"The world has collapsed?"

  Fly felt the incredibly realistic tremors and looked around.

  The sky was continuously cracking, and the rising ground was rapidly crumbling and falling away.

  Everything around him was changing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

  But what Fly hadn't expected was that behind the cracks in the sky, it wasn't pitch-black darkness. Instead, it was a blinding white, revealing lights and decorative patterns.

  "Is that... a ceiling?"

  In the blink of an eye, the azure sky vanished completely, replaced by a pristine white ceiling.

  Fly subconsciously looked down and saw a five-meter-long scroll hanging right before his eyes.

  "The Muse Art Gallery."

  "The art exhibition?"

  "I'm back?"

  Fly quickly regained his senses, but then felt a wave of confusion. "So, does this mean I passed the test, or did I fail?"

  However, in the next second...

  A crack suddenly appeared on the scroll in front of him.

  "Hmm? What's this?" Seeing this scene, Fly raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. But the crack only grew larger and longer.

  Riiiip!

  Accompanied by a clear tearing sound, the entire Scroll of Martial Heart-Tempering suddenly split open from the middle, the tattered remains falling toward the ground.

  This sudden scene caused waves of exclamations from the spectators below the stage.

  "What's happening? The painting is ruined?"

  "That... that shouldn't happen, right?"

  "Can someone explain this? Let me be clear first, this has nothing to do with me! Don't ask me to pay for it!"

  ...

  The discussions were endless, and many guests were so frightened by the sight that they took a few steps back.

  Hearing the word "pay," Fly felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach.

  Good lord!

  It's one thing if I didn't pass the trial.

  Don't tell me they're going to make me pay for this?

  After all, I was the closest person to the painting. If they want to pin the blame on someone, they're definitely going to pin it on me...

  "Young heroes, there is no need to panic. The rupture of the scroll is a normal phenomenon."

  Seeing the scene descending into chaos, Cynthia Muse hurriedly picked up a microphone to explain.

  "As I mentioned before, The Scroll of Martial Heart-Tempering was created by my father using a special technique. It exerts a certain mental impact on those who view it at close range."

  "But, force is mutual. If the viewer possesses an extremely strong mental fortitude, they can conversely inflict an impact on the scroll itself."

  "Now that the scroll has been destroyed, it means that the person of exceptional talent my father has been searching for... has appeared."

  Cynthia spoke with a look of relief on her face.

  She naturally knew the difficulties her father, Grandmaster Muse, was facing. He had been ostracized within the Helios Warrior Corp. Despite still being full of vitality, he had been forced into early retirement.

  The opposing faction was powerful. Relying solely on the father and daughter duo, let alone exacting revenge, they might even face life-threatening danger.

  Seeing her father's furrowed brows day after day, she had been burning with anxiety.

  After seeing geniuses like 'Emperor' Valerius and Lance Wolfe fail one after another, the light of hope in her heart had dimmed.

  She had thought this event would be another wasted effort, but she hadn't expected...

  Fortune favors the determined.

  Star City had finally birthed a genius who met her father's standards.

  But, when Cynthia turned to look at the stage, she saw both Fly and Preston York standing there.

  The trial process of The Scroll of Martial Heart-Tempering was completely unknown to anyone outside, except for the trial-takers themselves.

  Whether it was Fly who passed the trial, or Preston York, even Cynthia couldn't be certain for a moment.

  Suddenly, Preston York seemed to sense something. The corners of his mouth curled up, and he extended his right hand toward Fly.

  "You certainly live up to the title of Star City High's number one freshman. To think you actually managed to last until the very end with me."

  Fly looked at Preston's hand, then at Cynthia. Seeing that Cynthia didn't say anything further, only then did he shake Preston's hand.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "So, what's the situation now?"

  "I remember at the last moment, I was..."

  However, before Fly could finish his sentence, Preston York walked past him, deliberately raising his voice to speak. "Since the destruction of The Scroll of Martial Heart-Tempering was caused by the impact of our mental energy, that implies that both of us meet Grandmaster Muse's requirements."

