CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 136: FREE-FOR-ALL

Luo Feng closed the courtyard gate and headed toward the academy.

From time to time, figures emerged from the wooded sides of the mountain path, all exuding vitality and vigor. These individuals were all students of the Purple Sun School who trained on Purple Spirit Peak. They usually cultivated in the mountain forests and only appeared today because it was the start of the Qualification Challenge.

"Senior Brother Min, what a coincidence to bump into you here! Your cultivation has actually reached the Sixth Level of the God Bravery Realm! It seems you’re set to shine in this year’s Qualification Challenge!"

"Hehe, if it isn’t Junior Brother Qin. You’re not looking too bad yourself. I haven’t seen you in two months, but your aura is much fuller than before. You’ve made considerable progress."

"I wouldn’t miss the annual Qualification Challenge for anything. My goal this time is to get onto the Winged Tiger List!"

...

On the mountain path, numerous students walked in twos and threes, chatting and laughing as they made their way to the academy.

"Luo Feng, wait for me."

Luo Feng had only taken a few steps with the crowd when a voice called out from behind him; it was Li Heshan.

"I didn’t expect to run into you here," Li Heshan said with a smile as he approached.

Luo Feng pointed to the nearby woods. "My residence is just in there."

"Then we live quite close. I’m at Waterside Cliff."

TOLL, TOLL, TOLL...

At that moment, a series of long, melodious bell chimes rang out from the direction of the academy, the sound carrying wave after wave for over three miles.

"Let’s hurry, the Qualification Challenge is about to begin!" Li Heshan urged, his eyebrows raised at the sound of the bell.

Luo Feng nodded and quickened his pace.

By the time they reached the arena, the surrounding stands were already packed with people, and the din of voices was deafening.

So many people...

Luo Feng gazed at the stands encircling the arena, somewhat taken aback by the sheer size of the crowd. The stands were nearly ten meters high and could accommodate almost ten thousand spectators.

Currently, the stands were filled to capacity; nearly ten thousand people had gathered, creating a truly magnificent spectacle.

Li Heshan stood beside him, a proud smile on his face. "Of course! Our Purple Sun School is one of the four great schools in the Flowing Cloud Region! For the annual Qualification Challenge, all the influential powers within a radius of dozens of miles come to spectate."

Luo Feng nodded. The four great schools held an extremely high status in the Flowing Cloud Region.

「A short while later」

A large crowd of Inner School students, including Bing Ruolan and Zhou Jian, had gathered in the arena.

"Luo Feng, you’re here too."

Bing Ruolan spotted Luo Feng and walked over, a faint smile on her pretty face. Her pure and ethereal beauty attracted many admiring gazes.

"Luo Feng, I’m going to see a few friends. I’ll catch up with you later!" Li Heshan said with a suggestive grin as he saw Bing Ruolan approach, then headed off to the side.

Luo Feng shook his head helplessly.

Bing Ruolan came to Luo Feng’s side and watched Li Heshan’s retreating figure, her sapphire-blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Li Heshan? Since when were you two so familiar?"

"Since yesterday, I suppose," Luo Feng replied, scratching his nose. "By the way, Ruolan, you went to the third floor of the Martial Arts Hall yesterday. What Swordsmanship did you choose?"

"I’m not telling you. You’ll find out soon enough..." Bing Ruolan said, her hands behind her back. She winked mysteriously, her eyes playful, looking altogether charming and lovely.

Luo Feng felt a sense of helplessness. Just then, a commotion erupted from the stands.

"Look! The top ten students from the Winged Tiger List have arrived! The one in the lead must be ’Cloud Eagle’ Li Yun, number one on the Winged Tiger List, right?"

"And there’s ’Single Stroke Sword’ Han Feng! The one next to him with the scar must be ’Shadow Kill Knife’ Hu Fei. That young girl is ’Poison Bee’ Du Xin, who has recently made a name for herself in the martial world! And ’Chasing Wind Sword’ Zhou Jian..."

