"The fourth round is a test to measure your talent!" Yan Jin proclaimed proudly as he led us to the next room. Everyone stared at him.
"Measure…our talent?"
"How do you even do that? That makes no sense."
"Yeah, talent isn't something you can measure like that. How do you even begin to quantify talent? You think this is a cultivation web novel or manhua where we just touch a rock and it glows a bunch of different colors?"
"That's right! Whether someone is talented or not only shows after years of hard work and training. It manifests in results! Talent is only defined by how quickly and well you grasp a skill and much better you are at the activity than other people! But you actually have to perform the activity first! It's not something you simply measure before any training!"
"Even if it's real, who the hell measures talent AFTER making us go through all that fucking bullshit exams earlier!? Don't tell me that after using so much strength and effort to punch that thing and escape the spirit beasts, we get disqualified over something as dumb as 'not good enough talent'? If that's the case, wouldn't you put the talent measuring exam first?!"
"He didn't because there's no such thing! Where in this world do you have something that conveniently measures someone's potential from birth?"
The students weren't buying into this talent measuring bullshit because, quite frankly, such a convenient way of measuring talent didn't exist in reality. And if someone claimed it did, they were deluded. It was usually a convenient plot device for web novelists or manhua writers to tell the characters how talented a character was without having to show. The old, "show, not tell" adage being broken in favor of plot convenience, and the readers are supposed to buy into it.
The one problem with that plot device was that…the protagonist was always this special snowflake with no talent, considered trash or whatever, and he ended up beating up all the so-called heaven-defying talents. Which kind of rendered the whole dick…I mean talent measuring device moot in the first place. It was a cheap way of telling the readers, "Hey, the protagonist is an underdog!" and then have him slap the faces of "heavenly-defying talents" with his cheats and hacks.
Seriously? A magic rock that told people how talented or untalented you are? It was one thing if the rock gave you good results (without you ever needing to work hard for it), but was everyone else going to let that stupid thing decide their lives?
Obviously, none of the students accepted such a nonsense. Hard work and effort counted for something, and to be dismissed as untalented just because a stupid rock glowed an unlucky color had to be one of the inanest things ever.
"Be serious! There's no such thing as talent measuring or potential measuring!"
"What's the next round? Tell us already!"
Yan Jin grimaced, but when he looked at the two assistants, they both shrugged, as if they had no idea what stunt he was trying to pull. With a growl, Yan Jin waved his hand.
"Fine, fine! I was lying! We only have four rounds of the entrance examination! It's just that five sounded like a good number, all right?!"
"The next round would be practical combat then," Ge said. Yan Jin nodded and waved for us to be dismissed.
"This is the resting area. All of you take a break and get ready for the practical combat exam later. The seniors will be here shortly."
We all dropped down on the couches and sofas that were provided in the room. It was well lit, furnished with televisions and holographic screens, and even vending machines by the walls. Potted plants decorated the interior, and the students began lounging about lazily as they recuperated and recovered their qi from the earlier exertions.
"Bro, why does that main supervisor have it out for you?" One of the students approached me, looking puzzled. He reminded me of Tong Xue, but I remembered that my friends had applied for universities elsewhere. Myria said she already got accepted into this particular university, probably because of her connections. Asa for Tong Xue and Hao Ren, they had decided to apply for a lesser-known university.
Despite my encouragement, they told me that they didn't have the confidence to apply for Divine Path University, and wanted a place with less competition. Where they could relax.
On the other hand, Qin Ying had applied for the elite class, so she wasn't here with me, who had tried the regular curriculum.
"I don't know."
"I'll help you expose his true colors!" One of the other students, the one who had recorded the exams with a smartphone, declared. He grinned and waved his smartphone. "I have it all on stream! Even the viewers are complaining about his clearly biased attitude! I mean, why is it only five hits for the rest of us, but you can't even take one hit in the last exam? Obviously, something's wrong."
"Did you sleep with his wife or something?"
"No!" I shook my head, annoyed. "Dude, I'm still a virgin!"
"Ha ha, but that's not something you need to tell us…"
While we bantered, the three supervisors went back to the staffroom. At the door was a holographic announcement requesting for senior students to volunteer and help out with the practical combat sessions for the examinees. In return, they would be given credits.
"What's going on?" Yan Jin groaned as he buried his head in his hands. "Why does young master Shao Ye want such a talented student to fail?"
"Is that why you're making things difficult for that student?" Shi asked sternly. "You know you're not allowed to do that, Teacher Yan."
"Ugh! Shut up! I just…" Yan Jin trailed off when there was a knock at the door. Relieved at the distraction, he yelled, "Enter!"
Kai Fan strolled in, his dyed blond hair slick back and his sunglasses perched on his face. He grinned as he stepped in, accompanied by Shao Ye and his entourage.
"Teacher Yan, I just heard from my junior, Shao Ye, that there's a recruitment exam today? He told me you guys were looking for volunteers for the combat exam."
