The Top Fifty
Seeing his Instructor and classmates come to cheer him on, Lin Ming was very happy. After all, no one can survive in this world alone.
So now that people I know are able to come, and they are happy, I am also very happy.
Lin Ming greeted everyone, especially Han Yue, who was now acting like a little fangirl, and Lin Ming responded to her enthusiastically.
"Class Leader, the speed at which your cultivation has improved is terrifying! We've all been cultivating like crazy, thinking we were narrowing the gap with you a little, but now we're getting further and further apart." After struggling for a while, Lin Xiuyai said helplessly to Lin Ming.
Lin Xiuyai's words were met with approval from everyone present. Even Han Yue, a devoted fan, nodded in agreement.
Even more surprisingly, Instructor Zhang Man not only nodded in agreement, but also said, "Lin Ming, at this rate of cultivation improvement, you'll probably advance to the Dou Ling realm even faster than Instructor will."
Instructor Zhang Man is currently at the level of Eight-Star Great Dou Master. With Instructor Zhang Man talent, she can attempt to break through to the Dou Ling next year. If she succeeds, she will become an Instructor Zhang Man Dou Ling powerhouse next year.
Faced with the conversation between his Instructor and classmates, Lin Ming first replied to his Instructor Zhang Man: "Instructor, you'll be able to become Dou Ling powerhouse next year, so you don't need to join them in making fun of me!"
After replying to Instructor Zhang Man, Lin Ming said to Lin Xiuyai and the other students, "Students, you will all reach the Da Dou Shi sooner or later. Lin Ming 'm just a little faster."
"Alright, I, Lin Ming, don't have any matches today. I'll treat you to a proper get-together." After replying to his classmates about their cultivation levels, Lin Ming quickly changed the subject. Thinking that he would be going to the Inner Plain in a few days and wouldn't have much time to spend with his classmates, Lin Ming suggested a gathering.
"Haha, alright! Since the Class Leader has spoken, we have no choice but to obey."
"Classmates, order whatever you want to eat later, don't try to save money for our Class Leader! Our Class Leader Lin Ming is now 4th Grade Alchemist, he's rolling in money." After Lin Ming mentioned the get-together, Lin Xiuyai encouraged the classmates to eat as much as they wanted and order whatever they wanted.
"Yes! Yes! Our Class Leader is already a Da Dou Shi, and he won today's match so easily. We really should celebrate."
"With the Class Leader's cultivation level, entering the Inner Academy this time is a foregone conclusion. We should have a proper get-together. We won't have many opportunities to see each other again."
The students walked and talked, each expressing their own opinions. Before long, they disappeared from the square and headed into the distance. Of course, Lin Ming disappeared from the square along with his classmates.
That night, Lin Ming returned to his dormitory near the teaching building. He had a meal with his classmates that night and drank quite a bit of alcohol. Although Lin Ming could use his Dou Qi to expel the alcohol from his body, he didn't do so.
After all, he had spent a year with these classmates. To put it bluntly, after Lin Ming entered the Inner Academy and parted ways, he would only be able to see the very top students again.
Most of the others were unable to enter the Inner Academy for cultivation. Therefore, this gathering was essentially Lin Ming's graduation party from the Black Tier Class One.
At this moment of parting, Lin Ming was still a little reluctant. Humans are emotional beings, and at least at this moment, Lin Ming truly cherished the time they had spent together and the people he had met.
Although Lin Ming hadn't spent much time in the class, it didn't diminish his reluctance to leave. So, Lin Ming drank quite a bit of wine to mark the end of his time with the class!
Time never stops flowing because of anyone's feelings. The sun's rays dispel the darkness of night, and a new day officially begins.
In this world, although alcohol can also cause intoxication, it is made from genuine grains or medicinal herbs, so there will be no headaches like those experienced in my previous life due to drinking counterfeit alcohol.
In the morning, after getting up and washing up, Lin Ming felt full of energy. Then, Lin Ming went out and headed towards the competition square to participate in today's competition.
When Lin Ming arrived at the square, there were already people fighting on the arena. The two fighters on the arena were of similar cultivation levels, so the battle was quite intense. The fight lasted for nearly half an hour before one of them revealed a weakness and was defeated by his opponent in one blow, ending the match.
Next, it was Lin Ming's turn. After the referee called his name, Lin Ming went up to the ring. Upon hearing that it was Lin Ming, his opponent trembled as he stepped onto the ring.
Upon seeing that his opponent was only a Four-Star Dou Master, Lin Ming lost all interest in fighting. This person didn't hesitate upon arriving on the arena and immediately conceded defeat after the referee announced the match.
