Chapter 4

(Listening... (Thank you, Bei'er, for your generous donation of 10,000 Qidian coins, making you the second Captain of this book. Thank you, Book Friend 130808121605076, for your donation of 1,888 Qidian coins. Thank you, Wutang Jie, Mo Diyuyu, Xin Wugua'ai 83, Xuanyuan Xiaohu, for your donations of 588 Qidian coins. Thank you, Amai Shanhu Haiyang, for your donation of 400 Qidian coins. Thank you, Qi 99, Shen Er Pangzi, Nanxian Yishi, for your donations of 200 Qidian coins. Thank you, Huai Xiaonenggu, Kai Peier, Jonesw, Bubu Shengli, Yulong Xiangtian, Qinri Huajun Jiazhu, You Tiao Buyun, Xia Jiangyou 2 Dai, Qi Cheng, Suansuan de Juzi, Amumu de Fenkai, for your donations of 100 Qidian coins. Additionally, there are some friends who voted for evaluation tickets, but since the backend does not record the voting history, I don't know your names, so I can only thank you all together.))

(Listening... (During the new book period, every member click, every recommendation ticket, and every collection will be a huge motivation for me. I hope for the full support of all book friends.))

(Listening... ------)

(Listening... The strict teacher angrily said, "What's the use of just reciting the text? Many people can do that. A student named Huang Rong can remember things at a glance, and another named Linghu Chong has an extraordinary memory. What's so great about reciting the sword manual in a blink? You have to learn the moves to have the right to say it's useless!")

(Listening... Li Yan seriously said, "Actually, these moves are quite simple! I don't really find them difficult." He truly didn't find them difficult. The little figures in the book clearly demonstrated how the moves should be performed, and the few lines of notes explained how to vary the moves. This simple and easy-to-understand sword manual was much easier to understand than the "Physiology and Hygiene" textbook from the future! The figures in the "Physiology and Hygiene" textbook were all blurry, with a bit of postmodern abstract art style, and the key parts were blurred out. The text was also censored, especially when it came to the actions of men and women in creating life, which were glossed over without any illustrations. Students had to rely on their imagination to understand... For Li Yan, who could understand "Physiology and Hygiene," reading the "Pine Wind Sword Manual" was really not difficult at all.

(Listening... Li Yan's nonchalant attitude infuriated the strict teacher: "Don't just talk big. Show me the Pine Wind Sword Technique!"

(Listening... "Alright." Li Yan reached out and picked up a long sword from the rack of eighteen weapons. This sword was a genuine "three-foot green blade," a three-foot-long piece of iron, quite heavy in his hand. He weighed it, feeling that swinging this sword wasn't too difficult. After all, he was a sports ace with considerable arm strength. He assumed a stance and was about to perform the "Pine Wind Sword Technique."

(Listening... Before he started, he closed his eyes. The little figures from the sword manual flashed through his mind like a slideshow, and he carefully felt each move. Not difficult... really not difficult... The Pine Wind Sword Technique wasn't a high-level martial art in the martial world, with few variations and simple moves. No wonder the strict teacher used it as a first-grade textbook... Li Yan felt he could perform this sword technique. Even if a few small moves weren't perfect, the overall movements wouldn't be wrong.

(Listening... The strict teacher, Dongfang girl, the toothless girl, and the whole class were all interested, watching him with wide eyes.

(Listening... Li Yan's stance was the standard starting position of the Pine Wind Sword Technique, standing straight with his hands hanging down, one hand gripping the hilt in reverse, the sword resting by his side. Just by looking at this standard starting position, it was clear that Li Yan had a very strong learning ability. Not many people could perform the starting position so accurately after just one glance at the little figures in the manual.

(Listening... "Is this guy really a genius?"

(Listening... "Another Huang Yaoshi?"

(Listening... "I heard Huang Yaoshi has a very strange temper, which is why he's called the Eastern Heretic. Is this Li Yan also temperamental?"

(Listening... "Who knows? I heard geniuses are all temperamental and hard to get along with..."

(Listening... The classmates began to whisper, and all these comments fell into his ears.

