Within the light curtain, the scene of the Myriad Races Battlefield grew ever clearer.
Scarlet earth stretched as far as the eye could see. In the sky, avian alien races with savage talons circled overhead, while all manner of strange creatures—some armored in heavy shells, others swift as shadows—darted across the ground.
The entire battlefield was permeated by an aura of primordial savagery, where the strong devoured the weak.
Jiang Daoxuan's voice continued like a great bell: "Battle Merit will be calculated according to the strength of the alien races you kill and recorded in real time upon your Identity Tokens. In addition, the battlefield contains opportunities left behind by those who came before—Spiritual Medicine and even inheritances. Whether you can obtain them depends on your own abilities."
"Second, after ten days, those ranked among the top ten thousand in Battle Merit may advance to the second round!"
The words sent an uproar through the crowd below. There were thousands of academies, each with teams of at least ten people. The number participating in the grand competition likely exceeded a hundred thousand! More than ninety percent would be eliminated in the very first round! The brutality of the competition was plain to see.
"Third, and most importantly!" Jiang Daoxuan's tone suddenly turned stern, carrying a murderous chill. "The Myriad Races Battlefield is no place for games! The alien races within are cruel and violent, regarding us humans as blood food and mortal enemies. Between yourselves, it is not encouraged, but... neither is it forbidden to compete! Life and death... are left to fate!"
Competition was not forbidden!
Life and death were left to fate!
Those few words struck everyone's hearts like heavy hammers. It meant that not only would they have to face the savage alien races, they would also need to guard against their "own people" from other academies!
For Battle Merit and fortuitous opportunities, bloodshed would be unavoidable!
Many students from relatively peaceful regions went pale at once. They might have taken part in sect sparring before, but this was their first time encountering rules that so nakedly permitted fights to the death.
The foremost prodigies from places such as the Central Continent, Northern Plains, and Western Desert, however, mostly sharpened their gazes, their battle intent rising even higher. Clearly, they had expected this already.
"The rules are clear. In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the Myriad Phenomena Heavenly Gate will open and send you into the Myriad Races Battlefield! Make your preparations." After saying this, Jiang Daoxuan returned to the chief seat and closed his eyes to rest.
One stone stirred a thousand waves. The entire Myriad Phenomena Battle Arena erupted into motion, as every academy made its final mobilizations and gave last-minute instructions.
Over at Eastern Xuan Academy, the atmosphere had grown considerably more solemn as well.
Lu Xuanchen swept his gaze across his disciples and said deeply, "You all heard it. Within the battlefield, danger lurks on every side. Alien races are certainly terrifying, but at times, the human heart is even more treacherous! Remember this: preserving yourselves comes first, Battle Merit second! If you encounter an irresistible threat, crush your Identity Token to be teleported out instantly—but that will also mean elimination!"
"Yes, Academy Lord! Master!" everyone answered in unison.
"Che'er..." Lu Xuanchen looked at Xuanyuan Che and transmitted his voice, "Rein yourself in, but don't let anyone take advantage of you." He knew his disciple possessed so many hidden cards that it was frightening. He only feared that Xuanyuan Che might get carried away—or simply punch a hole through the heavens.
"Relax, Master. I'm very low-key," Xuanyuan Che replied with a grin, his gaze already sweeping through the crowd. At a glance, his eyes met those of Yuxi from Heavenly Palace Academy.
Yuxi seemed to sense it. He snorted coldly and made a throat-slitting gesture.
Xuanyuan Che answered with a harmless smile.
The time it took an incense stick to burn passed quickly.
Rumble!
Before the viewing platform, space trembled violently. An incomparably massive white jade gate, carved with countless profound runes, slowly condensed into existence. Within the gate spun a vortex of light, radiating powerful spatial fluctuations.
"The Myriad Phenomena Heavenly Gate is open! Disciples of every academy, enter in order!" an elder from Xuanhuang Academy announced loudly.
Following the arrangements made in advance, disciples from the various academies transformed into streaks of light and plunged into the luminous vortex, vanishing from sight.
"We should go too," Yun Mengyao said softly. She was the first to transform into a cool streak of light and fly toward the heavenly gate. Xuanyuan Che, Thunder Roar Ravine, and several other Core Disciples from Xuanqing Peak, Heavenly Sword Peak, and other peaks followed close behind.