Lin Ming's opponent in this round, although only Dou Master Four Stars, has not yet reached graduation time. He will graduate next year, so he still has a year to improve his cultivation.
And now I'm facing Lin Ming! A Six-star Dou Shi who can beat a Da Dou Shi half to death. If something unexpected happens during the battle and affects my cultivation, preventing me from entering the Inner Academy next year, that would be a huge loss.
Therefore, as Lin Ming's opponent in this round, he did not hesitate to concede defeat after the referee announced the start of the match.
Lin Ming could only smile wryly as he watched his opponent concede defeat and leave the ring. He had won both of his matches without even lifting a finger.
After easily winning two matches, Lin Ming has secured a spot in the Inner Academy.
More than two hundred people registered for the Inner Academy Selection Tournament. After two rounds of Arena Tournament battles, more than sixty people have emerged victorious. Since only fifty people can enter the Inner Academy, the extra dozen or so people need to be eliminated.
After two rounds of arena competition, those who remained were generally those with sufficient strength and potential. Therefore, after deliberation, the academy decided to select the final elimination candidates based on their cultivation level. The thirty-odd people with the lowest cultivation levels drew lots to determine their opponents, and the winners entered the top fifty and were admitted to the Inner Academy. The losers were eliminated and could not enter the Inner Academy.
Lin Ming is now Da Dou Shi, the most powerful among these people. So, if the competition is based on cultivation level, and the bottom thirty or so people are selected by drawing lots, there's no way he would be included.
As for the matches of the next group of people, there was little need for Lin Ming to watch. Regardless of who won or lost, it wouldn't affect his status as a top-five Lin Ming. So Lin Ming left the square.
Before sunset, the fifty spots for entering the Inner Academy had been confirmed. As the spots were announced, some were overjoyed, while others left alone, tears welling in their eyes.
A new day has arrived as scheduled.
Today, the square was even more lively than the previous two days. This was because today's competition was a battle between those who had won several rounds of selection. The excitement was far greater than the previous minor skirmishes.
As one of the strongest individuals, Lin Ming undoubtedly received more attention than the others. This was evident from the moment Lin Ming arrived at the plaza, which elicited loud cheers from the audience.
These shouts came not only from the academy's students, but also from many residents of Jia Nan City. As the biggest event of the year, Jia Nan Academy allowed people from Jia Nan City to come and watch.
This resulted in a crowd of one or two times larger than in the previous days; as far as the eye could see, it was a sea of heads. Not all of these people knew Lin Ming, but that didn't stop them from shouting. When they saw others shouting, they naturally joined in the shouting as well.
Fortunately, Lin Ming was no ordinary person. After arriving at the scene, someone automatically led Lin Ming into the square, to the spot closest to the ring, so that there would be no obstacle when Lin Ming left the ring.
Upon arriving near the arena, Lin Ming felt the noise of the scene even more directly; it was so loud it seemed to reach the sky.
Fortunately, not long after, Vice Dean Hu Gan led the heads of each department to the scene and ascended the high platform above the square. Elder Huo was among them, of course. Then, a clear chime rang out in the square.
As the bells rang out, the noise at the scene subsided and gradually subsided, no longer so boisterous.
After the bell rang, almost everyone's eyes were drawn to the high platform where the bell had been struck.
After observing for a while, Vice Dean Hu Gan slowly stood up, looked around, and then spoke in a deep voice.
Vice Dean Hu Gan's voice, like thunder, echoed down from the high platform.
"After two days of selection, fifty students were chosen yesterday. They have all secured their places in the Inner Academy for cultivation."
"However, although these fifty students are all able to enter the Inner Academy for cultivation, there are still different levels within the Inner Academy."
"And today, the academy will hold another Arena Tournament among you fifty students to rank you all."
"When you enter the Inner Academy, people of different rankings will receive different treatment. So, in the upcoming competitions, every victory you win will significantly improve your ranking."
"And the top five finishers in this competition will also have the opportunity to enter the academy's Scripture Pavilion and choose an item."
"The competition rules this year are the same as in previous years: a round-based format with opponents determined by drawing lots."
"Now it's your time to fight. All students who make it into the top fifty of the Inner Academy Selection Tournament, come to the arena to draw lots and determine your opponents."
After Vice Dean Hu Gan finished speaking, people everywhere stood up and headed towards the arena.
Lin Ming also got up and left his seat, walking towards the arena to draw lots to determine his next opponent.