Chinese Superman

Chapter 188 Martial Arts College Entrance Examination

6 month 10 day.

[Suitable for: Sacrifices, cooking, etc. Not suitable for:]

[Avoid: All activities are not advisable]

In the early morning, Qiao Chunxia opened her eyes and the first thing she did after getting up was to tear off the thin piece of paper from the calendar.

[June 10, 2010]

This very moment will also become the past.

Qiao Chunxia put the paper into the drawer.

The sky outside the window was just beginning to lighten, and the distant mountains were shrouded in a thin, bluish-gray mist.

Summer comes early to Ancheng; cicadas are already chirping in June.

Lin Xiuyun was busy in the kitchen.

The sound of spatulas clattering, the sizzling of oil in the pan, and the familiar yet unfamiliar aroma of scallions and eggs.

Qiao Chunxia leaned against the door frame, watching her mother's back.

One hundred days ago, this woman was lying in a hospital bed, unconscious and emaciated.

One hundred days later, she was making breakfast for herself.

"What are you standing there for? Go wash your face." Lin Xiuyun turned around, her spatula still busy in her hand. "The eggs should be fried a little soft, right?"

"Um."

"The milk is on the table, have a few sips first."

"Should I bring a chocolate to prevent low blood sugar during the exam? Uh, look at my brain, you're a cultivator now, how could you possibly have low blood sugar? But exams require mental effort and burning sugar, eating a piece of chocolate can make your brain work faster."

"Mom, academic subjects only account for 10% of our total grades as martial arts students."

"That won't work either. Don't underestimate 10% of the score. Maybe my Chunxia is just one point away from getting into a prestigious martial arts university?"

Qiao Chunxia didn't answer, but suddenly walked over and gently hugged her mother from behind.

Lin Xiuyun paused for a moment.

"—How old are you to still be acting like a child?" Her voice was soft, with a smile and a barely perceptible sob.

He slept in his dream for ten years, while his family protected him in reality for the same ten years.

Lin Xiuyun felt love, gratitude, and guilt in her heart.

"Silly child, hurry up and wash up. It's the college entrance exam today, don't be late."

Qiao Chunxia didn't speak, but pressed her face against her mother's back. Through the thin fabric, she could feel her mother's warm body temperature and slightly faster heartbeat.

Three seconds, both short and long.

"Hehe, I'm going to wash my face now."

The girl chuckled, let go of his hand, and turned to wash up.

In the mirror, the girl's eyes were bright and calm.

Xia Xinghan's voice echoed softly in my mind: "Nervous?"

"I'm not nervous." Qiao Chunxia lowered her head, cupped some water, and splashed it on her face. "I've already made it through a hundred days, it's just an exam."

"That's right."

Xia Xinghan smiled.

In just one hundred days, Qiao Chunxia's mindset has been honed. From being tolerant in everything, to showing her sharpness, and now to hiding her edge, she has the demeanor of a martial arts master.

Anseong No. 1 Middle School.

This prestigious high school with a century-long history has become one of the test centers for the liberal arts college entrance examination at Wuhan University.

A long cordon was set up at the school gate, with staff from the Weaponry Administration stationed on both sides to maintain order.

Long queues formed at the candidate entrance.

Qiao Chunxia stood in the line, carrying a transparent file bag on her back.

All around were martial arts students wearing their respective school uniforms. Some were still flipping through a booklet of classical Chinese vocabulary, some were whispering among themselves about how they had gone into seclusion yesterday and managed to break through just before the college entrance exam, while others simply closed their eyes to rest, with expressions that said, "Anyway, this is my level."

For students majoring in martial arts, the liberal arts exams were never a priority.

However, it's not a subject that can be completely abandoned.

—This is the High Martial Era after the Great Cataclysm.

In peacetime, the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) is held on June 7, 8, and 9.

Nowadays, the college entrance examination is clearly divided into liberal arts college entrance examination and military college entrance examination.

The liberal arts college entrance examination will be held from June 7th to the morning of June 9th, lasting two and a half days and consisting of only seven subjects; the military science college entrance examination will follow immediately, from June 10th to 12th, also lasting three days.

Why is there one less subject in the humanities?

Because there are no foreign languages ​​anymore.

