Chapter 9: I’ve Reached Level 6!

Next.

After slipping the ring onto his left index finger, Wang Chen casually picked up a stone. With a slight squeeze of his palm, the stone vanished in the next instant. He turned his hand over, and the stone reappeared.

After experimenting with the ring’s spatial abilities for a while, Wang Chen quickly became familiar with the storage ring’s usage.

“I can’t keep playing around. The leveling time is almost over. In any case, before the second advancement, I can’t gain any more experience. I’d better head out.”

So,

Wang Chen stood for a moment in the clearing before the cave, observed his surroundings, oriented himself, and then strolled away at an unhurried pace.

…

Just as Wang Chen departed, a graceful figure emerged from the dense forest, sword in hand, hacking aside the obstructing branches and vines.

“This is bad. Where have I ended up? Why, even after becoming a professional, do I still have to train in the secret realm? I’m hopeless with directions!” complained a girl with delicate yet striking features.

Her name was Tang Ruotong, a classmate of Wang Chen’s, and her profession was a main-combat rare class—the Holy Shield Knight.

“There’s such a strong scent of blood here!”

Tang Ruotong, sword in one hand and shield in the other, advanced cautiously into the clearing in front of the Six-Tailed Venomous Centipede’s cave.

“Oh my gosh!”

“So many Six-Tailed Venomous Centipedes have died here! These are powerful silver-rank creatures—who could have done this?”

Tang Ruotong exclaimed in disbelief.

She scanned the area, and soon, in the distance, she caught sight of Wang Chen’s figure about to disappear into the forest.

“Hm? Was it that person?”

She squinted, trying to see more clearly, but Wang Chen had already gone too far.

“That back looks familiar… Wang Chen?”

After all, everyone’s gait is unique, and even from behind, Tang Ruotong thought she recognized Wang Chen.

“But that’s impossible!”

“Didn’t Wang Chen awaken as an ordinary class, Life Shaman? Even if he’s in this secret realm, it should be difficult enough just to survive!”

“How could he possibly have entered the territory of silver-rank beasts?”

“And these beasts seem to have been poisoned!”

After thinking it over,

Tang Ruotong concluded she must have been mistaken.

There was no way that was Wang Chen.

With the training period nearly over, Tang Ruotong decided not to dwell on it. She began to select from the many fallen centipedes, finishing off those Six-Tailed Venomous Centipedes that were paralyzed by poison.

Very soon,

Tang Ruotong’s level began to rise rapidly.

…

At the gathering square in front of the secret realm,

Students from Luzhou No. 1 High School were already returning from the secret realm in a steady stream.

“How did it go, Old Li?”

“Don’t ask. I spent most of my time just looking for monsters in the secret realm—I barely reached level three by noon!”

“Wow, tough luck! I hit level four!”

“Don’t get cocky. Next time, I’ll beat you with ease!”

…

The newly awakened seniors were all sharing the joys and gains of their first leveling experience. Regardless of their levels, most were in good spirits.

But the most self-satisfied among them was Cai Kun!

At this moment, arms folded, the corners of his mouth nearly reaching the sky, he stood brimming with pride, staring intently at the secret realm’s exit.

At this moment,

A black sedan rolled up and stopped before the students.

The door opened, and a slick-haired young man with gold-rimmed glasses stepped out first—the principal’s secretary.

He opened the back door.

Lu Han and Principal Ouyang Yue of Luzhou No. 1 High School got out.

They exchanged a few words in low tones, and then Lu Han headed alone toward Class Six’s group.

His eyes searched the crowd, and failing to spot who he was looking for, he glanced at the front of the line, quickly noticing the familiar face of Cai Kun.

Lu Han spoke, “Where’s Shiyu? She’s not out yet?”

Cai Kun immediately nodded and bowed, saying, “Lu is a main-combat hidden class—the strength is impressive. She must have ventured deep into the secret realm. I lost sight of her shortly after we started leveling.”

As he spoke, Cai Kun exaggeratedly peered toward the exit, as if he could see through the teleportation array.

With a concerned tone, he added, “She should be out any minute now, right?”

Gone was his earlier haughty demeanor—now he was all obsequious flattery.

Lu Han frowned and asked, “What about Wang Chen? Hasn’t he come out yet?”

“Yes!” Cai Kun replied with a hint of schadenfreude. “That guy’s not popular—no one wanted to team up with him. Who knows if he’ll even make it out alive!”

Lu Han shot him a cold glare.

“You seem rather pleased. If he doesn’t come out, what about our wager?”

Cai Kun immediately looked awkward and hastened to explain, “Don’t worry, Mr. Lu. Wang Chen’s class isn’t much, but he’s not stupid. At worst, he’ll just level up slowly this round!”

