Chapter 426: Tower Defense? |
Among the three examiners, the one in the center appeared as a humanoid figure made of mist, with twin arcs of lightning flashing like eyes where his face would be.
Director Gao instantly recognized him as one of Wanfa University’s vice presidents, True Lord Qiyun, who oversaw teaching and talent cultivation.
For years, True Lord Qiyun had been a vocal advocate for underage Immortal Path cultivation, believing that the best future for Kunxu’s youth lay in the grave. He’d long pushed for teenagers under eighteen to be allowed to cultivate and contribute to society.
And the misty figure before them was merely one of his projections.
To the left stood a ten-meter-tall Demon-Kin with dragon-like nostrils and jutting fangs—one bearing the blood of an Elephant-Demon.
Director Gao recognized this as True Lord Tianxiang from Demon-Beast University, a seasoned expert in civil engineering with considerable academic influence.
True Lord Tianxiang was also a big name in the Foundation Stake field. He once accelerated the gestation of three thousand demon embryos in a single day to meet a project deadline. He had repeatedly protested interspecies inequality, arguing that every human should have the right to mass-breeding production techniques.
Whether it was True Lord Tianxiang or True Lord Qiyun, both were names Director Gao had known for centuries.
Yet each time he saw them, he couldn’t help but admit—they had changed. Greatly.
The third examiner, seated on the right, was a divine radiance-cloaked Fifth-Rank Righteous God named Geng Chenyinnn.
He was an old acquaintance of Director Gao as well. For years, Geng Chenyinnn had handled many affairs within Wanfa University City. He’d even led the last purge of the Rest-and-Relaxation Cult.
This time, he was in charge of maintaining order during the Military License Exam with the aid of the Righteous Gods.
As Geng Chenyinnn walked, divine force rippled through the Spiritual Realm, extending across the entire testing grounds.
His will swept back and forth across the field before he slowly said, “Is everything ready?”
Instantly, a chorus of responses from Righteous Gods echoed back.
Among them was Deng Bingding, who had once overseen Zhang Yu’s Foundation Establishment exam on the first floor and had since been promoted to the second.
Deng Bingding replied over the Spiritual Realm Network, “The testing grounds are fully prepared. All eight candidates have arrived.”
While speaking, he casually glanced at Zhang Yu’s location, musing to himself, “Isn’t Zhang Yu only a junior? What’s he doing taking the Military License Exam already?”
Geng Chenyinnn turned to True Lord Qiyun with a smile. “Headmaster, all the candidates have arrived. Shall we begin?”
From within True Lord Qiyun’s cloudy form came crackling thunder. The overlapping peals formed a deep male voice.
“Then let us begin.”
…
The eight candidates gazed up at the flying vessel overhead. The next moment, a shimmer appeared before them—Deng Bingding’s projection materialized in mid-air.
Zhang Yu’s eyes showed a flicker of surprise at the sight.
Deng Bingding began explaining the format and rules.
“Two rounds?” Zhang Yu thought to himself. “Eight candidates, each heading in a different direction to a point ten kilometers away?”
“The last three to arrive… get eliminated?”
The moment the elimination rule was announced, several students visibly tensed.
A countdown projection appeared in the air, and the candidates began preparing.
Ping Han stood atop his treasure chest.
Su Yanyang activated his Law Husk, suspending himself midair.
Xiao Yunji’s Law Husk transformed behind her, jets of Martial Qi blasting from it as her mana surged.
3!
2!
1!
Boom!
Like a thunderclap, the eight figures vanished simultaneously—eight streaks of black lightning darting toward eight separate directions.
Watching the students vanish, Deng Bingding sighed inwardly, “Money’s just as tight on the second floor…”
“These Military License exams cost a fortune. No wonder they’re axing three candidates upfront to stay within budget.”
He watched Zhang Yu’s departing trail and wondered, “Let’s see how far he can go.”
…
At that moment, all eight candidates were now under full surveillance by the Righteous Gods.
On the flying vessel, in front of the three examiners and assembled guests, the testing ground was being broadcast in vivid clarity.
True Lord Qiyun commented, “Though it’s only ten kilometers, there are numerous traps laid out to slow the candidates.”
True Lord Tianxiang nodded. “This first round is a basic test—not only of their fundamentals but also of their adaptability.”
“The bottom three don’t need a Military License.”
True Lord Tianxiang switched to Su Yanyang’s view.
Su Yanyang’s limbs were composed of crystalline constructs, crackling with lightning—his most powerful Law Husk, Earthshaker Deity.
Why wasn’t he using his former speed-type Law Husk?
