When Zhang Yu came to his senses again, he found himself in an underground passage.
"Did the teleportation complete?"
He walked forward along the underground passage and soon saw a figure.
Zhang Yu quickly went up to see if Bai Zhenzhen had come down with him, but found it was a boy in a school uniform.
The boy heard footsteps and turned to look at Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu nodded to him and greeted him, "Hello, are you also here to take the exam?"
The boy's name was Dai Xingzhi. He didn't immediately respond to Zhang Yu's greeting, but looked Zhang Yu up and down, confirming one thing.
The other party was not a student of Xian Du City.
Dai Xingzhi was able to confirm this for two main reasons.
Firstly, he was unfamiliar with the other person's appearance. He remembered all the high school students in Xiandu who were academically excellent and wealthy, and there was absolutely no such person among them.
Secondly, judging from the other person's accent, speech, clothing, and so on... he was from out of town.
As a native of Xiandu whose ancestors had lived there for ten generations, in Dai Xingzhi's eyes... people from Xiandu and outsiders were completely different, practically two different species.
And he, Dai Xingzhi, could basically tell the difference between the two at a glance.
"Outsiders are outsiders, they don't have the temperament of us Xiandu people."
After realizing that Zhang Yu in front of him was most likely from out of town, his back straightened unconsciously.
Because he, Dai Xingzhi, was a supporter of Xiandu supremacy.
Xiandu was the center of the first level of Kunxu, the concentration of the strongest, smartest, and richest people in the first level of Kunxu, and the upper city of Xiandu could even be called the 1.5 level of Kunxu.
"Theoretically speaking, I'm not actually from the first level of Kunxu, I should be considered a 1.5 level person."
As for the other cities on the first level? In Dai Xingzhi's mind, weren't those all rural areas?
Looking at Zhang Yu in front of him, Dai Xingzhi thought to himself, "That stinking outsider, trying to steal our Foundation Establishment certificates from the Immortal Capital?"
After glancing at Zhang Yu twice, Dai Xingzhi said nothing and turned to leave. He walked quickly forward and soon saw the back of another person.
"Ye Lingxiao..."
Dai Xingzhi had heard a great deal about this top student who had recently become obsessed with red envelope charms, because the other party was from the second ring of the Upper City.
In Dai Xingzhi's understanding, Immortal Capital was the center of the first level of Kunxu.
The floating city above Immortal Capital, always referred to as the Upper City, was the center of the center.
And within this Upper City, there were ten rings from the outside in, with the second ring being the center of the center of the center.
Ye Lingxiao, born in the second ring, came from one of the wealthiest families in Immortal Capital.
As far as Dai Xingzhi knew, people in the second ring only befriended people in the second ring, only married people in the second ring, and only had children with people in the second ring. Some people in the second ring would never even come down to the lower ring.
Upon seeing Ye Lingxiao, Dai Xingzhi, who had just straightened his back, immediately bent down again, saying ingratiatingly, "Lingxiao, hello."
"Do you remember me? I'm Dai Xingzhi from your school, and I live in the area north of the Sixth Ring Road."
He added, "Inside the Sixth Ring Road, not outside."
Ye Lingxiao nodded without looking up, continuing to practice his red envelope talisman with complete focus.
After the last Dao Heart Test, his curiosity about red envelope talismans and favor talismans had deepened, and he was now ninety percent certain that they contained immense benefits. Unfortunately
, because the secrets involved were so great, he dared not tell anyone, only daring to study them slowly on his own.
Just then, a shout came from behind: "Hey! Why are you throwing red envelope talismans around again?"
Zhang Yu, dodging the red envelope talismans on the ground, caught up and said with dissatisfaction, "You're just throwing these dirty things around, isn't that endangering public safety?"
Ye Lingxiao glanced at Zhang Yu with some surprise, seemingly not expecting this student from out of town to not have been eliminated in the last test.
Ye Lingxiao said calmly, "The red envelope charms will disappear after a while if no one picks them up. Besides, if you don't want the money inside, just return it immediately..."
Just as the two were talking, Zhang Yu had already followed them into an underground hall.
From afar, they could see examiner Deng Bingding and others standing in the center of the hall, surrounded by more than ten contestants who had arrived earlier.
However, these contestants seemed to be discussing something with the examiners.
One student said, "Examiner, please announce the rankings from the last test."
Another student said, "Yeah, what kind of test doesn't announce rankings?"
Someone loudly supported, "If there are no rankings, is it even a test? Can it be considered a normal exam?"
After listening for a few moments, Zhang Yu understood. This group of Xian Du gentry demanded the announcement of the previous round's rankings.
Moreover, judging from their demeanor and the information they were revealing, it seemed that in Xian Du, if schools didn't announce rankings after an exam, it would be considered morally reprehensible, and both teachers and schools would be reported.
Damn it, another bunch of test-taking kings... Zhang Yu thought to himself, wherever you go in Kunxu, there are bound to be these guys who love to dictate rankings, showing no regard for the examinees' privacy whatsoever.
Just then, Bai Zhenzhen walked up to Zhang Yu and asked curiously, "What's all that commotion up there?"
Zhang Yu scoffed, "A bunch of score-obsessed people are making a fuss about announcing the rankings from the last test."
Bai Zhenzhen recalled her performance in the last test: "Hmm, the strongest Immortal Lords opened the door in half a second, while I took less than three seconds, so I'm definitely ranked low."
Thinking that her Dao Heart test was probably no better than those Immortal Lords', she shook her head and sighed, "It's just a pre-exam test; these people still value empty fame too much."
Zhang Yu agreed, "True immortality can't be explained by temporary scores and rankings."
Hearing this, Ye Lingxiao, a supporter of exam rankings, felt he couldn't pretend he hadn't heard.
But before he could speak, Dai Xingzhi couldn't help but say, "What nonsense are you two out-of-towners spouting? Scores are everything! Ranking is the standard by which a person is qualified to continue on the path of immortality!"
"If people only care about scores and not rankings... what's the difference between that and being born?"
Ye Lingxiao, though silent, nodded repeatedly, clearly supporting this view.
Dai Xingzhi looked at Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, but still had something on his mind.
He thought to himself, "Hmph, only those who know they're ranked low are afraid of rankings."
In his mind, how could these two out-of-towners compare to the top students from the capital? They must be ranked low.
