C194 You Guys Just Watch Obediently(4)
Hmm, those Gold Level prodigies.
They actually didn't know how to use their abilities effectively but still managed to join forces!
It's fair to say that aside from Lee Zi and Chu Yi, the small team comprised of a few Gold Level prodigies was the strongest.
As a result, their points consistently increased.
With less than two hours remaining in the competition, Chu Yi's points remained unchanged, maintaining a substantial lead with over 28,000 points.
Lee Zi's points had already surpassed 14,000.
His second-place position was unshakeable.
As for third place...
The third-place contender had yet to reach 10,000 points and was a top-tier Gold Level prodigy, the strongest after Lee Zi and Chu Yi.
His team was also the most formidable in the competition, excluding Lee Zi and Chu Yi's team.
In fact, many were eager to see Lee Zi and Chu Yi's team clash with the team of Gold Level geniuses.
Although everyone anticipated that the Gold Level team would ultimately be defeated, it would represent the pinnacle of competition in this round of the exams.
Regrettably, such a battle never materialized by the end.
Ultimately, Chu Yi finished first, and Lee Zi came in second.
The Gold Level geniuses were ranked starting from third place.
The third phase of the other competition areas was not yet complete, so tallying the scores was premature.
Whether participants would advance to the fourth stage of the national examination remained an enigma.
Of course, for individuals like Chu Yi and Lee Zi, who finished first and second, their tickets to the next round were already secured.
After all, they had clinched the guaranteed spots for the fourth stage.
However, even when it came to scoring, these two were likely to advance to the next phase of the examination.
Lee Zi's score might be vulnerable, but Chu Yi's score was undoubtedly unassailable.
A flying car appeared beside Chu Yi.
He knew it had arrived to take them back.
Without hesitation, he and Lee Zi boarded the flying car and set off towards Redmarsh City.
...
Inside Redmarsh City's premier Martial Arts Stadium, excitement was at a fever pitch.
The stadium operated around the clock.
In theory, it was a place where you could come and go as you pleased.
In reality...
Once you arrived, if you ever left, there was virtually no chance of getting back in.
The Martial Arts Stadium had a capacity of only 200,000 people.
That number might seem substantial, but it pales in comparison to the bustling population of Redmarsh City, which numbers in the hundreds of millions.
As a result, most attendees opted to stay put for the full three days.
Even if they did leave, it was typically for nothing more than a quick bathroom break.
Still, a handful of individuals couldn't handle the wait and chose to depart.
The majority of those present were ordinary folks who couldn't match the endurance of the high-profile figures in the VIP lounge, all of whom were at the Diamond Level and could easily withstand a two-day stay.
Upon Chu Yi and his companions' return, an unprecedented wave of cheers broke out among the crowd.
To them, Chu Yi was the hero of Redmarsh City!
While perhaps a bit of an overstatement, this sentiment nonetheless symbolized the hopes and aspirations of the people of Redmarsh.
Redmarsh City had always been at the forefront of the national college entrance exams.
As the nation's hub of education, politics, and culture, Redmarsh had long been a major district for martial arts examinations.
The only districts that could hold a candle to it were Fairmoor and Grassvale.
Regrettably, Redmarsh's performance had been lackluster in recent years, consistently finishing in second place.
Fairmoor and Grassvale would alternate taking the top spot – one batch would see Fairmoor in the lead, and the next, Grassvale.
When the results were favorable, they claimed first place, and when not, they dropped to third.
But the runner-up position had eluded them for some time now, always snatched up by Redmarsh.
To the people of Redmarsh, this wasn't a mark of glory but a stain of disgrace!
They recognized that both Fairmoor and Grassvale were formidable rivals, capable of matching Redmarsh's prowess.
Yet, recognition and acceptance are two different beasts, and whether they could stomach this reality was another issue entirely!
Despite consistently securing second place over the years, being overshadowed annually left them feeling deeply frustrated, to the point of extreme discontent.
In fact, many from the Fairmoor and Grassvale districts would go so far as to label Redmarsh the perpetual runner-up!
The underlying reason for this situation was the lack of a supremely talented individual in the Redmarsh District who could decisively tip the scales.
Previously, there was no one, but now there is!
Enter Chu Yi!
If Chu Yi could lead the Redmarsh District to first place in the Martial Examination, he would become the district's hero!
Chu Yi, however, wasn't concerned about this.
He was utterly bewildered.
What does it feel like to have over two hundred thousand people chanting your name in a relatively confined space?
Chu Yi had no prior knowledge of such an experience, but now he understood.
It was overwhelming and exhilarating!
Indeed, even though Chu Yi had once overlooked the Immortal Demon World, this level of adoration was a first for him.
He took a deep breath, striving to settle his racing heart.
Just then, a figure emerged at his side.
"Greetings, War God Xu..."
War God Xu...
Chu Yi was actually quite thankful to him.
Had War God Xu not offered him a choice and the opportunity to view the complete map, the outcome of this assessment might have been the same...
But the journey would have been far more intricate.
Chu Yi always remembered those who were kind to him.
War God Xu beamed at Chu Yi, saying, "Not bad at all. They certainly didn't recommend the wrong person."
"Kid, you've got my support!"
Chu Yi paused, taken aback by War God Xu's words.
A recommendation? What recommendation?
But before Chu Yi could voice his question, War God Xu had already departed.
War God Xu's status was exalted, and although Chu Yi was confident that his combat prowess was not far behind War God Xu's, he was still seen as a mere mortal by others.
War God Xu, on the other hand, was divine.
Chu Yi quickly pushed aside his doubts as he noticed Chu Tianfeng approaching.
"Grandfather..."
Chu Yi reverted to his innocuous demeanor. Paired with his shy smile and handsome features, anyone would perceive Chu Yi as a gentle and good-hearted young man.
However...
The expressions of the family heads trailing behind Chu Tianfeng twitched slightly.
Anyone who had witnessed Chu Yi's previous battles would never believe this facade.
They had seen the ferocity with which Chu Yi fought against the Diamond Level Demon Lord.
I've witnessed the chilling resolve in Chu Yi's eyes as he prepared to slay those three prodigies, and I've seen his nonchalance as he emerged from the river of blood.
To believe that such a formidable being is genuinely kind and naive would be preposterous.
"Well done, my extraordinary grandson!"
"All these years, I, your grandfather, have paid a great price to secure numerous teachers and resources for you..."
Hearing this, Chu Yi was momentarily taken aback, but he quickly grasped the meaning.
"Indeed, my current accomplishments owe at least seventy percent to Grandfather and the Chu family!"
Chu Yi had come to a realization.
His prior feats were excessively extraordinary. If it became known that he had achieved everything on his own, it could stir unwanted thoughts in others.
Chu Tianfeng's remarks, however, were evidently meant to help Chu Yi deflect some of that attention...
