"Right, Lord Fang Tao!"
As Fang Tao stood silent in thought, Zhao Xuan suddenly recalled something and spoke.
"What is it?" Fang Tao returned to his senses and looked at him.
"Lord Fang Tao, from what you said… it sounds like you're preparing to raid a Demon Cult stronghold?"
Zhao Xuan's eyes brightened.
Despite his pale, exhausted face, excitement, yearning, and wild anticipation rose in his expression again.
Seeing that look, Fang Tao immediately understood what this kid was thinking.
He didn't answer at once.
He simply stared—stared at Zhao Xuan for so long that Zhao Xuan began to feel uncomfortable.
Then Fang Tao suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahahahahahaha! Interesting. Truly interesting! You little brat… you're really something!"
"Heh… hehehe…"
Zhao Xuan scratched his head with an embarrassed grin.
Then—
Fang Tao fell silent again, slipping into deep thought.
Zhao Xuan knew Fang Tao was making a decision, so he waited quietly without interrupting.
After a long while, Fang Tao finally looked up.
Facing Zhao Xuan's burning, hopeful eyes—
He laughed again.
And then—
"You brat. You just want to join the raid on the Demon Cult stronghold, don't you? Fine. I agree."
Zhao Xuan's face went red with excitement.
But Fang Tao continued:
"However—it's not just you.
All of this year's National Exam candidates will participate in the raid."
"What's more—
Your results from the past two days?
Cleared.
Wiped clean."
He raised his voice.
"The final rankings of this year's National Exam will be determined entirely by your performance during the raid."
"In other words—"
Fang Tao's voice grew louder:
"Even if you're weaker than others right now, as long as you perform outstandingly during the raid—
You could still become this year's National Exam champion!"
"Some of you may not understand the benefits of ranking first this year."
He paused.
"This year's top ten National Exam candidates each receive entry into Kyushu's newly acquired Divine Dragon Ruins in the Endless Sea.
Inside is the Dragon Blood Pool—a special-type relic.
Soaking in the Dragon Blood Pool greatly increases one's physique.
The current record is nearly +1000 physique points gained."
"However, the Dragon Blood Pool only produces a limited amount of liquid every month.
The higher your ranking, the longer your soak time."
"Tenth place: 10 minutes.
Ninth: 20 minutes.
Eighth: 30 minutes…
And so on."
"First place receives a full 100 minutes."
The moment his words fell—
The waiting area erupted.
The Kyushu candidates' eyes turned red with desire.
Their faces burned with hunger and ambition.
And of course—
Zhao Xuan was no exception.
"Divine Dragon Ruins… Dragon Blood Pool… a thousand physique gained by one person…
If I can get +1000 physique too…
My dragon-man form physique will break 30,000 immediately!!!"
Zhao Xuan clenched his fists hard.
National Exam first place—
That's mine.
Whoever dares fight me for it—
I'll beat them to death.
"Oh—and one more thing," Fang Tao added, "the Demon Cult stronghold contains seventh-rank ability users."
"Although theoretically we will stop all seventh-rank enemies from harming you, battlefields are unpredictable.
Anything can happen.
So—"
His voice chilled.
"Be prepared to face a seventh-rank expert at any moment."
"And unless the one you face is a seventh or eighth rank—
We will not intervene."
He swept a cold gaze across the silent arena.
"After all, if you can't even defeat a few fifth- and sixth-rank Demon Cult lackeys—
You don't deserve to live."
The harsh words struck like ice.
But—
No one looked afraid.
Not one.
…
That night.
Moonlight gleamed white and cold.
Eastern outskirts of the Imperial Capital.
Outside a large manor—
Rustle… rustle…
Zhao Xuan and the other candidates slowly, carefully, infiltrated from all directions.
Yes.
This was the Demon Cult stronghold Fang Tao mentioned.
Originally—
Everyone thought the raid would take place tomorrow.
But unexpectedly—
Fang Tao summoned them that very night, ordering an immediate assault.
His explanation was simple:
"Speed is life."
Fortunately—
He did not send them right away.
Had Zhao Xuan gone in earlier, while still mentally drained, his chances of winning first place might have dropped to zero.
After three to four hours of rest, and consuming large amounts of spiritual medicine, his mental energy was restored to about seventy or eighty percent.
Behind Zhao Xuan—
The seventh-rank escorts shook their heads helplessly.
"They're way too green."
"With sneaking skills like that, how are they supposed to ambush anyone?"
"They'll be discovered any moment."
"Their raw strength is good—some can kill six-rank Grandmasters—but their combat experience is ridiculous. Even that kid Zhao Xuan is inexperienced!"
"Agreed."
"Enough talking. Get ready. The Demon Cult dogs will notice soon. This stronghold has several seventh-rankers inside."
Their chatter stopped as the leader spoke.
All eyes locked onto the enormous manor.
300 meters.
250 meters.
200 meters.
150 meters.
100 meters—
BOOOOM!!!
A sudden explosion split the night.
"Who!?"
"What was that!?"
"No—Kyushu forces!?"
