40: Chapter 40: The Joint Examination of the Three Schools Begins

Fang Chuan let out a long sigh of relief.

The exploration of the Temple of Fortune this time yielded rewards far beyond his imagination, but the process was truly perilous.

He had thought he was sufficiently prepared; with three thousand elites averaging over level forty-five, plus Fara and Yi, those two five-star powerhouses with combat power exceeding one million, he should have been able to walk through it without any issues.

He hadn't expected the temple to be so insane, conjuring a genuine divine beast on the eighth floor.

If not for Fara holding the line, combined with his own overwhelming numbers dealing explosive damage in a single volley, there might have truly been casualties.

"If the eighth floor has a Gold-tier divine beast, then what... will be on the ninth floor?" Fang Chuan calculated in his mind.

That Geng Jin White Tiger said to return after becoming a Demigod; those words certainly weren't groundless.

The guardian of the ninth floor must possess strength far surpassing this tiger.

"Forget it, one must eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time." Fang Chuan quickly adjusted his mindset. "When I ascend to Demigod and unlock the believer level cap, I will come back to meet you then."

Fara definitely deserved the greatest credit for this exploration.

Seeing him clash head-on with a divine beast, that fearless spirit of his, made even Fang Chuan feel a pang of heartache.

"I must get Fara a set of good equipment to reward him!" Fang Chuan immediately made his decision.

For the current Fara, it would at least have to be a full Gold-tier set—no, a King-tier set would be best!

At two hundred million per set, Fang Chuan could still handle it.

After collecting all the rare treasures scavenged from the eighth floor, Fang Chuan immediately used his divine power to teleport Fara and the group of elite believers, who were still recuperating, back to the main city of his divine kingdom, Baize City, to let them rest properly.

After doing all this, his divine consciousness slowly withdrew from the divine kingdom world.

The room was quiet, with only the neon lights from outside the window filtering through the gaps, casting mottled light and shadows on the walls.

Fang Chuan picked up the smart optical computer on the table and checked the time; it was past nine in the evening.

Tomorrow was the highly anticipated three-school joint exam.

He casually opened the class group chat, and as expected, it was already exploding with activity; the message notification was stuck at 999+, impossible to scroll through.

"Brothers, I'm too nervous to sleep! Tomorrow we're going to compete on the same field as those freaks from No. 2 High School and No. 3 High School!"

"What are you afraid of! Just go for it! Our No. 1 High School isn't to be trifled with!"

"I heard that for this joint exam, several major clans in Qinghe City will send people to watch. If you perform well, you can ascend to the heavens in one step!"

"Damn, for real? The Lu Family, the Qin Family, they're all coming?"

"Of course, my cousin works in the city, and he said the military is paying special attention this time, and the rewards are unprecedentedly generous!"

"Sigh, it's a pity we're just here to make up the numbers; the real stage belongs to those SSS-tier geniuses like Lu Hai, Qin Yao, and Lin Xiaoxiao."

"Don't be discouraged, what if you get lucky and pick up some treasure?"

Fang Chuan lurked in the chat for a while; the content was nothing more than this, filled with pre-exam excitement, nervousness, and longing for the future.

A playful arc curled at the corner of Fang Chuan's mouth, and he tossed the optical computer onto the bedside table. "Making up the numbers? I hope tomorrow, the expressions of those high-and-mighty geniuses will be interesting enough."

...

The next day, the morning sun bathed Qinghe City.

The entire city seemed to wake up earlier than usual, with countless gazes focused on the central area of the city.

The Qinghe Super Divine Kingdom Training Center.

This was the top-tier divine domain training venue in Qinghe City, usually open only to the military and the children of major clans. But today, it opened its doors to the high school seniors.

Outside the venue, there was a sea of people and endless traffic.

Hover cars drew graceful arcs in the air, landing in an orderly fashion on the designated parking pads. Everyone stepping out of the cars was a student or parent dressed in finery with an extraordinary aura.

Fang Chuan squeezed into the crowd, appearing completely unremarkable.

He looked up; the entire venue resembled a crouching steel behemoth, filled with a sense of technology and oppression.

On the giant electronic screen, promotional videos and rules for this joint exam were scrolling by.

"Qinghe No. 1 High School, No. 2 High School, and No. 3 High School, Senior Year Divine Domain Practical Assessment Joint Exam, officially starts at nine o'clock!"

The impassioned music and inflammatory slogans made the blood of every young student at the scene begin to boil.

Fang Chuan took a deep breath, suppressing the surging fighting intent in his heart, and followed the crowd step by step toward that palace symbolizing glory and opportunity.

Stepping into the interior of the venue, a wave of noise rushed toward him.

Above the giant dome, blue skies and white clouds were simulated, and soft light shone down, illuminating the entire hall as bright as day.

