NOVEL NEXT Chapter 336_2
Between the already tense relationships among the examiners, it was clear that a bunch of people came specifically targeting Xue Jing himself... which forced Xue Jing to be on guard.
The others were not much to speak of; to Xue Jing, they were just a bunch of nobodies trying to make a name for themselves. But Li Suisui, proclaimed to be 'the strongest primary school student in history,' was an opponent Xue Jing had to take seriously.
Bordering on a second Breakthrough... and possibly even having achieved it.
Such a realm, by Xue Jing's estimates, in terms of raw physical prowess alone, was probably at least ten times greater than his own.
"I wonder when he'll come after me..."
Xue Jing looked around, observing his environment, feeling a bit of anticipation in his heart.
He opened the panel and glanced at True Red, which he had just activated not long ago, a smile appearing in his eyes.
...
Half an hour later.
Xue Jing looked at the map on his wristband and discovered that his group had already covered close to half the distance, nearing Zone B2.
"Hmm... the map isn't too big, then."
He nodded his head.
Based on their current pace and the map's scale, he had calculated the size of the examination area.
Even the longest straight line from Zone A9 to D1 could be reached in just over six hours at this pace.
Of course, that was assuming there were no delays or obstacles along the way.
"Ah, teacher!"
A student suddenly pointed toward the sky and shouted in alarm.
Everyone followed the voice and saw a strange object floating above in the distant leaden sky.
It was a gigantic grey metallic cone.
At a glance, it looked like an upside-down traffic cone, its tip extremely sharp and fine, casting a cold light that seemed to prickle one's skin just by looking at it.
Xue Jing had already noticed it and, familiar with the Steel Tree Sea documents, quickly recognized what it was.
"Sky Cone."
A peculiar native creature of the Steel Tree Sea... or perhaps, a strange natural phenomenon?
To this day, the academic community has not come to a consensus on whether it's a creature or some type of phenomenon.
"Mr. Xue... I, I can't move."
Fu Jialin, who was supporting Ye Jingqiu, cried out in panic.
Her whole body suddenly began to levitate, her feet about ten centimeters off the ground, immobile, with her limbs hanging naturally down, the only thing moving on her body was the expression on her face.
Students near her were abruptly pushed away by an invisible force, unable to approach her.
The giant metallic cone in the sky was positioned directly above her head, its pointed end aimed at the top of her head, slowly descending.
"What's going on?"
"Is that... a Sky Cone?"
"Damm, why does it have to be that deathly thing! This is just too unlucky!"
"What do we do, if that thing targets you, aren't you as good as dead?"
The students recognized the object above and immediately began to panic.
Xue Jing flashed to Fu Jialin's side and extended his hand toward her shoulder. An invisible repelling force grew stronger as he drew closer, until his hand stopped about ten centimeters from her body.
It wasn't that he ran out of strength and couldn't get any closer... but Xue Jing instinctively felt that forcibly touching Fu Jialin now might have some unpleasant consequences.
"Teacher... what, what do we do..."
Tears were rolling in Fu Jialin's eyes as she looked at Xue Jing, pleading for help in fear.
The Sky Cone, whether to be considered a phenomenon or a living entity, once appeared, would lock on to a random target present without any pattern.
The target would be bound by an invisible magnetic field, completely immobilized. Afterward, the Sky Cone would descend at a fixed speed and trajectory, continually lowering until its sharp tip pierced the target's head, slowly boring through until it touched the ground, at which point the Sky Cone would vanish.
During this time, the rate of descent and trajectory of the Sky Cone seemed like some immutable natural law, entirely unaffected by physical influences; no matter how much kinetic energy was applied, it could not alter its course or speed in the slightest.
The person locked onto by the Sky Cone would experience the immense terror of death slowly, unavoidably approaching, as well as the pain of the Sky Cone gradually piercing into their head, slowly crushing it.
"Don't be afraid."
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Xue Jing withdrew his palm, his expression unchanged as he softly spoke to Fu Jialin.
"I said I wouldn't let any of you die, don't worry, leave it to me."
Seeing his calm and composed demeanor, Fu Jialin also took a few deep breaths and regained her composure.
"Mr. Xue, what should I do?"
The other students also looked to Xue Jing with trusting eyes.
Xue Jing looked up at the Sky Cone in the sky, made an estimate, and said,
"The Sky Cone cannot be stopped, but it can be physically destroyed."
"The larger the Sky Cone is, the stronger it is, the more difficult to destroy. This one is about two meters and thirty centimeters in length—not considered huge, but according to the data, its strength is at least more than twice that of tungsten steel."
Tungsten steel, one of the hardest metals native to Earth Star, a metal difficult to penetrate even with armor-piercing bullets, to break it, you would need to use an armor-piercing incendiary bomb made of tungsten.
"Judging from its current trajectory and speed, it will take over forty minutes to approach Jiali's head."
Xue Jing pondered briefly, then said,
"Everyone, continue heading toward Sector B2, get away from here... I'll catch up with Jiali later."
Upon hearing this, the students nodded immediately.
"Understood, Mr. Xue."
"Mr. Xue, you must save Jiali!"
Soon, under Chen Xingyan's command, the students kept formation and continued towards Sector B2.
Only Xue Jing and Fu Jialin were left in the original spot.
"Mr. Xue..." Fu Jialin muttered.
Xue Jing glanced at her and said softly,
"Jiali, close your eyes."
Fu Jialin obeyed, closing her eyes as told.
In a flash, Xue Jing reappeared atop a towering metallic tree, looking up at the Sky Cone in the sky.
"Didn't expect the first thing I'd taste would be this thing."
Shaking his head, Xue Jing closed his eyes.
"True Red," activate!
In an instant, Xue Jing's heart emitted an extremely loud thump.
On the panel, within the Divine Skill Bar, "Twin Lifes," "Shadow Flame," "Plant Pact," "Dragon Horn," "Feather Transformation"...
One after another, divine skills glowing with a faint golden light all plunged into dim darkness.
Then, a hint of blood color slowly emerged, dyeing the names of all the divine skills in vermilion.
At the very bottom, the special Divine Skill "True Red" began to glow brightly.
Intense heat, unimaginably intense heat swept over his entire body.
His blood was boiling, even burning, the pale red visible blood qi began to overflow from Xue Jing's entire body, his hair dyed from ink-black to vivid vermilion, dancing without wind.
His dark blue eyes also took on a red hue, an indescribable power surged incessantly from his own flesh and blood.
"Boom boom boom boom—"
The sound of rapidly flowing blood roared like turbulent rivers, echoing in the outside world.
In the midst of this, in the darkness of the void, it seemed as if a Heretic God made of blood and flesh opened its eyes, making eye contact with Xue Jing.
In just an instant, Xue Jing recognized it as a Superstring Entity, the Heretic God True Red Lord, Source of Flesh, existing beyond the present world!
...
His dark blue eyes also took on a red hue. An indescribable power unabatedly surged from his flesh and blood.
"Boom boom boom boom—"
The sound of rapidly flowing blood roared like turbulent rivers, echoing in the outside world.
In the midst of this, in the darkness of the void, it seemed as if a Heretic God made of blood and flesh opened its eyes, making eye contact with Xue Jing.
In just an instant, Xue Jing recognized it as a Superstring Entity, the Heretic God True Red Lord, Source of Flesh, existing beyond the present world!