High School Student with Immortal Race System

That day, a single name was on everyone’s lips across the entire campus.

Late-stage Innate, freshman, and Qilin List—any two of those titles together would have been absurd enough, let alone all three combined.

The members of Yang’s Disciples, in particular, looked like they wanted to pin their Named Disciple badges right onto their foreheads.

The club, which many had previously considered a bit eccentric, was suddenly swamped with a flood of new applicants.

Yuan Rui was working overtime to screen the new members.

And with this new entry on the list, the Jianghuai Yang Family’s reputation skyrocketed once again.

Unlike the internal news about the Exotic Realm development, which circulated only among high-level circles, a public release like this was completely different. The Qilin List, being the most mainstream ranking of martial arts prodigies, carried significant influence.

Fortunately, "Yang’s Disciples" had already become a self-contained system, shielding Yang Shen from many of the sycophants on campus and allowing him to maintain a relatively peaceful school life.

’Come to think of it... this club is actually pretty useful.’

’So what if it’s a bit eccentric? Who at Jiangti isn’t?’

’As the future number one power in Jiangti, what’s wrong with Yang’s Disciples having the greatest potential for eccentricity?’

Back at the Yang Residence after school, the news about the Qilin List did little to disturb the warmth of the inner courtyard.

As for the four little ones, they had never heard of the Qilin List, but they believed their big brother deserved to be on any list.

Only Xu Bamboo truly grasped the significance.

She knew very well that being on the Qilin List meant he had now become a recognized figure in the Yanhua Martial Arts Realm.

At the dinner table, Xu Bamboo was still savoring the news. "That Early-stage True Gang you killed, was he strong?"

Yang Shen calmly picked up some food with his chopsticks, placing the choicest cut of spare ribs into his sisters’ bowls.

Although the Yang Family was no longer sensitive to the price of ordinary food—even replacing some ingredients with "High Source foods"—this was still a habit of his.

"Luo Sheng. You might remember him. He was the one who killed Liu Yuankui at the end of the Training Camp. He was a complicated person."

"To be precise, he hid his strength. He was likely a Mid-stage True Gang."

’More accurately, the Three-headed Dragon was the one that killed Luo Sheng,’

’But he didn’t think he would have lost to Luo Sheng either. Even without the Three-headed Dragon, he was confident he would have been the one to win in the end.’

It was a confidence built from one real battle after another.

Xu Bamboo rose slightly on her toes, her slender ankles as fair as spring onions, and nudged Yang Shen’s shoulder. "Hey... now that you’re on the Qilin List, do you think people will come challenge you to a duel? You know, trying to make a name for themselves by beating you."

’That’s how it always goes in novels, anyway.’

Yang Shen smiled. "I doubt anyone would be that bored. At least, they wouldn’t go out of their way just to find me."

"There are a hundred people on the Qilin List. The rankings, and even who makes the list, are somewhat subjective. It’s impossible for everyone to have dueled each other to compare their strength. It’s more about ’prestige’ and ’momentum’."

"Of course, if someone really does come..."

Yang Shen placed a "roasted chicken leg" into Zhuzi’s bowl. "I’d actually quite like that."

Xu Bamboo giggled. "If someone really comes looking for trouble, we can’t just let you fight them directly. I’ll go first. Who knows, maybe I’ll take care of it for you?"

Across the round table, Yuan Rui immediately said, "There’s no need for Zhu to get involved. If it’s a fight I’m confident in, let me handle it."

Cao Wei said, "No need to trouble yourself. Just focus on helping our Mentor run the club. I’ll be the one to act."

Tian Zihan said, "No, no, no, Senior Brother and Senior Sister, don’t worry about it. I can meet them."

Lin Yuebai suddenly burst out laughing. "Haha! None of you need to! I’ll do it!"

Yang Shen: ...

"Are you guys lining up to be EXP fodder?"

’Is some prodigy going to show up and just use you all for level grinding on their way to the top?’

Xu Bamboo was one thing, but Yuan Rui and the others were only at Late-stage Marrow Refining. Anyone who had the guts to challenge him—anyone with at least one wrinkle in their brain—shouldn’t be below that level.

He wasn’t one of those brain-dead villains from a story who sends their entire family to their deaths one by one.

’So, as a good, law-abiding student, the correct course of action is: just ignore them.’

’If they get in my face, then we sign a life-and-death waiver, and the old Yang’s Barbecue reopens for business.’

Yang Shen’s tone became serious. "All of you, while you each have different roles, your Cultivation cannot fall behind."

Their Mentor was about to speak, so all the disciples immediately put down their chopsticks and listened attentively.

"Since everyone is here today, I’ll extend the requirement I have for Yuan Rui to the rest of you. Yuan Rui, Cao Wei, Tian Zihan—by the end of this semester, I want to see you in Class One."

The three immediately replied, "Rest assured, Mentor. Your disciples will study and train diligently so we may serve you at zero distance."

For some reason, Cao Wei’s face turned red again when she said "zero distance."

Yang Shen nodded. "Furthermore, everyone, including the three Jiangti students, must reach the Innate realm before the end of this year."

Even in Jiangti’s Class One, a class full of Champion Scholars, it was rare for all the freshmen to reach the Innate realm.

Yuan Rui, Cao Wei, and Tian Zihan were already just one step away.

As for Wang Yang, Wei Xiaoli, and the others from different schools—while they also attended good, second-tier universities—the campus resources they had couldn’t be compared to Jiangti’s.

