The Canglan Tournament.
Heart-Questioning Road.
The match is nearing its end.
There are three checkpoints in total, which have already blocked most of the teams.
In the end, only five teams reached the summit.
Almost all the other teams perished in that illusionary space, defeated by the Eerie Monsters within.
Soon after, the aged voice came, but this time it was slightly different from the previous times.
"The final hurdle on the Heart-Questioning Road."
"Reaching the peak and breaking through the barrier."
Click~
With a shattering sound, the barrier blocking their path broke.
The path to the summit has begun.
However, instead of taking any action, everyone looked at the other teams.
After all, it was the final hurdle, and they didn't know what would happen next. According to Yu Qingnian, it would involve both trials and battles.
So, will they then compete against each other for first place?
That's why they didn't go up the stairs immediately.
Even Su Xian and Ji Shao were keeping an eye on the several teams around them.
Su Zhe looked bewildered as everyone hesitated to act, then stepped forward himself.
"Chen-ge, let's go!"
"It's nothing serious."
At this moment, Jianping, carrying the box, also went up. The path was right in front of him, why not take it?
Li Chen smiled and walked up as well, not paying attention to how the other teams were thinking.
Because of this initial move, almost instantly all the teams began to act.
For some reason, Li Chen stopped walking.
"Hmm?" He was somewhat puzzled. Was the final hurdle really that simple? Was it just a matter of walking up to it?
Why set up this final obstacle? The other teams were frantically climbing upwards using almost all their abilities.
They choose not to interfere with each other because they know that if they were to engage in a fierce battle with other teams here, wouldn't that be tantamount to giving the others an advantage?
But it was precisely because of this that Li Chen felt puzzled.
Is the final level just a test of speed?
At this moment, Su Zhe spoke up, interrupting his thoughts.
"Chen-ge, what are you thinking about? If we don't leave soon, we won't be able to see the other teams anymore!!"
Li Chen looked up at the groups that had already walked away, lost in thought.
That's too simple. If it were that easy, then this Heart-Questioning Road would be far too simple.
The simplicity made him wonder if they were really in a competition.
At this moment, Su Zhe urged again, "Chen-ge, let's hurry up, or we won't be able to see the summit anymore."
At that very sound, a glint flashed in Li Chen's eyes, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"Reaching the summit? That's truly impressive, the creator of this illusion."
Do you really have to climb to the summit yourself?
"Isn't it already beneath our feet?"
"Huh?" Su Zhe didn't quite understand and scratched his head.
Even Jianping and the others looked at Li Chen, filled with doubt.
The summit is right below them, so why do they still climb these steps?
Li Chen murmured, "An illusion is ultimately just an illusion; it's always a falsehood. Even if we reach that peak, is it truly the peak it speaks of?"
Or is it an illusion? Like these steps?
"We were already tricked once during the entrance ceremony, are we going to be trapped in this situation again?"
At this moment, Jianping also realized what was happening and slowly reached for the box.
Luo Lin and Meng Xi were also somewhat confused. They thought of the previous entrance ceremony, which was the illusion, but they had only passed one level and didn't know what happened afterward.
"Huh? I have to Barrier Breaker again?" Su Zhe was stunned for a few seconds, then immediately remembered the previous entrance ceremony and knew what Li Chen and Jianping were thinking.
A faint light began to emanate from Li Chen's fingers as he spoke calmly, "This isn't Barrier Breaker; it's just that they've had their fun. We should head out."
"The end of this journey of Heart-Questioning Road is already beneath our feet; we just realized it a little late."
In just a moment, Li Chen's fingers pierced the air, a seemingly meaningless action.
Suddenly, a "click" sound rang out.
Tear~
As a tearing sound rang out, a beam of light shone from the tiny crack that Li Chen had torn open.
Jianping also withdrew his hand, it seemed that he was no longer needed to intervene.
Soon, Li Chen used the same method he had used to break the illusion of the entrance ceremony to create a large hole in the crack.
