Chapter 46: Start the Banquet!

Inside the monitoring room.

The blazing fire pillars emitted a skyward glow, casting the monitor screens a deep red.

Everyone froze.

Transformed only three days ago, and already mastering an intermediate skill inside the Trial Tower—unheard of…

And he unleashed over twenty fire pillars at once.

This meant his skill proficiency had reached Lin Mo’s own level cap.

How on earth did he do it?

“Old Zhao.”

Lin Tianhao turned his head, his gaze playful as he looked toward Zhao Lei on the other side, “What’s it gonna be? Steamed or fried?”

Zhao Lei’s face was beyond ugly.

He stared fixedly at the screen, unable to believe it.

But the truth was right before his eyes.

“Cough, cough…”

Xu Wenchang’s eyes swept between the two, his tone laden with implication:

“Old Zhao, we’re both respected figures—once words are spoken…”

Here, Xu Wenchang paused, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

“There’s no joking in the military…”

Lin Tianhao immediately jumped in:

“Haha, Old Xu, you’re overthinking it. Who is Old Zhao? That’s Commander Zhao! A senior official of Jianghai City! He’d never back out of a bet.”

Then Lin Tianhao glanced at Zhao Lei and added:

“Though I doubt the screen’s texture is any good.”

“Old Zhao, if you’re really struggling… just say, ‘My son isn’t worth even one of Lin Mo’s fingers,’ and we’ll call it even. How’s that?”

This seemed like an out, but forcing Zhao Lei to say it aloud would be more painful than death.

Zhao Lei snapped his head up, teeth clenched:

“Hmph. I, Zhao Lei, stand upright and act with integrity—I accept my loss!”

“Someone! Take down this screen!”

His aide froze.

“Huh? Commander… you’re really going to eat it?”

“Of course! No joking in the military! Take it down!”

Zhao Lei roared.

The aide flinched, then swiftly dismantled the screen in seconds.

Staring at the black, lifeless display, Zhao Lei took a deep breath.

BOOM—!

A crimson flame erupted from his palm, instantly reducing the monitor to a pile of gray-black ash.

As a high-rank fire attribute warrior, his physical constitution was nearly a different species from ordinary humans.

Eating a monitor would only cause temporary nausea—minimal physical damage.

But the humiliation burned fiercer than any poison.

Lin Tianhao watched Zhao Lei prepare to eat, and gave a thumbs-up.

A real hardass.

Xu Wenchang laughed heartily: “Hahaha! Only Commander Zhao has this kind of guts—I’m impressed!”

Then he turned his gaze back to the main screen.

Lin Mo had already cleared level twenty-one and was waiting for the next teleportation.

“But come to think of it…”

Xu Wenchang’s tone turned serious:

“Old Lin, your boy isn’t just about mastering an intermediate skill.”

“He unleashed over twenty fire pillars at once, each dealing noticeably higher damage than any other same-rank practitioner.”

Hearing this, Lin Tianhao also looked puzzled.

He didn’t understand it either!

Normally, skill proficiency improves gradually through repeated use, growing stronger over time.

Who ever achieves such high proficiency the moment they first learn a skill?

This was insane.

Lin Tianhao fell silent for a moment, then sighed:

“Perhaps… this is just innate talent?”

“You don’t know—my boy’s been different since childhood.”

“He’d often slump on the sofa, staring at the fireplace flames for hours on end.”

“I thought he was just slacking off. Now I realize… this kid had been silently comprehending the essence of fire elements all along—accumulating strength in silence, then exploding after transformation.”

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Zhao Lei had just swallowed a mouthful of screen ash and nearly choked:

“Staring at a fireplace gives you twenty fire pillars? Then tell him to stare at a lightbulb—maybe he’ll unlock a light-based forbidden spell!”

“Old Zhao, that’s just jealousy.”

Lin Tianhao smiled smugly, “Is it really that hard to admit someone else’s excellence? The world is vast—strange things exist. Some people are born to shatter common sense.”

Xu Wenchang nodded, his eyes filled with admiration:

“No matter the method, the result doesn’t lie.”

“Such terrifying learning speed and control—if he joins our Dragon Order Class… his future is limitless.”

…

Meanwhile, outside the exam hall, the vast square was packed with noise.

Countless eliminated candidates stared up at the massive leaderboard hanging midair.

At this moment, within the Trial Tower, only Lin Mo and Zhao Yu remained—every other tens of thousands of candidates had been eliminated.

By regulation, they had to wait here for the final score rankings and confirmation of the top two hundred who advanced to the second stage.

【#1: Lin Mo, Current Level: 23】

【#2: Zhao Yu, Current Level: 13】

【#3: …】

“No way—he’s on level twenty-three? Is Lin Shao actually going to clear the entire Trial Tower?”

“Damn it, I got kicked out at level three—he’s already at twenty-three… is this what the gap between gods and mortals looks like?”

“Wasn’t Lin Mo supposed to be a blank-slate mage? Who the hell has a blank-slate mage this strong? Cheating?”

“Probably not cheating—would you dare cheat for your own blank-slate kid? Do you think the Review Committee just sits around eating?”

“No comparison, no pain. Didn’t Zhao Yu’s cronies just brag about him being Jianghai City’s ceiling?”

“Ceiling? He’s been left behind by ten full levels—not even the taillights anymore, he can’t even see the tire tracks.”

“Laughable. S-class prodigy? Compared to Lin Shao, he’s a joke.”

“What do you think Zhao Yu’s face will look like when he comes out and sees the leaderboard?”

“Probably like he just ate shit, hahaha…”

At one side of the square,

Ye Hongyu stood leaning against her luxury car, arms crossed, face brimming with pride.

Shi Tou crouched on the ground, holding a telescope he’d somehow acquired, grinning at the big screen:

“Tsk tsk tsk—no wonder he’s our Young Master. He’s left everyone far behind; Zhao’s brat can’t even see his taillights.”

Ye Hongyu smiled lightly, her tone calm and confident:

“Of course. Those people only see his laziness, but they don’t realize it’s the poise of a true master.”

Shi Tou lowered the telescope and glanced around.

Everywhere, reporters with cameras and microphones crowded the area.

“Ye Dui, tomorrow’s entire Longguo headlines will be about our Young Master.”

“Our Young Master’s finally going to be famous!”

Ye Hongyu smoothed her wind-tousled bangs, her gaze fixed on the towering Trial Tower.

“Fame is inevitable.”

“Once our Young Master chooses to reveal his edge, the world must tremble.”

“Our Young Master’s stage has never been just this tiny Jianghai City.”