CHAPTER 1006: CHAPTER 808: BEGINNING OF THE CORE ASSESSMENT (EXTENDED CHAPTER)

Yao Zhaokong seemed a bit surprised.

Meng Jingran said, "It’s a new era. Neither of us are stubborn old fools. Anything beneficial for our Daxia citizens, for all humanity, should be fully promoted.

However, not everyone can recognize reality; that will depend on your grandson’s performance."

Beiting and Green Shadow have close connections, but not all talented individuals join the exchange group.

There are always people who stick to old ways.

They think the difference in teaching ability isn’t significant, look down on others, or refuse to admit their own inadequacies.

Yao Zhaokong said, "That’s simple. Chengwu has made great progress over the past year. When he returns to Beiting for the summer, those young people in his circle can gather together and compare, and the disparity will be evident."

...

Within a training ground at the school,

Gu Tang, who had been sitting with his eyes closed since last night, suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of gold flashing briefly.

He stood up, wearing a martial arts uniform of the Ancient Spirit Royal Family, made from precious materials.

On his chest and back, the character "Gu" was embroidered, representing the Ancient Spirit Royal Family.

As he pushed open the gates of the training ground, the light spilled in, causing the "Gu" character to emit a faint golden glow, and the loose sleeves of the martial arts uniform swayed gently in the breeze.

"Hmm?"

Gu Tang looked towards a distant spot, where a figure leaned against a massive tree that would require ten people to encircle.

The face bore a slight resemblance to his own, only more mature and imposing.

"Third Royal Brother."

Gu Tang intertwined his fingers, nodded slightly, and said no more.

"Thirteen, remember," the commanding young man spoke, "You represent our royal family’s image. You are only allowed to win, not to lose. Do you understand?"

"I don’t need you to tell me that."

He spoke coldly, not turning back as he headed straight for the arena.

Third Royal Brother squinted slightly.

Under the sunlight, his figure gradually receded into the distance.

...

"Audience members, my dear audience members! I am currently located in the confrontation area within the World Tree Academy. Not far from me is the arena for this graduation examination."

The voice of the female reporter from Green Shadow TV was brimming with undisguisable excitement and fervor.

Behind her, a cameraman was holding a magic wand over two meters long, with an Image Retention Crystal the size of a basketball embedded at the top.

This comprised a piece of rune equipment.

The cameraman could adjust the distance of the Image Retention Crystal’s perspective by touching the rune symbols on the wand.

At this moment,

as the female reporter introduced the World Tree Academy, the Image Retention Crystal aptly rotated its angle, capturing the interior scenery of the academy.

The mysterious World Tree Academy was revealed to the public for the first time.

At that moment,

in the distance,

rows of tall figures dressed in blue and silver attire were flying in from the sky.

"Those are the uniforms of the Personal Guard Corps! That’s the City Lord’s Personal Guard Corps!"

The well-prepared female reporter exclaimed in awe.

The Image Retention Crystal quickly zoomed in on this scene.

Hundreds of members of the Personal Guard Corps flew in formation, stopping one by one, and stood suspended in mid-air.

In the blink of an eye,

the Personal Guard Corps members divided into two lines, standing across from each other, spaced four or five meters apart.

A Rainbow Bridge appeared from the horizon, paving the way under the feet of the Personal Guard Corps members, reaching directly to the VIP stands.

Figures appeared at the end of the bridge.

Tang Yu, draped in a grand robe, emerged from the horizon’s edge and stepped onto the Rainbow Bridge.

Two half-steps behind on his right followed the Personal Guard Captain Nancy.

Further behind were eight elite members of the Personal Guard, flanking either side.

With steps on the Rainbow Bridge, they walked through the void.

The wind swept past, causing the grand robe to flap dramatically.

With each step, they moved as if slowly, yet from the end of the Rainbow Bridge to the high platform, it took no more than ten to twenty seconds.

Seeming as if they had walked a mere dozen meters.

The footsteps of the elite members of the Personal Guard behind remained consistent, not falling behind even half a step.

To the regret of the Green Shadow TV reporter and the external audience, they wished they could walk a bit longer.

The Image Retention Crystal had to refocus on various corners of the arena.

In the center of the VIP seats,

Tang Yu sat at the main position, smiling as he nodded to the guests in acknowledgment.

