Global Necromantic Specialist

Leaving the instance, Jeny immediately activated the Primary Cooling Talisman.

In just ten seconds, the two of them re-entered the nightmare-level Xihai Mine instance.

This time, Jeny seemed like an entirely different person. Running beside Marsh, she exuded an air of excitement, as if this dungeon run was the most exhilarating thing she had ever done.

Her enthusiasm, however, made Marsh feel slightly puzzled.

"Is it really something to get this excited over?" he thought. To him, it was just pulling a wave of monsters and blasting them down—no big deal.

Jeny caught his odd expression and immediately flared up, her temper showing. "What are you staring at? Never seen a beautiful woman before?"

Marsh had known her for years, and he had to admit—she was beautiful. Comparing Jeny with someone like Ning Yiyi, though, was impossible.

Each had her own charm. Jeny was tall and proud, while Ning Yiyi was petite and adorable. Both were striking in their own ways.

Still, Marsh didn't dwell on appearances. To him, Ning Yiyi was a friend, and Jeny was simply a classmate.

Ten minutes later, the mighty nightmare-level boss, the Goblin King, fell before Marsh yet again. The unwilling look in its eyes as it died, almost like it had been unfairly wronged, would have been comical if it weren't so pitiful.

Marsh muttered under his breath, "Four more times."

In less than an hour, the two of them ran through the dungeon four consecutive times, clearing it with efficiency and precision.

Jeny's Primary Cooling Talisman had now been used to its limit. Its once-bright surface had dimmed, resembling an ordinary stone. Only upon closer inspection could faint runes still be seen within.

"It's out of charges," Jeny said, putting the talisman away. "I'll need to get it recharged later."

Primary Cooling Talismans weren't disposable items, but recharging them was no simple matter. According to Jeny, the process was complex and required a high-level alchemist.

After their runs, Jeny had reached level 14 with 20% experience toward the next level. Another couple of dungeon clears, and she would hit level 15.

Marsh, on the other hand, was still level 15 but had gained significant progress. His experience now sat at 85%.

As expected, leveling up after hitting 15 was becoming noticeably slower. A duo team in a nightmare dungeon only yielded a 26% experience gain per run.

Still, with one and a half days left before the big exam, they had enough time for two more dungeon runs.

Jeny was brimming with confidence. "If I can reach level 15 before the exam, getting into Xia Jing Academy is in the bag!"

She glanced at Marsh. "What about you? You're close to leveling up, right?"

"Very close," Marsh replied calmly.

Jeny laughed. "By the time the exam comes around, you'll be level 16, and I'll be level 15. Two students from Xihai City getting into Xia Jing Academy in the same year—that'll make Principal David so happy, he'll probably dance in his office!"

Getting even one student into Xia Jing Academy was a monumental achievement for any high school principal. It was a mark of honor and proof of excellence.

Everyone knew how difficult it was to gain admission to Xia Jing Academy. Only true prodigies had a shot. Each year, only 1,000 students were accepted from across the entire Shenxia Empire.

Most of those spots were taken by the elites from major cities and influential families. For students from small cities, the competition was almost insurmountable.

Last year, Morkel from their city was admitted, and Principal David had celebrated for days. Years before that, Jack had made it in, earning the reputation of a genius that the city still talked about.

In short, gaining admission to Xia Jing Academy was the ultimate badge of honor.

The two of them found a spot to sit and rest while waiting for the dungeon cooldown to reset.

As they rested, Jeny turned to Marsh with a grin. "Hey, Marsh, have you thought about aiming for the top spot? You know, becoming the provincial champion?"

Marsh raised an eyebrow. "The provincial champion?"

"Yeah!" Jeny said enthusiastically. "If you can get first place, you'll earn a ton of points. Points are super valuable in Xia Jing Academy."

She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "And if you're lucky, it might even help you join the Creation Seminary!"

Marsh's interest was piqued. He recalled Ning Yiyi mentioning the Creation Seminary before, though she hadn't gone into detail. "Do you know anything about the Creation Seminary?" he asked.

Jeny crossed her legs and thought for a moment. "Not much, honestly. I just know what my dad told me."

She began to explain, her tone serious. "The Creation Seminary is supposed to be the most prestigious academy in the Shenxia Empire. Xia Jing Academy gathers all the top talents, but the Creation Seminary only accepts the absolute best of the best."

Her expression turned slightly wistful. "My dad said it's nearly impossible to get in. He even told me there's no way I'd qualify."

She looked at Marsh with a determined glint in her eyes. "But you? You've got a real chance. You should at least try."

"Didn't Morkel from Xihai City make it into the Creation Seminary before? He's the only one from our city who's ever done it," she added.

Marsh considered her words. If there was an opportunity to join the Creation Seminary, it was worth pursuing. After all, he already planned to attend Xia Jing Academy to reunite with his sister, Lin Mohan.

"If there's a chance, I'll give it a shot," he said.

Jeny beamed. "I knew you would!"

Just then, she pointed toward the dungeon entrance. "Hey, isn't that Kevin?"

Sure enough, Kevin stood at the gate, looking around as though searching for a team.

Jeny cast a detection spell and giggled. "Would you look at that? He's level 11 already. Not bad for a knight. Too bad no one wants to team up with him."

Knights were essential in dungeon runs, but only if they were strong enough. At level 11, Kevin simply wasn't up to par. Even for normal dungeons, most teams required knights to be at least level 13.

Kevin's disappointment was evident as he searched unsuccessfully for a team.

Marsh, observing the scene, said simply, "Let's bring him along."

Jeny raised an eyebrow, then broke into a mischievous grin. "Sure, why not? This should be fun."

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