Chapter 80: Special Exam (7)
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
The Jade-faced Mantis stared incredulously at Su Chen, who was performing the Three Prisons Killing Formation.
It could hardly be believed that its special abilities had been completely learned by a human cultivator in just a few minutes.
If special powers were so easy to master, then what was the purpose of their evolution after experiencing life and death in the Nether and devouring countless evil creatures? It was unacceptable. The Jade-faced Mantis absolutely could not accept such a notion!
"It's fake! You must have used some kind of trick. What you displayed was not my Three Prisons Killing Formation!"
The Jade-faced Mantis roared angrily and pounced directly toward Su Chen, its crazed demeanor suggesting it wanted to tear him to pieces on the spot.
In response to the enraged Jade-faced Mantis, Su Chen remained remarkably calm.
From the moment the Jade-faced Mantis lost its composure, he sensed that this battle was over.
As the Jade-faced Mantis charged at him, Su Chen and the two phantoms beside him launched their attacks simultaneously.
During this process, the magic sword in Su Chen's right hand began to vibrate continuously.
A silver-white vibrating spiritual energy surged from Su Chen's arm and spread to the magic sword.
If it were in a rational state, the Jade-faced Mantis would have noticed the changes in Su Chen's magic sword and understood how dangerous that silver-white spiritual power could be to it.
However, completely enraged by Su Chen's actions, its singular focus was on exposing Su Chen's "fake" Three Prisons Killing Array, aiming to prove that its special abilities could not be so easily learned.
At that moment, the Jade-faced Mantis was fixated solely on the phantoms on either side of Su Chen and failed to notice the changes in the magic sword.
That misconception was shattered when Su Chen's two phantoms collided with their own. Upon impact, the phantoms entangled, showcasing that Su Chen's manifestations were not mere illusions but held a semblance of the original body's strength!
After this realization hit, the Jade-faced Mantis felt a sense of despair wash over it—like something within had shattered.
So this is his ability... How is this possible...
Being unable to concentrate during a battle is undoubtedly fatal.
"Roar!"
With a resounding roar, the distracted Jade-faced Mantis snapped back to its senses, but it was too late.
Although it saw the silver-white dragon hurtling towards it, there was no time to evade.
Bang!
With the sound of an explosion, both the man and the evil creature collided, scattering debris from the mall and shattering the glass doors on the first floor.
They flew out of the mall and landed harshly on the concrete ground below.
Boom!
Upon landing, they smashed a sizable hole into the hard concrete, creating a violent gust of wind.
As the dust settled, Su Chen stood in the pit, stepping on the belly of the Jade-faced Mantis. The three-foot-long sword was embedded in its chest.
This wound would not be fatal, but the true danger lay in the violent sword energy coursing through the Jade-faced Mantis's body via the blade.
From the moment the vibrating sword energy entered its insides, the Jade-faced Mantis's life had drawn to a close.
Looking down at the Jade-faced Mantis beneath his feet, Su Chen wore an expression that reflected neither sorrow nor joy.
It seemed that for him, defeating a Nine Nether evil creature at the Foundation Establishment Stage wasn't a source of pride.
After all, he had previously fought and triumphed against two beings at the same level.
Thus, for him, this victory against an evil creature at the Foundation Establishment Stage only increased the count of those he had defeated from two to three.
On the ground, the Jade-faced Mantis could feel its life ebbing away.
Just after Su Chen's sword pierced its chest, the violent sword energy surged wildly within, shredding its organs in a matter of moments.
Such a wound would spell death, even for a Nine Nether evil creature with robust vitality.
Yet, at that moment, the Jade-faced Mantis cared little for its impending demise.
It simply yearned for an answer from Su Chen.
With great effort, the Jade-faced Mantis sent a telepathic message: "You... learned it just by watching?"
In response to this question, Su Chen calmly nodded.
In a sense, he was being truthful.
Receiving this answer, the Jade-faced Mantis was utterly bewildered.
It stared blankly at the sky, muttering to itself, "You learned it in one glance... You learned it in one glance."
