Paladins are Dead Weight? I'll One-shot the Demon God!
Chapter 35: Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate! Gaokao Achievement Task!
"Principal, the Dragon Gate Project was originally scheduled to internally select the ten most potential students in our No. 7 High School."
"Now a student from another city is suddenly added, and he's even from Mian City."
"I'm afraid the other selected students and parents will have objections."
"Furthermore, the implementation location of the project is set at our No. 7 High School, which can be considered playing an away game."
"Over in Mian City, I'm afraid they won't easily agree to let their precious seedling come over, right?"
Chen Wenyuan said with some hesitation.
In the national Gaokao, the same dungeon is used for examinations within the provincial scope.
At that time, there will be no issues with different regions or different examination contents.
It's just that no one is willing to leave their local area to take the Gaokao elsewhere.
"Objections?"
Vice Principal Zhou Chong chuckled, his tone carrying undeniable confidence:
"If there are objections, let strength do the talking."
"If the prodigies cultivated by our No. 7 High School fear even the competition of a student from another city,"
"Then this Dragon Gate Project might as well not be held."
"As for Mian City... rest assured, I will personally communicate with their Education Bureau."
"Being able to participate in the Dragon Gate Project is beneficial without any harm to Lu Li himself and to the Mian City Education Bureau."
"It is exposure and an opportunity with a hundred benefits and not a single harm."
"Director Qin Lan is a sensible person, and she will agree."
Chen Wenyuan heard the certainty in Vice Principal Zhou Chong's tone.
Knowing that this matter was settled, he said no more:
"Yes, Principal, I understand."
"Mhm, organize a detailed profile of Lu Li and give it to me as soon as possible."
"In addition, comfort those few boys well."
"Losing once is nothing; finding the gap and winning it back in the Gaokao arena is the real ability." Vice Principal Zhou Chong instructed a sentence, and then ended the call.
Chen Wenyuan put down the communicator and let out a long breath.
He looked out the window with a complex gaze.
The Dragon Gate Project was a stage that gathered the gaze of the entire province.
He didn't know how far this Paladin from Mian City could go on it.
...
Mian City, Education Bureau Director's Office.
Director Qin Lan had just finished processing a document and rubbed her slightly sore brow.
The dedicated communicator at her side rang.
Seeing the number and notes displayed on the screen, her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.
She immediately straightened her body, adjusted her breathing, and then pressed the answer button.
"Hello, Principal Zhou." Director Qin Lan's voice was polite and capable.
"Director Qin, sorry to disturb you."
Vice Principal Zhou Chong's hearty laughter came over, "It's like this, there is a matter I'd like to discuss with Director Qin..."
After Vice Principal Zhou Chong finished speaking, Director Qin Lan's beautiful eyes instantly lit up.
Of course she knew about the Dragon Gate Project!
This was a major event in the provincial education system this year.
Once standing out in this project,
the fame, attention, and subsequent resource support provided by the province that it would bring were immeasurable.
Originally she thought this was completely the private plot of Chengdu, especially No. 7 High School.
She didn't expect that a pie would fall from the sky now, and the No. 7 High School principal came to invite them proactively!
Although she really wanted to agree directly, Director Qin Lan still spoke:
"Principal Zhou."
"I still need to ask Lu Li himself before deciding whether to participate, and I cannot give you a direct reply for the time being."
"No problem, just tell me when there is a result."
"Okay, Principal Zhou, I will coordinate and reply to you as soon as possible."
Ending the call, Director Qin Lan held the communicator that still retained some warmth.
Leaning back against the chair back, she took a deep breath.
A look of excitement uncontrollably surfaced on her face.
The Dragon Gate Project! Provincial-wide live broadcast!
This was definitely an excellent springboard for the Mian City Education Bureau, and even the entire Mian City, to soar into the sky!
Without too much hesitation, she immediately got up.
Grabbing her coat, stepping on high heels, she walked outward with a brisk and decisive pace.
"Prepare the car, go to Tongzi Base Training Camp!"
She instructed the assistant at the door.
This matter must be discussed with Lu Li face-to-face immediately!
Lu Li, who was training, was quickly called to Director Li Jianguo's office.
Pushing open the door and entering, he found that Education Bureau Director Qin Lan was also there.
"Director Qin, Director Li." Lu Li nodded to indicate.
"Lu Li is here, sit." Director Qin Lan pointed to the opposite sofa, a gentle smile on her face.
After Lu Li sat down, Director Qin Lan didn't make too many pleasantries and cut straight to the point:
"It's like this, classmate Lu Li."
"Rongcheng No. 7 High School contacted me this morning."
She explained the Dragon Gate Project in detail.
Including the provincial-wide live broadcast, and inviting Lu Li to participate as the only student from another city.
"For Mian City, this is an unprecedentedly good opportunity."
Director Qin Lan leaned forward slightly, looking at Lu Liwith burning eyes:
"Being able to make an appearance in the provincial-wide live broadcast, no matter what the final ranking is,"
"For you personally, and for our Mian City education system, it is a tremendous exposure and affirmation."
"The attention and resource skew that may be brought subsequently are immeasurable."
She paused, her tone becoming more solemn:
"Of course, I must also make the situation clear."
"This is equivalent to playing an away game; you will be on Rongcheng No. 7 High School's home turf."
"Facing their top students, and you may even endure pressure from the teachers and students of the opposing school."
"However, rest assured, I will go with you at that time."
"I just don't know if you are willing or not?"
Facing Director Qin Lan's expectant gaze, Lu Li didn't hesitate too much:
"It's just changing a place to take the exam, of course there's no problem."
Pressure? Away game? He didn't care at all.
The Gaokao dungeons were unified, and it was the same wherever he took the exam.
The Education Bureau helped him so much, so it was no problem for him to do a small favor in return.
"That's great!"
Director Qin Lan's face instantly burst into a radiant smile:
"I knew you wouldn't back down!"
"There are still six days left until the Gaokao. During this period, you should still train hard and prepare for the exam."
"The day before the Gaokao, I will come to pick you up, and we will go to Rongcheng No. 7 High School together!"
