Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Entering the Assessment Secret Realm

Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Entering the Assessment Secret Realm

“`

“Identity confirmed, Zi Liyuan, take this guidance jade token and you can enter Dragon Academy’s interior through the spatial portal.”

After confirming the identity information, the teacher, who bore a striking resemblance to the character Bald Strong, took out a palm-sized jade token, handed it to Zi Liyuan, and explained the token’s functions.

“Thank you, teacher.”

Having expressed his thanks, Zi Liyuan did not immediately enter the academy; instead, he waited nearby, watching Shen Yurou verify her identity.

“Oh, Shen Yurou, ranked thirty-second in the nation, the second topper in Jiangnan Province, it seems you two share quite a close relationship.”

Raising an eyebrow, the teacher resembling Bald Strong scanned back and forth between the two with mischievous eyes, kindling a burning flame of gossip within.

“Take this guidance jade token and go in with Zi Liyuan. Just a friendly tip, to pass the entrance assessment of the Secret Realm Tower, you must clear 30 floors to qualify. The higher you go, the better the score, and if you can break the record, there will be additional rewards.”

After handing Shen Yurou a jade token, the teacher patted Zi Liyuan on the shoulder, winked, and gave an “I’ve done all I can help as a teacher” look.

For the national exam’s top scholar, a bit of special treatment was within the academy’s allowable range.

Moreover, from the recently accessed information about Zi Liyuan, he paid particular attention to it, especially noting the first and second order tasks were passed at hero difficulty, and now he had reached Second Order LV46.

With such strength, he certainly had a chance to challenge the Secret Realm Tower’s record!

“Thanks for the reminder, teacher, we’ll be going in now.”

“Go on, go on.”

Waving his hand, the teacher then sat back down and began munching on a handful of melon seeds again.

Zi Liyuan nodded, and together with Shen Yurou, they passed through the spatial portal and entered the gates of Dragon Academy.

The spatial portal was like a curtain of water; crossing through it produced no discomfort, only the scene before their eyes changed.

The first thing that caught their eye was a massive five-clawed golden dragon pillar, radiating a dazzling golden glow. In the middle of the pillar, the words “Dragon Academy” were powerfully inscribed.

“Fuck! An epic quality purple artifact!”

Upon seeing the giant five-clawed golden dragon, especially when the halo it emitted landed on him and a buff appeared granting +100% to all attributes, someone couldn’t help but blurt out a national treasure of curse words.

Setting up an epic quality purple artifact at the entrance, aren’t they worried about thieves coveting it?

Isn’t that a bit too extravagant?!

“Liyuan, something feels off. Why is Dragon Academy shrouded in thick mist?”

Compared to Zi Liyuan checking the attributes of the five-clawed golden dragon pillar, Shen Yurou scanned the surroundings at a glance. Apart from the hundred-meter range illuminated by the pillar’s halo, the rest was covered in thick fog, so dense that nothing could be seen within it.

“Take a deep breath and feel this mist.”

What dense fog, this was the gathering of immense Spiritual Energy, condensing into spiritual mist!

Dragon Academy wasn’t just established within a dimensional space but also resided in a Fortunate Heaven and Earth where Spiritual Energy had liquefied!

“I feel the Spiritual Power inside me moving faster, and these mists are filled with Spiritual Energy!”

After taking a deep breath, Shen Yurou instantly recognized the change within her and her face revealed a look of shock.

“It’s a pity we don’t know how to practice Cultivation Techniques beyond our perfected ‘Great Xia Empire’s 9th Set of Radio Calisthenics.’ Otherwise, our internal Spiritual Power would definitely grow swiftly.”

With a sigh, at this moment, Zi Liyuan thought about the number two he had met in the martial trial copy.

That blood lotus stage could definitely make his internal Spiritual Power circulate on its own, truly an invaluable treasure.

“`

“Let’s go, follow the guiding jade token; we need to head to the Secret Realm Tower for the assessment first.”

