January 4th.
After New Year's Day.
In the large lecture hall of the teaching building, students from four classes sat quietly in their seats.
On the podium, Old Gu, with his shiny scalp, was explaining matters related to the practical combat drill.
"...In response to the latest call from the Alliance to enhance the practical combat skills of Spirit Masters in the new era, this year's college entrance exam has confirmed a reform direction. Therefore, our school, along with Yunhua Affiliated High School, Yunhua No.1 High School, and others, has jointly organized a simulation drill for you, so you won't be caught off guard during the exam.
"The location is a forest primitive zone within our province, organized by the school for travel. It will last a week, and you need to prepare your own clothes and daily necessities.
"Let me emphasize, although this is just a simulated drill with no life-threatening danger, hardship and injuries are unavoidable."
Old Gu scanned the room with his eyes. "Now I ask, who among you plans not to participate? This joint exam won't count toward your final grades."
The classroom was dead silent.
No one flinched.
Could they avoid the practical combat joint exam? But could they avoid the college entrance exam?
Every student in the Spirit Department was aiming for a Spirit University.
With massive financial investments, energy poured in, and so much effort expended, how could they back down over a little difficulty?
Even if one or two students in the room were afraid and wanted to avoid it, under this atmosphere, they all kept their mouths shut and stayed silent.
Old Gu wasn't really trying to discourage them either. Seeing this, he nodded in satisfaction.
"The practical combat joint exam isn't easy, but correspondingly, the rewards far exceed those of previous years."
He paused. "First place gets an Attribute Heart, plus a resource reward worth one million.
"Second and third place get a Lesser Attribute Heart, plus a resource reward worth eight hundred thousand.
"Fourth to tenth place get ten Attribute Essences, plus a resource reward worth five hundred thousand.
"Eleventh to one hundredth place also get a resource reward worth one hundred thousand."
As Old Gu spoke, his eyes occasionally drifted to Su Hao, who was sitting in the back row.
The only one in the entire No.1 High School who might make it into the top ten rewards was Su Hao.
Old Gu didn't need to emphasize it.
When Su Hao heard the rewards, his eyes lit up.
He knew what an Attribute Heart was.
A rare spiritual item.
Su Hao didn't know where these spiritual items came from, but they likely weren't from Blue Star.
All he knew was that an Attribute Heart could greatly enhance a spirit's potential.
It was a treasure you could only hope to encounter, not seek out.
Even a Lesser Attribute Heart could fetch a sky-high price of several million, and it was still in short supply.
He had seen this on the Alliance forum some time ago.
Attribute Essences were far inferior, just necessities for spirit evolution, and could still be bought with money.
Su Hao's mind was filled with echoes of the Attribute Heart, to the point where he ignored the million-level resource rewards.
In the classroom, all the students were as hyped as if they'd been injected with adrenaline.
Even though many knew they were just there to make up the numbers, what if?
The top hundred got a resource reward of one hundred thousand!
Only Liu Ren looked listless, showing no interest. "Cheapskate!"
...
The next day,
Before eight o'clock, Su's father drove him to the school gate.
Su Hao walked out carrying a suitcase, turned back, and said, "You two go back.
"Relax, when I went to Yunhua City to take the Spirit Master certification exam, you weren't this worried."
"That's different," Su's mother said. "This time you're going into the wild to survive. How can I not worry!"
"It's not wilderness survival, just a field combat drill..."
Su Hao had let it slip last night, and now it had turned into this.
If it weren't for the school rule that parents couldn't accompany them, Su Hao was sure and certain that his parents would have come along.
Just like the Su family, there were many parents seeing off their kids at the school gate, with private cars causing a bit of congestion.
Near the entrance, eight buses were parked.
Students were gathered in small groups, along with Old Gu, Old Chen, and other Spirit Department teachers, plus some school leaders he didn't recognize.
And one person he did know.
Pan Jingshan from the Spirit Master Guild.
Su Hao was hesitating whether to greet him when he saw Pan Jingshan waving at him.
"Uncle Pan."
Pan Jingshan smiled. "I heard from Big Bear. You're really becoming more and more surprising."
Beside Pan Jingshan stood a middle-aged man with an imposing air. He turned his head and said, "So you're the Su Hao Tianba mentioned."
Su Hao paused for a moment before realizing that Tianba was probably Instructor Xiong's name.
What a... domineering name.
He nodded repeatedly in response to show respect.
Pan Jingshan then introduced, "This is Luo Jinghong, the vice president of our Ancheng Spirit Master Guild. Like Big Bear, he's an elite Spirit Master. For this practical drill, I, President Luo, and Big Bear will all be coming along."
Uncle Pan's words left Su Hao a bit puzzled.
How was a joint exam between schools connected to the Spirit Master Guild?
The vice president was a high-ranking figure in Ancheng.
He didn't dwell on it.
After exchanging a few words, Su Hao left.
...
When it was time to depart.
Over a hundred students, along with over a hundred spirits, poured into eight buses.
After stowing his luggage, Su Hao picked a seat at random and sat down, with Silkworm Baby and Little Fire Crow beside him.
Inside the bus, there were also slightly larger spirits like Little Stone Elephant, Vine Snake, and Little Earth Wolf, but it wasn't crowded.
Special seats had been reserved for the spirits.
Soon,
The engines started, and the eight buses slowly pulled away from Ancheng No.1 High School.
On the bus, there was an older Spirit Master, also a council member from the Spirit Master Guild. Old Chen wasn't on Su Hao's bus but on another.
Beside the older Spirit Master was a Six-Winged Flying Silkworm, similar in size to Silkworm Baby, but with deeper green patterns on its back, more intricate lines, and three pairs of wings as thin as cicada wings.
It was flying around, patrolling the bus.
It calmed down the few spirits that hadn't ridden in a car before and were restless from anxiety.
The older Spirit Master clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention and said:
"Our destination is the Prepared Village near the primitive zone. The trip will take about four or five hours. Once there, you'll rest for a day in the village. Tomorrow, the official rules will be announced, and you'll enter the forest primitive zone for the practical combat joint exam.
"Let me first give you a general idea of the forest primitive zone.
"It covers an area of about two hundred square kilometers, with a large number of wild spirits released inside..."
He paused, and sure enough, he saw looks of surprise and disbelief.
He snorted. "The spirits in the primitive zone are nothing like the ones you've seen in the Spirit Raising Rooms!
"Most are adult spirits with aggressive tendencies. Forget about trying to contract them; your first priority is to rely on your own spirit partners to survive under the threat of wild spirits..."
The convoy sped along the highway, stopping only briefly at a service area without any other breaks.
Around noon, the buses exited the highway through a ramp and entered a remote stretch of road.
Gradually,
There were no other vehicles on the road. Dense forests lined both sides as they passed through one tunnel after another.
Along the way, they passed a place that looked like a checkpoint.
Su Hao saw soldiers carrying guns and Spirit Masters with their spirits.
The vehicles continued on.
After who knows how long,
Half-asleep, Su Hao heard,
"Get ready to get off. We've arrived at Prepared Village."