The Right to Compete!

The exam grounds.

Xu Yuan drove a convertible down the highway out of the city, racing like the wind.

Suddenly.

The car stopped.

The monster flying overhead froze too.

The entire world fell into a soundless stillness.

A voice spoke from the void:

"Time's up."

"Examinees, this month's group battle in the Monthly Exam is over."

It was over?

Xu Yuan and the others exchanged startled looks.

Then again—

It made sense.

After all, even a Demon of the Foundation Establishment Realm had entered the battle.

"It's over?" Xu Yuan asked doubtfully, glancing back at the demon in the sky.

"It's over!" Jiang Xueyao said, reluctant to leave.

"It's over..." Yang Xiaobing looked down at the gloves, then at Xu Yuan's back, eyes flickering.

"It's over! Hahahaha!" Zhao Afei let out a breath and cheered.

The battle was over!

The entire competition—and the monthly exam—had officially ended!

Suddenly—

Bang bang bang bang bang bang!

A burst of noise like rapid cannon fire erupted above Xu Yuan's head.

More than a dozen orbs of light hung motionless in the air.

Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang—

Yet more glowing orbs kept bursting into existence amid the din.

The examiners!

They were slamming their buttons and lighting their lamps, one after another!

Faintly glowing text flashed rapidly before Xu Yuan's eyes:

"All examiners present have lit their lamps for you."

"Your performance in that battle won over every spectator and examiner here!"

"The evaluations are summarized below:"

"1. Your approach was clear, your actions precise and decisive, and your group worked seamlessly together. You opened up a new situation and pioneered new tactics. It was a delight to watch;"

"2. As a cultivator at Qi Refining Second Layer, you used tools and tactics of every kind and showed a talent for leadership, enabling a team averaging below the fourth layer of Qi Refining to eliminate a Demonic Beast at the ninth layer. If you'd told me that could happen before today, I'd have said you were talking through your hat;"

"3. If there is an upper limit to what can be achieved in a high school monthly exam, you represent it;"

"4. This forbidden history was released in the hope of putting a lid on it for good. Instead, you tore the lid right off. Who knows how many towering waves will rise in the imperial capital? But one thing is certain—"

"You're a genius in battle, kid!"

"5, 6, 7 omitted..."

"Based on the above, every examiner has lit their lamp for you. Your special reward has been upgraded again."

"Congratulations."

"This reward has been upgraded to Spirit Treasure grade."

"This time, the reward has been upgraded to Spirit Treasure grade."

"Damaged, Common, Excellent, Fine, Rare, Spirit Treasure."

"Damaged, Common, Excellent, Fine, Rare, Spirit Treasure."

"Furthermore."

"You have completed the Nationwide Joint Examination (Hard Mode)!"

"You have received your reward for this competition!"

All the text vanished.

Xu Yuan's vision flashed, and the scenery around him shifted at dizzying speed.

An all-too-familiar scene swept in from the distance, pushing the entire city aside until it disappeared.

Xu Yuan suddenly found himself standing on the school sports field.

Zhao Afei, Jiang Xueyao, and Yang Xiaobing were back too!

The group exam was over!

--The group Monthly Exam is over!

"I'm so damn tired. Can't believe we survived—and it's almost noon already."

Zhao Afei sounded exhausted.

"The exam's over. Come on, let's eat at the cafeteria," Xu Yuan said.

"How can you even think about food?" Zhao Afei asked.

"Aren't you hungry?" Xu Yuan shot back.

The word "hungry" finally pulled Zhao Afei out of the battle.

He realized he actually was a little hungry.

How had that happened?

"I remember now! You ate the soy milk and bread I brought this morning!" Zhao Afei pointed at him, struck by sudden realization.

"Which is why we're going to the cafeteria now," Xu Yuan said as if it were obvious.

The morning's monthly exam was over.

After each group exam, the teachers were busy grading and didn't keep a close watch on the students.

After each group battle in the Monthly Exam, the teachers were busy grading and didn't keep a close watch on the students.

The afternoon was reserved for self-study.

After the written exam the following morning, all the scores would be released together.

Xu Yuan was about to speak when he felt someone take his hand.

Who had the nerve?

He turned his head.

