CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 30: TALLYING UP POINTS

Jiang Churan and Hong Man are both Half-Step Spirit Sea Realm teenage geniuses. Despite the Sword Patterned Snake Demon King’s formidable strength, it couldn’t instantly defeat them. It merely knocked them unconscious, rendering them powerless to resist.

If Ye Qingchen hadn’t slain the Snake Demon King, they might have truly perished here.

"Ye Qingchen... Did you really kill that Snake Demon King?"

Ye Qingchen looked at the snake corpse on the ground and then surveyed Ye Qingchen, his face full of shock and bewilderment, eyes flickering with a mysterious light.

"Brother Ye, you’ve saved my life. From now on, my life is yours!" Hong Man, honest and straightforward, clasped his fists toward Ye Qingchen. "I really didn’t expect Yuan Cong to be so beast-hearted, doing such a thing!"

"Yuan Cong!"

Ye Qingchen narrowed his eyes.

Fleeing in terror from the Snake Demon King is only natural. But using others as bait is despicable!

There’s no way this debt will be settled easily.

"The examination trial is about to end. We should head back now..." Ye Qingchen glanced at the sky and said solemnly, "As for Yuan Cong, we’ll deal with him after we return!"

...

As time passed.

More and more teenage geniuses ended their hunts.

Yuan Cong also blended into the crowd and returned. It wasn’t until reaching the plaza that his anxious heart finally calmed down. The Sword Patterned Snake Demon King was overwhelming, so strong that he didn’t even think of resisting.

"Did you hear that earlier snake’s roar? Presumably, it’s that Sword Patterned Snake Demon King!"

"Yes, besides it, there’s nothing that can produce such a terrifying roar. I wonder which unlucky soul angered such a presence!"

The returning disciples kept discussing.

Words filled with unconcealable fear.

Clearly.

They all understood how terrifying the Snake Demon King was.

"They probably perished there!"

Yuan Cong thought secretly.

After all, abandoning teammates or using opponents as scapegoats is disgraceful. If others learn of it, he’d face disdain and possibly won’t have a place in any of the Eight Major Sects.

Listening to others’ descriptions and recalling the Snake Demon King’s prowess, Yuan Cong even couldn’t help but smile.

Once he joins a sect, what kind of woman wouldn’t be available?

"Twenty points, eliminated!"

"Forty-nine points, eliminated!"

"Eliminated..."

The teenage geniuses emerging from the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range took out their jade tokens for counting and registration. Those with less than fifty points were directly eliminated. As for the qualifiers, they were jubilant.

At this moment.

A cheer erupted.

"Zhao Yue, seven hundred ninety-six points!"

Boom!

This declaration turned all eyes towards him.

A tall, slender youth stood in the spotlight.

"That score is way too high!"

"Indeed, despite our struggles, we couldn’t even get fifty points, yet he surpassed the examination score by more than tenfold..."

"It’s maddening to compare oneself to others!"

"No wonder; he’s ranked third on the genius board!"

Many young geniuses couldn’t help but sigh.

The gap between them and those on the genius rankings was indeed vast!

"Seven hundred ninety-six points is already quite close to the record set three years ago!" A Celestial Essence Sword Sect Elder, eyes gleaming, directly shouted to Zhao Yue, "Zhao Yue, if you join our Celestial Essence Sword Sect, we promise you a Profound Tier Top-Grade Martial Technique!"

"Celestial Essence Sword Sect, you’re too shameless! The trial isn’t even over, and you’re already recruiting?" A Celestial Secret Sect Elder slammed his hand down, shouting.

Despite his words, he also called out to Zhao Yue, "Zhao Yue, if you join our Celestial Secret Sect, we’ll also promise you a Profound Tier Top-Grade Martial Technique, plus an extra thirty percent on the monthly tributed elixirs!"

Seeing both Celestial Secret Sect and Celestial Essence Sword Sect starting to recruit, the other six major sects were unwilling to be outdone and began offering their own conditions.

"Thank you, elders, for your kind offers, but the third trial isn’t over yet. I aim to claim the Newcomer King title first!" Zhao Yue cupped his hands, refusing politely.

