Black-Crowned Golden Eagle
When he could see his surroundings again, he was already standing in a square.
It's the plaza where I teleported earlier.
The square was very large, paved with gray-white stone slabs, and surrounded by a ring of huge stone pillars.
But the square was now completely empty; the millions of test-takers, the pillars of light, and the leaderboard had all vanished.
There was only one old man watching from a distance.
The old man wore a dark blue robe, his hair was gray, his face was thin, and he stood with his hands behind his back. His gaze fell on Su Mu, with a calm scrutiny.
Su Mu was puzzled. This was the exit plaza of the College Entrance Examination Secret Realm, and ordinary people couldn't enter.
Who is this old man? Why is he standing here alone?
As he was thinking this, the old man slowly walked over.
His pace was neither hurried nor slow, each step as if he had measured the distance, stopping three steps in front of Su Mu.
"Student Su Mu," the old man nodded slightly, his tone calm, "My name is Xiu Buhui. You can call me Elder Xiu, or Mr. Xiu."
Su Mu bowed slightly. "Elder Xiu."
Elder Xiu looked at him, a hint of barely perceptible admiration in his eyes. "You must have gained quite a bit at Dragon Gate."
Su Mu stirred slightly, but before he could speak, Elder Xiu waved his hand.
"No need to answer. Those things need to be kept confidential. I know the rules, and I won't ask."
Su Mu breathed a sigh of relief.
Elder Xiu continued, "The main reason I'm here is to present you with this award. During the ancient battlefield assessment, you saved many examinees. For this, I need to express my gratitude on behalf of the association and the nation."
Su Mu looked at the person in front of him.
He could sense that the other party was extremely powerful; even though the profound sense of oppression had been largely suppressed, it was still impossible to ignore.
But Elder Xiu stood there, his tone calm, his gaze open, without the slightest air of superiority.
Su Mu thought to himself that, based on his experience reading novels, these must be some important figures.
He said modestly, "It's what I should do."
Elder Xiu laughed heartily, his voice cheerful and hearty.
"Not bad, not bad. It's good that young people have this kind of mentality. But if they do something commendable, they should be commended."
He paused, then spoke.
"The reward we can offer you right now is one card slot that is no more than two S-rank cards. You can choose any card from the privilege pool."
Su Mu's eyes lit up.
Another reward.
And you can choose any of them.
You see, he had been eyeing a lot of monster cards from Yuan before, but gave up for the sake of Dragon Gate. He didn't expect that another reward would be delivered to his door so quickly.
Elder Xiu took out a communication device from his sleeve and handed it over.
An account was already logged in on the screen, with an incredibly high level of privileges. The densely packed list of cards on the store page refreshed, clearly categorized, and with comprehensive filtering functions.
Su Mu initially thought that "casual" was just a casual remark, and that he would only be able to choose from a limited number of items. However, when he saw that the other party's account had the privileges to purchase many things, he guessed that the other party's identity was not simple.
He looked down and flipped through the pages.
Elder Xiu stood calmly to the side, waiting for him.
Su Mu flipped through the cards, his gaze sweeping over each one.
There are double S-rank beast cards, double S-rank undead cards, and double S-rank elemental cards, each exuding a powerful aura.
But he eventually set his sights on an S-rank card.
[Name: Black-Crowned Golden Eagle]
[Rank: S]
[Level: 1]
[Blood: 180000/180000]
[Attack: 22000/22000]
[Defense: 8000]
[Agility: 18000]
[Combat Index: 248000]
[Skills: Sky-Rending Claw (deals 2.5x damage to a single target, with armor-piercing effect), Golden Feather Storm (releases a shower of golden feathers, dealing continuous damage to all enemies in a large area), Soaring Through the Nine Heavens (increases flight speed by 200%, and all aerial combat attributes by 30%), Peng Strikes the Vast Sky (dives from high altitude, dealing 3.5x damage to the target)]
[Note: Black-Crowned Golden Eagle, an S-class elite avian. A master of the skies, extremely fast, and adept at swooping down to hunt. Suitable for various themes including fantasy, mythology, and prehistoric times.]
Looking at the card, Su Mu had already made up his mind.
There are also double S-rank cards here, which are quite suitable for creating Demon Kings.
But Su Mu did not choose it.
Because what was created was only an ordinary demon king.
The reason for choosing this card is that it is the most suitable material for crafting the Golden-Winged Great Peng King, one of the three brothers of Lion Camel Ridge.
He already has the Green Lion King, and the other one that can be crafted, the White Elephant King, has a nest at the Tsinghua and Peking Universities Academy that can produce it.
Therefore, Su Mu currently plans to select the Golden-Winged Great Peng King and prioritize its production.
Once these three brothers are created, firstly, they are already quite powerful in Journey to the West, and secondly, if all three are gathered together, the overall strength of Lion Camel Ridge will increase dramatically, making them countless times stronger than an ordinary demon king created using two S-level cards.
Su Mu's choices are no longer like before, where he would simply choose any suitable demon king.
Now, it's even more important to adapt to the theme of a specific level, as this can greatly enhance combat power; prioritize this option.
"I choose this one." Su Mu handed the screen back, pointing to the Black-Crowned Golden Eagle.
Elder Xiu glanced down at it, then nodded slightly.
"Being able to choose only S out of two S's shows you're selecting what best suits you." His tone carried a hint of approval. "Not many can do that. Very good."
He put away his communication device and then asked, "Which school are you planning to go to?"
Su Mu said respectfully, "Tsinghua and Peking Universities."
Elder Xiu nodded, his eyes showing understanding.
"Since you've chosen Tsinghua and Peking Universities, it seems I'll have to put in a good word with them." He paused, "... to get you transferred to their schools with the highest possible contract, otherwise those guys might neglect a genius like you."
Su Mu bowed slightly. "Thank you, Elder Xiu."
Elder Xiu waved his hand. "This is a testament to your talent and what you've done."
He turned around, took two steps away, then stopped and glanced back at Su Mu.
"Go back. Tell your family the good news. I'll have the cards delivered to your place."
Su Mu nodded.
Elder Xiu's figure began to fade, like a wisp of smoke blown away by the wind, disappearing silently into the air.
A portal of light appeared before Su Mu.
The door frame was light blue, with spatial runes flowing across its surface. Inside, the view was blurry, and the dilapidated residential building of Peaceful Residence Garden could be vaguely seen.
Su Mu took a deep breath and stepped into the doorway.
A flash of white light, and he vanished from the square.