Chapter 7: Students Who Failed the Mock Gaokao

During lunch, the two inevitably sat at the same table.

As a female comrade, Ji Ziling’s expression was calm.

Taking a small bite of rice, she looked up at him. “How far have you progressed with your Iron Shirt?”

Jiang Changkong didn’t hesitate. “I’ve cultivated Star Power.”

This level of strength couldn’t be hidden from Ji Ziling.

The gap between them was too large—she could tell at a glance.

“You can enter a Martial Arts School now.”

Ji Ziling nodded. “Zhou Wen is decent enough.”

Jiang Changkong opened his mouth, wanting to say, “But what about you, senior sister?”

That pure tough guy Zhou Wen, thinking he could give me one-on-one guidance?

To hell with that!

Ji Ziling added, “Don’t slack off these next two months.”

“I’ll work hard. I’ll definitely join the Martial Arts School.”

Jiang Changkong was resolute.

Ji Ziling said nothing more.

It wasn’t unheard of for Iron Shirt to cultivate Star Power.

But that was as far as it could go.

Without a circulation method, Star Power could hardly advance.

The school’s techniques weren’t shared externally, and she wouldn’t teach him either—their relationship wasn’t that close yet.

While eating, Ji Ziling suddenly remarked, “You seem quite loyal.”

Jiang Changkong was momentarily stunned before understanding.

She was referring to him helping Zhou Wen.

But Ji Ziling’s gaze seemed a bit off.

Compared to her previous indifference, there was now a hint of warmth.

This wasn’t scientific—or martial!

Could it be because he was loyal enough?

This was a good thing. Building a better relationship would help him enter the Martial Arts School.

After eating and washing the dishes, he finished everything and hurried off to the slaughterhouse again.

This time, he was even more disappointed.

Only 1.2, Essence 229.2!

If it weren’t for the fact that he could go watch Star Demons being killed in three days, he wouldn’t know what to do.

By the time he got off work in the evening, Ji Ziling had already left.

Jiang Changkong locked up the clinic and returned home.

Looking at his Essence and sensing the Star Qi within his body, he thought for a moment and added 100 points.

With the increase of 100 points in Essence, he felt the energy in his body grow significantly.

His skin took on a bronze sheen, and his bones creaked.

His strength had increased once more, and his muscles felt more solid.

His five senses also sharpened slightly.

The Star Qi circulating in his body had increased by about ten strands.

Low-grade martial art: Bronze Skin Iron Bone Technique: Beginner 101/500

Essence: 129.2

This was good—his cultivation speed was fast.

Adding points in batches prevented sudden, drastic increases.

For the Bronze Skin Iron Bone Technique, the beginner stage corresponded to early-stage stellar qi.

The minor achievement stage would be mid-stage.

Major achievement would be late-stage.

Perfection would be peak stellar qi!

Advancing further would reach the Star Origin realm.

Picking up a kitchen knife, he stabbed it into his thigh again.

Snap

The knife broke.

Now, ordinary blades and swords were useless against him.

Only stronger weapons could harm him.

It seemed stabbing himself wouldn’t work anymore.

After a shower, he slept soundly, calmly waiting for the next three days.

The next day, he went to work as usual, visited the slaughterhouse, and gained 1 point.

Sitting idly in the clinic, he had already wiped the tables and chairs clean.

Around noon, someone arrived with bandages wrapped around their arm.

Their thigh was also wrapped in white cloth, carrying the scent of medicine.

“Senior sister.”

Essence +2, +1

Although the wounds had received basic treatment, they weren’t properly handled, and Essence was still dissipating.

“Please, have a seat.”

Jiang Changkong quickly brought over a chair.

The person before him was around eighteen or nineteen years old. Since they called Ji Ziling “senior sister,” they were clearly also a student of the Martial Arts School.

“What happened to you?” Ji Ziling, hearing the commotion, walked out from the kitchen.

The young man’s face flushed with embarrassment. “I’m embarrassed to let my senior see me like this. I failed the Simulation College Entrance Exam and got injured instead.”

“You should go to the infirmary.”

Although Ji Ziling said this, she still cast a green light to heal his wounds.

“Thank you, senior. For this kind of injury, the infirmary would only provide basic treatment. Senior’s healing technique is clearly the better choice.”

The young man said, “I still have to continue the Simulation College Entrance Exam this afternoon.”

