Yu Qin finally understood what it meant to have reliable teammates secured through rather… unconventional methods, even if the other party was less than willing.
"So, as long as you back someone into a corner with no way out, you can have them," she mused internally. "Got it, you little jerk."
Yao merely grinned, the expression sharp and unapologetic. The Lin siblings said nothing. They were in the party now. What was there to say? They could only silently give thanks for Pang Ci's sacrifice… hopefully, watching from the outside wouldn't give the poor guy an aneurysm. By all rights, as the de facto strongest vanguard in Jingyang, he should have been here. Yet, the big boss hadn't even been engaged, and he was already out.
Outside, in the spectator hall, Pang Ci's face was thunderous. He ignored the icy, disdainful glances from the noble families, plopping down heavily on a bench to watch the outcome unfold, fury simmering in his gut.
On the screen, Yao, having successfully formed her four-person squad, led them away swiftly. Lin Hengjing remained silent as ever, a quiet shadow. Yu Qin studied her, wondering what benefits the girl had reaped from the second stage. Both Lin Chengxiu and the now-absent Pang Ci had seemed fiercely protective of her. In their three-person act, she had been the safest, the most concealed.
Lin Chengxiu finally broke the silence as they moved. "Not going to fight them? I thought you were confident enough." It wasn't sarcasm. He was confident in his own intellect, but having lost to her, he acknowledged hers was superior.
Yao, in the process of pulling out the pungent, blood-stained coat of a Coffin-Bearer and shapeshifting into the hulking form of a tall wooden goblin, didn't pause. "I think the Education Bureau people are depraved."
Huh?The non-sequitur threw them.
Why bring that up now? Although, they silently agreed, they werepretty depraved.
Yao sighed, the sound oddly human coming from the gnarled goblin face. "The 'Golden Triangle' is praised as an extremely stable structure, but from a power dynamic perspective, it's incredibly volatile. The moment one side shows even a hint of threat, the other two warring factions immediately stop fighting each other and fixate on the new threat. So, don't test people's depravity with advantages you might not even truly possess." She finished fastening the coat, the stench of grave earth and old blood wafting from it. "By the way, I came from the outside, from a garbage planet. I don't fully understand… why is Jingyang so universally hated? It's honestly surprising."
Even she wasn't omniscient. Her original plan to stir trouble and pin the blame on Dongchen was meant to incite conflict between the two cities. She hadn't expected them to start fighting andsimultaneously gang up on Jingyang. Preserving Jingyang's human resources was part of her plan. This mess was… irritating.
Her question hung in the damp, cold air of the hidden passage. The three natives exchanged complex glances. Surprisingly, it was the usually taciturn Lin Hengjing who spoke, her voice soft but clear. "Fifty steps forward, then another sixty or seventy… until your legs break from walking."
Ah.Yao understood instantly. Historical baggage. Legacy of being despicable. The folkways of this damned Jingyang place were far from pure. They were experts at bootlicking the powerful and kicking the downtrodden, masters of hypocrisy from nobility down to commoners. She dismissed the thought. It wasn't her concern. "Little Flayer is about to unleash his ultimate. We can't stay here. This is his stronghold, full of Leaping Corpses. He's a Death Arcanist. Once he pops his ultimate, even the 'processed' corpses will become new threats. So… I'll lure him away."
She looked at the three of them. The one common trait that had made her choose them was that they were smart enough and wouldn't cause stupid problems. "You know what to do."
Without another word, she melted into the shadows of the corridor, leaving the trio behind. They glanced at each other, then wordlessly scattered, using stealth skills to vanish, putting as much distance between themselves and the funeral parlor as possible, even if it meant sacrificing precious time for points. But she had discerned the mysterious Little Flayer's class and identity, meaning she was several steps ahead. How? Agility could be stacked with stats. Her weak constitution and strength made high agility understandable. But this level of insight, surpassing her level and attributes, usually stemmed from either a genetic talent or… a pet. Each of them arrived at the same conclusion privately. Perhaps rationalizing her methods helped mitigate the irritation of being strong-armed into her team. Before leaving, they didn't forget to leave behind a complex cocktail of residual elemental signatures in the room, thoroughly muddling the light element traces.
