Chapter 48: Perfect Array

Inside the competition arena, the silence was so profound that even the sound of a needle dropping could be clearly heard.

Under the intense gaze of countless spectators, Ke Lu slowly channeled her Spirit Power.

Blue Spirit Power flowed from her fingertips, tracing the intricate patterns of the Spirit Array. In moments, it filled the entire formation.

"Activate."

She uttered the word softly.

The instant her voice faded, the Spirit Array erupted in a dazzling blue light. The array patterns seemed to come alive, glowing layer upon layer.

wrmmmm——

A deep resonant hum reverberated through the chamber. The rhythmic pulse of energy from the smoothly operating Spirit Array compelled the audience to lean forward involuntarily.

At the array's center, a luminous blue one-handed sword gradually materialized, its blade shimmering with a water-like aura.

The longsword split in two, then four, and so on. In an instant, dozens of luminous swords danced gracefully within the array, like living strands of blue aurora, carving elegant and dazzling arcs through the air.

This dreamlike spectacle combined the sharpness of swords with the celestial romance of the stars.

Complete!

A brief silence fell over the competition arena before erupting into thunderous applause.

The audience members rose to their feet in unison, clapping enthusiastically, and even the judges couldn't help but nod in approval.

If this Spirit Array could be activated successfully, Ke Lu would undoubtedly secure a spot in the top eight, given the limited time she had.

Moreover, judging by the formation of the Spirit Swords, the array's completion rate was likely quite high.

On the judges' panel, one of the judges muttered to himself, "This... the completion rate is no lower than my own attempt."

This judge was the exam proctor, and after setting the challenge, he had undoubtedly tested the Spirit Array himself multiple times.

As a Third-Tier Spirit Array Master, his skills were beyond question, making such a low-level array a trivial task.

The Spirit Array he had created achieved a completion rate exceeding ninety percent.

Yet... why did the sword's aura feel several degrees more powerful than his own?

Could it be that this student's mastery already surpasses that of her teacher?

The proctor chuckled wryly at his own thought. Surely not, he mused.

The conclusion would be revealed soon enough.

"Go!" With Ke Lu's command, the flying swords, guided by her will, converged their tips on a single point—the Testing Target.

The "Completion Rate" was a metric evaluating the power of an array relative to that of a Perfect Array. A higher rate indicated greater proximity to perfection, with a maximum of 100%, corresponding to the numbers on the Testing Target, ranging from 0 to 100.

When the flying swords struck the Testing Target, the number displayed clearly: 100 points.

At that moment, everyone completely overturned their previous perception of Ke Lu as "unstable." They now regarded her with the reverence one reserves for a true deity.

[Holy shit, she actually pulled it off! I'm so sorry for underestimating the master earlier.]

[My mom asked why I was kneeling in front of the screen.]

[Did you guys notice? Only a few of the other top competitors are starting to write now. The gap is insane!]

[I hadn't even noticed until you pointed it out! The competition only started... half a minute ago! Am I dreaming?]

[Is my sense of time broken? How could she finish in thirty seconds when the time limit is thirty minutes?]

[Thirty seconds for a flawless, 100% perfect Spirit Array? This child is terrifyingly talented, destined for Great Emperor status.]

[She's definitely going for the Ultimate Challenge.]

[You think she's the protagonist from some novel with a System, a Chosen One?]

[Uninstall Webnovel immediately, upstairs!]

Amidst the collective gasps of awe, Su Rou glowed with excitement, itching to declare to everyone that the person on stage was her dearest friend.

She swung her cheerleading pom-poms with vigorous force, creating joyful arcs in the air.

She even stood on tiptoe, waving wildly toward the competition arena, though she knew Ke Lu wouldn't have a moment to glance at the audience.

"Did you see that?!" she couldn't help but boast to Gu Yunfan beside her, her eyes and eyebrows brimming with pride and reflected glory.

"Truly remarkable," Gu Yunfan said sincerely.

What a formidable talent... her future is limitless. His gaze already drifted toward distant plans for the future.

"Hey, kid sister," the burly man who had argued with Su Rou earlier turned back awkwardly, his face flushed crimson.

"Um, are you friends with that person?"

"What's it to you?" Su Rou puffed out her cheeks, feigning indifference.

"Well, it's like this..." Bro rubbed his hands together, his tone becoming unusually polite. "Could you ask your friend to sign an autograph for me after the competition? My daughter really admires Spirit Array Masters..."

"Your friend is sure to become famous after today. Can I get a head start, being here first?"

He added sheepishly, "What I said earlier... I was wrong."

Seeing his flustered state, Su Rou finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"That's not something I can decide," Su Rou said firmly, refusing to make promises she couldn't keep. "It's up to Ke Lu herself. You'll have to try your luck yourself later."

On the stage,

Just as everyone had predicted, Ke Lu didn't immediately leave the stage. Instead, she pressed the communication button beside her. "Can the Examination Affairs Department hear me?"

"We can," the staff backstage replied instantly, their eyes glued to the monitors. "We're here."

"I'm requesting to attempt the final question," Ke Lu's voice echoed through the stadium via the large screen.

At this point, no one questioned her skill anymore. Instead, the audience began speculating about how long it would take her to complete the task.

No one doubted her abilities now. The audience erupted into a frenzy:

[I bet a pack of spicy noodles she'll finish in under a minute!]

[You're underestimating her! I bet three minutes!]

[This is an exam question beyond the syllabus! Get real!]

[Even though she's incredible, she can't possibly solve a question that's off the charts, right?]

On the judges' panel, several experienced Spirit Array Masters exchanged astonished glances.

To be honest, they hadn't expected this test question to actually be used.

The Vice President's expression was particularly grim. His face icy, he ground his teeth and snapped, "Give it to her."

Why is the Vice President acting so strangely? The staff member who had reported to him wondered.

Wasn't the whole point of setting such a difficult question to identify exceptional talent? Why does he seem so dissatisfied?

Deciding it was best not to pry, the staff member left the office, his mind filled with unanswered questions.

The live stream chat exploded with activity:

[This is what a true genius looks like!]

[To everyone who said the question was beyond the syllabus: prepare to eat your words!]

[I've already started recording this!]

Su Rou nervously gripped her cheerleading pom-poms, while Gu Yunfan wore a thoughtful expression. The atmosphere in the arena reached another fever pitch.