The College Entrance Examination Instance Trial Begins, Sea of Trees Secret Realm

[Ding! You have arrived at the outer perimeter of the Sea of Trees Secret Realm. Duration: three days.]

[Ding! Level restrictions (LV1-LV29) are in effect here. Use of items is prohibited.]

Jiang Yuan materialized from the white light, his feet touching the ground.

"Is this the secret realm for the college entrance exam?"

He looked around. In every direction stood massive trees as thick as houses and a hundred meters tall. Looking up, he saw a continuous canopy of giant trees; everything in sight was a lush green, save for the eerily black ground.

"Where on earth have I been sent?"

I don't sense any other mental fluctuations. I should be the only one in this area.

I wonder where Haozi was teleported to.

Jiang Yuan muttered to himself.

"Hiss..."

A Color-Changing Giant Python flicked its tongue as it slithered down from a giant tree, opening its blood-red maw to snap at Jiang Yuan!

Jiang Yuan didn't even turn his head, throwing a backhand punch.

"Splat!"

It sounded like a watermelon exploding.

The Color-Changing Giant Python's millstone-sized head burst apart entirely!

[Ding! You killed a Tier 1 Ferocious Beast - Color-Changing Giant Python (LV3). EXP +30.]

[Points +1.]

"Anyway, I'll just head in this direction for now."

Jiang Yuan chose a direction at random and walked forward.

The Martial Arts High School playground was deserted.

However, a massive light screen floated in mid-air, displaying the names of all the students followed by their points. The list, ranked from highest to lowest, was constantly shifting.

Jiang Yuan, 1.

Xia Qinghou, 0.

Qin Nansun, 0.

Luo Xi, 0.

Lin Qingyan, 0.

"Oh? This student named Jiang Yuan killed a ferocious beast so quickly. Not bad, not bad at all."

Principal Liu He chuckled.

The Dean of Students remarked, "He seems to be that student from the ordinary class who caused quite a stir a while back. It's said he's already a Tier 1 martial artist."

Zhang Yiming said with a hint of pride, "He is a student in our Class 3. He has a very high level of attainment in martial arts techniques."

"Nobody asked you about that."

The Vice Principal said, "Initial rankings don't mean much; we have to see how things progress."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

As they spoke, the rankings shifted again.

Lin Qingyan moved to first place with 3 points.

Xia Qinghou, Qin Nansun, and Luo Xi also gained points.

Jiang Yuan, conversely, was suddenly pushed out of the top ten.

Liu He stroked his beard and said, "I wonder if any students will be able to clear the secret realm this time?"

"The girl from Beijiang City who awakened an SS-rank talent might have a chance."

"It's a bit difficult. I heard that this secret realm was personally set up by the Minister of the Department of Education. The deeper one goes, the higher the level and difficulty of the ferocious beasts. There's even a Tier 3 mutated boss at the end..." the Vice Principal said.

"That's practically hellish difficulty," Liu He sighed.

"No choice. Ever since a freak cleared the secret realm in just two days the year before last, the Department of Education urgently adjusted the difficulty," Zhang Yiming said with a bitter smile.

"Ha... achoo!"

A blue-haired girl eating ice cream at a dessert shop couldn't help but sneeze.

The muscular Dean of Students, wearing a tight-fitting suit that strained against his bulging muscles, said, "If I recall, besides her, the last person to clear the secret realm during the college entrance exam was that big shot who awakened an SSS-rank talent thirty years ago, right?"

Liu He nodded, his expression proud. "Back in the day, I even taught him his skills and theory classes."

Zhang Yiming looked at the Vice Principal beside him. "Is the Principal talking about that person?"

The vice-principal nodded.

"That's right, it's him."

Zhang Yiming's face showed astonishment.

Although he had heard that the man had spent some time in Nanjiang City, he never imagined he had attended this Martial Arts High School.

Thinking of that existence regarded by countless people as a legend, Zhang Yiming could not help but reveal a trace of worship and reverence in his eyes.

SSS-rank talent, legendary class, reached the King Realm at thirty-six.

Now forty-seven, he was already one of the top combatants in the Great Xia, hailed as the man beneath the demigods.

One of the three gods and nine kings of the Great Xia, the North King, Bei Zhenyuan.

"It seems there hasn't been any news of him for a long time."

The vice-principal said, "He, with his blade alone, has been stationed north of the Great Xia Great Wall, suppressing the largest Abyss in the north. It's been ten years now, hasn't it..."

Liu He sighed with emotion: "Indeed, the hardships he faces are beyond our imagination. It can be said that without his sacrifice, we would not have the stable life we enjoy today."

"No news of him is a good thing for the Great Xia. If there were news, it would mean that the Abyss had encountered a major problem, and peace would be hanging by a thread."

This sentence was filled with sighs and lamentations.

"Behind peace, there are always people carrying the burden forward. I truly hope these children can understand this sooner and grow up quickly..."

Liu He said, shaking his head, "Enough of that, let's head back. The dungeon map is quite large; even if some students lack the strength, they shouldn't be eliminated this early..."

He hadn't even finished his sentence.

A flash of light erupted from the formation on the playground, and a figure appeared.

"Don't eat me, don't eat me, don't eat me..."

Chen Hao remained in a kneeling position on the ground, his face covered in tears and snot.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snatched your egg, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Liu He: "..."

Vice-principal: "..."

Dean: "..."

Zhang Yiming secretly turned his head away, pretending this wasn't a student from his class.