Meanwhile, the top candidates from Gaoyang and Dongchen, who had initially suspected Jingyang's chaos was a ruse, a deliberate show of weakness, were now convinced after successfully eliminating quite a few Jingyang examinees. Damn, Jingyang really is that pathetic now?From top to bottom, hardly anyone could put up a fight. "If this is some 'bitter flesh' tactic, I'd say it's masterfully done," one muttered.
Wu Xiaomei, ever steadfast in the ancestral feud between Gaoyang and Jingyang, couldn't resist a cold sneer. But Old Lu, leading them as they tracked Yao's group to the previous room, paused. His fingers traced the air, sensing the chaotic elemental residues. "What is it, Uncle Lu?" someone asked.
Old Lu lowered his eyes, a thoughtful frown etching his weathered face. "Something's been off this whole time. If Liu Yun's group really had the protection array key, given Jingyang's current scattered, powerless state, they should be using it to recruit Jingyang's survivors. That fits Liu Yun's style. Precisely because of that, we've been aggressively eliminating Jingyang examinees to prevent an alliance. Yet… Liu Yun hasn't. He seems to be doing the same as us, culling Jingyang." A realization dawned. "You don't think… they believe wehave the key? So they're doing the same thing? Not that Jingyang isn't annoying. Those examinees grate on my nerves just by existing."
Old Lu pondered further. "If neither of us has the key… then the clue under the village chief's house was planted. Someone wanted to pit our two cities against each other while they stayed out of the fray. They just didn't expect both cities to choose to target Jingyang instead…"
Wu Xiaomei's eyes lit up. "Oaks! She's the thief crying 'stop thief'!"
"Unclear. Even if it's not her, it's some other hidden expert in Jingyang. Never underestimate the talent pool of a city. Talents always emerge. It's just that Jingyang's generations have always preferred infighting, never coalescing. This tri-city exam caught them at their weakest." Old Lu was cautious. If Jingyang had a hidden mastermind capable of setting such a trap, their concealment skills were top-notch. They might be lurking nearby even now. "We leave. Immediately. When it comes time to fight the Little Flayer boss, as long as we join forces, Jingyang's losses will be irreversible." Jingyang's numbers were already critically low. Their defeat was all but assured. A standout individual couldn't change that.
Just as they were about to withdraw, Liu Yun's group appeared at the other end of the passage. The two groups faced off, the atmosphere instantly tense.
Sak remained his usual fiercely wild self, but Liu Yun beside him appeared the picture of scholarly composure. Tall, lean, wearing glasses that gave him a politely dangerous air, and simple canvas shoes, he smiled. "Old Lu, we've known each other for years, always rivals in competitions. Hiding the key and refusing to hand it over, then deliberately telling the Jingyang folks Ihave it… that's rather shameless, don't you think?"
Old Lu's eyes flashed. "Spare me. Crying 'stop thief' yourself? You think no one sees through your schemes?"
Liu Yun waved a hand. "Pointless bickering. Then… only those who are eliminated will learn the truth. I'm willing to help you out, Old Lu. Remember to treat me to skewers."
Old Lu smiled. Then he struck. "I'll treat you to a hammer!"
Boom!
The two elite groups, over three hundred strong, erupted into battle. The entire corridor shook, stone cracking under the force. Old Lu's four and Liu Yun's two, the strongest of each side, clashed directly, their power forcing others back. Yao, observing from the shadows, analyzed their damage output. Old Lu and Liu Yun were at least on par with Pang Ci—from what she could see now. With their team's coordination, they were even more formidable. Had Pang Ci's full trio been here, the outcome might have been different. Hard to say.
