C155 The New Rules the Fierce Competition!

"I'm delighted to see that none of you are afraid," War God Xu said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "But don't get carried away with optimism."

"We've spent a considerable amount of time searching for a testing ground like this one," he continued, a mysterious glint appearing in his eyes. "After all, finding a location near Redmarsh City that encompasses Bronze, Silver, and Gold is no small feat."

"Of course, the real challenge was ensuring the presence of a few top-tier Demonic Beasts."

While the mention of the first three levels hadn't stirred much concern, the revelation of the peak Demonic Beasts sent a wave of alarm even through the most talented individuals. A Demonic Beast, and not just any, but a peak Demonic Beast!

In the hierarchy of Demonic Beasts, they are on par with a Gold Level General. And while Demonic Beasts are significantly stronger than humans of the same level, those who have made it to the third stage of the examination are the cream of the crop among humans, boasting unparalleled strength among their contemporaries.

They remain undefeated unless they come face to face with Demonic Beasts of extraordinary and powerful bloodlines. Surpassing their own rank to challenge stronger opponents isn't out of the question for them.

Thus, for these prodigies who have reached Silver Peak or even Gold Level, ordinary Demonic Beasts pose no threat. But War God Xu mentioned the existence of a peak Demonic Beast here, and that's a game-changer.

A peak Demonic Beast is on the level of a Human Diamond Level Great General! With the innate power of Demonic Beasts, they are virtually unbeatable by these individuals.

To have a peak Demonic Beast in their examination area, and possibly more than one? It seemed like a death sentence.

At that moment, the word 'death' was all that echoed in the minds of these geniuses.

"Your safety is somewhat assured, but only to a certain degree," War God Xu reassured, as a sense of unease began to settle among the crowd.

He was the War God, the pinnacle of human strength, yet even he wouldn't dare to sacrifice all the exceptional talents before him. The repercussions from the government would be the least of his worries compared to the wrath of the powerful families backing these young prodigies, a burden too heavy for even him to bear.

However, the assessment rules will remain unchanged.

Moreover, War God Xu has offered them an opportunity.

"We will protect you, but you should be aware that if the Demonic Beasts truly go berserk, whether we can safeguard you at the most critical moment is uncertain."

Is it possible to protect you when crisis strikes?

There's really no need for further explanation.

Even War God Xu himself might not be able to shield a single person from the onslaught of a top-tier Demonic Beast!

Thus, the level of danger involved doesn't need to be overstated.

"Of course, participation in this assessment is not mandatory."

"The choice is entirely yours..."

"Additionally, before you proceed, you must sign a binding life-and-death contract."

This life-and-death contract is not the same as the one previously signed by all the students.

The effectiveness of that document was quite limited, and for the true heirs of powerful families, it was virtually inconsequential.

However, this time, the life-and-death contract will be signed in the presence of War God Xu.

Once signed, its binding power is absolute.

War God Xu may not be able to confront all the families backing these prodigies, but handling just a few is trivial in his eyes.

Upon hearing War God Xu's words, the prodigies fell silent.

Though the decision was said to be voluntary, they all recognized that they, in fact, had no real alternative.

Given their rate of progress, it was impossible for them to reach such a level of cultivation before the college entrance exams.

Their advancement was solely due to their families' relentless support.

And the motives behind their families' actions were no secret to these prodigies.

They were acutely aware that, if forced to choose between their own well-being and potential rewards, their families would unhesitatingly opt for the latter!

This was a given.

Should they opt out, the first to object would be their own families.

So, while it appeared they had a choice, in reality, they had none at all.

"If you agree, then please come forward to sign the contract..."

Not one of the two hundred and fifty-six prodigies opted out.

Only Chu Yi and Lee Zi truly had the freedom to control their destinies.

While the Chu family valued the rewards highly, they paled in comparison to Chu Yi himself.

The Chu family's aim in seeking those rewards was to foster Chu Yi's growth!

Should Chu Yi truly face disaster, then no number of rewards would hold any significance.

As for Lee Zi...

Though she had benefited from the Chu family's generosity, she wasn't about to throw her life away over something so trivial.

Nevertheless, the pair made their way to the front.

For them, the top-tier demons were intimidating, but they were confident in their ability to defend themselves!

This time, they would also have a number of powerful guardians with them, further alleviating any concerns for their safety.

