54: Chapter 54 The Principal's Personal Care! The First Clash with a Genius?

The referee's voice announcing the result.

It was like cold water thrown into a boiling pot of oil.

It caused the deathly silent arena to instantly explode with noise.

"He passed! He really passed!"

"An instant kill! My god, I still can't believe it!"

"That Iron Armored Rhinoceros clearly looked so powerful, yet it couldn't even withstand a single move from the familiar in his hands!"

"Dual familiars! Black Iron Eighth Tier! How on earth did he do it?!"

"A Genius! A Prodigy!"

"From today on, Jiang Yun is my idol!"

"Jiang Yun is my boyfriend that I just haven't gotten together with yet!"

"Jiang Yun! You're so handsome! I love you!"

Exclamations, praises, and screams of disbelief swept through the entire Core Area like a tsunami.

Countless gazes focused on the youth slowly walking down from the stage, eyes filled with unprecedented awe, worship, and deep shock.

All the previous doubts and ridicule.

In the face of absolute strength at this moment, they were crushed to pieces.

"Brother! You were amazing!"

Jiang Yunyun was the first to break through the crowd, pouncing toward Jiang Yun like a cheerful little deer. Her small face was flushed with excitement, and her eyes sparkled with immense pride.

Seeing this scene.

The other girls nearby were practically dying of envy.

Zhang Qiang and Li Na also followed closely behind, their faces overflowing with excited smiles.

"Brother Yun! Badass! So badass! That was an Iron Armored Rhinoceros! An instant kill! How did you do it?!"

Zhang Qiang was incoherently excited.

He patted Jiang Yun's shoulder forcefully.

Li Na also had a brilliant smile, offering her heartfelt congratulations: "Jiang Yun, congratulations! You've successfully promoted to an Advanced Class student!"

Seeing the three of them.

Jiang Yun showed a gentle smile.

"Thank you."

Standing in stark contrast to the joy and encouragement on their side.

Was the deathly silence on the other side.

Xiao Ling and his lackeys looked ashen-faced, standing blankly in place as if they hadn't yet recovered from that shocking scene just now.

The scene they had imagined of Jiang Yun making a fool of himself and losing did not happen; instead, it was an overwhelming, crushing victory. This result was like a loud slap across their faces, stinging with pain.

Xiao Hong stood in the Intermediate Class area, his face terrifyingly grim, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms without him realizing it.

He stared fixedly at Jiang Yun, who was surrounded by the crowd, his eyes filled with resentment, malice, and a trace of something even he didn't want to admit... fear.

The strength Jiang Yun displayed.

Had completely exceeded the scope of his understanding.

In the Advanced Class area, the atmosphere was so heavy it could almost drip water.

All the Advanced Class students were silent.

Their previous ease and scrutiny had long since vanished, replaced by a strong sense of crisis and gravity.

With a clean and efficient instant kill, Jiang Yun had announced his arrival to all of them, along with a powerful strength sufficient to threaten any one of them.

That young man stood straight, his previously lazy and leaning posture long gone.

The indifference and mockery on his face were replaced by an extreme gloominess, his gaze sharp as a knife, locked firmly onto Jiang Yun.

That startling talent and strength were like a thorn.

Piercing deeply into his proud heart.

"Jiang Yun..."

He almost squeezed the name out from between his teeth.

His voice was bone-chillingly cold.

Just then.

The door to the observation room opened.

Led by Principal He Tiangang.

Coaches Lin Yong, Wang Lei, and Coach Liu Wen followed closely behind as the group walked slowly toward the stage.

Their appearance immediately drew the attention of the entire venue, and the boiling waves of sound gradually subsided.

Everyone knew the main event was coming.

Principal He Tiangang had a smile of relief and praise on his face. His gaze swept across the venue, finally landing on Jiang Yun.

From a brocade tray held by a nearby staff member, he picked up a badge that shimmered with a silvery light, engraved with complex runes and the Qingquan No. 1 Middle School logo.

"Student Jiang Yun."

He Tiangang's voice spread through the venue via the loudspeaker.

It was clear and powerful.

"In the Advanced Class assessment, you performed excellently and showed outstanding strength, successfully defeating the assessment Vicious Beast. It has been unanimously determined by the assessment team that you fully possess the strength and qualifications of an Advanced Class student!"

He personally pinned that Core Badge, which symbolized the highest student Rank at Qingquan No. 1 Middle School, solemnly onto the left chest of Jiang Yun's training uniform.

