Translator: CinderTL
Unified Examination Bureau Headquarters.
Inside the command center, Director Li, Tang Huochang, and the senior staff watched the scene unfold on the monitor with astonishment.
"Jiang Ye actually won?"
"He defeated Ye Xiuluo? The one we had internally designated as the strongest on Arena 1?"
"Jiang Ye's combat power is far greater than we imagined!"
The senior staff were utterly stunned.
Before this, no one had expected Jiang Ye to last so long against Ye Xiuluo. Most had predicted he would be instantly killed, while a few speculated he might survive a few moves before falling.
But now?
Jiang Ye had not only grown stronger with each clash, but had ultimately turned the tables and slain Ye Xiuluo!
It was a breathtaking reversal!
Director Li, however, immediately recognized the key factor:
"Why does this kid's combat power skyrocket the more injured he becomes?"
"Could it be that his Martial Bone Awakening manifests in this way?" Director Li pondered.
Regardless, Jiang Ye's performance had far exceeded all expectations.
This was the first time a candidate had truly surprised him!
While Jiang Ye had shown promise before, his previous achievements hadn't reached this level of astonishment.
"Tang Huochang," Director Li said, turning to Tang Huochang beside him. "Increase Jiang Ye's benefits package again."
"Yes, Director Li," Tang Huochang replied, her eyes lighting up as she nodded in agreement.
The better Jiang Ye's benefits, the faster he would improve.
And the faster he improved, the more it validated her judgment.
She was, of course, more than happy to help with such a matter.
Arena 1.
Jiang Ye watched Ye Xiuluo slowly dissipate, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.
"This match didn't trigger 'Tilting at Windmills,' but with the 'Find Joy in Suffering' buff alone, as long as I avoided being instantly killed, I had an endless stream of counterattack power."
He had gained deeper insights into combat.
Turning around, he saw Song Wanbai lying on the ground, already incapable of fighting. Her eyes were filled with shock.
Song Wanbai was stunned not only by Jiang Ye's final victory over Ye Xiuluo, but also by his explosive resurgence after repeatedly suffering severe injuries.
She had once believed that this young man would only shine brightly much later in life. Now, she realized she was wrong.
From this day forward, from this very moment, this young man had already begun his ascent!
As Song Wanbai met Jiang Ye's gaze, a hint of relief appeared on her face. She murmured, "Congratulations on securing your spot."
With those words, she closed her eyes, awaiting death.
Jiang Ye showed no mercy. He strode forward.
Boom! Song Wanbai's figure vanished into nothingness.
And so, on the vast arena, only Jiang Ye remained.
"Arena 1 victor: Jiang Ye!"
A cold, mechanical voice echoed across the Cosmic Dome.
Unified Examination Bureau Building, third floor.
In the main hall, Ye Xiuluo abruptly sat up in his virtual cockpit.
"The strongest contender from Arena 1 has awakened!"
His awakening immediately drew the attention of everyone else.
"Wait, wasn't he the last one to emerge?"
"Holy shit! Someone actually defeated Ye Xiuluo?"
"Impossible! Ye Xiuluo single-handedly crushed over a dozen top-tier fighters. Who could possibly beat him?"
Many eyes turned to the large screen displaying the ninety names.
By now, most of the names had dimmed, indicating their owners had withdrawn from the Virtual Cosmos.
Only two names remained illuminated.
"Jiang Ye, Song Wanbai?"
"I know Song Wanbai. She's in the top ten at Qingyang High School, but her skills are nowhere near Su Tong'er's or Wan Yaoyang's."
"Jiang Ye? Never heard of him."
"Who are these two? Who defeated Ye Xiuluo?"
Amidst the murmuring crowd, only Lin Yushu's eyes widened in shock.
"No way!" Lin Yushu exclaimed, his face filled with disbelief. "Brother Jiang actually made it to the end?"
Beep!
Just then, another name on the screen dimmed.
Whirr~ A virtual cockpit hissed open.
Song Wanbai had awakened.
Moments later,
Whirr~ The virtual cockpit containing Jiang Ye slowly opened, revealing an exceptionally handsome young man stepping out.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Instantly, every gaze in the room snapped toward the strikingly handsome youth.
"Jiang Ye?"
"Never heard of him, never seen him before either."
"Could he have just gotten lucky?"
The assembled examinees buzzed with speculation.
He's not famous, and he's not from Qingyang High School.
How could he possibly defeat Ye Xiuluo?
"Jiang Ye!"
At that moment, Ye Xiuluo suddenly stood up and strode toward Jiang Ye.
Instantly, everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the two figures.
