Fierce Fist, a perfect-score finish!

The next day, Zhou Sining arrived at the examination venue on time.

The magic examination consisted of two parts.

One tested star dust strength, and the other tested spellcasting.

Since some students might have broken through to the intermediate level, the Star Sensor Stone used for testing was of a very high grade. Without nebula-grade magic energy, no one could earn an SSS.

The magic college entrance exam was also considerate: candidates were tested one at a time to minimize the influence earlier candidates' results had on those who followed.

"Last candidate, number 30, Zhou Sining!"

"Here." Zhou Sining walked into the classroom.

Besides the two proctors, there were three evaluators in the classroom.

The scores they awarded would be final.

"You may begin when you're ready," one evaluator said.

Zhou Sining nodded, calmly walked up to the lectern, and placed his hand on the Star Sensor Stone.

He closed his eyes and channeled the magic energy in his nebula into the Star Sensor Stone.

Bzzz!

Blazing, dazzling light suddenly surged out from within the Star Sensor Stone!

Its fierce radiance rivaled the brilliant sun hanging high outside the window!

Whoosh!

Then a tuft of white flame sprang up from the Star Sensor Stone. It burned more and more fiercely until it nearly rose above Zhou Sining's head!

"This is..."

All five teachers froze at the sight.

Magic energy materialization!

Not light spilling out, but magic energy taking physical form!

If students failed to reach even Primary Level Two after three years of study, there really was no point in their continuing on to a magic university.

So students who could make light spill out were a dime a dozen in the magic college entrance exam. There was nothing unusual about it.

But magic energy materialization was rare!

Almost only mages who had broken through to the intermediate level could accomplish that.

An eighteen-year-old intermediate-level mage could take their pick of magic universities across the country.

And Zhou Sining's materialized magic energy was so pronounced, so imposing!

He must have reached the intermediate level quite some time ago.

The three evaluators exchanged glances and quickly awarded their scores for the first stage.

"SSS!"

"SSS!"

"SSS!"

Zhou Sining opened his eyes, his face full of unwavering confidence.

Seeing how relaxed and confident he was, a proctor asked, "Would you like to begin the second stage?"

"Yes."

"Good. Aim your spell at the center of that wooden dummy. We've placed defensive magic over that area, so feel free to use your strongest spell."

"My strongest?" Zhou Sining looked surprised.

He studied the wooden dummy opposite him but sensed no trace of magic.

That made him wonder whether the dummy could really withstand his strongest magical attack.

The proctor frowned, feeling that this candidate was a little too confident.

But remembering that Zhou Sining could materialize magic energy and might already be able to cast intermediate magic, the proctor added another explanation.

"Don't worry. Even Thunderbolt: Heaven Strike couldn't break through that defense."

Zhou Sining smiled. "All right, then."

Red Stardust appeared around him one after another, and Star Tracks linked together around him in succession.

The Star Tracks danced around him, joining end to end until they formed a dazzling, fiery-red Star Map that blossomed beneath his feet!

The entire process took only three seconds.

Three seconds!

With that speed and fluidity, even many mages who had long since reached the intermediate level couldn't trace a Star Map as effortlessly as Zhou Sining!

Zhou Sining fixed his gaze on the center of his target and slowly clenched his right fist.

Whoosh!

White flames suddenly blazed along his right arm, and a fierce, unyielding aura swept out from him!

Gulp!

The proctor who had just been silently criticizing Zhou Sining swallowed instinctively.

The three evaluators focused all their attention on Zhou Sining, watching his movements intently.

All three evaluators were mages from the Tribunal.

They were stronger than the proctors assigned by the school, and they understood far better just how overwhelming Zhou Sining's aura was!

Deciding he had shown off enough, Zhou Sining dropped to one knee and slammed his right fist into the floor!

"Gangsha: Fierce Fist: Earth Fiend!"

A trail of fire glowing faintly white suddenly appeared across the gray concrete floor, connecting Zhou Sining's fist to the ground beneath the wooden dummy.

The white light beneath the dummy abruptly intensified, as though magma would erupt from it at any moment!

The three evaluators' pupils sharply contracted!

Boom!

A pillar of white flame burst from underground, swallowing everything within twenty meters of the dummy before anyone could react!

"Azure Rock: Rock Barrier: Stone Shield!"

"Light Blessing: Painted Wall!"

"Light Blessing: Painted Wall!"

The three evaluators lived up to their status as Tribunal members. The instant Zhou Sining attacked, they assessed the damage and cast their defensive spells almost simultaneously!

Tall, azure stones appeared almost at the same time as the pillar of flame. As Level Three spirit rock, they should have effectively suppressed its power.

But to that Tribunal officer's astonishment, the white pillar of flame easily blasted several Rock Barriers apart, treating those stones as though they were nothing!

Fortunately, the Level Two Light Blessing followed in time. With the Rock Barriers having already greatly weakened the flame pillar, it finally suppressed that powerful blaze completely.

The second Light Blessing protected the two proctors beside the lectern.

Still shaken, the three evaluators waited two or three breaths before withdrawing their defenses.

The wooden dummy had burned away without even leaving charcoal behind, and the spot where it had stood was pitch-black.

Even the defensive Array had activated at some point, and it was showing faint signs of breaking apart.

This...

Once the five recovered, they stared at Zhou Sining, only to see the student blow on his fist.

His expression was so confident it could even be called brazenly arrogant!

"Earth Fiend! You actually know Earth Fiend!" one proctor exclaimed.

Zhou Sining smiled without answering, tacitly acknowledging it.

Even if he had wanted to deny it, he couldn't have.

Earth Fiend and Heaven-Shaking Blast manifested in completely different ways.

"The younger generation is truly formidable!" the other proctor said.

Under the college entrance exam rules, proctors and evaluators weren't allowed to say anything unrelated to the examination. But they couldn't help it. This was the first time in their lives they had witnessed anything like this.

Eighteen years old, Intermediate Level Two in the Fire Element, and possessing a spirit seed.

His power had nearly broken through a Tribunal officer's Spirit Level, Level Three Rock Barrier.

A genius!

No, that wasn't right. Even a genius couldn't be this terrifying.

He was utterly beyond reason.

An absolute monster!

"Ahem!"

One Tribunal officer coughed twice, reminding the proctors that the examination wasn't over yet.

Silence returned to the classroom, and everyone saw shock in one another's eyes.

Yes, shock.

Zhou Sining's strength had far exceeded their expectations. They hadn't seen a candidate this absurdly powerful in nearly ten years.

"Give him SSS? His strength absolutely deserves it."

"But no one has ever earned full marks in spellcasting..." another Tribunal officer said.

The college entrance exam was worth 750 points in total: 450 for theoretical knowledge, 100 for the magic energy test, and 200 for spellcasting.

Across the entire country, barely anyone could earn an SS in spellcasting, let alone a perfect SSS.

At a loss, the two looked toward the chief evaluator seated between them.

"Examine him first to ensure that really is his own ability," the chief evaluator proposed.

He looked up at Zhou Sining. "Zhou Sining, we've decided to conduct a spiritual inspection."

"A spiritual inspection?"

"Simply put, we'll enter your Spiritual World to confirm whether your Fire Element cultivation has truly reached Intermediate Level Two."

"Why?"

"Because your performance was outstanding, far beyond that of an ordinary candidate. We have reasonable grounds to suspect you may have used unauthorized methods."

"???"

Seriously, dude? You're blaming me for being awesome because you suck?