109 Another Rune Expert Added (6400)

“Let’s go.”

The masked man snapped his fingers and shook the car keys in his hand. The keys were exquisite, suggesting the vehicle was quite expensive.

“All right.” Xiunan nodded and followed him.

In the underground garage, there truly was a luxury sedan waiting. Its exterior was painted a striking fiery red, and on the door was a carved white short sword, roughly half an arm’s length in size.

The car’s body was streamlined, resembling a shark gliding through the air. On the hood stood a silver shield emblem about the size of half a palm.

This was a Silver Shield series sedan, worth ten million star coins.

With two loud thuds, both car doors closed.

Inside, the car was extremely high-end, exuding an air of luxury. The masked man sat in the driver’s seat, suddenly pressing his hand over his white mask. Xiunan thought he was about to remove it and glanced over.

To his shock, beneath the white mask was a face exactly like his own—sharp features, faint stubble, and light blue eyes.

“You!” Xiunan clenched his right fist tightly, veins bulging as blood surged rapidly through his body.

“Don’t be nervous; it’s just a human skin mask.”

The masked man shrugged, then turned his head away. In the next moment, the face transformed back into a platinum mask—rugged, with a domineering aura between the brows.

He wiped his right hand across his face again, becoming the elegant and alluring Hong Shi, with full red lips, a high nose bridge, and captivating eyes that seemed to speak.

“How’s my mature woman’s voice?”

The voice from beneath the mask was a low, feminine tone.

So seductive...

Even the tone of speech was perfectly imitated.

It seemed the ability wasn’t limited to voice and appearance; the masked man could mimic others’ physiques too. The transformation was so natural and precise, it was likely some kind of supernatural power.

That explained it—superpowers come in all sorts of strange forms, and Xiunan was open to any bizarre ability.

“Is this your power?” Xiunan asked.

“Something like that… you can think of it that way.”

The masked man ruffled his hair forcefully, settling finally into the form of a devilishly charming young man, a tear-shaped mole at the corner of his eye, and a faint smile at the corner of his lips.

Honestly, this guy was quite the show-off.

Xiunan’s eye twitched slightly. No wonder this man could serve as the head of intelligence for the Golden Spiral Organization. He was a natural spy; gathering intelligence was effortless for him.

“Let’s go!” the masked man whistled.

He pressed the accelerator, and with a roar like a wild beast, the Silver Shield sedan shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

Three minutes later, speeding down the highway, the fiery red car continuously overtook one vehicle after another. The honking from behind was incessant. The masked man gave a rude gesture in response.

He drove fast, almost as if racing, never lifting his right foot from the gas pedal.

“How’s that? Thrilling, isn’t it? Haha… I just love that feeling of rushing like the wind. It makes my blood burn and my spirit soar…”

He talked to himself as he quickly pressed a button, triggering rhythmic electronic music.

His body swayed, sunglasses perched on his nose.

With another press of the gas, the Silver Shield car sped past like a streak of red flame, stirring up swirling air currents.

Xiunan sat in the passenger seat, his mid-length hair fluttering.

Cars rushed past at high speed, whizzing close to his ears. The thrill of racing felt like walking a tightrope ten thousand meters high—one slip could mean destruction and death.

Perhaps other Rune Masters might fear it, as the immense kinetic energy could shatter their protective Rune Light shields.

But with his meditation time, Xiunan remained unfazed, as long as there was no sudden attack. Any danger was like a walk in the park.

The masked man glanced at Xiunan and smiled faintly.

An hour later, the Silver Shield sedan exited a long tunnel and left the main highway, entering a fork in the road.

The traffic thinned on both sides.

Eventually, the mountain road was almost empty, save for a winding trail that climbed like a flame. Despite the steep gradient and narrow road, the masked man refused to slow down.

The tires nearly scraped the edges as they sped by.

“Be careful,” Xiunan suddenly warned.

“What? Are you scared?”

The masked man raised an eyebrow playfully.

“I’m not worried about myself, but about you. If you fall, I’ll have to spend time piecing your body back together,” Xiunan said seriously.

“Damn, you really know how to pretend,” the masked man said, flicking his pinky.