She waited patiently, silently calculating Old Lu and Liu Yun's spiritual energy reserves. When they paused for a potion after a furious exchange, she confirmed it: both had surpassed eighty thousand. A bitter taste filled her heart, but her movements were a blur. She targeted Liu Yun in a lightning-fast assault!
Swish!
Her attack never landed. The moment she flashed out, both Liu Yun and Old Lu, as if by prior agreement, broke off their duel and redirected their unleashed fury towards her. Old Lu's face held a trace of anger. "Been waiting for you!" Liu Yun's smile was pleasant. "I'm terribly curious about your true face. May I have a look?"
Their combined assault was something no single examinee could withstand. Yao relied purely on her monstrous Perception and Agility to dodge and weave. But with a deafening crunch, her Coffin-Bearer disguise shattered. Tattered clothing flew, revealing…
In the spectator hall, everyone held their breath… Here it comes! Will she be exposed?Even if she was from their city, she was deeply unlikable. The Lan and Teng families practically vibrated with the hope she'd be pummeled on the spot.
The next second, their expressions froze.
The Shadowman mask.
Oaks had revealed Pang Ci's Shadowman identity.
Old Lu's eyes lit up with dawning comprehension. Liu Yun raised an eyebrow. "As I thought. My investment in purchasing the stage-two recording resources from your Jingyang wasn't in vain." It was no surprise the elites from other cities would buy the resources. Liu Yun, a master strategist with no lack of funds, would have analyzed threats from all regions to secure his own high score. They all knew about the Shadowman. Yao pretending to be him… raised no suspicion.
Shen Yunyou and Zhou Linlang, watching, could only sigh in exasperated amusement. Outside, the eliminated Pang Ci, drowning his sorrows in a chicken leg, choked. "Damn it!"
Exposed, Yao turned and fled. They gave chase instantly. Over three hundred elite examinees from two cities collectively chasing a single 'bandit'… out of the funeral parlor.
They had barely left when the Little Flayer emerged, his face dark. Beside him appeared a gaudily dressed, hideous goblin. "Boss, aren't we chasing?"
"We are. But not blindly…" The Little Flayer's eyes, bright and oddly beautiful, yet cruel to the extreme, narrowed. "I have a feeling they're trying to lure me. One of those three factions must have the key. If they're trying to draw me into the village, wouldn't I be walking into a trap?" He was cunning. "Let's watch for now…" As long as he didn't enter the village, this world was his personal hell.
Each side had its own calculations, layers of conspiracy and counter-conspiracy. Parents who had only come to watch their own children now found themselves buying popcorn, treating it as a blockbuster. Who would win this round?
Outside, the rain still fell. Emerging from the funeral parlor, the ground was a quagmire, vegetation soaked. The fleeing and chasing examinees paid it no mind, a mad dash through the downpour. Up ahead, the Shadowman was impossibly fast, heading unmistakably for the village.
Liu Yun observed, his mind whirring. A silent message passed to his teammate. "Looks like he wants to lure us to the village, then use our combined force to besiege the Little Flayer."
His teammate responded mentally, "And you're still following? Not afraid of being used?"
"Remember, this is an exam. The ultimate benefit is defeating the final boss. The rest is secondary. Of course, whoever snags the MVP is a different matter. Keep hidden."
"Understood. But Old Lu will have a backup plan too. Be careful."
Someone like Liu Yun needed no reminder. He had his own schemes. Old Lu was surely the same. Who was using whom remained to be seen. The priority was to lure the Little Flayer to the village…
The proctors watching chuckled. "I have a feeling these elites from both cities have seen through Oaks' plan. They just don't know her real identity yet." Another proctor nodded. "There's another saying about the Golden Triangle dynamic: Once inside an instance, no matter how volatile, once the final boss appears, the triangle inevitably contracts inwards. That aligns with the Education Bureau's ultimate goal for this instance. No matter how humans fight internally, they must ultimately unite against the monster, because the core interest is the same. How they divide the spoils after the monster's death is less important—it all goes to humanity, to the empire's future elites. It's like raising scorpions in a jar. None can escape the pot."
