22: Welcoming the nation's first land distance

Candidates returned to their respective cities one after another via the Teleportation Array.

Outside the Teleportation Array, parents waited anxiously for their children.

"Mom!"

Candidates rushed into the arms of their parents one by one.

"It's good to be back, it's good to be back."

"You only scored 330 points! Don't you know this score is only enough to get into a second-rate university?"

"Don't listen to your father, dear. Being able to get into university is already very good."

This scene was playing out at Teleportation Array points in different cities across China.

Modu, Modu University High School.

Jiang Tianxia was the first to walk out of the high school, looking at the banner welcoming her second brother and the third place in the Martial Examination.

"As expected." Jiang Tianxia's expression showed no surprise.

"Chu Wushe is first, and Lu Yuan is second, right?" Jiang Tianxia asked her second brother, Jiang Qiwen.

Jiang Qiwen, who had an elegant temperament and wore gold-rimmed glasses, shook his head.

"Lu Yuan is first, and Chu Wushe is second."

"What?!"

Jiang Tianxia's beautiful eyes flickered.

During the Martial Examination, she had only exchanged scores with Lu Yuan twice. Knowing how terrifying Chu Wushe was, Jiang Tianxia had made a rough guess about the ranking once she learned Lu Yuan's score.

The result, however, was that Lu Yuan was the national number one, and Chu Wushe, who had awakened a four-attribute Combat Class, was second in the country!

"Second brother, do you mean to say that in the last twelve hours, Lu Yuan first overtook me, and then overtook Chu Wushe? How did he do that?"

Jiang Tianxia was bewildered.

"I've downloaded the recorded stream of Lu Yuan for you, take a look for yourself." Jiang Qiwen opened his briefcase, took out a tablet, and handed it to Jiang Tianxia.

"I've marked the exciting parts."

On the way home, Jiang Tianxia stared intently at the tablet.

When she saw the ferocious beast, the Moon Polar Bear, break through to the Xuan Gang Realm and become a monster, she couldn't help but worry for Lu Yuan.

However, seeing Lu Yuan take down the Moon Polar Bear with just a Spirit Skill without having any control over the monster, Jiang Tianxia widened her eyes and looked at Jiang Qiwen.

"Anyway, Father is very satisfied with your Martial Examination results. This Lu Yuan person is even more exaggerated than Chu Wushe!"

...

In the Imperial Capital, Chu Wushe walked out with his head held high.

A rich smell of blood radiated from him; these were all from the blood of ferocious beasts!

During the seven days of the Martial Examination, he had broken through to the Qi Refining Eighth Star relying on the characteristics of his Blood Attribute Combat Class.

At the latest, he would break through to the Xuan Gang Realm within two months!

Just as Chu Wushe had expected, cheers and applause greeted him as he walked out of the Teleportation Array.

But when he saw the banner that read [Congratulations to Chu Wushe for ranking second in the nation], Chu Wushe was struck as if by lightning!

"Who?!"

Chu Wushe maintained a cold expression while roaring inside!

Who had stolen his title of national number one?!

Candidates from the Imperial Capital who participated in the Martial Examination walked out one after another, freezing in place when they saw Chu Wushe's ranking.

Chu Wushe wasn't the national number one?

"Lu Yuan!" Chu Wushe looked at Lu Yuan, who was the national number one in the Martial Examination with a score 150,000 points higher than his.

"Who is he?"

Chu Wushe's head felt like it was splitting.

Candidates were meeting their parents and excitedly recounting their Martial Examination experiences.

Seeing only his mother there to welcome him, and the person he most wanted to see not appearing, Chu Wushe lowered his head, refused interviews from reporters, and took a taxi to leave alone.

He was desperate to know who Lu Yuan was and how he had overtaken him in points!

...

In Tianhua City, a large number of red banners reading [Congratulations to Lu Yuan for becoming the national number one] were fluttering in the sky.

Pop, pop, pop—

The sound of firecrackers was endless, and the atmosphere was comparable to the Lunar New Year!

Residents spontaneously came outside Tianhua High School, waiting for the Martial Examination number one, Lu Yuan from their Tianhua City, to appear!

The school principal, school leaders, the municipal government team, and the Mayor had all arrived at the scene!

In front of them, Chi Hongchang, with gray hair and wearing an administrative jacket, stood straight!

A large number of reporters carrying cameras and microphones had long since started recording, and the reporters were smiling and speaking their impromptu scripts in front of the camera.

The content of the scripts hadn't been modified much, except that Lu Yuan had gone from being in the top four in the nation, to the top three, and finally to first!

"Hello everyone, viewers. I am currently at Tianhua High School."

The camera shifted away from the reporter to film the situation inside the school.

