Chapter 27: Unparalleled Welcome! The Three Top High Schools!

First place, Xu Jingming, score (Jiangcheng No. 2 High School)

Second place, Zhou Mingyang, 1233 points (Jiangcheng No. 1 High School)

Third place, Wu Hao, 1045 points (Jiangcheng No. 1 High School)

When the clock struck nine o'clock, the Wu Ke Gaokao rankings and scores were finalized.

Xu Jingming secured first place with a score nearly ten times higher than the second-place candidate.

The original favorite to win, Zhou Mingyang, ended up with only second place.

As the Wu Ke Gaokao ended, candidates gradually emerged from the ruined town.

Besides discussing their experiences inside the exam zone, their conversations all revolved around Xu Jingming.

"Over ten thousand points! That's insane!"

"I'm in the same class as Xu Jingming—would you believe me if I told you he only has an E-rank ability?"

"E-rank ability? Are you kidding? Could an E-rank ability crush Zhou Mingyang's B-rank ability by a factor of ten?"

"......"

Notably, when students from Xu Jingming's class told others that he had only an E-rank ability,

every single response was disbelief.

Time passed slowly; most students had already returned to the open ground.

Only a few who had ventured deeper into the ruined town remained inside.

Of course, Xu Jingming was among them.

Yet the students who had exited the exam zone did not immediately board the buses to leave—they stayed where they were.

They wanted to see who this man, who had scored over ten thousand points, truly was.

During the wait, they inevitably speculated about Xu Jingming's final ranking.

"Last year, the highest score in Jiangnan Province was only eight thousand—over ten thousand? He's definitely the provincial top scorer!"

"Who knows? Maybe another freak like Xu Jingming will emerge from another city?"

"True, but no matter what, he's guaranteed a top-three spot in Jiangnan Province!"

"Top three in Jiangnan Province? That's bringing honor to the entire Jiangcheng!"

"Yes! Jiangcheng finally has a true prodigy!"

"......"

Jiangcheng, ranked among the lowest in economic development out of Jiangnan Province's dozens of prefecture-level cities,

had long been invisible in the national Wu Ke Gaokao.

Each year, the provincial ranking list would only show a Jiangcheng candidate after the top hundred.

But this year was completely different!

Xu Jingming, with his over ten-thousand-point score, had the potential to challenge for provincial top scorer.

Even if he failed, he was still guaranteed a top-three finish in the province!

At that point, Jiangcheng would become famous because of Xu Jingming!

Precisely because of this, the excited Education Bureau Director Zhang Wenshan, along with all the school principals and teachers,

had already left the spectator stands and stood at the exam exit, waiting for Xu Jingming's arrival.

On the open ground, the students were excited and proud.

Some students from Class Five of No. 2 High School even boasted about how close they had once been to Xu Jingming.

Especially Liu Jie, who had always been on good terms with Xu Jingming—his pride was practically soaring to the heavens.

"Qiqi, is Xu Jingming really your cousin?"

Among the students from No. 1 High School, Xiao Ya—who had lost interest in Xu Jingming during their encounter at Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym—

now looked at Tang Qi with bright eyes and asked.

"My goddess, you've asked that three times already."

Tang Qi, Xu Jingming's cousin, rolled her eyes. "I can't say for sure, but it's highly likely."

"Alright, I believe you!"

Xiao Ya nodded, then hugged Tang Qi's arm and swayed it playfully: "My dear friend, can you give me your cousin's contact info?"

"Why do you want his contact now? Yesterday you weren't even interested."

Seeing Xiao Ya's pleading look, Tang Qi couldn't help teasing her.

"Times have changed. Yesterday he was just an E-rank ability awakener; today he's Jiangcheng's number one!"

"Status is different—treatment must be different too."

Hearing Xiao Ya's matter-of-fact tone, Tang Qi was momentarily speechless.

She changed her attitude too fast!

Just as she was about to speak, a shout rang out:

"Xu Jingming is out of the exam zone!"

At this shout, the entire open ground fell utterly silent!

Everyone—including Tang Qi and Xiao Ya—turned instinctively toward the exit of the ruined town.

A tall figure stepped out from the darkened ruins.

It was none other than Xu Jingming!

He wore a bloodstained black battle suit, his expression calm and composed, a black spear over two meters long resting on his back.

The battered, nearly destroyed spear seemed to tell the tale of the brutal battles he had endured to reach this point...

"Xu Jingming, welcome back."

Zhang Wenshan, the Director of the Education Bureau, standing nearby, was the first to lead the applause, offering the most enthusiastic clapping.

Afterwards, principals and teachers from various schools joined in one after another.

Yet compared to the welcomes from the Director and the principals, the students' welcome was far more fervent.

"Xu Jingming, congratulations!"

"Our entire cohort shines because of you!"

"......"

As fellow examinees, if the score difference were only a few hundred points, they might still resent it, thinking their abilities weren't that far apart.

But a difference of over ten thousand points? That's total, overwhelming domination!

Moreover, after this, Xu Jingming no longer represents just himself—he represents all of Jiangcheng!

So the examinees spared no effort in offering their cheers and applause!

Even some bolder girls openly expressed their affection right there!

Faced with this scene, Xu Jingming, whose ears buzzed incessantly and whose ears couldn't make out a single word, was still dazed.

He had never imagined that after the Wu Ke Gaokao, he'd receive such a grand reception!

"Truly dazzling..."

Not far behind, Zhou Mingyang, who had just stepped out of the exam hall as well, looked at the scene with envy.

Yet he knew that even if he were the top scorer, he could never receive such overwhelming cheers.

After all, he couldn't possibly score over ten thousand points...

"All examinees, prepare to board the buses. The buses will take you to the city center. Once in the city center..."

The cheers lasted over a minute before gradually fading, and Wang Zhihui began organizing the withdrawal.

As for Xu Jingming, he was directly assigned by the principal to board the private car taking him home.

This left the students from Class 5, who had hoped to ride the same bus as him, deeply disappointed...

"Xu Jingming, have you decided which Spirit Ability school you'll attend?"

Outside the window, the scenery rushed backward. Xu Jingming sat in the back seat of the car, with Zhao Yao, principal of Jiangcheng No. 2 High School, driving.

Normally, the principal always had a dedicated driver.

Now, he not only drove himself, but wore a full smile, showing not a trace of annoyance.

"No." Xu Jingming shook his head.

He spoke the truth.

Since his reincarnation, he had only thought of rapidly increasing his strength to earn more points—he had never once considered which Spirit Ability university to attend.

"With your score, you can enroll in any university in the entire nation!"

Principal Zhao Yao seemed even more excited than Xu Jingming, "Including the Three Top Spirit Ability Universities! By the way, do you know these three schools?"

Xu Jingming nodded.

In the Great Xia Nation, martial culture runs strong—not only is the Wu Ke Gaokao broadcast live to the public.

Even the thousands of Spirit Ability universities across the nation hold annual university leagues to determine each school's ranking.

Among these thousands of Spirit Ability universities, three have consistently held the top three spots in the league.

They are Pure Serenity Spirit Ability University, Ink Bamboo Spirit Ability University, and Jincheng Spirit Ability University.

All three schools were founded over two hundred years ago.

They possess abundant educational resources, and every instructor within is at least a sixth-rank Spirit Ability user!

These three universities tower above the nation's thousands of others and are known as the Three Top Universities.

They are the sacred campuses that countless Wu Ke Gaokao students yearn for.