Chapter 32 A Dark Horse

Early the next morning, before the talent assessment had started, the Pu Hai Martial Arts Square was already teeming with people.

The first day of the genetic fusion level test had revealed a host of stunning geniuses.

Atop the huge electronic ranking screen, the first name displayed was Ai Xi, with an assessment score of S (96.0073) from Jian Qiao University.

The first-ranked Ai Xi was a young girl from Europe, whose genetic fusion level had reached an astonishing 96%, a solid S grade.

It wasn't only Ai Xi who had achieved S grade; Muerk from Africa had likewise reached an S grade.

Even though he had just crossed the threshold into the S grade, a 95% fusion level was still astonishing.

Students who had come full of confidence to the talent assessment on the first day were feeling somewhat anxious after seeing others' genetic fusion levels.

Students coming here to attend the talent assessment for the Blue Star Ten Great Colleges had basically taken the genetic fusion level test themselves.

Of course, even if one took the test at the most authoritative institution, like the Hua Xia Martial Arts Gene Detection at Pu Hai Square,

the result could not be entirely accurate, with an error margin that could reach as high as twenty percentage points.

"Wanran, are you three really confident?" Geng Qianxing, visiting Pu Hai Martial Arts Square for the second time, was feeling somewhat insecure himself.

To be honest, when he first arrived, he was full of confidence.

The material taught by Mr. Ding was not only beneficial to his three students but to him as well.

Moreover, Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lv Zi had always been brimming with self-confidence, bolstering Geng Qianxing's assurance.

After some of the results from the first round of assessments came out yesterday, Geng began to feel uneasy.

However, since he was the team's teacher, he couldn't let his spirits fall, so he held back from asking.

Seeing the large ranking display in the square again today, with the prominent two S grades and a bunch of A grades, he couldn't help but ask.

After asking, Geng Qianxing immediately regretted it.

As the team's teacher, he was supposed to be encouraging them, not discouraging them. Wasn't he essentially deflating their confidence?

Li Wanran, who had always been confident, said with a hint of uncertainty, "Mr. Geng, even if we can't get high grades in the first round of genetic fusion level testing, passing shouldn't be a problem, right?

Our strengths lie in the third and fourth rounds of assessments."

"Right, we are absolutely confident about the third and fourth rounds of assessments," Fang Chong's confidence appeared to be unshaken.

His basic long fist practice had only made him feel more formidable as time went on.

Unfortunately, he could only train against Lv Zi and Li Wanran, never having competed with outsiders, so he had no idea how formidable he truly was.

Li Wanran, like Lv Zi, practiced the basic long fist. They were evenly matched when they sparred, which made Fang Chong somewhat look forward to the third and fourth rounds of assessments.

"I should have had you go for a test first."

Geng Qianxing regretted not having the three of them checked at the Pu Hai Martial Arts Gene Detection Building beforehand.

At least it would have given them some idea of what to expect.

"Mr. Geng..." Huang Chengwei, who was heading to Luoh River Shangwu University's waiting area for examinees, encountered Geng Qianxing and awkwardly greeted him.

To be frank, he was very dissatisfied with the arrangements made by his parents.

Since he wouldn't be able to get in anyway, not only had he not stayed at Yujiang University for the preparatory training, but he also had to sit and wait in the Luoh River Shangwu University's area, which he felt was utterly embarrassing.

That so-called Professor Fu, to be honest, seemed somewhat overrated to Huang Chengwei.

After three months of costly training, what was taught was quite mediocre.

Genetic basics knowledge, what to pay attention to during the gene tests to improve fusion levels, the Early Morning Breathing Technique…

Huang Chengwei knew well how much he had learned in those three months. There had been a slight improvement, but it was very limited indeed.

It would have been better to stay at Yujiang University, which at least had two decent teachers.

Especially Mr. Ding, who was not only pleasant to listen to but also knew how to boast.

Not to mention Mr. Geng's knowledge in gene fundamentals, which, Huang Chengwei felt, might be superior to Professor Fu's. Fame didn't always correspond to real expertise.

Geng Qianxing nodded and without much conversation, once again took his three students to the isolated waiting area of Yujiang University.

He had no objection to Huang Chengwei's choices; it was natural for people to aim high, but he always found it lacked a personal touch.

The qualifiers' broadcast sounded once more, with waves of people entering the venue to continue the first round of genetic fusion level tests.

As if timed precisely, when Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lv Zi were at their most tense, the broadcast called out their exam numbers.

"Don't be nervous, good luck," Geng Qianxing, clearly nervous himself, still reminded the three students not to worry.

Not being nervous was impossible, but no matter how anxious Fang Chong and the others were, they had to enter the place for the assessment test.

Here, the assessment of genetic fusion level was different from tests in other places, where participants usually stood on a machine and then placed both hands into the testing slots.

