Chapter 68: National Border Trial, the top grand event for global geniuses!

【Needle Cluster Volley (SS-grade active skill): Cloud Top Chess Player exclusive skill; transforms energy into sewing needles and throws them in a straight line, causing three stages of magic damage and a slowing effect; damage depends on the Chess Player’s highest attribute; first stage 250%, second stage 500%, third stage 2000%; interval between each stage is 2 seconds; after release, all own attributes decrease by 30% for 30 minutes; cooldown 12 hours.】

"Another ultimate skill!"

And it was the type of burst damage he was currently lacking most!

As an ultimate move, Needle Cluster Volley had two flaws:

The release time was long—to deal the complete damage, it took a total of four seconds—and it caused the user to fall into a weakened state after release, with all attributes decreasing.

But these two flaws were not worth mentioning in the face of the heaven-defying skill coefficients!

27 times the damage, perfectly paired with 【Heart of Devotion】, allowed Li Yao to deal world-destroying damage in a short period.

If the final hit were also a weakness attack plus a critical strike...

Li Yao’s mouth twitched, and he gasped.

"For professionals, only invincible skills could withstand this blow, right?"

Li Yao’s vision was no longer on his peers.

Those who could fight him were at least Third-Turn professionals.

"When fighting these people, I must be mindful of the aftereffects of the release."

It was hard to guarantee that those professionals from major families didn't have invincible skills.

He had to find a way to force them out first before considering using it.

Li Yao glanced at his EXP bar.

The Dark-Wing and the Man-Slaughtering Iron Cavalry had contributed 95% of his level 20 EXP; now that he had leveled up to 21, it converted to less than 40% EXP.

"Outrageous."

Li Yao sighed.

The Tower of Heaven dungeon could be considered completely finished by now.

In the outside world, whether he could reach level 22 before the Martial Exam was a question!

No wonder those professionals from the Martial Academies, after four years of tempering, were only around Third-Turn when they graduated.

The difficulty of leveling up was imaginable!

Li Yao thought as he walked toward the vortex leading to the outside world.

At the same time,

in the outside world,

the major families joined forces to disperse the crowd.

Within a thousand-meter radius of the Tower of Heaven, there was only one person.

Xue Xue Jiulan, dressed in martial robes, looked up and stared at the tenth floor of the Tower of Heaven.

Her brows were slightly furrowed, her hands crossed over her chest, and the index finger of her left hand tapped continuously on her right arm.

Muttering in a voice only she could hear:

"Why so slow?"

"The last one, I remember it was that kid Lin Lin Zhouting, right?"

Lin Lin Zhouting, an SS-grade professional from the Jingcheng Lin family, a senior student, and president of the Some Jingyu Martial Academy student council.

"What was his clearance time again?"

"24 minutes?"

"It’s been half an hour now, and he still hasn't come out?"

"Could it be that the person the principal thinks highly of can't even pass the tenth floor?"

The thought had just arisen in her mind when Xue Xue Jiulan shook her head and denied it.

If he couldn't clear it, he would have been slain by the Man-Slaughtering Iron Cavalry long ago; how could he have held out until now!

However,

clearance time represented hunting speed; in most cases, hunting speed represented a professional’s strength. ===== CHAPTER 152 =====

"In other words, Li Yao is even weaker than that kid Lin Lin Zhouting?"

Xue Xue Jiulan’s expression was solemn.

If this was the level, he was still far from becoming a main force in the National Border Trial.

Xue Xue Jiulan’s thoughts drifted away.

The National Border Trial, a global grand event initiated by the Heavenly Dao of this world.

Held once every four years.

Countries on Blue Star send ten professionals under the age of 20 to participate together.

Dividing border territories, allocating border resources, and awarding endless rewards.

For such an important grand event, every country sends its top-tier lineup, to the point that even SS-grade professionals have become a mere threshold.