"I've seen plenty of unruly outsiders like you. If you two were ranked first or second, you'd probably be eager to announce the rankings."
At this moment, facing the numerous students' requests, Deng Bingding, standing at the forefront of the examiners, said, "I understand everyone's desire to know the rankings. There's no rule here prohibiting the disclosure of the previous rankings." "
We just felt they weren't very meaningful, so we originally didn't plan to announce them."
"Now that everyone wants to know, I'll show you the rankings."
The previous round of testing consisted of two stages:
pushing open a metal door and a test of Dao Heart.
However, the students present weren't particularly concerned about the results of the first stage, pushing open the metal door; they just glanced at it and moved on.
After all, this stage wasn't demanding, purely designed to eliminate weaker first-year students, and many contestants hadn't even given it their all.
On the other hand, the second stage, the test of Dao Heart, was seen by everyone as not only demonstrating willpower but also indirectly reflecting the contestants' worth, which was what the students were most interested in.
Therefore, everyone was more concerned about the rankings in this Dao Heart test.
First place, number 55, valuation unknown;
second place, number 23, valuation 5.5 billion ;
third place, number 11, valuation 5 billion
…
Looking at the rankings, everyone immediately fell silent, quietly searching for their own numbers and confirming their position in the room, much like finding their seats in a movie theater.
After confirming their own ranking and their approximate level in the exam, the next step was naturally to check the rankings of others.
Usually, they would check their friends first, or even those they disliked.
But for Dai Xingzhi, the first thing he checked was the top three.
Recognizing the highest-scoring and wealthiest person among a group was a long-standing habit of his, and one of the ancestral precepts of his Dai family.
At the same time, Dai Xingzhi was also recalling the content of the last Dao Heart Test.
"Does this valuation mean they can resist the temptation of a certain amount of value in the end?"
"Those who have a higher valuation on this ranking are not only resolute in their Dao heart, but are also absolutely wealthy."
"Number 11 is Yun Jing, third place, valued at 5 billion?"
Dai Xingzhi looked at the boy surrounded by several students from Xianyun High School.
What attracted the most attention to the other person was his pair of eyes that shone like stars; Dai Xingzhi knew that was the Fa Hai.
"Yun Jing... is called 'the strongest high school student in the first level of Kunxu' by Ziyun Pharmaceuticals."
Dai Xingzhi heard that a month ago, in addition to his magic power, the other person's Dao heart and physical strength had also reached the limit of the Qi Chain.
"Sigh, one of the four Foundation Establishment certificates this time should be Yun Jing's."
Ye Lingxiao, who was standing to the side, also glanced at Yun Jing. He remembered that the other person could pick up his red envelope talisman without any damage last time.
Dai Xingzhi thought to himself, "The second place, number 23, is Ye Lingxiao beside me, valued at 5.5 billion. Did he hold out for that price in the illusion? No wonder he's a rich guy from the second ring." "
His stats must have reached the Qi Refining Limit two or three months ago, right? After all, he was praised by the Oasis Group as having the most perfect physique and bloodline among contemporary high school students." "
He should have one of the four Foundation Establishment certificates."
But when he saw the first place, number 55, Dai Xingzhi realized he couldn't find anyone else, and his doubts grew: "Are there really people stronger and richer than Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao in this Foundation Establishment exam?"
Just then, Dai Xingzhi heard Ye Lingxiao beside him say, "In the last Dao Heart Test, your valuation was actually unknown?"
Dai Xingzhi was slightly taken aback, then looked in the direction the other was speaking and found Zhang Yu behind him... the number on the other's body was indeed 55.
Hearing Ye Lingxiao's question, Zhang Yu remained silent for a moment, unsure how to respond.
Dai Xingzhi said, "Unknown valuation? Did you not give up until the very end, even pushing the illusion to its limit... so you gave it an unknown valuation?"
Zhang Yu said helplessly, "Hmm... more or less."
Hearing this, Ye Lingxiao's gaze sharpened, and a hint of seriousness appeared in his eyes as he looked at Zhang Yu.
Ye Lingxiao thought to himself, "This person actually managed to burst the illusion?"
"How strong is his will? How rich is he? Is he richer than Yun Jing, or even me?"
Meanwhile, Dai Xingzhi's mind was racing: "What's his background? Is he the descendant of a company director? Or the heir of some powerful clan?"
At the same time, more and more people noticed the number 55 on Zhang Yu's body, realizing that this out-of-town student was the top scorer in the last Dao Heart Test.
Furthermore, due to the special nature of this Dao Heart Test, they realized that this top scorer must be incredibly wealthy.
And since wealth is the most direct manifestation of potential for immortality, the wealthy number 55 must also be incredibly powerful, definitely a strong contender for the Foundation Establishment qualification.
Ye Lingxiao glanced at Zhang Yu, thinking to himself, "Judging from the way he picked up the red envelope charms and what he said, I thought he was a poor man."
"Unexpectedly, he's hiding his true strength... Is he so rich that he dares to pick up red envelopes on the ground?"
"He even seems concerned about what poor people should do if they find red envelope charms... Is he one of those naive rich people?"
Lost in thought, Ye Lingxiao turned around, his gaze towards Zhang Yu becoming increasingly serious: "I look forward to competing with you later."
At this moment, Zhang Yu, with his mysterious identity and unfathomable wealth, was already one of Ye Lingxiao's main future rivals.
Dai Xingzhi and the other students, watching the two standing opposite each other, felt as if they were witnessing two colossal beasts, each spitting out billions of dollars, colliding violently.
Witnessing this scene, Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu with a hidden worry: "Yu Zi! You're putting on such a show now. Once the official competition starts, you'll reveal your true colors and become the kind of clown Old Zhao talks about!"
Bai Zhenzhen was confident that she and Zhang Yu had improved a lot in the past two months and were definitely at the high school senior level.
But she also knew that even with such improvement, she and Zhang Yu were still far behind those top-tier immortal masters.
Facing the first round of exams, Bai Zhenzhen only hoped to pass.
As for catching up with or even surpassing the top-tier immortal masters, that should be the goal for the second and third rounds of exams in the coming months.
Zhang Yu knew all this, but when his number was listed first in the Dao Heart Test, he knew he couldn't explain himself.
He couldn't say that he survived to the end in the illusion because of the ritual.