The hall was divided into three distinct areas, each marked with eye-catching signs: "Qinghe No. 1 High School," "Qinghe No. 2 High School," and "No. 3 High School."

Each area was bustling with people; students gathered together in class units, either chatting excitedly or preparing nervously.

Fang Chuan quickly found his class's formation.

"Fang Chuan, over here!"

Zhang Chao had arrived long ago and was craning his neck, looking around. Upon seeing Fang Chuan, he immediately waved excitedly.

Fang Chuan walked over and patted his shoulder. "Came so early?"

"How could I not be early! I was so excited I couldn't sleep all night!" Zhang Chao's face was flushed, and he was in a state of high excitement. "Let me tell you, Cang Ya's current condition is exploding! In this joint exam, I will definitely make those who look down on us shocked!"

As he spoke, he rubbed his hands together, his eyes darting toward the No. 1 High School and No. 2 High School camps not far away, filled with a provocative air.

Fang Chuan smiled without speaking. He could feel the powerful divine power surging within Zhang Chao; clearly, the four-star Pure-blood Werewolf card had brought him comprehensive improvements.

"By the way, where is Liu Ruyan?" Fang Chuan looked around but didn't see the school beauty.

"Over there." Zhang Chao pursed his lips in that direction.

Fang Chuan looked in the direction he pointed and saw Liu Ruyan surrounded by a group of boys from other classes, like stars holding up the moon. Although she maintained a polite smile, her eyes revealed a hint of aloofness and impatience.

As a school beauty with B+ tier talent, Liu Ruyan was the center of attention wherever she went.

"Sigh, a goddess is just different." Zhang Chao sighed sourly, then lowered his voice and said mysteriously to Fang Chuan, "Guess who I just saw?"

"Who?"

"Lu Hai! And Qin Yao from No. 2 High School! Lin Xiaoxiao from No. 3 High School! Those three SSS-tier freaks are all here!" Zhang Chao's tone was filled with both envy and defiance. "Goodness, that spectacle, tsk tsk, the people surrounding them were three layers deep, like an ancient emperor on a royal tour."

Fang Chuan's gaze also turned toward those few most eye-catching small groups.

In the center of the Qinghe No. 1 High School area, a young man with a tall, straight figure and a handsome face stood with his hands behind his back.

He was wearing a well-tailored, expensive outfit, his expression indifferent, his eyes carrying an innate arrogance. Even just standing there, he naturally became the center of attention.

He was Lu Hai, the number one genius of Qinghe City's younger generation.

And in the Qinghe No. 2 High School team, a girl with ear-length short hair and a quiet, shy temperament also attracted countless gazes.

She seemed somewhat unaccustomed to such occasions, slightly lowering her head, but when she occasionally looked up, elements seemed to flow within her clear eyes.

She was Qin Yao.

As for Lin Xiaoxiao from No. 3 High School, she was a completely different style.

She wore high twin tails, a playful smile on her face, and was examining the people around her with great interest; there was a cunning light flickering in her lively eyes, as if she were a little troublemaking witch.

These three were the most dazzling stars of this joint exam, and also the universally acknowledged top contenders for the top three spots.

"Fang Chuan, when we enter the virtual battlefield later, you must stick close to me!" Zhang Chao withdrew his gaze and instructed with a serious face. "I've already discussed it with Liu Ruyan; I'll be responsible for the main attack and tanking damage, she'll be responsible for long-range support and crowd control, and you... you can just be responsible for cheering us on from behind, and picking up items along the way."

In his view, Fang Chuan's F-tier Goblins would likely be insta-killed upon contact in a battlefield of this level, and the biggest role they could play was not to drag them down.

After all, picking up treasures in the virtual world also counts toward points!

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Fang Chuan smiled noncommittally.

He knew Zhang Chao genuinely meant well and didn't want to explain too much at this moment.

Everything would be proven by facts once they entered the battlefield.

Just then, Liu Ruyan finally broke free from the entanglement of that group and walked over to their side.

"Zhang Chao, Fang Chuan." She nodded at the two of them, acknowledging them.

Today, Liu Ruyan was wearing a fitted outfit convenient for movement, which outlined her slender and graceful figure, adding a touch of heroic spirit.

"Ruyan, you're finally here." Zhang Chao immediately went up to greet her. "How are you prepared?"

"It's okay." Liu Ruyan's gaze lingered on Fang Chuan for a moment, her eyes somewhat complex.

"Classmate Fang Chuan, the beast levels in this joint exam are very high, and they are extremely aggressive. You... must be careful, and try not to leave our protection range." Liu Ruyan thought for a moment, then couldn't help but remind him.

"Thanks for the reminder, I will take care of myself." Fang Chuan replied with a calm expression.