In the Imperial Academy, both King Duan and Han Zhangfeng looked uncomfortable as they stared at Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang through the screen.
They knew that Ping Yang, armed with the Red Flame Flower Armor and the Blazing Qilin Spear could make waves in the combat examinations.
Time, space and people...
Everything was within their calculations. Everything except Ping Yang.
They had guessed that Ping Yang may smuggle herself into the World of the Sage. However, they had thought she would be there to try it out. They did not expect her to team up with Fang Zhengzhi.
The great princess of the Great Xia Dynasty had wanted to join Fang Zhengzhi so badly she even found a Heavenly Reflection student to fight...
Now, she was teaming up with Fang Zhengzhi to partake in a 4v1 battle.
No one could have predicted this.
The Ninth Prince, who was near Han Zhangfeng and King Duan, was confused. Doesn't Ping Yang hate Fang Zhengzhi?
During her birthday party, she had also asked him for ideas...
What's going on?
In the World of the Sage.
Wang Chuanping's expression kept changing. He had no other way out. He had to either withdraw now or battle Su Donglin with Fang Zhengzhi.
This was not a difficult choice.
The first choice had him waiting for another two years, the second choice gave him a lifeline.
"Thank you Young Master Fang for the chance! Thank you Princess Ping Yang! Thank you Young Master Yan Xiu!" Wang Chuanping made his decision quickly and drew two huge blades.
When battling Ping Yang, she did not draw a weapon before. As such, he did not draw his. By the time she drew her weapon, it was too late.
But now, he did not hesitate to draw his weapon.
He was battling Su Donglin after all.
Yan Xiu also opened up the Mountain and River, Heaven and Earth Fan.
Ping Yang was incredibly excited and she stepped towards Su Donglin.
As for Fang Zhengzhi. He walked over slowly towards Su Donglin and smiled.
"Young Master Su, I am sorry!"
"Humph, Fang Zhengzhi! Are you getting ahead of yourself?" Su Donglin's eyes shined with an icy glow despite being surrounded.
1v4.
Two elementary stage Heavenly Reflection cultivators, Ping Yang decked with treasures, and a son of the Yan Family, holding the Mountain and River, Heaven and Earth Fan.
For Su Donglin, he had a chance at victory...
But that chance was a slim one.
But this was the Imperial Examinations, not a real fight to the death. Su Donglin's chances were significantly higher.
He did not have to defeat all four of them.
He just needed one.
As long as he could defeat one of them, he could enter the second round easily.
From there, he can plot his revenge...
Everything was within control!
"So, who to defeat first?" Su Donglin looked at Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu, finally deciding on Yan Xiu.
The reason was simple.
Yan Xiu was the weakest, and he was Fang Zhengzhi's closest buddy. He was the best choice, all things considered.
But...
Is Yan Xiu really the weakest?
Su Donglin felt that way. Everyone else felt that way, including Ping Yang and Wang Chuanping.
But Fang Zhengzhi did not think so.
But this did not matter, the battle had begun.
The first one to attack was Ping Yang.
Even before the other candidates could fully clear the area, Ping Yang attacked, her Blazing Qilin Spear burning up the air as a homing golden glow shot towards Su Donglin.
This attack had floored Wang Chuanping before.
However, Su Donglin was not Wang Chuanping. He was in the advanced stages of the the Heavenly Reflection Realm, and he was one of the core disciples of the Su Clan.
More importantly, Wang Chuanping had no idea that Ping Yang had the Blazing Qilin Spear. Furthermore, he had not kept his distance from Ping Yang.
Su Donglin knew that Ping Yang had the Blazing Qilin Spear.
As such, he dodged the attack easily.
When Ping Yang attacked, Su Donglin already began to move. He moved as quickly as a bolt of electricity, almost as if he predicted the attack...
In fact, he was electricity.
A purple electric glow wrapped his body.
He was almost like a purple snake, dodging and weaving about, never letting anyone get a clear view of him.
He was bathing in the purple electricity.
No one could follow his speed.
In the blink of an eye, Su Donglin dodged Ping Yang's attack, took a leap, and appeared right in front of Yan Xiu.