"Alright." Lu Li nodded, a trace of anticipation also rising in his heart.
Rongcheng No. 7 High School, the top middle school in Sichuan Province.
Their base camp, I wonder if there will be any unexpected surprises?
...
"The Dragon Gate Project! Carp leaps over the dragon gate!"
"Nine Chengdu prodigies, one Mian City dark horse, ten people competing, who can ultimately transform into a dragon?!"
"Bombshell! Mian City Paladin Lu Li is invited to join the Dragon Gate Project, with the Gaokao broadcast live across the province!"
"Dragon Gate Project, countdown four days!"
...
With Lu Li's itinerary confirmed, the education circle and media of the entire Sichuan Province boiled over.
The publicity was overwhelming, especially with Lu Libeing the only non-Chengdu-registered student among the ten people.
It attracted countless curious gazes.
Even Lu Li's former classmates at Qingyang County No. 3 Middle School exploded in a commotion.
Many people tried to contact him, with phone calls and messages coming endlessly.
At first Lu Li answered a few, explaining a couple of sentences.
Later, he simply set it to reject all incoming calls, devoting himself wholeheartedly to the final sprint training.
...
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the afternoon of the last day before the Gaokao.
"Xiaoli! Come on!"
"Brother Lu, come on! Trample those Chengdu prodigies fiercely under your feet!"
"Gaokao, come on! Wish everyone soar into the sky!"
...
Inside the Training Camp.
After waving goodbye to cousin Jiang Yao and the others.
Lu Li carried the silver briefcase containing the battle axe, waiting at the entrance of Tongzi Base for Director Qin Lanto pick him up.
However, at this moment, the crisp system notification tone in his mind suddenly rang:
[Ding! Detected that you are about to participate in a major national-level examination, now releasing the Gaokao Achievement Task!]
[Task Content: Achieve excellent results in the Gaokao.]
[Task Rewards: Evaluated based on the final Gaokao score ranking, corresponding rewards will be issued. The higher the score, the more generous the reward!]
[Remarks: Carp leaps over the dragon gate, everything depends on this one move!]
Chapter 36: College Entrance Examination Day! Rongcheng No. 7 High School!
"College Entrance Examination Achievement Quest?!"
Lu Li's eyes flashed with brilliant light, and his heart skipped a beat.
The achievement quest from the Training Camp rewarded him with a powerful B-grade skill, [Chain Lightning].
This was a nationwide college entrance examination!
If he could secure the provincial top scorer title, how lavish would the rewards be?
"It really is something to look forward to."
He took a deep breath, feeling a burning warmth in his heart.
Just as his heart was pounding with excitement, a smiling female voice sounded beside him:
"Have you been waiting long?"
Lu Li turned his head and saw Director Qin Lan walking over gracefully.
She had changed into an off-white trench coat suitable for going out, with a light-colored shirt underneath.
Her lower body still wore a form-fitting hip-skirt and black silk stockings, stepping in those black high heels.
Her posture was swaying, full of the charm of a mature woman.
"No, I just came out too."
Lu Li reined in his thoughts and smiled.
"Alright then, let's get ready to leave."
As she spoke, Director Qin Lan took out a sleekly designed car key and pressed it gently.
Lu Li was wondering why the area nearby was empty and no cars were parked here.
The next second—
Hum!
A deep engine roar came from afar and grew closer.
A red sports car with smooth lines and a cool design sprinted over like a cheetah, sliding and stopping precisely in front of them.
The car doors automatically lifted upwards like wings, and the car was completely empty inside.
"An autonomous driving sports car?" Lu Li raised his eyebrows slightly.
The technological level of this world was extremely high, and autonomous driving had long been popularized.
But paired with this top-tier sports car model, the price was definitely not cheap.
It started at at least several million yanlong coins.
An Education Bureau director's salary... could afford this?
Seeming to see through his thoughts, Director Qin Langave him an exasperated look and scolded with a smile:
"What are you thinking? Don't forget that besides being a director, I am also a second-transition professional!
I still have the money to buy a sports car.
Alright, give me the equipment and get in the car."
She took the password case from Lu Li's hands.
A slight shimmer flashed across the spatial ring on her finger, and the case disappeared.
"That's true."
Lu Li thought no more about it, bent over, and sat in the passenger seat.
The space inside the car was spacious, and the tech-filled dashboard and center console shimmered with colorful lights.
Director Qin Lan sat in the driver's seat and fastened her seatbelt.
"Sit tight!"
As soon as her voice fell, the red sports car let out a pleasant roar.
It left Tongzi Base like an arrow leaving a bow, merging into the traffic stream of the intercity highway.
More than two hours later, the sports car drove into bustling Chengdu.
It finally stopped at a high-end villa area with a tranquil environment, stopping steadily in front of a three-story villa with an independent courtyard.
"We've arrived. This is a property I bought in Chengdubefore, usually left empty.
Tonight you stay in the downstairs guest room, and I'll live upstairs.
It's getting late, rest early and save your energy.
Tomorrow morning, we will go to Rongcheng No. 7 High School to report."
Director Qin Lan instructed as she got out of the car.
Lu Li followed her out of the car and looked at the luxurious villa before him.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
I couldn't tell.
This Director Qin was actually a wealthy woman.
She even had assets in Chengdu.
...
Early the next morning, as the sky began to brighten, the thin mist in the high-end villa area of Chengdu had not yet dispersed.
Lu Li had washed up early and changed into the college entrance examination equipment prepared for him by Director Qin Lan.
In front of the mirror, the young man's figure was as upright as a pine tree.
A set of tailored black martial attire clung tightly to his physique.
It outlined his naturally slender and explosive muscle lines with sharp definition.
Dark golden cloud patterns were embroidered at the collar and cuffs, and a matching tactical belt was bound around his waist.
The left and right bracers and combat boots gleamed with a cold metallic light, giving off a sharp, unapproachable aura.
This was a bronze-grade cloth armor set provided by the Training Camp, which could provide a 3-point bonus to his four-dimensional attributes.
The most eye-catching thing about his entire body was the single-edged battle axe on his back.
