Lu Chong had no idea how much attention he was getting, but even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared.
So what if he lost a few points? He could always earn them back later.
But he had to deal with Zhao Longfei's troublemaking as soon as possible.
He'd realized long ago that this was an age of fierce competition. Weakness wouldn't earn him kindness.
He looked down at his score. Sure enough, he'd lost 100 points, leaving him with 772.
Even so, he was still in first place.
Xiang Yueya, in second place, had closed the gap, reaching 763 points.
As if sensing something, Lu Chong raised his head and looked around. Two figures stood on a rooftop several hundred meters away.
They were Xiang Yueya and Huang Junyan. The two of them had clearly been watching Lu Chong's fight with Zhao Longfei.
Perhaps they'd sensed Lu Chong's gaze. The two figures quickly leaped off the rooftop and disappeared.
Lu Chong didn't know whether Xiang Yueya had encouraged Zhao Longfei to target him.
But as long as Xiang Yueya didn't come looking for him, he had no intention of seeking trouble with her.
Otherwise, whether she was the school belle or a martial-arts heir, Lu Chong wouldn't go easy on her.
"Three days left. Let's keep going."
Lu Chong continued through the Stage Eight Shadow Cat's territory, tracking down his targets by scent.
He was determined to take first place in the Mock Exam. After all, there was a 300,000-yuan grand prize.
After a rapid dash, by sunset that day, Lu Chong had captured three more Positioning Devices, bringing his score to 1,156 and putting him far ahead.
When night fell, most of the students went into hiding again. Lu Chong, however, stayed where he was, more excited than ever as he waited for the Shadow Cat pack to emerge.
After an afternoon of outwitting the Stage Eight Shadow Cats, Lu Chong was confident he could handle these Exotic Beasts at night.
That night was once again Lu Chong's personal show.
He no longer used the mid-grade Martial Skill Wind Splitting Leg. Instead, with just Monument-Splitting Palm, Nine-Shadow Step, Eagle Claw Technique, and Heart-Piercing Kick, he moved freely through the Shadow Cat pack and reaped a rich harvest.
By the time the sky brightened on April 1, Lu Chong's score had reached 2,052 points.
Xiang Yueya, in second place, had only 1,078. The gap between them was growing wider and wider.
The Combat Assessment still had three days to go, but everyone in the Monitoring Hall could see that Lu Chong was unquestionably in first place.
Unless he went looking for the two Shadow Cats in the Hunting Ground that had reached Level Two, no one could surpass him.
Lu Chong didn't act recklessly. But after waking up that afternoon, he went straight into the Stage Nine Shadow Cat's territory.
Even students like Xiang Yueya and Huang Junyan, who were Stage 9 Martial Apprentices, hadn't entered this area yet.
It wasn't that they didn't dare. They were saving it as a hunting ground for the final day. That way, even if they failed and were eliminated, their total scores wouldn't be affected too much.
Lu Chong understood this kind of exam strategy very well.
After all, he'd taken all kinds of exams in his previous life. You always saved the hardest questions for last.
But after making his way here from the outermost area, Lu Chong had gained confidence. He knew the Stage Nine Shadow Cats wouldn't pose a threat to him.
He might run into some difficulties, but he wouldn't be eliminated. That was enough.
It was only a Mock Exam, after all. Gaining a little more experience would help him feel more prepared for the real College Entrance Exam.
The Stage Nine Shadow Cats' territory was smaller.
The moment Lu Chong stepped inside, a Stage Nine Shadow Cat perched on a treetop fixed its gaze on him.
Meeeow!
Faced with a human trespassing in its territory, the Shadow Cat didn't hesitate. With a sharp cry, it pounced straight down from the five-meter-high treetop.
It was incredibly fast, even faster than Lu Chong when he used Nine-Shadow Step. It left a string of afterimages in midair as it thrust its claws toward his head.
"Good!"
Rather than retreating, Lu Chong charged forward with a strike of Monument-Splitting Palm, meeting the Shadow Cat's claws head-on.
This time, Lu Chong felt a powerful tearing force travel through his palms.
But he'd trained Golden Cicada Robe to the Microscopic level. Even without actively using it, his skin and bones were already tough enough to withstand blades and spears.
So the Shadow Cat's claws failed to pierce Lu Chong's palm. Instead, its blade-sharp claws broke off.
That wasn't the end of Lu Chong's counterattack. His perfected Monument-Splitting Palm was no decoration. One strike sent the Shadow Cat flying, spinning through the air as it lost its balance.
Almost at the same time, Lu Chong used Nine-Shadow Step to close in. Just before the Shadow Cat hit the ground, he deftly took the Positioning Device from around its neck.
He followed up with a Heart-Piercing Kick, sending the dazed Shadow Cat tumbling unconscious.
"The Stage Nine Shadow Cats are faster and more agile than I am. Without Golden Cicada Robe protecting me, they wouldn't have been easy to take down."
Lu Chong didn't let success go to his head. Instead, he silently reviewed the fight.
No one else had noticed him using Golden Cicada Robe, but Lu Chong knew that if he hadn't used it to meet force with stillness, he would've been injured just then, weakening his fighting ability.
Without lingering, Lu Chong continued searching the area for signs of Shadow Cats.
That night, Lu Chong made a great haul. He not only collected four Positioning Devices but also gained plenty of real combat experience.
Fighting Exotic Beasts at this level was what truly put pressure on him and helped him improve quickly.
If the Stage Nine Shadow Cats hadn't been so fast, and several of them hadn't fled as soon as they sensed danger, he could've added even more points to his score.
By dawn on the 2nd, Lu Chong's score had reached 3,076 points, shocking who knew how many teachers and students.
On the final day of the assessment, the 3rd, a group of Stage Eight and Stage Nine students, including Xiang Yueya and Huang Junyan, finally reached the Stage Nine Shadow Cats' territory.
But they found either Shadow Cats that fled in terror or prey whose Positioning Devices had already been taken.
Lu Chong had already swept through the Stage Nine territory several times.
As for the territory of the Level Two Shadow Cats farther in, Lu Chong ultimately chose not to enter.
It wasn't because he was afraid. There was no need. He'd already secured his place at the top of the rankings.
Besides, if he fought Shadow Cats that rivaled human Martial Artists, he would inevitably have to reveal all his strength, including his Microscopic-level Golden Cicada Robe.
That wouldn't help him with the College Entrance Exam that was coming up.
The Mock Combat Assessment came to an end, and all the examinees' scores were locked in.
First place: Lu Chong, 4,100 points
Second place: Xiang Yueya, 1,850 points
Third place: Xue Cheng, 1,638 points
Fourth place: Huang Junyan, 1,569 points
As for Zhao Longfei, who'd been eliminated on the second day, he ended up with a pitiful 424 points.
Lu Chong was, of course, the undisputed top scorer and the citywide champion of this Mock Exam.
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