The principal’s intention

was for her to pull Li Yao into the Some Jingyu Martial Academy and, three months later, make him a main member of the National Border Trial.

Clearing the tenth floor of the Tower of Heaven counted as a top-tier genius of the Dragon Kingdom.

In previous years, such strength would definitely have been enough.

But...

Among all professionals under 20 in the entire Dragon Kingdom, whether they advanced early or participated in the advancement ceremony, not a single one had reached the tenth floor!

Becoming a main force meant having to lead these people to participate in a grand event full of top-tier geniuses.

The pressure was immense.

Xue Xue Jiulan felt a headache.

Li Yao had only advanced a few days ago; for the principal to let such a little guy become a main force, had the old man gone crazy!

You have to know,

in the last National Border Trial, the Dragon Kingdom participated with two tenth-floor geniuses and only barely managed to get third place.

And this Tower of Heaven,

it was eight years ago, when she led a team and fought desperately with two other professionals of the same level to snatch it back.

Third place didn't have this kind of reward.

Xue Xue Jiulan’s face grew heavier.

She could already imagine Li Yao’s sense of powerlessness when facing those geniuses.

It wasn't that Li Yao was weak; it could only be said that his luck was bad.

Sigh, why didn't the old principal discover Li Yao sooner?

If he had advanced early, perhaps there would have been a chance!

Just then,

the light point on the tenth floor of the Tower of Heaven went out.

A figure appeared at the formation.

"He’s out."

Although Xue Xue Jiulan had expected Li Yao to clear it, she felt a sense of relief at this moment.

"The first tenth floor this year, at least it wasn't a total bust!"

Xue Xue Jiulan realized she had thought too far ahead.

Successfully subjugating the tenth floor, whether in the Dragon Kingdom or the whole world, was a top-tier genius!

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Placing the pressure of the National Border Trial on the other party was inherently unfair.

Xue Xue Jiulan stepped out lightly with her right foot, and in an instant, she appeared before Li Yao.

Li Yao, who had just come out, was stunned.

It wasn't because of the newcomer’s speed, but because of the other party’s gaze.

It had landed squarely on the invisible Void Mantis!

"Is this the summoned beast that broke ten thousand damage before even reaching the Second Turn?"

Xue Xue Jiulan looked at the Void Mantis with curiosity.

"Not bad."

"I’m talking about the stealth method."

Xue Xue Jiulan saw at a glance that this summoned beast just had exaggerated strength; other attributes might be stronger than ordinary summoned beasts, but that was about it.

Li Yao looked at the other party without explaining.

There was no one else around, and the other party had every opportunity to kill the Void Mantis.

Therefore, she should be an ally.

Seeing Li Yao’s cautious appearance, Xue Xue Jiulan nodded with satisfaction.

She immediately took out a five-star medal.

"Five stars!"

Li Yao’s body froze.

"General of the Nation?"

"Since you recognize it, that makes things easier." Xue Xue Jiulan took the medal back and said with a smile, "No need to salute; I came over just to tell you two things."

Without waiting for Li Yao to reply, Xue Xue Jiulan spoke on her own:

"First, it’s about the Yan family; I’m taking over your feud with the Yan family now."

Xue Xue Jiulan’s tone was casual, as if she didn't take the Yan family seriously at all.

Li Yao was a bit surprised, but it was clearly not the time to interrupt.

Xue Xue Jiulan continued: "So you don't need to worry about what the Yan family will do to the Silver Wolf Guild, and you don't need to worry about the Yan family sending professionals above the Fourth Turn to trouble you; just focus on leveling up."

"However, you killed that professional named Yan something-or-other in public this time; that was still a bit too much."

Li Yao’s heart skipped a beat.

The other party struck first; the punishment shouldn't be too heavy, right?

Xue Xue Jiulan reached out and tapped her chin, as if thinking about what punishment should be given.

"Let’s just make it a verbal warning!"

"You kid, be careful in the future!" ===== CHAPTER 153 =====