The axe handle was inserted obliquely into a special back buckle, and the fine-steel axe blade swept a cold, piercing gleam in the morning light.
Faint, intricate rune patterns could be seen flowing across the axe body.
Carrying such a heavy weapon with his current stature,
Not only did it not appear clumsy, but it added a few points of fierce aura instead.
Lu Li stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the first-floor living room, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.
Not long after,
a crisp and rhythmic sound of high heels came from the stairs.
Lu Li opened his eyes and turned to look.
Director Qin Lan was walking down the stairs slowly.
Today, she had obviously also dressed up elaborately.
Her long jet-black hair was coiled into a low bun, revealing her slender and fair swan neck.
A few strands of stray hair hung casually beside her ears, reducing some of a director's majesty and adding a few touches of a mature woman's tender charm.
Her makeup was exquisite and mature.
Her upper body wore a sharply tailored black women's suit, with a white shirt underneath.
Her lower body was a matching hip-skirt, outlining her waist and hip curves breathtakingly.
Black silk stockings wrapped around a pair of slender and beautiful legs, and her feet still stepped in a pair of thin-heeled pointed-toe high heels.
The whole person radiated a unique charm and oppressive feeling characteristic of a mature woman from the inside out.
Director Qin Lan walked down the stairs, her gaze falling on Lu Li.
Looking him up and down, a trace of undisguised approval flashed in her eyes.
"Not bad, very energetic."
She nodded slightly, her red lips parting slightly, her clear and moist voice carrying a hint of gentleness:
"Today is the college entrance examination.
Don't be nervous; with your current strength,
even if you can't beat that S-grade freak from Rongcheng No. 7 High School, your results won't be bad."
"Director Qin, is there any way you would deflate your own people's prestige right from the start?"
Hearing this, Lu Li twitched the corners of his mouth.
After spending this period of time together, he had gradually grown familiar with Director Qin Lan.
"Alright then, I won't deflate your prestige.
You go and surpass that S-grade, and bring back the provincial top scorer title."
Director Qin Lan raised her willow eyebrows and said.
"Rest assured, for me, the provincial top scorer title is like something in the bag."
Lu Li smiled with confidence.
"Is that so? Then I'll look forward to your performance."
Seeing this, Director Qin Lan didn't mind too much. "Let's go, it's time to set off for No. 7 High School."
...
On the day of the college entrance examination, the entire Chengdu was in a state of high alert.
Dedicated lanes were specially marked out on the roads for examinees' vehicles
to ensure they could reach the examination hall unobstructed.
Director Qin Lan's sports car naturally also obtained this permission.
It took only 15 minutes to drive all the way from the villa into the campus of Rongcheng No. 7 High School.
Inside the campus, green trees lined the paths, and modern teaching buildings and training venues were scattered orderly.
The teaching building was magnificent, and the electronic screen scrolled with the words: "Warmly welcome Mian City's outstanding student Lu Li to participate in the Dragon Gate Project".
attracting many students to stop and watch.
"Quite a big array." Director Qin Lan looked outside through the car window.
Today, her makeup was exquisite, and her aura was fully unleashed.
But her fingers gripping the steering wheel tightened slightly, revealing her inner unrest.
This was the home court of Rongcheng No. 7 High School.
The center of the province's educational resources, gathering countless gazes and expectations.
The Lu Li she brought would face the top-tier competition directly here.
"Indeed."
Lu Li himself didn't feel much about it.
Soon, the sports car stopped in front of the administrative building.
Several leaders of No. 7 High School who had been waiting here for a long time came up to greet them.
At the head was the vice-principal, a middle-aged man with a warm smile.
Chapter 37: Lin Qingyu! Dark Thunder Ruins!
"Director Qin, you've had a hard journey! Welcome, welcome!"
The vice principal enthusiastically shook hands with Director Qin Lan, his gaze immediately falling on Lu Li:
"This must be student Lu Li, right?"
Truly a man of exceptional talent and extraordinary bearing.
To be able to stand out in Mian City is no small feat."
"Principal Wang flatters him too much; Lu Li still needs to learn a lot from your school's elites," Director Qin Lanresponded gracefully.
After a few pleasantries, Vice Principal Wang led them toward the playground:
"The other nine students participating in the Dragon Gate Project have already gathered.
It's just right to bring student Lu Li over to get familiar with the environment and let everyone get to know each other."
Director Qin Lan nodded and glanced sideways at Lu Li.
She said in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Relax, just perform as usual.
Remember, you are here to take an exam, not to pick a fight."
She worried that Lu Li, being young and hot-headed, wouldn't be able to control his emotions when provoked.
Lu Li slightly nodded, indicating he understood.
The closer they got to the playground, the clearer the noisy human voices became.
When Lu Li's figure appeared at the playground entrance, the originally noisy venue instantly quieted down a lot.
Countless gazes shot over simultaneously—curiosity, doubt, disdain...
All kinds of emotions varied.
In front of the rostrum in the center of the playground, nine figures were indeed standing.
There were both men and women, each with a profound aura and bright eyes.
Obviously, they were all carefully selected outstanding talents.
Like stars surrounding the moon, they crowded around the tall figure at the very front.
That was a young girl wearing light blue martial attire.
Her posture was straight, and her ink-black hair was simply tied into a high ponytail.
Revealing a smooth forehead and graceful neck lines.
Her skin was fair, and her facial features were as delicate as a meticulously carved piece of art.
Especially her pair of eyes, clear and calm, as if they contained a sea of stars.
She just stood there quietly, naturally becoming the focus of the entire audience.
An aloof yet powerful aura radiated from her entire body.
"Lin Qingyu."
This name naturally surfaced in Lu Li's heart.
Along with the information about her previously mentioned by Director Qin Lan and Director Li Jianguo.
S-grade talent [Blessing of Wind], rare class [Sword Princess].
Level 13, average four-dimensional attributes above 70 points, the undisputed number one person of Rongcheng No. 7 High School this year!
She was also recognized in this Dragon Gate Project as the most likely existence to capture the provincial top scorer title.
It seemed she felt Lu Li's gaze.
