The College Entrance Exams Conclude

"Exactly. Speaking of which, Su Bai is the real genius. He came from an ordinary family and has achieved results like these. If he had resources like Wang Qiang, wouldn't he do even better?"

Some of the students were envious, some were shocked, but most were jealous.

The teachers and school leaders stood with the examiners. Old Ma, Wang Qiang's homeroom teacher, was grinning from ear to ear.

"Haha! Wang Qiang's scores have him firmly in third place across the whole school!"

"Mm, I doubt any other student will surpass him. Congratulations, Old Ma. Your year-end bonus can double this year." Wang Hai smiled faintly.

The two tactfully avoided mentioning Su Bai and Xia Xueqing, since they had already placed those two students in a category of their own.

But there was nothing to be done about that. They had taken first place in the Yang City Campus Tournament. While the other students were still struggling with basic ninjutsu, those two were already Genin with impressive combat abilities...

Just then, the loudspeakers on the field suddenly crackled to life.

"Yang City No. 4 High School, Yang Liu. Chakra Level: 6.2 cards. Three Body Technique: Pass!"

The result was announced over the school's loudspeakers. Everyone's eyes turned in unison toward the Chakra Detector at Exam Site No. 4, where a solitary student stood.

It was Yang Liu, the Ice Release ninja Su Bai had met once before.

"6.2 cards? He only had 4.5 the last time we competed." Su Bai looked toward Yang Liu. The latter spotted him in the crowd and gave him a calm nod.

As expected, I can't compare to real geniuses like him. Su Bai nodded back, weighing the difference in his mind.

Without the system, he might not even measure up to an ordinary person, let alone a genius like Yang Liu.

Though Yang Liu had plenty of resources for training, increasing his Chakra Level by more than one card in a single week was still no easy feat.

"Su Bai, he's impressive," Xia Xueqing said.

Su Bai nodded and looked at her with a smile. "What about you, Xueqing? How much have you improved these past few days?"

"Hehe, you'll find out in a moment." Xia Xueqing didn't answer directly, leaving him in suspense.

Just then...

While the students were still reeling from Yang Liu's result, another announcement rang out.

"Yang City No. 6 High School, Luqiu Man. Chakra Level: 4.9 cards. Three Body Technique: Pass!"

Another one!

The ordinary students were stunned. In previous years, having even one genius like this was remarkable. But this year, there were two?

Before they could recover, two more talented students were announced one after another. Both had Chakra Levels around five cards.

Five schools were taking their exams at Yangcheng No. 1 High School. Every other school had produced a genius worthy of a loudspeaker announcement—except Yangcheng No. 1 High School.

Strangely, none of the teachers or students from Yangcheng No. 1 High School seemed the least bit discouraged. Instead, anticipation shone in their eyes.

"Xueqing, you're up." The examiner called Xia Xueqing's name. Under everyone's watchful gaze, the girl stepped forward and placed her hand around the sphere on the Chakra Detector.

"Finally, the main event!"

"Yeah! Xia Xueqing is the little princess of the Byakugan Clan. I wonder what her Chakra Level will be."

"Definitely higher than Yang Liu's. Don't forget, Yang Liu lost to her in the campus tournament!"

"I wouldn't be so sure. A ninja's strength isn't determined by Chakra Level alone."

The students watched with wide eyes, waiting to see Xia Xueqing's result.

Her serene smile faded. Her brows knitted together as a powerful aura burst from her body!

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The numbers on the Chakra Detector's display began racing upward!

1.9... 2.6... 4.2... 6.8...

About five seconds later, the number settled at 8.3 cards. Every student's jaw dropped!

Xia Xueqing then stepped away from the machine and quickly formed hand seals.

Poof! Poof! Poof!

In just a few seconds, three clouds of white smoke appeared. She had performed the Three Body Technique with practiced ease.

The examiner stared in slight confusion, but quickly came to his senses. He picked up the microphone beside him and shouted:

"Yangcheng No. 1 High School, Xia Xueqing. Chakra Level: 8.3 cards. Three Body Technique: Pass!"

Silence.

The entire field fell quiet.

About ten seconds later, cheers erupted from all sides, everyone shouting Xia Xueqing's name!

"Holy crap! That's what you'd expect from a clan with a kekkei genkai! She's just set a new record for the college entrance exams in Yang City!"

"What was the previous record? 6.5 cards? Wasn't that more than ten years ago?"

"Right, 6.5 cards. I remember it clearly!"

"I thought it'd be impressive if Xia Xueqing beat Yang Liu by one card, but she ended up beating him by nearly two!"

"Man, we really can't compare ourselves to geniuses. The gap is just too big!"

Xia Xueqing didn't let the cheers go to her head. Smiling brightly, she returned to Su Bai and gave him a playful grin.

"So? Surprised?"

"Surprised? I'm amazed!" Su Bai smiled too. The more exceptional she was, the happier he felt.

"Your turn. Go on up. I'm looking forward to seeing your result too." Xia Xueqing brushed her hair back and gazed at him sweetly.

Su Bai took a slow breath and entered the Chakra Detector.

Chapter 48: The College Entrance Exams Conclude

Su Bai stepped inside the "Chakra Detector," wrapped his hand around the spherical Chakra Conductive Metal Device, and began channeling chakra into it.

The test was simple enough. He had no idea which Federation genius had invented this thing, but it used chakra-conductive metal to convert chakra into data and display it on a screen.

Nearby, Wang Hai, Niu Jun, and Chu Yuan all watched Su Bai even more intently than they had watched Xia Xueqing. After all, Su Bai was the product of their own education.

