[ Ding! You have arrived at the outer area of the Sea of Trees Secret Realm Instance Dungeon. Duration: three days ] [ Ding! Level restriction in effect (Lv. 1–Lv. 29). Items cannot be used. ]
Jiang Yuan emerged from the white light, his feet touching the ground.
"Is this the secret realm dungeon for the college entrance exam?"
He looked around. In every direction stood towering trees as thick as houses and a hundred meters tall. Above him, their canopies stretched endlessly, filling his view with green. Only the ground was an eerie black.
"Where the hell have they sent me?"
"I can't sense anyone else's mental energy. I'm probably the only one in this area."
"I wonder where Haozi was sent."
Jiang Yuan muttered to himself.
"Hiss..."
A Color-Changing Giant Python flicked its tongue and slithered down from a giant tree. It opened its enormous jaws and lunged at Jiang Yuan!
Without even turning around, Jiang Yuan threw a punch behind him.
Smack!
Its head burst like a watermelon.
The Color-Changing Giant Python's head, as big as a millstone, exploded!
[ Ding! You killed a Tier-One vicious beast—Color-Changing Giant Python (Lv. 3). Experience +30 ] [ Points +1 ]
"Anyway, I'll just head this way first."
Jiang Yuan chose a direction at random and set off.
The Martial Arts High School's sports field was empty.
Yet a huge screen of light hovered in midair, displaying every student's name and their points. The students were ranked from highest to lowest score, and the rankings kept changing.
Jiang Yuan, 1.
Xia Qinghou, 0.
Qin Nansun, 0.
Luo Xi, 0.
Lin Qingyan, 0.
"Oh? This student named Jiang Yuan killed a vicious beast so quickly. Not bad, not bad."
Principal Liu He said with a chuckle.
The dean of studies said, "He seems to be that ordinary-class student who caused such a stir a while ago. I hear he's already a Tier-One Martial Artist."
Zhang Yiming sounded a little proud. "He's in Class Three. He's very accomplished in martial arts."
"I wasn't asking you."
The vice principal said, "The initial rankings don't mean much. We'll have to see what happens next."
Everyone nodded.
As they spoke, the rankings changed again.
Lin Qingyan rose to first place with 3 points.
Xia Qinghou, Qin Nansun, and Luo Xi had all earned points as well.
Jiang Yuan, meanwhile, was suddenly pushed out of the top ten.
Liu He stroked his beard. "I wonder if any students will clear the dungeon this time."
"That girl in Beijiang City who awakened an SS-rank talent might have a chance."
"It'll be difficult. I heard this dungeon was personally designed by the Department of Education's minister. The deeper you go, the higher the vicious beasts' levels and the harder they are to deal with. There's even a mutated, three-tier boss at the end..." the vice principal said.
"It's practically hell difficulty," Liu He remarked.
"Can't be helped. After that freak cleared the dungeon in just two days the year before last, the Department of Education hurriedly raised the difficulty," Zhang Yiming said with a bitter smile.
"Achoo!"
The blue-haired girl eating ice cream at a dessert shop couldn't help sneezing.
The muscular dean of studies, whose tight clothes barely contained his bulging muscles, said, "If I remember right, aside from her, the last person to clear a dungeon in the college entrance exam was that great figure who awakened an SSS-rank talent thirty years ago, wasn't it?"
Liu He nodded, looking proud. "I even taught him skills and theory back in the day."
Zhang Yiming turned to the vice principal beside him. "Principal, are you talking about that person?"
The vice principal nodded.
"That's right. Him."
Zhang Yiming looked astonished.
He'd heard that the man had spent some time in Nanjiang City, but he never expected that he'd attended this very Martial Arts High School.
Thinking of the legendary figure whom countless people revered, Zhang Yiming couldn't help feeling a flicker of admiration and awe.
An SSS-rank talent, a legendary class, and he reached the King Realm at thirty-six.
Now forty-seven, he was already one of Great Xia's top fighters, hailed as the strongest beneath the Demigods.
One of Great Xia's Three Gods and Nine Kings: the North King, Bei Zhenyuan.
"It seems we haven't heard from him in a long time," the vice principal said. "Alone, with only his blade, he's been stationed north of the Great Xia Great Wall, holding back the largest Abyss in the north. It's been ten years now..."
Liu He sighed. "Yes. We can hardly imagine the hardships he's endured. Our peaceful lives today wouldn't be possible without his sacrifices."
"His silence is good news for Great Xia. If we hear from him, it means something has gone badly wrong with that Abyss, and peace is in danger."
His words brimmed with rueful emotion.
"There are always people bearing the burden in silence behind the peace we enjoy. I hope these children understand that soon and grow up quickly..."
As he spoke, Liu He shook his head. "Enough of that. Let's head back first. The dungeon map is enormous. Even students who aren't strong enough probably won't be eliminated this early..."
He hadn't finished speaking when a flash of light appeared on the formation in the sports field, and a figure materialized.
"Don't eat me, don't eat me, don't eat me..."
Chen Hao was still on his knees, his face streaked with tears and snot.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have taken your eggs! I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Liu He: "..."
The vice principal: "..."
The dean of studies: "..."
Zhang Yiming quietly turned his head, pretending Chen Hao wasn't one of his students.
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