56: Chapter 56 As long as I exist, there will be no era for you!

All the geniuses who had already stepped onto the ladder turned around to look at Shen Xingchen.

Some felt fortunate, glad that Shen Xingchen had arrived so late.

Some sneered, mocking that despite Shen Xingchen's strength, he wouldn't be able to fully showcase it.

Others felt regret, lamenting that such a person was trapped in such a situation.

Bai Chenyue also turned back to glance at Shen Xingchen.

There was visible disappointment in his expression.

It was as if he were saying, "To think I regarded you as an opponent, yet you are so pathetic."

Bai Chenyue shook his head. "Apologies, S-class. No matter what your reason is, arriving late is arriving late."

"So, right now, I am at the highest point. I am the protagonist of this class. This is... my era!"

He looked at Shen Xingchen with a smile on his lips, seemingly filled with endless arrogance.

Everyone present showed interested expressions.

Bai Chenyue and Shen Xingchen were both top-tier candidates of this year's top scorer class.

They were currently clashing head-on.

What young person doesn't have a bit of arrogance, especially at the scene of the college entrance examination!

However, Bai Chenyue was clearly holding the upper hand at the moment.

He was already standing on the seventy-ninth step of the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder.

It could be said that looking back sixty years, there was no one more outstanding than him.

As for Shen Xingchen... he might truly be reduced to a mere foil.

"Look, quick!!"

Everyone saw Bai Chenyue's body move.

After his verbal clash with Shen Xingchen, Bai Chenyue continued on his Divine Dao path.

"No way, that's the eightieth step! Is Bai Chenyue going to break the record too?"

"Perhaps after being suppressed by Shen Xingchen in the first two trials, he wants to prove that he can be even stronger."

"This is what a true genius is!"

Seventy-ninth step of the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder.

Bai Chenyue's gaze was solemn, his expression firm, as he took a step forward.

Bang—

A biting wind swept across the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder, and countless amounts of pressure crushed down.

Even those at other positions were affected, their bodies swaying.

Only after taking this step did Bai Chenyue realize how difficult it was.

Even though he had rested for several hours and his divine intent had reached its peak state,

he still felt that the pressure was making it hard for him to breathe.

The domain around his body expanded, and a majestic sword intent whistled out.

This was his A-grade Talent Divine Ability—Clear Sword Domain.

Bai Chenyue once again circulated his cultivation technique.

That sword intent seemed to have received the baptism of rules, cheering and leaping in joy.

Pseudo-S-class!

Tap—

An extremely soft sound of a footstep echoed.

Under this storm, it seemed so insignificant.

Yet, to everyone's ears, this sound was like a sudden clap of spring thunder.

"He did it!"

"The eightieth step! Truly unprecedented!!"

"Incredible! This is what geniuses clashing is like. You broke two of my records, so I'll set another one!"

...

The invigilation room.

Principal Bai Zhili's face was flushed, his expression filled with excitement.

His son had broken the record of the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder.

Moreover, this Wang Mountain held the inheritance of that person!

Even Director Li Tianshuo, who had been silent all this time, spoke up, "This child Bai Chenyue is indeed quite good!"

However...

Although he was praising Bai Chenyue, his eyes remained fixed on the screen showing Shen Xingchen.

Someone, sensing the underlying mood, said flatteringly,

"This Shen Xingchen also seems quite extraordinary. What a pity."

"Indeed. Given enough time, he might not have been unable to reach the eightieth step."

"It doesn't matter. With his results from the first two trials, he can choose any top university he wants. It's just that the title of top scorer will probably still have to go to that child Bai Chenyue."

Director Li Tianshuo continued to stare at the screen.

On the screen, Shen Xingchen stood before the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder.

Although his divine glow was restrained, there was not a single trace of dejection on him.

Therefore, he decided to wait and see a little longer.

Even if there were only five minutes left...

...

Shen Xingchen stood calmly before the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder.

