Moreover, there was absolutely no need to grade it—Andrew Reed could see clearly that every answer on the test paper was correct, even more precise than the standard answers. Still a perfect score, a terrifying full mark.

Andrew Reed truly couldn’t believe it. What on earth had Henry Clark experienced in the past four years? Perhaps he had spent all four years solely studying basic martial arts theory? Was it all just to amaze everyone at this very moment?

If it was really as he said, that he had only studied for four days? Then...

Impossible, absolutely impossible, not a chance even in death!

“Tomorrow morning, join the first-year students for the first lesson of basic martial arts—muscle cleansing,” Andrew Reed said. “I don’t have extra time to give you private tutoring. If you’re not afraid of embarrassment, then come to my class.”

This was equivalent to a senior high school student returning to an elementary school classroom—utterly humiliating. But Henry Clark wouldn’t care about such things.

“Alright, I’ll definitely be there,” Henry Clark replied, then returned to his dormitory to sleep.

……

The first lesson of basic martial arts: muscle cleansing and strength training.

As the name suggests, it is about tempering all the tendons, muscles, and bones of the body to become tough, with great flexibility and resistance to blows, building a physical foundation to handle the intense martial arts training to come.

After a dreamless night, early the next morning, Henry Clark appeared in the large classroom of first-year Class A, fifty pairs of astonished eyes looking at him.

Next, he would learn the muscle cleansing course together with these new students.

……

Chapter 11: Rising to Fame, Godfather’s Expectations

This year, the Eunuch Academy had a total of five new student classes, about two hundred and sixty people. Andrew Reed was in charge of Class A, with fifty students in total, each around thirteen or fourteen years old. Every student had to first undergo enlightenment and pass the entrance exam before entering the Eunuch Academy.

After all, Henry Clark was already eighteen years old, and the Eunuch Academy had strict hierarchies, so every young student looked timidly at Henry Clark, not knowing why he was in their class—after all, he was a senior student.

Andrew Reed walked in and immediately saw Henry Clark.

“The person in front of you is called Henry Clark, and he’ll be graduating in half a year. But perhaps he’s been sleepwalking for the past four and a half years, and now wants to make a comeback, so he’s here to learn the first lesson of basic martial arts with all of you. That’s right, a senior about to graduate has returned to the first-year classroom—this is probably a first in the Eunuch Academy,” Andrew Reed said coldly. “You can pretend he doesn’t exist, or you can treat him as an example of failure and disgrace. If you don’t work hard every day in the future, you’ll end up like him—a failure who, after graduation, can only do menial chores like cleaning up after others.”

As soon as he finished, the whole room erupted in laughter. These thirteen- and fourteen-year-old boys looked at Henry Clark with undisguised contempt and ridicule. The Eunuch Academy was just that realistic and blunt.

“If I ever became such a loser, I’d never have the face to come here. His skin must be thicker than a wall.”

“Henry Clark, I think I’ve heard of him—he’s known as the disgrace of the Eunuch Academy.”

“I heard he risked his life to shield the headmaster from an arrow. Sounds pretty impressive.”

“Just a fluke. If he had any real ability, the headmaster wouldn’t even notice him. He’s a loser wherever he goes.”

These first-year students didn’t hold back their sharp tongues; every word was biting and harsh.

Andrew Reed didn’t stop them. He walked straight up to Henry Clark and said, “You spent four and a half years studying basic martial arts theory, trying to amaze everyone. Yesterday, you did surprise me. But without practical experience, theory is worthless. In martial arts, what matters most is a solid foundation. I don’t care if there’s one more person in my class, but you absolutely must not affect the others. I don’t want one bad apple spoiling the whole barrel.”

Henry Clark was a bit surprised. After yesterday’s theory exam, Andrew Reed’s attitude toward him had changed. But today, he was back to being harsh and cold—who knew why?

Then Andrew Reed began the lesson.

“The first lesson of ‘Muscle Cleansing and Strength Training’ is the horse stance, to train the toughness and stability of your tendons. When you can hold the stance for a quarter of an hour without moving, you’ll have completed it and can move on to the second lesson—strength training,” Andrew Reed said. “For this horse stance lesson, I’m only giving you half a month.”

Truly basic martial arts—starting from the horse stance and progressing step by step.

Next, Andrew Reed demonstrated the most perfect horse stance: both arms stretched straight out at a ninety-degree angle to his body. Lower body squatting, hips suspended, calves and thighs forming a perfect right angle.

He held this position, completely motionless, like an ancient pine.

Then, several menial workers placed bowls filled with water on Andrew Reed’s wrists and thighs. Still, he didn’t move at all—not only did the water not spill, but there wasn’t even the slightest ripple on the surface.

All the students in the room were amazed, their eyes filled with awe and even admiration.

“When you take the test, you don’t need to be as motionless as I am. The bowls on your wrists and thighs will only be half full. As long as the water doesn’t spill, you pass,” Andrew Reed explained as he demonstrated. During this, the water in the two bowls on his wrists showed the slightest ripple, almost invisible to the naked eye.