242: The joint examination of four schools begins!

“Why are there so many new faces lately?”

At noon, on the way back after eating with Jiang Yuan, Mu Qianshan looked at the noticeably increased number of new faces around them and asked curiously.

“Tomorrow is the Four School Joint Examination. The assessment location is at our school, so of course there are many new faces.”

Jiang Yuan looked a bit strange: “You didn’t know?”

“How would I know? Haven’t I been cultivating these past two days…”

Mu Qianshan spoke with a somewhat dispirited look: “But what’s wrong with you? Why do you cultivate so fast?”

“How is it that in just two days, you’ve reached Late Stage?”

“I’m still at Jiang Lou Initial Stage.”

Mu Qianshan was a bit disheartened: “It always feels too tiring to keep up with your pace.”

Jiang Yuan chuckled: “Then do you still want to chase?”

“Of course!”

Mu Qianshan straightened his chest again, nodding seriously: “If it weren’t for you as a goal, I might still be in the Second Realm, Xuanxiao, right now.”

“But, is it just the two of us?”

“Yes.”

Jiang Yuan nodded, of course he knew what Mu Qianshan was talking about.

“Just the two of us are enough, and there’s Nezha, Shi Ji, and Zhao Gongming.”

“Seriously, why do we have to take the Four School Joint Examination with fifth-year Students? I was hoping to go on a rampage in the Four School Joint Examination.”

Mu Qianshan shook his head, annoyed, but he completely failed to notice the gazes from a few people nearby.

After Mu Qianshan and Jiang Yuan left, those few people finally started whispering to each other.

“Looking at them, they must be Zhongyuan Academy Students, right? Are they really that arrogant?”

A short-haired young man said to the golden-haired young man in the middle, clearly annoyed.

The golden-haired young man smiled indifferently, then turned and left.

However, the short-haired young man who had just spoken was still somewhat annoyed. Seeing the golden-haired young man leave, he felt a bit awkward in front of his companions, so he directly took out his phone.

“Watch me post them online.”

The short-haired young man took out his phone, took a picture of Jiang Yuan and Mu Qianshan’s backs, and then started editing.

【Are Zhongyuan Academy people all this arrogant? They’re already boasting about slaughtering us before the Four School Joint Examination has even begun!】

As an article with a sensational headline was posted on their Martial Arts Academy’s official website, soon all the people participating in the Four School Joint Examination at the Martial Arts Academy saw it.

And as people continuously reposted it, by evening, the post’s popularity was already very high.

It was no longer just the Martial Arts Academy that had seen it; people from several other academies had also seen it.

Including Zhongyuan Academy!

So Jiang Yuan and Mu Qianshan’s identities were quickly exposed.

【Turns out they’re only Fourth Realm, Jiang Lou Mid Stage and Jiang Lou Initial Stage. Where do they get their confidence?】

【Is that all? Is that all? They’re just low-end Students in the second examination hall!】

【The second examination hall is where Fifth Realm Great Beam strength individuals fight. People of the Fourth Realm should just hide aside, be careful of blood splashing on your faces.】

【Maybe people from other schools don’t know Jiang Yuan’s strength. Do you need me to give you a popular science explanation?】

【Popular science? Do we need popular science?】

【It’s just Fourth Realm, Jiang Lou strength. No matter how awesome he is, can he challenge someone a whole major realm higher?】

【Don’t tell me your Zhongyuan Academy is placing the hope of the second battlefield on someone with Jiang Lou Mid Stage strength; that would really make us laugh our heads off.】

【Or are you Zhongyuan Academy trying to win by such despicable means that will make us laugh our heads off?】

Looking at the ridicule on the internet, the people from Zhongyuan Academy who knew Jiang Yuan were naturally very annoyed.

【Then you’ll see when the time comes. Alright, I won’t give you a popular science explanation. You’ll know when you meet them.】

Although there was uncertainty about whether Jiang Yuan could defeat a Fifth Realm Great Beam expert across a major realm, Zhongyuan Academy had more than just Jiang Yuan; they had others too!

Even if Jiang Yuan couldn’t defeat or kill an opponent across a major realm.

But so what?

Those of Great Beam strength would naturally be handled by their own Great Beam realm people. What Jiang Yuan needed to do was to wipe out all of their Fourth Realm, Jiang Lou strength individuals!

And to prevent Jiang Yuan’s true strength from being exposed, thereby making the opponent wary, the people of Zhongyuan Academy, although not explicitly stating it, all agreed.

They would not release Jiang Yuan’s combat videos for them to see, keeping them completely unaware of Jiang Yuan’s capabilities.

