Jiang Yan took a single step, like a meteor crashing to earth, and stomped on Zhang Daoran's chest.
"Urgh—"
Zhang Daoran let out a muffled groan. Bones cracked, and he completely reverted to his original form. Dao Ancestor Possession was forcibly shattered.
Jiang Yan stomped down again, crushing even the Dao Ancestor's last trace of divine bearing beneath his foot and utterly stripping Zhang Daoran of all strength and means.
A short dagger silently appeared behind his back.
Its tip scraped across the Saint Armor, causing no damage whatsoever.
With lightning reflexes, Jiang Yan grabbed the dagger's blade in a backhand grip and yanked Shang Xingren, who had been hiding in the void, out.
A punch struck his lower abdomen. Shang Xingren's eyes bulged as he spat out a mouthful of filthy blood.
Bang!
Jiang Yan flung him into the huge pit like he was tossing out garbage, where he lay side by side with Zhang Daoran.
Thus, Jiang Yan won a crushing victory.
In this battle, only Zhang Daoran's Spirit Summoning Art had given him even a slight surprise.
He seized their Scoreboards, and his score swelled by several hundred thousand more.
The four figures vanished from the spot one after another, clearly having been sent out of the Alternate Space. At the same time, it marked the end of their College Entrance Exam journey.
Jiang Yan shook out his hand, no longer feeling any urge to attack. No matter how hard the remaining examinees tried, none of them could possibly surpass him now.
He found a cliff, flew to its rock face, carved out a cave, and once again pretended to enter a cultivation state. In truth, his consciousness had already entered the Divine Martial Space.
Within the Combat Space.
"Trickster: Fourth Grade Inner Gang early-stage martial artist." "Talent: Miracle." "Begin challenge?"
Jiang Yan carefully examined the tall figure before him.
This fellow called Trickster wore a suit and a Top Hat. He stood tall, roughly one meter ninety, with the appearance of an elegant middle-aged man. The corners of his handlebar mustache curled slightly upward.
"This time, it's actually a person?"
The previous few times had all been powerful Fierce Beasts. This was Jiang Yan's first time seeing someone other than himself appear in the Divine Martial Space.
"A Fourth Grade martial artist, and one produced by the Divine Martial Space. He's definitely stronger than me."
Things created by the Divine Martial Space were simply stronger than those outside. The previous challenges had already made that clear.
"Whatever. It's been a long time since I died. I'll try it first."
Jiang Yan stopped overthinking it. Who cared whether he was strong or not? He would die first, out of respect.
"Challenge!"
As soon as Jiang Yan spoke, the Trickster before him suddenly moved.
He took off his Top Hat and calmly walked up to Jiang Yan.
Under Jiang Yan's curious gaze, the Trickster slipped his hand into the hat and began making rhythmic movements, as if he were feeling around for something.
Jiang Yan had come to his first challenge with a probing mindset, so he did not interrupt him.
The Trickster's expression was especially animated. He kept reaching deeper inside, his face straining as though something within was resisting him.
The hat began to tremble, and the Trickster's performance tension reached its peak.
Puff!
Suddenly, as if dragged by some enormous force, the Trickster plunged his entire body into the Top Hat.
The hat fell to the ground.
Jiang Yan stood there dumbfounded.
"This is... magic?"
Jiang Yan picked up the Top Hat from the ground and curiously peered into its opening.
It was completely empty.
"Tsk. There are always people using the name of magic to pull off sorcery."
Suddenly, a hand stretched out from inside the hat.
That hand was pale and slender. Jiang Yan was certain it belonged to the Trickster.
Its fingers danced nimbly, as lively as a tiny person. Using its index and middle fingers as legs, it climbed onto the brim with all its strength, walked up Jiang Yan's arm to his shoulder, then leaped down and grabbed the clothes on his chest.
Solo Climb!
Suddenly, a dagger appeared out of nowhere in that hand.
Pshht!
Ignoring Jiang Yan's bodily defense, the dagger stabbed straight into his heart.
Jiang Yan blinked and gave the performance a thumbs-up.
"Splendid."
The little finger-man gave a slight bow, taking its curtain call.
Jiang Yan fell to the ground, dying somewhat abruptly.
The little figure elegantly walked back to the Top Hat, then exaggeratedly dragged the Trickster out from inside.
Jiang Yan revived, curious about the Trickster's unfathomable skills. This time, he went all out, planning to face him at full strength.
Though death came in a thousand strange forms, Jiang Yan remained unswerving.
The Trickster's talent was Miracle, but did it really have to be this unreasonable?
He suddenly dragged several Semi-Trucks out of the hat and smashed them toward Jiang Yan. Who the hell could withstand that?
"Your body has suffered severe damage. The Battle Saint Armor has undergone a minor evolution."
After a whole day, Jiang Yan had experienced all kinds of deaths. Every single one had been unexpected, to the point that recalling them later would inexplicably make him want to laugh.
The seventh day.
Jiang Yan exited the Combat Space.
Outside, in the Alternate Space, the final circle had shrunk completely. There were currently around a thousand students who had yet to be eliminated.
The final circle had shrunk to the size of a residential complex. With a thousand people packed inside, they could hardly lower their heads without running into someone when they looked up.
Moreover, those who had survived until now all held terrifying amounts of points. Thus, battle inevitably erupted.
Jiang Yan could not be bothered to hunt down the examinees one by one. Once most of them had been eliminated, the points would gather on a single person anyway. All Jiang Yan needed to do was rob that person, and the competition would be over.
By noon, the sounds of battle had grown weaker and weaker. It seemed the examinees had been eliminated until only a handful remained.
That afternoon, a blood-soaked youth came looking for Jiang Yan.
Second on the points ranking: Shi Anyuan.
"You're the only one left. Once I eliminate you, I can take first place in this competition!"
Though Shi Anyuan was covered in wounds, his momentum did not weaken in the slightest. The moment he arrived, he declared that he would eliminate Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan did not waste words with him. He raised his blade and pointed it at the other man.
"Come fight."
"Haha, just what I wanted."
Shi Anyuan used no weapon at all, charging straight at Jiang Yan with nothing but his physical body.
Vast Tiger Pounce!
Bang!
Jiang Yan kicked him flying.
The exam was over.
Well, it was a little abrupt, but that was simply the truth.
Though Shi Anyuan was fairly strong, he could only sit at the same table as Xiao Ziming and the others.
The four of them could not even beat Jiang Yan together, and Shi Anyuan thought he alone could win?
After picking up the scoreboard, Jiang Yan and Shi Anyuan were sent out of the Alternate Space together.
"It's Jiang Yan! Examinee 9527, Jiang Yan, has taken first place in this College Entrance Exam. Let's congratulate him!"
The bullet comments flooded the screen.
The words "Top Scholar" filled the entire Live Stream Room.
:First place, unquestionably first place—the most prestigious first place since the College Entrance Exam began!
:One person fought four Innate Martial Artists alone and crushed every genius. Has anything like this ever happened in the history of the College Entrance Exam?
:Congratulations to Jiang Yan for winning the title of Top Scholar!
:I hereby declare that from today onward, I'm Jiang Yan's diehard fan. Fuck, he's way too damn strong.
:Someone from a small place actually crushed all the Prodigies to take first place, and tied for first in all three rounds. Just who else could pull that off?
:Don't forget, he spent the first four days sleeping and only started exerting himself at the end, yet still took first. If that isn't badass, then what is?
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