The aftershock of the explosion at Yaochi still echoed across the horizon, with smoke dispersing in all directions.
The voice of Shen Yan resounded in everyone’s ears:
[“Congratulations to all examinees, the instance “Yaochi·Peach Banquet” is about to conclude.”]
[“Thank you all for participating; all your performances have been recorded.”]
[“All maps will be closing soon………………”]
[“Examination Space will be closing soon………………”]
[” 9.8……..7……”]
The mechanical countdown echoed around them, but no one paid attention to the prompt.
Instead, all eyes instinctively turned toward the distant sky.
Even from such a distance, everyone could still hear the terrifying blast.
Purple lightning danced within the clouds, divine fire igniting the waters of the Celestial River, painting the sky blood-red.
White smoke slowly billowed upward, blotting out the sun and moon like blooming flowers.
Countless fragments fell like raindrops, vast and unending.
Everyone stared in shock at the scene of destruction.
“Heavens… Yaochi is truly… completely obliterated.”
The examinee who had narrowly escaped muttered in disbelief, wiping sweat from his brow.
He had almost become one of those shattered remnants.
The examinee standing beside him swallowed nervously, his face pale as death.
“That Su Fu……………… is insanely fierce, huh?”
She just said ‘explode,’ and it exploded?
And not only that, she completely leveled the place?
Chen Jing stood beside Lin Mo, his eyes reflecting that horrific sight as he breathed a sigh of relief for having escaped quickly.
He muttered, “She really is a lunatic. This isn’t just an explosion — it’s utter annihilation………………”
Yet, somehow, he suddenly felt that this lunatic had actually been rather gentle with them before?
Isn’t everyone carrying some blame in life?
It’s a relief to just let it go all at once.
Lin Mo smiled bitterly, “We’re already incredibly lucky to have survived.”
The group exchanged looks of agreement, though none could deny the terrifying scale of destruction—this was way beyond the limit.
Is she even a proper examinee?
***
Meanwhile, at the Moon Palace, Guanghan Palace.
Jiang Qingyu was using the Moon Mirror to watch the destroyed Yaochi.
‘No need to say — the explosion was undoubtedly Su Fu’s doing.’
As expected, no matter the environment, she remained consistently formidable.
“Now you’re definitely getting into the Second Star Ring University,” Jiang Qingyu laughed, “By the way, you really do love blowing up exam halls, don’t you?”
As always, recklessly flamboyant — but to blow up the entire exam hall… that’s truly satisfying!
The examinee beside her looked surprised, “Do you actually know the person who blew up Yaochi?”
Jiang Qingyu nodded slightly, “Su Fu, an examinee of the Chinese Pantheon.”
“Chinese Pantheon?” The other drew a sharp breath.
***
Western Lingshan Map.
Lin Mingxi looked at the distant sky where thunder and divine fire intertwined and gasped, “My god, Yaochi blew up?”
‘Wait………..’
The style of thunder, divine fire, and the explosion…………
He suddenly realized and exclaimed excitedly, “That must be our boss’s doing! Boss, you’re too powerful! Blew up another exam hall!”
The surrounding examinees looked at him as if he were crazy.
“Don’t daydream in broad daylight. Do you know anyone who can even enter Yaochi? If you’re going to brag, at least make it believable!”
“That scale of destruction must be Lin Yaowei or Yuelun Yuan’s doing.”
“Who’s your boss? Can they even compete with those two?”
“Yeah, only Second Star Ring examinees have the ability to overturn an A-grade exam hall.”
“You’re Fourth Star Ring, how could you know someone so powerful? And call them your boss?”
Lin Mingxi was too lazy to argue; he just thought, ‘summer insects cannot converse with ice.’
He excitedly stared into the distance, truly the boss, invincible!
Alas, he never got to witness the boss’s grand display firsthand—what a pity.
Seeing his silence, others thought he was guilty and shook their heads.
‘What a joke. An examinee who didn’t even receive an invitation to the Peach Banquet claiming the one who blew up Yaochi was his boss?’
‘Either he’s crazy or just deluding himself.’
The one who blew up the exam hall is definitely a Second Star Ring examinee.
***
Beiju Luzhou Map.
Pi Chu Xi and Fang Bo Han stood atop a bluestone peak, gazing at the explosion cloud toward Yaochi.
They exchanged looks, each seeing the shock in the other’s eyes.
“This…………… is definitely Su Fu’s doing!” Pi Chu Xi couldn’t help but marvel, “She actually blew up the Third Star Ring college entrance exam site?”
“Seriously amazing,” Fang Bo Han sighed.
They were still struggling to clear anomalies in their own maps, while Su Fu had just taken down the main map.
Pi Chu Xi sighed deeply in regret, “You know, if we could sneak into Yaochi and cling to Su Fu’s leg, maybe we could bask in her glory too?”
He was envious beyond words, “That explosion must have wiped out so many anomalies, and only the elite anomalies get to enter the Peach Banquet. With this explosion, she’s instantly rich, and her score must be off the charts!”
Fang Bo Han was envious too but maintained some rationality, “What are you dreaming about? We probably can’t even get through the door. Besides, Shen Yan’s allocation is based on data; each examinee is given the most suitable initial identity and environment.”
“If we can just honestly improve our map’s score, we’ve already surpassed most people.”
Competing alongside those gifted prodigies?
Don’t even dream about it — they’d probably be cannon fodder the moment they arrived.
Pi Chu Xi laughed and patted him on the shoulder, “Look at you, acting all mature. Heh, deep down you’re just jealous, huh?”
