The students returned one by one, and the principals engaged in a friendly competition with one another. So far, no one had managed to gain a significant upper hand. Most of the returning students were at levels 10 to 13, with not a single level 14 among them.
"Xia Xue, Lin Moyu, and Gao Yang—why haven't they returned yet?" Lu Yun asked anxiously as the sky darkened. His expression grew serious; logically, all three of them should have been back by now.
"Did something happen?"
Finally, just before nightfall, Lu Yun spotted three figures approaching.
"They're back; they've finally returned!" A smile broke across Lu Yun's face. The results were secondary; what mattered most was their safety.
With a gentle breeze, the detection technique revealed their statuses:
[Gao Yang, Level 12, Knight of Sword and Shield]
[Xia Xue, Level 15, Elemental Mage]
Surprised murmurs rippled through the gathered principals. Xia Xue had indeed reached level 15! This meant she had at least an 80% chance of being admitted to Xia Jing Academy. As long as her performance in the final exam was decent, she would surely gain entry.
Then came the final assessment: Lin Moyu.
The principals were seasoned professionals, all level 40 or higher in their second turn, so the shield badges didn't hold any weight with them.
[Lin Moyu, Level 16, Necromancer]
A collective gasp echoed among the headmasters. Lin Moyu had reached level 16, one level higher than Xia Xue. His rapid advancement was astonishing.
"They must have been grinding dungeons," one principal speculated. "Gao Yang wields a sword and shield, while Xia Xue carries a staff—all weapons dropped by the Goblin King."
"But the drop rate for those weapons is incredibly low. It's not easy to gather all the required gear."
"They might just be lucky."
As Lin Moyu and the others approached the city wall, Lu Yun called out, "After entering the city, please wait in the car. Once everyone is assembled, we'll head back to school together."
Gao Yang was the only one to respond enthusiastically, "Yes, Principal!"
Lu Yun chuckled, his mood buoyed. In this return competition, he had triumphed before all the other principals. Furthermore, it seemed likely that both Lin Moyu and Xia Xue would be admitted to Xia Jing Academy—an immense honor for both Xihai City and No. 1 Middle School.
As the principal, he felt a swell of pride.
Once all the students had returned, Lu Yun climbed into the car. "It's the greatest gratification for a teacher to see their students return safely. Everyone should rest well tonight. We'll gather at the school tomorrow morning and head to the test center."
The test center for the big exam wasn't located at the school or even in Xihai City; it was in Jianghai City, the provincial capital.
The difference between the two cities was just one letter. While Xihai City was merely a medium-sized city in Jiangning Province, Jianghai City was a true metropolitan hub. Every year, the big exam was held in Jianghai City, with examiners from the Shenxia Empire overseeing the process.
That night, Lin Moyu continued to meditate. He focused on his own thoughts and didn't feel particularly stressed about the upcoming exam. He was confident he'd be accepted into Xia Jing Academy. If the opportunity arose, he might even aim for the provincial championship. Previously, he hadn't cared much about this goal; all he wanted was to enter Xia Jing Academy. However, after hearing Ning Yiyi and Xia Xue speak, he'd developed a slight interest in Creation Seminary.
Early the next morning, Lin Moyu woke up on time, his mental strength fully restored. He felt in peak condition. A total of 100 skeleton warriors quietly awaited his command in the summoning space. After a 20-fold increase, each bronze-level skeleton warrior now boasted a four-dimensional attribute of 5,000, along with his own skills: Soul Flame and Corpse Burst. This gave Lin Moyu a calm and confident demeanor.
When he arrived at the school playground, many students had already gathered. Gao Yang waved enthusiastically at Lin Moyu, calling, "Boss Lin!"
Lin Moyu approached and nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Despite being the top student, his reserved nature meant he wasn't very popular among his classmates. Additionally, as a necromancer, many students felt a little uneasy around him.
Before long, Xia Xue arrived as well. She enjoyed a significantly higher popularity than Lin Moyu, and students flocked to her side.
Xia Xue approached Lin Moyu uncharacteristically and asked, "Are you ready?"
Lin Moyu nodded in response.
Xia Xue smiled. "Then we'll see each other at Xia Jing Academy."
"Good," Lin Moyu replied softly.
Once everyone had arrived, Lu Yun stepped forward. "Here are the teleportation stones for the test site; everyone will receive one." He continued, "In a moment, you can either crush the teleportation stone or stimulate it with your spiritual power. The stone will take you to the examination room."
He paused for emphasis. "Let me reiterate: during the exam, your first priority must be your own safety. Safety first."
"Now, let's start teleporting!" he declared.
The students activated their teleportation stones one by one, disappearing in a flash of light. After the last student left, Lu Yun also activated his teleportation stone, heading to the test center in Jianghai City.
The test center was vast and empty, resembling a massive square. Candidates from more than a dozen cities in Jiangning Province were arriving one after another. Thousands of participants were gathered for this exam.
The flow of light from the teleportation continued unabated as candidates from Xihai City were grouped in a designated area.
After half an hour, the flow finally ceased. Under the watchful eyes of thousands, a tower descended from the sky.
"The Trial Tower is now open!"
A booming voice echoed throughout the square.
As the gate on the first floor of the tower slowly opened, another voice rang out, "All candidates, please listen carefully to the exam rules. You are not allowed to speak or ask questions. Violators will be disqualified from the exam."