Blade and sword flashed, and dazzling explosions rang out everywhere.
In the forest, Yu Qingnian and Faluo stood a short distance away, watching silently. They were a little surprised that some students had already been unable to hold back.
"Let them fight. This isn't bad either. At least it'll help them quickly build rapport with their teammates," Yu Qingnian said calmly, adjusting his glasses.
He had his reasons for requiring teams of five to enter. It was all preparation for the upcoming academy competition, which would test not only their individual strength but also their teamwork.
Faluo, standing beside him, rubbed his fists and grinned. "It's been so long since I've seen a clash between students. Ever since Canglan changed the academy's rules a few years ago, the academy has lost some of its fighting spirit. This year's class has finally brought it back. It feels like we've returned to those glorious days!"
Once upon a time, everything had been different. Everything had been won through strength, but now society's mechanized education had erased the fighting spirit that should have been in these children's hearts.
"Everyone has a fighting spirit. They just haven't reached a moment of life and death yet. When the beasts are let loose, humans have no choice but to unleash the fighting spirit they once had." Yu Qingnian looked toward the place where the fighting continued. "Later, go keep an eye on Jianping. That sword in his hand is no ordinary weapon."
"A Forbidden Object..."
Countless glowing motes surrounded Li Chen like starlight. The Tree Demon before him had been effortlessly cut to pieces by the fragments of the ability he controlled, leaving bits of it scattered everywhere.
He could clearly see a small girl standing at the top of the Tree Demon.
"So it was you?" Li Chen tightened his grip on the blade of light he had formed, his expression somewhat cold. His figure flashed forward, leaving even the Tree Demon, which was still attacking him with its vines, stunned for a moment. Where had he gone?
Li Chen raced up the massive trunk, four compressed blades of light floating beside him and radiating a constant aura of danger.
At the top, Di Li's face was deathly pale, only the whites of her eyes showing. Her consciousness had sunk into the Tree Demon's body, controlling it.
"Damn it, how is that guy's ability so strong? Why was there no news about him in the class? He didn't even make the top ten, so why is he this terrifying?!!" Di Li stood in the Tree Demon's spiritual sea of consciousness like a tiny person, a white, illusory figure.
She could not understand why, despite having the advantage of controlling a Tree Demon at the Looking River Realm, she was utterly helpless against this person. He had run her around in circles, and she had not even managed to touch him once.
Suddenly, she sensed something, and panic appeared on her face. She could clearly feel an extreme energy approaching her body along the Tree Demon's form.
Her own body could not take a beating like the Tree Demon's. A single blow might knock her completely unconscious.
She immediately began controlling the Tree Demon, sending countless vines wildly charging at Li Chen.
As Li Chen ran up the Tree Demon's body, a faint light flickered in his eyes. The blades around him shot out like sword shadows, cutting through the incoming vines one after another.
He looked toward the top, which he was about to reach, and said calmly, his expression cold, "If you still think you can resist by controlling this battered Tree Demon, I suggest you surrender now. I don't want you to die here."
"After all, I'd have a hard time explaining it to Instructor Yu."
He knew the person controlling it could definitely hear him. Otherwise, how could she have determined his location?
Suddenly, a weak voice called out. "Who are you? There's no monster like you in the top ten..."
"Heh... who am I? I'm just an ordinary member of the special class. I'm not interested in your rankings. As long as you don't provoke me, none of this will happen." Li Chen chuckled, but the attacks around him continued. Clearly, the person who had spoken had not given up.
But his words received no response. The attacks around him grew even fiercer, and the Tree Demon even began breaking off its own branches to attack him.
Li Chen also noticed that something was wrong. Even a Tree Demon would not break off its own branches, much less use such a self-destructive method under someone else's control.
Under the barrage of attacks, he reached the top and found that the girl had fallen completely unconscious, her mental power utterly exhausted.
Who was controlling the Tree Demon now? Had it gone berserk?
The Tree Demon had fallen into a frenzy, its top swaying constantly. Li Chen gently picked the girl up and began running downward. Energy gathered in one hand, compressing into an energy bomb as he prepared to finish off the Tree Demon in one strike.
Meanwhile, Su Zhe was fighting the boy in the green hat from earlier.
Their fight was rather dull. Su Zhe had no fancy abilities; he broke through everything with brute force.
He swung a huge stick at the boy, who dodged it with ease.
The boy laughed. "You really do live up to your rank of fiftieth, don't you, Su Zhe?"
They had learned the names of Su Zhe and the others outside long ago. They did not know their abilities, but they knew the rankings.
"Hahahaha, what do you want with your Grandpa Su? Is my being fiftieth a problem for you?" Su Zhe said with a mischievous grin.
"Of course it's not my problem. But if you think you can beat me with just a stick, you're not up to it!!"
Black hair grew across the face of the boy in the green hat. His eyes grew dull, then regained their clarity. His body grew taller and larger, and even his hands began changing into terrifying claws. A blood-red aura of ferocity spread over his body.
Su Zhe's gaze grew somewhat grave. "A werewolf?"
That was right: the boy before him had a beast-transformation ability. A talent like that could indeed get him into the special class, but its upper limit was very low. Perhaps it would not be long before others pushed him out, unless his ability was a mutated one.
"Kehahaha... you're the first person to face my werewolf form head-on. After all, I didn't have the chance before." The boy's face had completely transformed into that of a pitch-black wolf, and waves of killing intent radiated from his black eyes.
Su Zhe did not panic, and his expression did not change. Ever since entering the special class, he had wondered whether he could hold on, and had even doubted whether he could withstand those who would challenge him.
But at this moment, he heard the voice in his heart. He did not want to hide behind others every time. He wanted to protect his teammates too, and become someone whose name shook the world, just like his father!
He threw away the wooden stick, clenched his fists, and took a step forward. Fighting spirit blazed in his eyes like a raging fire, and he roared,
"Come and fight!!!"