Now, everyone's gaze shifted from Bai Chenyue back to him.

Outside the examination venue, there must also be many teachers watching the screens.

He took a step back with his right foot, and blinding blue-white electric arcs burst from both sides of his shoe.

The lightning, like a trapped thunder snake breaking free of its shackles, instantly coiled around his entire ankle.

Crackle—

The sound of the electric current pierced through the air, making a cracking noise.

Myriad Gods Thunder Department!

What Shen Xingchen was using right now was indeed the SS-level Innate Divine Ability rewarded by the system upgrade quest.

What was the purpose of the college entrance examination?

Wasn't it to showcase one's value to the fullest and attract the attention of higher-level figures?

Thus, he showed his strongest side without reservation.

"What is he doing?"

"What is that lightning on his feet? A lightning-attribute cultivation technique?"

"Whatever it is, it looks so strong!"

...

Shen Xingchen took a step forward.

Every inch of his skin was resonating!

Every drop of his blood was boiling!

At a certain moment.

Shen Xingchen's body was dyed in a pale white light.

Elementalization!

Shen Xingchen's body, like a bolt of lightning, suddenly charged out.

The eightieth step of the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder?

No!

What he wanted was always the highest point!

Just like that, amidst everyone's stunned expressions,

he was like a slender, pure white beam of light, seemingly extending to the end of the world.

Ten steps.

Twenty steps.

...

Eighty steps.

Shen Xingchen did not hesitate or slow down at all.

Just like that, he bypassed Bai Chenyue's position, leaving him with only a blue-and-white shadow.

Leaving Bai Chenyue utterly dumbfounded.

Shen Xingchen chuckled softly.

Your era?

As long as I am here, there will be no era of yours!

Ninety steps.

Ninety-one steps.

...

Ninety-nine steps!

The summit of Wang Mountain.

The lightning element faded from Shen Xingchen's body as he took a step forward.

He stepped onto the ninety-ninth step of the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder.

Tap—

It was still the sound of his shoe touching the ground.

It sounded exactly the same as the noise Bai Chenyue made when stepping onto the eightieth step.

But...

At this moment, everyone was dead silent.

Quiet.

It was so quiet that even a needle dropping on the ground could be heard clearly.

Bai Chenyue had said that this was his era.

So he proved to everyone that he could ascend to the unreachable eightieth step.

Shen Xingchen said nothing.

He merely used his actual actions to prove...

...that everyone present, including Bai Chenyue, was trash!

He seemed to be saying:

"The things you admire and marvel at..."

"...in my, Shen Xingchen's, eyes, are nothing but a joke."

"Your era?"

"No, I will personally... drag you back to reality!"

"The eightieth step you are so proud of holds absolutely no difficulty in my eyes."

The extreme sense of disparity made everyone feel as if they were in a dream.

...

Silence, still silence.

"How did he do it?"

A female voice broke the silence.

Exactly!

How on earth did Shen Xingchen do it?

What kind of power was it

that could allow someone to instantly burst with such terrifying power and cross the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder in an instant?

Going straight to the ninety-ninth step!

Was it that lightning?

Why did it look like a Talent Divine Ability?

Wasn't that S-class's Talent Divine Ability of the divine beast category, dragon attribute?

Everyone was filled with confusion.

Around the twentieth step of the Divine Dao Heavenly Ladder.

That ponytail-wearing young girl who liked to record the geniuses' results let out a soft chuckle.

"Interesting!"

Due to excitement, her pupils temporarily turned into dark-green vertical slits.

Underneath her clothes, fine dark-green scales emerged on her skin, resembling snake scales.

"I thought only our Tuitian Demon Snake Clan had such geniuses..."

The ponytail girl murmured softly.

The corners of her mouth split into an astonishing arc as she flicked her snake tongue, looking nothing like a human.

"So there are actually people like this among humans as well!"

However, she quickly returned to her normal appearance.

With an ordinary face, she looked completely unremarkable when lost in a crowd.