Before long, all two hundred and fifty-six prodigies had either willingly or under duress signed the life-and-death agreement.

Witnessing this, a smile flickered across War God Xu's eyes.

"Alright, now I can explain the assessment rules to you..."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"The truth is, this assessment has no rules!"

That's right, no rules!

Every genius entering the assessment area, regardless of the methods they employ, has a singular objective: to amass points!

There are two ways to accrue these points.

The first is by slaying Demonic Beasts.

A Bronze Level Demonic Beast is worth ten points, a Silver Level is worth a hundred, and a Gold Level is worth a thousand.

As for the Diamond Level top-tier Demonic Beasts...

They're worth a staggering twenty thousand points!

Indeed, twenty thousand, not ten thousand!

The challenge of defeating a top-tier Demonic Beast is not even comparable to that of an ordinary one.

Furthermore, War God Xu believed that these individuals, even if they combined their efforts, stood little chance against a top-tier Demonic Beast.

Hence, setting a higher point value was of no consequence.

War God Xu did harbor some hope, though.

He aspired to see these exceptional talents exceed his expectations and truly manage to defeat a Diamond Level Demonic Beast!

In that event, twenty thousand points would be trivial.

For those capable of such a feat would undoubtedly be the elite among elites, perhaps even worthy of the title—

Quasi-Heavenly Prodigies!

War God Xu was merely contemplating the idea.

"The second method is to plunder points from others..."

"Everyone starts with one hundred points. If you defeat someone, you can claim their points."

"That means, by defeating your peers, you could gain a minimum of one hundred points..."

War God Xu's tone remained even, but his words sent a ripple of shock through the prodigies' eyes.

College entrance exams in the past were always held in a peaceful environment.

But this year was a stark departure from tradition!

The ability to plunder points from others was not lost on them.

It signified that this year's exam was actively encouraging confrontation among the candidates!

"Is this really the college entrance exam?"

Ordinary people watching on their TVs and online were stunned by these rules.

However, they quickly grasped the implications.

While potentially cruel and likely to have negative repercussions, these rules undeniably promised a more thrilling examination process!

Initially, many had been disappointed to learn that this year's exam would involve hunting Demonic Beasts, deeming it lackluster compared to the one-on-one combat of the arena.

But now...

"This seems far more engaging than the dull one-on-one arena battles!"

Indeed, it was far more captivating.

With the introduction of this second path, one thing became clear—

There was no chance for cooperation among the candidates!

These geniuses had previously considered teaming up, confident that together they could easily vanquish the formidable demons.

Furthermore, even when facing the most powerful demons, they believed they could survive and flee without relying on any guardians.

But now...

If they encountered each other, who would dare to form an alliance?

There was always the fear of a sudden betrayal during combat!

Thus, the second scoring method dramatically enhanced the entertainment value and intensity of this phase of the exam!

It was even more exhilarating and impactful than the so-called straightforward arena combat!

"Is the federal government serious about this?"

Lee Zi asked Chu Yi incredulously.

Chu Yi nodded, clearly intrigued.

Old Master Chu had hinted that this year's assessment would be particularly interesting.

Though Chu Yi wasn't sure if Old Master Chu had prior knowledge, the current developments seemed to confirm his predictions.

It was indeed fascinating!

The potential for collaboration had been severed, and now they even had to be wary of those closest to them.

Moreover, these prodigies had already been tasked with missions from their families, so there was no chance they would hold back.

Thus, one could easily imagine the upcoming battle's ferocity.

"It looks like the idea of an alliance is pretty much a joke..."

Lee Zi sighed.

Even at full power, she was no match for a top-tier demon. Of course, this full power was with her Five Elements Original Combat Body concealed, activating only one of its forms.

Against an average demon, however, Lee Zi was quite confident in her abilities.

She had even pondered teaming up with Chu Yi to keep their true strength under wraps.

But now, it seemed there was no hope for that.

"Not necessarily," Chu Yi interjected, causing Lee Zi to pause.

Chu Yi's smile was laden with implications.

"Under normal circumstances, if everyone's on a level playing field, then forming an alliance would indeed be impossible."

"But if there's a strong individual orchestrating it, that's a different story..."

Lee Zi was puzzled.

Chu Yi offered no further explanation, his smile only growing more radiant.

At that moment, Chu Yi had already noticed some of the candidates beginning to band together...