Chapter 75 – Special Exam, Brutal Battlefield

After the explanation from the Principal of Second High, the examinees present quickly understood the general format of this Three-School Joint Exam.

Unlike the previous mock exam at No. 1 High.

This Three-School Joint Exam was not only highly formalized, but even utilized special equipment typically reserved for the college entrance exams—the ‘Holographic Helmet’.

This ‘Holographic Helmet’ could scan the examinees’ physical data and transmit their consciousness to a specially constructed ‘server’.

Thereby allowing the examinees to engage in combat practice within an almost realistic holographic space, nearly indistinguishable from reality.

However, just like how the previous mock exam at No. 1 High did not solely rely on the scores achieved during the exam as the complete basis for evaluation.

The results of this Three-School Joint Exam similarly consisted of two components: ‘Combat Performance’ and ‘Aptitude Evaluation’.

‘Combat Performance’ tested the examinees’ actual performance during the exam.

‘Aptitude Evaluation’ assessed the quality of the examinees’ Spirit Root, Comprehension Ability, and other innate traits.

The former represented the examinees’ current level among their peers, while the latter indicated their future potential.

Combining the two undoubtedly provided the most comprehensive assessment of an examinee’s potential.

In a sense, examinees like Mu Xiaoye and Lu Chen, who possessed exceptional Spirit Roots.

Had already gained a significant lead over other examinees even before the exam began.

Although this might seem somewhat unfair to examinees with average Aptitude.

This was the method employed by the Immortal Alliance Academy to select candidates.

After all, the best resources should naturally be allocated to those with the greatest potential.

Only in this way could resources be utilized to their maximum effect.

On the playground of Second High, after all eight hundred-plus examinees present had received their Holographic Helmets.

The Principal of Second High began explaining the specific content and precautions for this exam.

“Students, the holographic space you are about to enter recreates a brutal battle between the Immortal Alliance and a foreign race from years ago.”

“In this battle, you have three ways to achieve scores.”

“The first is to eliminate as many of the foreign race as possible, accumulating sufficient points.”

“But those who choose this method, please note: these foreign race enemies are organized military forces. If you linger in one place for too long, you may find yourselves surrounded by their armies. Do not become overly engaged in combat.”

“The second method is to rescue as many survivors as possible from the battlefield and escort them to safe zones, protecting them from the foreign race’s attacks.”

“And the third method… which I personally recommend most strongly, is to simply survive as long as possible.”

“Because the longer you survive, the better your final score will be. Acting on impulse is not necessarily advisable.”

“Alright, I’ve said all that needs to be said. Please put on your helmets now, the exam will begin shortly.”

Upon hearing the Principal’s words, everyone immediately put on the special Holographic Helmets.

Before putting on his helmet, Lu Chen secretly activated his Azure Lotus Eyes to examine the helmet’s structure.

He discovered that the helmet not only incorporated advanced technology but also contained array patterns at its core.

Without a doubt, this helmet was a product combining high technology and cultivation methods.

Belonging to a relatively novel category of artifacts.After learning about the function of this holographic helmet, a thought immediately surfaced in Lu Chen’s mind.

Wasn’t the so-called immersion mode of the holographic helmet strikingly similar to the immersion mode in the True Immortal Cultivation instance?

The only difference might be that True Immortal Cultivation could reflect the cultivation level gained within the instance back to reality.

Never mind, better focus on the exam for now.

As Lu Chen put on the holographic helmet, he quickly experienced a sensation similar to entering the True Immortal Cultivation instance.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the midst of a vast urban ruin, with smoke and dust billowing everywhere.

A block of text promptly appeared before his eyes:

[Exam Content: Due to the invasion of the ‘Nether Clan,’ the once-prosperous Jade City has become a living hell. The Golden Core Stage cultivators defending the city have been completely wiped out, while the Golden Core Stage experts of the Nether Clan are pursuing the fleeing Golden Core Stage cultivators of the Immortal Alliance. Only a few Foundation Establishment Stage and Qi Condensation Stage Nether Fiends remain to clear out the survivors in the ruins…]

[Identity Introduction: You are a graduating student from a cultivation academy in Jade City. Your task is either to fight your way out of the Nether Clan’s encirclement or hold out long enough for the Immortal Alliance’s reinforcements to arrive…]

[Tip: Suppress anger and maintain rationality, for only then… can you make the right decisions.]

[Current Number of Examinees: 875]

[Countdown: 02:59]

“A former battlefield against the alien races?”

Standing amidst the ruins of a shopping mall, Lu Chen observed the collapsed walls and broken beams around him, as well as the occasional Foundation Establishment Stage Nether Fiends flying across the distant sky. He roughly understood the core of this exam.

If he wasn’t mistaken, the key to this exam wasn’t the examinees’ strength but their ability to handle crises.

Placing over eight hundred Qi Condensation Stage examinees in the ruins of Jade City—a city that once housed a million people—meant they could hardly alter the course of the battle. Merely surviving would be an achievement in itself.

Should they choose to slay as many Nether Fiends as possible before death, or take a cautious approach, hide, and hold out for as long as possible?

The decision rested entirely with the examinees themselves.

With about a minute left before the exam began, Lu Chen started weighing his strategy for this test.

If his guess was correct, the greatest challenge lay in the Foundation Establishment Stage Nether Fiends active within the urban ruins.

According to the exam prompt, there weren’t many Foundation Establishment Stage Nether Fiends in the ruins at the moment. As long as one was careful and avoided them, there shouldn’t be any major issues.

But if an unlucky examinee encountered one, elimination was almost certain.

With this in mind, Lu Chen roughly formulated his exam strategy: avoid the Foundation Establishment Stage Nether Fiends as much as possible and find a way to break through the encirclement.

Lu Chen had reason to believe that, as time passed, the Nether Fiends that had gone out to pursue the Immortal Alliance cultivators would likely return.

Based on what he had learned about Immortal Alliance history in school, these alien races from beyond the Nine Provinces mostly originated from a relatively harsh world.

Their purpose in coming to the Nine Provinces was to secure a territory here, allowing their clan to survive and thrive.

That was why they were so determined to purge the remaining inhabitants of the Nine Provinces in Jade City.After all, they only wanted this place, not the people here.

Therefore, if the examinees failed to break out of Jade City within the allotted time… the only outcome awaiting them was death.

[Exam Countdown: 00:01]

[Exam… begins!]

As a voice echoed in his mind, the special barrier enveloping Lu Chen… vanished.

(End of Chapter)