46: Chapter 46 The Martial Arts Exam Begins
"Quiet!"
Just as the students below were discussing among themselves, a voice rang out.
Although the voice was not loud, it reached every corner of the plaza.
The entire venue instantly fell silent.
President Zhou Zhenghe swept his gaze across the student ranks, and seeing that everyone had stopped talking, he revealed a satisfied expression and continued,
"I believe your principals have already told you the rules of the Martial Exam, but I will reiterate them here once more."
"There are Rank-1 to Rank-2 exotic beasts in the Secret Realm. Killing one Rank-1, One-Star exotic beast earns you 1 point; Rank-1, Two-Star earns 2 points... and so on, up to Rank-1, Nine-Star, which earns 9 points."
"Killing Rank-2 exotic beasts doubles the score. Rank-2, One-Star earns 100 points, Rank-2, Two-Star earns 200 points... up to Rank-2, Nine-Star, which earns 900 points!"
Although the students below already knew this, upon hearing it, a collective gasp could still be heard.
Many people felt their hearts pounding.
Rank-2 exotic beasts were entities at the level of a Martial Artist! Most of the students present had never even killed a Rank-1 exotic beast, let alone a Rank-2 one.
If they were careless, they might even die in the Secret Realm.
"The Martial Exam will last for three days," President Zhou Zhenghe continued. "After three days, rankings will be based on scores. The top one hundred candidates in the entire base city will be assigned to various martial arts universities based on their rankings."
"Additionally, everyone will be issued a positioning wristband. It is not only your scoring device but also a distress signal transmitter."
"If you encounter danger, press the button on the wristband, and the invigilators will immediately come to rescue you. However, remember that once you press the wristband, it means your Martial Exam is over."
"Now, begin entering the Secret Realm in the order of First High School to No. 3 High School!"
The students from First Martial Arts High School were the first to step forward.
Xie Yunpeng walked in the lead, head held high and chest out. The moment he stepped into the archway, his figure disappeared into the blue vortex.
Zhang Beiwang followed closely behind, his expression calm, as if the Martial Exam were merely a trivial matter.
Gong Shuting was wearing a cyan combat suit with her long hair tied into a high ponytail. As she stepped into the Secret Realm, she glanced back at the plaza, seemingly looking for someone.
"It's Zhao Yuting from First High School! She's so beautiful!"
"Duh, she's the mayor's daughter, of course she's beautiful!"
Hearing the discussion, Zhao Yuting walked into the Secret Realm without a change in expression, not even sparing them a glance.
The students from Second Martial Arts High School followed right after.
Liu Qingqing walked at the front of the line. Her strength had already reached the level of a One-Star Martial Artist, making her the undisputed number one in Second High School.
Finally, it was the turn of Third Martial Arts High School.
Lin Fan walked up to the archway and paused. He felt Teacher Xue Muhan's gaze linger on him for a moment again; that feeling of being seen through made him very uncomfortable.
He did not linger and stepped into the Secret Realm in one stride.
Han Ming walked in the middle of the group with his hands in his pockets, looking relaxed. With the strength of an Eight-Star Martial Master, being in this beginner dungeon was no different from strolling through his own backyard.
Li Xuewei followed behind him, gripping the positioning wristband tightly, her palms full of sweat.
"Don't be nervous. With your strength, as long as you don't provoke those Rank-2 exotic beasts, you'll be fine."
Han Ming sensed Li Xuewei's nervousness, looked back at her, and comforted her with a smile.
Li Xuewei's Yellow Rank High Grade Martial Skill, Wind Shadow Step, had already reached Minor Achievement, so escaping from an ordinary Rank-1, Nine-Star exotic beast would not be a problem.
Han Ming did not want to interfere too much with Li Xuewei's actions in the Secret Realm.
After all, in the original story, it was by Opportunity that she consumed a Rank-4 ice-attribute Spiritual Plant, which led to the Awakening of her Mystic Ice Spirit Body.
Although he had read the novel, he was now inside the novel himself and had no idea where the Rank-4 Spiritual Plant was located.
He could only let the original plot unfold and see what Li Xuewei's luck was like.
However, Han Ming couldn't let her take risks alone either. She was his Cultivation tool, after all; who knew if her death would have any impact on him?
Would he be able to bind another one?
He didn't dare to gamble.
However, it was impossible for him to travel with her; he would at most follow her from the shadows.
Li Xuewei raised her head, met Han Ming's encouraging gaze, and most of her nervousness dissipated.
"Mhm, I will be careful."
She nodded earnestly and said.