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The gene fusion assessment here requires a needle to be inserted into the back of the hand, and the blood test is complete once the blood seeps out.

Mr. Geng Qianxing hadn't even sat down when the three of them had already returned.

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"How quick, how did it go?" Mr. Geng Qianxing immediately asked.

Li Wanran shook his head, "We don't know either, after entering, the needle pierced the back of the hand, and once there was bleeding, the test ended. The whole process took less than three minutes."

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"The results will be displayed on the big screen in a moment," Lv Zi mentioned on the side.

Fang Chong snorted, "The names that appear on the big screen are those who have passed the assessment, at least an E rank."

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"If we can't even reach an E rank in the assessment, knowing or not knowing our scores is meaningless. But wait, if we don't make E rank, wouldn't we have no chance to participate in the third and fourth rounds..."

Fang Chong's words suddenly halted, and he then gaped at the massive electronic score display set up in the square.

On the global ranking display, the first name was strikingly Lv Zi, with an S rank assessment score and a fusion degree of ninety-eight.

That was the global ranking display.

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"Lv Zi, you're first, with a fusion degree above 98%, how could you be so impressive..." Fang Chong finally caught on.

At that moment, it wasn't just Fang Chong who was staggered, Mr. Geng Qianxing and Li Wanran were also stunned by Lv Zi's S rank score.

Following the S in the assessment scores, there was a parenthesis displaying the data: 98.0339—that was the fusion degree.

A 98% fusion degree was almost the best score in the history of the Blue Star Ten Great Colleges' recruitment assessments for the first round.

Lv Zi too clenched his fists, his intuition telling him all along that his scores would not disappoint, and now it had proven true.

Another thing was that only Mr. Ding knew he had become a first-level gene cultivator.

As a first-level gene cultivator participating in an assessment of this level, he was sure to achieve good results in the third and fourth rounds.

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"Li Wanran, you also have an S rank... no wait, Fang Chong, you're the same, S rank..." Mr. Geng Qianxing was so excited he was almost incoherent.

A moment ago, Li Wanran and Fang Chong, who had been envying Lv Zi, froze as they saw their own scores, ranking second and fourth, respectively.

On the global score display for the first round of gene fusion degree assessment, Li Wanran's results shone in the second column.

Li Wanran, assessment score S (96.1107), Yujiang University.

And Fang Chong's name in the fourth column, Fang Chong, assessment score S (95.2261), Yujiang University

The original first place, Ai Xi, had moved down to third.

Mr. Geng Qianxing and the others were uncontrollably ecstatic, while outside, the families and friends of Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lv Zi doubted the accuracy of the display when they saw the scores.

When they realized the results were indeed valid, Li Wanran's mother burst into tears of excitement.

Fang Chong's father even rubbed his eyes, thinking that once the day's assessments were over, it would have nothing to do with his son Fang Chong.

After all, his son had participated in the recruitment assessments of the Blue Star Ten Great Colleges, which would have made it easier for him to find a job for his son.

These recruitment assessments were elimination-based, and anyone eliminated in the first round would have no chance to participate in the second.

So what was happening now? Not only had Fang Chong passed the first round of the assessment, but he had also scored an S rank?

Soon Fang Yinbao remembered how Fang Chong had always said he was confident and that their teacher was extraordinary.

He had not taken it to heart before, but it turned out to be true now?

Compared to the bamboozled Fang Yinbao, Tan Bei, the principal of Yujiang University, was genuinely beside himself, repeatedly rubbing his eyes, worried they were deceiving him.

Although he had longed for a student from Yujiang University to be admitted to one of the Blue Star Ten Great Colleges, deep down he knew the chances were virtually nil.

He was just deceiving himself, unwilling to accept that Yujiang University would become part of the past.

But what had he just seen? Students Fang Chong, Li Wanran, and Lv Zi from Yujiang University all scored S rank in the first round of the assessment?

And Lv Zi was currently in the lead? His eyes weren't playing tricks on him? He had been rubbing them for quite a while.

Tan Bei had weathered many societal hardships, and it didn't take him long to snap out of it, bursting into ecstatic laughter.

He turned to find a few acquaintances to share his excitement with, only to realize he was alone.

Tan Bei's excitement subsided, realizing that people truly show their colors during tough times.

When Yujiang University was flourishing, if he stood here, he would have been surrounded by teachers and staff from various departments.

Now, he was utterly alone.

No, that wasn't right, there was Geng Qianxing.

Yes, Mr. Geng was a talent, and a truly loyal and commendable comrade.

When he returned to Yujiang University, he resolved to make Mr. Geng one of the school's leaders.

It was only with good teachers like Mr. Geng that Yujiang University could prosper for long.

(That's all for today's update, friends. Good night!)

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