"When did they get here!?"
"Run!"
"No good—they've surrounded every direction!"
Panic erupted inside the manor.
Silhouettes burst from the courtyards, scattering wildly into the moonlit sky.
"Kill!!"
"Surround them!"
"Don't let a single one escape!"
The candidates charged.
Their thoughts filled only with the prize of National Exam first place.
They ignored the fleeing seventh-ranks—
They targeted the fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-rank cultists.
This was their chance.
Zhao Xuan didn't hesitate.
He transformed into his dragon-man form immediately.
His feet slammed into the ground—
And he shot forward like an arrow.
In an instant—
He was in front of a fourth-rank Demon Cult thug.
"Ha!!"
His fingers hardened into a spear.
"Pierce!"
Shiiing!
His finger thrust pierced the man's throat.
Blood sprayed.
Zhao Xuan moved on—
Second kill.
A sixth-rank Grandmaster this time.
His punch landed like thunder—
The man's arm shattered.
His ribs snapped.
His heart burst.
One punch kill.
Zhao Xuan rushed toward the next one.
The cultists lost their will to fight.
They only fled.
Within minutes—
Sixty or seventy cultists fled north, led by five or six seventh-ranks, smashing through the students' lines.
But—
Before they got far—
"Kill!!!"
Kyushu's city guards and seventh-rank elites sprang the ambush from the front.
The seventh-ranks engaged the enemy seventh-ranks head-on.
The city guards fought the mass of mid-ranks.
But the guards did not kill them—
They herded them back toward the manor.
Straight into Zhao Xuan and the candidates' path.
"Damn them!!!"
"They're using us as training dummies!"
"They want us to be beaten down by a bunch of fourth-rank kids!?"
The cultists finally realized.
This group that escaped were the stronger ones—fifth- and sixth-ranks.
And Kyushu was forcing them back…
For the candidates to slaughter.
Humiliation turned to rage.
"Kill!!"
"Kill one and it's worth it! Kill two and it's profit!!"
"We're trapped anyway—kill the damn geniuses!"
Their killing intent erupted—
Dozens activated their Extreme Secret Arts, burning their lifeforce for temporary power.
They charged.
The candidates collided with them in a storm of explosions.
For a brief moment, the cultists held the advantage with their reckless boost—
But soon—
They crumbled.
Zhao Xuan, Peng Hu, Shangguan Yingjie, Zhuang Liu—
these top students overwhelmed them.
Dozens died.
Then—
BOOM!!!
A terrifying surge of power erupted from within the crowd.
A hidden seventh-rank cultist finally revealed himself.
His first blow—
Instantly smashed Shangguan Yingjie across the field.
He crashed into the ground, coughing blood, unable to rise.
"Not good!!!"
"A seventh rank!!"
The hidden seventh-rank thrust forward to finish him.
Just as his foot was about to crush Shangguan Yingjie—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Three figures attacked simultaneously—
Zhao Xuan, Peng Hu, and Zhuang Liu.
Their combined strikes forced the seventh-rank to dodge desperately—
But Zhao Xuan's speed was too great.
BAM!!!
His Haki-coated, lightning-wrapped punch slammed into the enemy's back.
The seventh-rank staggered forward—
Straight toward Shangguan Yingjie.
Who suddenly—
Stood up.
With a black dagger.
And stabbed him through the abdomen.
"Divine-grade weapon!"
"Damn it!!"
The cultist roared in agony.
He kicked Shangguan Yingjie away—
But Zhao Xuan, Peng Hu, and Zhuang Liu attacked again.
Over and over—
Punch after punch.
The seventh-rank was forced to defend—
Never able to counterattack properly.
The Kyushu seventh-ranks watching from afar froze.
"Holy shit…
Are those three…
Are they really trying to kill a SEVENTH-RANK as fourth-ranks…!?"
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
Longer.
The seventh-rank grew desperate.
His abdomen bled heavily.
His eyes burned.
Humiliation choked him.
"Impossible… I won't… I won't die… to insects like you!!!"
Zhao Xuan's Observation Haki screamed warnings.
"He's going to go berserk! Careful!"
Then—
The cultist suddenly stopped defending.
He let their punches land—
And with a twisted grin—
SLAM!
He struck Peng Hu in the chest.
Peng Hu flew back, vomiting blood.
"Not good!!"
With one member down—
Their three-man formation collapsed.
Zhuang Liu tried to hold the line—
But was overwhelmed—
Until a certain moment—
A sharp scream tore through the battlefield.
The seventh-rank froze.
Zhuang Liu's kick—
Had crushed his… vital region.
The pain paralyzed him.
Zhuang Liu struck again—
Stabbing both his eyes with two fingers.
The cultist howled—
Then kicked Zhuang Liu away.
But—
Zhao Xuan was already behind him.
His fists fell like hammers.
BANG!!
BANG!!
BANG!!
BANG!!
BANG!!!
He stopped defending completely.
He became a berserk machine—
pummeling the seventh-rank's skull again and again—
Until the sight was utterly horrific.
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