"Their auras are so powerful! They’ve all stepped into the Seventh Level Essence Storage Realm. The Purple Sun School truly lives up to its name as one of the four great schools; its foundation is indeed profound!"

Watching the ten individuals walk into the martial arts arena, the crowd in the stands erupted in gasps of surprise.

The students already in the arena also turned their gazes toward the ten figures near the arena entrance. These ten were indeed the top ten students on the Winged Tiger List. Each possessed a unique charisma, yet a touch of haughtiness glinted in their eyes.

As the ten of them stood together, their combined presence was as imposing as a mountain range. Some students with insufficient cultivation even found it difficult to breathe.

"The top ten from the Winged Tiger List! Their strength is incredible; their aura alone is enough to instill fear!"

Bing Ruolan’s beautiful eyes flickered with faint envy as she sized up the ten individuals.

Luo Feng smiled faintly. "Ruolan, your strength is a match for any of them."

Ripples stirred in Bing Ruolan’s lovely eyes. She glanced at Luo Feng, then pursed her lips into a smile. "Right now, I’m ranked outside the top one hundred on the Dragon and Tiger Pillar and haven’t even made it onto the Winged Tiger List. Why are you so sure I can defeat these people?"

"A feeling," Luo Feng stated.

Bing Ruolan pouted her red lips, clearly unsatisfied with his answer.

At that moment, an even louder cheer erupted from the arena.

"Look quickly! It’s Senior Brother Zhou Tong, ’Ruthless,’ ranked fifth on the Hidden Dragon List! And Senior Brother Nan Xiao, ’Blood Fiend,’ ranked sixth! They’re here too!"

A stir went through the arena as all eyes turned towards the two young figures appearing at the main gate.

The man in front had shoulder-length hair, a tall and robust physique, and a dark complexion that gave him a wild appearance. His school uniform was stretched taut over his steel-like muscles. This was Zhou Tong, ranked fifth on the Hidden Dragon List.

Next to him, Nan Xiao had narrow eyes and a smile playing on his lips. However, a cold light, as sharp as a sword’s gleam, flickered in his pupils, making anyone who met his gaze shudder as if pierced by a blade.

The two stood at the arena entrance, a subtle yet overwhelming aura emanating from them.

Beside them, the top ten experts of the Winged Tiger List, who had been so spirited moments before, mostly lost their confidence in the presence of these two, not daring to meet their eyes. Only two or three maintained their composure, staring at Zhou Tong and Nan Xiao with excitement.

If they could defeat these two, they would enter the Hidden Dragon List, receive the academy’s utmost support, represent the academy at the New Talents Assembly, become renowned, bask in glory, and earn the admiration of all!

Mid-stage of the Seventh Level Essence Storage Realm, not bad...

Luo Feng observed Zhou Tong and Nan Xiao, a faint smile on his lips, then withdrew his gaze. He had already gained initial mastery of the Blood Fiend Technique; martial artists at the mid-stage of the Seventh Level Essence Storage Realm were no match for him.

Moreover, today was the first day of the Qualification Challenge, and students on the Hidden Dragon List would not be participating, so there was no opportunity for a confrontation.

The Qualification Challenge consisted of three stages: the ’Selection Round,’ the ’Contention Round,’ and the final ’Challenge Round.’

The Selection Round involved choosing the ten strongest individuals from among the Inner School students ranked below one hundred on the Dragon and Tiger Pillar.

The ten winners from the Selection Round would then join the ninety students from the Winged Tiger List to enter the Contention Round.

Only the students who secured a place in the top ten of the Contention Round would be eligible to enter the final Challenge Round and compete against the elite students on the Hidden Dragon List.

The Challenge Round wouldn’t begin until the next day, so many of the elite students from the Hidden Dragon List hadn’t bothered to show up.