The strength it had attained through immense hardship was acquired by another merely by observing.
Why had it toiled so long?
Was hard work meaningless when pitted against natural talent?
Overwhelmed by confusion, the Jade-faced Mantis's eyes lost all luster.
If Su Chen's sword had physically cut the Jade-faced Mantis's body, then his ability to comprehend had shattered its heart.
Killing someone and obliterating their spirit were the same.
---
[You killed a Nine Nether Jade-faced Mantis (Second Level of Foundation Establishment Stage) and gained 1,500 experience points, Soul Crystal Fragment (Green) x1.]
[Current experience points: 2,825]
---
Su Chen observed the notification that appeared before him, confirming the Jade-faced Mantis was truly dead.
He withdrew the magic sword from its chest and made his way back into the mall before quickly departing.
Through his encounter with the Jade-faced Mantis, Su Chen had gleaned another vital piece of information.
Evil creatures seemed able to sense each other's positions and states of life.
After all, Su Chen believed his methodical and discreet actions in slaying the evil creatures within the mall would go unnoticed.
Yet, he was soon detected by the Jade-faced Mantis.
This indicated that the Jade-faced Mantis had rushed over the moment it sensed the deaths of many of its subordinates in another location.
Such a revelation indirectly suggested that the demise of the Jade-faced Mantis might attract the attention of other Foundation Establishment evil creatures.
Unless necessary, Su Chen preferred not to confront multiple Foundation Establishment evil creatures simultaneously.
While he possessed numerous trump cards, being besieged by several at once was a precarious situation.
He did not wish to prematurely leave this paradise, where he could kill many monsters and gain extensive experience points, due to haste or recklessness.
"Let's find a place to hide first; otherwise, we might be discovered by other Foundation Establishment evil creatures that are rushing over."
Just as Su Chen predicted, only five minutes after he left, two figures descended from the sky, alighting at the location of the Jade-faced Mantis's demise.
Observing the corpse of the Jade-faced Mantis, a massive creature resembling a rhinoceros beetle felt astonished.
"The mantis is dead... With its speed, I truly can't fathom anyone else in Yushan City who could slay it at this moment."
"After all, even if it were me, if the mantis wished to flee, I may not have been able to stop it."
This new evil creature at the Foundation Establishment Stage was not only substantially larger than the Jade-faced Mantis; its height was estimated to be seven or eight meters—about one-third taller than the Jade-faced Mantis.
What particularly caught the eye was the heavy black armor covering its entire body, along with the ten-meter-long black blade it held in its right hand, which was slightly taller than itself.
From a distance, it presented the appearance of an iron tower, intimidating enough for people to think twice before provoking it.
---
[Name: Giant Hornworm]
[Race: Nine Nether Clan]
[Strength: Third Level of Foundation Establishment Stage]
[Features: A special humanoid creature evolved from a black hornworm, indestructible and extremely powerful.]
---
As the Giant Hornworm finished speaking, a white-faced spider with a curvy figure next to it couldn't help but interject.
"The human who managed to kill the mantis must be remarkable. It seems that we may still have many elusive prey left in Yushan City."
"This reminds me of several strange Qi Gathering cultivators I encountered yesterday. Their sudden appearance was quite odd."
"Should we notify the king about the death of the Jade-faced Mantis?"
---
[Name: White-faced Spider]
[Race: Nine Nether Clan]
[Strength: Third Level of Foundation Establishment Stage]
[Features: A special humanoid creature evolved from Spider-Man, capable of releasing extremely alluring phantom poison.]
---
After hearing the White-faced Spider's words, the Giant Hornworm pondered for a moment before responding, "The king is currently pursuing the two escaped Golden Elixir Stage cultivators. Even if we inform him, he will not be able to return in time."
"Thus, these matters will have to be left to us to manage."
"With the mantis dead, we might be the next targets. We need to exercise caution and remember not to act recklessly."
The White-faced Spider nodded in agreement, then walked forward to touch the body of the Jade-faced Mantis.
The next moment, the Mantis's body shattered into a multitude of green powder.
