Reborn as a Mosquito The School Belle I Drained is the Reincarnated Empress - Chapter 126

Chapter 126: Is There No Suspense Left in the Three-Province Exam? Gu Yuexi Can Only Get Third Place?
​
Translation by: Weebsread👹
​
The owners of those two auras were none other than Zhou Qing, Governor of Tianhuo Province, and Li Jianye, Governor of Canglan Province.
​
Zhou Qing was a burly man in his middle years, his square face marked by the sternness of command. Even without a hint of anger, he radiated the iron-blooded aura unique to military men—a presence that seemed to fill the room.
​
Li Jianye, by contrast, cut a far more refined figure. Dressed in a crisp Zhongshan suit and gold-rimmed glasses, he looked less like a provincial governor and more like a university professor—cultured, reserved, and dignified.
​
“Old Qi, you really went all out this time!”
​
Though Zhou Qing hadn’t yet appeared in person, his booming voice thundered ahead of him, echoing in everyone’s ears. “What’s this? You know your province doesn’t stand a chance at the Status this year, so you invited us over hoping we’d let you save some face?”
​
Qi Chongshan merely chuckled, stepping forward to greet them personally. “Old Zhou, what are you saying? The three of us haven’t met in years. With this Joint Exam, it’s the perfect opportunity to catch up and share a few drinks. Isn’t that better than just glaring at each other through a screen?”
​
His words were polite, but inside, Qi Chongshan was nearly bursting with glee.
​
A get-together? Drinks?
​
Nonsense!
​
I just want to see the looks on your faces when you’re humiliated by a mosquito! That’s worth more than any feast!
​
Even Xiao Ran had already guessed that the so-called “Evil Giant Mushroom” was, in fact, that mosquito.
​
As a provincial governor, Qi Chongshan had access to far more information and understood Chu Sheng’s true identity better than anyone. How could he not have figured it out?
​
He had pieced it together the moment he received the news yesterday.
​
At first, he was so stunned that he sat dazed in his office for half an hour before he could begin to process such an absurd reality.
​
And the very first thing he did after regaining his senses—
​
He immediately sent urgent invitations to the other two governors!
​
A once-in-a-lifetime chance to see old friends get their comeuppance—if he missed this, he’d regret it forever!
​
Off to the side, Li Jianye adjusted his glasses and offered a conciliatory smile. “Old Zhou’s always had that temper. Don’t mind him, Old Qi.”
​
“But, I must say, your Suiming Province’s Gu Yuexi has really surprised me this year!”
​
“A Mid-Second Rank Cultivator already able to comprehend three Perfect Intents—her comprehension is truly extraordinary, one in a million!”
​
“It’s just a shame… her talent is lacking. She’s still only at Mid-Second Rank. Her Realm is simply too low. In the end, she has no chance at the Status. At best… third place, I’d say!”
​
Though Li Jianye’s words sounded like praise, the sense of superiority in his tone was unmistakable.
​
The other governors knew nothing of Gu Yuexi’s “Federation Top Secret” Status.
​
Their knowledge of her was limited to what had circulated from the Preliminary Rounds.
​
In their eyes, no amount of comprehension could bridge the insurmountable gap in Realm.
​
This year’s Three-Province Status could only be claimed by one of the monsters from their own provinces.
​
Suiming Province?
​
Not a chance.
​
Zhou Qing was even more unabashed in his pride. He clapped Qi Chongshan on the shoulder and laughed heartily:
​
“Old Li’s right, Gu Yuexi is impressive, but it’s a pity! She’s not like our Tianhuo Province’s Mu Linyuan, or Canglan’s Lin Feng. Both are solid Early Third Rank! The Status is sure to go to one of them!”
​
He sighed, shaking his head. “Honestly, I’m a bit envious of Old Li! Your Lin Feng from Canglan was born with a Natural Sword Body—a homegrown genius. If he wins the Status, the prestige will be unmatched!”
​
“Unlike our Mu Linyuan, who transferred from Hong Kong Island. He’s a monster, true, but the honor just isn’t the same when he’s not born and bred in Tianhuo.”
