Soon, Jiang Chen found he didnât need to do anything.
The two images of him in the sparks were integrating. The reason was the sameâhe needed time to digest what he had learned in the last room.
When the digestion was done, he could proceed to carve the rock.
The whole process would take him two or three days, so Jiang Chen sat on the ground and closed his eyes to rest.
After half a day had passed, Yuchi Hong finally figured out the key. He grabbed a chisel and rushed to the rocks excitedly, but before he started, he took a glance at Jiang Chen, then smiled.
He thought Jiang Chen was stuck and couldnât start yet.
Other people had tumbled to the realization and understood what the room was for, too. It occurred to them that since Jiang Chen was working on sword and knife at the same time, he could be seeing two figures in the sparks, which was the reason he couldnât start.
They felt pity for him.
Two days later, most people had finished half of their carvings. While carving, they had been feeling the shift of their creation of nature and martial arts techniques.
The level on Han Simingâs stick had changed again. He had achieved proficiency, the highest level of them all.
He was very popular during the breaks. Everyone anticipated his help in the next rooms.
Han Siming didnât refuse them, so some people started to call him the class leader. Among them, the girl who had refuted Tianxu was the most active.
She looked at Han Siming with a coquettish look in her eyes. Obviously, she had fallen in love with him.
On the fourth day, Han Siming was the first one to complete the stone carving. When he touched the rock with the chisel for the last time, a brilliant light gushed out of the rock.
âWow!â
âSenior, what does this mean?â
Such an unusual scene piqued the curiosity of the others.
âThe thicker the light is, the higher your level is. Thin light means your level is just so-so,â the old man said.
âSo Apprentice Brother Han has achieved a very high level?â the girl asked.
âExactly,â the old man nodded. There was appreciation in his eyes.
âApprentice Brother Han is so great!â the girl shouted excitedly.
Han Siming smiled gently. He wasnât too excited, but his reaction had won him more admiration.
âWhy donât we elect Apprentice Brother Han to be our new class leader and instruct us in the next two rooms?â the girl proposed.
She was speaking to the others instead of asking for the old manâs permission.
Although the old man had chosen Jiang Chen, as long as the majority of the trainees supported Han Siming, the martial arts workshop couldnât veto their decision.
Most people agreed with her. Only Tianxu snorted harshly, unhappy. Han Siming frowned when he heard Tianxu.
âWhat was that supposed to mean?â the girl questioned Tianxu, staring at him.
Tianxu had been restraining himself. He hadnât expected her to question him first, so he exploded.
âYou appreciate Han Siming so much, but did you ever say thank you to Jiang Chen?â said Tian Xu.
âVirtue is its own reward. Apprentice Brother Han has never asked anyone to thank him. Now that you bring it up, Jiang Chen seems like a nobody.â The girl didnât give him a break.
Tianxu suddenly didnât know how to answer her.
âMiss Tang Wanru, before Tianxu brought it up, Jiang Chen never asked for anything, either, but youâre applying a double standard because youâve taken a liking to Han Siming. Arenât you ashamed?â Yin Shuang, who had been very quiet, suddenly spoke. Her voice was always so beautiful, but she didnât sound weak.
Her identity was especially remarkable. Without introduction, everyone already knew who she was.
Tang Wanru turned red, her eyes opening wide.
âItâs ridiculous to talk about paying a debt of gratitude. Class leader is only a title, a symbol of the heaven-grade class.â
Then Tang Wanru made a concession in order to gain the upper hand. She said, âIâm just thinking that weâre the twelfth session of the heaven-grade class this year. If anyone asks me in the future who our class leader was, Iâll just say it was Apprentice Brother Han, not someone who sat still and did nothing.â
She was smart. She avoided the important facts and dwelled on the trivial by weakening the othersâ guilt and evoking their sense of honor.
As expected, some people came forward immediately, more emotional than ever.
âExactly. Our class leader is Apprentice Brother Han.â
âIn the last session, the eleventh, their class leader, Yue Lansheng, achieved climax. Thanks to her, the whole class got the chance to celebrate at the Sky Gazing Restaurant. How honorable it must have been.â
âWeâd be ashamed to say our class leader was at the beginner level when we left, wouldnât we?â
Their words reminded Han Siming of one thing. He went to the old man and said, âSenior, you said at the beginning that we should elect a class leader that could convince everyone, but nowâŚâ
What he didnât say was very clear. Jiang Chen himself had asked for trouble. He couldnât blame anyone else for that.
The old man hesitated. It was rare to change the class leader, but Jiang Chen was a special case indeed.
âSenior, Iâm willing to give up the position of class leader.â Just then, Jiang Chen opened his eyes and said, âAs everyone wishes.â
Although his tone was quite plain, some people lowered their heads in shame.
Tang Wanru was beaming, as if she had won a battle.
âAll right. Han Siming will be the new class leader,â the old man said helplessly.
Han Siming nodded. He looked towards Jiang Chen and didnât feel like he owed the latter anything. He said confidently, âItâs for the big picture. I hope you understand.â
âI understand,â said Jiang Chen.
Since he looked like he had meant it, Han Siming didnât say anything more.
Then Jiang Chen strode forward.
âWhy did you do that? When I asked you to give up the position of class leaderâŚâ Yuchi Hong walked over unhappily.
But before he could finish speaking, Jiang Chen had already passed him by.
He was so irritated that he was almost going to pick another fight, but then he saw Jiang Chen pick up a chisel from the ground. He was dumbstruck along with the others.
There was only one day left. It turned out that Jiang Chen hadnât given up.
They had thought Jiang Chen was going to endure five days of sitting there because of the mistake he had made, unable to finish the lesson in this room.
But that didnât seem to be the case.
âOh?â
The old man was also curious to see what Jiang Chen was going to do.
Under their gazes, unlike the othersâ carefulness, Jiang Chen brandished his chisel directly.
It was like he was brandishing a sword. There, he left a long mark on a rock.
People were surprised. The mark shone, proving that Jiang Chen had satisfied the requirement of the class of this room.
There was something different in the old manâs eyes, and this was only the beginning.
Jiang Chen did it fast and carved like a master. Without thinking, he chipped away at the rock directly. Stone chips and unnecessary stones kept falling.
It had taken the others four or five days to work on the carving, but he finished it in one sitting.
Sometimes, even before the light of the first mark had completely shown, the second and the third had already appeared.
The whole process looked so brilliant.
Although some people didnât know what was happening, their admiration for him arose. Compared to them, the old man understood what this meant. He stood up in surprise.
Pah!
As Jiang Chen moved, something fell from him. It was his stick.
People looked down and they were all shocked.
His level had regressed to beginner, but it was already changing again.
It changed from initial success to with ease to proficiency to excellence.
Then it changed smoothly to supremacy.
When the carving was done, he had achieved climax!