The world outside the wall has long been in a dark age, where all the sparks of civilization have been extinguished. Since civilization itself is gone, there is naturally no need to learn any foreign languages.

The current college entrance examination for military science students retains the compulsory subjects of Chinese and mathematics, and requires students to choose two subjects from five options: history, geography, politics, biology, and chemistry.

Qiao Chunxia chose history and biology.

Her academic performance has always been above average, neither outstanding nor a drag on the overall average.

The first day was the academic exam.

8:00 AM, Chinese Language.

The examination room was so quiet that only the sound of turning pages and the scratching of pens on paper could be heard.

Qiao Chunxia worked through the questions one by one.

Basic knowledge, recitation of classical Chinese poems and prose, and reading of classical Chinese texts.

She had memorized the excerpt from "On the Faults of Qin" countless times and could write it fluently.

The modern Chinese reading passage is an argumentative essay about the "spirit of those who wield weapons." The question asks: "The Martial Ancestor once said, 'Relics have spirits, and those who wield weapons have hearts.' In the context of the passage, discuss your understanding of this statement."

Qiao Chunxia paused slightly at the tip of her pen.

This question—well, it stumped her.

Because she is not the one who wields the weapon.

"Grandpa with the ring, what's your interpretation?"

"what?"

Xia Xinghan, who was also observing the exam paper through Qiao Chunxia's gaze, suddenly froze.

His first reaction wasn't how to answer the question, but rather—did I say that?

Of course, whether he said it or not is not important. Xia Xinghan, who has a super brain, can write answers that are even more standard than the standard answers, but he did not help Qiao Chunxia cheat.

Write it yourself.

"oh----"

The history test came after the Chinese exam, and Qiao Chunxia answered it fluently.

1:30 PM, Mathematics.

This is Qiao Chunxia's most troublesome subject.

For all multiple-choice questions, choose C; for the others, skip them.

There were quite a few questions about monsters in the biology section, which Qiao Chunxia handled with ease as always.

Overall, aside from math, where my score was somewhat reliant on luck, the other three academic subjects were quite good.

evening.

Lin Xiuyun made sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried pork with green peppers, and tomato and egg soup.

Qiao Chunxia ate slowly, chewing her food carefully, as if she cherished the time she spent eating with her mother.

"Tomorrow is the cultivation level assessment." Lin Xiuyun put food on her plate. "I heard from Aunt Zhang next door that there are several top students in Ancheng this year who have reached the fifth level of the Transcendent Realm."

-

"Hmm." Qiao Chunxia nodded. "That Li Mingxuan from No. 1 High School, he reached the fifth level of the Transcendent Realm last semester. He should have attained the Great Innate Realm this semester and could have been admitted through special admission, but it seems he didn't. He wants to climb Mount Martial God on a pilgrimage."

Legend has it that the figure of the Martial Saint sits cross-legged on the summit of Mount Wushen, and that whoever reaches the summit in each year's Martial Arts College Entrance Examination is basically the top scorer, an unparalleled honor.

Therefore, many high school seniors who could have been admitted to top-tier martial arts schools still choose to take the college entrance examination, partly to make a pilgrimage and partly to compete for the title of martial arts champion.

"and you----"

"I'm cultivating my innate spiritual power." Qiao Chunxia picked up a piece of pork rib. "My spiritual power is 921. I'm still a little over thirty days away from the innate spiritual power realm."

If Qiao Chunxia proves her innate talent, she already has enough.

The Lesser Innate Realm only requires 49 days of "nurturing the Innate Realm," but Qiao Chunxia's ambition was the Greater Innate Realm, so she refrained from making a breakthrough, even with the college entrance examination approaching.

But who would have thought that a hundred days ago, she was only at the third level of the Transcendent Realm, with depleted blood and energy, weaker than an ordinary martial arts disciple at the third level? A hundred days later, she has been completely transformed and has reached the Innate Realm.

Lin Xiuyun looked at her daughter, her eyes slightly red, but she ultimately did not shed a tear.

Lin Xiuyun witnessed the entire hundred-day struggle, but she simply smiled and said, "That's still very impressive."

Qiao Chunxia looked up and met her mother's gaze.

"Mom, are you coming tomorrow?"

"Okay," Lin Xiuyun said without hesitation. "What time do we start?"

"I enter the venue at eight o'clock, and I take the exam around nine o'clock."