Zhou Tong and Nan Xiao walked into the arena, their gazes sweeping across the field.

Seeing the numerous pairs of eyes that dared not meet his, Zhou Tong’s tiger-like eyes filled with disappointment. He complained to Nan Xiao, "Nan Xiao, I told you we shouldn’t have come. What’s there to see in their matches? Did you really think this rabble could threaten us?"

Nan Xiao’s eyes were long and narrow, his pupils sparkling. He chuckled and replied, "Zhou Tong, be patient. Don’t you remember Lu Xiao Yun three years ago? He caused a major upset. Despite being only at the mid-stage of the Seventh Level Essence Storage Realm, he won battle after battle, ultimately becoming number one on the Hidden Dragon List that year."

Gazing out at the arena, Nan Xiao continued, "Among this year’s newly promoted Inner School students, there are a few noteworthy individuals. I heard that yesterday, a student named Luo Feng publicly defied Senior Brother Lin Yun in the dining hall, and they almost came to blows."

"Someone actually dared to defy Senior Brother Lin Yun!" Zhou Tong exclaimed, initially startled, then sneered. "I’ve heard of this Luo Feng. A month ago, he defeated Duanmu Yu, who was ranked fifty-eighth on the Winged Tiger List, and took his place. You don’t actually believe he’s some heaven-defying genius like Lu Xiao Yun, do you?"

"Of course, that’s impossible," Nan Xiao said with a smile. "Still, it’s better to be safe than sorry. There’s no harm in us watching."

"Suit yourself. I’m bored anyway..." Zhou Tong muttered, not taking Nan Xiao’s words to heart. He had already reached the mid-stage of the Seventh Level Essence Storage Realm. The students on the Winged Tiger List were merely at the early stage of the Seventh Level Essence Storage Realm and weren’t worthy of his attention.

DOONG...

A bell suddenly tolled. Zi Hongyuan, the Dean of Purple Sun School, clad in a purple robe, flew from the stands to the center of the arena’s main platform. The entire arena immediately fell silent.

Zi Hongyuan cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Everyone, welcome to the Purple Sun School’s annual Qualification Challenge! As in previous years, this competition is divided into three stages: the ’Selection Round,’ the ’Contention Round,’ and the ’Challenge Round’!"

His resonant voice echoed clearly in everyone’s ears. Surveying the crowd, Zi Hongyuan took a deep breath and declared, "The first stage, the Selection Round! Inner School students not ranked in the top one hundred on the Dragon and Tiger Pillar, please come to the central stage immediately!"

As his voice faded, hundreds of students leaped onto the largest stage in the middle of the arena. Bing Ruolan, ranked one hundred and eightieth on the Dragon and Tiger Pillar, also had to participate in the Selection Round.

"Good luck," Luo Feng said to Bing Ruolan.

"Mm," Bing Ruolan replied with a sweet smile. She tapped her foot lightly on the ground, and her beautiful figure, like a gracefully dancing butterfly, landed elegantly on the stage, eliciting murmurs of admiration.

The central stage was dozens of yards long and wide, comparable to a small plaza. Even with nearly five hundred people standing on it, it didn’t feel crowded.

Zi Hongyuan had already returned to the stands. Four school instructors stood at the four corners of the stage, overseeing the competition.

Seeing that everyone had assembled, one of the middle-aged instructors announced, "The Selection Round begins!"

"Leopard Fist!"

"Mountain Opening Fist!"

"Shocking Wave Leg Technique!"

"Shadowless Hand!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!...

The moment the announcement ended, the entire stage plunged into chaos! Various battle cries rose and fell, and the sound of exploding energy, like incessant thunder, reverberated continuously. Contestants were frequently knocked off the stage.

The rules of the Selection Round were simple: nearly five hundred Inner School students would engage in a free-for-all battle on the stage without using weapons, until only the last ten remained. These ten survivors would then qualify for the next stage, the Contention Round.