54: Chapter 54 Big Hakimi, Howling Tiger
With a shout of "Begin."
A violent roar echoed within the room. The candidates grabbed their consoles to steady themselves, while cracks split across the floor.
It wasn't just the interior; the viewing area, separated by a glass pane, was also affected by the tremors, leaving everyone's feet numb.
"Tsk tsk... as expected of Advanced Cultivation."
"I'm so envious. When will we ever be able to stand at the site of a Senior Cultivator examination?"
"Wake up. Daydreaming isn't encouraged; you don't even have your Junior Certificate yet."
"..."
Many people who had finished their Junior Exams gathered after hearing there was an opportunity to observe and learn. They pointed through the glass, their faces full of envy.
Even though Li Yu was some distance from the glass, he was still recognized by some.
"Look at that one... that person... he seems to have been there during the Junior Exam too."
"It's him! The guy who cheated during the exam and was caught passing notes."
"Heh! He really doesn't give up."
Hearing the words around her, the straightforward Zeng Huohuo didn't think much and snapped back:
"Stop talking nonsense! Can't you see the shady dealings? He was the first to finish, and it was an s-rank new species. Passing notes? How come the person passing him notes didn't also cultivate an S-rank!"
Others had actually noticed some clues. Being scolded by Zeng Huohuo, they felt guilty and didn't want to start a fight, only muttering under their breaths.
However, the Interns, recognizing that Zeng Huohuo knew Li Yu, began to mock them.
"Cheating is cheating. Would an Invigilator wrongly accuse someone?"
"Exactly. Li Yu himself didn't even defend himself, yet some people are getting anxious. Maybe she was the one who passed the note."
"If you ask me, Li Yu is just asking for humiliation. He couldn't even pass the Junior Exam, yet he's here for the advanced one. He has money with nowhere to spend it; what a disgrace."
"Being his colleague is truly our misfortune."
"..."
They went back and forth with their cold irony and sarcasm until Zeng Huohuo's nostrils were practically smoking. She reached out to grab her headphones.
She had already lost her headphones when she threw them at the Invigilator.
By the time she grabbed a bunch of keys from her pocket, the Interns had already scurried away. Fuming with rage, she finally looked at Li Yu.
Brother!
Show some strength! Help me vent this frustration!
Zeng Huohuo's teeth ground together with a snap. Her bite force was comparable to a beast!
...
The Senior Cultivator examination site.
As cracks opened one by one, iron cages rose, each containing a beast waiting to be cultivated.
In the cage rising beside Li Yu, a two-meter-long gray Hakimi made its grand entrance.
It yawned, shook its body, and lazily walked up to Li Yu. Its round orange eyes held the confusion of having just woken up... and suspicion.
"Roar..."
Are you the kid who's going to cultivate me?
Li Yu reached out to pet its head, but the large Hakimi easily dodged him, letting out a low growl of displeasure.
Don't touch my head. Only my master can touch it...
"You're being quite picky. Just wait; I'll definitely pet you after the cultivation!"
Li Yu laughed.
The big Hakimi didn't expect Li Yu to understand it. Its tiger eyes widened as it stared at Li Yu in shock.
Slap~
Li Yu took the opportunity to pat the big Hakimi's side and said, "Go back into the cage; I'm starting work. Student Hakimi, you wouldn't want to be cultivated into a pig's head, would you?"
Those words worked.
The big Hakimi backed up and quickly lay down in its cage.
Though called a cage, it was actually made of specialized fiberglass, transparent on all sides, like a cramped single room.
[Beast Name]: Howling Forest Tiger
[Beast Quality]: Extraordinary (B+)
[Beast Level]: Silver Level 1
[Beast Attribute]: Wind
[Beast Talents]: Howling Forest Wind, Wind Chaser, Tiger Pressure Bullet
[Beast Description]: A big Hakimi that travels through mountain forests, surrounded by Green Wind. It moves like a phantom and excels at pouncing from hidden corners to give its target an intimate Hakimi kiss—if they can withstand it.
Li Yu nodded.
Its attributes were mediocre, neither good nor bad.
Li Yu calmly looked around and found Professor Li and the others nearby, staring straight at him.
Fine, I have to be a bit more discreet.
Li Yu grumbled inwardly. He entered the glass cage, an evolution card held between his palms. He slapped it onto the Howling Forest Tiger's back and mentally chanted, "Use."
A light flashed and returned.
[Elemental Evolution - Hurricane Mountain Tiger: ...]
Li Yu had a plan, but he still mimicked the others, performing some basic physical tests on the Howling Forest Tiger to avoid standing out too much.
After the tests, Li Yu filled out the cultivation materials list and placed it into the transport machine's slot.
Ding!
The sound of the transport machine echoed. Everyone looked at Li Yu. Seeing that this impossibly young man had already finished the testing and material list, they all showed expressions of surprise.
So fast?
In that amount of time, some of them hadn't even finished their tests.
Xiao Tianci felt as if he were facing a great enemy. He revised his planned cultivation scheme version after version, becoming more anxious with each change, yet unable to get it right.
Time passed minute by minute.
Suddenly, on the other side of Li Yu's console, a hole opened in the floor. Several baskets of materials were pushed up, and a dense wind element permeated the air.
Everyone looked over again.
Li Yu ignored their gazes. He was focused, his mind filled with the scallion fried eggs his sister had promised and the various materials he needed to process.
Just as he picked up a few wind-element demon cores, a voice suddenly spoke beside him.
"Hehe~ This candidate is moving quite fast. Are you planning an elemental evolution?" Professor Li stood beside Li Yu, smiling.
Li Yu looked in other directions and his eyes widened. "Good heavens."
Several old men had gathered around, looking at him with curiosity and eagerness.
The corner of Li Yu's mouth twitched slightly.
No, man...
No, old timers... standing so close, don't let me violate the rules again in a moment.
However, he also knew that Professor Li and the others were purely interested in the cultivation. Plus, fearing that more talk would lead to more mistakes and potentially screw himself over again, Li Yu chose to remain silent.
He didn't say a word and silently processed the materials. Professor Li and the others didn't interfere or speak much either. After a brief greeting, they surrounded him to observe, occasionally whispering to each other in low voices.
The other candidates looked at each other.
What's going on?
Just who is this young man? To have Professor Li and the others value him so much!
If Li Yu's age had caused them to look down on him before, alarm bells were now ringing in their hearts.
Something's not right!
This young man isn't playing the pig to eat the tiger, is he!
No one spoke, but the same feeling arose in their hearts. A suppressed, tense atmosphere began to spread rapidly from someone and eventually enveloped the entire examination site.
Tick, tock...
The more Xiao Tianci wrote the evolution plan, the more irritable he became. Sweat dripped down bit by bit.
Oh...
So the tension was spreading from him.
...
About an hour later.
Li Yu's two baskets of materials were finally processed and formulated into several potions and injections. Green, purple, and white liquids bubbled, releasing a dense fragrance.
Many beasts, especially wind-type ones, smelled it and became restless.
Creeeak, creeeak...
The big Hakimi lay in the glass cage, excitedly scratching at the door with its claws, drool streaming down.
I'm hungry... eat...