All of the candidates did not even have a chance to gasp.
Xing Qingsui's eyes were filled with fire as he watched on. His expression darkened as he considered how he would dodge this attack when he was faced with it.
There was also another youth in the crowd.
He was immensely calm. Even after seeing Su Donglin's electrifying speed and agility, he was still expressionless.
His t-shirt and armor looked rather workaday.
However, everyone around him unconsciously maintained their distance.
He was Nangong Mu, Nangong Hao's brother.
Su Donglin's idea was simple.
He wanted to defeat Yan Xiu before Yan Xiu had a chance to react. This was the power difference between them. He had no intention of letting Yan Xiu use his Mountain and River, Heaven and Earth Fan.
This was just the first round of the combat examinations.
He did not want to use too much time and energy on a 1v4. He had a long way to go, and he wanted to get to the top.
Now that Su Donglin was right in front of Yan Xiu, a large current of purple electricity exploded outwards.
At the advanced stages of the Heavenly Reflection Realm, he could easily manipulate everything around him.
Even though there was no clear indication of electricity around him, he was able to find whatever little bit there was.
He was able to influence the outside world and cause purple electricity to flow.
Ping Yang's Blazing Qilin Spear worked the same way. Due to its unique construct, it was able to create fire in the surrounding.
The Blue Fire Wolf was also similar.
Due to its intense speed, the friction between its body and the air caused a fire to burn. However, its fire was definitely no match for the Blazing Qilin Spear.
Electricity had the potential to temporarily paralyze someone. Furthermore, its speed was only second to wind and that was why it was Su Donglin's choice.
Inside the Purple Lightning Storm, an electric snake shot towards Yan Xiu and it covered Yan Xiu's body, almost as if it was going to shatter him.
Su Donglin's eyes glimmered. He knew that once the electricity wrapped around Yan Xiu, it was over.
Yan Xiu would not be able to move.
But he could.
"You're done!" Su Donglin bellowed, then drew a sword.
When the sword was drawn, the tip began to drag a shadow. That was a black silhouette, almost as if it was attached to the tip and forcefully dragged along.
The entire air was filled with static as the black figure was drawn through it.
"This is the Su Clan Shadow Blade Technique!"
"Su Donglin wants to defeat Yan Xiu first?!"
"How fast... first, he used the electric field to immobilize Yan Xiu, then he's using the Shadow Blade Technique to pierce Yan Xiu's defences!"
"I get it now, Su Donglin wants to knock Yan Xiu out so he can advance to the second round!"
When Su Donglin drew his sword, all the candidates knew what was going to happen.
However, no one could save Yan Xiu now.
Yan Xiu was already enveloped by the electric field. Under its influence, he was going to be numb and it could prove lethal in battle.
This was the greatest difference between the Heavenly Reflection Realm and the Star Conglomerate Realm.
Restriction by field!
The Heavenly Reflection cultivator could control the various fields that the surroundings had, and he could use them to attack and defend. More importantly, he could use them to suppress and interfere.
No matter how powerful the Star Conglomerate cultivator, he would find it difficult to bring his powers to bear in this field.
And the Heavenly Reflection cultivator could only get stronger when in this field.
He was faster and stronger.
The electric fields combined with the Su Clan's speed and Shadow Blade Technique.
This was quite the unavoidable combination.
Everyone thought this way, including Su Donglin, Ping Yang, and Wang Chuanping.
The only person who didn't think so was Fang Zhengzhi.
The shadow buzzed as it flew towards Yan Xiu.
Then, Yan Xiu dodged.
Whilst being wrapped by the purple lightning, he moved and his Wind Shadow technique allowed him to dodge Su Donglin's attack.
Su Donglin could not believe his eyes.
"How is this possible?!"
The other candidates also could not believe their eyes. How was Yan Xiu not numbed by lightning. This was virtually impossible.
It did not make any sense.
It was almost as if a human, who was locked up and chained inside a wooden box, suddenly escaped. More importantly, the lock and box were undamaged.
Unless...
A thought flashed by their minds, but, it quickly disappeared.
Very quickly, all of their jaws dropped. The next scene was utterly unbelievable.