Lin Qingyu's black eyes turned slightly, glancing toward Lu Li's direction.
Her gaze was calm and waveless, with neither curiosity nor contempt.
It was just like looking at an irrelevant object, flashing past.
Lu Li also withdrew his gaze, his expression unchanged.
S-grade talent, average attributes above 70 points, rare class... truly very strong.
But so what?
With a slight movement of his mind, he quietly opened his attribute panel:
[Name]: Lu Li
[Level]: Level 13
[Class]: Paladin
[Talents]: Child of Light (S+ Grade), Resilience (D- Grade)
[Four-Dimensional Attributes]: Strength: 78.5, Physique: 79.8, Agility: 78.2, Wisdom: 80.1
His level had already been upgraded to Level 13 in the Training Camp.
Under the reward enhancements of daily tasks, his average attributes were also close to 80 points!
This luxuriously described panel was enough to crush Lin Qingyu in terms of attributes.
Naturally, he wouldn't worry about failing to win against her.
"Director Qin, should we leave Lu Li here and go to the spectator stands?"
Principal Zhou Chong said with a smile.
"Okay."
Director Qin Lan nodded.
Giving Lu Li a reassuring look, she left together with the principal and the others.
"Hey, guy from Mian City."
As soon as Director Qin Lan and the others left, a slightly harsh voice broke the brief silence.
Among the nine people, a short-haired teenager with a defiant look folded his arms.
He glanced sideways at Lu Li, the corners of his mouth curling into an undisguised sneer:
"I don't know what tricks you used to make Teacher Chenand the others suffer losses.
But this is Rongcheng No. 7 High School.
The Dragon Gate Project is the stage for the geniuses of our No. 7 High School.
You shouldn't have come.
Facing us, you will only bring humiliation upon yourself."
As soon as these words came out, quite a few examinees from No. 7 High School around let out low snickers and echoing sounds.
Obviously, Lu Li's identity as an outsider and a Paladin.
Made many arrogant students of No. 7 High School feel contemptuous.
Director Qin Lan, who hadn't walked far yet, slightly frowned and was about to speak.
But Lu Li spoke expressionlessly:
"None of your damn business."
The voice was not loud, but it carried a matter-of-fact indifference.
"You!" The short-haired teenager's face instantly flushed red.
He didn't expect Lu Li to be so direct and rude, and a surge of anger rushed straight to his head.
He stepped forward, and energy fluctuations faintly arose from his body.
"Senior Zhang Hao."
A cold and melodious female voice rang out.
Lin Qingyu, who had been standing quietly and motionless, slightly turned her head and glanced at the short-haired teenager Senior Zhang Hao.
Just with a single glance, the momentum on Senior Zhang Hao's body instantly stagnated.
As if doused by a basin of ice water, he resentfully reined in his momentum.
But he still glared fiercely at Lu Li and lowered his voice:
"Sharp-tongued! Then let's wait until the college entrance examination starts!
In the dungeon, I will leave you far behind! Let you know what a gap is!"
Lu Li couldn't be bothered to pay attention to him anymore and directly moved his gaze away.
As if the person in front of him was just a buzzing fly.
This indifferent attitude made Senior Zhang Hao's face even more flushed with anger.
Director Qin Lan, noticing this scene, finally breathed a sigh of relief and went to the spectator stands together with Vice Principal Zhou Chong and the others.
When Lu Li arrived at the playground, it was 8:30 in the morning.
The college entrance examination officially started at nine o'clock.
In the center of the playground, a huge bronze door was already suspended there.
Time ticked away second by second.
The moment the hands precisely pointed to nine o'clock sharp.
"Hum—!!!"
The huge bronze door in the center of the playground suddenly shook, and then burst out with dazzling brilliance!
Countless profound runes lit up from the door leaves.
Interweaving into a sea of light, illuminating the entire playground brightly.
"All examinees, concentrate your minds and communicate with the dungeon gate!
Choose the difficulty and enter the college entrance examination dungeon!"
The invigilator's loud voice spread across the entire venue through the sound-amplifying magic array.
Lu Li focused his mind, casting his thoughts toward that brilliant portal.
In an instant, lines of information were directly projected into his consciousness:
[College Entrance Examination Dungeon Secret Realm: Dark Thunder Ruins (Silver Grade)]
[Level Limit: Level 10 ~ Level 13]
[Difficulty: Optional (Simple / Normal / Difficult / Desperate / Nightmare)]
[Monster Types: Zombie, Poison Cat Monster, Minotaur]
[Player Count Requirement: 1 ~ 4 Players]
"Silver-grade dungeon?!"
"Oh my god! Is this year's college entrance examination so ruthless?"
"It's over, it's over, and they're still dark-attribute monsters, how is this supposed to be fought?"
"..."
The moment the information appeared, the entire No. 7 High School playground exploded into chaos.
In the history of Sichuan Province's college entrance examination, the number of times silver-grade dungeons appeared could be counted on one hand.
This meant that the monster's strength, dungeon complexity, and danger would far exceed usual times!
What's more, this was still a dark-attribute environment known for being weird and tricky.
Lu Li's eyes lit up slightly instead.
"A dark-attribute dungeon."
The corners of his mouth curved into an arc, "It just happens to be countered by my light attribute."
Without the slightest hesitation, his mind directly locked onto the highest difficulty.
Nightmare grade!
Swish!
With a flash of white light, Lu Li's figure instantly disappeared from the playground.
After him, besides being shocked, the thousands of students on the playground also entered the dungeon one after another.
In just over a dozen seconds, the large playground became empty.
Only that huge bronze door still exuding a faint glow and the dense crowd of spectators at the edge of the field remained.
"Open the exclusive dungeon vision, province-wide live broadcast starts simultaneously!"
The invigilator loudly commanded.
Boom!
Above the playground, huge holographic projection light screens lit up simultaneously.
The top ten light screens were the most magnificent and clear, correspondingly matching the ten proud talents participating in the Dragon Gate Project!
And Lu Li's screen was among them.
Below, there were also thousands of smaller screens displaying the dynamics of other examinees in real-time.
