“If you hadn’t lost it and charged, I wouldn’t have got that shot,” Lin Yun grinned.
The beast’s reckless lunge had bared its soft jaw—handing Lin Yun the opening.
“Damn you—how’d you hurt me? How?!” The ice crystal dragonscale beast roared, shock and fury mixing.
How could a third-rank Mahayana nick it?
“I’ll take you down even if I die!”
Wounded and wild, it charged—claws out to rip Lin Yun apart!
“Sorry—only you’re dying!”
Lin Yun recalled all swords—rushing in for close combat!
Injured, its edge dulled—plus the Holy Spirit-grade domain artifact juiced Lin Yun’s agility—he feared no brawl.
*Boom boom boom!*
Up close, Lin Yun saw it—the beast’s wound sapped its ferocity.
He hammered the gash—worsening its state.
“Heaven-Shaking Hand, Second Turn!”
As it weakened, Lin Yun surged inner force—unleashing a fierce strike on the wound—no scales there, sword power poured in, piercing its brain!
*Splurch!*
Blood geysered—it froze, then crashed dead!
Ice crystal dragonscale beast—done.
“Phew…”
Lin Yun slumped, panting hard—Holy Spirit-grade artifact off, stowed.
He’d thrown everything—barely scraped by.
This fight drained him dry.
Those moves burned crazy force—all at once, lethal.
Thirty-eighth stage—cleared!
Judges’ stand.
“He still passed—I thought he’d tap out here.”
“Mad—he killed that ice crystal dragonscale beast.”
“Strength, gear, savvy—miss one, he’d be toast.”
Envoys marveled, jaws dropped!
This thriller lit their eyes—Lin Yun’s gear haul stunned them!
“Thirty-ninth? He’s cooked,” the white-haired envoy sighed.
“Aye, he’s knackered post-fight,” envoys nodded.
Sure enough—mid-chat—Lin Yun called it quits.
Light wrapped him—whisked from the arena back to the plaza.
Full tank, maybe 39 or 40—now? Zilch left.
“Stopped here, eh.”
Envoys eyed Lin Yun in the plaza.
His run—done.
Who’d have bet on a third-rank Mahayana shining this bright?
“No 39, but bloody ace—he’s set a new record!” Liang Yuan grinned.
He’d hoped for 30—never dreamed this high!
“Thirty-eight—he’s earned swagger, just third-rank Mahayana!”
“Normally, third-turn Tribulation realm hits 38-40—he’s unreal.”
Envoys nodded, awed.
No matter their beef with Liang Yuan—no sneering at Lin Yun now.
He’d won them over—earned their nod!
“Old Cheng, told you my pick’s a freak—you mocked me, speechless now?” Liang Yuan teased.
Back at the gate, Old Cheng had scoffed at “freak.”
“Freak alright! Freak!” Old Cheng forced a laugh.
“Liang Yuan, you’ve brought back a gem,” envoys sighed.
Candidates’ seats.
Other exam takers sat tight.
“He’s out—wonder how he did?”
Third-rank Mahayana peers eyed Lin Yun in the plaza—keen on his score.
Same tier—rivals.
No screen—they’d missed the show.
The four first-turn Tribulation realm and one second-turn bloke? Eyes shut, unbothered.
Why care? Tribulation realm—third-rank Mahayana was beneath them, no threat.
Then—Hall Master He’s voice boomed.
“Dongyuan Prefecture, Lin Yun—thirty-eight stages!”
“Next, Fu Biao.”
It echoed loud.
“What? T-Thirty-eight?”
Candidates froze—stunned.
Even the four first-turn and second-turn snapped their eyes open—gobsmacked.
Ears ringing—thunderbolt shock.
“No way! Thirty-eight?”
“He’s third-rank Mahayana—18’s more like it! Thirty-eight? Bollocks!”
“Aye—history’s third-rank Mahayana cap’s 27—38’s a joke!”
“Got to be a mix-up!”
Candidates leapt up.
The second-turn stood—yelling at the judges, “Hall Master He—score wrong?”
Doubt roared—Hall Master He and envoys chuckled.
He stood, “I’ll say it again—Lin Yun, 38 stages! No mistake! He’s set a new third-rank Mahayana record in exam history!”
Silence fell—dead quiet!
