Chapter 16: Zhao Ling

The proctor who had just spoken stared at Jiang Jian’s name and exclaimed in shock: “In all of Anhezhou, not one perfect score emerges in ten years!”

“This Guangling City has never seen a perfect score before!”

Another proctor spoke with decisive authority: “If this person’s Divine Gift talent isn’t exceptionally poor, I will seriously consider admitting him to Luoying Academy by special exception!”

Feiguang Platform, one of the 24 slots.

Zhao Jianxue lifted her head, gazing at the name towering over tens of thousands, her expression puzzled.

“Jiang Jian… 50 points…”

“Why does this name feel familiar…?”

At the edge of the Feiguang Platform.

Zhou Yu, eyes red, shook his teacher’s shoulder fiercely: “Jiang Jian! My student! Perfect score! 50 points!”

The teacher, though half-laughing and half-stunned, was equally excited: “Guangling No.1 High School has won the top prize of Guangling City!”

The other teachers all wore expressions of excitement: “Jiang Jian actually took first place!”

“Guangling No.1 High School’s teaching resources will surge immediately!”

“Even rivaling those schools in the Divine Illumination Zone!”

Inside the examination hall’s screen.

Jiang Jian lifted his head.

Gazing at his glowing name, his eyes brightened slightly.

Yet his mind remained tense.

The written exam was only the first stage.

Next,

came the far more critical Divine Gift Ceremony!

BOOM!

With a thunderous crash,

the final ranking of the written exam was locked in!

Jiang Jian’s name sat atop the list, overshadowing tens of thousands of peers!

“Ten minutes until the Divine Gift Ceremony.”

On the screen before him, light wove together.

The countdown began.

Around the Feiguang Platform, the clamor and speculation showed no sign of stopping.

On the contrary, it intensified!

Countless people began whispering, inquiring about Jiang Jian’s origins.

In just a few minutes,

Jiang Jian’s background and academic record were completely exposed!

“A student from Guangling No.1 High School!”

“What?!”

“He’s from the Shadow Zone?!”

“A student from the Shadow Zone?!”

“A perfect score?!”

“Is this real?!”

After learning Jiang Jian’s background,

countless faces turned even more horrified.

“This Jiang Jian is actually a product of the Public Care Center!”

Within seconds, an even more explosive rumor spread like wildfire!

It raced across the entire Feiguang Platform at terrifying speed!

The live broadcast channels for the Divine Gift Exam, and all its relay feeds, were already overflowing!

Even people from neighboring provinces had heard the news and begun tuning into Guangling City’s exam livestream!

“Five minutes until the Divine Gift Ceremony.”

“Three minutes until the Divine Gift Ceremony.”

“One minute until the Divine Gift Ceremony.”

“Zero seconds until the Divine Gift Ceremony.”

Jiang Jian knew nothing of the commotion outside.

He sat quietly in his seat,

waiting for the Divine Gift Ceremony to begin.

“The Divine Gift Examination is officially starting!”

A mechanical female voice rang out, echoing across the Feiguang Platform!

“Candidate No. 32563, Wang Liu, ascend the Ceremony Platform!”

“Candidate No. 32562, Lin Feng, ascend the Ceremony Platform!”

“Candidate No. 32561, Li Minghui, ascend the Ceremony Platform!”

…

The final 24 candidates stepped onto the Ceremony Platform in order.

The massive mirror atop the platform suddenly trembled!

Blinding stellar light poured down, blinding all who looked!

The next instant,

the Feiguang Platform’s array activated, absorbing and converting the stellar light, channeling it entirely into the Ceremony Platform!

BOOM!

Twenty-four brilliant beams of light descended!

A few seconds later,

the light faded.

The twenty-four students slowly opened their eyes, each with different expressions.

Some beamed with joy, shouting: “I received a Level 1 ‘Soldier’ talent!”

Most, however, hung their heads, faces grim.

The chief examiners above watched solemnly, already busy at work.

The chief examiners were numerous, each assigned to score students in their respective slots.

“Wang Liu, Level 1 ‘Body’ talent, fingers thickened.”

“Divine Gift score: 3 points.”

“Written exam score: 1 point.”

“Total score: 4 points, ranked immediately!”

The verdict echoed down.

On the massive overall ranking board, a small line appeared instantly!

“Ranking pending, Wang Liu, 4 points.”

Wang Liu jumped off the platform, face ashen.

