https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-345-The-Second-Heart-Method-Exam-Begins/13686915/
Chapter 346: The Final Professional Exam of the First Academic Year
On the battlefield, Gong Shuijin surged forward without pause, weaving through relentless bombardment, repeatedly bursting through waves of lightning and fire.
He carried Ying Xin in his left arm, Zhang Yu in his right, pressed Yu Xinghan against his chest, and had Li Xiao strapped across his back.
No matter how bloodied, broken, or even lifeless his four classmates appeared, he never considered letting them go.
Because he knew—only by relying on each other could they survive.
"In a battlefield teeming with danger, students from the Civil Engineering Department are the finest protective Spirit Artifacts."
The spirit artifact nodded slightly. "Calm and decisive, swift in action. Even in life-or-death situations, they showed no panic—demonstrating willpower worthy of Dao Heart Level."
"Recommended for next semester’s Ling Competition."
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu strolled down the street, having just hit a fortune.
With his account balance now surpassing 1,000 Lingbi, he didn’t spend a single coin recklessly—instead, he projected the number directly onto his forehead.
Instantly, he was flooded with friendship and gifts from all sides.
And through every scam attempt that followed, he remained utterly unshaken.
The spirit artifact recorded: "Facing sudden wealth, inner stability remains intact. Self-control is exceptional..."
After reviewing Zhang Yu’s scores, it remarked coldly: "Indeed, his Dao Heart surpasses Gong Shuijin’s—now on par with Ji Yuanchi."
---
On the Mana Exam field, students were undergoing tests of Martial Energy quantity, quality, and Qi conduction.
As numbers flashed across the display, gasps echoed through the crowd.
Li Mingbo, the Martial Energy instructor, couldn’t help but glance at the results.
His Eye Armor sorted every student by their lineage layer.
As scores appeared, the trend was clear—higher rank, higher score.
"Based on current data, first place goes to Ji Yuanchi of the Sixth Layer, second to Gong Shuijin of the Fourth Layer, third to Ying Xin… fourth…"
Then, his gaze froze.
A name surged ahead—rocketing upward like a streak of light, overtaking Gong Shuijin’s Fourth Layer status and matching Ji Yuanchi’s Sixth Layer level.
"Zhang Yu."
"From the First Layer."
Li Mingbo remembered him—quiet, always sitting in the back row with two other First Layer students.
"Last semester, his Martial Energy score barely kept pace with Gong Shuijin. Now he’s on par with Ji Yuanchi?"
Li Mingbo blinked, stunned.
"A First Layer student… catching up to Sixth Layer level?"
---
On the Physical Strength Level exam, two figures shot across the simulated battlefield like lightning bolts, darting and weaving through complex terrain, neither able to shake the other.
One of them was Zhang Yu.
His body seethed with energy, blood pulsing like molten lava.
The Zhanmo Yunshou Gong technique was pushed to its absolute limit, boosting his Physical Strength Level by 1.5 full levels—pushing him to a staggering 17.38.
With such overwhelming physical power, his speed reached unprecedented heights. Even his No. 20 Secret Steel armor felt feather-light in his perception.
At the same time, he operated with dual focus—guiding his body forward while simultaneously commanding multiple Wuxiang Forces.
With the aid of Third Eye Ability and Shican Modong, he deflected every simulated attack with precision.
Yet despite all this, he still couldn’t surpass the figure ahead—Ji Yuanchi.
"This guy… he’s too fast."
"So many acceleration Spirit Armors on him."
"Guess I still can’t beat him this time."
But Zhang Yu had long accepted this. Speed wasn’t his strength. His current speed was pure hard-earned mastery—built from raw data, relentless grinding, and sheer willpower.
The real battle isn’t here, he thought. It’s in the construction exam. After this semester’s training, my construction skills are the one thing that truly sets me apart.
He’d heard the rumors: the Civil Engineering Department’s final professional exam was the most difficult, the most comprehensive, and carried the greatest weight in ranking.
Behind him, Gong Shuijin surged forward, his body wreathed in swirling Qi, slicing through the air like a bullet.
Even with all four of his Spirit Armors upgraded to high-speed displacement sets, he could only watch helplessly as Zhang Yu and Ji Yuanchi pulled further ahead—until their rank indicators vanished into the distance.
Gong Shuijin’s eyes burned with frustration.
"How… how can the gap be widening so much?!"
This entire semester, he’d maxed out loans, burned through Lingbi, equipped himself with dedicated Spirit Armors for Martial Energy cultivation, physical training, and even exam-specific sets.
He’d tracked every second of his practice, leaving no moment wasted.
"Why? Why can’t I keep up?!"
"How much did they spend?!"
---
As each exam passed, Ji Yuanchi and Zhang Yu became the center of attention for the entire class.
