The masked ones stood in front of the participants and announced their result.

“Now that the 2nd Test has been completed we shall announce the point calculating system. Your points were all calculated on the amount of brutality you could inflict on your enemy. Gaining only a single point is barely defeating your opponent and all ten points are for utter and complete demolition of the enemy. Of this batch only two among you have achieved ten points !” Most of the participants hearing this were shocked, someone among them had managed to accomplish such a feat !

“If you have any questions please raise your hands.” The Masked one blandly stated.

Several hands rose up, among them one belonged to Xiao Kang.

“Yes you first” The masked one pointed to one of them.

“Can you tell us who the two who obtained ten points were ?”

“Oh well they are Ling Xuan and Xiao Kang, ok next !” The masked one stated as if stating a mere insignificant fact.

The participants however were quite shocked upon the reveal of the names.

“Ling Xuan? Wasn’t his father a prodigy himself,looks like their genius and power runs in their blood.”

“Ling Xuan, are they talking about my elder cousin?” A member of the Ling Clan asked someone

“Of course dummy, who else do you think is both Ling Xuan and also talented enough to come here?”

“Xiao Kang ? I’ve never heard of a Xiao Clan.”

“If I remember correctly the Xiao Clan is supposed to be an average level clan from Giant’s Fall.”

“Woah, looks like the Xiao Clan are truly blessed by the Dragon !”

Several conversations had sprung up after the identity of the two Martial Prodigies.

“So was that the only question you people wanted to ask?” The voice of the masked one resounded in the hall. Soon everyone was quiet and steadily raised their hands.

“Yes,now let me see.” The masked one scanned every individual who raised their hand.

“Yes, you ! Ling Xuan !” The masked individual chose.

“Senior,why are you telling all of us this information such as the point system?” Ling Xuan asked

The sound of chuckling could be heard as the masked one was amused at the question.

“Finally a proper question !” The masked one exclaimed.

“How idiotic are you children to not question why we’re just force feeding you this information ?” The masked one raised his hands to emphasise his point.

“Like, I know that you all are children but you all are prodigies as well !” At this point the masked one was just rambling on and on.

“Now the reason for such an action is a part of the 2nd Test itself ! If you can’t even know when to ask a correct question you all will be rightfully fucked the moment you step out into the real world !”

Hearing the students suddenly realise that it was indeed quite idiotic.

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“Due to little Xuan here asking this question and due to my generous nature, two points to Ling Xuan I say !”

Hearing this all the youths were shocked, after all yes they were quite dumb for not asking a question yet granting someone two points to someone just because of a single question was too much !

Murmurs began to spread through the dim hallway, accusing the masked invigilator for some sort of weird nepotism.

“Shut up people !” The masked man shouted instantly silencing the crowd

As the crowd settled down, the masked man announced in a high pitch, “Time for the third round. This test is to assess your thinking and grasping capacity. It will help your teachers to assess the cultivation limit of a student”.

Ling Xuan suddenly realized something as this was going on. The masked man had not actually answered the actual question.

Not only Ling Xuan but the others also realized that the topic of the situation had actually been redirected !

Truly Shameless !

The masked man continued,” All the students follow me into the fortress as the test will take place in one of the rooms. No person other than the candidate will be allowed into the examination room.”

The masked man led the group out of the dungeon and out to the plains again.

Ling Xuan noticed that the destruction caused by The Dragon King’s Test had disappeared, no sign of wreckage could be seen.

“ They sure do work fast.” Ling Xuan inwardly remarked.

The group was led into one of the mansions as the doors opened, only hundreds of wooden tables decorated with red oriental dragons could be seen, spreading out almost as if devouring the room itself.

Ling Xuan upon witnessing this sight couldn’t help but feel nervous.

“Is this what they call performance anxiety ?” Carto Harts had never truly experienced it a lot, he was always the carefree type who knew that failing in an examination was not the end of something, and that with the sheer amount of money his parents had left for him, he could easily live out the rest of his life comfortably. The last time he felt something like this was probably back in 4th Grade.

And right now looking at the hall that would without doubt be the place where the 3rd Test would be held, Ling Xuan couldn’t help but get cold feet.

As this was going through his mind, the masked man assigned all of them their place to sit.

Ling Xuan, who was shaking quickly, went to his seat and sat down.

“I must calm myself.” Ling Xuan tried taking deep breaths to placate himself yet thoughts were rapidly popping up in his mind.