Their analysis cut to the heart of the matter.
Three hundred meters from the village, all three factions tacitly accepted the plan to lure the Little Flayer. And indeed, he followed.
Forty-five minutes remained.
Success or failure hung in the balance. Tension was a live wire. Everyone feared the Little Flayer would refuse to enter, or only watch from outside.
But before they could even reach the village…
Thunder cracked across the sky. The Little Flayer's signature, eerie giggle echoed. "My, my, so many clever little children. I can't keep up with all your schemes and plots. I'm just a simple soul. It's all so scary, so scary~" His voice dripped with false sweetness. "So, to protect myself, I can only choose the simplest method~ I won't let you enter the village either."
His giggle turned maniacal. "You can all just die!"
The Little Flayer's brilliance lay in cutting the Gordian knot. He wouldn't play games with their intelligence. He'd been observing. He knew they were no foolish villagers, but a genuine threat. He had to suppress his playful cruelty and choose the safest method.
Strike first!
Before anyone could react, a dark cloud tinged with bloody light enveloped the area, trapping them all, even Yao at the front. Within the bloody mist, the Little Flayer appeared with the Roving Merchant in tow, strolling leisurely. From a hundred meters away, he smiled at the mass of trapped examinees. The sheer imbalance—two against hundreds—somehow made themfeel the dread.
This boss isn't following the script! Shouldn't he enter the village normally?Despair washed over them. The Education Bureau is brutal!
"Welcome to my world. Soon, your skins will bleed in my hands…" He looked frail, but drew a slender, wicked-looking flaying knife. With a casual flick, he shattered Old Lu's defenses.
Holy—!
"Area attack! Control, now!"
"Healers, quick!"
The three factions instantly united, all grievances forgotten. Battle formation! They'd even pass potions to rivals from other cities. Drink! Fight!The big boss was here, going all out! It was time!
Liu Yun and Old Lu had no choice but to unleash their full power. Instantly, their damage output surpassed what Pang Ci had shown. Not that Pang Ci would agree—he hadn't even gotten to go all out before being cheap-shotted. But Liu Yun didn't forget to shout towards Yao, "Having the key in your hands is such a waste. Seems it's useless now." He was deliberately reminding the Little Flayer, sensing this person still had tricks, forcing her hand.
The Little Flayer didn't need the reminder. He locked onto Yao, vanishing and reappearing with near-teleportation speed. But what annoyed him was this slippery mask-wearer's Perception was freakishly high, predicting his move and dodging with blinding speed, sticking close to Liu Yun and Old Lu's group like glue. No matter how they tried to shake her, she stuck to them with her insane Agility and Perception.
Damn this leech!
The Little Flayer was terrifying. A single slash could break defenses and one-shot examinees of Wu Xiaomei's level. They had to cooperate completely… even revealing their final cards.
The moment the Little Flayer, chasing Yao, plunged into their midst, Wu Xiaomei and the others cursed vehemently, terrified, and unleashed everything—pets, primary-level ultimate skills. A flash of seven or eight pets appeared, mostly Green-grade. Old Lu's team of four all had Green-grade pets, complementing their skills and talents, and they could form a combined formation! Their combat power easily tripled.
Liu Yun, seeing no alternative, sighed and released his current strongest pet—a small dog emitting a soft blue glow. The puppy was milky white, wagging its tail. Two barks later, both he and Sak were bathed in a blue halo.
Attack/Defense Buff +50%!
"Woof woof! I may be a doggo, but I'm super fierce and awesome! Go get 'em, Auntie Liu!" The puppy yapped encouragingly before becoming a blur, hiding at the periphery and wagging its tail.