"Then I'll get up at six to cook."

6 month 11 day.

Ancheng Gymnasium.

This year, there were 30,000 martial arts candidates in Ancheng, and a full tenth of them were assigned to the Ancheng Gymnasium. Three thousand martial arts candidates gathered here, along with parents who came to see them off and official staff who maintained order, making the area extremely crowded.

Crowds of people.

Qiao Chunxia stood at the entrance of the examination passage and turned around.

Lin Xiuyun stood in the crowd, holding onto the railing, and stood on tiptoe to look this way.

-

She didn't shout, she just waved to her daughter.

Qiao Chunxia nodded, turned around, and merged into the crowd.

"The college entrance exam—"

Xia Xinghan felt a pang of emotion, as if those youthful days were just yesterday.

However, he had never participated in the martial arts college entrance examination before. This was the first time in ten years that he had participated in the grandest event of the era of universal cultivation from the perspective of a high school student.

"There are four items today: cultivation, strength, speed, and martial arts." Xia Xinghan's voice echoed in Qiao Chunxia's mind.

"I know."

"Keep your pace and don't let the rankings distract you."

"Um."

She passed through the security gate and entered the venue.

A huge electronic screen stretched across the front of the audience, displaying information about the examination area and the candidates.

[Ancheng Examination Area - Martial Arts Proficiency Assessment]

Total number of test takers: 3127

[Current real-time ranking: Not yet started]

Ten testing markers were put into use simultaneously.

The examiner called out the numbers, and the candidates stepped forward one by one.

The crowd stirred.

Some people nervously rubbed their hands, some silently recited mental techniques to regulate their breathing, and others whispered with their companions about the rumors surrounding the top players from various schools.

Qiao Chunxia stood quietly in the second waiting area.

"Number 0473, Qiao Chunxia."

She went on stage.

The surface of the inscription, a dark jade color, was cool and smooth. She placed her right hand on it, closed her eyes, and let her mind wander.

Thirty seconds.

The stone tablet fell silent in the first second.

In the third second, a faint light appeared from the point where the palms touched, like a drop of water falling into a still pool, creating ripples.

In the fifth second, ripples spread, and green light surged from the bottom of the monument to the top like a tide, a rich, almost tangible emerald green.

At the tenth second, the numbers appeared.

[The Fifth Heaven of the Mortal Transformation Realm]

[Spiritual Power: 882]

The examiner paused for a moment.

The numbers are still changing.

[Spiritual Power: 9 - 921]

Freeze.

Nourish your innate constitution.

He is just one step away from the Innate Realm.

The examiner adjusted his glasses and entered the following information into the electronic screen: "Qiao Chunxia, ​​spiritual power value 921, cultivation score 97."

The murmurs from the audience were like a tidal wave.

"921? Has it been used to cultivate innate constitution?"

"She's preparing to attain the Great Innate Realm, otherwise, with her spiritual power, she should have already attained it."

"When did this kind of person emerge from No. 2 Middle School?"

"Qiao Chunxia, ​​why is it her? She's in the same exam room as me."

"What, you know Liu Qian?"

"Recognize — Know — Not very familiar —"

Liu Qian, standing in the crowd, seemed unwilling to talk much about herself.

Qiao Chunxia stepped down.

Without looking back, they proceeded to the next examination area.

Strength test.

She stood in front of the force target, stepped forward with her left foot, exhaled, and threw a punch.

The fist strikes the bullseye, blood and energy surge, and physical strength explodes instantly.

The numbers jumped wildly: 2987 — 342 — 899 —

The final image is:

9215KG

A brief silence fell over the entire room.

One of the examiners took off his glasses, wiped them, and put them back on.

Without using any mysterious relics or adding spiritual power, the physical strength of a fifth-level Transcendent Realm cultivator is 10000 kg.

9215KG.

This is already close to the threshold of the ultimate power realm.

Moreover, she is a girl, and is naturally at a disadvantage in terms of strength.

Speed ​​test, 100-meter sprint.

Timer blinking:

[2.27 seconds]

-

At the end of the track, Qiao Chunxia steadied herself and glanced back at her results.

2.27 seconds.

Last year's top scorer in the Ancheng martial arts exam had a time of 2.29 seconds.

That person is now at Tsinghua University or Peking University.