“Am I sure I’m ready ?”

"What if I completely mess this up? My whole future depends on this."

"I hope I don’t run out of time."

“Can I actually pass?”

“Oh calm the fuck down !” Ling Xuan tightly gripped his shaking hand as he looked as the papers were being passed, in a few moments it would be before him.

“Why can’t I revert to my calmness during the 2nd Test !?” Ling Xuan was astounded.

Why couldn’t he act like the cold and brutal Ling Xuan who could kill with flinching ?

Why was he stuck as Carto Harts, the lazy mortal ?

“The Library !” Carto could only think of The Library, his only solace.

“No ! If I connect to the Library now, the supervisors will notice the disturbance !”

As Carto was thinking of this, he noticed that the paper was already in front of him with all the questions written in the Ancient Dragon Script.

Carto’s heart beats were only getting faster.

What would he do?

No

What could he even do?

………………….

“Huh ? Where am I?!” Carto suddenly found himself transported to a beach, it was night and the waves were swaying with vigor.

There was no sign of civilization no matter how far Carto looked, there was only him and the beach.

Nothing else.

“Quit your monologuing Carto !” A voice shouted at him.

“Who’s that !” Carto shouted with surprise after all, just now he had looked everywhere.

“Oi ! You did not look everywhere or else you would’ve noticed me, fool !” The voice rebuked Carto’s thoughts.

Suddenly from the waves a person pounced forth and punched Carto.

BAM

Carto was sent flying and with a great thud fell on the moist sand, dirtying him as a result.

“You're seriously thinking of your appearance in such a situation !” The person shouted exasperated.

Carto after dusting himself finally got a good look at his ‘assailant’. As soon as he saw him, Carto involuntarily gulped his saliva as his eyes widened.

It was none other than Ling Xuan.

“How a ar e y you h…here?!” Carto stammering asked.

“What are you panicking about mate?” Ling Xuan slowly walked towards Carto

“You think I’m gonna beat you?” Soon he was face to face with him.

“If you think so then you’re goddamn right mate !” Ling Xuan threw another punch into Carto’s face.

Carto stepped back holding his nose.

“Ah fuck !” The pain was brutal for Carto, it felt as if his breathing had stopped.

“I really don’t understand your personality Carto !” Ling Xuan cracked his knuckles.

“At one point, you’re the smartest person in the realm, then at the next moment you transition into a child !” Ling Xuan sighed.

“Is this how your former race exists ? Always in a hypocritical state of mind ?” Ling Xuan asked.

Carto had no defense, after this was the truth. Yet he had a rebuke.

“This world is also hypocritical, Ling Xuan !”

“You think I don’t know that ? Almost all forms of sentient life are hypocritical in one way or another. I just thought that since you come from another World, it would’ve been different somehow, My idiocy I guess.” Ling Xuan heavily sighed.

“Now, we are currently in a predicament, my dear Carto.” Ling Xuan's eyes turned sharp as he glared at Carto.

“Your thought process is flawed in a way, you can’t truly commit a coldhearted murder can you? Even if you kill, it will always be in basic self defense.”

“So are you going to take over me again ?” Asked Carto.

“Nah, although that is a way, I’m not that intelligent for this test mate.” Ling Xuan smiled in self deprecation.

“You are, as I have mentioned before, a nerd whereas I am a highschool jock . We both have weaknesses that the other can cover.”

“So what are we going to do then ?” Carto asked, confused.

Ling Xuan grinned as he spoke.

“We’re going to fuse forever !” Saying this Ling Xuan dashed towards Carto and tackled him.

Suddenly the sea waves started receding and the sky shook with thunderclaps echoing in the far distance.

“Let me go !” Carto tried to struggle and was slapped by Ling Xuan who was pinning his hands to the ground

“Stop moving you fool ! You very well know that this fusion will lead us to achieve greater heights !” As Ling Xuan spoke, a giant wave appeared and started to head towards them.

“Don’t worry mate ! We won’t truly die only our consciousnesses will fuse together, both of us will be Ling Xuan and Carto Harts at the same fucking time !” Ling Xuan started maniacally laughing.

“Ok ! I relent you fucker ! But at least tell me why you punched me !” Carto stopped moving and asked.

“Oh that ? I punched you because of your dumb luck and my misfortune ! Hahahaha !” As Ling Xuan replied, the great tide swept them up.

Ling Xuan and Carto Harts were at the moment both dead and alive