21: Chapter 21 I am the only truth

"Time's up! The exam is over! All candidates are to be teleported out immediately!"

As the countdown in the broadcast hit zero, the massive teleportation gate hummed and vibrated, and the blue spatial vortex began to rotate in reverse.

Outside the plaza, anxious parents, teachers from various schools, and media reporters with cameras were already gathered.

"They're coming out! They're coming out!"

The first to emerge from the portal was a group of disheveled, soot-covered students.

The cruelty of this joint exam far exceeded their imagination, especially the earthquake triggered by the awakening of that Rank 2 ferocious beast, which nearly caused many to suffer a mental breakdown.

"Is that Zhou Kai from High School No. 2? Why is he coming out wearing only thermal underwear?"

"Look! That's the elite squad from High School No. 1. Why are they all injured?"

As more and more geniuses appeared in a pathetic state, the atmosphere on the scene became somewhat strange.

In previous years, these top students were full of spirit; why did they all look like refugees who had just escaped a disaster today?

Just then, the light of the teleportation gate suddenly brightened.

A heart-palpitating murderous aura, mixed with a thick smell of blood, surged out from the gate even before a figure appeared.

A slender figure slowly stepped out.

He wore a school uniform that had long been stained dark red with blood, and he carried the massive black moon battle blade on his back.

There were even a few pieces of dark red shredded meat hanging on the scabbard of that blade—remnants of the Cave Rock Dragon.

The youth had refined features, but his eyes were as deep as a cold pool. Wherever his gaze swept, the surrounding crowd actually felt a stinging sensation on their skin.

Lin Yuan.

The crowd automatically split to form a ten-meter-wide path leading directly to the rostrum.

Five meters behind Lin Yuan, the once-arrogant genius of High School No. 1, Lei Potian, followed silently with his head bowed.

Although he was still clean, his spirit seemed to have been drained away, and he had completely become a background character for the blood-clothed youth.

"Kings do not meet?"

Someone recalled those words from before the exam started.

Now that the kings had met, the winner was clear at a glance.

"Quick! Announce the results!"

On the rostrum, Captain Qin Hu abruptly stubbed out the cigar in his hand and gave a grand wave of his arm.

The huge leaderboard screen in the center of the plaza instantly went black, followed by a frantic refresh of data streams.

A few seconds later, the golden list reappeared.

When they saw the name in the first row and that astronomical number of points, the entire plaza fell into a deathly silence.

[Jianghai City Grade 12 Joint Exam · Final Overall Rankings]

NO.1 Lin Yuan (Jianghai No. 3 High School) — Points: 15,880

NO.2 Su Yurou (Jianghai No. 1 High School) — Points: 620

NO.3 Wang Dali (Jianghai No. 5 High School) — Points: 580

NO.999 Lei Potian (Jianghai No. 1 High School) — Points: 0 (Transferred)

NO.1000 Zhao Tianba (Jianghai No. 3 High School) — Points: 0 (Plundered/Withdrawn)

First place has fifteen thousand points? Second place only has six hundred-plus points?

How is this a gap?

This is a literal cliff!

It's an insurmountable chasm!

It's rubbing everyone's IQ into the dirt!

Even more ridiculous was that the original top seed of High School No. 1, Lei Potian, actually had zero points!

"This... this data..."

The principal of High School No. 1 looked at that glaring list, his whole body swaying, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Hahaha! Good! Great!"

Beside him, the principal of High School No. 3 clutched his chest, laughing so hard his dentures almost fell out.

His face was flushed with excitement as he grabbed the hand of the High School No. 2 principal next to him: "Old Li! Do you see that? That's my student! The top scholar! A top scholar with fifteen thousand points! Who can ever break this record? I'm asking, who else?!"

The principal of High School No. 2's mouth twitched. He really wanted to pull his hand back, but looking at Lin Yuan's terrifying data, he could only sourly squeeze out: "You just got lucky."

At this time, Captain Qin Hu straightened his military uniform and strode down from the rostrum, walking straight through the crowd to stand before Lin Yuan.

This powerful figure of the Jianghai City Martial Arts Bureau did not put on any airs.

Captain Qin Hu laughed loudly and waved for his assistant to bring over a tray covered with red silk.

"This is the reward you deserve."

