“Give up on myself?”

Shen Zhe’s eyelids twitched.

“Should I sleep every day, inherit billions of dollars and marry dozens of wives, or should I die of exhaustion while I’m studying hard for nothing?”

“It’s such a dilemma… I wonder whether I should choose the former or abandon the latter.”

“But why am I smiling while I hesitate?”

“It’s true that you may inherit your family properties if you return to your family, but you must know that money is meaningless in this world, without the power of the Mages and the Martial Artists! Your family’s enterprise in Green Abyss is based on Shen Yun, a level-three Mage, isn’t it?”

Putting her food on Shen Zhe’s opposite side, Ling Xueru sat down and said solemnly, “You must not abandon yourself!”

Holding his chest, Shen Zhe felt that he had suffered a critical strike.

If it were in his previous life, few people would’ve rejected the opportunity…

“You’re Ling Xueru from Class Three?”

“Xueru, I’m your idol—No, you’re my idol. I adore you…”

“Can you autograph my clothes? It’s fine. I was going to throw them away anyway…”

…

Zhao Chen and the rest of them were excited to see the famous genius in school who had gone there to see Shen Zhe.

Ling Xueru’s excellent grades were well known in the whole school.

However, according to Shen Zhe’s observation… she could be quite enthusiastic, or nosy, if you will, about things where she wasn’t involved.

Otherwise, as the monitor, she wouldn’t have secretly given a hint to Shen Zhe.

Ling Xueru smiled at her crazy fans but didn’t reply to them. She simply looked at Shen Zhe and asked about the thing that puzzled her.

“How did you get the answer?”

As the monitor, it was her responsibility to help the less smart guys. Also, they were both from Green Abyss and had known each other since childhood. So, she didn’t give him a hint because they were in any kind of relationship.

After calculating and recalculating, she couldn’t figure out the reasoning behind ‘four hours and forty-four minutes’. That was why she had gone there to ask him.

Otherwise, there would’ve been barely any interaction between two students whose grades differed that greatly.

“I calculated the same way everybody else did…” said Shen Zhe.

“If I say that your four fingers were construed as four hours, would you believe that?”

“What did you use? The Moya Formula? The Wuxiang Theorem? Or the Fujiang Function?”

Ling Xueru’s eyes glittered.

Moya, Wuxiang and Fujiang were all famous Mages who had found unquestionable principles.

“None…” Shen Zhe shook his head. He was wondering how he should reply, when another person approached them and said unhappily, “Xueru, what are you doing here?”

It was a tall young man. He looked at Shen Zhe and his pals and frowned. “What can you possibly discuss with them?”

He was Lu Zihan, a genius and the monitor of Class Two.

He was also the rightful heir of the Lu family, which was one of the four greatest families of Green Abyss.

The other three greatest families were Ling, Wu and Shen.

Ling Xueru was from the Ling family, whereas Shen Zhe was from the Shen family.

Zhao Chen and the rest of them were from less notable families, but they were still among the wealthiest in the city.

“They’re just a bunch of unintelligent people who make no effort to seek progress! Let’s eat over there…” Lu Zihan continued.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Zhao Chen was the first to stand up under his obvious mockery.

“Nothing. I just don’t want Xueru to be affected by you,” said Lu Zihan proudly.

“Affected? By whom? It was Ling Xueru who came to Shen Zhe, not the other way around!” Zhao Chen was angry.

Lu Zihan chuckled condescendingly, “She did? You think he’s worth it?”

“Do you think you’re the only worthy person?”

Shen Zhe had decided to keep a low profile before he figured everything out, but he couldn’t stand the humiliation anymore.

Was someone with good grades entitled to despise other people?

“Xueru and I are top ten of our grade in every exam. With any luck, we will both pass the Mage test and reach the upper class. For someone as silly as you, could you get the answer even if you were given the method? Could you train yourself with it?”

With his hands behind him, Lu Zihan snorted, “Don’t pester Xueru if you can’t achieve that. She and you are not in the same world.”

“Of course!”

Before Shen Zhe spoke, Ling Xueru was already frowning. “Lu Zihan, there’s nothing between us, and we’re not in the same world, either. It’s not up to you whom I talk to!”

“Xueru, why are you defending them?”

Lu Zihan frowned.

“I can defend whomever I want. I don’t need to explain it to you!”