“He surely wouldn’t risk his life in a dangerous area!”

“Besides, I’ve already reached level six. Other than Shiyu, there’s no way anyone else has a higher level than me. I’m guaranteed to beat most of this year’s students, let alone Wang Chen—he’s a Life Shaman! He can’t even reach my heels!”

Cai Kun pounded his broad chest in assurance, the sound echoing loudly.

Hearing this, Lu Han’s expression remained indifferent, and he ignored Cai Kun.

In his eyes, reaching level six on the first leveling session was nothing remarkable—in fact, it was borderline failing.

Still, Cai Kun was right about one thing: with no team, Wang Chen couldn’t possibly outperform him.

Their wager was as good as won.

This way, Shiyu could focus all her attention on advancing her career path.

Suddenly,

A flash of white light burst from the teleportation array at the secret realm’s exit, and out stepped a graceful figure—Lu Shiyu.

“Shiyu, how did the leveling go?”

Lu Han’s eyes lit up as he hurried forward.

“It was simpler than I expected,” Lu Shiyu replied lightly.

From afar, Principal Ouyang Yue saw Lu Shiyu emerge. Abandoning the other teachers, he hurried over, beaming, “Shiyu, how did your leveling go? You’re the best student of this year’s Luzhou No. 1 High School!”

Trailing behind were the secretary and several teachers.

Lu Shiyu was scanning Class Six’s group, searching for the figure she hoped to see, so she didn’t immediately respond to Ouyang Yue's question.

After a brief silence,

“Let me guess, with your talent, you must have reached level six, right?” the principal’s secretary prompted tactfully.

“You’re too modest,” a teacher interjected. “A hidden class and only level six? Any main-combat class could easily hit that. Maybe if you didn’t reach level seven, your combat intelligence needs work!”

At this,

“…”

On the fringes, Cai Kun’s face turned dark.

“I think it’s very possible that Lu reached level eight!” the teacher boldly speculated.

Lu Shiyu came back to herself, and with reserved pride, answered, “I reached level nine.”

The previously lively crowd fell abruptly silent.

“Excellent. Truly worthy of the Lu family’s bloodline. Father and Mother will be proud,” Lu Han said with a faint smile.

In truth, he was far from calm inside. In his first leveling session, he’d only reached level eight.

It appeared his seemingly delicate little sister possessed talent surpassing his own.

Meanwhile, Ouyang Yue’s smile deepened, wrinkles creasing his face like dried birch bark.

“A hidden main-combat class—Ice Queen—truly powerful. The previous record for first-time leveling was only eight! Lu, your name will go down in school history!” he said to Lu Han.

Lu Han smiled slightly. “All thanks to the school’s excellent teaching staff.”

In the adult world, mutual flattery is a given—success is built on everyone’s support.

“Lu Shiyu reached level nine. Amazing—she really is a goddess!”

“Goddess? More like a Valkyrie now!”

“When people talk about how Lu Shiyu soared to level nine on her first run, I can say I was really here—and I wasn’t just a bystander!”

…

Nearby students who overheard the conversation quickly spread the news. In no time, everyone was buzzing about it.

The whole student body was in high spirits. After all, if someone from No. 1 High achieved such glory, they shared in the honor.

In the future, when Lu Shiyu became famous, they could all claim to have witnessed her beginnings.

Ouyang Yue, in a great mood, now found even the squat, round Cai Kun more pleasing to the eye.

“You there, how did your leveling go?” he inquired.

Once bursting with confidence, Cai Kun now shrunk before Lu Shiyu’s shining achievement, wishing he could disappear.

“Principal Ouyang, I… I only reached level six,” Cai Kun answered, barely audibly.

Ouyang Yue, perhaps hard of hearing in his old age, asked, “What was that?”

“I reached level six!” Cai Kun replied, throwing caution to the wind and raising his voice.

Instantly, the previously lively crowd fell silent at the outburst.

“Come on now, Lu Shiyu reached level nine without making a fuss. Does this fat guy think level six is something to shout about?” the students muttered with scornful glances.

“Isn’t Cai Kun a Blood Warlock? How can two students from the same class be so different—one humble and brilliant, the other all bluster and mediocrity?” the teachers sighed.

“What’s with the shouting? Nearly gave me a heart attack. Well… six is alright, keep working at it,” Ouyang Yue said, patting his chest, still startled, and making a perfunctory remark.

At this moment,

Cai Kun felt he was on the verge of dying from embarrassment.

He needed to change the subject—fast.

“Teacher, our class’s Wang Chen hasn’t come out yet!”

With a sudden flash of inspiration, Cai Kun blurted out.