Chapter 38: Nightmare-Level Difficulty! Showing Initial Prowess!
"It's starting, it's starting!"
"Look, it's Lin Qingyu!"
"Senior Zhang Hao is here too!"
"..."
In the spectator stands, besides the school leaders of No. 7 High School and officials from the Education Bureau,
the students from the first and second years of high school were also there.
On one hand, they cheered for the senior students.
On the other hand, observing the matches would also benefit them when they participated in the college entrance examination later.
Of course, the main topic of discussion still revolved around Lin Qingyu and the others.
Almost no one mentioned Lu Li, who came from Mian City.
Director Qin Lan sat in the front row of the special guests' seats, her hands intertwined unconsciously.
Her gaze was fixed tightly on the light screen belonging to Lu Li.
Although the screen was still pitch black, her heart was filled with anticipation and a trace of tension.
The college entrance examination of Yanlong Countrydetermined one's life in a single test!
Whether one becomes a dragon or a worm depended on today!
...
Swoosh—
Vision shifted, and after a slight dizziness,
Lu Li was already placed in a completely different world.
A cold, damp, and decayed aura rushed toward him.
This was no longer a forest under the sunlight, but endless darkness.
The shapes of the towering ancient trees had become distorted and grotesque.
Their branches and leaves were rotten and drooped down, resembling ghostly hands.
In the distance, the outlines of broken walls and ruined remnants could be faintly seen.
Like the ruins of some ancient architecture, standing silently in the darkness.
Deathly silence.
Aside from the creepy rustling sounds occasionally coming from unknown places,
there was only his own slight breathing and heartbeat left.
"Dark Thunder Ruins, truly living up to its name."
Lu Li scanned his surroundings with sharp eyes.
"Weapon Blessing!"
With a thought in his mind, the holy light within his body surged violently!
Brilliant golden light surged out from his palms, instantly wrapping around the single-edged battle axe in his hand.
"Hum—!"
The entire battle axe bloomed with a warm and intense golden radiance.
Resembling a bright lamp suddenly lit in the endless darkness, it instantly illuminated the surrounding dozens of meters as bright as day!
The muddy ground, the twisted trees, the decayed fallen leaves...
Everything had nowhere to hide under the illumination of the holy light.
The sacred brilliance seemed to stimulate something lurking in the darkness.
"Hoh, hoh..."
"Hiss-roar—!"
A low, hoarse throat sound and a sharp cat-like screech came from the darkness ahead almost simultaneously!
Following closely, a staggering and heavy footstep sounded, accompanied by a light and swift landing sound.
Seven figures slowly stepped into the range illuminated by the holy light from three directions.
On the left were three humanoid monsters.
Their skin presented a dead-gray cyan-black color, their movements were stiff, and gloomy green ghost fires jumped in their eye sockets.
On the right were four cat demons whose body shapes resembled cheetahs.
Their fur was dark purple, all four limbs were on the ground, and their backs were arched.
Their sharp claws flashed with an eerie purple-black gloss.
"Appraisal!"
Lu Li's gaze condensed, and the skill activated silently.
[Zombie]
[Level: 13]
[Qualification: Silver ☆☆]
[Attributes]: Strength 68, Physique 75, Agility 32, Intelligence 5
[Skills]: Corpse Poison Claw Strike, Rotten Flesh Regeneration
...
[Venomous Cat Demon]
[Level: 13]
[Qualification: Silver ☆☆☆]
[Attributes]: Strength 55, Physique 58, Agility 78, Intelligence 45
[Skills]: Venom Spray, Shadow Pounce, Quenched Poison Claws
"Average attributes around 70 points.
The zombies have high physique, while the venomous cat demons have prominent agility and intelligence.
As expected of the nightmare-level difficulty, the starting mobs already have this level."
Lu Li made a judgment instantly, "However, that's about it."
His current average attributes were close to 80 points.
Coupled with the S+ talent [Child of Light] blessing, light-type skills had additional damage bonuses against dark-type monsters!
"Quick battle, quick decision, save mana."
As his thoughts flashed through his mind, Lu Li moved!
He did not wait for the monsters to surround him, but took the initiative to attack!
With a stamp of his foot, a small pit exploded on the muddy ground.
His figure was like an arrow leaving the string, carrying a brilliant golden trajectory.
He rushed towards the three relatively slow-moving rotting zombies first!
"Hoh!"
The zombie in the middle let out a roar, waving claws hanging with rotten flesh to grab him.
Lu Li did not dodge or avoid, and the dazzling single-edged battle axe in his hand went from bottom to top, a concise and fierce upper slash!
"Chi—!"
The axe blade infused with the power of holy light chopped open the zombie's Resilience body without any obstruction.
From the crotch to the shoulder, it directly split it diagonally into two halves!
The gloomy green soul fire flickered violently for a moment and suddenly went out.
Under the blessing of [Weapon Blessing], his strength reached nearly 110 points.
Cooperativng with the holy light that had a special attack against dark creatures, the damage was terrifying!
The sharp claws of the zombie on the left had already reached his ear, carrying a foul-smelling corpse poison.
Lu Li shifted his steps slightly, his body tilted slightly, and the battle axe swept horizontally!
"Bang!"
The zombie's head exploded like a watermelon, and its headless body shook and fell to the ground.
The attack of the zombie on the right was slightly half a beat slower.
After Lu Li solved the first two, he turned around with a powerful vertical chop!
"Crack!"
From head to toe, the zombie was neatly split into two halves, spilling tainted blood and internal organs all over the floor.
Three zombies, from Lu Li's startup until all of them fell down, took less than two seconds!
"Meow—!!!"
The four shadow venomous cat demons were angered by this thunderous means.
They let out sharp and piercing screeches, simultaneously pouncing and killing from different directions!
Their speed was extremely fast, pulling out streaks of afterimages in the darkness, and their scarlet eyes were filled with violence.
Lu Li stood with his axe, his eyes as cold as ice.
Just at the moment when the sharp claws of the four venomous cat demons reached his body,
he moved!
Not retreating.
Instead, he stepped forward with a small stride like a ghost, precisely cutting into the gaps of the four attacks.