Every time they matched each other in performance, or Zhang Yu chased after Ji Yuanchi’s blazing speed, the students felt it—this year’s top rank would be decided between these two.
Ying Xin analyzed: "Ji Yuanchi’s chances are significantly higher."
"Last semester’s final score already gave him a 27-point lead over Zhang Yu."
"Even if he only edges ahead this time, Zhang Yu will find it nearly impossible to catch up."
Yu Xinghan watched Zhang Yu fail to overtake Ji Yuanchi in the speed trial—and exhaled in relief.
"Phew… good. Zhang Yu didn’t beat him."
"I was terrified he’d actually go for class first."
He couldn’t bear to imagine seeing Zhang Yu defeat Ji Yuanchi and leave him so far behind.
It would hurt worse than watching a good friend activate Shican Modong.
While students speculated, the teachers—especially those with access to backend scores—had a clearer picture.
Tu Lishan monitored their scores after each exam, calculating their Comprehensive Score trends.
As he worked, he muttered: "Zhang Yu’s base stats are nearly matching Ji Yuanchi’s now?"
"Unbelievable."
Then he remembered Zhang Yu’s medication intake this semester.
He couldn’t help but sigh.
"That he’s still alive after all that is astonishing in itself."
"His Constitution is far stronger than he claims—definitely worth cultivating."
"Ah… too bad. If he were from a higher layer—even just Second Layer—he might’ve beaten Ji Yuanchi this time."
Ji Yuanchi, too, had noticed the shift.
Seeing his winning probability rise steadily on Qi Yun Monitoring, he already felt the crown of class leader resting upon his head.
Defeating Zhang Yu? That was expected.
After all, Qi Yun Monitoring had shown him Zhang Yu’s low win rate all along.
What mattered now wasn’t victory—it was whether to invest more.
After all, he still had a long way to go before reaching his master’s goal: a 100-point lead.
"Others fear me, but I fear nothing."
Recalling the famous saying from the Finance Department, Ji Yuanchi made his decision.
"Now is the moment—when Zhang Yu, Gong Shuijin, and the entire class are terrified by my dominance."
He knew luck was hard to gather, especially for a freshman.
"This is the perfect chance to solidify my momentum, lock in my position as class leader, and lay the foundation for future Fate Dao Art cultivation."
"And while I’m at it, I can further boost my strength. Even if I don’t reach 100 points, every extra point counts."
With that, he sent a message in the group chat:
Ji Yuanchi: You two—give it everything you’ve got in the remaining exams. Let me enjoy this even more.
As he finished typing, he felt it—threads of fortune drifting toward him from all directions.
The growing faith of his classmates.
Each exam, each victory, made him seem like an invincible general—his name etched into their hearts as inevitable.
That was the power of collective belief—fortune drawn from hearts.
In his mind’s eye, a copper coin Spirit Artifact trembled gently, gathering the incoming fortune and sealing it deep within his consciousness, amplifying his abilities in every way.
"The path of fortune is to ride the wave."
"Use display, pressure, and hype to guide the hearts of others."
"Let fortune fuel your strength, and let strength in turn draw more fortune."
"A cycle of growth, endless and unstoppable."
"Eventually… you become the tide itself."
Ji Yuanchi was certain—his victory as class leader was now inevitable.
As for backlash from fortune?
He couldn’t imagine losing.
Not while, even after the final exam, he still held a lead over both Zhang Yu and Gong Shuijin.
"They’ve no chance left."
"In the final Comprehensive Score, I’ll take even more."
---
On the simulation construction site, students from the Foundation Establishment Class arrived in formation, ready for the final exam.
Tu Lishan stood before them.
"To test your true ability in a practical, real-world context, the department has reformed the exam system starting last year."
"Today, all professional skill assessments are combined into one—testing your Engineering Array Drawing and Interpretation, architectural blueprint reading, materials knowledge, construction surveying… and most importantly, your overall Construction Capability."
"Because at the heart of the Civil Engineering Department is hands-on expertise."
"This is your moment—your chance to prove what you’ve learned in your first year."
At his signal, every student’s Eye Armor flashed—receiving a set of blueprints.
Tu Lishan pointed to the left side of the site.
"Left: All construction materials provided for this exam."
"You have thirty minutes to select and transport what you need."
He gestured to the right.
"Right: Your assigned construction sites."
"Within thirty minutes, do your best to gather and deliver materials."
"Once time is up, you must remain on-site. No more leaving."
"After that, you have three hours to build according to the plans."
"Three hours later—stop, regardless of completion."
"Then, all structures will be scored based on completion."
"Finally, every site will face ten waves of simulated attacks."
"Your structure’s performance under fire will determine your final score."
(End of Chapter)
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