Second Mock Exam

The Second Mock Exam was a joint examination taken by the Star Lord Class students from the ten high schools in Xiushe City. It was held in a demon cave and tested their combat skills against the Void Demon Race.

The reason was that, among the Star Alliance's Star Lord students, the most important part of the college entrance exam was combat against the Void Demon Race.

The Second Mock Exam in Xiushe City did its best to recreate the conditions of the college entrance exam.

Of course, a single city could only recreate so much. Still, it could at least let the Star Lord students from the ten high schools experience the atmosphere of the college entrance exam.

Liang Ji and the other students had already learned about the Void Demon Race and demon caves in their regular classes.

The Void Demon Race roamed the stars of the universe. The lower ranks fed on starlight, while the higher ranks devoured entire stars. They were the greatest enemies of Star Lord cultivators who refined their Natal Stars to cultivate.

Demon caves were places where the Void Demon Race gathered, usually within the domain of a black hole.

It was said that every star domain in the Star Alliance contained a black hole. These were the Void Demon Race's lairs and strongholds in their respective star domains.

As for the nature and origin of black holes, the school had not taught them. But the Star Net was full of conjectures about them. One theory held that black holes were remnants left behind after ninth-rank Heavenly Demons ascended.

Much like the Main Stars left behind when First-Rank Celestials ascended in the Star Alliance.

The basis for this theory was that black holes were constantly swallowing stars, which fit the nature of the Void Demon Race. What's more, every black hole in the universe was a lair and stronghold of the Void Demon Race, further suggesting a connection between black holes and the race.

Of course, this was only one theory, and many disagreed. They argued that the Void Demon Race gathered in "black hole domains" simply because black holes trapped large numbers of stars within them, making them ideal places for the race to reproduce and grow. That was why so many Void Demons congregated in black hole domains, forming demon caves and nests.

But that alone was no reason to conclude that black holes had been left behind by ninth-rank Heavenly Demons after their ascension.

Regardless, it was a fact that every star domain in the Star Alliance had a black hole, with large numbers of stars trapped inside and turned into demon caves.

Many Star Lords across the Star Alliance's Main Stars and star domains also had a duty to clear out demon caves and guard black holes.

Of course, the demon cores and materials harvested from the Void Demon Race were also the most valuable treasures to Star Lords—and even necessities for nurturing and advancing their Natal Stars. So clearing demon caves was not only a duty, but also a business and an essential part of a Star Lord's cultivation.

For Star Lord cultivators, then, fighting the Void Demon Race would occupy a major part of their lives and cultivation.

A major part of the college entrance exam—and of the training and studies that followed at academies and Star Palaces—was combat against the Void Demon Race.

In the Star Lord Class at Xiushe City Second High School, the Second Mock Exam was about to begin. Liang Ji was checking the data displayed on the Starlight Treasure Mirror.

Star Lord: Liang Ji.

Cultivation: Nine-Rank Body Refining (Bone-and-Tendon Refining: 80%).

Natal Star: Dragon Soul Star.

Star diameter: 3,650 kilometers.

Star composition: Earth (45%), metal (9%), water (25%), wood (10%), fire (6%), air (5%).

Spirit Vein: First Rank (12%).

Vassals: Half-Dragonfolk.

Dao Fruit: 0.29%.

Vassals: Half-Dragonfolk.

Rank: First Rank.

Population: 91,068 (First Rank: 25,133; Zero Rank: 65,935)

Religion: Heavenly Emperor Faith (Priest: Xi).

Politics: Small Tribe (Villages * 2) (Chief: King).

Economy: Farming, Animal Husbandry (Leader: Farmer).

Military: Hunting Team (Commander: Chi).

Skills: Snake Barbarian Scripture (Hegemonic Body), Mountain Splitting Axe, Flying Snake Spear, Bedrock Shield, Rune Master, Alchemist.

These figures clearly showed the growth and progress of his Natal Star, Vassals, and Dao Fruit over the past twenty-odd days.

The star's diameter had increased, the Dao Fruit had grown, and the Vassal population had surged.

Even Liang Ji's own body-refining cultivation had sped up. The major improvement to his Natal Star had brought a sharp rise in Star Power, boosting his cultivation speed. His Bone-and-Tendon Refining had now reached 80%, far surpassing last month's progress.

At that moment, ten thousand Half-Dragonfolk Vassals on Liang Ji's Natal Star were equipped with rune-forged weapons and armor, and supplied with pills. Fully prepared, they waited for the Star Gate to open so they could head to the Second Mock Exam.

This time, there was no limit on the number of Vassals a Star Lord student could send to take part in the exam. During the examination, they could also send reinforcements from their Natal Stars according to how the battle was going.

The exam was entirely based on actual combat.

A Star Lord student could send every last Vassal from their Natal Star into the battle. That was perfectly acceptable.

The decision was entirely up to each student, and they alone would bear the consequences.

The teachers, school, and Education Bureau would not interfere. They would only observe, then score the students and their Vassals based on their performance in the exam, write evaluations, and add them to their files as reference material for admissions to academies and Star Palaces after the college entrance exam.

There was no doubt that this would widen the gap in exam results between ordinary Star Lord students and those from wealthy families.

After all, the number of Vassals was one of the wealthy students' major advantages.

Liang Ji had refined only twelve first-rank Demon Cores into his Natal Star so far, yet he had already raised nearly a hundred thousand Vassals, more than twenty thousand of them first-rank.

One could imagine how many Vassals the Star Lord students who never lacked Spirit Stones, and could refine more Demon Cores to maximize their star's size, Spirit Vein, and resources, had raised.

Liang Ji would not be surprised if some students could send a hundred thousand first-rank Vassals into battle in an exam like this.

The only limits on them were likely the time required for their Natal Stars to refine Demon Cores and upgrade their Spirit Veins, as well as the upper limit of their Natal Stars.

By contrast, ordinary Star Lord students might have refined only three or four Demon Cores into their Natal Stars so far. Their stars could nurture only thirty or forty thousand Vassals in total. Even if they sent every one of them out, they still could not match the number of first-rank Vassal warriors fielded by wealthy students.

Such a difference in numbers would naturally lead to a huge gap in the number of Void Demons slain during the Second Mock Exam, and an equally huge gap in their battle records.

However, the number of demons slain and the battle record were only part of the exam. The scores and evaluations from the observing school teachers and the City Education Bureau were also part of it.

Outstanding Star Lord students, whether rich or ordinary, would stand out and earn a place at the right academy or Star Palace to study and cultivate.

Wealthy Star Lord students had their own methods of cultivation, and ordinary Star Lord students had standard ones.

After countless years of development, the Star Alliance had long since gained ample experience in cultivating Star Lords.

Soon, the exam began, and the Star Gate opened on Dragon Soul Star.

Amid the priest's blessing and their people's cheers, the ten thousand Half-Dragonfolk warriors who had spent so long preparing entered the Star Gate and set out on another campaign.

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