Jiang Yan flew through the air, and from high above, he quickly figured out the city's convoluted and complicated routes.
"Now, I only need nine more Marked Items before I can leave."
Jiang Yan's flight ability was downright monstrous. In just a few minutes, he had solved the problem of the evacuation route, making the exam's original three-day time limit seem utterly ridiculous.
Before long, he found another Marked Item—a backpack with the conspicuous character "Martial" engraved on it.
But the backpack was not so easy to take. It hung beneath a dead tree, and under that tree lay a python four or five meters long.
The python was pitch-black from head to tail, as thick around as a bucket, its dark green vertical pupils glimmering with a crimson hue.
A late Second-Order Fierce Beast, a Black Blood Python.
Jiang Yan did not hesitate. He gripped his alloy blade tightly, specks of lightning flickering across its surface.
Having reached proficiency in the Abyssal Thunder Annihilation Slash, he could coat his blade in lightning, greatly increasing its power.
While the Black Blood Python was still dozing, Jiang Yan slashed down at its vital point.
The blade entered flesh without the slightest resistance. Jiang Yan's strike was crisp and decisive, practically flawless; not even a drop of blood stained the gleaming blade.
He took the backpack from the branch and slung it over his back.
"Perfect. I can use it to carry the remaining Marked Items."
Jiang Yan leaped back into the air.
Outside, people began speculating about Jiang Yan's next move.
Some believed Jiang Yan should play it safe. Once he got another two or three Marked Items, he could evacuate. After all, the city was like a maze, and finding the exit would take plenty of time.
Others believed Jiang Yan would gather all ten Marked Items, leave the city at the fastest possible speed, and seize first place.
Jiang Yan's own thoughts clearly leaned toward the latter.
Sure enough, he soon came across another examinee who had obtained a Marked Item.
Without another word, Jiang Yan robbed him outright.
This was a race against time. Any pointless chatter would only slow him down.
"What you're doing is wrong!"
"What do I care whether it's right or wrong?"
Another Marked Item was added to his haul. Jiang Yan had now completed 30% of the task, and less than thirty minutes had passed.
Meanwhile, the examinees on the same map as Jiang Yan were doing exactly the same thing.
He Xiao, a Prodigy from Modu, possessed the S-rank Talent Blazing Wildfire and stood at the Second-Order Perfection Realm. He was fairly well-known online, famed for killing enemies above his level. Even against Third-Tier Innate Martial Artists, he had never fallen behind.
Although his talent was powerful and he could have long since drawn in qi to break through to Xiantian, the world of geniuses was different from that of ordinary people.
People like him pursued perfection in every step. They demanded that they temper their physiques to the utmost limit during the Postnatal Martial Artists stage, then seek out the most powerful "qi" to absorb into their bodies.
That was why many geniuses possessed the ability to kill enemies above their level. No one dared to underestimate their realms.
He Xiao snatched away a Marked Item another examinee had just obtained, then ruthlessly stomped the man beneath his foot.
"Your things belong to me now."
"That's mine! Give it back!"
He Xiao's eyes narrowed, and he kicked the man in the abdomen.
The man's eyes bulged as he vomited a mouthful of sour liquid.
"You should be grateful this is an exam venue."
He Xiao turned and left, unwilling to waste time on such trash.
The comments in He Xiao's Live Stream Room erupted in applause over his domineering move, while negative remarks were buried, just as they had been in Jiang Yan's Live Stream Room.
: Handsome! This is exactly how it should be done.
: Go find Jiang Yan! He's on the same map as He Xiao and already has three Marked Items. If He Xiao robs Jiang Yan, first place will practically be decided.
: What? That first-place guy already got three Marked Items? I thought he was just lucky. Looks like he really does have some skill.
: Of course our He Xiao is the strongest. He's someone who doesn't even fear Third-Tier Innate Martial Artists.
: Jiang Yan is at the center of the map, and He Xiao is heading toward him!
The comments on Jiang Yan's side also began to boil over.
: That S-rank genius from Modu is coming! Jiang Yan, run!
: What's there to fear? Jiang Yan has an SS-rank talent. Shouldn't that Modu guy be the one running?
: The person above has no idea what they're talking about. Modu kids naturally receive the best cultivation resources. Jiang Yan's talent only awakened recently; how could he possibly be his opponent?
: Everyone, I went next door to take a look. People in the comments say He Xiao can fight third-rank martial artists across a realm!
: Hiss... then it's really hard to say whether Jiang Yan can beat him.
The citizens of Linjiang City began worrying for Jiang Yan.
That was only natural. Though Linjiang City was not large, an S-rank genius or two would appear from time to time. Yet during the College Entrance Exam, those geniuses often failed to make as much of a splash as the Prodigies from major cities. This had given the citizens of Linjiang City and similar cities a common belief.
Martial artists from small cities simply could not beat martial artists from big cities. What was more, that was Modu—the holy land of martial arts countless examinees yearned for!
Could anyone who came out of Modu be ordinary?
They hoped Jiang Yan could avoid He Xiao. At the very least, before earning enough points, he should not clash head-on with a genius from the two great capitals.
But reality often refused to go as people wished.
At last, the two met!
He Xiao spotted Jiang Yan crossing the sky.
Unlike everyone else, he was not shocked. Instead, he shot him a sidelong grin. "A flight-type talent? Watch me shoot you down."
He Xiao picked up a boulder the size of a human head, weighed it in his hand, then hurled it fiercely.
The stone let out a roar that seemed to tear through the air as it streaked in a straight line toward Jiang Yan's predicted flight path.
Its speed, force, and accuracy were all controlled to perfection.
Yet an unexpected turn appeared.
Jiang Yan's body twisted through an uncanny angle in midair, deftly evading the strike aimed straight at his vital point.
Jiang Yan turned around, and their gazes met. He Xiao raised a middle finger at him in disdain, his provocation blatant.
He was not acting mindlessly. He wanted to provoke Jiang Yan into coming down.
Jiang Yan was not angered by him. He simply felt that this person should have plenty of Marked Items.
So, he flew down.
"Don't!" A wave of wailing erupted in Jiang Yan's Live Stream Room.
He Xiao sneered. "Heh heh, idiot. You fell for it that easily."
He Xiao's talent was related to arson, but while Jiang Yan was in the sky, He Xiao could do nothing to him.
Now things were perfect. The prey had taken the bait, and it was time for the hunter to step onto the stage.
Neither of them spoke. Their eyes held nothing but a thirst for points.
The battle began without a single word exchanged.
Whoosh!
He Xiao tossed his clothes aside, and his entire body ignited in an instant. The Live Stream Room comments thoughtfully censored his private parts.
"Ahhh, hubby's so big... no, I mean so handsome!"
The comments reached another climax.
He Xiao, the number one borderline streamer in the exam venue.
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