(Listening... Li Yan tilted his head and noticed that the toothless girl, Guo Jing, was also looking at him with concern, her big eyes blinking, afraid he would make a mistake.

(Listening... Li Yan suddenly hesitated: From their reactions, if I perform the Pine Wind Sword Technique, they will be very surprised, right? Is this sword technique really that hard to learn in their minds? If I can perform it so quickly, will they see me as an "excellent student" and give me a nickname like "sports ace" to isolate me? Will the toothless girl, Guo Jing, who is my only friend among the underachievers, also distance herself from me and no longer consider me a friend?

(Listening... All these thoughts piled up in his mind, each one a shock. He remembered when he first entered high school, a few female classmates were friendly with him, but after he scored full marks in the mid-term exam, they stopped talking to him.

(Listening... No, I can't let that happen again. I finally have a girl willing to be my friend, and I must cherish it. But if I deliberately perform poorly and don't get the teacher's attention, will she deliberately give me some bad martial arts to learn? This is very likely to happen. All teachers like excellent students and give them special treatment. If I pretend to be a poor student, I won't enjoy such treatment...

(Listening... Li Yan began to worry.

(Listening... At this moment, the Dongfang girl suddenly said, "Li Yan, if you can learn the Pine Wind Sword Technique at a glance, it will prove that you are a once-in-a-century martial arts prodigy. I will consider breaking the rules to promote you, allowing you to skip primary, middle, and high school, and directly enter graduate school to learn advanced martial arts. I will also consider teaching you my most powerful martial art, the *Manual of the Sunflower*."

(Listening... "Wow!"

(Listening... The whole class was in an uproar. Some students, upon hearing the words "Manual of the Sunflower," drooled and almost knelt to lick the Dongfang girl's feet.

(Listening... But Li Yan was sweating profusely. The *Manual of the Sunflower* is the ultimate martial art that requires self-castration, right? Well, no need to hesitate now. The once-in-a-century martial arts prodigy can be anyone, but it absolutely cannot be me! This body is only fourteen or fifteen years old, and that thing is still a little elephant. Protecting wildlife is everyone's responsibility!

(Listening... Li Yan extended his long sword. He originally intended to perform the "Falling Goose on the Sand" move from the "Pine Wind Sword Technique," a beautiful flying sword strike to show his extraordinary handsomeness, but now he had no such thoughts.

(Listening... He shouted, "Falling Goose on the Sand."

(Listening... The whole class widened their eyes upon hearing the move name...

(Listening... Li Yan suddenly thrust his buttocks backward, jumping while thrusting his sword forward. This move vaguely resembled "Falling Goose on the Sand," but the awkward buttocks thrust before the move destroyed the overall balance, causing Li Yan to lose his footing and fall to the ground with a thud, raising a cloud of dust.

(Listening... Silence...

(Listening... The entire scene was dead silent...

(Listening... This is the so-called genius who claims to have learned the Pine Wind Sword Technique?

(Listening... After a while, the crowd burst into chatter.

(Listening... "Tsk, just a big talker!"

(Listening... "Cheater!"

(Listening... "A poor student is a poor student, pretending to be a genius?"

(Listening... The classmates, except for the toothless girl, Guo Jing, all cursed.

(Listening... The strict teacher, instead of getting angry, laughed: "Boy, what's the name of that move?"

(Listening... Li Yan, lying on the ground, answered, "Falling Goose on the Sand!"

(Listening... The strict teacher laughed loudly: "Master thinks it should be called 'Buttocks Backward Falling Goose on the Sand'! Hahaha."

(Listening... "Hey, teachers shouldn't mock students," Li Yan said unhappily. "How can you be a role model like that?"

(Listening... "Less talk, Master is free and spontaneous, laughing when I want to, regardless of being a role model. Our Blackwood Cliff is a school that values free teaching styles," the strict teacher huffed. "Practice well. After ten or eight years of practicing the *Pine Wind Sword Manual*, Master will give you other manuals."

(Listening... Li Yan was truly a bit sad. Now he wouldn't get new manuals to learn, which would be detrimental to his future growth. Should I decisively perform the Pine Wind Sword Technique flawlessly and then follow the Dongfang girl to castrate myself and practice the *Manual of the Sunflower*? Oh my God, that's absolutely not an option.