Nor could he say that he was actually a poor man who was still struggling to pay off his loan interest next month.
Faced with Ye Lingxiao's piercing gaze and feeling the curious, inquisitive, and hostile stares of the other contestants, Zhang Yu felt like he was being watched by a group of people, yet he could only endure it.
"Damn it, shouldn't I be the one catching up to the Immortal Capital men step by step, despite their disdain and even indifference, and finally winning the Foundation Establishment Certificate? Why is everyone staring at me from the very beginning?" "
I told you they shouldn't have this ranking system! Why expose the contestants' privacy like this!"
Thinking about the upcoming head-on competition with these people, Zhang Yu felt that the "clown position" Zhao Tianxing had mentioned was calling to him.
"Is there any way to avoid being too embarrassed later?"
"Oh well, there's nothing I can do if I really have to lose face. It's just that my strength isn't strong enough yet."
Not far away, Yu Xinghan had just arrived and witnessed this astonishing scene.
"That kid Zhang Yu..." Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu, his heart filled with both curiosity and surprise: "How did he do that?"
The thought that the other man, as a poor man, had managed to survive in that illusion for so long, to an unknown value, baffled him.
He even had an urge to ask Zhang Yu, but he knew that the other man would never answer that question.
A moment later, as all the contestants arrived, Deng Bingding, as the chief examiner, began to announce the examination procedures.
In short, the goal is to understand the reform spirit of the Foundation Establishment Examination. This time, in addition to Dao Heart, the students' magical power, physical fitness, and martial arts will be tested in turn.
As for why Dao Heart isn't being tested, it's said that all those who failed the previous round of Dao Heart testing were eliminated, so there's no need for another test.
Of course, Huang Zichou, the little god standing to the side, knows that this is done to save on the budget.
After all, compared to the other three subjects, the Dao Heart test involves the spiritual realm environment, costing the most money and consuming the most resources.
Finally, Deng Bingding said, "...This round of examination will only retain the top twenty candidates in total score; all candidates below the top twenty will be eliminated. To encourage the students, each of the top twenty candidates will be rewarded with an expert-level cultivation technique..."
Hearing this, Zhang Yu's eyes lit up slightly: "An expert-level cultivation technique for each person? That's so generous?"
Zhang Yu still remembered that the bonus Deng Bingding gave him last time was an interest-free loan.
However, upon further reflection, he thought, "Behind the Eight Righteous Gods are the Heavenly Court and the Ten Great Sects."
"For us, expert-level cultivation techniques cost tens or even hundreds of thousands."
"But for them, it might just be a matter of access."
"After all, they just need to grant us the right to use it and then send us the content of the technique..."
...
Soon, the magic power exam officially began.
All the students lined up in the hall according to their numbers.
Then, several examiners distributed a set of testing equipment and a box of spiritual roots to everyone present.
Dai Xingzhi thought to himself, "This magic power exam tests the control, burst, and recovery of magic power."
He picked up a detection patch and thought, "I need to output as much magic power as possible into it within 30 minutes."
"The faster and more magic power is output within 30 minutes, the higher the score."
"This requires explosive power, precise control of magic power, and the ability to simultaneously output and replenish magic power through breathing exercises."
Dai Xingzhi knew that this ability to burst magic power for a long time was a high school course in the final year of high school.
But since it was a Foundation Establishment exam for high school students, it naturally wouldn't be confined to the mere curriculum.
Dai Xingzhi opened the small box containing the external spiritual root.
He saw a ring within it constantly emitting wisps of spiritual energy, breathing as if it were a living thing.
Dai Xingzhi thought to himself, "External spiritual root, boundless Qi Sea." "
A mid-range brand of external spiritual root?"
Dai Xingzhi recalled what the examiner had just said, knowing that using a unified spiritual root like this was one of the reforms in this Foundation Establishment exam.
Dai Xingzhi didn't think much of it; wealth was one of the potentials of immortality, and it was only natural for the wealthy to have more advantages. Why use a unified spiritual root?
Just then, Deng Bingding reminded him, "Before wearing the external spiritual root, remember to shut down the spiritual roots within your bodies, or you will bear the consequences."
Just as Dai Xingzhi was about to put on the external spiritual root, Boundless Qi Sea, he suddenly heard a male voice.
"How do I use this external spiritual root?"
Dai Xingzhi turned around and found that it was Number 55 speaking.
"They've all given out spiritual roots now?" Zhang Yu thought to himself. "But they didn't even provide instructions for these external spiritual roots. How are we supposed to know how to use them?"
"And if I ask like this, all those immortal lords around me will probably guess I'm not actually that rich, right?"
"It's kind of a way of setting the stage for myself..."
Bai Zhenzhen, hearing this, thought to herself, "Good job, Yu Zi! If you ask like that, I won't have to ask." "And you're
building a way out for yourself, slowly revealing that you're not actually that rich. Even if your results aren't as good as everyone expects, you'll save face."
Dai Xingzhi, hearing this, thought to himself, "They haven't even used the Qi Sea Without End?"
Thinking of the unknown valuation of the person who ranked first in the Dao Heart Test, Dai Xingzhi wondered, "Is it because the Qi Sea Without End is too low-level for him?"
"Damn it, this is a spiritual root that I would normally use for cultivation, and this guy doesn't even bother to use it? What kind of spiritual roots does he usually use?"
Dai Xingzhi thought to himself, "What a rich guy! At least this time we're using the same spiritual root for the exam!"
On the other side, the strongest high school student, Yun Jing, glanced at Zhang Yu and thought to himself, "Is this guy from out of town... showing off his wealth? He actually said he'd never used the Qi Sea Without Boundaries?"
Yun Jing sneered inwardly and said, "I don't usually use this kind of spiritual root either. Could you please teach me, examiner?"
"So even rich people don't use this kind of spiritual root much?" Zhang Yu thought to himself, "Tsk, troublesome... why do I feel like there are even more people staring at me?"
Following the examiners' instructions, he injected his mana, stretched the ring, and put it on his hand. Zhang Yu felt the external spiritual root vibrating with his breathing, as if it had become part of his body, and the surrounding spiritual energy immediately surged in.
Next, he put on the detection equipment and gripped the detection patch tightly.
As the countdown reached 3, 2, 1, all the contestants simultaneously channeled their mana into the detection patch.