If they truly reached the Innate realm in their first semester, they would probably become number one in their year.

Yang Shen’s tone softened considerably as he finished, and he smiled. "If you face any difficulties in your Cultivation, including shortages of Supplements or a need for medicinal conditioning, tell the family anytime."

"If all of you fellow disciples achieve this, I have a gift for you."

They were, after all, true disciples of the Yang Family, bound by a Blood Contract. Their loyalty had been tested countless times and was found to be overflowing, never lacking.

’It’s time to give them certain things.’

He planned to teach the Qi Cultivation Guiding Technique to his Eight Disciples then, starting with the first level.

Among the Eight Disciples, he remembered that four of them had the aptitude of a Spiritual Root.

But he would teach it to those without a Spiritual Root as well. Although it would be a bit of a shame in the end and a waste of time, that was a matter of mechanics...

’The step of ’fairness’ could not be skipped.’

With the Sun Wheel Body Refining Technique, the Cultivators would be able to get started quickly.

The disciples didn’t yet know what the "gift" was, but to them, both punishment and reward were expressions of their mentor’s grace.

Even if the reward was just a roasted chicken leg for each of them, it would be something to be happy about.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Cao Wei, for example, was eyeing the roasted chicken leg in Xu Bamboo’s bowl with great envy.

——————

Late at night, peace and comfort returned to the Yang Residence.

The weather was growing colder, gradually showing signs of winter’s approach.

Yang Shen sat on his Patriarch’s Throne, leisurely flipping through a book in his hands.

His aunt came out of Yang Mo and Yang Man’s room. Seeing her nephew’s focused expression, she walked over gently.

"Sometimes, I feel like you’re actually more suited to being a ’scholar’ than a ’Martial Artist’."

Yang Shen subconsciously closed the book in his hands, hid it from his aunt’s sight, and placed it to the side.

Face down.

He smiled. "On Cyan Blue, most ’scholars’ are also ’Martial Artists’."

Tao Ying thought about it and felt that made sense. "But surely there are some scholars who don’t practice Martial Arts at all?"

Sensing his aunt wanted to talk, Yang Shen pulled over a chair from nearby.

"They probably wouldn’t get very far. On Cyan Blue, most advanced knowledge is only open to those selected through Martial Arts Education."

’You can have your own talents, creativity, and artistic flair, but on Cyan Blue... you’d better master your Martial Arts and pass the college entrance exams first.’

His aunt sat down beside Yang Shen. To be honest, the two of them hadn’t had a proper chat like this in a long time.

Since when had it been?

Probably since... her nephew’s knowledge and decisiveness had far surpassed her own.

Since... this child had found a firm goal and could strive forward without an elder nagging at his side.

Tao Ying’s gaze drifted into the distance, finally settling on the memorial tablets inside the ancestral hall.

"You seem so calm. You’ve built such a large family enterprise, and you’re so composed even after getting on the Qilin List. I’m the one who’s full of worries. I heard from Cao Wei that you did something major in the Exotic Realm, and now you’re being called the ’Number One Genius of Yanhua’..."

This exaggerated title was too remote for Tao Ying, which was why she felt so uneasy.

It was the feeling an honest person would have after working hard their whole life, expecting only ordinary returns, and then suddenly finding tens of millions.

The first reaction isn’t surprise, but anxiety about an unclear future, unable to discern the hidden dangers and implications.

Yang Shen followed his aunt’s gaze toward the ancestral hall.

"Uncle once said that the more you feel like you’re about to land a big fish, the more you need to calm your heart and steady your hands, instead of just getting excited."

"It’s the same with people. The more you advance by leaps and bounds and become famous overnight, the more you need to be clear about what you should be doing, instead of letting sudden wealth disrupt your rhythm."

Perhaps feeling that he had sounded a bit too profound, Yang Shen suddenly laughed.

"If I had made it onto the Qilin List before going to the Exotic Realm, I probably would have been very excited too... But after coming back this time, I’ve truly seen how vast this world is."

"This world is vast enough to accommodate a more outstanding version of me, and it’s vast enough to accommodate a more powerful Yang Family. So for this small achievement, it’s enough to let others cheer. We just need to focus on our own business."

Once upon a time, a boy stood on the Celestial Platform, gazing at the bustling city in the distance, curious about the magnificent world beyond.

And now, that boy had arrived in the bustling city himself, becoming a part of that distant view, a part of that magnificent world.

He had become the one others "gazed" at.

His aunt looked at Yang Shen’s face, full of youthful energy and confidence. After a long moment, a gentle expression appeared on her face, but the corners of her eyes were a little moist.

"I understand now. I was only uneasy because this aunt of yours feels like she’s been retired too quickly. As a grown-up, in the blink of an eye, there’s nothing left for me to teach a child."

Tao Ying had raised Yang Shen since he was four.

How was that any different from being her own son?

Yang Shen gave Tao Ying a light hug. "You’ve taught me so much, Auntie, and you still will. Besides, how can you call it being retired? You’re the one and only elder of our Yang Family."

The two of them chatted a while longer about the past—about his Uncle, about Yang Shen, and about Yang Mo and Yang Man.

After a long time, these seemingly trivial fragments of memory finally soothed the anxiety in Tao Ying’s heart.

She stood up, said goodnight, and went to rest.

Only after his aunt had returned to her room did Yang Shen let out a long sigh and pick up the book he had placed face down earlier.

Dragon: Cross-Realm Legends and Cultural Decryption