Chapter 13: Final Evaluation Ends

On the stage of Final Evaluation, Chen Xing’s team appeared utterly hopeless under the overwhelming dominance of the Earth Dragon Lizard. In the crushing grip of the beast’s Stellar Field, they had no chance to strike back—any outcome, and the moment it would end, was entirely in the lizard’s hands. The fate of the battle rested not with Chen Xing and his allies, but with the beast itself.

Had Tian Dao and the others faced this same tactic earlier, even their formidable strength and seamless coordination would have been powerless against the sheer disparity in raw power. The Earth Dragon Lizard could have crushed them without breaking a sweat.

But no one noticed—except perhaps the faintest ripple in the air—a figure had silently slipped behind the beast.

Not even the lizard sensed it. Not a single observer in the arena, nor those watching from the stands, saw the movement.

Swish—

Chen Kong lunged forward, his Demon Blade Xueyan slicing hard into the scarred wound on the lizard’s left knee. Though the wound had healed over, the new rock scales were weak, and the deep internal damage from Tian Dao’s earlier strike had only worsened. The sudden, precise assault caught the beast completely off guard.

"ROOOOAR!"

The sudden agony made the Earth Dragon Lizard flail instinctively—its massive claw swatted Chen Kong like a fly.

Thud!

Chen Kong was sent flying, crashing through the air before spitting out a geyser of blood. His Xueyan blade clattered to the ground, spinning once before coming to rest.

Silence. A deathly hush.

The crowd stared, stunned, at the man who had just struck. Their minds were blank—how had Chen Kong gotten so close? No one had seen him move.

Even the beast itself froze, blinking in disbelief as it looked down at its knee—now gushing blood, the fresh wound a jagged tear in its armored flesh.

But as the lizard’s attention shifted to the new pain, the oppressive Stellar Field that had pinned Chen Xing’s team vanished—just like that.

In that fleeting moment, Chen Xing surged forward.

She snatched up the fallen Demon Blade Xueyan. Blood poured from her palms, staining the hilt, then soaking into the blade itself. As if awakened by the crimson tide, the weapon’s surface ignited with a fierce, searing flame.

With both hands gripping the blade, she charged—closing the distance in an instant, exploiting the split-second distraction.

The ground trembled beneath her feet as the Earth Dragon Lizard, sensing the movement below, swung its right claw in reflex.

But just as the claw began to rise, Lin—lying broken on the ground—lifted her arm with agonizing effort.

"Shadow Bind. Dark Thorns."

Exhausted beyond endurance, Lin poured every last shred of her Star Energy into the spell. A storm of shadowy, thorned ropes erupted from the darkness, wrapping around the beast’s raised claw. Though they couldn’t fully restrain it, they delayed the movement—just enough.

Less than half a second.

But that was all Chen Xing needed.

With a roar of fury and defiance, she unleashed the one strike she’d been waiting for since the very beginning.

Boom!

Chen Xing became a crimson meteor, the Xueyan blade blazing with fire as it tore through the air—once more, aimed straight at the wounded knee.

"ROOOOAAAAARRR!"

In a storm of flame and blood, the Earth Dragon Lizard screamed—a sound of pure agony. For the first time, its massive frame staggered backward, its footing faltering.

But then, as it regained balance, the pain in its leg flared—raging, unbearable. The beast lost all reason.

Ignoring the wound, it swung its left claw with brutal force, aiming to crush Chen Xing where she stood.

She had no time to dodge.

Crack!

She was slammed into the air, sent flying like a ragdoll. She crashed into the arena’s barrier, sliding down its surface in a trail of blood, left motionless on the scorched ground.

She looked terrible—her body broken, bones shattered, blood soaking through her clothes. But her face… wasn’t twisted in pain.

It was lit with a feverish, almost manic joy.

Did you see it?

Whatever Tian Dao could do… I can do too.

Her eyes burned with triumph, fixed on the bleeding wound—the two intersecting scars forming a vivid red X, glaring like a challenge.

But unlike her, the Earth Dragon Lizard was now consumed by rage—its mind shattered, its instincts screaming for vengeance.

It roared, lunging forward, raising its claw high above Chen Xing’s prone body—ready to crush her into pulp.

"Enough!"

Yun Meng’s voice cut through the air—cold, sharp, and absolute.

The beast froze mid-swing, its claw suspended inches above Chen Xing’s head.

Slowly, it turned.

There, on the arena floor, stood Yun Meng—her expression as icy as winter, her presence radiating the authority of a Second-Class Stellar Envoy.

The sheer weight of her Star Power slammed into the beast like a physical blow. The creature shuddered, its fury dissolving instantly, replaced by something deeper—something like fear.

In its eyes, Yun Meng wasn’t just another prodigy. She was something greater—something beyond its reach.

Even if it burned with hatred, it could not disobey.

With a low, defeated groan, the Earth Dragon Lizard lowered its head, crouching down. It began to lick at its wounds—silent, broken.

Seeing the beast had calmed, Yun Meng issued her command.

"Notify medical team—prepare two S-Class Nutrient Chambers. Now."

"Yes, ma’am!"

Within moments, a team of medics rushed onto the field. Chen Xing and Chen Kong were carefully lifted onto stretchers, their injuries severe but not fatal. Lin, though unconscious from exhaustion, was unharmed and would recover quickly.

As the last of the team was carried off, Chen Xing—still on the stretcher—kept her eyes locked on the wound. On the scarred knee. On the red X.

Did you see it, Tian Dao?

I’m not weaker than you.

With a faint, satisfied smile, she closed her eyes—drifting into unconsciousness.

The arena was now empty—just the Earth Dragon Lizard and Yun Meng.

But the mood had changed.

Where once the air had been thick with dread, now a spark had ignited in the hearts of every remaining Stellar Prodigy.

After seeing Tian Dao and Chen Xing’s feats—after witnessing the impossible, the possible—they dared to dream.

Maybe I can do it too. Maybe I can hurt a Second-Class Stellar Beast with half a star.

But reality came swiftly.

The rest of the evaluations turned into a one-sided massacre.

No other team came close to replicating the miracle. The most resilient lasted only 23 seconds—barely half a minute—before being obliterated and thrown from the stage.

When the final student staggered off, defeated and bruised, the Earth Dragon Lizard let out a long, echoing roar—its voice a cry of fury and humiliation.

And far away, in the dormitory…

Tian Dao suddenly opened his eyes.

[System Notification: "Stellar Prequel: Embers" has been released in the real world. The interdimensional playback function is now activated. Visualized live comments and real-time popularity rankings are enabled.]

Tian Dao stared at the message, his expression alight with excitement.

Finally… time to see the results.

With a grin, he activated the interdimensional stream—watching, for the first time, as an audience, the very story he had lived.

To deepen the immersion, he became the first to send a comment.

He adjusted his sunglasses, fingers dancing in the air.

And with a flash of golden light, a comment burst onto the screen—bold, radiant, the very first.

[First!]

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end