The golden battle axe in his hand traced a perfect circular light arc!
"Puff, puff, puff, puff!"
Four muffled sounds rang out almost simultaneously!
The two venomous cat demons pouncing at the front were hit by the battle axe and instantly cut into two halves!
The back two were also swept by the edge of the battle axe, screaming as they flew backwards.
Leaving bone-deep scars on their bodies, they struggled twice and lost their breath.
The restraint of holy light against dark creatures was displayed vividly at this moment!
From the beginning of the battle to the total annihilation of the seven monsters, the total time used was: four seconds.
Lu Li shook his battle axe, the golden brilliance flowing, not a single drop of blood staining it.
He felt his state, and the mana consumption was negligible.
"The buff from [Weapon Blessing] is temporarily enough.
The strength of the nightmare-level mobs is acceptable to endure, and other buff skills can be kept for now.
Save some mana, I don't know what monsters are behind."
Lu Li did not stay, he opened his steps and walked towards the light gate emerging in the darkness.
On the playground, on the light screen of the province-wide broadcast.
Although none of the students among them cared about Lu Li from Mian City,
that huge light screen made it hard for anyone not to see it.
Therefore, when Lu Li cleared the field in four seconds with a destructive and violent method,
it made many students of No. 7 High School who didn't pay much attention to this screen subconsciously rub their eyes.
"What just happened?"
"Is that golden light a Paladin's skill?"
"Four seconds? Seven Silver-tier monsters? Are you kidding me!"
"Are the mobs of nightmare difficulty this fragile?"
"..."
Whispers began to sound.
The gazes of many people, for the first time, truly focused with suspicion and doubt on that Paladin from Mian City.
On other screens, such as Lin Qingyu and others, although they also cleared the level with instant kills,
that was what the other party deserved!
As a support-class Paladin, why do you have this kind of strength?
Chapter 39: Sweeping! Formidable Strength Attribute!"
"Oh, Director Qin, Lu Li from your Mian City is quite good."
No. 7 High School Vice Principal Zhou Chong was also somewhat surprised.
No matter how one looked at it, this didn't look like the strength a Paladin could possess.
"Principal Zhou flatters me."
Director Qin Lan's tense body relaxed slightly, and she smiled as she said,
"Lu Li's strength attribute is just a bit higher."
"That's true."
Vice Principal Zhou Chong nodded slightly.
It seemed that this Paladin mainly allocated his stat points into the strength attribute.
Doing so could indeed yield extremely high attack intensity.
But there were also drawbacks, especially if facing large-scale groups of monsters.
Relying solely on a battle-axe to hack away would be very difficult.
"It's here! The second stage!"
"Hiss! So many zombies and cat demons!"
"Nightmare-level difficulty is too exaggerated; there are at least thirty of them here, right?"
"..."
As the examinees successively entered the second stage,
the light curtain images updated, causing many people in the playground spectator stands to cry out in surprise.
The scene of the second stage was even more gloomy than the first.
Among the dilapidated ruins, the number of wandering zombies had more than doubled.
Shadow Venom Cat Demons shuttled back and forth among broken walls and ruins, their crimson pupils flashing in the darkness as they emitted spine-chilling low roars.
"It's over!"
Director Qin Lan's heart tightened, and her slender fingers subconsciously clenched the corner of her clothes.
She hadn't interfered much with Lu Li's training.
Therefore, she wasn't entirely clear on the full extent of his strength.
Judging from his performance in the first stage, Lu Li's strength attribute was indeed astonishing.
However, a professional's four-dimensional attributes usually had certain focuses.
With strength being so prominent, it likely meant that other attributes, especially the intelligence attribute, would be relatively weak.
And the monster-dense scene before her eyes was precisely the most headache-inducing situation for melee professionals who primarily stacked strength!
"This is troublesome."
Director Qin Lan's delicate brows furrowed as she sighed inwardly:
"Paladins are inherently support classes, and they don't have any large-area clearing skills."
She did know that Lu Li had a spell skill called Chain Lightning.
But with his intelligence attribute being too low, it would be useless even if the damage couldn't go up.
Her worried gaze closely locked onto the light curtain belonging to Lu Li.
At the same time, on the other few main light curtains,
the prodigies participating in the Dragon Gate Project were also showing off their respective magical abilities.
The screen where Lin Qingyu was located was the most eye-catching.
She was seen in a relatively open ruined square.
Over twenty zombies and venom cat demons had gathered around her.
With a cold expression, facing the swarming monsters,
she only slowly raised the slender sword glowing with a cyan light in her hand.
"Wind Whirl Slash."
Her cold voice seemed to pass through the light curtain.
The next moment, her figure spun like the wind.
The longsword in her hand slashed out streaks of fiercely sharp cyan arcs!
Sword Qi crisscrossed, forming a small cyan storm.
Instantly sucking the pouncing monsters into it!
"Chi chi chi——!"
The sound of tearing flesh and monster wails merged into one, with severed limbs and broken arms mixed with foul blood splashing everywhere.
In merely three seconds, the storm subsided.
Lin Qingyu stood quietly with her sword, and within a three-meter radius around her, there was not a single standing monster left.
Her dress and skirt were spotless, as if the bloody slaughter just now had nothing to do with her.
"Hiss! Senior Sister Lin is so handsome!"
"As expected of the Sword Princess, slaying ten monsters with a single sword! Too strong!"
"Haha, that Paladin from Mian City is going to be dumbfounded now. Relying on an axe to hack, when is he going to finish hacking?"
"Exactly, what's the use of high strength? In a scene like this, you still have to rely on area-of-effect skills!"
"..."
Enthusiastic cheers and discussions erupted from the spectator stands.
Many No. 7 High School students looked towards Lu Li's screen, wanting to make a comparison.
However, the next instant, a scene that left them dumbfounded appeared.
In the light curtain, facing more than thirty monsters flanking from three directions,
Lu Li actually didn't choose to kite or temporarily evade; instead, he took the initiative to meet them head-on!
He single-handedly held that battle-axe shining with golden holy light.
