six-twenty! That's twenty more than I expected!"
He pumped his fist in the air, grinning ear to ear. "Awesome!"
"Congratulations," Liang Xiao said warmly.
"Haha, same to you, brother!" Wu Jun laughed, genuinely happy for him. Jealousy had no place between them — just shared excitement.
Twenty minutes later, nearly everyone had found their scores.
The playground was a sea of emotions — laughter, tears, and disbelief. Some students hugged each other in joy, while others collapsed in despair.
The teachers didn't intervene; they just quietly arranged the graduation stage.
It happened every year — this storm of dreams and heartbreak.
Outside the gates, Liang Wen's eyes glistened.
"First place…" he whispered, voice trembling. "Ah Xiao got first place!"
He turned to Liang Yuan, gripping his shoulder. "Yuan, do you see that? Seven hundred ninety-four points! Your brother's the top scorer in all of Changlin City — maybe even in the entire China region!"
"Really?" Liang Yuan blinked, a grin spreading across his face. "That's amazing! My brother's incredible!"
But then his smile faltered. "It's just… I can't see him…"
Even with his glasses, his world remained blurry — just shapes and shadows. The moment of pride was bittersweet.
Around them, other parents were in turmoil — some wept with joy, others with despair. A few scolded their children over missed points, while others simply stood silent, hearts breaking.
Back inside the school, as the crowd slowly quieted, an elderly man walked onto the stage.
His presence alone silenced the entire playground.
He was the principal of Changlin High School, a cultivator of the fifth level of Qi Refining.
Though well past the usual retirement age, he continued to serve — one of the few powerful cultivators still dedicating himself to education.
He smiled kindly, his voice carrying through the speakers.
"Congratulations, students — today, you graduate."
The crowd burst into soft applause.
He chuckled. "I won't bore you with long speeches. You're all tired, and I know what you're waiting for."
He gestured toward the stage. "Let's get straight to it. Please welcome this year's top scorer of Changlin City — Liang Xiao — to the stage to receive his award!"