"That's right."
"Yeah! I know brother Kai will be happy to help out!" Shao Ye said. His glare pierced a trembling Yan Jin. "I don't know how that trash managed to pass the previous rounds so far, but with brother Kai, I think we can, uh, see how much potential he truly has."
Earlier, they had a conversation, with Shao Ye paying off Kai Fan to cripple me in combat. Kai Fan's eyes had lit up when he saw the thousands of yuan, and he was more than happy to agree to it.
"I'll kick the ass of any rookie who gets too ahead of himself. I'll teach him not to be too arrogant, young master Shao. So you don't have to worry."
Back to the present, though, Kai Fan put on the air of a helpful senior, eager to help his juniors. However, Ge frowned.
"First of all, the student is not trash. He is the best out of all the examinees who applied for the regular class this year. Secondly, I remember you, student Kai Fan. Didn't you score the third highest in the entrance exam last year? Not only that, you've spent a whole year training and improving your strength. You'll just be bullying the rookies who haven't even entered the university yet. It wouldn't be a fair test."
"It's fine!" Yan Jin snapped. "The recruitment process for Divine Path University must be strict! If we want to recruit the very best, then we must push these rookies to their limit!"
"Yeah, and what better way to test them than by challenging them to a fight with me?" Kai Fan chuckled, his eyes glowing manically. "I'm among the top ten in the second year. They should be honored to face me!"
"All right," Yan Jin said with a smirk. "Then I'll be relying on you, student Kai Fan."
At that time, I was still unaware of what was going on in the staffroom. Once the break was over, the assistants showed up to lead us to the coliseum at the center of the vast stadium by the university grounds. To my surprise, I saw hundreds, if not thousands of spectators gathered on the seats, congregating in masses to watch the matches.
"Whoa, what's going on? Why are there so many people here?"
"Bro, you didn't know?" The guy who reached out to me was a handsome dude with brown hair and a yellow shirt. He grinned as he sat next to me. "These are all the students from Divine Path University. They probably want to watch the fun. I believe there are clubs and sects here who are looking out for good seeds to recruit. They normally would go watch the elite class exams, but they are aware that they can find unpolished gems among us regular students."
"I see." I had no intention of joining any sects or clubs in Divine Path University, but I didn't need to tell him that.
"This examination round is open to public, so it's not just students from our university. Students from other schools are coming to watch the matches too." Ge was impressed by the sight of so many people gathered in the stadium. Yan Jin chuckled.
"Heh, isn't this fair then? Since we're out in the open and exposed to the public eye, no one can accuse me of abusing my authority."
"So if we pass student Song Jun Wen after the combat test, you will have no objection then?"
"Of course. Assuming he survives the combat, that is." Yan Jin grinned insidiously. "Considering who his opponent is, though…"
"I will be announcing the matchups!" Shi had no interest in hearing Yan Jin's schemes. He scanned through his tablet and began reading out names. "Song Jun Wen versus Kai Fan! Hui Feng Ling versus Xing Ming Jiang! Wang Ling versus Xu Wu!"
"What? Isn't Kai Fan one of the top ten in our year?" one of the spectators gasped, turning to her roommate. "Why is he here?"
"Yeah, he's very strong! I'm surprised he volunteered for something like this. Wouldn't it be unfair for the new students?"
"Who cares? I'm glad I get to see him!'
"Oh! Yeah, he's so handsome!"
"Good luck, Kai Fan!"
The girls whooped and cheered as he strolled into the coliseum, flicking his fingers at them and grinning. For some reason, he had his sunglasses on, even though it wasn't particularly glaring. He had a weird fashion sense?
"So you are Shao Ye's schoolmate?" He asked when I approached him on the stage. I nodded.
"Do I know you?"
"No, but it seems that young master Shao has quite the grudge against you." Kai Fan chuckled and beckoned me over. "I apologize, but I won't be going easy on you. It will be better if you forfeit now. You might not be able to get into Divine Path University, but at least you'll keep your dog life."
"Thank you for the advice, senior, but I'm afraid I will have to decline. I wish to do my best. As long as I don't give up, there's a chance of success."
"Well, I warned you." Kai Fan shrugged callously, but I could see that he had fully anticipated it. In fact, he deliberately taunted me so that I would fly into a rage and challenge him, so he was disappointed to see my calm and polite response.
"Battle, begin!" Shi shouted. Kai Fan laughed as electricity crackled around him, turning into a tempest.
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance. I'll let you know that my skill is Berserk Lightning Fist."
I could see the golden currents of electricity coiling around his fists and glowing menacingly. Kai Fan barked out harsh laughter as the surroundings began to crumble under the intense voltage.
"Though…even if you know that, it doesn't change the fact that you'll be dead."
With an explosive kick, Kai Fan launched himself across the stage and threw a Lightning Punch straight at my face.