The Abandonment of Theory

“I understand.” Long Ao forced these words out through clenched teeth.

Chen Beixuan circled around before stopping behind Chen Guan.

He watched the massive black coffin rising and falling with Chen Guan’s movements, clicking his tongue in wonder.

After completing his hundredth rep, Chen Guan lightly let go of the horizontal bar and landed on the ground.

“Reporting to the teacher, I’m done.” Chen Guan stood in place, adjusting his breathing rhythm to make himself look as though he had expended a great deal of energy.

Ever since his ability completed a small linked upgrade, Chen Guan had to rely on memory just to feel fatigue again.

Such was the trouble of cheating.

Chen Beixuan glanced at the old watch on his wrist and nodded casually.

“Not bad on the speed. Go wait in the rest area.” Chen Beixuan pointed to a corner where several long benches were placed.

The moment Long Ao finished his hundredth rep, his entire body slammed from the horizontal bar onto the floor, producing a loud, dull thud.

“I’m done too.” Long Ao gasped for breath.

An Changqing also completed the required number not long afterward, walked over to sit beside Chen Guan, and handed him a bottle of water.

“Have some water.” An Changqing looked at Chen Guan’s profile.

“Thanks.” Chen Guan took the drink, twisted the cap, and took a small sip.

Chen Guan watched the classmates still struggling on the horizontal bars, as well as one particularly infuriating teacher.

Chen Beixuan, thermos flask in hand, strolled slowly through the crowd, his gaze sweeping around.

“Did you skip breakfast, classmate?”

Chen Beixuan walked up to a boy who was nearly exhausted. With a final yell, the boy lost his grip on the bar and fell, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

【This new teacher has to be a living demon straight from hell.】

【Even a corporate tycoon would weep in envy at the sheer skill Chen Beixuan shows in squeezing the last drop of energy out of people.】

【We miss you, old Li.】

In Chen Guan’s vision, the barrage of comments scrolled rapidly, radiating a gleeful schadenfreude.

Chen Guan unscrewed his bottled water slowly, taking an unhurried sip.

On the other side, Su Yuehe walked heavily, as if her legs were filled with lead, dragging herself bit by bit from the training area.

Her usually rosy cheeks now bore a frightening paleness, and she could barely summon the strength to speak loudly.

“I feel like my two arms have completely broken away from my brain’s control.”

Su Yuehe, weak and exhausted, leaned against the bench back and half-closed her tired eyes.

“Word Spirit: Recover.”

She spoke, and the fatigue began to fade, but the weariness in her mind lingered stubbornly.

This kind of pure strength-based exercise was definitely not kind to her.

Was this hell?

Su Yuehe’s superbly brilliant brain stopped functioning.

The arena echoed with successive sighs of despair, one after another. Amid these sounds, the lesson finally came to an end.

...

Classroom.

A group of students lay across their desks, scattered haphazardly, as if all their vitality had been drained; even lifting their heads felt like a struggle.

The classroom door swung open, and the long-absent vice principal, Sima Ming, walked in.

He held only an extremely thin black hardcover lesson plan.

A gentle, mellow wave of spiritual energy spread quietly with Sima Ming’s steady footsteps, filling the entire classroom.

The aching muscles from overtraining, soothed by this spiritual energy, relaxed considerably.

Many students who had been lying on their desks let out long sighs and slowly sat up.

“It seems that everyone, in Teacher Chen’s practical combat class, has received quite thorough physical training.”

Standing on the high podium, Sima Ming began his familiar lecturing.

“A young person sweating more and strengthening their bones—this is very beneficial for all your futures.”

“However, in this advanced class, you won’t have to suffer the torment of physical exhaustion anymore.”

Sima Ming swept his gaze around the classroom, smiling at the students who finally managed to straighten their backs and sit upright.

“Before officially beginning the core curriculum for this semester, I have some news worth celebrating for the entire school to announce.”

The classroom gradually quieted down, and everyone’s attention was drawn to the vice principal standing at the podium.

“Some time ago, I’m sure all of you heard about the joint training at the Northern Academy. The children from Huaging who signed up not only successfully completed all assessment tasks but also achieved unprecedented excellent results.”

“An Changqing, Long Ao, Su Yuehe—your performance during the training was outstanding, fully showcasing the comprehensive qualities of Huaging students.”

Sima Ming raised his hands, pressing downward to signal everyone to quiet down, then shifted his gaze to the figure still carrying his coffin to class, sitting in the corner toward the back of the room.

“Of course, what gratifies me the most is Student Chen Guan.”

“Student Chen Guan completed his studies at the Northern Academy joint training as the top scorer of this session, achieving excellent results and returning to our school.”

Sima Ming looked deeply relieved. This time, the biggest beneficiary was not Chen Guan—it was him.

After all, it was he who had stood firm and brought Chen Guan into the Celestial Pivot Class!

It was him, him, all him!

This was huge proof of his foresight, proving he still had an eye for talent.

In the next personnel adjustment, he would surely get rid of that “deputy” above his title. The more he looked at Chen Guan, the more he liked him.

Who says this student is weird? This student is fantastic.

When the students heard these words, they turned their heads in unison toward Chen Guan’s direction.

A suppressed buzz of whispers filled the entire classroom.

“As expected, he was first place. The rumors were true.”

As Chen Guan’s former sparring partner, Wang Hanyue said to Zhou Tong beside him, “I used to fight evenly with Chen Guan! Tong, I can brag about this for a lifetime.”

Zhou Tong pushed up his glasses, looking at Chen Guan with a complicated expression: “My ranking was even higher than Chen Guan back then. I have a feeling that as long as he doesn’t burn out young, I can really brag about this for a lifetime.”

“I should get in touch with my dad. I need a whole new page in the family genealogy for me.”

Long Ao heard these muttered comments. He crossed his arms, turning his head toward the window, pretending not to care.

Suddenly, he remembered those early days when they first met.

A belated sense of shame surged up inside him. He still had been too complacent.

Sima Ming lightly coughed from the podium.

The thick, mellow wave of spiritual energy spread along invisible lines, silencing the spacious classroom once more.

“Everyone, you should have all sensed the unusual atmosphere of this semester from Teacher Chen Beixuan’s physical training class.”

“Following the tradition of the academy’s first lesson at the start of the term, I usually would recite a lengthy, tedious outline of theories for you on this podium.”

His aged yet sharp gaze swept across the classroom.

“Those outlines were detailed and comprehensive, enough to deal with any paper tests.”

Sima Ming pushed the thin lesson plan to the far edge of the podium.

“But today, I will not recite those rigid, hollow texts anymore.”

The students below exchanged glances, totally unaware of what astonishing news the vice principal was about to announce next.

Even An Changqing was taken aback, as even he hadn't received any advance notice.

"Starting this semester, all courses at Huaqing Academy will undergo a groundbreaking comprehensive restructuring."

The old man's voice, enhanced by spiritual power, reached everyone's ears with crystal clarity.

"We will completely abolish all courses that merely pile up theories discussed on paper."

He jabbed his index finger heavily onto the hard solid wood table.

"The focus of the courses will shift entirely to live drills that are real and tangible, as well as actual combat confrontations."

"Theoretical courses will be fully switched to a credit-hour system. As long as you complete the required number of hours, you can choose when to attend classes yourselves!"