"Let's go." Li Chen raised his eyes and said.
This Heart-Questioning Road should come to an end. Perhaps even Su Xian Ji Shao did not expect that the end of the climb was just an illusion.
They are misled by illusions, and they should only realize the truth when they reach the destination.
But it was all too late.
As the group entered, they found themselves directly in the center of the battle arena.
Countless eyes turned to the group of people.
Yu Qingnian and Cang Lao were already waiting for them there.
"Congratulations." Yu Qingnian said with a smile.
Li Chen smiled and replied, "Just lucky."
An illusion is ultimately just an illusion; everything is manipulated by others—the end, the peak, the first.
Only by breaking through all of this can we obtain it.
Su Zhe came out looking completely bewildered, and then asked, equally confused, "So we're in first place now? We've won the championship?"
Yu Qingnian smiled and nodded.
With a "snap".
Su Zhe slapped himself across the face, somewhat incredulous, and muttered to himself.
"My God, they won the championship so easily?"
Am I dreaming? Or am I still in a hallucination?!
"But why does my face hurt so much?"
Pfft~
Meng Xi laughed out loud, looking at Su Zhe's stunned expression.
Perhaps even she didn't expect that her team would actually win this championship.
Luo Lin looked at Li Chen's back, seemingly deep in thought, and gently bit her lip without making a sound.
At this moment, Li Chen spoke up and asked, "Teacher Yu, can we sell the qualification for the Academy Tournament?"
"Sold?" Yu Qingnian frowned.
"Hmm..." Li Chen nodded.
Clearly, Yu Qingnian hadn't expected Li Chen to ask him this.
It's certainly a bit novel; aren't all these teams vying for first place just to qualify for the Academy Tournament?
He asked, puzzled, "Why are you selling it? So many teams are fighting for that spot in the Academy Tournament. You're just going to sell it like that?"
Li Chen shook his head slightly and said, "We have no interest in the Academy Tournament. You know how we even got into this big competition."
Yu Qingnian's lips twitched. Indeed, their participation was entirely due to the Special Affairs Class, but he had also helped them.
He then said, "The qualification for the Academy Tournament can be transferred, but only if you have the ability. After all, this team is fighting with the honor of the Canglan Academy."
Li Chen nodded; he naturally understood.
At this moment, Cang Lao, who had been silent all along, slowly walked over. Just like when he first met Li Chen, his deep eyes seemed to scan Li Chen.
That immense sense of oppression instantly swept over Li Chen.
It was almost exactly the oppressive aura of the Calamity Realm within that illusion.
Li Chen's expression remained unchanged, but he was also somewhat unsettled.
Although he had already guessed that the creator of this illusion was the old man, the Calamity Realm now standing solidly in front of him was indeed much stronger than the inexplicable sense of pressure within the illusion.
With a hint of appreciation in his eyes, Cang Lao slowly said, "The qualification for the Academy Tournament is unique; once transferred, it cannot be reversed."
"Understood." Li Chen nodded slightly.
Suddenly, the old man changed the subject, speaking with a hint of a smile, "But you must participate in the individual competition of the Academy Tournament, and I need you to get into the top 10."
Li Chen frowned, thinking: Sure enough, there's no good thing coming here with this old man.
But then he thought that if he didn't qualify for the Academy Tournament, he would have to represent Canglan in the team battle.
Now that this person has been found, there are no other options besides choosing between the two sides.
Li Chen never imagined that the old man in front of him wouldn't give him a choice at all, but instead forced him to go to the side.
Cang Lao just watched Li Chen make his decision.
"That's enough..."
In the end, Li Chen chose to compete individually. After all, he decided against team battles in the Academy Tournament. His current team would probably be asking for a beating if they went to compete in team battles in the Academy Tournament, although that wasn't necessarily the case.
Cang Lao stroked his goatee, in high spirits, and said, "Xiao Yu, go and directly add his name to the individual competition."