​
As the two exchanged these ritual boasts and half-compliments, Qi Chongshan kept his expression neutral, but inside he was struggling not to burst out laughing.
​
Monsters?
​
You call those two monsters?
​
You have no idea what true terror is.
​
Soon enough, you’ll be the ones crying!
​
He barely restrained his amusement, waving his hand and putting on a resigned face.
​
“All right, all right, I know your two provinces are extraordinary. Our Suiming Province is just here to make up the numbers this year, all right?”
​
“Let’s leave it at that—any more and I won’t have a face to show! The competition’s about to begin. Let’s head to the stands!”
​
The three governors took their seats in the highest section of the spectator stands, a place reserved solely for them.
​
Before them stretched a colossal virtual screen, capable of switching in real time to any arena within the Secret Realm.
​
A long, sonorous chime rang out—the Three-Province Exam had officially begun!
​
Three thousand examinees surged forward like a tide, pouring into the vast entrance of the Secret Realm.
​
The world before them opened up.
​
An endless plain spread out beneath a deep blue sky, the air fresh and saturated with Spiritual Energy.
​
In the center of the plain, dozens of massive arenas made from special alloys had been constructed.
​
Around each arena stood several imposing Fourth Rank soldiers, along with professional referees and examiners to ensure fairness and safety.
​
Countless drones hovered overhead, broadcasting real-time footage from every arena to screens outside.
​
The rules were simple: a randomly matched elimination tournament.
​
The horn for battle soon sounded.
​
The first few rounds unfolded with little suspense.
​
Everyone’s attention was fixed on the top contenders for the championship.
​
“Look! That’s Mu Linyuan from Tianhuo Province! He’s up against Qin Zheng—maybe there’s a chan—Whoa! One move! Another instant win!”
​
“He’s unbelievably strong! That Purple Flame Qilin of his is a King-level bloodline—an Early Third Rank cub, and it can obliterate ordinary Late Third Rank beasts without effort. Qin Zheng never stood a chance!”
​
“Canglan’s Lin Feng is even scarier! He didn’t even draw his sword—just his Minor Achievement Sword Intent was enough to make his opponent surrender on the spot!”
​
“Monsters! Both of them are absolute monsters!”
​
For a while, the entire Suiming Province spectator area was weighed down by a sense of oppression and frustration.
​
The gap was simply too vast.
​
Gu Yuexi’s performance, meanwhile, became their only consolation.
​
Every one of her battles was swift and decisive. Whether her opponent was a Peak Second Rank genius or someone who had barely grasped the rudiments of Intent, she dispatched them all with a single flick of her finger.
​
At this moment, Gu Yuexi had just finished a match and stepped down from the arena, her face expressionless.
​
Her opponent had been a renowned genius from a neighboring province—a Peak Second Rank Cultivator who had even glimpsed the beginnings of a Mastery-level Intent, formidable by any standard.
​
But before her, he couldn’t withstand even a single finger.
​
The Suiming Province examinees below erupted in cheers, but beneath the excitement lingered an inescapable sense of frustration and bitterness.
​
Gu Yuexi was indeed strong—far stronger than anyone had imagined.
​
But what of it?
​
Her Realm was simply too low. Even though she could fight above her rank, all she could do was crush Peak Second Rank geniuses.
​
Once she reached the finals and faced those two monsters, she would likely have to stop there.
​
Gu Yuexi ignored the discussions around her, making her way straight to the Hidden Dragon Class’s rest area.
​
As she approached, she immediately sensed that something was amiss.
​
A suffocating heaviness hung over the small space.
​
Looking up, she saw Xiao Ran and Chu Yiran—the two top geniuses of Dunan, known as the “Peerless Duo,” and the only two Peak Second Rank Cultivators among Suiming Province’s current cohort—both sitting on the ground, utterly dejected.
​
One stared blankly into space, the other’s fists clenched so tightly their knuckles had turned white. Both wore the same expression of confusion and unwillingness, their pride shattered by the reality they’d just faced.
​
Beside them, Qin Zheng looked even more pitiful—curled up in a corner as if his soul had left him, staring at the ground and muttering to himself, the very picture of defeat.
​
It seemed they’d all been unlucky enough to run into those so-called monsters in the early rounds.