C17 The Principal also Wanted to Recruit Lu Chong.

"Lu Chong's Monument Breaking Hand has reached Perfection?"

"And his cultivation has broken through to Stage 5!" Wang Tong murmured to himself.

As the class teacher, Wang Tong's thoughts were in disarray. Just last night, he was coaching Lu Chong, and now, Lu Chong had earned his newfound respect.

"Hold on, wasn't his Monument Breaking Hand just at the Arcane stage yesterday? Is the principal's assessment accurate? Could Lu Chong's Second Awakening be that formidable?" Wang Tong began to question his own judgment.

Lee Chengjun, the class teacher of Class 1, was also rendered speechless.

Lu Chong's Monument Breaking Hand had achieved Perfection, a stark contrast to the information he had the day before.

In Class 1, over half the students had mastered a martial skill to the Arcane stage. Standouts like Hsiang Yueya, Zhao Loongfei, and Huang Junyan each had at least two skills at this level.

So, while Lee Chengjun was somewhat interested in recruiting Lu Chong, he wasn't willing to go to great lengths.

But now that Lu Chong had brought a martial skill to Perfection, that changed everything.

In all of Class 1, and indeed in all the high schools of Guanyun City, not one student had achieved Perfection in a martial skill.

Reaching Perfection required stringent conditions: not just talent and dedication, but also the right opportunity.

Yet, this ordinary student from the Martial Disciple's fifth stage had done it, which was nothing short of astonishing.

"I must make an effort to recruit Lu Chong," Lee Chengjun resolved. "Allowing him to remain in Class 5 would be squandering his talent."

The old principal understood the significance of mastering a martial technique to Perfection. He expressed his regret, "It's just a shame his cultivation level is a bit low, or else getting into two prestigious schools wouldn't be an issue."

Wang Tong paused, holding back his words.

He vividly remembered that just two days ago, Lu Chong was at the third stage of Martial Disciple, and now he had reached the fifth.

Currently, Lu Chong's cultivation level wasn't remarkable, but given his rate of progress, becoming a Martial Artist before the College Entrance Examination wasn't out of the question.

"Maybe it was the Nutrient Stick I gave him that did the trick?" Wang Tong speculated internally. He hesitated, deciding to keep certain details from the old principal for now.

Wang Tong's main concern was disbelief from the old principal and the potential for Lee Chengjun to harbor ulterior motives.

On the sports field, the majority of students hadn't noticed Lu Chong's martial skill had reached Perfection. Only a select few with keen eyes harbored suspicions, yet found it hard to believe.

Class 5 erupted in cheers, their frustration from previous rounds finally giving way to elation. They shouted in unison:

"Mr. Chong, you're incredible!"

"Mr. Chong, keep it up! We're with you in spirit."

"Mr. Chong, the ladies are watching—make it look good!" The last cheer came, of course, from Chen Yufei.

Meanwhile, despite Zhou Feng's setback, Class 1's students quickly rallied. A strapping young man stepped forward.

The students of Class 1 were brimming with confidence; they could handle a loss.

The young man introduced himself, "I'm Mo Bai. Let's begin!"

The second challenger appeared more composed than Zhou Feng, avoiding any brash statements.

He launched into action with the Arcane-level Nine Shadow Step, leaving a trail of afterimages as he circled Lu Chong, poised to strike a winning blow.

Chen Yufei offered his earnest analysis, "This guy's Nine Shadow Step is also Arcane. Clearly, he's wary of Mr. Chong's Monument Breaking Hand and won't confront him directly."

"But this means Mr. Chong can't touch him. If they keep this up, Mr. Chong will eventually run out of steam, and Class 1 still has three more students ready to fight," a concerned Class 5 student pointed out.

Hsiang Yueya from Class 1 watched Lu Chong intently, eager to verify her own assessment.

Lacking the seasoned insight of the teachers, she couldn't confirm from a fleeting glimpse whether Lu Chong's Monument Breaking Hand had truly attained Perfection.

As she watched, Lu Chong made his move.

His actions were subtle, as if casually stepping back before effortlessly swinging a horizontal palm strike.

Instantly, Mo Bai's afterimages vanished. Lu Chong's palm skillfully halted at Mo Bai's throat, suspending him midair.

Lu Chong had spared Mo Bai's vital points. Releasing his grip, he stated calmly, "You've lost."

"Thank you," Mo Bai said with gratitude, bowing and stepping back.

He realized that Lu Chong had held back. Otherwise, that palm strike from Lu Chong could have easily knocked him unconscious.

A renewed wave of cheers erupted from Class 5's students. Even those from other classes were taken aback by the display.

Yet, most couldn't discern exactly how Lu Chong had managed it.

"He didn't use Monument Breaking Hand; it was Nine Shadow Step," Hsiang Yueya inhaled sharply, her confusion deepening.

Indeed, Lu Chong hadn't resorted to the Monument Breaking Hand this time, relying solely on his palm for the attack.

But the precision of his timing was uncanny. It was as if he had anticipated Mo Bai's every move, lying in wait for the perfect moment to strike.

Such a feat could only be achieved with the Nine Shadow Step.

This indicated that Lu Chong's mastery of Nine Shadow Step was not merely at the Arcane level; it far exceeded Mo Bai's martial prowess.

Since Lu Chong hadn't flaunted his Nine Shadow Step, even the teachers at the Martial Artist level couldn't precisely gauge its extent.

Only the old principal, watching from the stands with a knowing smile, remarked, "Impressive. The boy's got talent. Both his Monument Breaking Hand and Nine Shadow Step have reached Perfection. Quite the rarity."

Lee Chengjun, standing nearby, grew even more perplexed. "Does Lu Chong possess another skill at the level of Perfection?" he wondered.

Wang Tong, though equally baffled, knew he had to maintain his composure as Lu Chong's class teacher.

"I can't believe Lu Chong kept this from me. This is astonishing," Wang Tong mused, resolving to have a serious talk with Lu Chong later.

Lee Chengjun snapped out of his reverie and quickly echoed the old principal's sentiment, "He's truly an exceptional student. It's a shame he's in Class 5. Under our tutelage, his cultivation level would surely be even higher."

"Elder Wai, with only three months until the College Entrance Examination, I'm prepared to stake my reputation," Lee Chengjun turned to the old principal, his voice filled with determination. "I'll ensure Lu Chong's cultivation reaches Stage 9 before the exams, helping him secure a spot in one of the Top Three universities."

The Top Three, as referred to by Lee Chengjun, were Huabei Martial Arts University, Jiangnan Martial Arts University, and Central Zhenwu Military University.

Wang Tong couldn't help but scoff, "Lee Chengjun, that's quite the claim. I'm willing to go one further. I'm confident I can coach Lu Chong to become the municipal examination champion."

"With Elder Wai's full backing, I'd even guarantee the Provincial Champion title for Lu Chong," Wang Tong boasted.

Elder Wai calmly sipped his tea, his eyes twinkling as he watched Lu Chong celebrate another victory in the distance.

"Why don't we let Lu Chong make his own decision? It's been ages since I've personally mentored a student. Perhaps I should take him under my wing?" Elder Wai suggested.

At that, Lee Chengjun and Wang Tong fell silent.

They had nearly forgotten that the old principal was far wiser than either of them.

They weren't the only ones vying for Lu Chong; the old principal had his sights set on the young talent as well.