Watching the sky grow brighter, Lina pulled out a magic pocket watch and checked it. “It’s the seventh hour of the morning. The exam will be over in half an hour.”
Zhang Ye was holding a piece of Yellowbright Ore, examining it closely. He thought this material might be quite good for making orchestral instruments.
Hearing her, Zhang Ye nodded. “Everyone, get ready. Pack up your Soul Essence Lamps. We’re about to head out and make a splash!”
As he spoke, the Soul Essence Lamps hidden in the sky descended and were distributed among the group according to their previous plan.
It could be said that everyone was covered in lamps. Nan, in particular, had several lamp-belts around his waist and several more draped over his shoulders. The lamps sparkled brilliantly, making his entire person glow.
After securing the lamps, Zhang Ye sent his consciousness into the contract space to check on Bolabo and the others. As soon as he entered, the sounds he had previously muted immediately hit him, making him jump.
“Stay away! Get away, bad dog, get away!”
“Who are you calling a dog? Have you ever seen a dog as handsome as me? I’m your Grandpa Gold!”
“Ptui! You, a grandpa? When I was roaming the Demon Realm for ten thousand years, you weren't even a liquid yet!”
“Oh, please. Ten thousand years? You’ve been around for ten thousand years and you’re only Tier Three? You’re a disgrace!”
“That’s only because the Demon King liked me small! Otherwise, I would have become a god long ago!”
“You? Your Grandpa Gold could crush you with a single toe, you believe that?”
“Ptui!”
“Aha, you little bug, let’s see how your Grandpa Gold handles you!”
“Ptui ptui ptui!”
Zhang Ye: “...”
Good grief, his contract space had practically become a battlefield.
Tei Tei, the foul-mouthed bug, and Bolabo, the foul-mouthed rock beast, had been having a cultural exchange while he was away. They had even started fighting. If it weren't for the fact that magical beasts couldn't actually harm each other within the contract space, the Tier Three Tei Tei would have been crushed into sesame paste by the Tier Seven Bolabo by now.
However, Tei Tei was currently taking advantage of that very feature to suppress Bolabo.
Her method of attack was simple: spitting. She spat with everything she had, like a machine gun, firing off ten rounds a second.
Not only that, she could curse while spitting without missing a beat, dealing both physical and psychological damage to Bolabo.
It had driven Bolabo to the brink of madness. He was chasing Tei Tei around to give her a beating, but he couldn't land any real damage.
Tei Tei was one tough bug. Even when pinned down, she could still spit right in Bolabo’s face from underneath. Her combat prowess was truly something else.
Labella stood to the side watching the scene, giggling without offering her brother any help. She was a classic black-bellied little sister.
“Stop, stop, stop! Everyone settle down,” Zhang Ye hurriedly called out as the battle intensified.
If this continued, was the contract space going to be flooded by Tei Tei’s spit?
He had no idea where such a tiny body got so much saliva. He even controlled her feedings; could it be she was converting all her nutrients into spit?
“Bad human! This dog you took in is disobedient! He started bullying me as soon as he got here! Hurry up and hit him!” The bug cried out as soon as she sensed Zhang Ye’s consciousness.
Bolabo was a higher tier and much larger, after all. He could pin her down with one hand. Being held face-down was extremely uncomfortable—mostly because it was easy to choke on her own spit.
Zhang Ye massaged his temples and waved a hand, immediately lifting Bolabo and setting him aside.
Tei Tei quickly flipped over and hid behind Zhang Ye’s projected consciousness, glaring warily at Bolabo.
Zhang Ye chuckled and said to Tei Tei, “What’s this? I thought you couldn't stand me. Why are you seeking my protection now?”
Tei Tei paused, then said haughtily, “Protection is protection! Don’t think you can turn me against my people! I’m staying in your contract space, eating your food, and cursing your contracted beasts just to screw you over! Hmph!”
Zhang Ye burst into laughter and couldn't help but reach out with his projected hand to rub the top of Tei Tei’s head.
Unlike the fluffiness of a cat or dog, the top of Tei Tei’s head was a seamless layer of chitinous armor. It had a matte texture that felt cool to the touch and was actually quite pleasant.