Auntie?! Who are you calling auntie?!The usually elegant Liu Yun's face cracked. He resisted the urge to scold the damn mutt, raising a hand to cast a healing glow… Ah. He was indeed a healer. And a formidable one. A 50% buff turned Sak into the ultimate tank. With Liu Yun's super-healing and other supports, Sak could reliably tank the Little Flayer's attacks behind a shimmering Blue-grade shield.
With a solid frontline, the backline pressure eased. Hundreds rapidly adjusted their attack lines.
Yao couldn't help but comment, "I think I contributed quite a bit. See? I run over, and you all suddenly get stronger."
Screw you!
"Jingyang really is a breeding ground for scum, pah!"
"Don't let me find out who you are, damn it!"
"Jingyang bastard, if you have skills, use them! Where are the other Jingyang cowards? Hiding?!"
"Damn Jingyang dogs! Worse than Dongchen's Auntie Liu's dog!"
Insults flew from both sides. Though technically middle schoolers, they were older and fiercer than their real-world counterparts. Trash-talking during a dungeon run was standard.
Yao felt a twinge of guilt internally, but what choice did she have? Her persona and the situation left her no way out. If riding the tiger was hard, then she simply wouldn't dismount.
Just as the Little Flayer was temporarily contained by Liu Yun and the others going all out, a dark glint flashed in his eyes. He giggled. "The children are indeed impressive. I almost underestimated you. Good thing I'm scared enough… so… I have a pet too~"
The ground split open. A massive, hulking goblin monster crawled out. Seven to eight meters long, four to five meters tall, covered in crude metal plating, grotesque and dripping with gore. Yao recognized it instantly—the goblin the Little Flayer had cradled initially, and later, the cruel Roving Merchant boss. It had reverted to its pet form. The aura around it was a deep, profound blue, tinged with the faintest hint of orange.
A peak Blue-grade monster pet. The instance's second boss.
Its appearance shattered the precarious stability. The goblin boss swung its massive tail—Boom!Sak, holding the front, was sent flying over a dozen meters, crashing into the ground and vomiting blood. "Damn! This ugly thing hits hard!"
A wave of panic. Some hesitated, considering withdrawal. A few actually did, vanishing in flashes of light. Over twenty gone in moments. Human nature.
Liu Yun frowned, his gaze darting. He sensed that the damned 'Shadowman' still hadn't panicked, wasn't rushing to break the containment field and get to the village to mess with the protection array.
Just as the situation grew desperate, Yao suddenly spoke, her voice cutting through the chaos. "I think you all misunderstand me. I sincerely want to clear this instance. I've put in considerable effort. So… haven't you realized we're already in the village?"
What?!
Even the Little Flayer and the goblin boss paused. The Little Flayer's face contorted in understanding, his mouth twisting into a snarl. "Damned Barbara! Treacherous wench! You dare betray me?!"
His shriek echoed. The ground and space… warped. The so-called wilderness directly transformed into the village. Yes, Yao had already reached the village, and they had all followed her inside. From the beginning, this had been Barbara's illusion.
And there she was, suspended in mid-air—the frilly pink-clad少女,娇俏 yet cold, her eyes filled with hatred and killing intent.
So, what had happened?
Before Yao secured the Lin siblings, back at the prison cell at the instance entrance, the little locust had also been 'handled' by Barbara. It hadn't fought. It spoke with its master's inflection, its words simple.
"The mass graves. The letters on the tombstones—D, L, O. They spell DOLL."
"The dolls in the Little Flayer's private space, the Barbies… they refer to you. You were a victim once. You watched later victims die here. You secretly buried them, gave them markers, so their souls wouldn't wander."
"But you are trapped too. From the start of the exam, we thought you were the first-stage boss. You're not. The first-stage bosses were the Coffin-Bearers. You are the protector. Locking us in cells was to keep us from facing them. But you couldn't reveal yourself. So every time a Coffin-Bearer appeared, you had to leave that corresponding cell. You never faced it directly."
