53: It's Lin Yao's turn

Five thick golden light pillars, like five divine pillars supporting the heavens, stood on the main stage, dyeing the entire Linzhou No. 1 High School in a brilliant golden hue.

The five complex, profound, and terrifyingly powerful golden runes floated side-by-side in the air, as if mocking the ignorance of everyone in this world.

On the sports field, there was a deathly silence.

No cheers, no exclamations.

Only a collective gasp of cold air.

Students, parents, teachers—everyone seemed to be under a petrification spell, frozen in place, unmoving.

Among the important figures on the main stage, some went weak in the knees and collapsed into their chairs; some gripped the railings beside them so tightly that their knuckles turned white; others continuously rubbed their eyes, thinking they were hallucinating.

The Dean's mouth was agape, producing a 'ho ho' sound from his throat, like a fish out of water. He wanted to say something but found himself unable to utter even a complete syllable.

Five!

A full five Golden Epic-tier professions!

This was no longer genius, no longer a prodigy—this was a monster! A god descended!

Lin Yao was completely stunned. She released Lin Yu's arm, staring blankly at Zhao Tianyang on the stage, murmuring unconsciously.

"Five... how can there be five..."

Just when everyone thought this was the limit, the pinnacle of miracles this world could accommodate...

In the center of those five golden light pillars, on the Awakening Stone, a unique light suddenly shone.

It wasn't golden.

It was a deep, profound... crimson, as if containing mountains of corpses, seas of blood, and the hell of Asuras!

The moment that red light appeared, the surrounding five domineering golden light pillars all let out a mournful wail, their light instantly dimming, as if bowing down to their monarch!

Boom!

A blood-red pillar of light shot into the sky!

Its light wasn't dazzling, but it carried a terrifying pressure that made everyone's souls tremble!

Within the light pillar, a crimson rune, a hundred times more complex than all five golden runes combined, filled with the aura of slaughter, destruction, and ill omen, slowly condensed into form.

At this moment, time seemed to stand still.

On the main stage, Feng Rui, the Vice President of Fengxing Technology, felt his legs give out and he collapsed onto the ground.

He wasn't the only one.

More than half of the representatives from major powers were like him, sprawled on the ground, utterly dejected.

They looked at the blood-red light pillar, at the crimson rune like a demon god's brand, and in their minds, only one legendary word remained—a word they dared not believe, yet had to believe.

Myth!

That was a Myth-tier profession, transcending Epic, existing only in myths and legends!

"Red... it's red..."

The Dean finally found his voice. He stretched out a trembling finger, pointing at the crimson rune, and in a voice almost like a dream, filled with endless fear and fanaticism, he enunciated each word.

"[Red Myth-tier Profession]..."

"[Asura]!"

When the Dean used all his strength to shout these six words, the entire world seemed to be muted.

Myth!

That was a word that only existed in ancient texts and heroic epics! A realm that mortals didn't even have the qualifications to look up to!

And now, it appeared vividly before everyone.

On the main stage, the representatives of those major powers, those important figures who were usually high and mighty, deciding the fates of countless professionals, were all losing their composure.

What did the birth of a Myth-tier profession mean?

It meant that the world's pattern for the next few decades, or even a century, would undergo earth-shattering changes because of this young man named Zhao Tianyang on the stage!

The so-called "Golden Epic" they had been vying for earlier was as insignificant as dust before this crimson light.

The same thought arose in everyone's mind.

Gamble!

How would he choose?

Five Golden Epics, one Red Myth!

If he fused them... what would be born? An existence beyond Myth?

No one dared to think further.

Under the dead silent gaze of hundreds of thousands of people, Zhao Tianyang on the stage finally moved.

He didn't hesitate in the slightest, nor did he struggle even a bit.

If his life were still his own, he might have gambled for that illusory "greater strength."

But now, his life, his soul, his everything, belonged to that calm figure at the alley entrance.

His master had given him a new life; what he had to repay was absolute loyalty and prudence.

Any slight risk would be a desecration of his master's kindness!

He reached out his hand, and under everyone's expectant, frantic, greedy gazes, he gently touched the crimson rune.

[Asura].

Buzz!

With his choice, those five brilliant golden light pillars, like guards who had completed their mission, instantly transformed into specks of golden light and dissipated into the air.

Only that blood-red Myth-tier light pillar remained, standing proudly between heaven and earth.

He gave up.

He gave up those five Golden Epics, gave up the possibility of creating history and surpassing Myth!

"Hoo..."

In the crowd, someone let out a long breath first, though it was unclear who.

Immediately after, gasps of relief rose and fell.

Half were regretful, regretting not being able to witness a never-before-seen miracle being born.

The other half, however, felt fortunate.

A Myth-tier [Asura], though terrifying, was still within the understandable range.

But if he had truly succeeded in fusing them, what would have been born would be a monster no one could predict, no one could control.

That, for the entire world, might not be a good thing.

"Good! Good! Good!"

The school leader on the main stage was the first to react. His face was flushed with excitement as he repeated "good" three times.

A Myth-tier!

This was an immense achievement for Linzhou No. 1 High School, and for the entire Linzhou City! An honor worthy of being recorded in history!

"Quick! Please invite student Zhao Tianyang, as well as the Dragonblood Warrior and the Earth Treasure Hunter from earlier, to the VIP room to rest!"

The Dean immediately arranged in a loud voice, and several teachers quickly stepped forward, carefully leading Zhao Tianyang and the other few geniuses, who were still in a state of exhaustion, off the stage.

An unprecedented storm had temporarily subsided.

But everyone knew that the real struggle had just begun.

The Awakening Ceremony continued.

However, after witnessing the cataclysmic arrival of a Myth-tier, everything that followed seemed dull and uninteresting.

Blue Epic?

Oh.

Green Rare?

Hmm.

Even when another Purple Excellent-tier profession appeared, it failed to cause much of a stir.

All the students' morale had been completely shattered by Zhao Tianyang's terrifying display of five golden and one red.

Everyone's mindset had shifted from initial nervous anticipation to current numbness and resignation.

Until a name rang out.

"Class 3-7, Lin Yao, please come to the stage to prepare for awakening."