Five minutes later, the two got out in darkness.

They arrived at a large parking lot filled with various luxury vehicles—only the rich and powerful came here.

The Ice Thorn Rune Master Guild had established a branch on the outskirts of Nilodo, halfway up the mountain. They had built a large villa complex on a clearing.

Xiunan looked up to see blue and black buildings hidden among the trees, their grand spires peeking out.

Following the masked man, he entered the Rune Master Guild, where a steward awaited them. The Golden Spiral Organization had notified them in advance, so the Ice Thorn Guild would show some respect to the local power.

They sent a steward to escort them through a fast track.

After several turns along the road, they stopped before a hall. Xiunan glanced up at the sign: Testing Waiting Hall.

“Sir Knight, please wait inside a moment. We are in the process of securing your spot…”

The steward led him inside.

The spacious hall was filled with many people, all bearing impressive auras. Some were handsome, others solemn. Some wore badges about the size of a fingernail on their chests.

Most were bronze, only three or four had silver badges. These silver-badged individuals were older men with gray hair, accompanied by curious and strikingly handsome juniors.

Clearly, they were elders bringing their protégés for testing.

Xiunan glanced around and casually chose a quiet corner to sit, crossing his arms.

After a moment, his eyes glazed over, seemingly daydreaming but actually practicing the Thorn Flower Rune.

During his forty-day disciplined life, Xiunan had pushed the Thorn Flower Rune to the limit of the second stage, just one step shy of the third stage. Previously, he had been wary of the Black Smoke King’s parasite, but now no longer.

He was attempting to break through the Thorn Flower Rune in reality to reach the third stage, which would greatly enhance his rune crafting capabilities.

In his mind, a dazzling thorn flower slowly bloomed, then another. Upon reaching the third, it collapsed, then repeated the cycle.

Time passed slowly. Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder and opened his eyes.

“First time here for testing?”

A tall, slender man stood before him, tying a small braid behind his head like an artist, with two small mustaches on his lips.

“Is there something you need?” Xiunan frowned.

“This is the Golden Bull Trade Association. We provide Rune Masters with convenient channels for resources and cash. Please accept my card; if interested, call me…”

The man handed over a gilded card.

Xiunan raised an eyebrow and took it.

The man smiled and began distributing cards to others nearby with impressive efficiency.

The card read: Qiu Ye, Executive Department, Golden Bull Trade Association, Phone XX.

Xiunan looked around; the seats nearby were filled with people. Three or four young people gathered, chatting, each holding a similar card.

“The Golden Bull Trade Association is already handing out cards here in the waiting hall?” a young man exclaimed, surprised.

“That’s natural. There’s a huge difference between Rune apprentices and official Rune Masters. The gap is like heaven and earth, and status can increase tenfold or more…”

A pretty girl nearby explained, her tone full of admiration.

“May I ask, what exactly is the Golden Bull Trade Association?”

Xiunan’s eyes flickered as he suddenly asked.

“It’s the most famous rune intermediary on the entire East Coast’s three states. Simply put, it’s a large platform whose main commodities are extraordinary resources and runes. If you’re capable, you can exchange large amounts of resources and cash through this platform…”

“You can even network with the upper class at the annual Golden Bull Meeting, expanding your social circle…”

The girl named Lacey spoke briefly about the association, her words tinged with longing.

“Is this your first time taking the test?”

A curly-haired boy asked.

“Yes.”

The conversation flowed naturally.

From their descriptions, Xiunan understood the modern Rune Master system was organizational rather than master-apprentice-based like the Twin Saint Era.

These organizations could be official or corporate, but mainly followed a unified training format. Success depended largely on talent and effort.

There was even a trend toward streamlined production.

These three were trained by a small organization called the Proka Society, studying for three years. This was their first attempt at the Rune Master test; if unlucky, they might have a second or third try.

The test interval was one year.

Suddenly, a mocking voice interrupted, “Hey, the three useless ones from Proka?”

A red-haired young man entered. He was handsome but had a sharp, mean expression.

“Mensa!” Lacey snorted coldly.

“Miss me?” Mensa whistled teasingly.