It was the little boy.

It was the Little Boy.

A world.

That world unfolded behind the little boy.

At that moment.

Xu Yuan stood on the school sports field with his classmates, about to go eat.

But across from him.

The little boy stood in a city ablaze, thick smoke billowing into the sky.

Deep in the distant sky, Xu Yuan could even see a black tail hundreds of meters long emerging from the clouds.

Two worlds!

Their clasped hands marked the boundary, with each world occupying one side!

Xu Yuan stared, stunned.

"I..."

He tried to say something.

The little boy went on. "Staying alive is very hard for me. I hope you'll help me."

"Can you try to save me at this moment, one more time?"

His hand gripped Xu Yuan's tightly.

An explosion sounded in the distance.

Smoke surged into the sky.

Heart-deep despair filled the little boy's voice, and his tears spilled like a river breaking its banks.

Something tugged inexplicably at Xu Yuan's heart.

He stood in a safe school, surrounded by close classmates, moments away from a hot meal. Yet this little boy, who also had the ability to "see," was alone and helpless in a city on the verge of destruction, able only to wait in despair—

To wait for the moment the monsters ate him.

Honestly.

A child who could see "monsters"—

Just seeing those beings every day would probably drive him mad.

Xu Yuan was like him.

Were there other people in the world who could see those beings, the way he and this little boy could?

He didn't know.

Maybe there were. Maybe there weren't.

This boy might be the only other person like him.

If.

If Xu Yuan really were in that battle—

If—

If the competition could go on—

Then of course he wanted to save the boy.

The instant that thought crossed his mind, lines of faintly glowing text appeared and flashed before his eyes:

"Your earlier performance has moved a central figure in the Border City Battle."

"That person has extended an invitation to you."

"With this invitation, you may make a real choice:"

"Choice 1: Accept immediately to venture further in and begin the nightmare-level competition, Border City Battle;"

"Choice 2: Promise to meet again, and you may enter the special event Witch's Heart when the time is right;"

"If you complete this special event, you will add the Hard Mode Border City Battle training match to your collection!"

"This match offers no official competition rewards or examiner lamp rewards. You may enter and leave at any time (at a cost of 10 gold coins per entry), strive for breakthroughs through training (by accumulating experience points), and collect and exchange supplies and information."

He didn't even have to think!

Who would vanish from the sports field in front of everyone to fight a battle with only a slim chance of survival, then come back and probably get sliced up for research?

He had to make the promise!

"Trust me," Xu Yuan said, looking at the little boy as he made his promise in earnest. "If I can come back, I will. I'll get you out of this city safely."

"You promise?" the little boy asked.

"I promise," Xu Yuan said.

As soon as he spoke.

Someone suddenly patted Xu Yuan on the shoulder.

"What are you spacing out for?"

Zhao Afei called out to him.

Xu Yuan jolted.

In an instant.

Everything before his eyes vanished.

The little boy, his plea, even the monster deep in the sky—

All of it was gone.

It was as if Xu Yuan had just woken from a dream.

"Did you see that?"

"Did any of you see what just happened?"

Xu Yuan wanted to ask the others.

But he held back.

They all looked perfectly normal, as though they hadn't seen the little boy at all.

"I wasn't spacing out." Xu Yuan kept his voice under control, slowing his words as he tried his best to sound natural.

"I was thinking about what to eat."

Zhao Afei noticed nothing and replied at once. "I'm starving. I could wolf down just about anything."

"We should replenish our spiritual energy first," Yang Xiaobing cut in.

“Let’s replenish our Spiritual Power first,” Yang Xiaobing interjected.

Whatever the situation, when a cultivator ran out of spiritual energy, replenishing it came first.

No matter the circumstances, the first thing cultivators must do when their Spiritual Power runs out is replenish it.

Xu Yuan said nothing more.

He looked around the sports field.

Every student sat on the ground, silently regulating their breathing and replenishing their spiritual energy.

They all looked calm and exhausted.

Just now—

No one saw that little boy!

Xu Yuan sighed. He could only silently steady his emotions.

Then a line of faintly glowing text quietly appeared:

"At the right time, you will take part in the special event 'Witch's Heart' and try to earn a place in the training match."

(End of chapter)