The Conversation

As the examination concluded, waves of students poured out from the dimensional gate. Some emerged with bright smiles, their faces glowing with pride and satisfaction, while others walked out with gloomy expressions, weighed down by disappointment.

The moment they stepped outside, the waiting students erupted into lively chatter.

"Hey! Did you guys hear about this!? Miss Li Juan, Young Master Gu's younger sister, scored SSS+ in all three trials!" A student from Group A shouted excitedly.

A student from Group B chimed in with equal enthusiasm.

"Not just Li Juan! Meng Lin, the leader of the Black Rose Guild, also achieved SSS+ across all three trials! Her Azure Falcon is practically invincible!"

The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as students exchanged information eagerly. However… when they turned to look at the students of Group C, who had just exited the gate, their expressions were eerily blank.

"What happened to them?" someone whispered. "Why do they look like they just survived a war?"

Curiosity piqued, students from other groups rushed over, trying to get an answer.

"Hey, what's with the silence? What did you guys go through?"

Yet, no matter how much they prodded, Group C's students remained silent, merely walking past without a word.

The uneasy atmosphere lingered until one of them finally murmured under their breath.

"Check your phones and look at the news."

A moment of confusion swept over the crowd. Some exchanged puzzled glances before quickly pulling out their phones.

"What's the big deal? It's just the news, right?"

"Yeah! If you guys saw something insane, just tell us straight up. Your group had some of the strongest students, didn't it?"

But before anyone could say more…

"HOLY SHIT! LOOK AT THIS!"

Someone yelled, their voice breaking the tension.

"News just dropped about this year's university entrance exam!"

"It says that students from Rainfall City shattered the records for both attack power and speed trials!!"

"The names Gu Tian, Wu Shuang, Ye Feng, and Shen Ya are all over the headlines!"

Gasps of shock spread like wildfire. Students huddled over their screens, reading the details with wide eyes.

"Wait… it's not just record-breaking. The test dummies were literally destroyed!"

The murmuring swelled into a frenzy.

"Is this real!?"

"Of course, it's real! You think they'd fake a major announcement like this!?"

Within seconds, the news exploded across the entire exam grounds. The names Gu Tian, Ye Feng, Shen Ya, and Wu Shuang became the center of every conversation.

Students swarmed around Gu Tian, congratulating him with admiration and awe. But he simply smiled lightly and walked away without lingering. His face gradually turned serious as he made his way toward his parents.

From a distance, Shen Ya watched him go, her expression unreadable. Slowly, she reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, and dialed a number.

Meanwhile...

Wu Shuang found himself surrounded by a group of young women, all eagerly expressing their admiration.

"Young Master Wu! You're amazing!"

"Can I take a picture with you!?"

Wu Shuang merely smiled slightly before nodding in agreement.

On the other hand, Gu Tian made his way toward the VIP lounge, where his parents awaited him. However, before he could get far, he was suddenly blocked by a group of professors from various prestigious universities. They surrounded him, each trying to persuade him to join their institution, offering enticing deals and privileges.

Even Golden University, ranked 10th, had sent a representative. The Commerce University, ranked 5th, was present as well. But the one that truly caught Gu Tian's attention was Black Sea University, ranked 4th, renowned for its expertise in technology and beast evolution.

Despite the overwhelming offers, Gu Tian remained calm and composed. He listened attentively, maintaining a polite smile, before responding in a respectful yet firm tone.

"Thank you for your consideration and generosity. I will carefully evaluate my options."

Upon hearing this, the professors nodded in understanding. They knew that Gu Tian was a prodigy and that his decision would not be made lightly. Thus, they left, moving on to recruit other promising students.

When Gu Tian finally reached the VIP lounge, he found his parents, Gu Long and Guang Yue, waiting for him. They were about to congratulate him, but upon noticing the serious expression on their son's face, their smiles faded into a more solemn demeanor.

Without a word, Gu Tian reached into his storage ring and placed a small stone onto the table.

Instantly, the atmosphere in the room changed.

That stone was a high-grade interference device, capable of blocking all forms of surveillance, eavesdropping, or remote monitoring—even an Emperor-level beast tamer wouldn't be able to listen in on this conversation.

Five minutes passed in silence.

Then, a knock on the door broke the stillness.

Gu Long and Guang Yue exchanged a knowing glance before nodding. The three of them were already on the same page.

Gu Long spoke in a steady tone.

"Come in."

As the door swung open, a silver-haired woman with piercing eyes stepped into the room. Shen Ya entered, followed by two bodyguards and a professor from Warstorm University, the second-ranked university in the nation.

Gu Long was the first to greet her.

"Miss Shen, how can we assist you?"

Shen Ya offered a faint smile before responding.

"I'd like to have a word with Gu Tian."

Hearing this, Gu Long and Guang Yue glanced at each other again before nodding. Guang Yue proceeded to prepare tea as a gesture of courtesy. A moment later, she placed the teacups on the table.

"In that case, we'll step out for a bit and grab something to eat," Gu Long said casually before turning toward his son.

"I'll see you at the car, you little troublemaker."

With that, both parents left the room, leaving Gu Tian and Shen Ya alone, along with the Warstorm University professor.

Shen Ya gestured to her bodyguards, signaling them to wait outside, but allowed the professor to stay. Taking a seat on the sofa, she reached into her storage ring and pulled out a contract scroll before setting it on the table.

"Gu Tian," she said smoothly, "I have an offer for you. Are you interested in hearing it?"

Gu Tian, who had been sipping on a glass of orange juice, set his drink down before flashing a calm smile.

"Sure."

Shen Ya chuckled softly.

"I want you to work for me." She tapped the contract with her fingertip before continuing.

"If you agree, I will personally ensure that you become an Emperor."

Suddenly, Gu Tian's entire body froze!

A strange force enveloped him, locking his movements in place as if binding him with an invisible chain.

His eyes narrowed slightly, but his voice remained as smooth as ever.

"Miss Shen," he said lightly, "what exactly is the meaning of this?"

Shen Ya curled her lips into a subtle smirk.

"Relax, Gu Tian. This is merely a precaution on my part."

She gently slid the contract toward him, her fingers brushing against the edge of the parchment.

"You're a smart person. If you read this offer, you'll see that it's the best option for you." Her gaze darkened slightly.

"Then again… maybe not reading it is even better."