The instant he passed through the gate of light, Xuanyuan Che felt a faint tearing sensation from space. Having crossed the barriers between immortal domains before, he found such fluctuations no more than a breeze brushing his face.
The scene before him abruptly changed!
A dense stench of blood and an atmosphere of savage desolation rushed toward them. Though the Spiritual Energy was rich, it was violent and impure, far less gentle than that of the outside world. The sky was a stifling dark red, as though dyed in blood. Beneath their feet lay cracked scarlet earth, while the roars of unknown alien races echoed in the distance.
They appeared upon a relatively level wilderness. Countless pillars of light lit up around them at the same time, as disciples from other academies were randomly transported to different locations throughout the battlefield.
Roar!
Before they could carefully survey their surroundings, a violent howl rose nearby.
Three alien creatures resembling leopards came pouncing over. Their bodies were covered in bone spikes, their fangs protruded, and their pupils glowed crimson. Having caught the scent of living humans, they became three black shadows and lunged forward with astonishing speed! The auras they emitted were clearly equivalent to cultivators at the Xuan Pin Realm Peak!
"Careful!" a disciple from Heavenly Sword Peak cried out, instinctively drawing his sword.
Yet before his sword had fully left its sheath, a muffled peal of thunder sounded.
A burly figure shot out like a cannonball, lightning flashing wildly around his body. Though he moved later, he arrived first, crashing directly into the midst of the three beasts!
It was Thunder Roar Ravine!
He did not even use a martial technique, merely throwing a simple, direct punch!
Thick silver arcs of lightning coiled around his fist as terrifying force erupted. The air burst with a sonic boom. The leading bone-spiked leopard did not even have time to scream before its head exploded like a watermelon!
Immediately afterward, Thunder Roar Ravine struck left and right, his fists like the hammers of a thunder god, smashing simply and brutally into the other two alien leopards.
Crack! Crack!
Bone-breaking sounds that made teeth ache rang out. The other two alien leopards flew backward even faster, their chests caved in. They clearly would not survive.
Instant kill!
The entire process had unfolded in the blink of an eye—clean, decisive, and filled with a violent aesthetic.
The Heavenly Sword Peak disciple who had only drawn his sword halfway stood frozen, his mouth hanging wide open. The other fellow disciples were equally dumbfounded. They knew the Academy Lord's newly accepted disciples were monstrous talents, but Senior Brother Shi Zhuang's physical body strength... was this not far too terrifying? Alien races at the Xing Yuan Realm Peak were like paper mache before him?
"Haha! That felt great!" Thunder Roar Ravine shook the blood from his fists, excitement written all over his honest face. "The things here can take a beating!"
Yun Mengyao frowned slightly and said coolly, "Third Junior Brother, conserve your strength. The battlefield has only just opened; do not reveal all your power too early." As she spoke, her eyes vigilantly swept the more distant surroundings. Clearly, she had sensed more auras being drawn over by the commotion here.
"Hehe, I'll listen to Second Senior Sister." Thunder Roar Ravine scratched his head and retreated to Yun Mengyao's side.
Xuanyuan Che crouched down and inspected the alien race corpses with great interest. Energy flowed around his fingertips as he sensed their life structures and energy cores. "Oh? The energy is concentrated in their hearts and bone spikes. Interesting. So Battle Merit is calculated from specific body parts or perhaps inner cores?"
The moment his words fell, the Identity Tokens at everyone's waists glimmered faintly, and a pale number appeared.
Thunder Roar Ravine, the killer, gained thirty points of Battle Merit. Yun Mengyao, Xuanyuan Che, and the others in the same team—by default, members of the same academy formed one team—also received a small share of supporting Battle Merit, five points each.
"Looks like it's distributed evenly." Yun Mengyao glanced at her token. "We need to find high-value targets as quickly as possible, or... should we split up?" She looked toward Xuanyuan Che, seeking his opinion. She knew her Little Junior Brother certainly had ideas of his own.
"Split up? How boring." Xuanyuan Che rose to his feet and dusted off his hands, a mischievous smile curling across his lips. "Our Eastern Xuan Academy has only just arrived. We ought to leave those great-domain prodigies with a deep impression. Follow me—I'll take you to stir up something big."
Before you continue