Boom!
A loud bang seemed to echo through the air as everyone channeled their mana.
At the same time, the mana output data for each individual lit up on the light screen at the front of the hall.
It was a bar chart, with a contestant's number at the bottom of each bar and a mana number at the top.
As everyone frantically channeled their mana, each bar grew continuously, ranking according to the amount of mana output.
However, two bars grew so rapidly that they not only surged to first and second place, but their exaggerated growth made the other contestants' bars appear to shrink.
These two bars represented contestants number 11, Yun Jing, and number 23, Ye Lingxiao.
Their mana numbers skyrocketed, and the two bars, like two giant dragons, clashed back and forth for first and second place.
At the same time, Dai Xingzhi looked at pillar number 55: "Hmm? Why is it so far back?"
In the examination hall, Deng Bingding, one of the Four Directions Wandering Gods, sat in the center, while other minor gods like Huang Zichou roamed around the hall, monitoring the condition of each examinee and maintaining discipline.
Besides the bar charts on the screen in front, they also monitored the magical power data of each contestant.
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Through the monitoring patches on the contestants' bodies, they could constantly understand the flow of magical power throughout the students, easily discerning their control over their surrounding magical power and whether they were cheating.
However… although the gods appeared expressionless and didn't say a word, their minds were actually racing, constantly distracted by various tasks.
After all, for the Eight Great Gods, being distracted and working remotely was commonplace, as natural as breathing.
Besides multitasking, social interaction is also an essential part of being a god.
After all, compared to mortals who need phones and the internet to stay connected, as the Eight Great Gods, their minds are constantly connected to the internet, leaving no excuses like "can't reach me," "communication is inconvenient," or "just saw a message."
Just like now, while monitoring the examination hall, the thoughts of the gods present were also communicating online, constantly sharing information about the situation.
Deng Bingding said, "...This is the first Foundation Establishment Examination of Kunxu Level 1 after the reform of the Foundation Establishment Examination. Everyone, stand firm at your posts and fulfill your responsibilities. After the examination, I will personally recommend you for commendation."
Huang Zichou was the first to reply, "Lord Deng, you're right. We all feel reassured that you're continuing to oversee things."
While the gods were communicating together, Deng Bingding was also receiving private messages from various minor gods.
"Sigh, more favor tokens. All these formalities from the gods..."
However, seeing that Huang Zichou's amount this time was a whopping 20,000, Deng Bingding couldn't help but glance at him. Finding that Huang was also looking at him, Deng Bingding smiled and nodded.
"Lord Deng is smiling at me?" Huang Zichou thought to himself, secretly pleased. "So, the amount of the favor tokens last time was wrong?"
Huang Zichou secretly memorized the amount, thinking, "In our divine friendship, money is the most important thing." "
The saying goes, 'Give money first, then talk business.' Although I haven't decided what I want this time, I can give you the money first..."
At the same time, a minor deity said, "Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao are indeed far ahead of the competition."
"Judging from the mana monitoring data, their mana is surging forth like a mighty river. Their control and explosive power are truly the strongest present."
Another deity added, "The investment in these two is enough to support all the high school students in some high schools."
"In terms of strength... they can no longer be considered ordinary Qi Refining Stage cultivators. It's just unknown who will be the true strongest high school student on the first level of Kunxu in this fierce battle."
...
In the examination hall.
With each breath, Yun Jing felt his mana surging wildly, constantly flowing through his arms into the detection patch in his palm.
But looking at Ye Lingxiao, who was on par with him on the screen, Yun Jing shouted in his heart, "Mana! Get going!"
Under his frantic pressure, the mana within his body crashed against his meridians like a flood, almost disregarding the potential damage to his body, recklessly impacting and impacting again!
This was because every meridian in Yun Jing's body had been extracted and, according to three hundred different project plans, repeatedly cultivated and tempered by dozens of university graduates, enabling them to withstand the extreme mana circulation of the Qi Chain stage for extended periods.
It could be said that each of his meridians consumed several months of hard work from a university graduate.
The total workload of these meridians amounted to tens of thousands of man-days, equivalent to twenty or thirty years of Qi Chain stage cultivation for an ordinary person.
Besides the meridians, much of Yun Jing's cultivation was similarly divided into projects, meticulously planned by the family and completed by outstanding university graduates.
"Warm-up's almost done."
Feeling the increasingly surging mana within him, Yun Jing mentally shouted, "Second Dantian, open!"
Suddenly, in addition to his lower dantian, a sea of qi in his chest also activated, instantly doubling the flow of mana, rushing out like roaring dragons.
On the light screen, the pillar representing Yun Jing suddenly surged, instantly widening the gap between him and everyone else, firmly securing the first place.
Seeing this, Ye Lingxiao remained unfazed, his face showing no sign of panic.
He thought to himself, "What a nuisance. It's not the finals; shouldn't I have held back a bit?"
Ye Lingxiao knew that, theoretically, as long as he held second place, he could pass the exam. There was no need for him to exert himself or reveal his strength to fight for first place.
However…
"First place."
For Ye Lingxiao, who had always scored full marks or ranked first in exams since childhood… getting first place was like eating and drinking; it had become a habit.
In order to inherit the perfect bloodline of the Ye Clan of the Immortal Capital, he was born without a mother, residing in the Immortal Elemental Womb from the embryonic stage, receiving the tempering of the Immortal Path.
When he first opened his eyes, his meridians were already twice as wide as those of an ordinary person, and now they were more than ten times the average for a high school student.
At the same time, the richness of his nerves was more than a hundred times that of an ordinary person, and his entire nervous system was naturally able to mobilize magical power.
The magical power techniques that other students had to painstakingly cultivate, he learned after entering high school. He could
learn any cultivation method at a glance and master it after learning it, spending millions every month to buy the right to use cultivation methods.
The cultivation of the Qi Chain stage was always a no-brainer for him.
Many people said that he and mortals were no longer a species; he was the true immortal bloodline.
Ye Lingxiao didn't care.
But there was one thing he was used to:
first place belonged to him, and would always belong to him.
The million-level expert martial art, Thunderclap Heavenly Qi—Level 10!
As a martial art with a usage right price exceeding one million, and touted as approaching military grade, Thunderclap Heavenly Qi emitted a thunderous roar upon activation.