Just 100 days ago, she couldn't even run a 5-second time.

She looked away and calmly walked back to the queue.

Then comes the martial arts test, to see how many martial arts styles you have mastered.

Qiao Chunxia currently possesses one Grade A martial art, three Grade B martial arts, and seven Grade C martial arts. Although she is still a bit short of being rated as a "Grand Martial Master," she is more than qualified to be a "Senior Martial Master."

At 11:00 AM, the electronic screen refreshed.

[Ancheng Examination Area - Real-time Ranking of Cultivation Assessment Total Score]

[First Place: Li Mingxuan (No.1 Middle School) - 97.3 points]

[Second Place: Zhao Yan (No. 2 Middle School) - 91.8 points]

[Third Place: Qiao Chunxia (No. 2 Middle School) - 90.2 points]

First place.

She ranked third out of 3,000 test takers in Ancheng.

In the audience, Lin Xiuyun covered her mouth, tears silently rolling down her cheeks.

Qiao Chunxia stood calmly in the crowd, gently clenching the antique ring on her finger.

Xia Xinghan did not speak.

But Qiao Chunxia knew he was watching.

In the afternoon, practical assessment.

Random matchmaking for battles between players of the same skill level.

Qiao Chunxia's opponent was a student from No. 1 High School who was at the fifth level of the Transcendent Realm and a key member of the school team. Since entering the school, he had never fallen out of the top twenty in any competition.

The man's expression changed slightly when he saw the name that popped up on the screen.

The morning's test results had just come out, and Ancheng's name, ranked third in the real-time rankings, was known to everyone in the exam hall.

He gripped his longsword tightly, took a deep breath, and said with a smile, "Statistical results are one thing, but actual combat is another. Some people have excellent martial arts scores, but once they enter the [Dungeon] and fight monsters, they can't unleash even 20-30% of their normal strength. Do you know why? Because there's immense terror in the face of life and death!"

"Some people are afraid of blood and get scared when they see blood splattering. Some people have never even killed a chicken. How can you expect them to kill people or monsters and witness severed limbs and remains?"

"As for me, I've run dungeons, I've truly fought in dungeons. In real combat, you're no match for me!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Xinghan couldn't help but laugh: "He's playing psychological warfare with you."

"I know," Qiao Chunxia said, looking at her opponent. "Since you've been to the [Dungeon], have you heard of the name 'Lone Wolf'?"

The other person paused for a moment, then replied, "Of course I've heard of it. It's been getting a lot of buzz on the Ancheng adventurers' forum lately. I heard it's about a girl, a dungeon-hunting fanatic who never teams up, just burying herself in battling monsters, and always coming back alive. Because she's so crazy, she's nicknamed 'Lone Wolf.'"

"That person is me."

"What!?"

The referee raised his hand: "Start!"

Psychological warfare is allowed in the actual combat competition, but the entire competition time shall not exceed three minutes. In three minutes, it is not necessary to determine a winner or loser. Instead, AI will evaluate the actual combat performance of both parties and then score them.

The referee had barely finished speaking.

Qiao Chunxia stepped out with the Bagua Swimming Dragon Step, like a swallow cutting through water. When she saw the bright sword light coming, she was not afraid at all. She simply shifted her body and the opponent's long-prepared sword move missed its mark.

Immediately afterwards, she reached out with her left hand, as nimble as a snake and as gentle as a breeze, and tapped the inside of the other person's wrist holding the sword.

not heavy.

But it deflected the sword's edge by just three inches.

At the same time, she made a knife shape with her right hand, hovering three fingers in front of the other person's throat.

Throughout the entire process, she didn't even draw her sword.

The opponent remained frozen in place.

The sword's edge pointed into empty space, and his breathing faltered.

The referee paused for two seconds: "—Qiao Chunxia wins. AI scoring in progress."

Five seconds later, the score appeared on the big screen:

[Actual Performance Rating: 96 points]

【进攻效率：28/30防守完美度：20/20|武技运用：29/30战斗意志：19/20】

The audience erupted in uproar once again.

Even Li Mingxuan, the biggest favorite to win the martial arts championship in this year's college entrance examination, did not defeat his opponents so quickly.

Indeed, real combat is real combat, and cultivation is cultivation.

In the actual competition, Qiao Chunxia ranked first!