Witnessing this scene, the Giant Hornworm and the White-faced Spider fell silent.
The degree of injury suffered by the Jade-faced Mantis suggested just how terrifying the mysterious human cultivator could be.
Perhaps... they should proceed with more caution.
The two evil creatures gazed at the powdered remnants of the Jade-faced Mantis, maintaining their silence for a long while before departing.
Meanwhile, many teachers and investigators in the conference room shared the same sentiment of quiet reflection.
"Is this true or false?"
One teacher from No. 3 High School had previously asserted that Su Chen would not survive against the Jade-faced Mantis.
At that moment, Su Chen had found a safe place on the screen and had begun meditating and resting once again, leaving everyone in disbelief.
A ninth-level Qi Gathering Stage cultivator versus a second-level Foundation Establishment Stage creature known for its speed?
Not only did this teacher doubt Su Chen's chances of winning, but 99% of those present likely shared the sentiment.
However, the outcome was that Su Chen not only triumphed but did so in a rather overwhelming manner.
The implications of this revelation were terrifying.
Some of the teachers present might not even be able to defeat the Jade-faced Mantis in a one-on-one confrontation!
As this realization washed over them, the teachers glanced toward the instructor from No. 1 High School, all eyes narrowing on Chen Fugui.
Chen Fugui, who had been somewhat invisible among the other teachers, suddenly became the center of attention.
He reveled in the sensation of standing in the spotlight.
Yes, yes! This felt just right!
Finally, Chen Fugui had the recognition that was rightfully his!
What was wrong with being assigned to lead the human Dao class as the head teacher?
The human Dao class could produce geniuses, too!
Chen Fugui looked around at the envious gazes of the competing teachers and adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on his round face with an air of pretension.
Li Youquan, observing the scene beside him, immediately grasped Chen Fugui's intentions.
He recalled that from childhood to adulthood, any time this narcissist sought to flaunt something, he adopted this same irritating gesture!
Sensing this conspicuous display, Chen Fugui couldn't help but glance triumphantly at Li Youquan, who bore a look of jealousy as if he'd bitten into a lemon.
Then, to the audience's collective chagrin, he gleefully stood to speak.
"It's just that he defeated a Foundation Establishment evil creature on his own. Look how shocked you all are—it's merely a small feat. Just a small feat!"
"Teachers, observe. No one knows Xiao Chen's limits better than I! This is just the tip of the iceberg that he has displayed."
"And how can I say this so confidently? Because Xiao Chen is my most cherished student!"
"His success today is undeniably tied to me, his class teacher!"
"After all, regardless of how exceptional a horse may be, it still needs a skilled trainer to unveil its potential, right?"
As his words echoed, even the teachers of No. 1 High School, who knew part of the actual circumstances, were uncertain about the validity of Chen Fugui's claims.
Granted, he did invest considerable resources into Su Chen's training, but that came after Su Chen showcased his exceptional talent in the mock exam.
Before that event, they had doubted if this penny-pinching fellow could discern the immense potential hidden within Su Chen.
Yet if one were to argue that Su Chen's achievements now bore no relation to Chen Fugui, that would be misleading.
While Su Chen indeed performed exceedingly well in the mock exam, it paled in comparison to his current success—confronting the Jade-faced Mantis directly.
Chen Fugui's financial input could have indeed played a role in facilitating Su Chen's talents.
Therefore, in one sense, Chen Fugui's claims that Su Chen's accomplishments today were inextricably linked to him were not entirely false!
So, when they witnessed Chen Fugui bask in narcissistic glory, there was an unmistakable undercurrent of discomfort among the teachers.
Goodness, was this guy pretending to be humble?
If asked who felt the most envious in the room, it would undoubtedly be Li Youquan.
Once childhood friends, they had both grown up well-off and never faced hardship.
Both had recognized that the path to becoming a great cultivator was arduous, and as a result, they both shifted their focus toward grooming a great cultivator student.
Li Youquan believed that he had leveraged his connections to secure his position as head teacher of the Heaven Dao class at No. 1 High School.
