Chapter Ten: The Training Concludes, Setting Out for the Return to School!

However, Qin Han and the others were all seasoned veterans. Although Yang Feng was currently performing exceptionally well, some professions were formidable in the early stages but would lose momentum as time passed. Conversely, there were those that seemed unimpressive at first but grew ever more powerful with time. Thus, the strength of a class depended greatly on its skills and innate talents. Even within the same class, wide disparities could exist. After all, there were now hundreds, even thousands, of possible classes after the career change, and anything could happen—it was impossible to sum it up in a single sentence.

Qin Han glanced at Yang Feng, who was resting not far away, and couldn’t help but mutter to himself, “From what I see now, Yang Feng’s Cursed One class is truly formidable!” He paused. “But whether he can continue to grow stronger is no longer our concern.”

Beside him, Ye Jingtian nodded. “President Qin is right. Before long, Yang Feng will graduate. Once he moves on to university, it will be up to the university to look after him.” He added with a sigh, “But Mengyan has always been fiercely competitive since she was a child. Now that Yang Feng has surpassed her, she might find it hard to accept.”

Qin Han chuckled lightly. “Ever since the last career change, Mengyan has always been dissatisfied with Yang Feng.”

“Ah…” Ye Jingtian paused, momentarily at a loss for words.

Meanwhile, as time passed, more and more students emerged from the Novice Village. After a full day of fighting monsters, many wore expressions of utter exhaustion. Yet, for most, excitement filled their hearts, for this was their first taste of real combat. The difference between practical experience and classroom theory was enormous.

Some students were injured, a few even gravely so. Seeing this, priests began to cast healing spells to tend to the wounded, while teachers from each school started taking headcounts. After tallying up, every school had suffered some casualties, but thankfully, the numbers were within acceptable limits.

Most students had managed to reach level three after this experience, and a few outstanding ones had already broken through to level five. At that moment, Ye Mengyan’s face was alight with excitement. After a day of battle, she had reached level eight—a level that matched the previous record for the Novice Village.

“This time, victory is mine!” she exclaimed to herself. “The highest anyone had ever reached in the Novice Village before was level eight.” Then she suddenly realized, “Where did Yang Feng go?”

She hadn’t seen Yang Feng upon exiting, but after searching, she finally spotted him resting in a corner.

“When did that guy get out?” Ye Mengyan scrutinized Yang Feng, her eyes widening in disbelief. “How is this possible?” she murmured. “Yang Feng actually reached level nine?”

“Mengyan!” At that moment, Ye Jingtian approached.

“Dad, what are you doing here?” she asked, curiosity written all over her face.

“I’m here to take you home,” Ye Jingtian replied, smiling indulgently at her.

“Oh!” Ye Mengyan nodded and got into her father’s car. But just before leaving, she cast a long, searching look at Yang Feng, her mind reeling—how had he managed to reach level nine?

Ye Jingtian noticed and asked with a smile, “What’s on your mind, Mengyan?”

“Dad, I’ve always been the top student at Donghai First High. Every exam, I come in first. But ever since the career change, I became a Light Mage—a rare class—while Yang Feng somehow unlocked the unique hidden class, the Cursed One. Now, he’s even reached level nine in the Novice Village…” Her voice trailed off, frustration clear in her tone.

She had always been the most outstanding student at Donghai First High, but now Yang Feng had suddenly surpassed her, leaving her deeply unsettled.

“Mengyan, do you want me to talk with Principal Qin?” Ye Jingtian asked with a smile.

“No, Dad, let’s not do that!” she hurriedly replied. “Yang Feng and I are just classmates competing with each other. If you talk to Principal Qin, things will only get more complicated. Besides, I believe that one day I will surpass him!”

She was quick to stop her father from intervening.

“Hahaha…” Ye Jingtian laughed heartily. “In that case, I’ll leave you to it! But let me tell you, Yang Feng came out three hours ahead of schedule. And he wiped out all the level-eight rattlesnakes in the Novice Village desert!”

“What?” Ye Mengyan was stunned. She hadn’t expected Yang Feng to have slain all the level-eight rattlesnakes. She herself had only managed to take down level-seven monsters.

As for the level-eight zone, she hadn’t even ventured there. Even so, she thought she was already quite impressive—after all, she had matched the village’s record, reaching level eight. Yet, Yang Feng had not only reached level nine but had also cleared out the level-eight rattlesnakes. If the monsters in the Novice Village had been higher in level, perhaps Yang Feng could have reached level ten.

“Is the Cursed One really that powerful?” she wondered, suddenly feeling a wave of discouragement.

“Mengyan,” Ye Jingtian consoled her, “while the Cursed One is strong, your Light Mage class is hardly weak. Every class has its strengths and weaknesses. This is just a temporary setback—nothing to be concerned about! With our family’s background, your father will always support you to the fullest.”

Ye Mengyan certainly understood her father’s meaning. The Ye family was the most prominent clan in Donghai, and her father was the city’s wealthiest man. Whatever she wanted was hers for the asking. Yang Feng, on the other hand, was merely an orphan. The game “Myth,” like most others, was a pay-to-win affair—the more money one invested, the greater their strength. Ordinary players like Yang Feng were no match for players like herself, who could afford to spend lavishly.

When the Novice Village trial ended, everyone boarded the buses for the return journey. On the way back, Cai Xukun sat next to Yang Feng.

“Yang Feng, you know what? I’ve reached level five! Pretty impressive, right? I asked you to team up with me to kill monsters and level up, but you wouldn’t. Regret it now, don’t you?” Cai Xukun said proudly.

Yang Feng could only look at him speechlessly.

“You’re only at level five. I’m already at level nine,” Yang Feng replied.

“What? You’re at level nine already?” Cai Xukun gaped in shock, only now noticing Yang Feng’s level. “No way! Yang Feng, how did you level up so fast? Did you kill every monster in the Novice Village? I spent over twenty hours grinding monsters in there and only made it to level five. How on earth did you get to level nine? Are you some kind of freak?”