At this moment, Ye Lingxiao seemed to transform into a thunder god, his entire body radiating electricity, every wisp of his magic power transforming into lightning.
But these wisps of lightning magic power, under his control, were as swift as his own arms, not only without damaging the environment or testing equipment, but instead shooting out like bolts of lightning, precisely passing through his arms and palms, and finally being blasted into the testing patch.
At the same time, on the light screen, the pillar representing Ye Lingxiao, which had been gradually shrinking under Yun Jing's influence, instantly enlarged again, relentlessly chasing after the first place.
"Hmph." Yun Jing sneered inwardly as he watched the changes in the bar chart. "Want to catch up? Then let's see who is the strongest high school student in Kunxu right now."
As the intense competition between the two caused a stir, the students behind them also unleashed their full power, vying for the next place, making the entire exam even more intense.
...
Huang Zichou looked at the rankings on the screen, at the dozen or so contestants closely following Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao, and analyzed, "The students behind are all very close to each other."
Another god said, "After all, they are all students from the Immortal Capital, the top high school students in the first level of Kunxu. Even those ranked outside the top 10 have more than 90 units of power."
While the lesser gods were discussing, Deng Bingding turned his attention to the scores of numbers 55, 56, and 31, who were Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Yu Xinghan from Songyang.
Since the last Dao Heart Test, Deng Bingding had been paying attention to these three students from Songyang and had also checked their information afterward.
As she watched the three perform, her mind raced through their information.
"Yu Xinghan, number 31, is a Golden Core disciple. Although his mana hasn't reached 90 yet, and he can't keep up with the top dozen or so, his mana control is quite good. With his burst of power, he's managed to rank 17th."
Yu Xinghan's third eye was fully open, constantly helping him to push his mana, but no matter how he tried, he could only maintain 17th place.
"The top 16 are also accelerating, it's too difficult to catch up, and this is only 16th..."
Thinking of the mana control he had cultivated under the personal guidance of Master Xinghuo, through countless battles of palm and fist power, and how he could only rank 17th despite his best efforts, Yu Xinghan couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Sure enough, if I want to get the Foundation Establishment certificate, I'll have to wait until next time."
On the other side, Deng Bingding's gaze swept over Bai Zhenzhen.
"Bai Zhenzhen, number 56, a poor man's genius, soared to great heights after receiving investment."
"And the investor's name, according to what I learned from a local expert in Songyang… is Zhang Pianpian."
"The same investor as Zhang Yu, could these two poor people also be involved?"
Deng Bingding dared not think too much, telling himself to pretend he knew nothing and treat them as ordinary examinees.
Coming back to his senses, looking at the magic power detection data within Bai Zhenzhen's body, Deng Bingding seemed to see the magic power within her body surging outwards like wave after wave, bursting forth with a turbulent flow in her meridians.
Expert-level Breathing Technique—Nine Turns of Surging Waves, Level 10 Propulsion!
This expert-level breathing technique emphasizes continuous life; after nine turns of magic power, it can draw in even more magic power. It is a technique where the longer the breathing time, the stronger the effect.
After Bai Zhenzhen's true spiritual root deduction, the level 10 effect of the Nine Revolutions of Surging Waves gained another layer: during the nine revolutions of magical power, the speed of the magical power's circulation increased with each revolution, becoming increasingly ferocious like a raging torrent.
At this moment, with the help of the Nine Revolutions of Surging Waves and its deduced effects, Bai Zhenzhen managed to stand at number 19.
However, after the nine revolutions of magical power, the circulation speed had already subtly exceeded the limits of Bai Zhenzhen's control. She felt like a small boat in a raging storm, potentially capsizing at any moment due to the rampaging magical power.
Yet, the more dangerous it was, the clearer Bai Zhenzhen's mind became under the operation of the Cold Soul Ice Heart Technique, and the deeper her grasp of the magical power's circulation became.
At this moment, she was completely focused, almost without any mental attention paid to the outside world, fully operating the Nine Revolutions of Surging Waves, which was teetering on the edge of being out of control.
Looking at the monitoring data transmitted from Bai Zhenzhen, Deng Bingding commented inwardly, "If her magic power goes berserk, it will cause serious injury if it gets out of control. She's
also an adventurous student." She was already used to this.
After all, it would be a miracle if Kunxu students didn't borrow money, get injured, or get sick.
Which top student didn't reach this point through countless adventures?
Finally, Deng Bingding looked at Zhang Yu.
"21st place?" Deng Bingding thought to herself, "Not even in the top 20?"
...
Zhang Yu, desperately circulating his magic power, was equally surprised that he hadn't even made it into the top 20.
Although today's exam eliminated those ranked below 20th in total score, ranking outside the top 20 in magic power didn't necessarily mean elimination.
But clearly, ranking below 20th was still a very unfavorable result.
"They're really strong, the high school students of Xiandu..."
Zhang Yu remembered how powerful his magical power control was after he cultivated the Zhou Tian Qi Gathering Technique to level 10.
Later, when he also cultivated the Wuji Cloud Hands to level 10, he believed his magical power control was comparable to that of a high school senior.
But looking at his ranking now, Zhang Yu suddenly realized something.
His control over his magical power… hadn't improved for far too long.
"After all, I've focused most of my energy on body tempering these past few months."
"Indeed, my magical power control is at a high school senior level."
"But merely high school senior-level magical power control, without a rapid burst of power, isn't enough to get into the top 20 in this exam…"
Pressure and crisis washed over him. Zhang Yu felt as if a broken bull was roaring in his mind, radiating boundless fighting spirit.
"Heh… pressure and desperation?"
"Not enough yet."
Under the astonished gazes of many students and the gods present, Zhang Yu suddenly stopped circulating his magic power.
Originally, the students were all sprinting with all their might, and apart from the first and second place winners, the data for each student was very close.
Therefore… with Zhang Yu's sudden pause, the bar chart representing him was rapidly pulled away, instantly heading towards last place.
This book was first published on the Taiwan Novel Network, Super Practical, 𝘵𝘸𝘬𝘢𝘯.𝘤𝘰𝘮 for easy reading, providing you with error-free and orderly chapter reading experience.
Watching his ranking drop step by step, the fighting spirit in Zhang Yu's eyes grew stronger and stronger. The crippled bull he visualized in his mind also supported its crippled limbs and roared to the sky, its broken horns emitting a cold light.
