Upon hearing Yun Miao mention the Marshal, Jiang Zhen's face immediately darkened.
Marshal Li came from Qinghua, a source of pride for all Qinghua students.
But ever since the assassin from Sakura Country succeeded in targeting the Mechanic, Marshal Li's prestige suffered a massive blow.
In particular, Beida Academy, Qinghua Academy's competitor, had been suppressed for decades due to Marshal Li's rise back then.
This incident gave Beida Academy even more grounds to criticize Qinghua.
And yet, the people of Qinghua Academy couldn't retort.
They had ensured the Mechanic's safety with utmost vigilance, but who could have known how the assassin from Sakura Country managed to slip through countless checks and succeed in Tianjing City?
This matter was truly bizarre to the extreme.
Faced with Yun Miao's disrespect towards the Marshal, Jiang Zhen, although inwardly upset, could only endure in silence.
Below the stage, Yuan Ting, who had just passed Beida Academy's evaluation, tidied up his disheveled hair and looked arrogantly at Li Haotian.
"Li Haotian, did you see that? This is the true Illusion God profession, compared to your trashy Fake Illusion God profession!"
Yuan Ting looked down with his eyes, nostrils flaring in disdain, with an expression that seemed to look down on the world, as if he had already reached the pinnacle of his profession: "You might be able to exploit bugs in the instances for a while, but can you do it for a lifetime?"
"In the combat type dungeons past level thirty, can you still exploit bugs so the enemies won't attack you?"
"Hmph, accept it, you're just a trash Mechanic, comparable to a sewer Fake Illusion God!"
People around cast gleeful gazes at Li Haotian, eager to see him flee in shame.
However, looking at Yuan Ting's protagonist demeanor, a strong sense of mockery flashed in Li Haotian's eyes.
He walked forward slowly, arriving at the Illusion Mirror of Beida Academy, sneering, "Tsk tsk, just passing an evaluation and you act like this, someone unaware might think you've become a Hundred-level master already."
Seeing Li Haotian still daring to retort, Yuan Ting's expression darkened instantly.
He was about to counter when, unexpectedly, Yun Lan spoke first.
Yun Lan's gaze swept over the Divine Artifact level Goblin Staff behind Li Haotian, revealing a hint of disdain: "Just passing an evaluation?"
"Where does a staff-wielding Mechanic like you get the courage to say such things?"
"Hmph, a newly awakened Mechanic, the most useless Illusion God profession, with such strong vanity, dares to comment on others!"
Li Haotian squinted at Yun Lan.
Yun Lan raised an eyebrow, scolding, "What are you looking at? The East Dragon Empire's declining international status in recent years is due to people like you who are not pragmatic!"
"Do you think a Divine Artifact level staff is rare? Wearing a piece of fancy gear just to attract attention? Hmph, after six years of superpower compulsory education, you don't even understand the consequences of using weapons across different professions."
"Simply a fool!"
"With someone like you, if accidentally caught in an Abyss Dungeon or combat type dungeon, you'll probably be wiped out in no time, purely wasting the Empire's resources!"
Behind Yun Lan, Yuan Ting felt secretly delighted by her words.
He didn't expect this seemingly aloof sister Yun Lan to be so sharp-tongued, almost poking straight into his heart!
"Sister Yun, don't say that, this Li Haotian in front of you is Qingshan Academy's long-term top-ranking super scholar, with a Spiritual Power Value of an unprecedented 100."
"Who knows, maybe that staff has some extraordinary use?" Yuan Ting sarcastically pleaded Li Haotian's "innocence" on the side.
Li Haotian gave him a peculiar look, muttering to himself: Hey, is this guy's profession's passive skill "making serendipitous guesses"? I must say, it's quite accurate!
Yun Lan glanced back at Yuan Ting, with a flicker of surprise in her eyes, but then she indifferently said, "So what if you have full Spiritual Power Value? Awakening as a Mechanic, even if your Spiritual Power Value doubles, it's still a trash profession!"
"Mechanic wielding a staff, are you planning to practice the Dog Beating Stick Technique?"
"With someone like you, you won't last three minutes, let alone half a minute against my illusions, you'll be thrown out!"
A flash of coldness appeared in Li Haotian's eyes as he looked playfully at Yun Lan, "Not even half a minute? Are you sure?"
Yun Lan smiled arrogantly, "Hmph, for a trash profession, half a minute is already generous!"
Li Haotian laughed heartily, took the staff from his back, and strode towards the Illusion Mirror in front of Yun Lan.
With a flicker of his figure, he disappeared into the Illusion Mirror, leaving only a defiant taunt: "Frog in a well that knows nothing! The power of a fancy staff is enough to smash your head!"
"Wow," came the sound, as Li Haotian's declaration sent the surrounding people into an uproar.
Yun Lan was so infuriated her face turned crimson, and her delicate body trembled slightly.
A boy who had just awakened three days ago dared to call her, a Beida Academy student representative, a frog in a well?
What a heaven-defying thing!
She gritted her teeth and said, "Clueless brat! When you are knocked out by my illusion, let's see how you keep up the act!"
Beside Yun Lan, Jiangwu Youyou's beautiful face showed a hint of curiosity and seriousness.
She had checked the transaction records yesterday; the staff she had listed at the auction house had been sold in Four Symbols City just yesterday.
The Goblin Staff, though powerful, had significant drawbacks.
She didn't believe it was a coincidence that two people would buy such a staff in Four Symbols City.
So she was 99% certain that her staff had been purchased by this Mechanic, Li Haotian, in front of her.
Was it absurd for a Mechanic to wield a staff?
Of course, it was absurd!
But the problem was, this Goblin Staff was level twenty equipment!
This meant that Li Haotian was already level twenty!
Earlier, everyone had been busy mocking Li Haotian and didn't consider the fact.
A Mechanic who had only awakened three days ago reaching level twenty was an earth-shatteringly extraordinary thing!
Perhaps this was also because the Goblin Staff, being too impractical and with a very low drop rate, was known as a fancy item, yet people didn't realize it was a level twenty Divine Artifact equipment.
Jiangwu Youyou recalled Li Haotian's calm demeanor amidst the earlier mockery and suddenly had a premonition: this Mechanic seemed different from ordinary Mechanics!
With these thoughts flashing through her mind, Jiangwu Youyou fixed her gaze on the Illusion Mirror in front of Yun Lan, seemingly waiting for some kind of miracle to happen.
After entering the Illusion Mirror, Li Haotian found himself transported as if in an instance to a place resembling an arena.
Fifty meters ahead of him stood a girl.
Aside from her vacant eyes, she was indistinguishable from the Yun Lan outside.
Suddenly, a line of notification appeared in front of Li Haotian.
[Preparation time, ten seconds.]
[Countdown begins, 10, 9, 8...]