"Congratulations, you have officially become a member of the Qingquan No. 1 Middle School Advanced Class as a Core Student!"

He Tiangang patted Jiang Yun's shoulder, his voice full of encouragement: "I hope you will guard against arrogance and rashness, continue to work hard, and strive for even higher honors for the school in the future!"

"Thank you, Principal. I will."

Jiang Yun bowed slightly, his tone calm yet firm.

The silver badge shone brightly under the sunlight, stinging the countless envious eyes below the stage.

He Tiangang nodded with a smile.

Immediately, his gaze turned to the serious-faced Advanced Class coach, Wang Lei.

"Coach Wang, I'll be leaving Student Jiang Yun in your hands from now on."

Coach Wang Lei took a step forward.

He looked at the badge just pinned to Jiang Yun's chest with a complex gaze, then looked at Jiang Yun himself and said in a deep voice:

"Jiang Yun, I have seen your strength and potential. Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, report to the Advanced Class Training Ground on time. I will handle all the procedures for you."

Although his tone was still serious.

It already carried the recognition and importance accorded to a true Core Student.

"Yes, Coach."

Jiang Yun replied.

For the Principal and the Advanced Class coach to personally appear for the award ceremony and give instructions—this kind of honor was extremely rare in previous Advanced Class assessments.

The people below the stage saw it clearly.

This was a clear signal from the school's high-level management regarding the extreme importance they placed on Jiang Yun.

Exclamations and discussions rose from the crowd once again.

Filled with envy.

The award ceremony ended.

The crowd began to gradually disperse, but the discussions about Jiang Yun and that instant-kill match were destined to become the hottest topic at Qingquan No. 1 Middle School for a long time to come.

After school.

On the way home.

Jiang Yunyun was still in a state of extreme excitement, chattering non-stop and describing how majestic her brother had been just now, drawing side-glances from passersby.

However, just as they were crossing a relatively quiet street corner and were about to walk out of the school gates.

A figure abruptly blocked their path.

The person was tall and thin, with a handsome face but an indelible air of arrogance; it was the young man from the Advanced Class who held a grudge against Jiang Yun.

He had his hands in his pockets, his gaze cold and filled with undisguised contempt and hostility as he looked Jiang Yun up and down.

"Jiang Yun?"

He spoke, his voice carrying a trace of mocking coldness: "Hmph, a piece of trash who got lucky and contracted two familiars with decent Aptitude, and you really think you've ascended to the heavens in a single bound?"

His gaze swept over the brand-new badge on Jiang Yun's chest.

The sneer at the corner of his mouth grew even heavier.

"The Core Class is not a place where a piece of trash like you, who relies on luck, should be. You'd better figure out your place."

He slightly released a trace of his familiar's aura.

The pressure of the Black Iron Ninth Tier Peak rushed toward them.

It caused Jiang Yunyun's face to turn pale instantly.

"Don't think you're anything special just because you have a bit of strength; the water in the Advanced Class is very deep."

The youth took a step closer, his tone full of threat, "When you get to the Advanced Class tomorrow, I will make you understand clearly what a true Genius is! Someone like you isn't even worthy of carrying my shoes!"

After saying that.

He gave a cold snort.

Without giving Jiang Yun a chance to reply.

He turned and left directly, his posture extremely arrogant.

"How can you be like this!"

Jiang Yunyun's small face was red with anger.

She wanted to rush forward to argue but was pulled back by Jiang Yun.

"Brother! He's too much!"

Jiang Yunyun cried out in dissatisfaction.

Jiang Yun watched the youth's back as he disappeared around the corner. His gaze was calm and rippleless, though a faint, hard-to-detect cold light flickered in the depths of his eyes.

"A barking dog usually doesn't know how to bite."

He said indifferently.

He comforted his sister: "There's no need to get angry at someone like that. Let's go home."

Although he didn't know exactly who this youth was, he could guess from the words just now that he must be an Advanced Class student.

An aura of the Black Iron Ninth Tier Peak.

His status seemed not to be low.

His own performance today had been too dazzling.

It had touched the nerves of some vested interests.

Inviting hostility was inevitable.

However, this level of provocation was not enough to make him angry.

True strength is not fought for with words.

However.

The youth's hostile gaze and words.

Also made Jiang Yun realize.

The seemingly glorious Advanced Class.

Was likely not entirely peaceful inside.

Perhaps the competition would be even more intense...