Gathering

"Halt! This lord is Xiao Ziming of the Modu Xiao Family—monster, die!"

Xiao Ziming made a dazzling entrance, sword in hand.

"Scram, I've got no time for you right now."

Jiang Yan sent Xiao Ziming flying with a slap, treating him like a roadside pest.

Not far off, Shang Xingren sighed and rubbed his forehead, the fighting spirit he'd just stoked instantly dissolving.

Jiang Yan's malicious gaze swept toward the organizers of those hunting teams.

Well, well—he'd been watching the drama all day, and it turned out he was the main event?

Jiang Yan's figure blurred, reaching a male examinee in an instant.

"B-Big bro, don't come closer."

"Heh, that's not up to you."

With a slap from Jiang Yan, the guy fell into a quality sleep.

He went after the rest.

The group scattered and ran, playing a game of cat and mouse across the dark, flat ground.

Soon, he'd knocked out over a dozen people without even grabbing their Scoreboards, then chased down the stragglers.

"Everyone, don't run—he's just one person, if we team up we can't lose!"

Bang!

Jiang Yan cut that guy down with a single strike.

Total domination. The audience scrambled out of bed to do a couple of push-ups before daring to keep watching the livestream.

He was practically a superhuman!

An hour later.

Jiang Yan sheathed his blade with satisfaction and began leisurely collecting his spoils.

Scoreboard after Scoreboard, his Points kept climbing, swelling to the point where counting was pointless.

Even if Jiang Yan did nothing now, he could still take first place in the third round with these Points.

For him, this exam was already over.

Three rounds, all first place—that had never happened in the entire history of Blue Star's College Entrance Exam.

He stretched lazily, losing any desire to harvest more Points. They meant nothing to him now.

Just then, Shang Xingren emerged from the night.

"May I ask your name?"

"Jiang Yan. What's up?"

Shang Xingren took a deep breath, battle intent flaring in his eyes again:

"I challenge you!"

"No fight."

Jiang Yan refused flatly.

"You..." Shang Xingren choked, then countered, "Why?"

Jiang Yan: "You're too weak."

Shang Xingren was struck as if by lightning.

"What about me?" Xiao Ziming, who'd been slapped flying earlier, stepped forward.

Jiang Yan glanced at him and said flatly, "You're even worse."

Xiao Ziming was struck as if by lightning.

Shang Xingren gloated.

Jiang Yan looked utterly bored.

"What about me?"

An icy voice rang out as a woman approached, spear in hand, her sharp gaze like a battle-hardened war goddess.

"And little Dao."

A warm voice—a young man in a Daoist robe stepped out from the night.

Shang Xingren of the Divine Capital Shang Family, currently ranked fourth on the Points leaderboard, Xiantian mid-stage martial artist.

Li Qingle of the Modu Li Family, currently ranked fifth, Xiantian early-stage martial artist.

Xiao Ziming of the Modu Xiao Family, currently ranked second, Xiantian mid-stage martial artist.

Zhang Daoran, disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect, currently ranked fifteenth, Xiantian mid-stage martial artist.

Linjiang City's unemployed drifter—Jiang Yan!

Li Qingle raised the tip of her spear, her cold gaze meeting Jiang Yan's directly.

"You're strong. Fight me."

Zhang Daoran stepped forward, an intangible aura of the Dao radiating from him as he smiled at Jiang Yan. "This humble one would also like to test your skill."

Li Qingle's brows furrowed in displeasure as she shot Zhang Daoran a look. "I was first."

Zhang Daoran offered her a smile, gave a slight bow, and stepped back.

"Please."

"Hey, what about me? Wasn't I first? How does it fall to some woman before me?"

Xiao Ziming jumped out.

Li Qingle said nothing, simply pointing her spear at Xiao Ziming—the meaning clear.

"Hah, cocky enough."

Xiao Ziming showed no weakness, the longsword in his hand humming in anticipation of battle.

They were actually squabbling over who got the priority to challenge Jiang Yan.

The exam reached a fever pitch, and a male and female commentator began narrating with fervor.

"Alright, now four examinees with top-ten Rankings strength have all stepped up to challenge Jiang Yan. Who will he choose?"

"As things stand, Li Qingle has the lowest cultivation realm here, but don't underestimate her—she's already displayed Spear Momentum in earlier battles!"

"That's right. Word has it Li Qingle was sent by her family to train on the Starry Sky Battlefield. Her combat experience is exceptional, and she honed Spear Momentum at a young age. She's bound to become a spear Dao master in the future!"

"That means Li Qingle's realm disadvantage can be fully offset by her unpredictable Spear Momentum. Looks like this fight will be quite the stalemate~"

Li Qingle and Xiao Ziming were at odds, the atmosphere already tense and bristling.

"Hey, why don't you all just come at me together?" Jiang Yan yawned, sounding utterly bored.

"Don't push it. I just got careless and you sent me flying. You really think you're something special?"

Xiao Ziming couldn't stand Jiang Yan's taunts. In his view, winning a fight by teaming up was meaningless—nothing but a different kind of insult.

Jiang Yan said nothing, appearing before Xiao Ziming in what was nearly a teleport.

"Alright, you're it."

Xiao Ziming sneered. "Smart choice."

Li Qingle stepped back, her face showing displeasure that Jiang Yan hadn't chosen her first.

Zhang Daoran, by contrast, was more casual, backing off a few paces to clear space for their fight.

Xiao Ziming drew his sword. This time, there was no carelessness. White spiritual energy flowed from within him, wrapping around his blade, its invisible edge bared.

"Blazing Sword Might, descend!"

Xiao Ziming's aura surged, and a towering phantom materialized behind him.

As he swung his sword, the phantom behind him swung as well, a rampaging sword strike surging forth, condensed from Xiao Ziming's unique understanding of the blade.

Jiang Yan closed in with his saber, the alloy blade wreathed in lightning as it struck toward the phantom.

Saber and sword clashed, a piercing shriek ringing out.

After just one exchange, Xiao Ziming's entire body trembled as he felt an immense force transmitted through his sword.

"Not good!"

Xiao Ziming decisively let go, his longsword shooting away, vanishing from sight.

He panted heavily, never expecting his opponent's strength to be so overwhelming.

On top of that, Xiao Ziming sensed a peculiar force coming from Jiang Yan's saber. He had a feeling that if he hadn't released the sword, his right hand would have been shattered by that mysterious power.

"Damn it. Not only is his strength far beyond mine, even his techniques are bizarre. What kind of monster is this guy?"

Xiao Ziming shook his numb hand, channeling the "qi" he had absorbed into his body after breaking through to Xiantian.

The edge grew sharper.

The phantom slashed out a sword strike from empty air.

Jiang Yan answered in kind, swinging his saber. Metal Origin surged from his body, intertwining with lightning as the Purple-Gold Lightning swept all before it.