The TV lit up, and almost simultaneously, four screens came to life. Geez, were these four really this in sync, all clicking video chat at the same time?

"Wang Lan, are you okay?" Jiang Xinyu was the first to speak.

"Of course, I'm okay. I'm a man with an indestructible attribute; I won't ever get hurt in this lifetime. Don't worry, I'm really fine..."

"Lanzi, how's headquarters?" Xu Xiangwen asked anxiously.

"Old Xu, you actually care about headquarters before you ask about me?"

"Bullshit. You're known as the Immortal Wolf King. The whole city could be wiped out, and you'd still be fine. Why should I worry about you? Hurry up, how's headquarters? I finally managed to get a non-permanent position; don't tell me I'm going back to being unemployed."

"You're still a student, for crying out loud. Headquarters is fine, completely unscathed. Only the lawn outside and the park used for cover were destroyed."

"Lanzi, you're famous! The strongest high school student in the history of Jiang Province! Before, you were only a big deal in Suzhou City, but now, you're the biggest deal in the whole country... You're trending number one right now!" Gong Feiyu said with a smile.

"So, is that why there are so many suspicious people downstairs, each carrying professional cameras and long lenses? I was wondering why Xiao Ai kept issuing external threat alerts early this morning. It's a good thing I stopped it, or Xiao Ai might have initiated a self-defense counter-attack protocol."

"Are you at home now? Want us to come over?"

"Let's not. The crowd at the door is like a pack of hungry wolves; you'd definitely get overwhelmed if you came. I'll make a phone call and have the local police clear them out."

"Wang Lan, have any Star Martial Academies called you?" Jiang Xinyu suddenly asked.

"Not yet. They probably know I'm expecting recruitment calls from the Four Great Star Martial Academies, right? Those calls will likely come in a couple of days. What about you?"

"I've gotten quite a few recently. Invitations from all the top Star Martial Academies, except for the big four. If they don't choose me, then I'll consider the others."

"Your performance was evident for all to see. As long as the top four aren't blind, they should recruit you. Anyway, I've got to go. Hanging up now."

"Okay!"

"Lanzi, you must go online and see for yourself. Just search your name, and you'll know how famous you've become," Gong Feiyu said with a mysterious smile before hanging up.

Xie Sisi hadn't said a word from the moment the video call connected until the very end, when she finally spoke, "I'm relieved that you're okay."

Wang Lan didn't call the Tianjian Bureau; he dialed Hu Qing directly. There was no need for the Tianjian Bureau to deal with reporters; the local police chief could handle it. By the way, isn't it time for Hu Qing to get married? I think I heard something from Jiajia when I last talked to my aunt the day before yesterday.

Back in his study, he turned on the computer and searched for "Wang Lan."

WHOOSH. A slew of website links popped up.

"The Strongest High School Student in Jiang Province History: Wang Lan's Video Compilation."

"He, a 'Study God.' Even After Trading the Pen for the Martial Path, He Remains the Most Dazzling Star."

"Wang Lan - Baidu Encyclopedia."

"The Young Legend Who Turns the Tide Against All Odds."

There were so many entries it made Wang Lan feel a little embarrassed. The top-ranked video compilation also had the most clicks. He naturally clicked on it.

It was a video link. After a second of buffering, subtitles began to roll.

"July, Year 5018. A young man arrived at a crossroads in his life.

His name is Wang Lan, a student from Class One, Second Grade, at Suzhou No.1 Middle School. He is also the celebrated 'Study God' of Suzhou City! From elementary school to the present, he has always been number one in every exam.

He was unbeatable among his peers, unbeatable in Suzhou City, even unbeatable in Jiang Province. The apex is a cold and lonely place, yet his yearning for a single defeat went unanswered; his solitude was like snow..."

He's exaggerating! I definitely never thought that way back then! Was I really that incredible? Although Wang Lan thought this, deep down... he felt quite a thrill.

A strikingly impressive aura emanated from the video, accompanying the narration and visuals. Even Wang Lan, the subject of the video, had to admit the opening was exceptionally well done.

The scene shifted to an aerial view of Suzhou City.

"Perhaps tired of his invincible loneliness, on the day he graduated from second grade, the very night summer vacation began, he awakened his Star Martial Art talent without Soul Resonance.

Since he was already unrivaled among ordinary people, why not venture into the world of Star Martial Warriors?

After his awakening, no one knew what Wang Lan experienced. But when he reappeared, he had already surpassed the initial stages of a Star Martial Warrior, becoming a Star Shine Stage warrior.

The path others walked for three, or even five years, he conquered in a single summer vacation.

In October 5018, the third season of the Suzhou City Star Martial Art Competition began.

For many in Suzhou City, that season of the Star Martial Art Competition must have left a deep impression, because it was an extraordinarily successful season. And for Wang Lan, it was his stage to shine."

What followed was a montage of a masked Wang Lan fighting splendidly in the Star Martial Art Competition. The ten-minute montage, paired with exhilarating background music, didn't feel long at all; instead, it left viewers wanting more.

The highlights concluded the moment Wang Lan defeated Chang Shuangyue with a single, decisive blow. The screen then faded to black.

"One year is too short for a Star Martial Warrior. For many people, one year doesn't bring much change. But for Wang Lan, it was an earth-shattering period.

