CHAPTER 107: CHAPTER 106: BEFORE THE GRAND TOURNAMENT

There are a total of four matches in the military academy’s grand competition, with Tianyi City, Cold Smoke Castle, Xi Yuan City, and Harass City each responsible for hosting one.

The draw for this year’s hosting order has already been decided, with the first match taking place in Tianyi City.

For the residents of the Qianyuan Continent, the quadrennial grand competition of the military academies is the largest event in the entire federation. The live broadcast rights make major news media websites fiercely competitive, with advertisement rates reaching tens of millions of star coins per second. Yet, despite the skyrocketing prices, businesses still flock to it willingly. The audience for the military academy’s grand competition numbers in the billions, making any investment worthwhile compared to the potential returns.

A month before the competition, all hotels and inns in Tianyi City were fully booked by websites and radio stations. Without exception, the front pages of mainstream media were filled with news about the military academy’s grand competition, all ready to leverage the event for a popularity boost.

With the competition happening tomorrow, according to the event’s requirements, all participating teams must check into Tianyi Academy today, rest for a night, and enter the competition area together under the event organizers’ arrangements tomorrow.

As soon as the light curtain of the large teleportation array fell, Harass City’s delegation was surrounded by waiting media at the Teleportation Port, bombarded with flashes from cameras.

"I am a reporter from the Bright Newspaper. May I ask what Harass City Military Academy’s expected ranking is this year? You have ranked last for three consecutive terms. If there is no improvement this year, will you be expelled from the ranks of the four great academies?"

Wen Dao’s temple veins throbbed as he closed his eyes, pretending not to hear. Those paparazzi surely know where it hurts the most.

"I’m from the Truth Website. Why is Harass’s team name ’Dedicated to Defiance’? Does it have a special meaning? Four years ago, Harass lost to Xi Yuan Academy by one point and was defeated in disgrace. At the time, the captain of the Desert Ship declared, ’If you refuse to accept it, fight me.’ Is your team’s name a response to Xi Yuan Academy?"

"Li Xing, I’d like to interview you. With your talent buried for so many years, can you still perform at the level of the Double Heaven Armor? Being the only participant in any team without spiritual power, how do you feel about such an obvious disadvantage? Is the pressure heavy?"

Li Xing: "..."

"Ye Qingting, you and Chu Yunyi are cousins. Will this relationship affect your performance? Will Chu Yunyi go easy on the ’Dedicated to Defiance’ team?"

...

It’s no wonder these elite journalists from major media outlets, their questions sharp and impolite.

Wen Dao wore a bitter face, giving no inclination to answer. Luo Jun, even more disgruntled, directed two burly Earth Elemental Spirit teachers to clear the path, breaking through the circle of reporters, escorting the Harass City group onto the flying device towards Tianyi Academy.

Twenty minutes later, the flying device slowly landed on the tarmac of Tianyi Academy. Wen Dao had already recovered from the provocative interviews, energetically stepping off the flying device, followed by the neatly lined Harass delegation.

The principal of Tianyi Academy, Yuan Kai, led the reception. Yuan Kai was short and stout, with thinning hair, contrasting sharply with the statuesque welcome team behind him. In contrast, Wen Dao exuded an elegant demeanor.

"Hahaha, long time no see, Brother Wen, you look more spirited than ever!"

Wen Dao, with a beaming face, replied, "You also seem robust, Elder Yuan!"

Yuan Kai: "Harass City’s greatest strength is punctuality; you arrive exactly when promised, not a second late. Unfortunately, there’s no punctuality prize in the competition; otherwise, you’d certainly be first place."

Wen Dao knew he was mocking Harass’s lack of prowess, cursing "old turtle" in his mind yet still plastering a smile on his face:

"Punctuality is a hallmark of Harass City, not just out of self-discipline but out of respect for others. The habit of making people wait by consistently being late as if taking the protagonist’s seat will never happen to people from Harass City."

Yuan Kai’s mouth twitched unnaturally; he caught on to Wen Dao’s veiled jab at Tianyi Academy’s habit of grandstanding. But it was a fact he couldn’t refute, so he could only chuckle, craning his neck to look past Wen Dao:

"Is this the team representing Harass City?"

Ye Qingting and the other three stepped forward, clicked their heels, and gave Yuan Kai a military salute. As reserves, they were considered half-soldiers, behaving according to military standards in formal settings.

"Harass City team, greetings to Principal Yuan!"

Yuan Kai nodded: "All new faces, I see, unafraid young ones, promising futures ahead."

Yuan Kai’s eyes swept over the four of them, pausing momentarily on Li Xing.

"Brother Wen, I heard your school accepted a super talent with Double Heaven Armor, who might that be?"

Wen Dao, with his beard curling upwards in pride, said, "Li Xing, step forward! Let Principal Yuan take a good look at you."

Li Xing took half a step forward and said, "Yes! Reporting to Principal Yuan, the Double Heaven Armor you’re talking about is me!"

Seeing Li Xing’s frail and delicate appearance, lacking any martial master aura, most of the caution in Yuan Kai’s eyes dissipated, and he beamed, saying:

"Wonderful, seeing such talent broadens my horizons. Women not yielding to men, I very much look forward to your performance in the competition, do your best!"

Yuan Kai was inwardly disdainful; a healer’s potential, yet mistakenly cultivated as a martial master for ten years, was a waste despite her talent.

Multiple Elemental Spirits have always been considered wasted Spirits. Although Double Heaven Armor breaks the curse of wasted Spirits, being stronger than a single Heavenly Armor Spirit, in Li Xing’s case, trying to benefit from both types means doing neither martial mastery nor healing well. Her slender physique is the best proof.

It’s said she also knows talismans, though she hasn’t obtained a talisman master certificate, she’s considered to have comprehensive Martial Talisman Healing. Yet, according to Yuan Kai’s assessment, this claim is simply not credible. Even if she dabbles in three professions, it would be superficial and insufficient in all!

Wen Dao’s claim of a merger of the three masters was entirely empty posturing. Who knows if Xi Yuan Academy or Cold Smoke Pavilion will believe it; Tianyi Academy certainly would not buy it.

Outwardly polite yet inwardly dismissive, Yuan Kai’s condescending gaze had already laid bare his real thoughts. Li Xing discreetly rolled her eyes and declared loudly:

"Thank you, Principal Yuan! A Double Heaven Armor appears once a millennium, and meeting me really must mean your ancestors’ graves are emitting smoke. Rest assured, I’ll perform well in this competition, offering you a comprehensive, three-dimensional insight into what a Double Heaven Armor truly is!"

Yuan Kai: "..." Oh my!(O_o)??

Seeing Li Xing mock Yuan Kai in front of so many, Wen Dao felt immensely satisfied internally, letting out a cheerful laugh:

"Oh, kids don’t know how to speak, Elder Yuan, please don’t take it to heart. Xi Yuan Academy and Cold Smoke Pavilion should be arriving soon, come on! Let’s go meet them, and let these juniors get acquainted themselves."