Jiangning City.

The capital of Dongning Province.

It is located southwest of Donghai City, only about a hundred kilometers away.

All students participating in the Grand Examination will gather here to take the unified assessment.

At this moment, the entrance of Donghai No. 1 High School was filled with an atmosphere of youth intertwined with tension.

Hundreds of students gathered here, waiting for their homeroom teachers to call roll and make arrangements.

Zhou Huai scanned the crowd and found that the number of students from No. 1 High School participating in the Grand Examination this year was less than he expected.

It seemed to be fewer than a hundred people.

The threshold for the Grand Examination was set: the Rank must reach Level 15.

This rigid standard had already mercilessly filtered out the vast majority of students.

Zhou Huai controlled Gandalf, moving through the crowd to a middle-aged teacher responsible for registration, and handed over his admission ticket.

The teacher took the crystal card and his gaze swept over it.

“Gandalf?”

He frowned, looking up at the mysterious examinee in the star moon magic robe before him.

He was quite sure that there was no such person in his class.

However, the confusion on his face was only fleeting, and he didn't ask further.

He had seen such things many times.

Every year, as the Grand Examination approached, some unfamiliar faces would suddenly appear.

Most were repeat students who had failed the previous examination, or had not met the assessment standards, and had re-obtained examination qualifications through certain connections and financial transactions.

As long as the examinee's age did not exceed twenty and their Rank did not exceed Level 20, the organizing committee usually turned a blind eye.

This was already an unwritten rule.

After confirming the admission ticket was correct, the teacher habitually used an observation technique to scan Gandalf's Rank.

The next second, his pupils suddenly contracted.

LV20!

He was taking the examination at max Rank!

At this, he became even more convinced of his judgment.

He must be a repeat student, no doubt.

After all, due to the beast tide in recent days, many students dared not leave the city to level up, and those who could reach the Level 15 threshold in their graduating year were considered good.

This guy in front of him had clearly spent an extra year compared to others.

Thinking of this, the expression on the teacher's face also grew a few shades colder.

“Go sit in the last row.”

He pointed to the back of the bus, his tone devoid of emotion.

“Speak less.”

Zhou Huai controlled Gandalf, who nodded and walked straight onto the bus, sitting down in a corner of the last row.

As soon as he sat down, the noisy chatter in the carriage quieted considerably.

Countless curious, scrutinizing, and even somewhat jealous gazes fell upon the shimmering star moon set he wore.

“Holy cow, what kind of equipment is that? It looks so awesome!”

“A whole set of Mage gear? How much must that cost?”

“I don’t recognize him. Do we have such a person in our school?”

“Who cares, looking at him, he’s probably a rich second-generation kid who’s not to be trifled with.”

Zhou Huai ignored these discussions, closed his eyes, and leaned back in his seat to rest.

Soon, other students also boarded the bus one after another.

Only Lu Qi, surrounded by a group of people, uniquely boarded the luxurious private car sent by the Zhou Family.

He rolled down the car window, his gaze sweeping over the crowded bus, a hint of undisguised disdain curving his lips.

A moment later, the convoy slowly started.

It headed west, towards Jiangning City.

To ensure the safety of the examinees, the military had already dispatched troops to clear out the Strange Beast along the way.

Squads of heavily armored soldiers, riding war beasts, patrolled back and forth on both sides of the road, an air of solemnity pervading the area.

Two hours later, the convoy successfully arrived in Jiangning City.

Compared to Donghai City, this provincial capital appeared even more prosperous and majestic.

Its hundred-meter-high city walls, like a colossal steel beast spanning heaven and earth, exuded a reassuringly weighty aura.

The bus slowly drove into the city and finally stopped in an incredibly vast square.

Gandalf followed the flow of people off the bus.

Looking around, the square was already filled with school buses from various cities in Dongning Province.

Dozens of buses, nearly a thousand examinees gathered here, presenting a magnificent spectacle.

Zhou Huai's gaze swept through the crowd, and soon he spotted that familiar figure in the No. 2 High School team.

Ye Xi was surrounded by several young female companions, her small face tightly drawn, her hands nervously clutching the hem of her clothes.

Zhou Huai looked at her feigned composure and felt a bit like laughing.

With a thought, his consciousness instantly returned to his main body.

He took out his phone and skillfully sent a text message to Ye Xi.

【Good luck with the Grand Examination, just relax. Don't be too nervous, you're so excellent, you'll definitely get into a top-tier academy.】

On the other side, Ye Xi was taking deep breaths to adjust her mindset when her phone in her pocket suddenly vibrated.

She took out her phone and saw it was a message from Zhou Huai. A brilliant smile immediately bloomed on her tightly drawn little face.

Her nervous emotions seemed to be instantly soothed.

Her fair fingers tapped rapidly on the screen, but when replying, her mouth remained stubborn.

【Brother Zhou Huai, I'm not nervous # Nоvеlight # at all! Hmph!】

【Besides, I don't want to go to any top-tier academy.】

【Getting into Dongning Academy is enough.】

Zhou Huai looked at the reply, a little surprised.

【Why? With your talent, you could completely go to a top-tier academy in the Imperial Capital or the Demon Capital.】

Soon, a new message popped up.

【Because other academies are too far from you!】

【Then I wouldn't be able to visit you often anymore.】

【Dongning Academy is closer, it's right here in Jiangning City. As soon as I have a holiday, I can go back to Donghai City to see you.】

Zhou Huai looked at the text on the screen, a warm current flowing through his heart. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

This girl...

He shook his head helplessly, yet a smile played on his lips.

That's fine too.

If she gets into Dongning Academy, she'll be in Jiangning City.

In the future, if she really encounters any trouble, he could send a Clone over to look after her.

Just then.

Buzz—!

The ground of the entire square suddenly lit up with brilliant runic light.

Ancient and profound Formation patterns rapidly spread across the ground, enveloping all the examinees.

A solemn and majestic aura instantly quelled all the clamor.

Immediately after, a dignified and grand voice, amplified by the broadcast, resonated throughout the square, echoing in everyone's ears.

“Attention, all examinees!”

“Maintain silence!”

“The Grand Examination is about to begin!”