Newcomer King!

Only one every three years!

Once attained, the privileges bestowed are the finest.

He certainly wouldn’t agree so swiftly!

The figures from the Eight Major Sects witnessed this and shook their heads, opting to wait for the final results.

"Haha, becoming Newcomer King won’t be easy!" Suddenly, a wild laughter rang out, and a youth with a saber on his back strode forth. "This year’s Newcomer King will undoubtedly be mine!"

The newcomer was none other than the second-ranked genius, Chen Beixuan with the Heaven-Sundering Saber!

As he spoke, he retrieved his jade token.

Just as seen.

The jade token glowed brilliantly, followed by numbers appearing:

Eight hundred thirty-nine points!

Forty-three points more than Zhao Yue.

"Damn it!"

Zhao Yue’s expression changed; he clenched his fist involuntarily.

Just after he spoke, he was surpassed. That feeling was quite hard to endure.

"Could this year’s Newcomer King be Chen Beixuan?"

"Three years ago, the highest score record was only eight hundred ten points, and Chen Beixuan has already surpassed that significantly!"

"But that may not be; there’s still Lei Qianjue, the top-ranked genius!"

The Eight Major Sects’ elders’ eyes gleamed.

Meanwhile, the surrounding teenage geniuses couldn’t help but discuss fervently.

Yuan Cong clenched his jade token, having only one hundred seven points, far from the Newcomer King level. If he could have killed those two Sword Patterned Snake Demons, he might have stood a chance.

But for such a presence, even Lei Qianjue might not withstand it.

"Lei Qianjue has emerged!"

In a shouted voice, a young man in green slowly stepped out.

If it wasn’t Lei Qianjue, then who?

Lei Qianjue wore a confident smile, perfectly poised.

"Looks like Lei Qianjue is quite confident!"

Observing this, an elder nodded approvingly.

The Celestial Essence Sword Sect elder couldn’t wait, getting up and saying, "Lei Qianjue, quickly show us your jade token so we can see your score!"

"Yes!"

Lei Qianjue nodded slightly, taking out the jade token.

With True Qi activation.

The token erupted with intense brilliance, and numbers gradually revealed.

"Nine hundred eighty-six points!"

In the crowd, gasps erupted.

This score was truly astounding.

Chen Beixuan, who had been all smug moments ago, suddenly had a sullen expression, slightly awkward.

Many elders’ eyes gleamed with excitement as they looked at Lei Qianjue. The second stage of the trial seemed set; no one could surpass Lei Qianjue.

Indeed.

Just as everyone predicted, the following scores were relatively mediocre. Even the fourth-ranked genius, Duanmu Chengfei, managed only five hundred points, falling far short.

Even Duanmu Chengfei had such a low score, so other scores were even less noteworthy.

As for Lu Ming, barely reaching fifty points, he barely passed. Being lucky enough to survive from Ye Qingchen’s hands was already fortunate for him, and he didn’t dare think of the Newcomer King title.

"Where’s Ye Qingchen?"

Seeing Lu Ming, many suddenly realized another presence hadn’t appeared yet!

"Indeed, why hasn’t Ye Qingchen appeared?"

"If he managed to defeat Lu Ming, surely his score isn’t too low!"

"Even if he can’t contend for the Newcomer King, his score wouldn’t be that lacking!"

Listening to the rampant discussions, Yuan Cong was startled, realizing Ye Qingchen defeated Lu Ming. However, he quickly smirked and shook his head.

What good is it to defeat Lu Ming?

The Sword Patterned Snake Demon King’s power was extraordinary!

With examination time drawing near and Ye Qingchen’s figure still absent, the eight Great Elders rose, seeming ready to start the final trial. Yuan Cong’s smile grew wider.

Supposedly, they had already met their end in the snake’s belly by now.

But just as the thought arose.

Three figures swiftly flew from afar toward the plaza. Among them, one was heading directly for him!

Seeing the figure coming straight at him, Yuan Cong felt a chill shoot up to his crown.

"Ye Qingchen!"