“Ahem,” Fang Bo Han coughed awkwardly, “Looks like Su Fu will be first again this time.”
Pi Chu Xi nodded matter-of-factly, “Of course.”
***
Southern Longevity Island Map.
The cold wind howled, whipping Bai Yu and Xiao Chen’s robes around.
Xiao Chen looked up toward the distance and asked curiously, “Who do you think blew up Yaochi?”
Bai Yu’s expression was complicated, “Only she could have caused such a commotion.”
The operation was exactly the same as last time’s exam hall—just blow it up outright.
Xiao Chen’s face changed slightly as if he realized something, “You mean… Su Fu?”
Bai Yu nodded.
Xiao Chen suddenly shivered with fright and sighed in relief, “Looking back, your original decision was correct. If we had really gone to Yaochi, we probably would’ve lost a lot of points by now.”
People really shouldn’t overestimate themselves—Su Fu is someone you simply can’t go against.
Bai Yu sighed deeply, never taking her eyes off the distant sky.
She said softly, “I never expected the Second Star Ring noble heirs weren’t a match for her.”
So, does that mean she didn’t even give her full strength in the exam?
How strong is she, really?
How many trump cards does she hold?
No one knows.
The two fell silent again for a long time.
***
Outside the exam hall, many teachers watched the scene unfold.
The countdown was approaching zero second by second, but every examinee looked up toward Yaochi high in the sky.
Ripples still lingered, the trail of clouds and mist not yet fully dissipated.
Expressions varied—some thankful they hadn’t gone to that now scorched fairyland, others regretful to have missed such a breathtaking spectacle.
Yaochi, the core of the instance.
There were Second Star Ring prodigies, Third Star Ring elites, and brave Fourth Star Ring examinees who dared to enter for a gamble… the place was full of strong contenders.
Countless prodigies gathered, all vying for first place, yet none had witnessed the grand and turbulent story that unfolded, the spectacular scene, and—
Ultimately, who had emerged victorious?
With the countdown ended, all examinees vanished from the instance.
The Third Star Ring college entrance exam was over.
***
Song Yuqing sighed, “Honestly, this is the first time I’ve been so wrong about someone. Su Fu truly pulled off a comeback against all odds.”
Everyone had thought she was finished, yet no one expected her to reverse the Celestial River’s flow, sending the surging floodwaters back upstream, eventually overturning the entire exam hall’s situation.
Everything reset to zero.
“That scene… was simply breathtaking.”
“Wait, so that Marshal Tianpeng actually controlled the Celestial River’s water?” Qi Feng still found it hard to believe.
He was dazed, “He was even more like the General of the Celestial River than the General himself in the instance.”
With a wave of his hand, countless waters of the Celestial River defied natural law, flowing backward—how magnificent and grand!
But isn’t it a bit absurd?
Moon Wheel tried for so long, only for it to be snatched by Su Fu?
Is the Chinese Pantheon really that powerful? Is their authority so restrictive?
He could understand that this was the Chinese instance, so Su Fu had an advantage, but it still felt like cheating.
“Let’s just say,” sighed Erbu Minister Pei Zhengyuan, “it just so happens that it’s the Chinese Pantheon, it just so happens to have such a deity, and it just so happens she encountered it.”
Everyone: “….”
‘That many just-so happenstances? Calculate the odds yourself.’
Why don’t other pantheons have so many just-so happening instances?
Even in their exclusive maps, the advantage isn’t that huge.
Everyone realized why Shen Yan AI sent them a crucial notice before the exam, explicitly stating no cheating or hacking was possible.
So it had been prepared all along?
Too careless.
“So, the exam is officially over?” Professor Casanova really felt like he’d just had an epiphany and sighed, “But this year’s batch really is full of talent. Of course, it was a rollercoaster, a fierce battle.”
“Over,” Luo Qiu also sighed, “Never expected among these prodigies, the winner would be the Chinese Pantheon’s Su Fu. I originally thought Yuelun Yuan would dominate, after all, both his strength and exam environment suited him.”
Third Department Minister Xiao Zheng shook his head, “But who would’ve thought he’d be directly taken down by Su Fu.”
Is that Second Star Ring genius title truly deserved?
Fourth Department Minister Cheng Yuntian sighed, “I had pinned my hopes on the Third Star Ring elites.”
Xiao Lingxi smiled, “I thought Su Fu might do well, but I never imagined it would be this… crushing a victory.”
Isn’t it a crushing victory?
From start to finish, no one could defeat her, and—cough, cough—she even took the blame all along.
“However, Su Fu can be called…” Professor Casanova hesitated, “a Top Scorer from a Humble Background?”
The moment those words came out, the entire monitoring room fell silent.
Indeed, it had been many years since an examinee without a noble background took first place directly.
Looking back, almost all past top scorers were from powerful families.
For an ordinary person to even be admitted to a Second Star Ring university was already a miracle one in ten thousand, let alone achieving first place.
It wasn’t that they weren’t talented—it was just that first place was never given to them.
“It’s been a long time,” Mo Xingyuan suddenly said, “Not just first place, but almost all top three spots in past years were monopolized by noble families.”
Everyone’s expression turned subtle.
So, does this mean the Ministry of Education’s reforms now have a shining example to show?
Five admissions officers exchanged glances, then suddenly Song Yuqing from the Source of the Milky Way Branch cleared her throat.
“Well then, don’t all try to snatch her away. That Su Fu, I am at the Source of the Milky Way already…”
“That’s not allowed!” Qi Feng interrupted immediately.
“She’s so good at Sacred Site instance exams, she must come to our Primordial Scar Branch.”
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