The staff member departed.
Lu Ding lay on the bed. Following the earlier instructions, he logged into his personal information on the 749 App and began exploring its data.
That night, Lu Ding was like a parched sponge, absorbing previously unknown knowledge.
He swam through an ocean of information.
Discovering the hidden side of this world.
Lu Ding also clarified the cultivation tiers for Qi Refiners.
From low to high: **Awakening (开窍), Zhaoxuan (照璇), Spirit Sea (灵海), Divine Palace (神宫), Siming (司命), Earth Observer (地察), Heaven Observer (天察)**, and beyond. Higher levels existed, but his current clearance couldn't access them.
Additionally, there were countless unheard-of monsters and rare treasures.
Lu Ding found information on the Southern Mountain Boulder.
*Southern Mountain Boulder: Spirit/Monster classification. Also categorized as a rare treasure.*
*Its red internal fluid is essence of earth qi, usable for Awakening. The remaining stone body can be forged into weapons.*
*Excellent, hard-to-find material. Can also be traded to 749 for contribution points.*
Reading this, Lu Ding thought: *"Definitely a treasure!"*
*"So... what kind of weapon should I forge?"*
With this question, Lu Ding slowly drifted into sleep.
Early the next morning, an alarm blared. After washing up, a new staff member arrived to escort Lu Ding to the assessment arena.
Twisting and turning through corridors bustling with people, Lu Ding finally reached the venue.
A roar of voices greeted him. Ahead, a football-field-sized area sank several meters, dotted with several dozen individuals.
Around the arena's edge, a diverse crowd watched: men and women, young and old, dressed in various styles, wielding an assortment of weapons – swords, spears, halberds. The air buzzed with conversation.
"Such a shame. When I joined 749, it was the 16th. Only fourteen days until my assessment! Ended up with an 'Average' score. If I'd had more time, I could've gotten 'Good'."
"*You* call that a shame? I joined on the 23rd! I remember clearly – damn month only had twenty-nine days! Utterly cursed. And *I* still got 'Average'! If I'd joined as early as you, I bet my score would've been solid!"
"See? Luck *is* part of strength. This month, eight newcomers joined before the 5th. I reckon all eight will score 'Excellent,' maybe even 'Perfect'."
"'Excellent' I believe. But 'Perfect' isn't achievable in just a month. If anyone could get 'Perfect' just by joining a few days early, our Bureau's Awakening Pills would be as common as cabbage!"
"Hahaha, fair point. Slaying a hundred Wooden Dummies in an hour? Pretty unrealistic."
"So, who do *you* think can get 'Perfect' this time?"
"Has to be **Liu Yun**. She has that demonic sword *and* awakened the Shadow Stride talent – shifting through darkness. Paired with that sharp blade? The Wooden Dummies won't even touch her before they're chopped down."
"Liu Yun's a contender. She joined on the 10th last month, plenty of time."
"I think **Chu Hao** could too. He joined the same day as Liu Yun, the 10th. They're classmates! Plus, he has vine armor and wood control. This arena is full of Wooden Dummies – it's his stage! Though his killing power might lag."
"Tch, told you luck matters! Heard Liu Yun and Chu Hao are university students, same club. Last month, the 9th, their club trip to an ancient town... an occult incident erupted. Only those two survived. A field investigator saved them."
"Not only did they Awaken, they each bonded with a magical artifact! Incredible luck."
*Liu Yun... Chu Hao...*
Lu Ding listened. *Weren't they from his university?*
Both were in the Ancient Culture Club. Chu Hao, like Lu Ding, was a freshman at Yunhai University – Economics major, while Lu Ding was in Geological Exploration. They'd crossed paths in a general lecture. Liu Yun was a junior, club president, famous on campus as a classical beauty.
So they'd joined the 749 too. *Small world.*
But Lu Ding didn't dwell on it, just a passing thought.
He turned to the staff member opening the arena gate: "Excuse me, could you clarify the assessment standards they mentioned?"
"Assessment duration: **one hour**.
- Kill **10 monsters**: Pass
- **11-40 monsters**: Average
- **41-70 monsters**: Good
- **71-99 monsters**: Excellent
- **100+ monsters**: Perfect"
*So that's the rating system. Brutally simple.*
Lu Ding thanked him and stepped into the arena.
The moment he entered, countless eyes snapped towards him.
"Who's the extra one?"
"Weren't there sixty-four? Now sixty-five?"
"A last-minute recruit?"
"That's suicide! Barely Awakened, probably hasn't grasped his technique!"
"You only get one shot at assessment. He'll regret this. Passing will be tough now. Ah, youth... too reckless."
"Reckless? More like delusional. Thinks Awakening makes him the Chosen One. No sense of reality."
"Why so bitter? Sounding pretty knowledgeable. Projecting your own crushed dreams?"
Lu Ding's sudden appearance drew attention not just from the spectators, but also from the other participants.
Liu Yun and Chu Hao looked over, finding his face familiar.
"That guy... looks like a freshman from our uni. I saw him moving equipment to storage after military training ended," Liu Yun remarked.
Chu Hao nodded as recognition dawned. "Now that you mention it... I think I saw him in a lecture hall too."
"Fancy meeting a classmate here. Let's go say hi," Liu Yun said, starting forward.
Chu Hao stopped her, his voice loud and deliberately carrying: "No need. We've been here weeks; never saw him. Must've *just* joined. Can't grasp reality, rushing into assessment like this? Arrogant and clueless. His results won't be worth mentioning. Focus on ourselves."
His words, clearly meant for Lu Ding's ears, hung in the air.
Lu Ding turned, irritation flaring. *Who does this guy think he is?* When he took the assessment was his business. And this judgment about "grasping reality"? Pronouncing his failure before it even began?
The condescending tone, the dismissive look – like Lu Ding was beneath notice. Whispering behind his back was bad enough, but open挑衅 (tiǎoxìn - provocation)?
Lu Ding wasn't about to tolerate it.
He raised a finger and flicked it.
A cutting strike *blasted* forth, slamming into Chu Hao's vine armor. The speed was blinding; no one reacted.
Chu Hao was sent flying, crashing onto the ground. A knot of pain lodged in his chest, leaving him gasping. A savage gash marred the vine armor, nearly splitting it open.
Lu Ding's voice cut through the stunned silence: "Mind your own business. We aren't acquainted. Next time you can't control your mouth, you'll lose those teeth!"
Liu Yun rushed to help Chu Hao up. Seeing the damage to his armor, her pupils constricted sharply.
She and Chu Hao had tested it. Even her demonic sword couldn't inflict such damage on the vines. *How could a flick of a finger... cause this?*