Chapter 58: The Assessment Is About to End, Li Yueyao Leaves Everyone in the Dust with 81 Points

「A few hours later.」

At the exit of the Black Stone Secret Realm, the distorted spatial fissure flickered with light.

The time for the assessment was about to end, and students had already begun to emerge one after another.

On the plaza, a temporary scoring table and a medical station had long since been set up.

Several teachers from the school were bustling about with serious expressions, tallying the examinees’ scores while directing medical personnel to provide emergency treatment to injured students.

The scoring method for the assessment was simple: turn in proof of a Demon Beast kill, such as a claw, eyeball, fang, or other signature body part, in exchange for Points.

Slaying a First-Grade Early Stage Demon Beast was worth 1 Point.

A First-Grade Middle Stage was worth 5 Points.

A First-Grade Late Stage was worth 10 Points.

The Peak of First-Grade was worth 20 Points.

A Second-Grade Early Stage was worth 50 Points.

And slaying a Second-Grade Middle Stage Demon Beast was worth a staggering 100 Points!

But this was basically just a theoretical score, written in the rules as a form of encouragement.

In the entire history of Jiang City High School, no examinee had ever managed to slay a Second-Grade Middle Stage Demon Beast, whether alone or in a team.

For most examinees, even if a five-person team worked together to hunt a few First-Grade Middle Stage Demon Beasts, it was already considered a rather impressive achievement.

As for First-Grade Late Stage Demon Beasts, only the top students from each class had the ability to challenge them.

Just then, a sudden uproar swept through the crowd.

Everyone looked toward the Secret Realm Exit.

Li Yueyao could be seen leading her team members out of the spatial fissure, their heads held high.

Though the five of them had blood-stained clothes and looked slightly disheveled, the unconcealable excitement and pride on their faces said it all.

"Look! It’s Li Yueyao! Their haul must be huge!"

"No kidding! Her Illusory Sound Spirit Fox is at the Peak of First-Grade. Her team could even put up a fight against a Second-Grade Early Stage Demon Beast!"

Amidst the crowd’s murmurs, Li Yueyao placed a heavy backpack on the scoring table. "Teacher, please tally the Points."

RATTLE!

A pile of Demon Beast materials, reeking of blood and malice, formed a small mountain.

The scoring teacher’s expression shifted from surprise to shock. After carefully tallying everything, he announced loudly:

"Li Yueyao’s team! Fifteen First-Grade Early Stage, eight Middle Stage, and six Late Stage! In addition... they successfully killed one Peak of First-Grade ’Red-maned Hyena’!"

"Team total... 135 Points!"

WHOOSH—!

The entire plaza erupted in an instant! The crowd seethed like boiling water!

Points!

What did that even mean?

The highest-scoring team to come out before them had barely managed to get 48 Points!

This was nearly triple that score!

Especially that Peak of First-Grade "Red-maned Hyena"! That was one of the top predators in the Secret Realm, incredibly ferocious, and they had actually managed to hunt it!

The scoring teacher paused, then added, "According to the distribution rules agreed upon by Li Yueyao’s team, team captain Li Yueyao’s contribution for this operation was 60%, for a personal score of 81 Points!"

Points!

This personal score left everyone else in the dust!

The highest personal score before this was only 32 Points!!

Listening to the tsunami of gasps and envious murmurs from the crowd, Li Yueyao said, "It was just good luck," but the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her inner pride and delight.

A personal score like this would have been enough to place in the top three in any previous practical combat assessment!

Ever since the practical combat assessment was established, the highest personal score record in Jiang City was only 85 Points!

And the senior who had achieved that score of 85 Points was now a prominent figure at a top Lingwu University in Du Nan, with a limitless future!

’And my score is 81 Points! I’m already so close to that record!’

’Top three! It’s a lock!’

Li Yueyao took a deep breath, a great weight finally lifting from her heart.

Her goal for this assessment was the top three!

As long as she could make the top three, it would be enough to attract the attention of the admissions offices of first-rate Lingwu Universities. Combined with a stable performance in the joint entrance exam, getting into a top university was practically a sure thing!

’This is the future I’ve earned with my own strength and hard work, one step at a time!’

At this thought, Gu Yuexi’s cold, aloof face unconsciously surfaced in her mind.

’Relying on a mosquito with heaven-defying Spiritual Wisdom to get special privileges from the City Lord’s Mansion and a guaranteed university spot...’

’But so what if her luck is good?’

A trace of pity flashed in Li Yueyao’s eyes.

’The rest of this School Beauty’s life is destined to be spent as a canary kept in a cage, an object of research for others. Her future is already laid out before her, with no surprises in store!’

...

On the main platform.

Zhang Chengye, the director of the Provincial Education Bureau, and City Lord Lin Zhennan both gave Li Yueyao an extra glance, a hint of approval in their eyes.

But immediately after, Lin Zhennan’s brows furrowed once more as he stared worriedly toward the exit.

"What’s going on? Time is almost up, why isn’t Gu Yuexi out yet?"

Logically speaking, at this stage of the assessment, the weaker students should have come out long ago.

After all, every extra minute spent in a Secret Realm teeming with Demon Beasts meant another minute of danger.

By now, most of the examinees below the Peak of First-Grade had already emerged one by one, yet there was still no sign of Gu Yuexi.

’She... couldn’t have actually run into trouble, could she?’

’A First-Grade Late Stage Martial Artist with a First-Grade Early Stage mosquito that has basically no combat power, lasting this long in the Secret Realm... that itself is not normal at all!’

’Damn it, that little ancestor of mine had better not be in any trouble!’ Lin Zhennan thought, frantic with anxiety.

Zhang Chengye’s expression also turned a little grim.

They knew better than anyone the immense value that Gu Yuexi and her mosquito now represented.

’If something really happened to her right under our noses, we’d have to bear some of the responsibility...’

In a corner, Leng Yan watched their anxious expressions and sneered inwardly.

’Trouble?’

’Isn’t that a matter of course?’

To ensure there were no mistakes, she had spared no expense this time!

She had not only paid a hefty sum to bribe several of the top-twenty ranked examinees, but had also bought off that reclusive number one Spiritual Mind Master—Qin Feng!

’A First-Grade Late Stage Martial Artist with a trashy First-Grade Early Stage mosquito... survive a dragnet like that?’

’Absolutely impossible!’

Leng Yan sneered inwardly, but on the surface, she maintained a cold expression as calm as an old well, as if she were indifferent to everything.

The only thing she needed to do now was wait.

Wait until the assessment was over, wait until the news of Gu Yuexi’s death in the Secret Realm was confirmed, wait until the people from the City Lord’s Mansion and the province turned their suspicious gazes upon her.

Then, she would face all investigations with the most innocent and composed attitude.

After all, there was no evidence that could point to her.

Just then, the distorted Light Gate at the Secret Realm Exit flickered violently once more!

Two figures emerged from it, walking almost shoulder to shoulder!

When the crowd got a clear look at who had arrived, the entire plaza fell silent for a moment before erupting into an uproar once more.

"Holy shit! It’s Zhao Qingtian and Zhou Kai! Why did they come out together?!"

"What’s the situation? The number one of the Beast Taming Department and the number one of the Martial Arts Department? These two kings who never meet—did they run into each other in the Secret Realm and have a fight?"

"No, that’s not right! Look, even though they’re covered in wounds, they’re clearly from fighting Demon Beasts, not from fighting each other! Could it be... they cooperated?"

Everyone was stunned, their faces plastered with huge question marks.