His pace was steady yet swift, like a golden god of war stepping onto the battlefield.
"Roar!"
The few zombies at the very front pounced with roars, their rotting claws whipping up a fishy wind.
Lu Li's eyes narrowed, his battle-axe stabbed into the ground, and his hands crossed and waved.
"Pure White Blade!"
Amidst a low shout, a cruciform white blade radiance burst forth!
"Shua——!"
The upper bodies of the three zombies taking the brunt of the attack instantly separated!
The blade radiance's momentum didn't decrease, cutting two venom cat demons in the rear completely in half at the waist!
But this was only the beginning!
Without stopping his footsteps, Lu Li picked up the battle-axe again and charged into the monster horde.
The battle-axe seemed to have no weight in his hands, transforming into streaks of golden afterimages!
Splitting, chopping, up-swinging, sweeping!
Every single strike was concise and efficient, pushing horizontally across like a bulldozer!
In less than ten seconds, all thirty-plus monsters were slain!
Lu Li stood holding the axe, breathing slightly.
The golden light on the battle-axe still flowed, unstained by a single drop of blood.
He glanced over the littered mess, his expression showing not the slightest change.
Then he strode towards the light door of the next stage.
Silence.
A death-like silence enveloped the entire No. 7 High School playground spectator stands.
All the students who were mocking, discussing, and comparing.
At this moment, they were as if choked by the neck, staring blankly at the light curtain belonging to Lu Li.
That breath-takingly violent clearing method.
That leisurely and unhurried composure, that seemingly endless stamina.
"Is this fucking a Paladin?!"
"What happened to it being a support class? What happened to melee classes being afraid of group attacks?"
"This..."
Director Qin Lan was also stunned, and then astonishing radiance burst forth from her beautiful eyes.
Great!
It seemed Lu Li's strength attribute was unusually high!
However, on the No. 7 High School teacher seating area, a male teacher quickly analyzed:
"Lu Li's strength attribute is indeed not bad."
"However, it cannot last. If a few more waves of monsters come and he continues to hack like this, it won't work."
Director Qin Lan wasn't stupid, and upon hearing this, she immediately reacted as well.
Indeed, reality wasn't a game.
Every single chop and slash inherently consumed a large amount of physical strength.
You hacking five or six times, ten or twenty times, would be fine.
What if you were made to hack a hundred times?
Your stamina definitely wouldn't be able to take it!
Furthermore, battle-axes were inherently clumsy and far less lightweight than longswords.
They required even more physical strength to expend.
"In subsequent stages, please, absolutely do not let such large-scale monster groups appear again."
She prayed inwardly.
However, the next moment, the light curtain image refreshed.
Director Qin Lan's pupils suddenly constricted upon seeing the contents of the screen.
Whatever she feared came to pass!
The third stage was an even broader ruined square.
And the number of monsters wandering within it shockingly reached over a hundred!
Dense clusters of zombies and venom cat demons were distributed all over the ruins.
Almost blocking the path leading to the light door of the next stage!
"Here it comes! Mages have the advantage in this stage!"
"Hahaha, let's see how that Paladin fights now!"
"Without area-clearing skills, this stage will waste a huge amount of time! His ranking is definitely going to fall behind!"
"..."
The students' voices sounded once more.
No one was optimistic about Lu Li.
After all, you're just an examinee from Mian City.
What tier are you to be able to stand alongside the prodigies of No. 7 High School?
...
Inside the dungeon,
Lu Li stepped out of the light door and was also slightly shaken by the scene before him.
"The monsters in this stage actually exceed one hundred?"
His gaze swept across the faint, flickering monster figures among the ruins, and his brows slightly raised.
"Moreover, they are very scattered. Relying on the Pure White Blade and battle-axe to clear them one by one takes too much time."
"In that case..."
The corners of Lu Li's mouth hooked into a cold arc, and a golden holy light flashed and disappeared in his eyes:
"Then let's try this."
He raised his left hand.
With five fingers spread open, he aimed at the dark monsters surging forward like a tide in front of him.
Within his palm, a point of golden lightning that was brilliant to the extreme, containing a violent and sacred aura, suddenly lit up!
"Crackling——!"
The piercing current explosion sound seemed capable of piercing through the screen, ringing in the ears of every spectator.
Chapter 40: Dungeon BOSS! Quadruple Buffs!
"Chain Lightning!"
Lu Li let out a low cry, and a flash of lightning flickered in his eyes!
Boom—!
Amidst a deafening roar, a bolt of lightning condensed from holy light and thunder shot out!
Compared to when he tested it in the training room two weeks ago...
The power of Chain Lightning at this moment had increased by more than just several fold!
Over the past week, Lu Li had invested many of the skill points obtained from completing daily tasks...
into this B-rank AoE skill.
[Chain Lightning] had already risen from LV2 to LV5!
The number of bounces, damage range, and base power had all achieved a qualitative leap!
The lightning shooting out carried the might to destroy everything...
instantly crossing a distance of dozens of meters and slamming fiercely into the group of monsters!
The five or six zombies and Poison Cat Spirits bearing the brunt didn't even have time to scream...
before turning into charcoal amidst the dazzling golden thunder light!
And this was only the beginning!
Chain Lightning that hit its target did not disappear, but instead burst open violently as if it possessed spirituality...
splitting into dozens of slightly thinner golden electric snakes and shooting wildly in all directions!
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Bounce! Bounce again!
In that instant, the entire ruins plaza transformed into a golden thunder hell!
Dazzling thunder light flashed frantically, and the crackling explosions merged into one continuous sound!
"Awooo—!"
"Hah—!"
Shrill screams rose and fell one after another, and zombie after zombie fell amidst the electric light.
The suppression effect of holy thunder on dark creatures was magnified to the extreme!
Every single electric snake could easily tear through their defenses, causing terrifying damage!
This shocking scene was clearly presented to the eyes of all spectators through the light screen.
On the playground of Rongcheng No. 7 High School...
The whispers that were originally rising and falling were suddenly choked off by an invisible giant hand.
Everyone stared at this scene in dumbfounded shock.