The principal has waited so long for this day. Consider this my way of repaying him! Su Bai's eyes narrowed. His chakra surged like a raging river, rushing toward the metal sphere!

3.5... 5.6... 8.3... 9.1...

The numbers on the screen jumped wildly. The first one already began with a 3, startling the teacher in charge of monitoring the exam!

"Holy crap, it's still going up!"

The exam proctor stared wide-eyed at the display. At last, those final three digits—unlike anything he'd seen in more than twenty years on the job—stopped changing!

9.56 cards!

The exam proctor was dumbfounded. He stood there, unable to recover for a long while.

"How much? Take a look!"

"Yeah, I'm dying to know!"

"Move aside! Let me get a look!"

The students behind him couldn't wait any longer. They abandoned the line and crowded forward.

When they saw the number on the display, their mouths fell open just like the proctor's. You could've fit a duck egg in them!

9.56 cards?

Su Bai's Chakra Level was 9.56 cards?

Was he really a student? Someone in their class?

Su Bai stepped away from the machine, walked past his stunned classmates, and came to stand before the exam proctor.

"Sir, can I begin performing the Three Body Technique?"

"Huh? Oh, of course, Su Bai!" The exam proctor found himself speaking in a completely different tone. He hurriedly gestured for Su Bai to proceed, and Su Bai immediately began forming hand seals.

Poof! Poof! Poof!

In just five or six seconds—faster even than Xia Xueqing—Su Bai completed the Three Body Technique. He stood there quietly, waiting for the exam proctor to give him his form.

The exam proctor took a deep breath, put on a solemn expression, and picked up the microphone beside him. His voice rang out clearly:

"Su Bai, Yangcheng No. 1 High School. Chakra Level: 9.56 cards. Three Body Technique: Pass!"

The announcement echoed across the entire field. Every student and teacher stopped what they were doing and turned stiffly toward Exam Site No. 2, their faces full of disbelief!

Yang Liu clenched his fists, then relaxed them. His cold expression gave way to helpless resignation.

A glint shone in Niu Jun's tiger-like eyes. He kept nodding at Su Bai, his eyes seeming to glisten with emotion!

Wang Hai was dumbfounded.

He knew Su Bai was exceptional. He knew Su Bai was his most prized student. But he hadn't known Su Bai was many times more exceptional than he'd imagined!

Now, he felt nothing but excitement.

When Xia Xueqing had just set a new record for the college entrance exams in Yang City, he'd felt proud, but not excited.

He knew that result was what Xia Xueqing was capable of achieving. It had nothing to do with Yangcheng No. 1 High School—or with him!

But Su Bai...

"Heh, haha! Well done, Su Bai!" Wang Hai burst out laughing and waved vigorously, not caring in the least about maintaining the dignity of a teacher!

According to the rules, the exam proctor only needed to announce the result once. But, as if compelled by some unseen force, he added a line of his own.

"Su Bai, the strongest student in Yang City's history! The city government will preserve this result forever—forever!"

The exam proctor's face flushed with excitement. As he handed Su Bai the form, his hands trembled slightly.

"Su Bai, keep it up. I hope Yang City will produce another Jonin in the near future!"

"Thank you, sir. I will." Su Bai nodded earnestly and took the form.

"Principal, what do you think? I told you my junior wouldn't let you down." Chu Yuan chuckled as he spoke to Niu Jun.

"You're right. He's exceptional. I'm an old man who misjudged him." Niu Jun sighed. Like Wang Hai, he had underestimated Su Bai's potential.

He had never imagined Su Bai could earn the school an unprecedented result—breaking the record for the entire city's college entrance exams!

"I doubt anyone in Yang City will ever break this record."

"They won't. At least, no one from Yangcheng No. 1 High School will." Chu Yuan agreed, his gaze shifting to Su Bai, who was standing beside Xia Xueqing.

"Principal, with a talent like his, I was thinking..."

"You want to take him to the Wasteland Zone, don't you?"

Niu Jun was shrewd with age, and Chu Yuan was his former student. One look at Chu Yuan told him what he wanted to say.

"Exactly." Chu Yuan continued, "A jade must be polished to become useful; a sheltered environment can only produce flowers. Given Su Bai's talent, we can't let it go to waste. So I've decided to take him to the Wasteland Zone for some early training. It'll be crucial for his future growth!"

"But have you considered the danger?" Niu Jun hesitated. "Even an experienced Genin like you has to be extremely careful in the Wasteland Zone. Su Bai is still only a student..."

The Wasteland Zone had another name: the Magic Beasts' paradise.

Magic Beasts were everywhere there. It was a perilous place, and countless ninjas lost their lives there every year!

In the Wasteland Zone, Genin were cannon fodder, while Chunin could barely establish a foothold. Only Jonin could come and go as freely as if they were strolling through a garden, admiring fish in a pond.

Niu Jun worried that a student with no combat experience like Su Bai might have an accident. After all, the old principal valued his talent far too much!

Unexpectedly, Chu Yuan said just one sentence, and it changed Niu Jun's mind.

"Principal... you're old. The boldness you had back then is gone." Chu Yuan spoke quietly.

Niu Jun froze, then laughed for a long while before finally stopping.

"You're right. After so many years in education, even this old blade of mine has grown dull. The world belongs to you young people now."

"Go ahead. You're right—a sheltered environment can only raise flowers. It can't produce the strong!"

Chu Yuan smiled at that, his long scarred neck twisting as he moved. He looked somewhat menacing!