"Do you hate him? Hate the Little Flayer? If so, why not ally with us?"
"Don't you want your mother to leave that filthy cage, leave his private space, return to this free world?"
"Actually, I don't need your answer. You left seeds of hope on their bodies. Those Life Essence Orbs are your preparations over the years, aren't they?"
"You've been waiting for this chance."
"And my master is your chance."
"Barbara, it's time to go."
That was why Barbara was here. The Little Flayer had guarded against all examinees, but not against Barbara.
With the village revealed and Barbara present, the enraged Little Flayer and goblin boss lunged for Yao. They were smart; they knew where the key lay.
Yao didn't hesitate. She produced the key and activated it.
BOOM!
A massive, ancient, traditional array—designed to vanquish evil—erupted from beneath the village soil. Golden chains of light shot from the ground, snaking towards the two bosses with terrifying speed and holiness. Once entangled, would they be destroyed like the villagers they had once bound? Yes.
The Little Flayer shrieked, unwilling to be caught. "Barbara! You think I made no preparations all these years?! This damned array, I've long wanted to deal with it… perfect timing to deal with a traitor like you too!"
His handsome face cracked, revealing traces of decay . He clasped his hands, then pulled them apart.
Hummm!
His private space unfolded around him—cages, hanging chains, human skins, a complex array of sinister runes. "This is my preparation! Crafted to counter this damned array! Today, you will all be flayed!"
Standing atop the goblin boss's head, he activated the array within his space. The power within began to churn…
Good god, this boss is impossible! What the hell is this?! This is just a middle school exam!Many examinees felt like hanging themselves on the doorsteps of the Education Bureau grandees. But they were powerless to stop it. As the array threatened to rupture the village's protective formation, another hundred examinees vanished in flashes of retreat.
Game over. No point.
The commotion was overwhelming. Just as it seemed Barbara's divine intervention would be broken…
"Wait! Look!" Liu Yun, sharp as ever, shouted to his remaining people. Following his gaze, they saw Barbara… wasn't panicking at all.
Huh?
And so, the grand, menacing array from the private space unfolded majestically. The human skins fluttered, connecting blood-qi channels, converging towards the central skin…
Then… that central skin opened a mouth and swallowedall the gathered necrotic energy.
The private grand array fizzled out with a pathetic whimper.
Little Flayer: "?"
Examinees: "??"
Spectator Hall: "???"
Before everyone's eyes, the human skin shimmered and transformed into a plump, round… big yellow duck. It opened its beak and let out a satisfied burp.
The reason it wasn't a locust was to avoid any connection to the farm. The little locust's freedom to shapeshift into a duck was something Yao hadn't anticipated. In that moment, she shared the same thought as Liu Yun: Pets are truly a handful. And you can't just beat them to death.
The Little Flayer's mentality shattered. He knew it was checkmate. He tried to flee… but it was too late. The village array's golden chains shot forth, piercing and entangling him and the goblin boss. Not just entangling, but piercingtheir bodies.
Swipe! Swipe! Swipe!Health plummeted violently… instantly dropping below 30%.
"Now! Attack!" Old Lu and the others reacted fastest, seizing the chance to pile on damage, scrambling for contribution points.
The array's initial burst was the strongest, wiping out most of the Little Flayer's health. But the boss and his pet rallied, entering a fierce counter-attack phase. A cornered beast fights hardest.
However, the chains' purpose was containment. They were pinned in place. They could attack, but not move.
A heaven-sent opportunity for the examinees.
Attack! Attack! Attack!
The remaining hidden Jingyang examinees, having watched from the sidelines, now swarmed out… finally, their turn.
But the highest DPS was undoubtedly Barbara. Her attack power was off the charts, single-handedly matching dozens.
Throughout this, Liu Yun kept observing Yao.
