Chapter 8 – Star Taker (2/2)

The field was filled with compliments and claps. Everyone continuously cheered the youngster on. Using rhythmed shouts, they wanted to help him lift his feet.

Chen Chang Sheng walked forward one step. Just a single step and his knees shook a bit.

It was one matter to lift the plate but moving the heavy plate and walking up the stairs was another matter.

His breathing patterns became disorderly and his face got redder and redder.

He didn’t make any sound, but from his bumped cheeks it’s clear that he was biting his jaw and struggling.

He took one step after another up the stone stairs, slowly walking up.

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It was certain that Chen Chang Sheng hadn’t reached the Purification stage yet. The strength of his muscle and bones should only be that of an average teenager. Furthermore, since he was constantly ill when he was a child, he should have been weaker than a normal teenager. But because he was sick and it was a sickness that hard to treat, the people in the broken temple outside of Xi Ning Village cared deeply for Chen Chang Sheng’s body.

When he began to memorize the Three Thousand Scriptures of The Way when he was young, Chen Chang Sheng’s master found countless herbs to make medical soup out of them and allowed Chen Chang Sheng to bathe in them. Senior Yu Ren used wood sticks and thorns to help enhance his endurance by beating him. For more than a decade, the people he was most familiar with were the three people in the temple. The most familiar taste for him was the taste of book, medicine, and sticks.

His sickness wasn’t cured by the consumption of medicine and beatings, and it was impossible for him to obtain the enormous strength of the Yao youngster. But the supposedly weak body of his was now stronger than an average man. Although it’s just healthy and power on the surface, Chen Chang Sheng was still very happy about it.

A youngster who was sick when he was a child and surrounded by the dark shadow of his illness cared deeply about his body and the details of it more than anyone else. Therefore today at Star Taker Academy, he silently walked toward the stone plate and only wanted to use his strength to pass his exam.

He wanted to lift that heavy stone plate to prove himself, and also to thank his master and senior.

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One step, two steps, three steps, four steps…

Chen Chang Sheng breathed harder and harder. His face got darker and darker as he advanced. His tied up black hair was full of sweat, but his eyes were still calm and steady.

The cheering and shouting from the crowd had already stopped. Everyone looked at the struggling youngster walk up the stairs. They were worried about the youngster and felt respect for him at the same time. There were a few times that the youngster was about to fall, but he held his place with a mysterious strength in his body!

The instructor, at the end of the stone stairs, looked at Chen Chang Sheng with nothing but admiration and praise in his eyes.

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Seven steps, eight steps, nine steps…

Chen Chang Sheng’s steps got slower and slower.

The praise in the instructor’s eyes grew stronger and stronger. He was surprised by the performance of this youngster – as a soldier. What he cared about the most was Chen Chang Sheng’s perseverance and bravery. He has already decided that even if Chen Chang Sheng didn’t move the stone plate up the stairs, he would still let him pass the first exam. As for the problem of the honor and reputation of the academy and Zhou military……

The instructor looked at the nervous crowd and felt relieved. It seemed that most of the participants would side with him.

Children who were trying earnestly should be praised and respected.

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Thinking about this, the instructor’s mind went blank. He didn’t look at the stairs for a while until his mind came back. When it did, he noticed the change in the crowd’s expression.

He turned around and there was another person standing beside him.

It was the youngster who was tired and covered in sweat.

The instructor was relieved. He extended his arm and patted the youngster’s shoulder.

Chen Chang Sheng had walked to the top of the stairs.

The heavy plate was on the floor next to him.

He succeeded.