They began arguing softly, careful not to raise their voices in the Ice Thorn Rune Master Guild’s waiting hall.

Xiunan listened. Mensa belonged to the rival Chihong Club, a trainee Rune Master. Trainees were those who had passed the Rune exam in smaller branches of the Ice Thorn Guild and held bronze badges temporarily.

To be fully certified, they needed to pass authoritative tests at major branches.

Mensa was somewhat talented, studying only two years. The first year was mediocre, but the second year he seemed to have a breakthrough and quickly passed the trainee certification a month ago.

Now he was here for the official authoritative test.

His talent was indeed far above the other three.

However, Mensa’s temperament was poor—arrogance was etched on his face, and he constantly boasted about his trainee status while disparaging the Proka trio. He even sneered at Xiunan for sitting nearby.

His personality was truly unpleasant.

As the argument continued, Xiunan suddenly sensed a familiar aura. He quickly scanned around, but it vanished. Had he misread it?

“Sorry for the wait. Here is your identification card.”

The steward returned, handing Xiunan a matte metal card engraved with a number: B152.

It represented Hall B, number 152.

The test included theory and practical parts, both equally important. The final rating would be an average score. Usually, those who passed the theory part performed well practically, as knowledge was power.

Most who failed practical were the minority.

Five minutes later, Xiunan entered a computer lab-like room. There were individual cubicles, each with a computer and a camera. The Rune exam had evolved with the times.

More young and middle-aged people entered, along with an elderly man with gray hair—all here for the official Rune Master exam.

Xiunan saw the sign confirming it was the official Rune Master exam. There were likely elite and expert Rune Master exams afterward.

Would he need to change rooms if he passed?

Shaking his head, he sat at his station.

Five minutes later, the computer lit up, displaying a test paper: ten multiple-choice questions followed by numerous essay questions.

Scores appeared immediately after each submission.

Xiunan sat upright, focused. Though he mastered much ancient Rune Master knowledge, the long gap between ancient and modern times meant the test content might differ.

It could be beyond his grasp.

He began answering.

“In a rune workshop, which circuit combined with the levitation circuit produces a supernatural blood stripping effect?”

A giveaway question. Xiunan chose A: Dispersal Circuit.

“Which gases, after rune compression, produce a calming effect and nourish runes?”

B: Blue Light Gas. He did not choose Purple Orchid Gas because it only calms without nourishing runes.

He quickly answered through the ten multiple-choice questions in thirty seconds. He knew the answers immediately, along with all explanations and special uses.

The computer showed a perfect score.

The first ten questions were clearly freebies.

Xiunan nodded slightly and continued.

The essay questions were also surprisingly straightforward. Answers flowed as strings of characters appeared on the screen.

After five minutes, he had completed half.

Suddenly, muffled groans came from outside the cubicles, followed by a stern voice from an elderly man through Xiunan’s computer speaker:

“No loud noises! Offenders will be expelled!”

The room gradually quieted.

Five more minutes passed as Xiunan typed the last characters. The system automatically scored the entire exam: 99 points.

One point short, but insignificant. Essay questions were often ambiguous; losing a point or two was normal.

At the same time, the proctor sitting at a computer noticed a red dot on the screen and clicked the mouse.

“B152 has completed the exam with a total score of 99, exceeding the system’s 95-point threshold. Official Rune Master theory exam passed; elite Rune Master theory exam may proceed with proctor authorization.”

“What the hell?! Someone finished in just ten minutes? This year’s Ice Thorn Guild exam is the hardest in five years, how could it be done so fast? People were still struggling earlier…”

The proctor’s eyes widened in disbelief.

The score was 99, almost perfect. The system always deducted a point or two here and there.

“Straight to the elite Rune Master exam…” the proctor muttered. He had been a proctor for ten years and only seen this twice. Scoring above 95 on the official theory exam allowed direct advancement; otherwise, candidates had to wait a year.

This was a humane rule for those with solid skills ready to burst forth.

“Authorize it.” The proctor clicked confirm.

In the cubicle, Xiunan prepared to get up for the elite exam.

Suddenly, the computer flashed and another test appeared: “Ice Thorn Rune Master Assessment B Paper.”

