For some reason, Zhu Ping'an suddenly felt that the Starry Sky Ancient Saint in front of him was a little unreliable.
But before he could react, the Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Technique inheritance had already begun. The stars overhead turned into beams of light, shooting straight through Zhu Ping'an like sharp arrows.
Zhu Ping'an gritted his teeth, ready to endure tremendous pain, but when the starlight entered his body, he found that it didn't hurt at all. Instead, it felt warm and pleasant.
"Huh?"
Zhu Ping'an raised his hand in surprise. Arcs of starlight danced merrily across his fingertips. He could clearly feel that he was already able to control Star Force.
"Senior, didn't you say the Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Technique was incredibly difficult? Why does it feel like I've already learned the basics?"
"Because you already overcame the hardest part on your own." The Starry Sky Ancient Saint gave Zhu Ping'an a strange look.
Back then, he'd made every possible preparation and used the Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Technique to draw Star Force into his body. The pain had nearly killed him; he'd almost dropped dead on the spot. But this kid had nerves of steel. Without knowing a single technique, he'd swallowed Star Light whole—and somehow survived.
Zhu Ping'an tried circulating the Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Technique. The Star Force dormant within him roared awake like a mighty dragon, surging through him and sending his blood and vital energy rushing along with it.
At the same time, he could clearly sense that the stars overhead were all connected to him. Streams of Star Force poured into his body without pause. At a mere thought, he could call upon every star in the heavens.
"This secret realm was created by me. I refined the stars above, and now that you've mastered the Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Technique, you should know how to deal with that monster." The Starry Sky Ancient Saint smiled.
"Thank you, Senior! There's one more thing I'd like to ask." Seeing the Starry Sky Ancient Saint's already faint soul grow even more insubstantial, Zhu Ping'an hurriedly pressed him.
"Go ahead." The Starry Sky Ancient Saint nodded.
"That monster... is it a Mutant Beast? Or a demon?" Zhu Ping'an couldn't help asking what had been troubling him.
The Starry Sky Ancient Saint fell silent for a while, then sighed.
"He's human. A human who... strayed down the wrong path. Too much time has passed. He's completely lost himself. Give him release, please. I'm counting on you."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Starry Sky Ancient Saint's soul began to slowly dissipate. He had been nothing more than a remnant soul, and passing on the Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Technique to Zhu Ping'an had exhausted the last of his energy.
"Farewell, Senior!" Zhu Ping'an bowed deeply.
"All right, go save the girl you love. Ha ha, what an interesting young man."
Amid his laughter, the Starry Sky Ancient Saint vanished completely, and the dimensional space disappeared with him.
It had seemed as though only a single breath had passed, but Zhu Ping'an had spent a long time in the dimensional space.
The Humanoid Creature vaguely sensed that something about Zhu Ping'an had changed, but couldn't tell what.
"Tell me! What is your connection to the Starry Sky Ancient Saint? I'm almost out of patience!"
He impatiently prodded for an answer, his sharp claw pressing into Yan Shubing's tender cheek. A bead of bright blood welled up.
"Ping'an Ge! Save me! Don't you want Bingbing anymore?"
Yan Shubing screamed, squeezing her sphincter with all her might to keep from pissing herself in terror.
Zhu Ping'an's expression changed. He shouted furiously.
"Let her go! Otherwise, I'll make you regret ever being born! You dared harm someone precious to me. You deserve to die!"
He wasn't planning to step in just yet. He wanted to see what the plot would arrange to save the heroine, Yan Shubing, if he held back.
"Oh? You'll make me regret ever being born? You think you can kill me? Ha↓ha↓ha↓ha↓ha↑!"
The Humanoid Creature laughed wildly.
"I come from the ancient past, ten thousand years ago. At my peak, a wretch like you would have been crushed to death by my pressure just by coming near me, and you dare spout such nonsense?"
Zhu Ping'an answered by drawing his sword.