There were three items on the tray: a black bank card, a jade plaque emitting a gentle luster, and an ancient bamboo scroll.

"First, a cash reward of two million Alliance Coins."

"Second, an entry ticket to the Spiritual Qi Baptism Pool. With this jade plaque, you can enter the core of the city-level spiritual vein to soak for three days. That is a fine place for rebirth and transformation."

Speaking to this point, Captain Qin Hu picked up the bamboo scroll, a hint of solemnity appearing in his eyes:

"Third, and the most precious—a remnant scroll of the S-rank battle technique, 'Thunder Breathing Technique'."

"This was originally prepared for Lei Potian, since he has a lightning-type talent, but rules are rules. You are the first place, so it is yours."

Lin Yuan took the bamboo scroll. It felt warm to the touch, and a faint, numbing electrical sensation spread through his body.

The moment his fingers touched the scroll, a familiar system notification sound boomed deep in his mind.

[Ding! S-rank battle technique 'Thunder Breathing Technique' (Remnant) detected...]

[Analyzing... Analysis complete!]

[Core profound meanings found to have high compatibility with the 'God-Demon Body Forging Technique' in the host's body... Perform fusion deduction?]

"Fuse!" Lin Yuan thought silently.

[Invoking system computing power... Deducting...]

Lin Yuan's consciousness seemed to be pulled into a void of chaos.

There, a massive god-demon roared within a sea of lightning. The sky-covering thunder did not harm it, but instead became a tool to temper its body.

[Deduction finished!]

[Congratulations to the host! Fusion successful!]

[You have obtained the SSS-rank supreme cultivation method—'Chaos God Grinder Visualization Technique'!]

[Description: Using heaven and earth as the plate and chaos as the mill, it not only tempers the physical body but can also grind the soul and mental power! When cultivated to great completion, a single thought can shatter star rivers!]

A mental power cultivation method!

In the path of martial arts, the body is easy to cultivate, but the spirit is difficult to train.

Ordinary martial artists can only temper their bones and muscles; only true high-level Grandmasters begin to dabble in the mental realm.

And this 'Chaos God Grinder Visualization Technique' actually allowed him to start cultivating mental power from the First Rank!

"Thank you, Captain Qin."

Lin Yuan suppressed the wild joy in his heart and put away the bamboo scroll. To outsiders, he appeared to have calmly accepted the reward.

"Good temperament." Captain Qin Hu became more satisfied the more he looked at him. "Go back and rest well. In three days, the Spiritual Qi Baptism Pool will open. I'll be waiting for you."

Lin Yuan became the absolute protagonist of the night, surrounded so tightly by countless media and admissions teachers that not even a drop of water could leak through.

Far from the crowd at the edge of the plaza, a black stretched limousine sat quietly in the shadows.

The window was halfway down, revealing the gloomy face of a middle-aged man.

He was the current head of the Zhao family, Zhao Wuji, and also Zhao Tianba's father.

The crystal wine glass in his hand was crushed by his raw strength...

"Patriarch."

The black-clad bodyguard in the front seat said in a low voice, "The young master's injuries are somewhat heavy. Although they can be healed, I'm afraid they will leave a psychological shadow. His martial heart... is essentially ruined."

"Ruined?"

A cold, viper-like light flashed in Zhao Wuji's eyes. "The 'Qilin Son' of my Zhao family is ruined, yet that mud-legged brat is enjoying glory?"

"This boy's growth speed is too fast. To be able to reach this step with an F-rank talent—if he is allowed to enter university and gain a backer, where will there be a place for my Zhao family in Jianghai City in the future?"

"He must be completely eliminated before his wings are fully grown."

"Initiate the Shadow Plan."

"Yes." The bodyguard trembled all over and lowered his head to take the order.

Lin Yuan, who was currently being interviewed, suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

[Gods Insight · Intuition Warning]

Lin Yuan instinctively looked back, his gaze piercing through layers of people to accurately lock onto that black car slowly starting up in the distant shadows.

Even from so far away, he could still feel that undisguised killing intent.

"Is it the Zhao family?"

He knew that because he had beaten Zhao Tianba so miserably and stolen all the limelight, that Zhao family, which covered the sky with one hand in Jianghai City, would definitely not let the matter rest.

"After beating the small one, the old one finally can't help but jump out?"

"Want to play dirty? Then I'll play with you to the end."