Chapter 229: They Can Only Look Up
Chapter 229: They Can Only Look Up (Requesting Monthly Vote)
Buzz!
Lin Qi opened his eyes. Everything had changed—the endless void transformed into a boundless azure sky.
His attire had shifted too. He now wore the red-and-white uniform of Azure Firmament Martial Academy, the crimson sword emblem stitched over his right chest. Beneath his feet stretched smooth, solid ground.
The sky above was a brilliant blue, dotted with drifting white clouds. From all directions came a cacophony of voices.
"Is this the National Freshman Tournament venue?"
"Are we actually floating in midair?"
Students swarmed around, craning their necks in awe, their curiosity palpable.
"Brother Qi!"
Lin Qi turned to see Jiang Tao, Guo Heng, Wang Qiufeng, Zhou Xi Yin, Li Zhou, and other companions rushing toward him.
The entire Azure Firmament Six Colleges contingent had gathered here. Nearby, students from other academies were logging in one by one.
The nine academies formed distinct clusters. Each Academy Head stood at the forefront, their territory clearly marked.
"Brother Qi, look—Minghai Martial Institute and Azure Firmament Martial Academy!" Jiang Tao pointed.
Lin Qi glanced left. They stood on a gleaming white floating island flanked by two others. A massive banner fluttered above, its blue fabric bearing an intricate emblem of a roaring ocean.
The banner to the left depicted a black earthen emblem.
Overhead, the crimson-and-white Azure Firmament banner billowed proudly. The three top academies formed a triangular formation, their islands poised like three sharp spearheads.
Lin Qi could easily see the elite talents on the adjacent islands—geniuses from the rival academies.
"Below them are the Ten Prestigious Schools, and beneath them, the remaining twenty-three Martial Arts Universities!" Jiang Tao gestured downward.
The crowd followed his gaze, realizing the floating islands stretched far below. Xia Kingdom’s thirty-six Martial Arts Universities were tiered like a pyramid.
The top tier—three apex academies. The middle—ten elite schools. The bottom—twenty-three lesser institutions.
The gap was stark. The lower tiers gazed upward with envy, their students mere shadows compared to the triumphant figures above.
"All participants, attention!"
A towering projection materialized midair. The man had a gaunt face, a beard, and an aura of quiet elegance.
Azure Firmament students recognized him instantly—their academy’s Deputy Principal, Xu Wenji.
"The National Freshman Tournament is hosted in rotation by the three top academies. This year, it’s our honor. I am Deputy Principal Xu Wenji of Azure Firmament Martial Academy, your host for this event."
His voice resonated clearly through the sky.
"Firstly, welcome to all competitors participating in the preliminary rounds."
"The tournament has two phases—preliminaries and finals. Today, from 1.5 million freshmen, we will whittle the ranks to 15,000 finalists."
"Out of 1,536,521 participants, 99% will be eliminated."
"All competitors will enter the arena. Only 15,000 victors will advance."
A chill swept through the crowd. Many schools might see only a handful of survivors—most were here to be cannon fodder.
"However, in the first preliminary round, defeating a single opponent grants a reward of ten thousand Xia Kingdom Credits!"
"Maximum reward: 500,000 Credits!"
The announcement ignited a frenzy.
Not all prodigies hailed from Azure Firmament—many were signed to D-Rank Contracts or lower. For most, the Martial Arts Pavilion’s stipend was mere hundreds of thousands of Credits. Ten thousand was a fortune.
"I’ll hunt enough kills to strike gold!"
"I’ll buy resources with my earnings to boost my strength!"
Fists clenched, eyes hardened. The pursuit of Credits ignited their resolve.
Xu Wenji chuckled, raising his palm.
"I now declare the first preliminary round… commence!"
With a wave, the floating islands receded. A colossal forest materialized below, its scale dwarfed into a miniature model.
"Zzzshhh!"
Beams of crimson light erupted around Lin Qi as competitors transformed into pillars of light.
"I’ll kill fifty and grab that 500k prize!" Jiang Tao roared before vanishing into the forest.
Over a million crimson beams rained into the endless woodland.
Lin Qi scanned his surroundings. The arena was now his alone—save for the distant figures atop the Minghai and Shanyu islands.
His gaze locked onto Minghai’s representative—a towering figure with chiseled features, his posture as unyielding as a glacier. Li Hanjiang, Minghai’s undisputed number one.
Nearby, Shanyu’s Liang Yuxin stood in her black uniform, silver-streaked hair framing delicate features. The academy’s strongest.
As Lin Qi studied them, their eyes flicked toward him—silent appraisals in the eye of the storm.
[Countdown complete. Preliminary Round begins!]
A mechanical voice echoed. The forest arena shimmered with an uncanny clarity. Lin Qi’s vision pierced its depths, as if observing a chessboard.
"Kill!"
Across the woodland, crimson beams faded into the canopy. One minute to choose armor and weapons. Competitors materialized two meters apart, scattered like seeds.
The beams vanished. The slaughter began.
Clashing blades tore through the jungle.
"Crack!"
"Pfah! Pfah!"
Contestants fell instantly—no restrictions, no mercy. The system scanned their Vital Energy and Body Constitution in real time, exposing raw strength gaps.
"Too weak!"
"I’m from Jiangnan Martial University! You’re no match for me!"
A hulking brute swung a war axe, cleaving an opponent’s blade downward. The force drove his foe to his knees, mud splattering as the axe bit into his throat.
"Four down! Fourty thousand Credits—easy money!" the brute bellowed.
"Pfshh!"
A blade flashed from behind, slicing his neck. Blood sprayed. The brute collapsed, his body dissolving into mist.
A sharp-faced youth emerged, sabre in hand.
"Fool!"
His name blazed above: Chen Zichuan – Azure Firmament Martial Academy.
(End of Chapter)
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