"Come on, put yourself in a desperate situation and you will survive!"
Under the pressure Zhang Yu actively put on himself, the Crippled Bull's Self-Sacrifice Technique's enhancement in the face of pressure and desperate situations was continuously amplified.
Zhang Yu felt his magical power surge, like oil being poured onto a raging fire, radiating unprecedented vitality.
His mind raced, controlling the flow of magical power throughout his body.
"My control over magical power is strong, but I've always lacked training in explosive power."
"To make a breakthrough in this exam, I must fully utilize my control advantage."
A flash of inspiration struck Zhang Yu, and he thought of the Dragon Elephant Mountain-Crushing Palm, a universal martial art that cost him 200,000.
Just like the previous Back Dragon Mountain-Turning Hand, this purely physical martial art was called a universal martial art because it could accept any magical power and unleash tremendous force.
"The Dragon Elephant Mountain-Crushing Palm should be my most explosive martial art. If I use magical power to propel this martial art..."
With a loud bang, Zhang Yu's magical power slammed into the detection patch in his palm.
At the same time, he felt a sharp pain in his meridians.
"My meridians are still not strong enough..."
"Since that's the case, I'll wrap my meridians with the Formless Cloud Qi, using it as a new passage..."
"Then I'll use the Dragon Elephant Mountain-Crushing Palm to blast all the damn magic power out!"
Strands of Formless Cloud Qi rose from Zhang Yu's dantian, instantly transforming into layers of subcutaneous Qi, wrapping his meridians and constructing a passage from his dantian to his palm.
The next moment, a roar erupted from Zhang Yu's body, and explosive magical power burst forth along the passage in an incredibly brutal manner.
Under the pressure of his desperate situation, enhanced by the "Remnant Ox Sacrifice Body and Mind Technique," the Formless Cloud Qi became its trajectory, and the magical power was released through the Dragon Elephant Mountain-Crushing Palm technique. Each strike intensely vibrated the
Formless Cloud Qi within Zhang Yu's body. At this moment, Zhang Yu felt as if he had become a cannon, using the Formless Cloud Qi as the barrel, the Dragon Elephant Mountain-Crushing Palm as the gunpowder, and magical power as the bullets, firing shot after shot within himself.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
But with this series of actions, propelled by Zhang Yu's brutal and ferocious magical power, his ranking instantly accelerated, surging forward at breakneck speed.
30th!
28th!
21st!
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Yu not only surged back to 21st place, but was now accelerating towards 20th!
Meanwhile, the student currently standing in 20th place was a student named Li Tongyun.
As the bar chart representing number 55 on the screen relentlessly climbed towards her, Li Tongyun felt immense pressure.
"Damn it…why?"
"Why have I been driven to this point?"
Recalling her past as a top-five student at Xianyun High School, her grades plummeting in the last six months to this point…
a strong sense of resentment welled up within Li Tongyun.
Six months ago, her father lost a business battle, becoming a scapegoat and ultimately being fired.
With severance pay delayed, her family faced pressure from various loans, bills, and cultivation expenses.
At the time, her parents' savings were only enough to cover one month's expenses.
To maintain her standing among friends, classmates, and teachers, Li Tongyun dared not reveal this, and could only continue borrowing, forcing herself to maintain her image as a wealthy person.
As the saying goes, when the bank account is empty, the loan account is full.
And today, Li Tongyun's bank account is -1.5 million.
Even so, due to a lack of financial support, her cultivation level failed to keep up with her classmates' progress and plummeted instantly.
After all, on the fast-paced path of high school immortality where everyone is making rapid progress, once the pace of progress slows down, one will be left far behind.
"I can't lose..."
But if it were just that, although the gap would be huge, and although she would gradually be abandoned by her original circle of friends, at least she could still get into university and find a good job in the future.
But Li Tongyun knew that things were not that simple, because she couldn't afford to lose now.
Back when her family's annual income was at its peak, when her grades were among the top five in Xianyun High School, when she was at the height of her pride and considered getting into the top ten a certainty,
she signed a betting contract with her father's company.
"I must obtain the Foundation Establishment qualification certificate, otherwise... I will become a company asset."
Looking at number 55 getting closer and closer, Li Tongyun felt that the other party was like an abyss representing endless despair, chasing her step by step, wanting to completely devour her.
"I can't lose!"
With a roar in her heart, Li Tongyun had already pushed up twelve percent of her magic power, accompanied by waves of pain as her meridians were torn apart, and blasted out her magic power.
No matter how hard she tried, how desperately she fought, even to the point of bleeding from all seven orifices, she could only watch helplessly as Zhang Yu surpassed her number step by step, squeezing her down to 21st place.
The moment he reached 20th, Zhang Yu breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally up!"
As the pressure lessened, Zhang Yu also deliberately reduced his mana output.
After all, his current brutal methods couldn't be without damage to his body; while maintaining a position in the top 20, he also needed to ensure his health.
But soon Zhang Yu discovered that the 21st place was still chasing him.
As the opponent drew closer, the pressure increased, forcing Zhang Yu to increase his mana output again, trying to shake the opponent off once more.
Even with the protection of the Formless Cloud Barrier, such brutal mana bombardment still gradually injured his body.
"Damn it, is this guy so persistent?"
Zhang Yu rubbed his aching stomach, looking at the 21st place still chasing him… He remembered the opponent's number was 36.
Li Tongyun, bleeding from all seven orifices and experiencing excruciating pain throughout her body, was also staring intently at number 55 on the screen.
Every time she approached the other person, Number 55 would accelerate again, leaving her far behind.
But after leaving them behind, the other person would slow down slightly, as if waiting for her to catch up again.
Li Tongyun felt resentful: "Number 55, is that super rich out-of-towner?"
"Is he deliberately teasing me? Deliberately playing tricks on me?"
She could almost see the other person looking at her with a wicked smile, watching her struggle repeatedly, yet unable to catch up.
At the same time, Dai Xingzhi on the other side had also been observing Number 55's performance.
When he saw Number 55 voluntarily stop circulating his magic power and jump to last place in one go, he felt extremely puzzled.
When he saw Number 55 accelerate all the way to 20th place, he thought the other person was going to start aiming for the top three.