"As you can see, quite a few candidates have already walked out. Next, I will randomly interview some candidates to ask about their reaction to learning that Lu Yuan is the national number one."

The reporter stood in front of a candidate.

Although it was said to be random, the candidates the reporter interviewed were all those with smiles on their faces, who clearly had done well.

As for those candidates who were in low spirits, they were automatically ignored.

"Holy shit, Lu Yuan is the national number one?!" A candidate from Yunhai High School blurted out a vulgarity.

He had a deep impression of Lu Yuan; on the day of the awakening, Lu Yuan had awakened an SSS-Rank Talent.

But wasn't it said that the Puppet Master class had no inherited Spirit Skills? How did he hunt ferocious beasts without knowing any Spirit Skills?

Li Jinxue, with a high ponytail and an ethereal temperament, walked out of the Teleportation Array.

"220,000 points." Li Jinxue was very satisfied with her score, and she was the second place in Tianhua City and the 70th in Hailan Province.

Looking at the banners filling the sky congratulating Lu Yuan for achieving first in the nation, Li Jinxue blinked.

She remembered Lu Yuan. When she learned in Taian City that Lu Yuan was from Tianhua City, she had used a Spirit Skill to imprison the Diamond Bear for five seconds.

Compared to her surprise, Lin Shuying, who was being interviewed, was stunned on the spot!

"Lu Yuan is the national number one? He participated in the Martial Examination?" Lin Shuying couldn't believe it.

She was fourth in Tianhua City and hadn't made it onto the provincial rankings.

Looking at the countless residents outside the school waiting for Lu Yuan to appear, and the atmosphere comparable to the Lunar New Year, Lin Shuying didn't know how to answer the reporter's question for a moment.

"I..."

Lin Shuying thought about the day of the awakening ceremony when she had proactively sent Lu Yuan a text message with the words "let's break up".

"I am happy for my boyfriend." Lin Shuying smiled and said to the reporter.

Boyfriend!

This girl was actually Lu Yuan's girlfriend!

The reporter seemed to have discovered a huge scoop and began asking Lin Shuying various questions about Lu Yuan.

Lin Shuying answered them one by one, making the reporter feel that she and Lu Yuan were very much in love.

"Didn't they break up?"

Watching the live broadcast at home, Lu Yeli had a playful smile; this woman was a bit scheming.

There were too many people at the scene, and Lu Yeli was too lazy to run over; in any case, Lu Yuan would go home first thing.

The top ten candidates in Tianhua City walked out of Tianhua High School, and the Mayor and their respective principals nodded to them, congratulating them on achieving such good results.

However, compared to the city's top ten candidates, they were even more looking forward to the national number one, Lu Yuan!

The scorching sun was in the sky, and in the eyes of countless people, a young man wearing a cyan school uniform walked out.

The young man's clothes were clean, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding candidates who were slightly disheveled with tattered clothes.

Clap, clap, clap—

Accompanied by thunderous applause, the young man stopped and turned to look behind him.

"Who has such a big turnout?"

Lu Yuan was puzzled. Seeing the banners congratulating him on being the national number one, Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow.

He was the Martial Examination national number one?!

The applause lasted for a long time, and the shouts of "Lu Yuan" continued to rise.

"Welcome home, national number one, Lu Yuan!"

"Welcome home, national number one, Lu Yuan!!"

"Lu Yuan, I am a reporter from the Tianhua Daily. Congratulations on becoming the number one in the Martial Examination with a score of 1.15 million, 150,000 points ahead of the second place!"

"I am a reporter from the Hailan Provincial Daily. May I ask what your thoughts are right now?"

A large group of reporters surrounded Lu Yuan, scrambling to ask various questions.

After answering a few reporters' questions, Lu Yuan waved his hand.

"I just want to take a shower and lie in bed for a good sleep right now," Lu Yuan said.

Hearing this, a few strong men in black suits walked over to block the reporters' questions for Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan looked at the group of people walking toward him.

There were many people: Homeroom Teacher Teacher, Principal Principal of Yunhai High School, and standing at the front was clearly the Mayor Mayor!

A black sedan stopped by the street, the window opened, and an old man looked at Lu Yuan with a smile.

Lu Yuan seemed to have seen the old man somewhere before but couldn't recall it for the moment. And the person standing in the C-position at the school gate just now wasn't Mayor Mayor, but the old man sitting in the car smiling and clapping.

"Lu Yuan, I won't bother saying congratulations, I assume you're tired of hearing them." Mayor patted Lu Yuan on the shoulder.

He was more and more satisfied with Lu Yuan the more he looked at him.

"Go ahead, someone is waiting for you," Mayor said.

"Who?"

Mayor lowered his voice.

"Our Hailan Province's Provincial Governor!"