  "I wonder if Grandmaster Muse would mind accepting both of us as disciples simultaneously?"

  Preston York spoke with a pleasant and gentle demeanor.

  To the students below the stage, these words sounded incredibly generous, as if he were giving Fly a way out.

  The implication was that although he had shattered the scroll, Fly had, after all, stood until the end, so he didn't mind letting Fly become Grandmaster Muse's disciple alongside him.

  The members of the Student Council below the stage immediately seized the opportunity to join in the clamor.

  "President Preston is truly worthy of being the strongest student at Star City High! Not only is he powerful, but his heart is also broad and magnanimous. I'm impressed."

  "President Preston is right. Fly is also a one-in-a-ten-thousand genius. Grandmaster Muse should just accept them both."

  "But wouldn't that be a bit improper? After all, Grandmaster Muse said he would only accept one disciple this time. Although Fly has excellent talent, the one who broke The Scroll of Martial Heart-Tempering just now should still be President Preston, right?"

  "If that's the case, Fly shouldn't be accepted as a disciple, right? If you can get a free ride just by lasting long enough, then I should have gone up too. I could have just let President Preston handle breaking the painting."

  ...

  Hearing the jeers and support from the Student Council crowd, Preston York narrowed his eyes, clearly enjoying the adulation. He naturally knew that Grandmaster Muse would only accept one disciple this time. His words just now were merely a calculated display of generosity. In reality, he still intended to kick Fly out and become Grandmaster Muse's sole personal disciple. Therefore, the jeering from the Student Council played right into his hands.

  "You guys, stop puffing Preston up just because he's the Student Council President, alright? Since when did Preston York break the scroll?"

  "The person who broke The Scroll of Martial Heart-Tempering was clearly Fly!"

  Preston York's expression froze instantly. He turned his head toward the source of the voice and saw Genevieve standing by the edge of the stage, arms crossed, glancing sideways at the Student Council members with a look of awe-inspiring dignity.

  Seeing this, Fly quickly rushed to the edge of the stage and asked, "Genevieve, why did you come down? Did you fail too?"

  In Fly's impression, the last ones remaining on stage were him, Genevieve, and Preston York. Why was Genevieve down there now?

  Seeing Fly approach, Genevieve's expression softened. She whispered, "This Scroll of Martial Heart-Tempering is truly formidable. I knew I couldn't overcome my Inner Demon, so I withdrew."

  Needless to say, Genevieve's Inner Demon was Lysander Thorne. Lysander was an invincible genius, and Genevieve couldn't think of a way to defeat him no matter what. In other words, Genevieve lacked the confidence to confront Lysander Thorne head-on. Thus, when facing her Inner Demon, she felt immensely strained and, judging that she couldn't hold on, voluntarily withdrew.

  "Besides, Fly, compared to me, you need Grandmaster Muse's help more," Genevieve said seriously. "Even if I don't get this opportunity, with my family's background and connections, I won't worry about funding and resources for my martial arts path in the future. But you are different. You don't have a powerful background, so you must seize this chance."

  "And, Fly, I believe in you," Genevieve continued. "You are full of confidence and fearless. I believe you can definitely break through your Inner Demon."

  "Ah, this..." Fly was stunned by her words. He really hadn't expected his image in Genevieve's heart to be so positive.

  "More importantly..." Genevieve changed the subject abruptly, turning her head to shout at Preston York. "President Preston York, you didn't seriously undergo the trial of The Scroll of Martial Heart-Tempering just now, did you?"

  Hearing this, Preston York's expression changed drastically. From the moment Genevieve started speaking, he had been secretly calculating how to kick Fly aside to achieve his goal of becoming Grandmaster Muse's personal disciple. But this single sentence from Genevieve directly ignited the fury in his heart.

