The next day, Ye Kai walked toward the office at a leisurely pace. He was planning to take the students for field training tomorrow, so he needed to finalize the plan today.

As a Grand Great Master with exceptional hearing, he overheard a burst of congratulations before he even reached the office door.

"Congratulations, Wu Yue! With more than 80 days left before the martial arts exam, one of your students has already become a Practitioner. This is the first Practitioner from the regular class."

"Ms. Wu is only 27, so young and promising!"

"That's true. Teacher Wu graduated from a first-class Martial Dao University, just a little short of the top universities."

Another voice chimed in, "Everyone is too kind. Ruan Lin becoming a Practitioner is due to his own ambition. I merely gave him some guidance. The child is naturally talented and intelligent—it would’ve been the same with or without me."

Although spoken with humility, the pride in the voice was unmistakable.

Hearing the teachers in the office, Ye Kai paused for a moment—not because a student had become a Practitioner (since Qingcheng No. 3 Middle School had a few gifted students) but because this "Ruan Lin" was originally in his class.

Ruan Lin was a second-generation wealthy kid with strong vanity, unpopular with his classmates. He had wanted to transfer classes, but after Ye Kai introduced the 'Shrouding the Heavens Method,' he stayed. However, the teachers of the other key classes in the third year, concerned that Ruan Lin might disrupt their harmonious atmosphere, refused to accept him. As a result, he had to join the regular class.

Ye Kai recalled that Ruan Lin’s talent was only slightly above average. It seemed unlikely for him to become a Practitioner before the martial arts exam. The current situation likely meant that he had been forcibly promoted using drugs. Compared to a Practitioner who had cultivated steadily, his combat power would be weaker, and his foundation unstable. It would take time to consolidate.

However, such methods were common in previous years. Using drugs to promote one’s status was allowed by the rules, so no one would object.

"After teaching this year, Ms. Wu will likely be transferred to lead a key class," someone added.

"That's for sure. She's had the highest enrollment rate in the regular class for two years in a row."

"That's great. I’ll be expecting a treat!"

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Laughter followed, and then Wu Yue spoke modestly, "I'll follow the leader's arrangement. If they want me to take on more responsibility... I'll treat you all to dinner."

Her excitement was clear.

Ye Kai understood. There was a significant difference in the treatment of teachers in regular classes versus key classes. Aside from salary, the most important factor was qualifications. Teachers with excellent results in key classes could have the opportunity to become professors at Martial Dao Universities—starting as basic lecturers, of course.

"Key class" qualifications carried far more weight than those of regular classes. Just as students wanted to go to the best schools, teachers wanted the best teaching positions.

After chatting about Wu Yue’s success, the conversation turned to Ye Kai.

"Speaking of young talents, Ye Kai used to be a professor at Shanghai University. He's quite a talent himself, though..."

"Yes, but Ye Kai became a professor at such a young age—it's understandable that he’d be proud and stubborn. But his insistence on the 'Shrouding the Heavens Method' is really outrageous."

"Several of the students in his class have no hope of passing the martial arts exam. I wouldn't be surprised if they’re transferred from the key class to the regular class next semester."

"If his enrollment rate is too low, he might even end up teaching first and second-year students instead of the exam class."

At Qingcheng No. 3 Middle School, moving from the head teacher of a key martial arts exam class to teaching the lower grades was like falling from the heavens to the ground.

Wu Yue's class had produced a Practitioner, marking her as a rising talent. But what if the weakest student in Ye Kai’s class also became a Practitioner?

Shaking his head, Ye Kai entered the office. The room fell silent as the teachers noticed his arrival. They guiltily sipped their tea, as if they hadn’t said anything. Ye Kai walked straight to his desk, his expression unchanged.

He was used to this kind of gossip. He had anticipated it when he decided to teach at Qingcheng No. 3 Middle School. They would understand once they saw the superiority of the 'Shrouding the Heavens Method' compared to the vitality cultivation methods.

---

After the school day ended, Zhuo Xing led his classmates to the testing lab for a competition. After yesterday’s practice, he and Ding Jupeng had confirmed their findings and shared them with the other seven students, who eagerly responded.

As the group of nine arrived at the lab door, they encountered another group.

"Ruan Lin?" Zhuo Xing frowned as he recognized the leader of the twenty-something students before him. The two had a history of conflict, though Luo Feng had helped resolve it. Still, the sight of each other now was enough to rekindle old resentments.

Not only did Zhuo Xing feel this way, but the students behind him also looked at the other group with disdain. Ruan Lin was never popular in class, often acting pretentious. Moreover, for some time now, Ye Kai’s students—who practiced the 'Shrouding the Heavens Method'—had been looked down upon by the rest of the school, especially the regular class students.

Although there was no formal rule, key class students had traditionally felt superior to regular class students due to their higher qualifications. But now, the nine students in Ye Kai’s class had fallen in reputation, to the point where regular class students saw themselves as better off.

This dynamic made any encounter between the two groups tense.

Surrounded by his classmates, Ruan Lin glanced disdainfully at Zhuo Xing and the others. "What are you doing here?" he sneered.

Without waiting for a reply, he continued proudly, "I was promoted to Practitioner yesterday. I’m here to test my strength today!"