53: Chapter 53 Tianjing City!

"Yes, in previous years, the National Examination consisted of ten rounds of testing in total, with scoring based on the number of rounds completed and the time taken."

Bai Luer put down her coffee cup and lowered her voice.

"But this time, it's said that the fixed round limit has been completely abolished."

"Abolished the rounds?"

Lu Yin's expression tightened; this was indeed a fundamental change.

"Exactly." Bai Luer nodded, her expression turning serious.

"The ten rounds of testing in the past were difficult, but they had an end."

"Some powerful examinees would find the assessment over before they could fully demonstrate their strength."

"So, the new mechanism will adopt an 'endless mode.' Examinees will need to continuously face increasingly stronger enemies on a simulated battlefield until they are defeated."

"The final score will be comprehensively calculated based on various factors, such as time endured, number of kills, and rounds cleared."

Lu Yin's fingers lightly tapped the tabletop, a thoughtful glint flashing in his eyes.

"In this way, the gap between strong and weak examinees will be widened even further."

"endless mode... This truly can better test an examinee's limit."

Lu Yin repeated those words in a low voice, his fingertips lightly tapping the table.

"It seems this National Examination will be more interesting than I imagined," he said softly, a spark of anticipation in his eyes.

Bai Luer looked at Lu Yin's expression and couldn't help but smile. "I knew you'd like this kind of challenge. But don't push yourself too hard; I heard the difficulty of this assessment increases exponentially with each round."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Lu Yin picked up his water glass and finished the last sip.

Outside the window, the setting sun began to sink, dyeing the entire city golden.

"It's getting late; I should head back." Lu Yin stood up. "See you at the exam center tomorrow."

"Okay."

The two walked out of the cafe side by side, said their goodbyes at the door, and departed in different directions.

Early the next morning, just as the sky began to turn pale, Lu Yin was already packed and ready to go.

Arriving at the school, many students preparing for the National Examination had already gathered on the playground.

They gathered in small groups, the air thick with tension and anticipation.

Some students were doing final checks on their equipment, while others rested with their eyes closed, adjusting their state of mind.

As soon as Lu Yin stepped onto the playground, he heard a crisp voice calling him.

"Silent One! Over here!"

Bai Luer stood under a plane tree, waving at him.

Lu Yin walked over and stood beside her.

While they were talking, Lu Yin felt a cold gaze constantly wandering over him.

Lu Yin looked over and saw Zhao Gao staring at him with a sinister expression.

"Zhao Gao... It seems there's an account I haven't settled with him yet."

Back when Lu Yin was leveling up in the wild, it was Zhao Gao who sent two level-forty-plus assassins to try and assassinate him.

But unfortunately, he had underestimated how monstrous Lu Yin was.

"That guy is looking for trouble again."

Bai Luer frowned and whispered, looking at Lu Yin.

"Just a clown, ignore him."

Lu Yin calmly looked away, his tone indifferent.

Just as Lu Yin finished speaking, Principal Qin Chuan walked out of the teaching building.

"Students, I have just received notice that this year's National Examination is different from before."

"It is said that the ten-round system has been abolished. As for the specific rules, leaders from the Ministry of Education will explain them once we arrive at the site."

A wave of whispers immediately broke out across the playground.

"Abolished the ten-round system? What does that mean?"

"I knew the atmosphere felt different this year..."

"..."

The students whispered among themselves, feeling uneasy about this sudden news.

Principal Qin Chuan stood on the high platform and raised his hand to signal for silence.

"The specific rules will naturally be announced at the exam center. Now, the Headteachers of each class will begin distributing the examination passes."

"After the head count is finished, we will head to the Teleportation Site."

Every year, the National Examination takes place at the illusion towers in each province.

In the current Celestial Empire on Habitable Planet No. 35, it is divided into five provinces and seventy-nine cities.

Every provincial capital has an officially constructed illusion tower.

The illusion towers were co-created by several top Formation Masters.

Inside the tower, tens of thousands of independent spaces can be generated, capable of simulating near-realistic combat environments.

And based on requirements, enemies and scenarios of varying difficulties can be generated.

Defeating enemies in the illusion tower does not grant experience, and defeat does not result in actual death.

As the Headteachers began distributing the examination passes, the atmosphere on the playground grew increasingly solemn.

The students lined up to receive the metal nameplates, symbols of qualification and hope, from their teachers.

Lu Yin looked down at the cool Examination Pass in his hand; his exam number and name were engraved on it, gleaming with a faint silver luster in the morning light.

Once the passes were distributed, under Qin Chuan's lead, everyone headed to Tianyang City's Teleportation Site.

On the Tianyang City Teleportation Square, a massive formation flickered with a deep blue light.

Examinees from several high schools in Tianyang City had already lined up according to their schools.

A dense crowd, numbering nearly ten thousand people.

Twenty Formation Masters, dressed in uniform robes, stood solemnly around the edge of the magic circle.

They raised their hands simultaneously, and pure magic, like physical bands of light, poured from their palms into the runes on the ground.

This time, the teleportation destination was their provincial capital, Tianjing City.

According to the data from previous National Examinations, at least over a hundred thousand examinees would gather there.

As the Formation Masters activated it together, the light of the teleportation array suddenly flared.

Lu Yin's vision blurred, and his body was wrapped in a gentle yet powerful force as the surrounding scenery began to twist and blur.

After a brief sensation of weightlessness, the feeling of solid ground returned.

When his vision cleared, they were already in a completely different environment.

Before him was a majestic sight: a vast square paved with jade-white stone, stretching to the horizon.

In the center of the square, a giant bronze tower that pierced the clouds stood tall.

The tower was covered in ancient and mysterious runes, shimmering with a faint halo under the morning sun.

This was the illusion tower of Tianjing City, the starting point of dreams for all examinees in the Eastern Province.

"The Tianyang City Waiting Area is over here; please come this way."

Just then, a staff member in a Ministry of Education uniform, holding a sign, spoke through an Amplification Formation, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears.

Lu Yin followed the Tianyang City group toward the designated Waiting Area.

But his gaze remained locked on three figures on a distant high platform.