Chapter 157: The Entrance Examination (Part-3)
"This candidate is unlucky."
"He was ambushed the moment he entered."
"That's a fourth-rank monster. He won't survive."
"With strength at the level of an Upper Elite or Exalt, there's no chance."
Under such circumstances, even crushing the SOS Stone would likely be too late.
Just as everyone was convinced that the candidate on the screen was about to be killed by the fourth-rank monster…
Suddenly...
The image on the light curtain showed that the candidate had not even fully steadied himself after landing. He did not turn his head, nor did he carefully observe the situation. Instead, he reacted purely on instinct, swinging his palm backward with frightening speed.
Pa!
A crisp, explosive sound rang out and passed straight through the Illusory Spirit Screen, echoing clearly across Shuangyong Square.
Just from that sound alone, one could feel the terrifying power contained within the palm.
The candidate's strike landed accurately on the monster that had launched the sneak attack. In the next instant, the fourth-rank monster was sent flying, its body smashing heavily into a towering tree. After a brief twitch, it fell silent, its eyes lifeless.
Dead.
Killed with a single palm.
"Wow!"
The stands erupted.
The disciples seated around the square broke into a wave of shocked exclamations, discussions bursting out one after another.
"This… if it were me, I'd already be severely injured! Not only did this candidate resolve the danger instantly, he also killed the monster on the spot. With strength like this, even many outer disciples can't compare!"
"That reaction speed, that decisiveness, that power… this is the cleanest counterkill I've ever seen!"
"Who exactly is this candidate? With this level of strength, wouldn't entering the top three thousand of the outer rankings be easy?"
"Could he be the one who rushed to second place on the rankings? Other than that person, who could casually kill a fourth-rank monster like this?"
"Hey, haven't you all been a bit too sensitive lately? Every strong candidate gets labeled as that second-place monster. Calm down and watch first."
"Exactly. He reacted quickly and has solid strength, sure, but that alone doesn't mean he's that person."
"Still, his strength is undeniable. Passing the entrance exam shouldn't be a problem for him."
"Let's keep watching. Plenty of geniuses fall halfway. The road is long."
The discussion rippled endlessly through the crowd.
On the other side, among the top-ranked disciples.
"What do you think?" Chu Mingyue asked quietly, his brows slightly furrowed as he stared at the image on the light curtain.
Le Ling, now ranked fourth, thought for a moment before speaking. "From what I see, this candidate is quite strong. His combat awareness, reaction speed, and execution are all top-ranked. Passing the entrance exam should be no issue. After entering Western Mansion, he might even reach the top three thousand of the outer rankings."
"I agree," Xiang Moyang said with a smile. "He's agile and decisive. A good seedling. What is it, Brother Chu? Are you optimistic about him?"
Chu Mingyue did not answer. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Mu Yuchen. "Yu Chen, what do you think?"
Mu Yuchen's eyes never left the light curtain. After a moment, he spoke calmly. "Very strong."
Only two words.
Yet they carried heavy weight.
"Very strong?" Xiang Moyang frowned. "Isn't that an exaggeration? He's decent, sure, but for us, is he really worthy of that evaluation?"
Mu Yuchen glanced at Xiang Moyang with undisguised disdain, letting out a faint sneer. He said nothing.
"You!" Xiang Moyang's expression darkened instantly.
He, ranked fifth, was being looked down on by the sixth?
"Enough," Chu Mingyue said, cutting in before things escalated. Then he turned to another figure. "Sister Nan, what about you?"
Chu Nan shook her head slightly. "I can't see through him."
Chu Mingyue nodded slowly. "That's exactly how I feel."
His gaze sharpened as he studied the light curtain. "This candidate feels… strange. His cultivation level is unreadable, and his aura is even more peculiar. It doesn't feel strong at all, almost like an ordinary person. Yet he killed a fourth-rank monster with one palm. That alone is abnormal."
"Not just that," Chu Mingyue continued. "He was attacked before he even stood firmly, yet he reacted instantly. In a life-or-death moment like that, there wasn't the slightest hint of panic on his face. He was calm from beginning to end, as if the monster didn't matter at all."
"And look at his strike. No preparation, no buildup, yet it landed perfectly on the monster's vital point and killed it outright."