  Preston York responded loudly, "Genevieve, you can't just say things like that. On what basis do you claim I didn't seriously undergo the trial? I'm warning you, slander is against the law!"

  "Hmph," Genevieve sneered, walking onto the stage to confront Preston. "Whether you seriously underwent the trial or not, a single test will tell."

  Immediately, Genevieve walked to the side of the stage and said to Cynthia, "Miss Cynthia, there should be a Heart Rate Monitor prepared here, right?"

  Cynthia paused slightly, then revealed a look of realization and nodded.

  Genevieve smiled slyly, then turned her head to Preston York. "President Preston, you claim you seriously underwent the trial of the scroll. Do you dare to test your heart rate now? Not much time has passed since the scroll was destroyed. Your heart rate shouldn't have returned to normal so quickly, right?"

  Hearing this, Fly instantly understood.

  People undergoing the trial of The Scroll of Martial Heart-Tempering, although not engaging in strenuous physical exercise, would still experience an accelerated heartbeat. It was the same principle as watching a horror movie causing an adrenaline spike and a racing heart.

  Looking at Preston York's face—neither flushed nor out of breath—he didn't look like someone who had seriously undergone a trial at all. He had to admit, Genevieve's move was truly brilliant; it pierced right through Preston's scheme. Fly praised her inwardly.

  Sure enough, hearing Genevieve's words, Preston York couldn't keep his composure. He hurriedly signaled the Student Council members below the stage with his eyes, hoping they would stir up public opinion again to salvage the unfavorable situation.

  Seeing Preston's look, the Student Council members immediately understood and began a new round of heckling.

  "That's not right, is it? President Preston is a fourth-year student. His mental state is surely stronger than a first-year like Fly."

  "Genevieve, you're muddying the waters like this and speaking up for Fly... you wouldn't happen to like him, would you?"

  "Indeed, I remember they have a good relationship. They even participated in the Freshman Invitational together. Catching feelings for each other is quite normal."

  "Ooh, ooh, look at the little lovebirds helping each other out!"

  ...

  Unknowingly, the Student Council members had shifted the topic to the private relationship between Fly and Genevieve. Fly and Genevieve were already famous young, up-and-coming Beast Warriors in Star City. In an instant, many people cast looks of suspicion and gossip their way.

  "So, why were you all indifferent when Preston York went up just now?"

  Just as the atmosphere at the scene was becoming chaotic and Cynthia was preparing to speak up to stop it, Fly, standing on the stage, suddenly raised his volume and addressed the Student Council members below.

  In an instant, countless pairs of eyes turned toward Fly.

  To be honest, Fly hadn't expected much from this exhibition. He had simply received an invitation and was on the list, so he came to take a look.

  If some people felt he wasn't as good as Preston York, he didn't care in the slightest.

  After all, everyone had a mouth, and Fly couldn't control what others wanted to say.

  But these guys insisted on making jokes about Genevieve, and that changed the nature of things completely.

  "Why didn't you guys come up and try before? Were you afraid the painting would harm you? Afraid of making a fool of yourself in public? Or did you feel that this opportunity didn't belong to you at all, so you didn't even have the courage to try?"

  "And now you're starting to regret it, thinking that if you had just taken the trial alongside Preston York and held on a little longer, the chance to become Grandmaster Muse's personal disciple would have been within easy reach?"

  "You can fool others with those words, but don't fool yourselves."

  "At the end of the day, you're just a bunch of pathetic worms who only know how to wag your tongues."

  "People who don't even have the courage to try don't deserve to attend this exhibition."

  After unleashing a barrage of words at the Student Council members, Fly turned his spearhead toward the Student Council President, Preston York.

  "President Preston, if you please. The Heart Rate Monitor is waiting." Fly said with a faint smile.

  ?Thanks for reading!

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  ?Next update: Tomorrow evening!

  Also, today is my birthday! Could any passing readers drop a 'happy birthday' in the comments? Getting some support on Patreon would be the ultimate gift, though (a man can dream...)