Taking out the guiding jade token that had just come into his possession, he infused it with spiritual power, and a palm-sized green arrow immediately appeared on it, pointing towards the right.

“This thing works just like a navigation hack in a video game.”

With that remark, the two followed the direction indicated and walked into the thick fog.

After traveling about a kilometer, the guided direction took a slight turn; another kilometer later, they found themselves in front of an ancient, towering gate.

“Oh, we actually have students here for the assessment today. Finally, there’s some fun to watch. Come on, give me your guiding jade token, and I’ll register you, then activate the Secret Realm Tower challenge.”

At the entrance of the old tower, there was a table and chair set up, and a teacher with a Mediterranean hairdo and an oasis in the middle of his bald spot waved at them with a kindly smile.

“Hello, teacher. Is this the place for the assessment?”

Looking somewhat suspiciously at the teacher, whose appearance was less than stellar, Zi Liyuan couldn’t shake the feeling that the recruitment standards for teachers at Dragon Academy were questionable.

Out of the ten teachers at the school gate, each of the five male teachers had rather creative appearances — if they weren’t bald, they were half-bald. And this one, with his Mediterranean hairstyle, had peculiarly left a patch of hair on the crown of his head.

“That’s right, this is the Secret Realm Tower of Dragon Academy, the place for the entrance exam. Any freshman wishing to enroll must pass this test. Here, student, place your guiding jade token into the slot on this mechanism wall, and you can activate the Secret Realm Tower.”

The enthusiastic teacher guided the two to the entrance of the old tower, pointing to a wall on the left that was faintly glowing blue.

On this wall, there were countless slots, each capable of fitting a guiding jade token.

Without much thought, Zi Liyuan and Shen Yurou inserted their guiding jade tokens into the wall’s slots as instructed by the teacher.

Suddenly, a weak blue light seeped into the jade tokens. Before Zi Liyuan could react, the blue light spread along his fingertips and enveloped his entire body. In the next instant, he disappeared without a trace.

[Ding, entered Dragon Academy’s assessment Secret Realm, Secret Realm challenge mode activated, challengers have one minute to prepare.]

[Challenge rules of the Secret Realm: To clear a level, all the BOSSes that appear must be slain. There is a five-minute rest period after each level is cleared, and every ten levels cleared will award 100 Dragon points.]

[Limit of 5 healing items per level of the Secret Realm (choice of Health Recovery Potion or Spiritual Energy Potion), other potions and scrolls are banned!]

[Challengers’ skills, with a cooldown of less than 5 minutes, will have their cooldown fully reset before entering the next level.]

[Summoned creatures can only die once during the Secret Realm challenge; they cannot be summoned again!]

[Challenge countdown begins: 10, 9…1, 0! Transporting to the first level of the Secret Realm!]

“Roar!”

As soon as Zi Liyuan entered the first level of the Secret Realm, a thunderous roar rang out, followed by a stench that hit his face.

Gazing at the gaping maw just a few feet away, a deathly shadow arrow instantly formed and blasted straight into the giant mouth.

With a “pop” of explosion, a blood-red number “-53818” flew out alongside the burst and shattered head.

[Ding, congratulations Zi Liyuan on slaying the first level’s Secret Realm BOSS and successfully clearing the first level. You have five minutes to rest or you can immediately proceed to challenge the next level of the Secret Realm.]

(O_o)???

Staring at the vanished BOSS corpse, Zi Liyuan was filled with confusion.

He had just reflexively activated the Deathly Shadow Arrow skill etched into his armor set, and before he even got a glimpse of what the BOSS looked like, it was instantly killed.

“Damn, the body disappeared instantly; at least let me get a look at what this level’s BOSS looked like!”

Shaking his head and sighing, he realized there was nothing he could do. Taking advantage of the rest period, he quickly surveyed the first level’s environment — it was just a flat grassland, with nothing else of note.