Ji Ziling frowned. “For the Simulation College Entrance Exam, you can form a team. Where are your teammates?”

The young man looked somewhat awkward. “They were more seriously injured and are still in the infirmary. Once they stabilize, they’ll come find you, senior.”

“With late-stage stellar qi strength, you should have no problem participating in the Simulation College Entrance Exam.”

Ji Ziling said this and then spoke no more. “Alright, you can go.”

The young man left.

Jiang Changkong looked at his Essence, Qi, and Spirit: 135.2.

The young man just now had provided 5 points.

“Is the Simulation College Entrance Exam a simulated assessment?” Jiang Changkong was somewhat curious. “If you fail, do you get expelled?”

“No, failing the annual simulated assessment will get you expelled. But for this Simulation College Entrance Exam, those who pass can begin the actual College Entrance Exam.”

Knowing that he could join the Martial Arts School and wanted to, Ji Ziling explained, “Generally, completing the Simulation College Entrance Exam comes with rewards.”

“What if you don’t complete it?”

“You’re forced to take the actual College Entrance Exam, which is very dangerous.”

Ji Ziling said calmly.

Jiang Changkong understood. It was like his previous life—even if you were a poor student and scored zero on the mock exams, you still had to take the actual college entrance exam.

Whether you could get in or not was your own business.

But in this world, failing the exam meant insufficient strength, and you could very likely die during the College Entrance Exam.

Suddenly, he felt that his previous life was happier. If you failed the college entrance exam, you just failed. At worst, you could do something else.

“Rewards? What kind of rewards?”

Jiang Changkong asked again. He wanted to know more about the Martial Arts School.

Ji Ziling didn’t hold back. The Simulation College Entrance Exam was very difficult, and teams could have up to four people.

Passing the Simulation College Entrance Exam allowed you to participate in the actual College Entrance Exam, even if you hadn’t passed the three-year simulation period.

You could also receive rewards, which included: Star Stones, martial arts manuals, and weapons.

If your talent was good enough—like a top student who could solo the Simulation College Entrance Exam—you could receive even more rewards, including special skills.

Ji Ziling was one such top student. She had soloed the Simulation College Entrance Exam back then.

Jiang Changkong’s heart raced as he listened. He wanted to be a top student too.

Soon after, three more young men arrived. They were the teammates of the young man from earlier.

The school infirmary wouldn’t fully heal those who failed the Simulation College Entrance Exam. Even for external injuries, it would take some time to recover.

Ji Ziling could directly heal their external injuries, allowing them to return to the Simulation College Entrance Exam full of energy.

As long as you had the strength, you could participate in the Simulation College Entrance Exam at any time.

Jiang Changkong gained another 10 points of Essence, Qi, and Spirit. He suddenly felt like blocking the entrance to the Simulation College Entrance Exam.

Over the next two days, more people arrived, all of whom had failed the Simulation College Entrance Exam.

Those who passed the Simulation College Entrance Exam would be fully healed by the infirmary so they could take the actual College Entrance Exam as soon as possible.

Three days passed, and Zhou Wen contacted him. She would pick him up tomorrow morning.

During these three days, because many had failed the Simulation College Entrance Exam, he gained a total of 110 points of Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

He allocated all of them to Iron Shirt.

Low-grade martial art: Bronze Skin Iron Bone Technique: Beginner 211/500

Essence, Qi, and Spirit: 145.2

The stellar qi in his body increased again, flowing like a small snake within him.

His bones were as hard as iron, his skin gleaming with a coppery sheen.

His muscles bulged in defined blocks, hidden beneath clothing but fully revealed when undressed—every inch pure muscle.

His vital energy had also grown much more abundant, radiating a masculine vigor.

In his mind, the contents of the Bronze Skin Iron Bone Technique surfaced: copper skin and iron bones, peerless in defense.

After cultivating it, strength would also increase. Upon reaching perfection, a single power rune could form, running through the entire body.

He took a bath and lay down to sleep, looking forward to the next day.

Early the next morning, he rose and stood at the door waiting for Zhou Wen.

He had already taken leave from the clinic, and Ji Ziling had readily approved it.

Zhou Wen didn’t keep him waiting long, jogging over and glancing at him with a flicker of surprise in her eyes. “Your body…?”

“Iron Shirt broke through,” Jiang Changkong grinned.

Zhou Wen nodded, saying nothing more, and led him to the Martial Arts School.