Song Wanbai tensed up. Is he going to cause trouble for Jiang Ye?
Ye Xiuluo stopped before Jiang Ye and extended his massive hand. "Let's properly introduce ourselves. I'm Ye Xiuluo."
"Jiang Ye," Jiang Ye replied, extending his own hand.
Ye Xiuluo gazed at him, admiration gleaming in his tiger-like eyes. "Good, Jiang Ye. I'll remember that name!"
"You're strong!"
"If we were both at the Perfection stage of our cultivation methods, I wouldn't stand a chance against you."
"But if you ever catch up to me, I hope we'll have another chance to fight!" Ye Xiuluo declared in a deep voice.
Jiang Ye was slightly surprised.
At first, he had suspected Ye Xiuluo might be here to cause trouble.
Now it was clear that Ye Xiuluo wasn't narrow-minded.
"Agreed," Jiang Ye said with a faint smile, shaking his hand. "We'll fight again someday!"
Ye Xiuluo smiled back, his face completely relaxed.
He had indeed felt resentful at first, losing to an unknown opponent.
But after that battle, he knew this handsome young man before him was destined for greatness.
He also believed that one day, this youth would catch up to him, and they would clash again on some grand stage!
Ye Xiuluo turned and strode away with effortless grace.
A hush fell over the entire hall.
Whoosh!
The next moment, a wave of uproar erupted.
Everyone now knew: Jiang Ye hadn't just gotten lucky. He had legitimately defeated Ye Xiuluo, even earning the latter's sincere respect!
"Is that really him? He beat Ye Xiuluo?"
"Ye Xiuluo could crush me with a single slap! How could such a formidable fighter lose to some nobody?"
"Who exactly is this Jiang Ye?" The entire hall was buzzing with speculation.
Many were utterly stunned.
How could such a skilled fighter remain unknown? He must have some hidden background!
Only Lin Yushu stared at Jiang Ye in bewildered disbelief. "Brother Jiang... him?!"
Is this really the Jiang Ye I know? he wondered. Has he been possessed or something?!
Just then, a blonde youth rushed toward Jiang Ye, shouting, "Brother Jiang, remember me? We fought a whole match together!"
The moment those words left his lips, all eyes turned to him.
"He fought a whole match with Jiang Ye?"
"Could this guy be another hidden expert?"
"This is terrifying! Are there really this many dark horses in this year's exam?" The candidates were shaken.
But before the blonde youth could reach Jiang Ye,
Whoosh!
A black figure materialized above them all.
Tang Huochang, clad in a sleek black qipao that accentuated her fiery figure, surveyed the crowd from above.
"The Reserve Star Professional Assessment concludes here!" she announced in a clear, commanding voice. "A total of four candidates have been selected."
"Su Tong'er, Wan Yaoyang, Jiang Ye, and Ye Xiuluo."
"The aforementioned four individuals are to proceed immediately to the 21st floor to complete their employment formalities!"
"All other candidates are to depart the premises promptly."
The assessment had barely ended before the candidates were being ushered out.
The examinees weren't surprised; after all, this was the Unified Examination Bureau, where regulations were strictly enforced.
Amidst the departing crowd, Jiang Ye murmured in confusion, "Didn't they say only the top three would be selected?"
Hearing his murmur from mid-air, Tang Huochang glanced down at him.
"Normally, only three candidates would be selected," she clarified. "However, Ye Xiuluo's exceptional performance warranted a special exception."
As she spoke, a peculiar expression flickered across her delicate features.
Originally, this special exception had been intended for Jiang Ye himself!
But who could have predicted that it would ultimately fall to Ye Xiuluo instead?
"Such is the capriciousness of fate," Tang Huochang sighed, turning to leave with a graceful, alluring stride.
Jiang Ye watched her depart, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
The Reserve Star Practitioner position was finally within his grasp.
But the benefits associated with this position—the treatment he would receive, the bonus points for the College Entrance Examination—remained uncertain.
(End of the Chapter)
Translator's Corner
💪 We are working hard! Over the past month Since 17 Feb, Cinder & Anubis have uploaded over 1 MILLION Words. That's about ~900 CHAPTERS worth of content. That's an average of 30 CHAPTERS DAILY. All we want is for you to support us by leaving encouraging comments and leaving powerstones on your favorite stories.
🌐 You can also support us by reading these stories on the site.
🎉 BIGGEST Site Discount 𝔼ℕ𝔻𝕀ℕ𝔾 𝕊𝕆𝕆ℕ. [1 Week Left] - Ends on 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.
🔓 𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦 — 14 Series (7 Ongoing) | 14+ New Chapters Daily | 7,200+ FREE