"Bingbing, don't worry! I won't let him hurt a single hair on your head!"
Yan Shubing's breath caught. She was so furious she nearly passed out. If the Humanoid Creature weren't holding her, leaving her unable to move, she would have wanted to kneel and beg Zhu Ping'an to stop boasting. If he kept it up, she really would die.
Just then, a rousing dragon's cry rang out nearby!
Ye Qingxian clutched the Breaking Dragon Spear, seemingly entering a strange state.
"Damn it! This got out of hand!"
Zhu Ping'an's face darkened. He hadn't expected that if he held back, the opportunity would fall into Ye Qingxian's lap. How could he stand for that?
"Everyone, get back! I've figured out how to defeat this monster, but the attack will cover a wide area. I, Zhu Ping'an, can't risk hurting innocent people, so all of you stay back! Leave this monster to me!"
Zhu Ping'an declared righteously. The examinees around him weren't fools, and they quickly put some distance between themselves and the fight.
Zhu Ping'an circulated the Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Technique and began to draw upon the countless stars above.
The Starry Sky Ancient Saint had refined these stars. Now, they felt a power of the same origin as his, and they were easily stirred into motion, turning into brilliant meteors that fell from the heavens.
By coincidence—or some twist of fate—one meteor happened to fall toward Ye Qingxian. He was in the middle of a strange state, comprehending something, and never expected a meteor to come crashing down on his head. It sent him flying.
"Pfft!"
Ye Qingxian spat out a mouthful of blood, his face twisting with rage.
"Zhu Ping'an!!!"
Ye Qingxian's chest heaved. Zhu Ping'an had interrupted his Epiphany during the last mock exam, and now he'd ruined his opportunity in the College Entrance Examination. He wanted nothing more than to kill Zhu Ping'an on the spot!
"Oh dear! Ye, how could you be so careless? Didn't I just tell you to stay back? Why didn't you listen?"
Zhu Ping'an hurriedly explained, as if he'd accidentally hit Ye Qingxian.
Ye Qingxian was already injured. Seeing Zhu Ping'an's shameless face, he panted like a bull, his eyes bloodshot. In the end, he was so furious that he fainted.
When the Humanoid Creature saw the meteors filling the sky, terror spread across his face.
"No! Impossible! The Starry Sky Ancient Saint is dead and buried! I saw him take his last breath with my own eyes! How can anyone else control the Star Force here? This can't be!"
Rumble!
A terrifying meteor came hurtling down in reply, slamming into the ground and leaving a crater around them.
This place was his prison, and the meteor struck him with tremendous force, shattering the black armor-like scales covering his body.
The Humanoid Creature no longer had time to worry about Yan Shubing. She was knocked off her feet and rolled several times before finally managing to get up.
She was covered in dust and looked utterly disheveled, no longer the picture of elegance she'd been before.
"Ping'an Ge..."
She had barely begun speaking when another meteor, with incredible timing, struck the ground right beside her and sent her tumbling across it several more times.
Zhu Ping'an's lips quirked up. He'd figured out the rules: as long as he didn't want Ye Qingxian or Yan Shubing dead, he wouldn't violate the plot's taboos.
"Bingbing, come over here! It's too dangerous over there!"
Zhu Ping'an looked frantic, but in secret, he kept steering meteors to crash beside Yan Shubing. He controlled the force perfectly each time, leaving her battered and bruised without dealing a fatal blow.
He'd wanted to mess with Yan Shubing, that little green tea, for ages. He'd just never found the chance.
A closer look would show that more meteors had struck beside Yan Shubing than had hit the Humanoid Creature.
"Bingbing! It breaks my heart to see you like this! Come behind me so I can protect you!"
"Oh dear, Bingbing, how could you be so careless? Hurry over here!"
"Bingbing, are you all right? Your hair's been singed!"
"Bingbing, your panties flew off!"
Before you continue