Elimination

Early the next morning, all the new students gathered in the enormous Martial Arts Field. By rough estimate, there were around five hundred students. The place was a chaotic mess, with familiar faces clustering together and chattering away nonstop.

Such a scene was perfectly normal. No Academy teachers appeared to maintain order.

Su Hao, Little Fatty, and He Qingqing stayed together. They merely watched the disorderly crowd around them with curiosity, waiting patiently without saying anything.

Before long, a new change occurred. Eight people in matching uniforms emerged onto a high platform at the front of the Martial Arts Field. They looked like eight teachers—five men and three women—each brimming with heroic spirit and emanating an exceptionally powerful presence. As the eight appeared, they swiftly drew the attention of every student present, and the venue gradually fell silent.

Clap, clap, clap! At that moment, applause rang out, and everyone followed the sound with their eyes.

A Middle-Aged Man with graying hair, dressed in a white robe patterned with clouds, walked to the front of the eight teachers while applauding. Once he saw that everyone's attention had turned to him, he spoke. "Welcome to Lingyun Warrior Academy!"

The Middle-Aged Man's voice was low and hoarse. It did not sound loud, yet somehow, everyone present heard every word clearly.

"I am the dean of Lingyun Warrior Academy, Xiao Jixuan."

Boom—

After Xiao Jixuan introduced himself, the students immediately erupted into uproar.

"So this is Dean Xiao, Xiao Jixuan!" "Oh my God, this is my first time seeing him in person! He's so handsome!" "As expected of one of Lingyun Town's three great powerhouses. You can tell at a glance that he's incredible!" "So handsome! He's my faith!"

Xiao Jixuan did not get angry. Instead, after the noise subsided, he slowly said, "You are all promising seedlings of the Human Race, the future of the Human Race. It is my honor to see you here today. Thank you for recognizing Lingyun Warrior Academy, and thank you for joining Lingyun Warrior Academy."

Xiao Jixuan paused, then continued, "The Human Race stands between heaven and earth by relying on our wisdom and the inheritance passed down through generation after generation. The Warrior Academy is the Human Race's most important place of inheritance. Here, you will embark upon the Path of the Warrior, gain great strength, resist the invasions of other races, open new frontiers for the Human Race, and fight so that the Human Race may endure beneath heaven and earth forever."

The students' blood surged with excitement.

"Here, besides martial arts training, you must also learn all kinds of knowledge. Let knowledge enrich your understanding, let virtue guide your speech, leave you room in your actions, give measure to your words, and restraint to your playfulness. Let your souls become noble."

"Martial arts can grant you great strength and drive the cowardice from your heart; learning can let knowledge quietly wipe the ignorance and shallowness from your face."

"Then, I wish that all of you will achieve success in your studies at Lingyun Warrior Academy and fulfill your own goals."

After Xiao Jixuan finished speaking, he left the high platform with a smile. The students below immediately began buzzing with conversation again, their faces full of excitement.

Seeing Little Fatty and He Qingqing's little faces flushed red with excitement, Su Hao could not help sighing helplessly. "I'd give that brainwashing ninety-nine points."

A moment later, another burly man in a yellow cloud-patterned robe stepped up. His face was icy, as though everyone below the platform owed him money. Everyone sensed the inexplicably cold aura and immediately quieted down, cautiously studying this newly appeared teacher.

The burly man quickly spoke. "Remember this. I'm Jin Datong. Obey me, and there'll be benefits. Disobey me, and get the hell out of the Academy."

Jin Xiaohan immediately covered her face in the crowd. "Third Brother, Eldest Brother is so embarrassing."

A faint blush actually appeared on Jin Dayan's stern face. Embarrassed, he said, "What are you saying? He's your eldest brother."

Mo Xin, on the other hand, looked utterly smitten. "So handsome, so handsome! Brother Datong is so handsome!"

Jin Datong continued, "Brats, you think you've successfully enrolled? What wishful thinking. Let me tell you, your noisy performance today has pissed me off! So I've made a temporary decision: some of you will be eliminated from Lingyun Warrior Academy. Go back where you came from!"

Everyone was shocked. There was more to this? The crowd immediately descended into noisy chaos again.

Little Fatty beside Su Hao grabbed him nervously. "Xiangwu, did you hear that? He's still going to eliminate people. We haven't truly enrolled yet! What do we do? What do we do? Will he eliminate me?"

He Qingqing also looked at Su Hao nervously, hoping he could tell her that she would definitely make it through.

Su Hao comforted her, "Don't worry. We'll deal with whatever comes our way."

Jin Datong sneered and continued, "See the eight teachers behind me? Each teacher will only take fifty students. So, everyone here, there are only four hundred places now, while there are five hundred and eighteen of you! That means..."

He enunciated each word. "One hundred and eighteen people will be eliminated."

Boom—

The field exploded again.

This time, it was even worse than before. A whole group of children with little life experience wore looks of worry and helplessness, so anxious that they were nearly crying.

Little Fatty panicked and tugged Su Hao. "Xiangwu, what do we do? What if I'm eliminated?"

Su Hao said helplessly, "If you're eliminated, then go back to Tea Mountain Outpost!"

"No! That would be too embarrassing. If I go back like that, everyone will laugh at me."

"Then work hard to stay."

"Xiangwu, you have to help me!"

Su Hao nodded. "If I can help, I definitely will."

Little Fatty and He Qingqing immediately breathed sighs of relief.

Jin Datong spoke again. "Now, everyone listens to me. Otherwise, you will all be eliminated."

At once, someone jumped out and pointed at Jin Datong, cursing, "Why should I listen to you? Why do you get to eliminate whoever you want? I paid money! I have an Academy badge!"

Jin Datong nodded. "Very good. Then I congratulate you on becoming the first person to be eliminated. Confiscate his Academy badge and throw him and all his things out."

As soon as his words fell, a man in a black cloud-patterned robe entered from outside the Martial Arts Field, picked up the eliminated student, and walked away.

No matter how the little brat struggled, slapped, cried, or made a fuss, it was all useless.

Only then did Su Hao notice that, at some unknown point, more than ten men in black robes had surrounded the Martial Arts Field.

"They're serious about this," Su Hao muttered. He immediately became serious as well. If he failed to enroll, one Gold Yuan would go down the drain.

Jin Datong sneered. "Anyone else dissatisfied? Come out together. Don't waste everyone's time."

After waiting a while and seeing no response, he said, "Then next, everyone will run twenty laps around the Martial Arts Field. I will randomly eliminate people I don't like the look of! Likewise, the person who finishes first will receive a corresponding reward. What the reward is depends on my mood. That's all!"

Everyone looked at one another, yet no one began running immediately.

Jin Xiaohan covered her face again, muttering endlessly, "Too embarrassing, too embarrassing!"

Jin Dayan turned his face to the side.

"Why aren't you running yet?!" Jin Datong suddenly became furious and roared at everyone. "I'll count to three. Anyone who doesn't run can all get the hell out!"

"Three!"

Only then did the group of children around ten years old snap awake as if from a dream and begin running in a scattered, straggling manner.

Su Hao led Little Fatty and He Qingqing into the crowd and started running with them.

He had noticed what Jin Datong said about eliminating people he did not like during the run. But Su Hao did not know what standards Jin Datong used to judge who he disliked, so for now, he maintained a middle-of-the-road performance and decided to gather sufficient information first.

He believed Jin Datong would not act recklessly. There had to be some standard for selecting suitable students.

The true purpose of the run was to pick out and eliminate the unqualified students.

Thanks to Butterfly Cherry for the reward, and to Zou Xiaozha, Xu Fu i, and Tian Mengqi for the monthly tickets.