“Don’t touch me, bad human!” Tei Tei’s antennae flicked, trying to stop Zhang Ye’s hand, but the light pressure was more like she was tickling him.
“Why does it look like you’re enjoying it?” Zhang Ye teased.
“I’m not enjoying it at all! It’s miserable! Let go of me!” Tei Tei said.
Zhang Ye: “But my hand isn't even moving. You’re the one rubbing against it.”
Tei Tei: “Dastardly human! You’re actually controlling me to make me cater to you! How disgusting! Ptui!”
Zhang Ye: “...”
Looking at this bug whose mouth said no while her body said yes, Zhang Ye didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
She was still quite cute.
But that was as far as it went.
Rubbing her head was fine, but if he wanted her to produce offspring or fight alongside him, this girl would definitely spit in his face.
Her loyalty to the Demon King was no joke.
After rubbing Tei Tei’s head some more, Zhang Ye smiled at Bolabo. “Tei Tei is still young. You two should be more patient and not bully her. I’m still counting on her to give me offspring in the future.”
Tei Tei immediately raised her head. “Did you hear that, big dog? Don’t bully me! I still have to... Wait! I won’t give you any offspring!”
“Boss, this creature has a dark aura,” Bolabo said. “Her kind can never be tamed. Keeping her is a liability; she might even turn on her master. It’s better to just kill her!”
Labella also nodded in agreement. “I also think it’s better to kill her.”
Hearing this, Tei Tei immediately shrunk into a corner, remaining silent.
Zhang Ye glanced at her and then said sternly, “Having a dark aura doesn't mean she’s a liability. You’re not allowed to talk about Tei Tei like that anymore, understood?”
Bolabo and Labella were stunned. They opened their mouths to speak but eventually just nodded. “Alright...”
Tei Tei also raised her head, her large red eyes looking at Zhang Ye with an inexplicable light. “Bad human...”
Zhang Ye suddenly looked at her and grinned. “Well? Are you moved?”
Tei Tei was taken aback and turned her head away. “Who... who would be moved? Bad human!”
After joking around with his three contracted beasts for a while, Zhang Ye gave one last instruction before leaving. “Don’t bully Tei Tei, okay?”
“Got it, Boss!” Bolabo said obediently.
Zhang Ye nodded and withdrew from the contract space.
A moment later, a magic circle suddenly appeared beneath everyone’s feet, signaling that the entrance exam had officially ended.
In the next instant, everyone was teleported to a gray space. Countless examinees appeared around them, and beneath their feet was a massive magic circle supporting everyone.
On the other side was the stone gate from before. Everyone passed through the gate and returned to the square.
“It’s finally over.” Zhang Ye stretched. “I’m exhausted.”
Beside him, Nan couldn't help but roll his eyes.
You’re exhausted?
Then what about me, who got robbed by you three times?
After being robbed three times, I worked myself to the bone hunting monsters! I’m not even complaining, so what the hell are you tired for?!
Finally, all the examinees were assembled. Zhang Ye took a quick look around.
Over eight thousand had entered, but only about six thousand had returned. Those who didn't return had either fallen to magical beasts or died at the hands of other examinees. The mortality rate had reached twenty-five percent.
Furthermore, Zhang Ye noticed that many examinees had very few soul essences in their lamps. Some were even covered in dirt and didn't have a single lamp on them, clearly having been robbed.
Of these six thousand-plus examinees, it was likely that fewer than three thousand would actually earn a rank. The rest, whose points were insufficient, would be directly eliminated.
At that moment, a Saint-tier flew over and raised a hand, casting a massive, wide-range healing spell. The wounds on the examinees immediately began to heal rapidly, and even those who were critically injured were no longer in danger.
“Look at those people! They have so many lamps!”
“My god, that many lamps... did they go on a robbery spree?”
“Holy crap...”
A group of examinees immediately noticed Zhang Ye’s group. Nan, in particular, carrying countless lamps on his back, instantly became the star of the square.
“Silence. The tallying will now begin.”
A Point Rankings board appeared in the sky, synchronized with the rankings of each exam zone.
The first one was Nan.
...
...
Rate on N.U.