"From every detail, this person is anything but simple."
After hearing Chu Mingyue's analysis, the others fell silent, replaying the scene in their minds.
Only then did they realize how unsettling the performance truly was.
"Brother Chu," Le Ling said slowly, "do you think this might be the candidate who rushed to second place on the rankings?"
"I don't know yet," Chu Mingyue replied after a pause. "We'll need to keep watching. But one thing is certain—he's very strong. Strong enough that he might become my opponent."
The group stared at him in shock.
Become Chu Mingyue's opponent?
That was an extremely high evaluation.
In Western Mansion, Chu Mingyue was synonymous with dominance. Le Ling, Mu Yuchen, Xiang Moyang, even Chu Nan—none of them could truly challenge him. The gap of nearly two thousand ranking points was like an unbridgeable chasm.
And yet, Chu Mingyue was saying that this unknown candidate might become his rival.
The potential implied by those words was terrifying.
Just as everyone was still digesting that thought, Chu Mingyue's eyes narrowed slightly.
"No," he corrected himself slowly. "Not a future opponent."
He stared at the light curtain, his voice low and serious.
"Perhaps… an opponent very soon."
"Because just now—he didn't even use a martial art."
"Didn't use martial arts?"
Xiang Moyang stared at Chu Mingyue as if he had just heard something absurd.
He shook his head repeatedly and blurted out, "Impossible. Absolutely impossible. Without using martial arts, how could he kill a fourth-rank monster with a casual backhand? That's a Level 4 monster! One equivalent to a Spirit Realm expert! You're saying it was killed barehanded? Even I can't do that!"
Le Ling frowned as well, clearly unconvinced. "Brother Chu, are you mistaken? No martial arts, no preparation, and the monster dies instantly? If you said he was the second-ranked candidate, I might believe it. But killing a Level 4 monster with bare hands… that's a bit too outrageous."
"I understand why you doubt it," Chu Mingyue replied slowly. His expression carried the same disbelief, mixed with careful scrutiny. "But did you notice something? When he struck with his palm, there was no trajectory at all. No energy fluctuation. No sign of power circulation. It looked exactly like a casual slap."
"That kind of strike," Chu Mingyue continued, "cannot be a martial art. Not even the simplest one. Honestly, even I find it hard to accept. If I hadn't watched carefully, I would have missed that detail as well."
Le Ling inhaled sharply. "That's terrifying… truly terrifying. If that's the case, doesn't it mean this candidate is already stronger than you, Brother Chu? That's unimaginable."
"No," Chu Mingyue said after a moment of silence, shaking his head. "I don't know."
At that moment, Chu Nan brushed aside the hair on her forehead with a casual motion. The simple gesture carried a natural charm that made several people's gazes pause for a split second.
"There's no need to overthink it," she said calmly. "The entrance exam has only just begun. Whatever his strength is, it will be revealed sooner or later."
Among the top-ranked disciples of the outer house, Chu Nan was undoubtedly the calmest. Even after hearing that the candidate had killed a Rank 4 monster without martial arts, her reaction was minimal. She merely glanced at the light curtain a few more times, her expression unchanged.
"That's right," Xiang Moyang said, gradually regaining his composure. "The exam just started. The first candidate shown being this strong doesn't mean everyone else will be weak. If that were the case, how would we veterans of Western Mansion even survive?"
"Let's watch first," Chu Mingyue said decisively, ending the discussion.
In truth, Chu Mingyue himself could also kill a Level 4 monster barehanded. But among the outer disciples of Western Mansion, he was the only one capable of doing so.
Which meant that, at the very least, the candidate on the light curtain stood on the same level as him.
That realization made Chu Mingyue's heart stir uneasily.
Could this person truly be the mysterious second-ranked candidate?
…
On the high platform.
"Hm?" Gong Liansheng's eyes lit up slightly as he watched the scene. "This candidate is quite good. Killing a fourth-rank monster with bare hands… His cultivation should already be above the Spirit Realm. To see such strength among candidates is rare indeed."
At that moment, Elder Lu, the person in charge of the North District, stepped forward and said proactively, "Envoy Gong, this candidate is named Li Wei. He comes from our North District."
"Oh?"