Mo Zixuan and the others furrowed their brows even deeper. Second- and third-year students hadn't participated in military training, but they'd heard about what happened in the Fierce Beast Forest. Even Lin Hao's performance was now the talk of the school. But Mo Zixuan and the others had scoffed at it, figuring Lin Hao had only gotten lucky and killed a Gold rank Fierce Beast with an instructor's help. As for the rumors that he'd killed three of them in an instant, Mo Zixuan had paid them even less attention. He'd been devoted to breaking through his realm these past few months, hoping to reach Silver Grade before the competition and earn himself the position of team captain. Now the principal had given the captaincy to Lin Hao without even discussing it, and Mo Zixuan was furious.
"Well, well, what's this? A little grasshopper hopping around in front of me! Since I'm the captain, I should take good care of my team members. And if you love hopping around so much, then your captain will have to show you some extra special care!"
Lin Hao kept his expression impassive while secretly tagging the grasshopper named Mo Zixuan for some extra special care.
Jiang Weiwei continued, "The Preliminary Round of the Hundred Schools League is about to begin. Our Shancheng Martial University has been fortunate enough to be selected as a venue, which means we won't have to spend time traveling. I hope you'll all bring your best form and give your best performance in the Hundred Schools League."
"Yes!" everyone answered in unison.
"Also, you're to follow the captain's instructions in all matters related to the competition. I won't interfere."
Lin Hao quickly stepped forward. "I'll take good care of my team members. You can rest assured, Principal Jiang." He delivered the line with righteous conviction.
Jiang Weiwei nodded. "For now, everyone should get some good rest. The competition starts next Monday, and I hope you'll all be in the best possible spirits when you face your challenges. All right, Lin Hao, stay behind. Everyone else, you're dismissed."
After the others had left, only Jiang Weiwei and Lin Hao remained in the office.
"Weiwei, are there any rewards for doing well in the Hundred Schools League?" Lin Hao asked, looking troubled.
"The rewards for the top ten are pretty substantial. They include prize money, cultivation resources, Martial Arts, Battle Skills, and more. This year's rewards are richer than in previous years. The officials say they've been increased by about a hundred percent." Jiang Weiwei couldn't figure out why Lin Hao looked so glum.
"Then I really have to win first place. I'm running low on cultivation resources." Lin Hao had recently been so devoted to cultivation that his supply of Beast Cores had dwindled at a rapid pace. He'd thought that with several hundred Silver-grade Beast Cores, he'd have more than enough cultivation resources. Who could've guessed that the three in his Mental Space would keep competing with him for them? As a result, he hadn't absorbed much Spiritual Energy himself when advancing.
"You're short on cultivation resources?" Jiang Weiwei's eyes widened.
"Yeah. I've been so absorbed in cultivation lately that I'm almost out of Beast Cores."
"You've nearly absorbed all five hundred Silver-grade Beast Cores?" Jiang Weiwei's beautiful eyes widened. Even a top-tier Wu University couldn't afford to support someone like Lin Hao if he absorbed five hundred Silver-grade Beast Cores in two months. And the craziest part was that he was only at Bronze High-rank. An ordinary person would've reached Gold High Grade by now. Jiang Weiwei began to doubt everything she knew.
"By the way, Weiwei, why did you ask me to stay?" Seeing Jiang Weiwei lost in thought, Lin Hao hurriedly changed the subject. If they kept talking about that, she might end up banging her head against the wall.
Jiang Weiwei snapped out of her self-doubt at Lin Hao's question. "You saw everyone today. The first-years shouldn't be a problem; they know how strong you are. But those four second- and third-years will probably have a problem with you. That student, Mo Zixuan, is the most outstanding genius among the third-years. He's been cultivating desperately for the past two months and only just reached early Silver. Now you've taken his position, so he'll probably try to trip you up."
Lin Hao didn't take it to heart. "What can a little grasshopper do? I never counted on him to win the championship for us anyway. If he doesn't behave, I've got plenty of ways to teach him a lesson."
"Just be careful. Don't let the gutter claim a careless rat." Seeing how unconcerned Lin Hao was, Jiang Weiwei gave him another warning.
"Brother Xuan, what's the deal with that Lin Hao? What gives a first-year newcomer the right to be captain?" Lian Chenyang grumbled as they walked back.
"Exactly. Why should we second- and third-years have to take orders from him? Zixuan has the highest cultivation level here. We'd accept him as captain, but what right does some newbie have to lead us?" Xiaoxiao grumbled too.
"Haven't you heard all the rumors about Great God Lin going around school lately? I bet that's Lin Hao. They say he killed three Gold rank Fierce Beasts in an instant. What, did he think he could fly?" Lu Jincheng was also seething.
"If he really has the ability, I'll accept him. But if he doesn't, he can forget about ordering me around!" Mo Zixuan said. "Once the competition starts, we'll send him out alone first and see what he can do."
Heh. Great God Lin's capabilities weren't something short-sighted people like you could judge. Wang Meng and the other first-years grumbled inwardly. They didn't speak up for Lin Hao. Honestly, there was no need; even if they did, those upperclassmen wouldn't listen. Better to let Great God Lin slap them in the face.
Three days later, the Hundred Schools League for Xia Kingdom's Wu Universities officially began.
The Hundred Schools League was a nationwide event held every five years in Xia Kingdom. Not only did the schools take it seriously; people across the country did too. Many geniuses would emerge from the competition, and one day the burden of fighting Fierce Beasts and liberating the Human Race would rest on their shoulders. The officials wouldn't broadcast the Preliminary Round. They would begin airing the competition only once the top sixteen had been decided and the finals began. Ordinary people could also attend and watch the matches in person.
Banners welcoming students and teachers from other Wu Universities had been hung outside Shancheng Martial University well in advance. Jiang Weiwei, Su Xiaorui, the other school leaders, and the students competing in the Hundred Schools League were all waiting at the entrance for the visitors to arrive.
The Hundred Schools League was divided into eight regions, each with sixteen Wu Universities competing in the Preliminary Round. The top two from each region advanced to the finals. The Preliminary Round wasn't an elimination tournament; it used a points system. Each school had to play fifteen matches, and the two schools with the most points qualified for the finals. The final sixteen then competed in a knockout tournament, with each match decided in a single round, until the champion was crowned.
Before long, one bus after another pulled up outside Shancheng Martial University.
Teachers and students from the various Wu Universities stepped off the buses. Jiang Weiwei led the school's administrators and competing students over to greet them.
"Principal Jiang, it's been a long time!" A white-haired old man came forward with a hearty laugh. "Oh, are these the students competing for your school this year? They look quite promising."
"Old Li, please don't tease me. Just call me Weiwei. They're nothing but a bunch of good-for-nothings." The man Jiang Weiwei called Old Li was the principal of Nancheng Martial University, as well as a Gold-rank martial artist.
"Ah, you were once a once-in-a-century genius at Shancheng Martial University. If Old Mo hadn't gone missing, you wouldn't have had to work so hard." Old Li sighed with regret.
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