Enrollment Test

Early that morning, the entrance to Donghua Dao School, located 1,500 meters above Donghua City, was already packed shoulder to shoulder.

Squeezed within the crowd, Zhou Bai listened to the clamor around him and said miserably, "So many people are taking the exam? When the hell is this going to end?"

Next came lining up and registration. Zhou Bai followed the others into the school.

First was a basic physical examination, including height, weight, bone age, health condition, and whether they had been infected by the Spiritual Machine.

After the basic examination came the main event: testing their Primordial Spirit Value.

Zhou Bai stood in the middle of the line, watching several surrounding queues steadily advance as applicants stepped before the Primordial Spirit testing devices to have their Primordial Spirit Values measured.

Some examinees were pale-faced and extremely nervous.

Others remained calm and composed, brimming with confidence.

Suddenly, a crying shout rang out. A girl was clinging to a teacher, refusing to leave the testing device.

"Please! Please let me test one more time!" the girl cried. "I didn't sleep well last night, and I was too nervous just now. Give me one more chance—I'll definitely perform well!"

To ensure fairness, everyone's test results were enlarged and displayed on a giant screen. The girl's result, a Primordial Spirit Value of 29, was displayed there as well—only one point short of the passing line of 30.

The proctor shook his head. "You've already used all three of your attempts. Come back next year."

"No! I'm already twenty this year! I won't have another chance next year! Please, please let me try one more time..."

Bang! The proctor decisively knocked the girl unconscious. Every year, there were far too many people like this, weeping bitterly after failing the exam.

After all, the Four Great Dao Schools were also the only four Dao Schools, representing humanity's most elite strength.

Materially speaking, this place offered the finest cultivation resources. Spiritually speaking, it was the best path toward dreams of fighting the Heavenly Demons, defending home and country, and reviving humanity.

In this apocalyptic age, it could be said to be the place countless young people yearned for most.

Zhou Bai shook his head. If this girl failed this time, then she would either enlist in the military, join some minor sect, or be assigned work by the Heavenly Court. But no matter which path she chose, none could compare to becoming a Dao School student.

A few minutes later, waves of astonished cries erupted from another crowd. Zhou Bai looked over and saw a young man standing before a testing device. His result displayed a startling number: 99.

Zhou Bai thought to himself, Oh? A genius? Soon it'll be my turn to steal the spotlight.

After that, astonished cries sounded out every so often as one genius student after another with a Primordial Spirit Value of 99 emerged during this year's entrance test.

Just as it was about to be Zhou Bai's turn, an unprecedented uproar swept over the area. Countless examinees turned to look, shock appearing on their faces.

On the large screen displaying the results, an enormous 105 appeared, making everyone lower their voices as they began discussing it.

"Is this for real? Someone actually has a Primordial Spirit Value of 105?"

"What kind of joke is this? Didn't they say 99 was the highest?"

"Who is that guy? Could he be some genius who had already begun cultivating before enrollment and broken through 0% Daoization Degree?"

A tall, slender man with a cold, pale face and long hair casually glanced at the result of 105, then stepped down from the platform.

Zhou Bai stared at the man with a Primordial Spirit Value of 105, clearly displeased. I thought my Primordial Spirit Value of 99 would put me in the top tier this year and improve my chances of passing. But now there's actually a 105?

"Zhou Bai!"

Hearing his name called, Zhou Bai walked up. With a thought, he poured his Primordial Spirit Power into the spherical testing device floating in midair before him.

In an instant, the number 99 appeared on the large screen. This time, however, no one cried out in surprise. Everyone was still immersed in their shock over the 105 Primordial Spirit Value from before.

"Tch!" Zhou Bai curled his lip and followed the departing line toward the next examination area.

At that moment, several Dao School teachers sat in an office, observing this entrance test through surveillance footage.

"A total of 12,000 students passed the first round this year." A white-haired old man sighed. "There are fewer and fewer children with the talent for cultivation. Heaven truly does not bless our human race."

"Principal, although there are fewer people, there are more elites," said a young woman with sharp brows and bright eyes, her hair tied in a ponytail and dressed in leather clothing. "There are twenty-five examinees with Primordial Spirit Values of 99, and one has even entered the Dao, reaching a Primordial Spirit Value of 105."

The female teacher said thoughtfully, "As the distortion of the Heavenly Dao gradually worsens, cultivation is becoming increasingly difficult for ordinary people. But for geniuses, the process of gaining power is becoming even faster."

The old man called principal, who was in fact the vice principal, Zhao Shouyi, nodded. "A Primordial Spirit Value of 105? Could it be that Zuo Dao from the Zuo family?"

"It's him. That boy's talent is astonishing; his future accomplishments may well be limitless." The female teacher praised, "He'll very likely take first place this time."

On the other side, as the first test ended, the number of examinees had been reduced to 12,000. They were randomly assigned to different locations for the second test.

Zhou Bai stood in a plaza with the other examinees. Although endless buildings still floated overhead, the artificial sunlight illuminated the entire plaza as brightly as day.

Standing where he was, Zhou Bai listened as Christina said, "Zhou Bai, I've definitely been to this place before. It feels so familiar."

Looking at the bright, clean Dao School, utterly incomparable to the surface district below, Zhou Bai sighed. "Compared to down there, this place is like the difference between a rich neighborhood and a slum."

Just then, a voice sounded beside Zhou Bai's ear. "The environment up here may be better, but it's also more dangerous when battle comes.

"Donghua City is laid out so that each higher level has a larger area and more powerful people, like layers upon layers of defenses protecting those below.

"This is so that when resisting Heavenly Demon attacks, the strong above can protect the weak below. The ground where the civilians live is actually the safest place."

Zhou Bai turned around and saw a capable-looking short-haired girl in sportswear standing before him. Smiling brightly, she said, "My name is Jing Xiu. You're Zhou Bai, right?"

Zhou Bai said, "Do we know each other?"

"I was in the same line as you when we tested our Primordial Spirit Values. We both got 99." Jing Xiu smiled. "Although there are still the second and third rounds, people with Primordial Spirit Values of 99 are basically never eliminated in those rounds. You should know what kind of willpower and comprehension it takes to reach that level before turning twenty."

Zhou Bai deeply agreed. "Yeah."

"So..." Jing Xiu smiled and extended her hand. "Hello, classmate."

"Hello." Zhou Bai shook her hand as well.