But when he saw Number 55 stop at 20th place, he felt puzzled again.
Until he saw number 55 stuck at 20th place, and number 36 repeatedly catch up only to be left behind...
a realization flashed in Dai Xingzhi's eyes: "He... is he playing around?"
Seeing that the other person maintained a stable 20th place ranking until the end of this round of exams, Dai Xingzhi became even more certain of this.
"Deliberately stuck at 20th place, not surpassing the person above, yet controlling himself from being surpassed by anyone."
"Deliberately controlling the ranking in the Foundation Establishment exam?"
"Only someone with absolute self-confidence could do this."
Dai Xingzhi looked in Zhang Yu's direction, thinking to himself, "Just how rich is this guy?"
And he wasn't the only one with similar thoughts.
Yun Jing, who ultimately secured second place, glanced at Ye Lingxiao for a while before turning to look at Zhang Yu: "Hmph, hiding in the back and playing these tricks. Is he showing off his control? Or deliberately concealing his strength?"
Ye Lingxiao, after taking first place, showed a hint of helplessness on his face, thinking to himself, "He was only slightly provoked, and couldn't resist grabbing first place."
"I guess I'm still a bit too impatient."
He looked in Zhang Yu's direction, thinking to himself, "This guy, on the other hand, can still maintain a playful attitude in the examination room."
At this moment, Zhang Yu became even more unfathomable in Ye Lingxiao's eyes.
Especially since Zhang Yu in this round was definitely hiding his strength in Ye Lingxiao's view.
An opponent whose true strength was unknown made him feel even more threatened.
"This guy might be even more dangerous than Yun Jing."
With that, Ye Lingxiao greeted Zhang Yu, "Not bad."
"Huh?" Zhang Yu looked bewildered at the greeting. "What do you mean 'not bad'?"
"Is this kid provoking me?"
"He's mocking me because I'm struggling in 20th place?"
How to describe this feeling… Zhang Yu decided that he would never praise Zhao Tianxing's boxing skills in class again.
"Damn, these kinds of words sound so unpleasant, so sarcastic."
Bai Zhenzhen comforted him, "Yu Zi, being looked down upon has its advantages. It makes you more impressive when you surpass them later."
"Surpassing these rich people, that's a privilege for us poor people! These top-tier immortals have never had this experience since birth!"
Clearly, in Bai Zhenzhen's eyes, Ye Lingxiao's words and actions were full of provocation, mockery, disdain, and contempt.
But Zhang Yu didn't feel comforted at all by Bai Zhenzhen's words.
"Damn, there are still two exams left. Is that guy going to keep sabotaging me?"
"It's just criticism of him throwing around red envelopes, is he really that vengeful?"
With the magic power exam over, the students now faced the physical exam.
Deng Bingding said, "A person's physical cultivation level can be reflected in many aspects."
"And there's one thing a person can't live without every day, and it can't be faked."
"That's appetite."
"The stronger a person is, the more they eat; the more they eat, the stronger they are. Appetite is one of the indicators of a person's physical strength, testing their overall metabolism, digestion, and the stomach's ability to recruit."
"Today's second exam is a competition of gluttony!"
Upon hearing the words of the True God, and learning that the next test would be a contest of eating prowess, many contestants were shocked and began to consider their own strengths and weaknesses in this competition.
Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, however, had their eyes light up, secretly thinking that the next test would mean a free feast!
"A buffet, huh?" Zhang Yu thought to himself, "I'm going to eat my way back on the registration fee, transportation fee, and teleportation fee."
Bai Zhenzhen guessed, "Won't the next exam be an unlimited supply of pre-made food? That would be awesome!"
Zhang Yu retorted, "We're taking the Foundation Establishment exam, how could we possibly eat pre-made food? It has to be something high-value, hard-to-digest like demon beast meat, that's what's good for the exam, right?"
Just
as the two were discussing what they could eat for the next exam, Yu Xinghan walked up to them and said, "This is the Immortal Capital, it's perfectly normal to eat dragon meat for the next exam."
As he spoke, his eyes were filled with longing, and his mouth was watering uncontrollably.
Upon hearing the words "dragon meat," Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were both startled, then somewhat disbelieving.
"All-you-can-eat dragon meat?" Zhang Yu said. "Isn't that a bit too much?"
Yu Xinghan said, "What's dragon meat compared to what's so special about Xiandu?"
"Aren't all these people from Xiandu rich? Ordinary food isn't enough for them to digest."
He gestured towards Yun Jing and said, "See that number 11? He's a big shot among the high school students in Xiandu. It's said that he spends tens of millions every month just on outsourced cultivation."
Bai Zhenzhen exclaimed, "These damn rich people are really damn rich. Where do they get so much money?"
Yu Xinghan said, "He's from the 1.5 level... Of course, you on the 1st level wouldn't understand things from the 1.5 level."
Bai Zhenzhen: "Then how did you know about the 1.5 level's news from the 1st level?"
Yu Xinghan said, "I learned it from my master. He's been keeping a close eye on all sorts of information from Xiandu."
"After all, this place gathers the richest companies, the most advanced technology, and the students with the most potential for immortality from the 1st level of Kunxu. Paying attention to this place is like paying attention to the future trends of the immortal world..."
As he spoke, Yu Xinghan looked at the two of them and promoted, "Would you like to subscribe to some pioneering news from the immortal realm? And some insightful commentary from Golden Core cultivators?"
Paid consultations were a new business Yu Xinghan had recently launched, which had brought him considerable income.
Zhang Yu was quite interested, but thinking of his current savings, he pursed his lips and said, "We'll talk about it later."
Just then, buckets of food were brought to the site amidst the expectant gazes of Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Yu Xinghan.
But when the lids were opened and they saw the synthetic food inside, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were filled with disappointment.
Especially after eating synthetic food for several months, the thought of having to eat this in the competition made them feel nauseous, and their faces turned green.
Zhang Yu cursed inwardly, "Damn it... I paid 30,000 yuan for registration last time, and this is what we get?"
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Yu Xinghan's face as he thought to himself, "Just how much did these righteous gods embezzle?"
Meanwhile, Deng Bingding, the chief examiner, continued to explain the examination rules.
In short, this exam is about who can eat the most, and the synthesized food is supplied in unlimited quantities.
