An air of ’Who else but me?’
Despite it being just an ordinary look from Lu Lin, Lei Ming discerned so much. It reminded him of his student days, the brilliance radiating from the eyes of those top scholar tyrants.
"Alright, I believe you."
"However, our academy has a limited number of challenge spots each year. If the number of applicants exceeds ten, a simple test will be conducted to determine the top ten."
"May I ask, how many applicants are there currently?"
Lei Ming smiled, a hint of smugness appearing on his usually intimidating face. "Including you, that makes exactly eleven."
"That means, Lu Lin, please come to the school’s Performance Martial Arena at two in the afternoon for the selection."
"Alright, thank you."
Lu Lin cupped his fist to Lei Ming and departed, not sparing the surrounding students a single glance.
In his eyes, these people were merely fleeting figures in his life. Just like in High School, Lu Lin wouldn’t bother interacting with his peers.
"Mr. Lu, wait for me! I... I’ll sign up too!"
Zhou Ziqiang stood behind Lu Lin, his face flushed crimson.
Voicing this seemed to be a monumental decision for him.
After receiving Lu Lin’s reply, Zhou Ziqiang turned to face Lei Ming.
"Hello, I want to sign up!"
His voice boomed, as if he had already triumphed in the challenge.
Lei Ming regarded the chubby young man and pushed the application form towards him.
While he couldn’t fathom Lu Lin, Lei Ming felt he could see right through this chubby youngster. He was merely Zero Level, Six Stages, ranking eleventh among the twelve who had signed up. He wondered where this chubby boy found the confidence to apply.
Zhou Ziqiang completed the form, slammed the pen emphatically onto the table, and strutted proudly behind Lu Lin.
「Back home, the living room was empty.」
At this hour, Bai Buyi was probably online, searching for videos on exotic beast dissection and research. Chen Xiran had likely gone out for groceries. That girl always boasted about cooking a grand meal for everyone, but after they tasted her efforts the previous night, all her kitchen privileges had been summarily revoked. Consequently, she was now solely responsible for grocery shopping. Fang Gang was probably in the kitchen, researching his elixirs. Ever since deciding to live with Lu Lin, Fang Gang had moved his Star Power Potion Workshop here practically overnight. The Star Power Potion Workshop sounded grand, but in reality, it was just a collection of bottles, jars, and various exotic beast materials.
Just then, Fang Gang was in the kitchen absorbed in his elixir research. Even though the ventilation fan was on its highest setting, Lu Lin could still detect a peculiar odor.
"Fang Gang, bro, please, I’m begging you, spare my kitchen!"
The moment Zhou Ziqiang stepped through the door and caught a whiff of the odor, he changed his shoes and practically sprinted into the kitchen.
Lu Lin smiled, lay down on the sofa, and closed his eyes to rest.
「Soon, it was two o’clock.」
Lu Lin and Zhou Ziqiang arrived punctually at Luse Academy’s Performance Martial Arena. Quite a few people were already there.
Luse Academy enrolled a large number of students each year. While many of them were students with dim prospects simply looking to coast by, there were also quite a few like Lu Lin. Due to their low initial refinement levels, they aimed to enter Iron Blood College by succeeding in the challenge.
When Lu Lin had signed up for the challenge that morning, he was the twelfth applicant. Now, however, there were at least a hundred people present.
When the time came, Lei Ming appeared on the Performance Martial Arena. A smile touched his lips as he surveyed the crowd of over a hundred students.
"Honestly, all of you here are quite commendable."
"Regardless of your initial refinement level or Innate Attributes, simply by standing here, you’ve proven yourselves stronger than the thousands who lacked the courage to even attempt the challenge."
"Give yourselves a round of applause."
As his words faded, scattered applause rippled through the crowd.
The students who chose the Challenge College as a stepping stone were generally strong-willed individuals; they wouldn’t be easily emotionally swayed by Lei Ming’s brief remarks.
Nevertheless, Lu Lin observed that many young men in the crowd, though not clapping, had a distinct glint of fighting spirit and pride in their eyes.
Regardless, Lei Ming had achieved his objective.
"Hmm, while your courage is commendable, I must say, you’re also quite foolish."
"This year, Luse Academy has someone even more of a genius than Hang Jianshe from Iron Blood College."
"Hang Jianshe reached Level 1 Peak within one month of his Awakening."
"But this talent from our academy reached Third Level in just one month!"
This Lei Ming is just trying to make me a target! Lu Lin fumed inwardly.
Sure enough, once Lei Ming finished speaking, he gestured directly towards Lu Lin.
"Lu Lin, say hello to your fellow students."
This sensation of being the focal point of countless gazes was a first for Lu Lin.
Although an impulse urged him to shrink back and blend into the crowd, Lu Lin straightened his posture, met everyone’s gaze, and offered a faint smile.
"Hello everyone, my name is Lu Lin, and I am currently a Third Level Star-Core Fighter."
"I actually intended to keep a low profile, but alas, the brilliance I exude is simply too dazzling; it’s hard not to be noticed."
"I’m not sure what the format of the upcoming selection trial will be, but there’s one thing I’d like to say to all of you—"
Say something? What could it be? Is he going to ask us to go easy on him? Impossible! If you dare to boast about being a Third Level master, you’d better be prepared for everyone to target you!