Jiang Chen didnât refuse. Seeing that no one had expressed a second opinion, he came forward and said, âSenior, Iâll try my best.â
He wasnât too eager. Used to staying by himself, being well-connected wasnât very important to him.
But sometimes, it wasnât up to him.
After becoming the class leader, many people went up to him to show how friendly they were. Tianxu even regarded himself as his trusted follower.
Gradually, a circle formed with Jiang Chen at the center.
âSecond, Iâm going to record your current level of creation of nature and martial arts techniques so that I can see your progress in fifteen days.
âWe at the martial arts workshop divide the level of creation of nature and martial arts techniques into seven grades.
âThey are beginner, initial success, with ease, proficiency, excellence, supremacy, and climax.
âYou had to have reached initial success in the entry test of heaven-grade class to get here, which apparently youâve already achieved. But if you felt strained during the ten seconds of the test or even like you were lucky to have passed, youâll need to work harder.â
Many people were embarrassed. Others didnât take it seriously.
âYouâll have fifteen days. There are five rooms, each corresponding to one of the five levels above initial success.
âThe especially talented ones among you will achieve climax in the end, but only a few.â
Jiang Chen was listening carefully. When the old man looked towards him, he said, âSenior, these seven levels are the martial arts workshopâs unique standards, so what level in the general system does climax correspond to?â
Others were also curious to know. It was just that most of them hadnât thought that far yet. That Jiang Chen had asked confirmed to them that he was good enough to be the class leader.
âBeginner.â
The old man flashed a dry smile. Then he saw the expressions on everyoneâs faces, as he had expected.
âDo you find it impossible that youâll only achieve the beginner level in the end, but still be stronger than most people?
âA standard is used to compare. Your class leader asked about the general standards. In the whole Planes World, itâs true that itâs only equal to beginner level.â
This was too shocking, even to Jiang Chen.
In the Dragon Field, many people hadnât even achieved the status of being an integral part of nature. If this was only beginner level, how would those people be classified?
âThe creation of nature and martial arts techniques is the status of oneâs fighting technique. Itâs important, but not the only standard,â the old man explained to them.
Since they were there, they naturally thought the creation of nature and martial arts techniques were indispensable, but to think about it from another perspective, if they were really that important, fifteen days wouldnât be enough.
In other words, the heaven-grade class was supposed to make something good even better, but not to make something bad less bad.
Of course, to make a good thing better was important, too.
âSenior, you just mentioned that when martial techniques of creation merge into the great doctrine of martial techniques, they become too bulky to digest,â a beautiful voice said. It was Yin Shuang.
She asked, âThat means the martial techniques of creation we learn here in the first room will make our creation of nature and martial arts techniques regress.â
âSo? Should we give up something useless to our fighting power only because itâll look like we arenât improving?â the old man asked.
âOf course not. Iâm just worried about whether I can pass in the end,â Yin Shuang expressed her confusion.
âI see. Donât worry about that. Itâs me who judges whether you pass or not.â
By then, the old man thought he had almost explained everything. He took out a container full of long sticks.
He tapped on the container and the sticks flew into air and ended up in everyoneâs hands.
They looked down and saw two words written on the sticks.
Initial success!
They looked around and found it was the same on everyoneâs sticks, then they thought of their class leader and looked over.
The youngster who had fought with Jiang Chen was the most eager to know. If he found out that Jiang Chenâs grade was the same, he could compete for the position of class leader.
But Jiang Chenâs stick said with ease.
âHuh.â
The youngster was very disappointed. He thought to himself, The martial arts workshop made these sticks. It must be their plan.
âThe grade on the sticks can change at anytime. Now, choose your landscape painting.â
The old man announced the start. He half closed his eyes and said, âIâll announce who doesnât pass in an hour. Those who donât pass must leave.â
They all felt pressured, since the old man didnât explain how to do it or what the standard of passing was.
They looked at the walls blankly, and their looks wandered over the paintings.
âThese landscape paintings correspond to different elements. Choose those corresponding to your martial arts of creation. For example, rivers correspond to water, and volcanoes to fire. Use your holy soul to ponder on them,â said Jiang Chen.
They took a look at the paintings and found it was true.
âBrilliant.â
They appreciated his help and started to look for a painting suitable for them.
âAnyone outside could have told us that. Besides, I also knew. You didnât have to tell me.â The youngster curled his lip, his look disgusted.
âThe difference between genius and mediocrity lies in the time needed to think through something,â Tianxu couldnât help but say.
The youngster gnashed his teeth and gave him an angry stare. He said, âI guess itâs time to tell you my name.â
âYeah?â Tianxu felt disdainful of his tone, but curious about his background.
So were the others, who were dying to know what background this arrogant man had.
âIâm Yuchi Hong from the Yuchis.â The youngster raised his head with pride. His voice was so high that it was easy for everyone to hear him.
âNever heard of it.â Tianxu frowned sincerely. He had really never heard of this name, nor had the others. They were all puzzled.
Only the old man opened his eyes and glanced at Yuchi Hong in surprise, but he didnât say anything.
âIgnorant people. Youâll realize how stupid you are once you understand what the Yuchis represent.â Yuchi Hong had invited himself to be insulted, but he was reluctant to give in.
Without waiting for the others to refute him, he went to look for a painting for himself.
âWhat a guy,â Tianxu didnât know how to comment on him.
âDonât waste your time on a guy like that,â said Jiang Chen.
âSure!â
Tianxu was completely obedient to Jiang Chen. He didnât have a second opinion at all.
Jiang Chen started to look for paintings regarding the creation of wind and metal. Soon, he was attracted to one.
In the painting, a spear was inserted into the earth. It was painted with great technique, looked majestic, and had perfect artistic conception. The tumbling clouds made viewers feel as though the spear had just flew down from the air.
Jiang Chen knew it was related to the creation of metal, so he walked over right away.
After pondering on the metal fragment through An Immortal Thought in the Realm of Beasts, his creation of metal hadnât seen any improvement.
He had been completely focused on the creation of wind. Although both had something to do with sharpness, they were completely different.
Wind could be compared to the sharpness of a sword, while metal could be compared to the sharpness of a knife.
Like the others, Jiang Chen was standing a few feet away from the painting as his holy soul focused on the world in the painting through his eyes.