Chapter 32

Every candidate who arrived at the Pu Hai Martial Arts Square carried hope.

Even those who knew deep down they had no chance still clung to a sliver of luck—what if they passed?

The Top Ten Star Colleges admit only five hundred students per enrollment cycle, yet two million students took the exam.

Imagine that acceptance rate—it sent chills down your spine.

Although the total number of candidates approached two million, Chinese students taking the exam numbered only about one hundred thousand.

Don't think one hundred thousand is small—in fact, China has the most candidates for the Top Ten Star Colleges' entrance exam.

Some countries sent only a dozen or so; most sent between one thousand and ten thousand.

On average, each country sent about ten thousand candidates for the Top Ten Star Colleges' entrance exam.

China alone accounted for roughly one hundred thousand spots—more than double the number of the second-place country.

Aside from candidates, their families, school teachers, and staff, the largest group here were street vendors.

The Martial Arts Square had seating arranged, but because it was so vast, leaving to buy something and returning took too long—so vendors came to you.

Imagine: your family is taking the exam—who has the heart to leave their seat?

…

The first round of the exam was the gene compatibility test—simplest of all, each candidate needed only a few minutes to complete it.

Even so, testing nearly two million candidates couldn't be finished quickly.

The Top Ten Star Colleges organizing the exam divided Pu Hai Martial Arts Square into one hundred testing zones.

Asian candidates were relatively numerous, so they got fifty zones; Europe got twenty; the Americas got twenty; Africa got ten.

For continents not assigned their own zones, any candidate could take the exam in the Americas zone.

These one hundred zones applied only to the first round—if you failed the first round, you had no right to proceed to the second.

Around the square stood rows of massive electronic screens.

These screens displayed continental rankings and global rankings.

Anywhere in the Pu Hai Martial Arts Square, you could see these ranking screens.

…

Geng Geng Qianxing brought Fang Chong, Li Li Wanran, and Lü Zi to Testing Zone 38.

Although candidates and their families were all in the Pu Hai Martial Arts Square, they occupied two separate areas.

Candidates sat in the inner circle; families and spectators came to watch sat in the outer circle.

Even the president of Yujiang University, Tan Bei, could only sit with the families in the outer circle—only training instructor Geng Geng Qianxing could sit with the candidates in the inner waiting area.

But even from the outer circle, you could still clearly see the exam site.

The first and second rounds tested only potential and talent—beyond the results, there was little to watch.

The third and fourth rounds were more interesting, especially the fourth round—that was the arena combat.

Despite the crowd and congestion in Pu Hai Martial Arts Square, China, as host and home to four of the Top Ten Star Colleges, held an advantage.

This advantage was visible in the seating: under such a massive number of candidates, every Chinese university with students taking the exam had its own designated area.

Each school's waiting area had between twenty and one hundred seats; Yujiang University had thirty.

Now only four seats in those thirty were occupied—no wonder Tan Bei felt embarrassed and humiliated.

With only one teacher and three candidates from Yujiang University, the scene looked starkly odd.

Tan Bei had given most of the slots to outsiders—not just out of social obligation, but because he knew Yujiang's students were truly incapable.

Deep inside, Tan Bei still hoped those who held Yujiang's exam slots would sit in Yujiang's waiting area.

It would at least add some life to the place.

"Hmph, others who took our school's exam slots didn't even show up—fine. But Huang Chengwei, Tong Quan—they're Yujiang students themselves—and they didn't even sit here? How outrageous."

Fang Chong saw only four people occupying Yujiang's thirty seats and felt deeply indignant.

Geng Geng Qianxing sighed—he could only pray that at least one of Fang Chong's three students passed.

Otherwise, Yujiang University would shut down.

He loved Yujiang's freedom and admired President Tan Bei—such a school closing would be a terrible loss.

…

"Yi Yi, what are you looking at?" Seeing Qu Yi's sister, Qu Fei, noticed her constantly glancing around and asked.

"Nothing, just looking around," Seeing Qu Yi quickly said.

Qu Fei followed Seeing Qu Yi's gaze and spotted the Yujiang University sign—she suddenly remembered.

"Didn't Ding Huan say he was from Yujiang University? You can't even see him over there—what a fraud."

Seeing Qu Yi didn't answer Qu Fei, but asked, "Does Yujiang University have only three candidates and one instructor?"