“Lin Feng, Level 1 ‘Soldier’ talent, Shattered Rock Spear Technique.”

“Divine Gift score: 19 points!”

“Written exam score: 1 point.”

“Total score: 20 points, ranked immediately!”

Though his total was extremely low, Lin Feng’s face lit up with joy; he bowed respectfully to the chief examiners: “Thank you, teachers!”

The overall ranking board displayed another line:

“Ranking pending, Lin Feng, 20 points.”

A Level 1 ‘Soldier’ talent, and an extremely practical spear technique.

Enough to secure a decent job in the Divine Illumination Zone.

As time passed,

more verdicts rang out one after another.

Jiang Jian sat in his chair, eyes closed, pretending to nap as the voices echoed around him.

The Divine Gift Examination would last a full day.

Even with twenty examiners scoring nonstop,

each candidate required dozens of seconds.

Though the platform had twenty-four slots,

only about fifty students could be scored per minute.

There were over thirty thousand candidates.

To reach him,

it would take at least ten hours.

More and more people are receiving divine gifts.

Of these, ninety-nine percent are utterly useless “Body” gifts.

The rest are mostly “Heart” gifts.

Aside from these.

Occasionally, “Weapon” and “Will” gifts appear.

As for “Art” and “Martial” gifts, they are exceedingly rare.

Several hours pass.

Nearly twenty thousand students have received divine gifts.

Only dozens of “Martial” gifts have appeared.

The number of “Art” gifts is even fewer.

Among twenty thousand, no more than ten.

And all are Level 1 “Art” gifts.

Not a single Level 2.

Several more hours pass.

“We’re almost at a thousand.”

Jiang Jian lifted his head and looked at the master leaderboard.

Its names were now densely packed, numbering over thirty thousand.

On the ritual platform nearby.

A girl stepped forward, trembling as she extended her hand.

Jiang Jian’s gaze settled on her.

He recognized her—Liu Yu from his class.

Liu Yu closed her eyes, murmuring something under her breath.

BOOM!

Light bathed her!

A few seconds later.

Liu Yu snapped open her eyes, staring at her palm, expression shattered.

Meanwhile.

From the main examination platform above, a cold voice rang down.

“Liu Yu, Level 1 ‘Heart’ talent, quick-thinking.”

“Divine Gift score: 9.”

“Theory score: 37.”

“Total score: 46. Listed immediately!”

Hearing the voice beside her.

Liu Yu was hollow-eyed, dazed.

She stumbled down from the ritual platform.

Soon after.

Ji Ming, ranked 765th in theory, stepped onto the ritual platform from his assigned booth.

His theory score was not low.

It was 42.

“Divine One, grant me a better gift...”

Ji Ming muttered as he stood firm, raising his palm.

BOOM!

Radiant light descended upon him!

The next instant.

Ji Ming’s eyes flew open, face alight with joy, shouting: “Level 2 ‘Body’! Divine One, I actually got a Level 2 ‘Body’!”

Above, on the main examination platform.

The examiner’s voice echoed again.

“Ji Ming, Level 2 ‘Body’ talent, strength like an ox!”

“Divine Gift score: 34!”

“Theory score: 42!”

“Total score: 76!!!”

The scoring range for Level 1 gifts is 1 to 29 points.

The scoring range for Level 2 gifts is 30 to 49 points.

“Strength like an ox,” a Level 2 gift, is no useless talent.

It greatly enhances full-body strength.

Only because it is a low-scoring “Body” type did it earn just 34 Divine Gift points!

Hearing his total score.

Ji Ming, overcome with excitement, swayed and nearly fell!

But with one hand, he braced himself.

And rose instantly in a fish-leap motion!

At this moment.

Ji Ming felt power surging through every inch of his body!

“Level 2 talent! Strength like an ox!”

“One in ten thousand!”

“So I, Ji Ming, am the chosen one!”

Ji Ming’s face flushed with excitement; he slammed his fist down, leapt off the ritual platform, and looked up at the master leaderboard!

Though his rank was not yet set.

The leaderboard already held over thirty thousand names.

Among them, fewer than a hundred had Level 2 gifts.

“Who says ‘Body’ gifts are useless!”

“No junk among Level 2 gifts!”

Ji Ming, elated, strode quickly toward the edge of the Flying Light Platform.

Candidates who had undergone the divine gift ceremony were no longer blocked by the light barrier.

They could leave the exam hall freely.

(End of Chapter)