Chapter Ninety-Three: The College Entrance Examination Begins

This situation persisted for several centuries, until several top universities from the old era cultivated a group of outstanding individuals through scientific and systematic methods, seizing the leadership of human civilization.

Thus, the academic authorities ascended onto the stage of human rule.

It was proven that the cultivation system of the academic authorities was markedly superior to other systems, prompting other powers to follow suit and establish their own academic factions, which became known as academies.

The most critical aspect of the academy system—the reserve force training system, known as the College Entrance Exam—naturally grew in importance.

Human civilization was far from safe; within the Chaos Domain existed many Destiny Civilizations no less formidable than humanity, as well as countless powerful catastrophes. To ensure the longevity of human civilization and reduce internal strife, all factions signed a contract and jointly established a neutral entity—the College Entrance Exam Committee—to specifically oversee examination affairs.

The College Entrance Exam Committee was responsible for the unified entrance exam for the entire civilization, also known as the Unified Exam.

The first step was to select those with outstanding results, and the second step allowed these candidates to apply to various academies.

In essence, the College Entrance Exam set a line as a standard for selection; only those who surpassed it could qualify for the independent assessments held by the higher academies, commonly referred to as the college application process.

Everyone had five opportunities to fill out their application preferences, which meant five chances to participate in the independent assessments of various academies. Passing an assessment meant joining that faction.

If all five applications ended in failure, one could either return home and enter society, or accept placement and join any academy that had not yet filled its quota.

There was no such thing as repeating a year or retaking the exam—everyone had only one chance.

“All candidates, come here to verify your registration data!”

Beside the high platform’s teleportation portal was a row of small doors, each shimmering with waves of light. Students, led by staff, entered these doors for inspection.

This was merely a re-verification of previously submitted data—a standard procedure.

One by one, students passed through the small doors, all cleared the inspection; none were found cheating.

Chu Cheng quickly passed the inspection as well, then followed the queue to the teleportation portal and, like the others, stepped inside.

Space shifted; when his vision returned, he found himself in a separate room.

It was an ordinary stone chamber, its walls smooth as glass. Only one wooden door stood before him, bare except for a simple wooden handle.

Upon entering, Chu Cheng’s gaze swept the room and focused on the luminous panel that appeared before him, displaying—

“Human Civilization Higher Academy Unified Entrance Exam, First Stage Assessment, Round One: Defeat the opponent in the next room. Progress: 0/10.”

In the upper right corner, a one-minute countdown had begun.

Chu Cheng grinned, closed the panel, reached out to twist the door handle, and opened the door to a flood of light.

Stepping through, space shifted once more.

When his vision cleared, he stood upon a colossal platform suspended over an abyss, as large as a football field. Magical barriers surrounded its edges. He was at one end; at the other, a thick pillar of light soared upward, with a ten-second countdown flickering atop it.

“It finally begins!” Chu Cheng stretched his arms and twisted his torso, bones cracking audibly.

He strode toward the pillar of light, and as he did, two ice crystal swords radiating biting coldness appeared in his hands.

The ten-second countdown vanished in a flash; the pillar flared, then disappeared, revealing a green-skinned, immensely muscular orc.

Orc Veteran (Elite): A battle-hardened orc warrior, Level 20, 1800 HP.

After a brief moment of confusion, the orc veteran swung his spiked club down, letting out a furious roar, then charged at Chu Cheng.

“Spatial Mark!”

Chu Cheng swiftly marked the orc, then accelerated forward. As he met the orc veteran, he struck with the Frost Stinger in his right hand—a crisp clang sounded as the orc’s club, swung with all his might, was deflected and sent flying backward, his stance faltered.

The Ice Crystal Sword struck precisely at the orc’s chest, its blade sinking in. Pale frost spread from the wound, freezing the blood that flowed out, and the orc’s movements paused instantly.

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With effortless precision, his twin swords tapped repeatedly, the tips targeting the orc’s roaring wrists, accumulating cold and sharply reducing the orc’s speed.

“Clang!”

After several strikes, Chu Cheng finally parried the club, then swung his sword down with force; the arm, frozen after repeated hits, was severed, and with a sweeping motion, the orc’s ferocious head flew off.

For Chu Cheng, this level 20 elite monster was no different from a regular mob.

His basic attacks reached three hundred, and combined with spatial marking, talent rebound, and overwhelming strength and agility, it was effortless.

Once the orc veteran died, the body rapidly melted and vanished. Two beams of light descended: one enveloped Chu Cheng, instantly restoring all his statuses and resetting skill cooldowns.

The other fell where the orc had stood, now displaying a sixty-second countdown instead of ten.

Sixty seconds passed swiftly, and when the beam faded, a human warrior clad in heavy armor appeared, shield in hand.

Still level 20, elite template, 2200 HP.

The human warrior raised his shield and immediately charged at Chu Cheng.

Chu Cheng crossed his twin swords before him. With a thunderous clang, the charge struck dead center, but Chu Cheng remained unmoved, while the human warrior was bounced back a step.

The difference in physique and strength was enormous; even battle techniques couldn’t make up for it.

The shield warrior’s defense was clearly stronger than the orc’s, reducing Chu Cheng’s basic attack below 200, but it made little difference.

With comprehensive suppression in attributes and skills, Chu Cheng dominated the fight, leaving his opponent barely able to retaliate.

Barely lasting ten seconds, the warrior was finally breached and slain.

The corpse dissolved, and again two beams of light fell.

Sixty seconds later, his third opponent appeared—a strength-agility warrior wielding twin swords like himself.

With a single frenzied attack in five seconds, Chu Cheng broke through the opponent’s guard and killed him.

The fourth round brought a rogue; before the beam faded, the rogue vanished into stealth, giving Chu Cheng no time to mark him.

He focused, trying to sense the rogue’s location, but with his own perception not particularly high, he could not detect the stealthed target.

It mattered little. Chu Cheng simply stood his ground, unmoving, responding to the unchanging with the unchanged.

A dozen seconds later, the rogue could not resist and launched a surprise attack from behind.

That was his undoing; Chu Cheng seized the opportunity, marked him, and the rogue could hide no more.

Activating Swift Acceleration, Chu Cheng caught up and delivered a mighty blow, inflicting over a thousand damage. The massive gap in strength triggered an overwhelming strike, severing half the rogue’s shoulder with a single sword.

Three more rapid strikes finished the job.

“Too easy!” Chu Cheng recalled how, when he first faced a level ten elite boss, he had to use every tactic and counter, struggling to win; now, he could crush them head-on without effort.

A minute later, his fifth opponent appeared—a ranged archer.

Upon appearing, the archer immediately widened the gap and fired a freezing magic arrow, followed by a volley.

Chu Cheng neither dodged nor closed in. He first applied a mark, then drew his own Precision Heartpiercer Longbow, nocked an arrow, and engaged in a shootout.