Ye Qingxian's heart clenched.
Although he would have been more than happy to see Zhu Ping'an die sooner, this was the College Entrance Examination. Was Zhu Ping'an really going to kill someone in front of everyone? Did he intend to take Ye Qingxian down with him?
"Zhu Ping'an, what are you doing? Have you gone mad?" Ye Qingxian shouted, his voice betraying his fear.
But Zhu Ping'an paid him no heed. His answer was Zhu Ping'an's sword!
Chuyi Sword flashed with a cold gleam, stabbing toward Ye Qingxian's eyes.
At that critical moment, the ground suddenly heaved. A gigantic Star Devouring Bug burst from beneath the earth, jaws gaping as it lunged at Zhu Ping'an.
Zhu Ping'an turned his blade and struck the Star Devouring Bug. Foul-smelling green pus gushed from its body, spraying Ye Qingxian from head to toe.
That strike thoroughly enraged the Star Devouring Bug. Ignoring Ye Qingxian, who lay on the ground, it charged at Zhu Ping'an like a mad beast.
"Nine Mountain Divine Sword, second form—One Sword Shakes Mountains!"
With Chuyi Sword's keen edge, Zhu Ping'an wielded the Nine Mountain Divine Sword and easily slew the Star Devouring Bug.
He glanced calmly at Ye Qingxian, then looked away.
He had needed to use the Immortal Devil Sword Technique to defeat Ye Qingxian this time. He had very much wanted to kill Ye Qingxian while he was at it, but clearly, the plot wouldn't allow that.
Zhu Ping'an had already realized that the plot's protection didn't just apply to him; it protected Ye Qingxian as well.
The first time, a Star Devouring Bug had appeared. There was no telling what might appear the second time.
Perhaps... once he was able to kill Ye Qingxian, he would also have a way to change his own destined death.
Because that would amount to rewriting the main plot.
Put simply, it was like the Golden Crow Emperor becoming an Emperor or a Half-Step Mortal Immortal. In essence, there was no real difference; it didn't affect the main plot. His cultivation was just a little higher. But if Ye Fan were slapped to death by the Golden Crow Emperor... the entire main plot would be thrown into chaos.
Outside the Secret Realm of Star Gazing, everyone was frozen in shock by the sudden turn of events.
"What was that move Zhu Ping'an used just now? It was terrifying! Are those really two First-Rank Warriors fighting?"
"Forget that—did any of you notice that Zhu Ping'an seemed to be trying to kill Ye Qingxian just now?"
"No way! Didn't you see the Star Devouring Bug that appeared afterward? Maybe Zhu Ping'an sensed it and was trying to save Ye Qingxian!"
"Wait! Look! Star Devouring Bugs aren't just appearing where Zhu Ping'an and the others are! It looks like they're emerging everywhere in the Secret Realm of Star Gazing!"
The retired teacher stood up and shakily pointed toward several other projections.
Only then did everyone notice that Star Devouring Bugs were erupting from the ground near Leng Tianjiao and the other top ten examinees, too. There were so many that the sight made their scalps crawl!
Since the Secret Realm of Star Gazing had been discovered, surely no one had ever imagined it contained this many Star Devouring Bugs!
"Rescue them! Shut down the Secret Realm of Star Gazing. Suspend the College Entrance Examination for now and get everyone out! I'll take responsibility for anything that happens!" Mayor Lin Zhao immediately issued his orders.
Something clearly had gone wrong inside the Secret Realm of Star Gazing. If any of the examinees came to harm, it would be an irreparable loss!
With Lin Zhao's order, the examiners immediately began trying to shut down the Secret Realm of Star Gazing so they could bring the examinees out.
The next second, every trace of color drained from the examiners' faces.
"Mayor... we can't shut down the Secret Realm of Star Gazing."
"What?! Get out of the way!"
Lin Zhao panicked. He grabbed the examiner and shoved him aside, then tried to shut down the Secret Realm of Star Gazing himself.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he realized that the Secret Realm of Star Gazing really couldn't be shut down!
At the same time, the portals that had been projecting the top ten examinees abruptly closed. That meant their connection with the examinees inside the Secret Realm of Star Gazing had been cut off!
Lin Zhao's Adam's apple bobbed. He knew this was serious.
Lin Zhao took a deep breath and made a call. He understood that this was beyond what he could handle alone. He would have to seek help from the higher-ups in the Ancient Great Xia Kingdom.
Once he reached them, Lin Zhao learned that although Star Devouring Bugs were also emerging throughout the other regions of the Secret Realm of Star Gazing in other cities, the examinees there had all safely exited. Only the region where the Green City examinees were located had been completely sealed off.
Top warriors had approached to investigate and discovered that a Star Curtain had risen over that region, shielding it completely. There was no way to get inside.
The area outside the Secret Realm of Star Gazing was in chaos, and things inside were no better. When examinees saw so many Star Devouring Bugs endlessly bursting from the ground, they instinctively sensed something was wrong and tried to leave the Secret Realm of Star Gazing.
But they discovered they couldn't leave either. Fear began to spread through the Secret Realm of Star Gazing!
"What on earth is going on?"
Zhu Ping'an had also realized something was wrong. Besides the Star Devouring Bug from earlier, even more were continuously emerging from underground.
There were so many of them that they couldn't possibly kill them all, and they could no longer leave the Secret Realm of Star Gazing.
Moreover, the Star Devouring Bugs didn't seem to be trying to kill them. Instead, they seemed to be herding them somewhere.
Zhu Ping'an had noticed that as long as they ran to the right, the Star Devouring Bugs wouldn't attack them.
Ye Qingxian noticed it too. Despite being covered in stench and wounded, he stubbornly got to his feet and followed Zhu Ping'an to the right.
The examinees in other areas were the same. The Star Devouring Bugs herded them toward one place, while those stubborn fools who insisted on fighting back all became food for the bugs.
Soon, all the surviving Green City examinees were forced to gather at a slope.
Strangely, once they reached the slope, the Star Devouring Bugs merely watched from a distance and stopped attacking. It was as if there were something on that little slope that the bugs feared deeply.
Zhu Ping'an gave the crowd a quick glance. There were roughly a hundred examinees still in the Secret Realm of Star Gazing, and every face was marked by panic and dread at the unknown upheaval.
"Zhu Ping'an."
A cool voice sounded behind him. He turned and found himself face-to-face with Leng Tianjiao's exquisite, icy features.
"Classmate Leng." Zhu Ping'an nodded to her in greeting.
"The Secret Realm of Star Gazing has always been very stable as an examination site. It hasn't experienced a single incident in over a hundred years. Do you have any idea what might have caused this Star Devouring Bug rampage?"
Leng Tianjiao's red lips parted. Her tone was calm, and the sudden upheaval had not shaken her.
"I'm not sure, but we'll probably find out soon. Star Devouring Bugs aren't very intelligent. Since they've herded us all here, something must be controlling them from behind the scenes." Zhu Ping'an shared his guess.
Leng Tianjiao looked at him, admiration in her eyes.
"I've heard a few legends about the Secret Realm of Star Gazing from my family..."
Before you continue