Nancy maintained a silent and obedient posture, sitting by his side.

She was an Avatar.

Tang Yu as well.

His true body was lying quietly in an unknown place in the castle, watching the live broadcast.

Leisurely and carefree.

He handed troublesome affairs over to his avatar.

This was inspired by Nancy.

As the Personal Guard Captain, attending formal occasions meant Nancy had to be by his side.

But Nancy probably couldn’t sit still for a moment.

Or she’d fall asleep if she sat too long.

The avatar was different; Nancy programmed it with a "serious and obedient.jpg" image, fitting the silent and reserved character of the Personal Guard Captain.

Tang Yu had no choice but to debut... uh, attend with his avatar.

But no one could tell.

Mr. Rex of the Hero Club was secretly observing.

Seeing City Lord Tang appear, he couldn’t help but gasp.

Of course, he couldn’t see through City Lord Tang and Captain Nancy, but the sixteen elite guards following them were all Transcendent Second Tier.

Not newcomers.

Their realm was not inferior to his own.

It immediately showcased the foundation of Green Shadow City.

As for Nancy and Tang Yu, in Rex’s eyes, the two seemed ordinary with restrained brilliance.

He didn’t even dare to look again.

"I don’t know what realm those two are in," he conveyed with spiritual power.

The witch shrugged, "How would I know? Perhaps even the higher-ups of Green Shadow City don’t know much; it’s a realm we’ll never catch up to in a lifetime."

Tang Yu was merely here as a VIP, hosting the graduation assessment was naturally up to the academy’s high-level staff.

He just needed to issue certificates to the best graduates and earn some prestige.

On the high platform,

Shanggong Ling glanced at the guests who had arrived, along with the prepared Genius Class students, and secretly cast two imposing buff spells before speaking:

"Today’s graduation assessment will be a one-on-one practical examination. Apart from forbidden use of over-spec one-time items, all other equipment and auxiliary supplies have no restrictions."

"The match between the contestants will start with the Fifth-Class students, using a scoring and promotion system. The factors affecting the winner’s score will include the time taken to win, whether they severely injured their opponent, and whether intervention by the referee was necessary..."

In other words, the easier one wins, the higher the score.

If it was a narrow victory, it would be the lowest grade.

"The top ten scoring students from the Fifth Class will advance to face the Fourth-Class students, and it will continue in this manner. Until the final class, the competition will change to an elimination system."

A month ago, there was a monthly exam, and opportunities for the Fifth-Class students to defeat the tail of the Fourth-Class were few, but they are geniuses after all.

This rule essentially provides an opportunity for lower-ranked geniuses to showcase their strength.

Those who perform outstandingly might catch the attention of the Corps commanders.

More than half of the Fifth-Class students are exchange students from various forces.

Whether they are from Holy Land forces or ordinary regional overlord forces, they all want to know how much their respective geniuses have progressed after a year of studying abroad.

The contestants are chosen randomly, seemingly adding an element of luck.

If one draws a weaker opponent and finishes the match cleanly, it’ll result in higher scores and greater chances of promotion.

But in actuality, luck doesn’t influence much.

Even the gap between NO.1 and the tail of the Fifth Class isn’t significant.

During battles, more emphasis is placed on the contestants’ performance and tactical arrangements on the spot.

Unlike the First-Class, where true Heavenly Pride is gathered and combat power ascends in a tiered manner from the lowest to the highest.

Soon,

Two Fifth-Class contestants walked onto the arena.

The arena measures five hundred by five hundred, enough for the students to display their skills. When the two contestants stepped onto the stage, beams of light shot from the tips of the four pillars at the arena’s corners, creating a faint purple light curtain enveloping the arena.

The referee announced the beginning.

In the arena,

The two students unleashed their aura, both were Awakening Tier Perfection.

The outside guests weren’t surprised.

After all, they were genius students, reaching Perfection in a few years of cultivation is just basic operation.

How long it takes to break into Transcendent is what tests the students’ aptitude and efforts.

The battles are constrained within a limited range, and each match doesn’t last long.

In fact, it’s very short.

But the quality of the matches is surprisingly high.

Each one far exceeds the combat power expected at the Great Perfection Realm.

"Are they really just Awakening Tier?"

A high-level member from the overlord forces couldn’t help but ask.