“B paper? The official Rune Master exam has two papers?”

He quickly scanned the questions: this one was much harder than the A paper.

“No wonder the official exam isn’t easy. It lasts two hours, 120 minutes. Finishing the theory exam in ten minutes was impossible…”

Xiunan concentrated again, answering carefully.

On the proctor’s platform, the old man switched the camera to cubicle B152 and widened his eyes.

Was this speed too fast?

Answering multiple-choice questions instantly, essay questions typed rapidly, lines of black text pouring down.

“Is he not thinking at all?!”

The proctor leaned back in his chair, uneasy.

He had considered cheating, but it was impossible. The Ice Thorn Guild ensured absolute fairness: questions were sent directly from headquarters, untouched by proctors or anyone else, not even branch chiefs.

Time ticked by. Half an hour later, the proctor poured himself some tea to calm down.

He was thinking of bragging to colleagues during lunch, just like last time.

Suddenly, the screen beeped repeatedly.

His heart skipped a beat. Could it be?

He clicked to check.

“B152 has completed the exam with a total score of 98, exceeding the 95-point threshold. Elite Rune Master theory exam passed; Rune Expert theory exam may proceed with proctor authorization.”

“Damn, this test has produced a freak!”

The proctor spat out his tea in shock.

He had struggled for years to barely pass the elite exam with 62 points two years ago. Now he was proctoring someone scoring 98, apparently not very old.

Mixed feelings overwhelmed him, memories of his passionate youth flooding back.

Really, people compare themselves to others… sigh, better not compare anymore.

Too old for that now…

He clicked confirm, eyes burning with intensity.

Could this person pass all three levels? Straight to Rune Expert! That was a coveted status the Ice Thorn Guild would lavish attention on, eager to recruit. Even the branch chief here was only a Rune Expert.

Oh, right. There was still the practical exam…

In the cubicle, Xiunan sat waiting.

Sure enough, the screen flashed again, displaying the C paper.

Just a glance revealed it was very difficult. The short-answer questions contained many unfamiliar terms—likely new concepts developed over time.

Xiunan’s heart grew heavy, but he pressed on. He no longer cared whether this was just the official Rune Master exam; the questions demanded his full attention.

“List all specific functions of the 172 circuits involved in advanced rune workshops.”

“The five special functions of the dissection platform, material selection for dissection tools, and their overall interrelations…”

“The ten possible mutation pathways of the Thunderbird, along with the conditions required for each…”

Eyes unblinking, Xiunan devoted himself fully.

Some candidates began submitting and leaving—calm or cursing—while many continued writing until time’s end.

In his cubicle, Xiunan sometimes rubbed his forehead, sometimes tapped the desk, brow furrowed deeply.

On the proctor’s platform, the old man’s nerves were taut.

Why so? Simply put, producing a Rune Expert under his watch was both his pride and bragging right, though the results didn’t directly affect him.

“Ding!” Two hours were up.

Unfinished papers were collected, and most candidates emerged from their cubicles.

The proctor paid them no heed, eyes fixed on the screen. Suddenly, a red dot appeared in the top right corner.

He shakily clicked it open.

“B152 has completed the exam with a total score of 63. Rune Expert theory exam passed!”

“Hahaha, wow!”

The proctor laughed nervously, startling passing candidates who hastened away.

The old man fell silent, lighting a cigarette, smoke gradually shrouding his face.

Passing by, some candidates glanced at him.

Behind the old man’s head, a bright red no-smoking sign stood out, stating smoking was strictly prohibited.

Five seconds later, the proctor pulled out a phone, cigarette in hand, and dialed a number.

“Hello, Secretary Nora?”

“Yes, what’s the matter?”

“Please connect me to the branch chief.”

“The chief is in a meeting, not available now.”

“Then go find Chief David yourself!”

“What’s this about?”

“Do you know? This is my first time proctoring a Rune Expert in my life… ha.” The proctor chuckled bitterly, shaking his head. “I’ve sent you the photo; take a look yourself…”

“Whoa!” came a shout from the other end.

“Chief, Nilodo may soon have a new Rune Expert...”