As the students returned one by one, the principals experienced a mix of victories and defeats. So far, no one had gained a clear upper hand. The students who returned were mostly between levels 10 to 13, with not even one reaching level 14. "How come Lin, Xia Xue, and Gao Yang haven't returned?" Principal Lu Yun grew anxious as it got darker, his face turning serious. They should have been back by now. "Could something have happened?"
Finally, just before nightfall, Lu Yun spotted three figures approaching. "They're back, finally," he said, relief spreading across his face. The outcome didn't matter as long as they returned safely. Detection spells flew out with the breeze. "Gao Yang, level 12, Sword and Shield Knight." The principals were astounded. Xia Xue had actually reached level 15, giving her a high chance of entering Xia Jing Academy, assuming her performance in the big exam wasn't lacking.
Then came Lin. The principals, all above level 40, could see through any attempts to mask his level. "Lin, level 16, Necromancer." They gasped in unison at Lin's level, which was even higher than Xia Xue's. His rapid progression was astonishing. "They must have been grinding dungeons," they concluded, noting the weapons from Goblin King that Gao Yang and Xia Xue possessed. The drop rate for such gear was low, making their achievement even more remarkable.
As Lin and his friends made their way back, Lu Yun instructed them to wait by the car for transport back to school. Gao Yang loudly acknowledged, and Lu Yun couldn't help but smile. His school had outshone the others, with both Lin and Xia Xue likely to enter Xia Jing Academy, a great honor for both West Sea City and the First Middle School.
Once all the students had returned, Lu Yun joined them, emphasizing the importance of safety during the exam. The big exam would take place not in their school or city but in Jianghai City, the provincial capital, significantly larger and more prominent than West Sea City. The annual exam there was conducted by examiners from the Xia Dynasty Empire, ensuring fairness and integrity.
That night, Lin continued his meditation, not overly concerned about the exam but confident in his admission to Xia Jing Academy. If possible, he also aimed to compete for the provincial top scorer. Influenced by conversations with Ning Yiyi and Xia Xue, he grew interested in the Creation God Academy.
The next morning, Lin was fully prepared for the exam. The students were given teleportation stones to take them to the exam venue in Jianghai City. Once there, they found themselves in a vast square with thousands of examinees from across the province. A towering trial tower descended from the sky, and a commanding voice announced the start of the exam and the rules, demanding silence and attention from all participants.