“And we’ll know when we meet him? Does Jiang Yuan have that much strength to take me down?”

“My name is Huang Jie Xian, from Martial Arts Academy. My strength is Late Stage, and I am ranked twenty-seventh on the Martial Arts Academy fourth-year Student leaderboard!”

“Does he really not know you’re ranked first?”

At Jiang Yuan’s home, Mu Qianshan read the comments, looking annoyed.

However, Jiang Yuan, sitting on the sofa nearby, clearly wasn’t listening to Mu Qianshan’s words.

At this moment, Jiang Yuan’s eyes were unfocused, lost in thought.

“A Green Luan is still necessary. If needed, I might have to make a trip to the Beast Race Grotto Heaven.”

Jiang Yuan frowned slightly. Whether it was for the further enhancement of the Wind Fire Wheels or as a mount for Shi Ji, it seemed a Green Luan was required.

It was a bit troublesome.

After all, he was still planning to go to the Element Spirit Race Grotto Heaven to obtain some lightning-attribute skills for Zhao Gongming after this Four School Joint Examination.

Zhao Gongming’s [Controlling Thunder and Electricity] could only be replicated by seeing it in person; videos clearly wouldn’t work.

Of course, there was another way: to find the school’s fifth-year or sixth-year lightning-attribute Skill Card Masters and have them use some lightning-attribute Skill Cards for Zhao Gongming to replicate.

But Jiang Yuan didn’t know any fifth-year or sixth-year Students.

The biggest drawback of social phobia was not liking to trouble others; if something could be done by oneself, one would absolutely not seek help from others.

Clearly, if something could be accomplished by going to the Element Spirit Race’s Grotto Heaven, Jiang Yuan would not ask those senior Students for help unless absolutely necessary.

The main reason was not just Zhao Gongming, but also Shi Ji. Whether it was Undead magic skills or illusion skills, Shi Ji was better than Zhao Gongming in that she could learn and develop independently.

But the problem was that the improvement and addition of Undead Enslavement required the Undead.

Zhao Gongming could skip going to the Element Spirit Race’s Grotto Heaven, but for Shi Ji, he still had to make a trip to the Undead’s Grotto Heaven.

He truly felt a bit overwhelmed, as if he couldn’t be in two places at once.

Although he had clones, he still felt a bit overwhelmed.

Clones couldn’t exist in two spaces simultaneously, which was very annoying.

Although they had a longer range than Nezha and Zhao Gongming’s Card Spirits, they similarly couldn’t exist in two different spaces.

“Jiang Yuan, are you even listening to what I’m saying?”

Mu Qianshan was very angry: “Don’t you have any strong emotions? Like, wanting to crush them or something!”

“Huh? What?”

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan finally came back to his senses, looking at Mu Qianshan with a blank expression.

Mu Qianshan sighed in defeat: “Alright, just look at it yourself. I’ve already vented my emotions.”

Jiang Yuan took the phone curiously and looked at the comments below the post.

As he read, Jiang Yuan couldn’t help but laugh.

“Is that all? Is that all it takes to make you so angry?”

Jiang Yuan chuckled and returned the phone to Mu Qianshan: “What they said is right, after all, I can’t kill them across a major realm either.”

“Then what should we do? Should we find some external help? The team limit is ten people.”

“You only count as one, plus Nezha and the others, our team can have up to thirteen people.”

“No need, our school isn’t without people of Fifth Realm Great Beam strength.”

Jiang Yuan spread his hands: “With the Unicorn Dark Smoke Beast, am I still afraid of not being able to escape?”

“But that’s not how you say it.”

Mu Qianshan was a bit helpless, but seeing Jiang Yuan’s indifferent expression, he suddenly didn’t know what to say.

“Alright, alright, as long as you know what you’re doing.”

After Mu Qianshan shook his head helplessly, he stood up and prepared to leave.

“It’s getting late. Remember, we gather at eight tomorrow morning. I’ll come call you.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Yuan nodded, saw Mu Qianshan out, and then returned to cultivate.

Indeed, it was getting late.

All the Skill Cards that needed upgrading had been upgraded. There was nothing much to do today.

Cultivate early, strive to break through to Sixth Realm Shen earlier.

However, with the Great Firmament Celestial Art, the cultivation speed had indeed increased significantly.

As for Mu Qianshan, after Jiang Yuan’s battle with the Yamato Race that day, he gave the Great Firmament Celestial Art to Mu Qianshan.

Mu Qianshan also spent over a day, reconstructing his Star Power.

However, less than a day had passed, so Mu Qianshan clearly hadn’t yet enjoyed the cultivation speed increase brought by the Great Firmament Celestial Art.