"No, are you fucking telling me this is a Paladin?"
"This motherfucker deals even higher damage than an Elemental Mage!"
"Single-target has a battle axe, AoE has lightning, isn't this Paladin a bit abnormal?"
Finally, the complaining voice of some student broke the silence, instantly triggering a wave of discussions.
"Did you guys see that? That lightning can even bounce! It bounced at least twenty-something times! Even my lightning-type Mage advanced skills aren't this outrageous!"
"Why the hell is this? Aren't Paladins supposed to carry shields and take hits, while healers are responsible for healing? How come this guy rushed in and wiped out all the monsters instantly?"
"Crazy! They're crazy! What kind of monsters are this year's college entrance examination candidates?!"
"..."
Various shocked discussions intertwined together,
making the originally solemn playground exude a clamor somewhat like a vegetable market.
Many of the students among them, besides being shocked, also had a significantly changed view of Lu Li.
After all, the strong are welcome anywhere.
"Lu Li! To think he's actually this strong?!"
Director Qin Lan was also somewhat shocked, and then a surge of pleasant surprise welled up in her heart.
Going by this trend, Lu Li might really be able to compete with Lin Qingyu for the provincial top scorer title!
...
Lu Li inside the dungeon naturally had no idea about the shock outside.
Having completed the clearing, he had already stepped into the next stage.
The fourth stage, the fifth stage, the sixth stage...
Lu Li pushed straight through all the way.
That irresistible combat picture was presented before the eyes of all spectators through the huge light screen.
At first, the students of Rongcheng No. 7 High School still carried some defiance and contempt.
But as Lu Li, with a nearly overbearing posture...
easily swept away wave after wave of nightmare-difficulty monster groups, these discussions gradually quieted down.
Replaced by more and more exclamations and disbelief.
"Is this really a Paladin?"
"That glittering golden axe chops monsters just like cutting vegetables!"
"Chain Lightning! Chain Lightning again! The clearing is too fast!"
"Holy shit, awesome!"
"..."
Voices cheering him on gradually appeared in the spectator stands.
Very few at the very beginning, but more and more later on.
It is worth mentioning that the vast majority of them were bright-eyed young maidens.
"Wow! The way he fights is so handsome!"
"That golden light, that profile! Both strong and cool!"
"I used to think Paladins only hid in the back healing, never expected they could be this fierce!"
"I'm a fan now! Go senior Lu Li!"
"..."
The young maidens' cheers were exceptionally crisp.
Attracting sideways glances from many boys, whose hearts were sour.
Yet they had to admit that the figure in the picture was truly outrageously formidable.
Finally, under the focus of countless gazes...
Lu Li and Lin Qingyu, with an absolute advantage of leading other candidates by a full three minutes...
stepped into the light door of the final BOSS stage at almost the same time!
"It's here! The final stage!"
"The ultimate showdown! Who will be the provincial top scorer depends on this final battle!"
The atmosphere of the entire No. 7 High Schoolplayground instantly tightened, reaching its peak.
Including Vice Principal Zhou Chong, Director Qin Lan, and many other spectators.
Everyone held their breath, anxiously looking at the projection light screen.
...
Deepest part of the Dark Thunder Ruins.
This was an ancient temple ruin that had collapsed by nearly half, and the space was exceptionally wide.
Broken stone pillars were scattered all over, and the air was filled with a stench so thick it was nauseating.
Faint light penetrated from the cracks overhead.
Not only failing to dispel the darkness, but instead making those twisted shadows appear even more eerie.
And in the center of the temple...
on a throne piled up with bones and filth, a huge figure slowly stood up.
This was a corpse more than three meters tall!
Its whole body presented an eerie cyan-white color, as if frozen by ice for countless years.
It held a huge cleaver in its hand that was rusty yet lingered with thick black gas.
Just by standing there, a suffocating coercion permeated the air.
Making the temperature of the entire temple seem to drop a lot.
"Is this the dungeon BOSS?"
With a thought, Lu Li directly used Appraisal.
[Zombie King]
[Level]: 16
[Qualification]: Gold ☆
[Attributes]:???
[Skills]:???
Except for level and qualification, everything else was question marks!
The huge gap in level and rank caused the effect of Appraisal to be greatly weakened.
"A Level 16 Gold BOSS! As expected of the final stage of Nightmare difficulty."
Lu Li's eyes were sharp; not only did he have no fear, but he also felt a surge of excitement.
As long as he cleared the level, he would have completed the college entrance examination!
"Human... insignificant... light, disgusting..."
The Zombie King seemed to sense the pure holy light aura on Lu Li's body, letting out a hoarse roar:
"This is not a place you should come to! Become... my servant!"
"Whether I should come or not, it's not up to you to decide."
The corners of Lu Li's mouth raised slightly.
Facing the Gold BOSS exuding terrifying coercion, not only did he not retreat, but he stepped forward.
"Courage Blessing!"
He let out a low cry in his heart, and the power of holy light surged roaringly within his body.
An intrepid courage and sense of power instantly filled his limbs and bones!
Strength and physique attributes began to soar!
This was a skill he obtained from system daily tasks.
"Protection Blessing!"
The second layer of buffs fell, and a faint golden halo covered his body surface like armor.
Defense and abnormal status resistance were greatly enhanced!
"God's Blessing!"
The third layer of buff!
This was a C-rank buff skill he selected from his skill library.
The effect was simple and crude: in a short time, it slightly and comprehensively enhanced all attributes!
"Weapon Blessing!"
The fourth layer!
The battle axe in his hand erupted with a golden radiance more dazzling than at any time before.
It seemed to transform into a small sun, and the sacred, blazing aura spread wildly.
Pushing back the surrounding darkness and stench by quite a bit!
Quadruple buffs! Stacked layer upon layer!
In the final stage, there was no need to save mana anymore.
This was Lu Li's prime posture!
Surging sacred energy formed a visible wave of air,
radiating outward with him as the center, and the filthy moss under his feet was purified and burned into patches of scorched marks!
The terrifying energy fluctuations even passed through the light screen, making everyone watching from the outside feel a flutter of panic!