Because over the past year, he’d been bogged down in lawsuits and tight on cash—he’d sold it before the exam.
With the Earthshaker Deity’s boost, he soared forward against gravity.
Then, suddenly—an invisible weight slammed into him like a mountain, dragging him downward.
Su Yanyang’s face tightened. His EyeNet swept the surroundings and quickly located the array’s core. His palms shifted in a series of seals, churning up earth and sand to disrupt the formation.
True Lord Tianxiang commented, “Decent reaction time from Su Yanyang.”
He then shifted to Xiao Yunji’s view. The girl had transformed into a ten-meter giant with three heads and six arms, charging forward and smashing through traps and formations alike.
True Lord Tianxiang chuckled. “Xiao Yunji’s quite the brute. Using a shape-shifting Law Husk? She’s got a solid Dao Heart.”
At that moment, True Lord Qiyun spoke. “Tianxiang, take a look at Ping Han.”
Switching to Ping Han’s feed, they saw him standing tall atop a man-sized metal box, streaking through the air.
Surrounding him were multiple Artifacts. Be it surging flame or slicing sword aura, the Artifacts blocked everything.
Occasionally, fire dragons burst forth, incinerating any formation in his way into scorched earth.
From beginning to end, Ping Han floated with arms crossed, letting his gear do the work. Among the eight, his was the fastest approach.
True Lord Tianxiang’s trunk wiggled as he chuckled, checking Ping Han’s Nectar Coin investment graphs. “Made a fortune flipping Nectar Coins? A kid touched by Immortal Fate.”
True Lord Qiyun nodded. “To show up for the Military License exam before he goes bankrupt—that’s Immortal Fate indeed.”
As cultivators who had lived from ancient times into the modern era, they understood that Immortal Fate changed with the times.
In ancient days, it might come from a passing immortal’s teachings, a secret trove at the bottom of a ravine, or a lucky feast on spiritual herbs.
But now? Illegal teachings were banned. Every secret trove had been ransacked. Rare herbs were all owned and documented.
Yet Immortal Fate hadn’t disappeared—it had merely changed form.
Winning the lottery? Immortal Fate.
Stock market windfalls? Immortal Fate.
Gambling luck? Also Immortal Fate.
Crypto booms? Definitely Immortal Fate.
In short—overnight wealth equaled Immortal Fate.
And in True Lord Qiyun’s eyes, Ping Han had it.
More impressively, he’d seized the opportunity to take the Military License Exam while still flush with cash. That was deep Immortal Fate.
True Lord Qiyun’s gaze flickered as he mentally tallied the cost of each candidate’s Law Husks and Artifacts.
Ping Han placed first. Xiao Yunji, second.
True Lord Tianxiang remarked, “From gear value, total score, and cultivation, Ping Han really might clinch that Military License.”
“Looks like Wanfa’s getting another one this year, Headmaster Qiyun.”
True Lord Qiyun replied coolly, “It’s just Immortal Fate. Whether he can hold on to it—that’s up to him.”
Meanwhile, Director Gao was watching Zhang Yu’s feed.
He saw Zhang Yu clad in golden armor, with a Goldfilament Jade Disk hovering behind his head. Each step Zhang Yu took made the earth rumble.
Boosted by the Taiyi Liquid Gold Pill and Protective Qi Barrier, Zhang Yu moved without pause. Every barrage that came his way ended with him charging through the dust.
The Goldfilament Jade Disk occasionally unleashed chilling rays, freezing some arrays in place.
Director Gao noted that Zhang Yu wasn’t the fastest, but like Ping Han, he was steady from start to finish. He reached the target area in fourth place.
He then looked back to Ping Han and sighed. “If he really gets the license, I need to sit down with him.”
“If he could liquidate those Nectar Coins and give up trading to seriously cultivate the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might… he’d be a treasure for our Civil Engineering Department.”
As he pondered, the last three candidates arrived—too late. Eliminated.
Zhang Yu, meanwhile, had caught True Lord Tianxiang’s eye.
With a trunk curl, he remarked, “A junior taking the Military License Exam already? Headmaster Qiyun, your Civil Engineering Department really churns out talents.”
True Lord Qiyun was equally surprised and began flipping through Zhang Yu’s records.
Meanwhile, the second round of the Military License Exam had already begun.
Zhang Yu read the projected text before him and thought, “Establish a defensive array, guard the array node, and resist incoming attacks for an hour?”
As he looked over the provided schematics, he muttered to himself, “Scorched Platform, Soul-Congealing Tower, Demon-Locking Pavilion… They want me to build towers?”
“Is this tower defense?”