"After Ding Huan mentioned Yujiang University, I went back to look it up. Turns out the school is about to shut down—you can see from only three students showing up for the exam."

Qu Fei added another remark to prove her foresight.

Seeing Qu Yi lowered her head, trying to figure out why Ding Huan had lied to her—or whether he'd lied at all. Either way, after the exam ended, she wanted to go ask him.

At that moment, a platform suddenly rose from the center of the square.

A man in gray robes walked as if across the air for ten steps, then landed calmly atop the platform.

"It's Principal Nong…"

Loud applause erupted across the square; those unfamiliar with Principal Nong began asking who he was.

"Pfft, don't even know Principal Nong? Then why bother coming to watch the Top Ten Star Colleges exam?"

Before the man could continue pretending ignorance, someone beside him answered for him:

"Principal Nong is Nong Yizhen—head of Zhenyu Academy, ranked #1 among the Top Ten Star Colleges, a Primordial expert who fused four alien genes."

"Is there anyone stronger than Principal Nong?"

"Senior Senior Yan Xia is also an Innate realm expert; as for how many alien genes he fused, I don't know."

"Isn't the Innate realm the previous realm? I heard the Martial Arts Alliance later joined forces with some martial arts sects to revise the martial arts realm system. Was the former Innate realm of martial arts equivalent to today's Grade Earth martial artist?"

"What do you know? Innate is Innate, Grade Earth is Grade Earth..."

"We don't understand any of this. Let's stop arguing. I just wonder—if we cultivate martial arts, why fuse genes? Isn't that neither one thing nor the other?"

"You don't know a thing—only by fusing top-tier martial arts genes can you reach the pinnacle of martial arts."

The arguing voices continued, but Nong Yizhen, standing on the platform, spoke loudly, "Everyone, please be quiet."

Just those words, without any amplification device, spread throughout nearly the entire square.

Some martial arts experts sighed in admiration—Nong Yizhen's internal qi had reached the point of returning to simplicity. Even from afar, even in the noisiest places, his voice sounded as if right beside your ear.

The square fell silent instantly at Nong Yizhen's words, and he spoke again,

"Friends from all over the world, today we gather here to strive for the future of humanity."

"I am Nong Yizhen of Zhenyu Academy, representing the Ten Great Academies of Blue Star to welcome you all."

"I also make this promise here: whether in the past, present, or future, the sole purpose of the Ten Great Academies of Blue Star is to protect Earth, to protect humanity..."

Warm applause erupted again.

After the applause subsided, Nong Yizhen continued, "Today, the admission examination of the Ten Great Academies of Blue Star officially begins."

"On behalf of the Ten Great Academies of Blue Star, I promise this examination will select the world's most elite talented students for admission under the principles of fairness and justice. The examination now begins."

Not a single unnecessary word.

After Earth's environment suddenly changed and survival became harsh, all official speeches at gatherings and events grew scarce or vanished entirely.

Just like this admission examination of the Ten Great Academies of Blue Star—no leader gave a speech; after Nong Yizhen made two promises, the examination began immediately.

As soon as the examination started, sound between testing zones was blocked; each zone's broadcast only transmitted within its own area.

For example, the broadcast from Testing Zone One would not reach Testing Zone Two.

All examinees focused their attention, listening tensely to the broadcasts, afraid of missing anything—because when it was their turn to take the test, it was announced only by the broadcast.

A voice came from Testing Zone Thirty-Eight's broadcast,

"Candidates with admission numbers A1721301 through A1721320, please proceed to Testing Zone Thirty-Eight to take the first round of the examination."

The first round—gene fusion rate test—is simple; twenty candidates may enter simultaneously.

As for calling numbers one by one? Or even calling three times? That simply doesn't happen.

If you didn't notice, didn't hear, or didn't realize your number fell within the announced range, then you're not a genius. If you're not a genius, why are you even here taking the examination?

The square was utterly silent; even the murmurs of spectators outside could not penetrate into the testing zones.

Each candidate's number is unique: for example, A1721301—A stands for Asia, 1 for China, 7 for Zhongyuan Province, 2 for Luohe City, 13 for the school or institution, and 01 is the candidate's personal number.

(That's all for today's update, friends—good night!)