He had no remarkable family background, no noble birth. But he possessed unbelievable talent and an incredible speed of improvement.

He, once the 'Study God' of an ordinary school district, is now a Star Martial Warrior. I can almost hear him, standing under the dazzling lights, addressing the masses:

'I'll let you all have a two-year head start. That way, defeating you will actually be a challenge.'

Two years! Wang Lan started at least two years later than all the other students of his grade, possibly even more. Yet, in just one year, he managed to create a gap that would take them ten years to bridge."

The video then flashed a warning: "High-energy content incoming!"

Suddenly, an exhilarating BGM started playing, and the video rapidly shifted scenes again. At the provincial martial arts tournament, Wang Lan's thrilling battles were shown one after another, each cool move densely packed into the video.

Never mind the impressionable teenagers getting hyped up; even Wang Lan himself felt his blood boil with excitement.

If you hadn't narrated it this way, I wouldn't have known I was this awesome...

Ultimately, Wang Lan defeated Xiao Zi and ascended to the champion's throne. The music suddenly mellowed, and the scene transitioned to the awards ceremony, with Wang Lan standing calmly on the champion's podium.

"He is the champion of Jiang Province, the champion among thirteen cities and eight thousand third-year high school students in Jiang Province. From the moment he became a Star Martial Warrior to standing at the pinnacle above all others, it had taken him merely one year.

One year may seem short to many. For Wang Lan, however, it signified the conquest of yet another summit.

Again, he must endure the cold loneliness of being at the top, the solitude of invincibility.

Life, how can it be so devoid of challenges!"

"Shit!" Wang Lan couldn't help but curse. You can't go around making me a target for everyone's jealousy like that!

But the stream of comments on the video was a chorus of praise.

"Awesome! Awesome!"

"The editor did a brilliant job! I can't find any reason to refute it."

"High-energy alert! Warning! Warning! Take your emergency heart medication now, or face the consequences!"

As Wang Lan put on the champion's medal, the screen suddenly turned black again.

"Do you think it's all over? Do you think the dust has settled?"

BOOM!

An intense explosion kicked off the next segment, and the stirring BGM surged once more. Next came scenes of Wang Lan in his phoenix form battling Wang Mingling. Regardless of the spectacle or the scale of the battle, the visual effects—the interplay of light and shadow—were simply mind-blowing.

The power Wang Lan displayed in this moment truly embodied an invincible solitude.

The soothing finale music began to play as Wang Lan stood quietly in the crater. Beneath his feet lay Wang Mingling's severely injured body.

"This is Wang Lan, known as the strongest high school student in the history of Jiang Province. From an ordinary person to the peak of his grade, it took him just one year.

Sometimes, I can't help but wonder: what heights will Wang Lan reach in the next year? In three years, what kind of legend will he become?

Our generation is fortunate to witness such a legendary figure rising, soaring to new heights!"

The video ended, but the comments below continued to flood in, at a rate of five to ten per second.

After watching, Wang Lan silently shut down his computer.

Although he had been famous before, back then he was "Wolf" wearing a mask, not the Wang Lan whose true identity was now exposed. He wasn't averse to fame, but he was a bit worried. He didn't know how it would affect his life.

Compared to the organic buzz on the internet, the analyses of Wang Lan by the major Star Martial Academies were far more rigorous.

"Principal, all assessments for Jiang Province's champion, Wang Lan, are perfect. Star Power control, combat skills, combat intelligence, and even potential—all perfect. These assessment figures are so high, not even the Five Emperors possessed such stats in their youth.

If cultivated correctly, he will undoubtedly become one of the new generation of Five Emperors. We must make every effort to recruit this student."

"Mr. Zhang, you're right. But historically, provincial champions have always been prime acquisitions for the Four Great Star Martial Academies. How can we possibly recruit him?"

"Principal, I've studied recent batches of students and found them to be increasingly confident and proud. As they gain access to more information, their choices are becoming more rational.

While the Four Great Star Martial Academies still lead by a considerable margin, their inherent arrogance is often a turn-off for prospective students. Nowadays, many students prefer to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big one.

I believe Wang Lan will feel the same way. It's true he'll be favored by the Four Great Star Martial Academies, but those academies are teeming with experts and geniuses. Even if Wang Lan is recruited, he might not receive the best resources. We are different. If we promise to dedicate all our resources to his development, we still have a fighting chance.

Furthermore, our Zezhou Star Martial Academy isn't significantly inferior to the Four Great ones. Our relationship with Wang Lan would be mutually beneficial. If we pour all our resources into cultivating him, and he becomes a new Emperor, our academy could ascend to become the fifth major. It's a win-win situation."

"You make a good point, but don't forget, in Jiang Province, there's also Jin City Star Martial Academy, which is on par with us."

"Then it all comes down to who is more determined."

The principal rested his chin in his hand, pondering for a long time before quietly nodding. "Contact Wang Lan discreetly. You can offer whatever terms you deem necessary. As long as our academy can provide it, I will approve it."

"Understood!"

「Elsewhere」

An almost identical conversation was taking place at an administrative meeting in Jin City Star Martial Academy. For Jin City Star Martial Academy, they leveraged their home-province advantage. And Jin City Star Martial Academy, also aspiring to become the fifth major academy, saw Wang Lan as their golden opportunity.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.