The Little Flayer's health plummeted. 20%! 10%! Still falling…
Eyes met. The final scramble for the kill credit was about to begin.
"Now!" Liu Yun and Old Lu ordered simultaneously.
A collective, ultimate burst of attacks filled the air…
At that precise moment, a translucent figure materialized. Bathed in the buffs Liu Yun and his little blue dog had specifically layered on him, radiating a powerful metallic elemental aura. A ponytailed youth in red shorts and a black shirt, looking unruly but emanating terrifying offensive power. He swung a blade from behind Yao with force enough to one-shot anyone present, a strike even closer to the Little Flayer's power than Old Lu's or Liu Yun's.
But.
His blade struck a coffin.
The coffin exploded, and from within tumbled out a group of Jingyang examinees… and one enraged, flapping goose, absolutely livid.
Honk honk HONK!I'm going to explode! You damned examinees!
The goose lunged and pecked at the translucent youth.
The youth's expression shifted, but his blade continued its arc…
Clang!
The blade shattered. The goose was forced back a step.
So strong?The number one DPS across three cities!
However… that single block was all he managed. A chill touched his back.
A small, pure white goose landed on his shoulder.
Peck!
A bloody hole exploded in the youth's chest. He was sent flying, landing and rolling, a healing halo from Liu Yun already mending the wound. Everyone stared, minds reeling.
What? Another goose?
The next second, they saw Lin Chengxiu and the other three emerge. Lin Chengxiu and Yu Qin entered the fray directly. Lin Hengjing, controlling the small white goose with one hand, pressed her other palm against the air, chanting silently.
The sky churned, clouds gathering into fiery red clusters. Then, searing small meteors began to rain down.
Yu Qin cast a group immobilize + stun + delay.
Lin Chengxiu excelled in lightning… with a single spell, he cast an electric net trapping dozens of examinees from the other two cities, preventing their escape from the meteor zone…
Add to that two geese, one large, one small, pecking madly…
If the Little Flayer weren't fighting for his life, he might have laughed. I'm not even dead yet, and you're already at each other's throats?
Old Lu broke free with a roar, charging towards the nearly-dead Little Flayer. He saw that damned Shadowman going for the kill!
Simultaneously, the shorts-clad youth, wounded, also shot forward. Behind them, Liu Yun, predicting the play, the super-healer with his dog, chose to buff Old Lu's group as well.
Stop that Shadowman from getting the kill! Take her out!
But in that moment, Yao merged with the big yellow duck.
Fusion complete, wielding power approaching that of a full Level 40 Arcanist, augmented by hundreds of Life Essence Orbs accumulated from her early-stage frenzied jungling…
Her weaknesses were completely, overwhelmingly compensated.
Development phase: over. Output phase: begin.
Yao spread her hands. Hundreds of terrifying beams of condensed light-fluid shot forth, instantly piercing through the bodies of Wu Xiaomei and others. Only Old Lu's core group withstood it. Before their counter-attacks landed, the beams, laced with nearly invisible spider-silk threads carrying a potent stun effect…
A one-second stun was enough. Yao turned towards the shorts-clad youth and raised a hand.
The youth raised his blade.
But the moment before it fell, he knew he would lose.
He was gravely wounded. And within that gathered, radiant brilliance ready to explode, was concealed a single, Blue-grade ultimate skill.
A primary Blue-grade attack ultimate: Limit Breaker.
The most significant display of arcane power witnessed so far in this exam.
From Xie Keli. From that final, ultimate radiance within this very instance.
Then, it detonated.
The youth in shorts was blasted back in the blinding light… while the Little Flayer and the goblin boss perished in twin, final screams.
Within the radiant explosion, Barbara, still held aloft by chains, instinctively looked towards the distant funeral parlor. The puppet-like blankness on her face finally shattered.
She smiled, tears welling in her eyes.
Mother… did this light… finally reach you?
Did you… see it?