He aimed to achieve the illustrious title of great cultivator's mentor before Chen Fugui did!
Yet now, it appeared that Chen Fugui would attain this accomplishment ahead of him!
What left Li Youquan feeling even more disgruntled was that Lu Xiaoye, the student he had most fervently backed, seemed to be surreptitiously trying to win over Su Chen.
Wasn't this tantamount to suggesting that Chen Fugui, aside from achieving greatness as a 'great cultivator's mentor,' might also gain accolades as the 'great cultivator's husband's mentor'?
The mere thought of this reality twisted Li Youquan's expression into one of discomfort, much like he was wearing a mask of anguish.
He was not afraid of his rival experiencing success; he simply feared being left behind while Chen Fugui soared ahead.
"How come all the good things happen to you, Chen Fugui?"
Unbeknownst to Su Chen, an entirely different drama was unfolding outside the examination room.
At that moment, he was entirely focused on honing his innate magical powers.
---
[Innate Magical Power: Heretic Path Incarnation]
[Rank: First Realm (1/20)]
[Effect: After use, you can cast a Heretic Path Incarnation. The heretic path incarnation possesses 50% of the original body's cultivation and physique, 100% of the skill level, and receives 500% of the damage.]
[Soul Crystal Fragment (White): 35]
[Soul Crystal Fragment (Green): 1]
---
"If I had known I could collect soul crystal fragments in this joint exam, I wouldn't have exchanged the precious green fragments for the white ones."
Reflecting on how he had been forced to spend a green soul crystal fragment to acquire thirty white soul crystal fragments because he was short three,
Su Chen felt a wave of regret washing over him.
To convert the white soul crystal fragments back into green ones, he would need fifty.
Thus, he had effectively squandered twenty white soul crystal fragments.
"Forget it; there's no point fretting over the past. I simply need to focus on the present."
After a day filled with hunting, Su Chen found not only a green soul crystal from the Jade-faced Mantis but also accumulated several white soul crystal fragments from other ordinary Nine Nether evil creatures.
Should he aim to elevate his innate magical powers from the first to the second level, he would need to collect 18 more green soul crystal fragments.
However, Su Chen knew too well how difficult it was to obtain these fragments, as they were rare drops from enemies in the Foundation Establishment Stage.
"I hope more Foundation Establishment Stage evil creatures appear during this exam."
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Su Chen retrieved a substantial amount of blank talisman paper from his storage bag and set it before him.
On the first day of the exam, Su Chen had been busy not only fighting evil creatures but also managing to find time to search for a talisman store, where he had acquired numerous blank talisman papers and some spare magic swords.
This was the true reason why Su Chen had come to the abandoned mall.
After all, with these talisman papers, his talisman crafting skills would allow him to enhance his strength by 10% to 20%.
Had he been able to bring the Black Dragon Sword and Qing Xuan puppet from reality, Su Chen felt confident that he could carve a path through the examination room.
But alas, this exam was merely a simulation; real mission items couldn't be brought in.
Otherwise, he would have given everyone quite the show.
In the dim underground garage, Su Chen continued to draw talismans with a special talisman pen.
Brand new talismans emerged before him.
Not only were these talismans diverse in type, but they were also of exceptionally high quality.
As the teachers in the conference room observed this scene, they turned to Chen Fugui, Su Chen's class teacher.
"Teacher Chen, why didn't you mention that Su Chen also possesses talisman skills?"
"From what I see, it appears his expertise in talismans... might not be much weaker than his swordsmanship."
Although Chen Fugui was also startled by Su Chen's proficiency with talismans, he realized he must not reveal it at that moment.
If he claimed ignorance, wouldn't it imply he was an incompetent teacher?
Thus, Chen Fugui adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses again and answered in a serious tone, "It's not that I didn't say anything—it's just that you didn't ask, right?"
"..."
"Well, well, you deliberately kept this from us to boast again, didn't you? We shouldn't have waited so long to ask—it seems you took advantage of us."
"Damn it, why don't I have students like Su Chen?!"
---
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