During this time, one cannot use spiritual roots, magical power, or any power other than the physical body. Of course, mental cultivation techniques, as the power of visualization, are also part of the physical body's power and are not restricted in their use.
Furthermore, any methods, including vomiting or hiding food, are considered cheating, and anyone caught doing so will be permanently disqualified from taking the Foundation Establishment exam.
Deng Bingding said, "Eating, digesting, and metabolizing are the roots of physical strength and a major manifestation of physical power."
"True strength comes from powerful internal organs, meticulous control over the body, and a powerful ability to mobilize the digestive system." "
It can be said that the stronger the body, the stronger the digestive ability, and the greater the appetite—this is inevitable."
"This test examines your physical strength and control over your bodies from this perspective."
"If running, jumping, and bearing weight are considered external physical skills," "
then today we will test your internal physical skills."
"Good luck, everyone!"
In the blink of an eye, as the exam officially began, a row of bar charts reappeared on the screen in front, indicating the contestants' numbers and food portions.
As the countdown began (3, 2, 1), the bars on the light screen immediately surged.
With a loud splashing sound, a burly man picked up a large bucket and, as if swallowing a whale, gulped down the synthetic food inside.
The frantic influx of the food even created a sound like surging river water, drawing the attention of many students nearby.
The burly man, named Meng Tao, swallowed the entire bucket of synthetic food in the blink of an eye, then his brow furrowed slightly.
"This is fucking disgusting."
The synthetic food in the bucket hadn't been seasoned at all; to Meng Tao, it tasted like dirt.
But after watching himself quickly devour the entire bucket of synthetic food, his sense of satisfaction outweighed his disgust.
"Hahaha, I usually use the Gluttony Spirit Root! My entire digestive system is already used to eating large amounts of food."
"Even if I can't use the Gluttony Spirit Root now, the advantages are still unmatched by others." "
I might even get in the top three in this Gluttony Exam! Or even the top two!"
So, while Meng Tao was frantically devouring the synthetic food, he glanced at the light screen not far away, and then his eyes revealed a look of joy.
First place, number 23;
second place, number 11
; third place, number 18.
Seeing Meng Tao ranked third, his first thought was naturally a hint of joy.
But when he realized that the top two were constantly widening the gap between them, that hint of joy turned into surprise.
Meng Tao couldn't help but glance in the direction of Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao, wanting to see how the two of them were eating.
And what he saw shocked him even more.
Yun Jing's chest seemed to have opened up a large hole, and he directly poured the food into this hole in his chest, without any swallowing action, as if he were pouring synthetic food from one bucket to another into his body.
Meng Tao was shocked: "Has he completely given up on taste and swallowing? Eating is like adding fuel to his stomach for him."
On the other side, Ye Lingxiao, with his blood and qi surging and his muscles stretching, suddenly swelled up a lot.
His limbs, chest, throat, esophagus, and stomach all grew to enormous sizes, turning him into a small giant. He picked up the food bucket in front of him as if it were a large cup and casually poured it into his mouth.
Meng Tao thought to himself, "Ye Lingxiao can stretch his body structure so freely..."
"Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao... their bodies are simply monsters. Don't they have any weaknesses?"
"But it's alright, at least I can get into the top three in this round, which is pretty good."
Just then, the chief examiner, Deng Bingding, said calmly, "Some students may wonder why we are using synthetic food for this exam?"
"Because synthetic food is the easiest to digest, the lightest burden, and the most adaptable to various stomachs, making it suitable for the exam." "
I know some people can't get used to it, but being able to adapt to the food as quickly as possible is also part of this assessment."
Huang Zichou, listening to Deng Bingding's explanation, knew in his heart that these were just excuses; the real reason was to save on the budget.
"These high school students can eat like crazy. If we put out anything expensive, they'll eat the whole budget. Let them eat as much synthetic food as they want."
Just as Deng Bingding was speaking, Dai Xingzhi, not far away, was gulping down synthetic food, thinking to himself, "It's really awful."
As a resident of the northern sixth ring road of Xiandu, Dai Xingzhi had almost never eaten synthetic food. In his opinion, it was something only poor migrant workers from other places ate.
Now, as he gulped it down, he indeed found it increasingly unpalatable and difficult to swallow.
He thought to himself, "Not only do my stomach have to adapt, but I also have to mentally endure this stuff. I guess only those poor bastards who eat it every day can get used to it..."
"I'm going to throw up..." Zhang Yu, his face grim, drank from a large bucket of synthetic food, feeling a deep sense of bitterness.
"I'm already sick of eating this stuff every day for so long, and today we have to compete to eat it?"
"Who the hell said that you have to endure hardship to become a superior person? All the synthetic foods I've eaten before... they're just dragging me down in the Foundation Establishment exam.
" Finally, Zhang Yu couldn't help but ask, "Examiner! Can you add some seasoning?"
Deng Bingding said indifferently, "No. Overcoming your sense of taste is part of cultivation, and it's also part of this assessment."
Dai Xingzhi looked at Zhang Yu, who had made the request, and thought to himself, "He's definitely a rich guy."
He looked at Zhang Yu's expression, which seemed like he was about to vomit, and thought, "It's a bit hard to eat, but it shouldn't be this exaggerated, right? What does he usually eat? Is it because he's too rich that he's so particular about taste?"
Even in the Immortal Capital, wealthy high school students are used to putting the taste of food as a secondary concern in order to pursue scores and rankings.
But Zhang Yu's performance, in Dai Xingzhi's opinion, was just that he was used to being comfortable and didn't have the same cultivation perseverance as the people of the Immortal Capital.
Especially when comparing Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao's performance, he felt this even more strongly.
"Hmph, as expected, even among the wealthy, these out-of-towners are no match for the wealthy people in our Immortal Capital."
While the students were frantically consuming their synthesized food, chasing each other over the rankings on the screen,
Little God Huang Zichou glanced at the students' performances and said, "The second stage is about to begin."
On the field, Meng Tao, who had been wolfing down his food
, suddenly slowed down. Not only him, but several other students who had been eating voraciously also gradually slowed down.
Huang Zichou commented online, "Hehe, the so-called gluttony competition, the contest of eating capacity, isn't just about who eats the fastest."
"Just like Lord Deng just said, it's about overall metabolism and digestion, the mobilization of the stomach and intestines, and the students' control over their own bodies."