...

...

The night passed uneventfully. Early the next morning, Jiang Yuan had just woken up from cultivation when he heard Mu Qianshan’s voice from outside.

“Coming!”

After shouting a response, Jiang Yuan quickly began to change and wash up.

In a short while, Jiang Yuan followed Mu Qianshan towards the main square.

The previous time Jiang Yuan and Mu Qianshan participated in the Zhongyuan Academy freshman assessment, it was the small square, which could accommodate twice the number of first-year Students.

But now it was different; they were going to the large square, which was very vast, capable of accommodating all the teachers and Students from the four schools with nearly half the space still empty.

At this time, the four team leaders in the main square were already seated together.

Although Zhongyuan Academy was the host this time, there was still a team leader present.

Zhongyuan Academy’s team leader was an old acquaintance of Jiang Yuan’s.

Liu Shengshan!

The team leaders of the other three academies were also people Jiang Yuan was familiar with.

Ji Qingming from Bei Mang Academy.

Li Wenchang from Da Xia Academy.

Shi Nanfei from Martial Arts Academy.

The four of them had just gathered when they began to mock each other.

“To be fair, Zhenhai City only produced two good talents, and they’re both here with me!”

As soon as they met, Liu Shengshan spoke without hesitation.

The faces of the three immediately darkened.

However, they couldn’t refute him.

Who the hell could have imagined this?

Of these two, Jiang Yuan and Mu Qianshan, Jiang Yuan was understandable, as he was the top scholar of Zhenhai City back then.

But who could have imagined that Mu Qianshan could also follow closely in Jiang Yuan’s footsteps and break through to the Fourth Realm!

Thinking about the good talents they had obtained from Zhenhai City.

The highest strength among them was only at the Third Realm, Zouzi Mid Stage.

The two sides weren’t even on the same playing field; there was simply no comparison.

But this wasn’t a reason for them to be wantonly mocked by Liu Shengshan!

“So what?”

Ji Qingming was the first to speak: “Don’t forget, the champion of the last Four School Joint Examination was our Bei Mang Academy, and this year will be no exception!”

“Bei Mang Academy? Heh!”

Shi Nanfei crossed his arms: “Bei Mang Academy is old news. Why bring up such outdated things? The geniuses of our Martial Arts Academy are not to be trifled with either!”

“The champion of the second battlefield will definitely be our Da Xia Academy!”

Li Wenchang said calmly: “You simply don’t know how powerful Tang Yumin is.”

“Our Zhongyuan Academy isn’t to be trifled with either!”

“Hmph, then let’s wait and see!”

The four exchanged glances, all snorted coldly, and stopped bothering each other.

At the same time, Students from the four schools in the arena gradually arrived.

One Vice Principal from each of the other three schools also came and were sitting on the rostrum.

Accompanying them were several Vice Principals from Zhongyuan Academy, including Li Yueying.

Not only that, there was also an empty seat in the very center of the rostrum, clearly reserved for the Old Principal.

As Students arrived, the front of the large square was quickly filled with people.

The initial stages of the Four School Joint Examination would not be broadcast live; only some exciting clips would be edited and released online for the people of Great Beam to watch.

Only the later one-on-one arena battles would be broadcast live.

This was a great opportunity to gain exposure. Once famous, one would be famous in all three hundred and sixty-five cities of Great Beam.

So everyone present was very excited, hoping to deliver spectacular performances in battle.

As more and more people gathered in the main square, the Old Principal slowly walked onto the stage from behind.

If Jiang Yuan hadn’t personally witnessed the Old Principal instantly appearing before him and then instantly disappearing, he might truly have believed the Old Principal was merely a frail old man in his twilight years.

“At an occasion like this, no one would be late, right?”

Mu Qianshan looked around. Their current location was the Zhongyuan Academy’s camp, with five formations for five grades.

And the people from the other three academies were also arranged in the same way.

However, they would soon be divided into three parts.

Because the five grades were divided into three different battlefields.

Second and third graders were the first battlefield.

Fourth and fifth graders were the second battlefield.

Sixth graders had a separate battlefield, known as the Third Battlefield.

“Although no one is counting, no one should be late.”

Jiang Yuan looked around curiously, and he also saw many familiar faces.

For example, Gong Tianyu and Yang Zeming, who came from the same place as him.

And Li Shouming and others, with whom he had fought in the Ten Thousand Races Battlefield last time and were relatively familiar.

Li Shouming also saw Jiang Yuan, smiled gently, nodded at Jiang Yuan, and greeted him.