Knowing that it was impossible to ask that day, Ling Xueru looked at Shen Zhe and apologized, “I’m sorry for the trouble…”

Then, she left the cafeteria.

“Xueru…”

Lu Zihan chased the girl gloomily, but she stopped and said, “Don’t follow me, or I will teach you a lesson!”

Knowing that he wouldn’t get what he wanted even if he were to follow her, Lu Zihan clenched his fists and looked at Shen Zhe. “Shen Zhe, do you dare to duel against me? Whoever loses will stop haunting Ling Xueru!”

If it weren’t for Shen Zhe, he would’ve had a meal with her that day, instead of getting her upset.

“A duel?” Shen Zhe was at a loss for words.

It seemed that the guy was under the impression that he liked his monitor.

Although it was ungrounded, Shen Zhe was angry because of the man’s tone and attitude.

Finishing the food and putting down the chopsticks, he looked at Lu Zihan and asked, “How will we duel?”

“We’re studying to become Mages or Martial Artists. But you would be accusing me of taking advantage of you if we compete in computation or fighting.”

Lu Zihan said, “You don’t want to study because you think you can still become a Body Practitioner, right? Then, let’s see if your body is stronger than mine!”

There were mainly three categories of cultivators on that continent.

Firstly, the Mages who could cast spells. They were the foundation of many professions and they were the most respected.

Secondly, the Martial Artists who could cultivate spiritual energy. Most cultivators on that continent were Martial Artists. Ms. Bai Yu, for example, was a level-one Martial Artist.

Both Mages and Martial Artists needed to plan new routes in their bodies and calculate precisely in every training session, which had a high demand on their studies.

People with bad grades would never achieve anything.

However, some people were less talented in studying than others. Shen Zhe, for example, could only get around to score ninety points in every exam…

So, Body Practitioners emerged as a compromise.

Such cultivators didn’t need any calculations. They only had to polish their bodies and fortify them. However, their achievements would only be limited!

It was almost impossible for them to become as strong as Mages and Martial Artists.

“Are you sure?”

Shen Zhe stood up with a smile and rolled up his sleeves.

Did the nerd want to compete with him physically?

Was he asking to be humiliated?

“Of course!” Lu Zihan slapped the table hard.

Crack!

The mark of a fist immediately appeared on the table, which then cracked and fell apart.

“…”

Speechless, Shen Zhe rolled his sleeves down and looked at the sky.

What a beautiful day it was…

Hehe!

He had thought that Lu Zihan had to be very weak since he had been focusing on studying. He didn’t think the guy was that tough…

Considering how slim he was, wouldn’t he be killed by a slap?

Were all the star students so ferocious?

“Let’s begin!” Lu Zihan stared at him.

After a brief silence, Shen Zhe said solemnly, “We’re both civilized people, and civilized people shouldn’t fight!”

“…” Lu Zihan was rendered speechless. “You are not intimidated, are you?”

“Am I?” Shen Zhe looked at him and said casually as if it were nothing, “Yes, I am! What can you do?”

“Huh?” Lu Zihan was stunned.

“Do you have no sense of honor at all?”

“Declaring your timidity so confidently and straightly… Are you serious?”

Zhao Chen and the rest of them covered their foreheads, pretending that they didn’t know him.

He had chickened out before the game started…

How embarrassing!

“Where’s your grit and hot blood?”

But for Shen Zhe, grit and hot blood were nothing compared to his life.

His enemy could break a table with a slap. Why would he fight such a guy?

He didn’t want to die yet!

“Alright, admit your failure and promise that you will not approach Ling Xueru…” said Lu Zihan.

“Why would I admit my failure without a fight?” argued Shen Zhe, “Besides, it’s none of your business who I talk to.”

He didn’t dare to fight, and yet he didn’t admit his incompetence… What could Lu Zihan possibly do?

“You…”

Almost fuming in fury, Lu Zihan pressed forward, grabbed Liu Pengyue, and said domineeringly, “Are you fighting me or not? If you don’t, I’ll beat Liu Pengyue! He’s from my class. As the monitor, it’s my responsibility to boost him. I wouldn’t be punished for teaching him a lesson!”

Liu Pengyue: “???”

“I’m just an onlooker here. How did I get involved?”

Shen Zhe: “…”

“Shoot. Are the star students so shameless, too?”