(Listening... The crowd dispersed, the classmates no longer wanted to talk to him, and the strict teacher walked far away to rest in a corner. Only the toothless girl, Guo Jing, stayed by Li Yan's side, comforting him: "Li Yan, even though you didn't practice the sword technique well, don't be sad. Keep practicing, and you'll get it. I spent several months just to勉强使出越女剑法的第一招。大家都说我笨死了，不过我想，只要努力练习，总有一天会练成。"

(Listening... Li Yan was both amused and touched. This little girl居然来安慰我？还拿自己当例子？我要真像她那么笨，买块豆腐撞死的心都有了。

(Listening... The strict teacher's voice came from a distance: "Guo Jing, take Li Yan to the dormitory, find him a room somewhere..."

(Listening... "Yes, teacher!" The toothless girl quickly responded and then pulled Li Yan away. Although she was a little girl, she had a simple and generous demeanor, with no sense of gender difference, and held Li Yan's hand without hesitation. Li Yan felt her hand was not soft, even a bit rough, with several calluses, clearly from practicing sword techniques.

(Listening... Poor child from a poor family, so pitiful! Li Yan couldn't help but think: In our world, ten-year-old little girls all have rosy lips, white teeth, and tender hands, unlike this toothless girl who works so hard.

(Listening... The two of them held hands and left the classroom.

(Listening... After they left, the Dongfang girl, who had been standing quietly on the side, suddenly had a flash in her eyes and smiled meaningfully in the direction Li Yan had left, muttering to herself: "That move he just did was actually very precise, with no problems in his hand and foot movements. It was just the buttocks thrust that ruined the overall coordination, causing him to fall... Does he really think that deliberate buttocks thrust can fool me and 'Dali Shenmo' Fan Song? Although I don't know why he's pretending to be a poor student, now that I've discovered this talent, he won't get away... Next, I'll test his character. As long as his character is suitable for our kind, with his talent, he is definitely a good candidate to inherit the *Manual of the Sunflower*..."

(Listening... A short while later, Li Yan followed the toothless girl to a dilapidated and messy estate. The estate was so run-down that it was almost collapsing, but there was a plaque on the gate that read "Plum Manor."

(Listening... Li Yan couldn't help but comment, pointing at the "Plum Manor" sign: "Can people live in this house? It looks like it's about to collapse. Does Blackwood Cliff treat students like this? If the house collapses and kills two students, what will the parents do when they come to claim compensation?"

(Listening... The toothless girl stammered: "Actually, there are many high-end dormitories on Blackwood Cliff, but... I'm afraid you'll be bullied if you go to those places..."

(Listening... "Oh? Why would I be bullied in a good dormitory?" Li Yan was very curious.

(Listening... "Well... because... martial arts skills..." The toothless girl seemed reluctant to speak, but finally said: "Poor students must be sent to Plum Manor. This is an unwritten rule among Blackwood Cliff students. If poor students live in good dormitories, they will be beaten by the excellent students..."

(Listening... "So, everyone who lives here is a poor student, right?" Li Yan asked.

(Listening... "Yes! I live in Plum Manor... Actually, everyone who lives here is a poor student like me, who is unwanted in class," the toothless girl Guo Jing said, looking down, a bit dejected.

(Listening... Li Yan didn't know how to comfort her. After all, Guo Jing's talent was just average. In *The Legend of the Condor Heroes*, he was considered very slow. If not for his many lucky encounters, he would only reach a certain level by the time he was old.

(Listening... Li Yan shrugged and was about to push the rotten gate of Plum Manor when he suddenly heard a "hey" from the side of the house, followed by a whooshing sound, as if someone was practicing something. He turned his head and saw a tall, athletic girl practicing boxing in the small forest. She looked to be around eighteen, tall and well-built, with a streamlined, muscular body. Her skin was not pale but a healthy dark color, and she had a ponytail that swung behind her, looking very attractive.

(Listening... Li Yan watched for a moment and couldn't help but ask: "Is she also in our dormitory?"

(Listening... Guo Jing nodded and whispered, "Her name is Qiao Feng, and she is the last in Class 1-2."

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