Han Ming smiled, turned around, and stepped into the archway. A white light flashed, and the scenery before his eyes changed.
When he opened his eyes, he was already standing in a dense forest. Sunlight filtered down through the leaves, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of vegetation, with a concentration of Spiritual Qi several times higher than the outside world.
"So this is the Secret Realm?"
Han Ming looked around but did not see Li Xuewei, nor did he see the student who had entered before him.
He knew that the spatial passages of the Secret Realm were likely random teleports.
Looking around, he didn't see any students; it seemed this Secret Realm space was quite large.
Han Ming looked around, confirmed the direction, flashed his figure, and sped off towards the south.
He was not in a rush to hunt exotic beasts; his top priority was to find Li Xuewei's location and secretly protect her safety.
Although this girl had the strength of a Five-Star Martial Disciple, in this Secret Realm filled with Rank-1 and Rank-2 exotic beasts, a moment of carelessness could lead to disaster.
Not to mention that she also had to compete for the Rank-4 ice-attribute Spiritual Plant; there might be some powerful exotic beast guarding it.
Han Ming unfurled his movement technique and wove through the forest.
He unleashed Wind Shadow Step at full power, his figure like a ghost, silent and traceless.
Along the way, he casually dealt with a few blind, Rank-1 exotic beasts.
One Rank-1, Seven-Star Red Flame Fox, two Rank-1, Five-Star Venomous Scorpions, and one Rank-1, Nine-Star Iron-Thread Snake.
Each one was killed with a single palm strike, clean and decisive.
The score on his positioning wristband jumped, quickly reaching 26 points.
Han Ming curiously glanced at the wristband; besides his own score, he could actually see his ranking.
With 26 points, he was currently only ranked 57th. As for who was ahead of him and what their rankings were, he could not see.
Seriously, are these people all this fierce?
It had just started; maybe not all the students from Third High School had even entered yet!
With his strength, he had just entered and already killed several relatively powerful exotic beasts, yet he was only ranked 57th?
Han Ming complained inwardly; it seemed there were quite a few powerhouses from First High School and Second High School.
The further south he went, the denser the forest became.
Towering trees blocked out the sky, and the ground was covered in thick fallen leaves that rustled when stepped upon. The air was filled with the scent of damp soil, occasionally interspersed with the roars of beasts.
"This Secret Realm is really not small."
Han Ming hurried on his way while keeping an eye on the surroundings.
After walking for about an hour, a sound of intense fighting came from ahead.
Han Ming slowed his pace and approached quietly.
In a clearing, three students wearing Second High School uniforms were surrounding and attacking a Rank-1, Eight-Star Iron-Backed Wolf. The Iron-Backed Wolf was covered in wounds but its ferocity remained undiminished, charging left and right, throwing the three into a panic.
"Watch out for its tail!"
The strongest one, a Seven-Star Martial Apprentice, suddenly changed expression and warned nervously.
But it was a step too late. The weakest one, a Five-Star Martial Disciple, was struck by the Iron-Backed Wolf's tail, let out a muffled groan, and flew backward.
Having succeeded with one strike, the Iron-Backed Wolf's ferocity flared, and it opened its bloody maw to pounce at the student lying on the ground!
The Five-Star Martial Disciple's face turned pale; he wanted to dodge but it was simply too late. The Iron-Backed Wolf's fangs were already inches away, and he could even smell that foul, fishy stench.
"It's over..."
Despair welled up in his heart; even if he pressed the distress signal on the wristband now, it would be too late. He could only close his eyes and wait for death.
"No..."
"Don't..."
The other two students saw this scene and were scared out of their wits; they both cried out in alarm and lunged toward the Iron-Backed Wolf.
However, the Iron-Backed Wolf's fangs were inches from their companion's neck; it was already too late for them to save him.
Watching their companion about to die in the Iron-Backed Wolf's mouth, they felt a wave of regret.
They had thought that with their strength, they could surely kill the Rank-1, Eight-Star Iron-Backed Wolf, but only after fighting did they realize.
They had been too naive.
Their usual combat training was not the same as a real life-and-death struggle.
But it was too late to regret now; they could only watch helplessly as their companion died before their eyes.
"Whoosh!"
Just as they were in despair, a barely perceptible sound of something breaking through the air rang out.
"Bang!"
Following a loud explosion, they widened their eyes, revealing expressions of shock, and saw a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
They saw that the Iron-Backed Wolf, the size of a calf, which had been about to bite their companion, had actually exploded right in front of them, turning into a mist of blood that filled the sky.