The moment Zhang Xuan stepped onto the stage, he unleashed a fierce attack and decisively defeated the Military Department martial artist, successfully securing a spot on the expedition!
"Yikes, that's terrifying!"
"Why do I feel like Zhang Xuan is even stronger than Han Xu, who honed his bones three times?"
"Could it be that Zhang Xuan spent a year building up his strength just so he could be invincible among his peers?!"
"Zhang Xuan's burst is incredible. That one slash must have unleashed nearly 200 calories of vitality!"
"Not only that, he's incredibly fast. He moved so quickly that his blade left afterimages!"
"If that's true, doesn't Zhang Xuan have over 300 calories of vitality?
How is that possible!!!"
An ordinary first-grade martial artist had between 180 and 250 calories of vitality.
A few exceptional first-grade martial artists, such as Han Xu and Fang Ping, who had honed their bones three times, and Wang Jinyang, a mutated heavenly pride, all had over 300 calories of vitality at first grade—more than the average second-grade martial artist.
But Zhang Xuan was only a first-grade martial artist who had honed his bones once, yet he had over 300 calories of vitality!
He was practically inhuman!
At the sight, Fang Ping and Han Xu were both shocked.
"So this is what it means to be the first heavenly pride to make the Human Realm Heavenly Pride Ranking?
He really is terrifying!"
"I can't even imagine what the future holds for Zhang Xuan!"
"Something's definitely off about Zhang Xuan!"
Fang Ping's heart shuddered. Zhang Xuan had genuinely stunned him!
A single slash unleashed 200 calories of vitality!
That was outrageous!
At most, Fang Ping could unleash the power of 80 calories with a single slash!
But Zhang Xuan's burst was more than twice as powerful!
He was simply too strong!
Still, Fang Ping had an advantage of his own.
Other people might be left weak and helpless after a few slashes, but Fang Ping could keep swinging. His vitality, which exceeded 300 calories, was enough to fuel three or four consecutive strikes.
If he replenished his vitality with the system, he could swing a hundred times without breaking a sweat!
But Zhang Xuan had no system, yet he had reached such a level through the talent of honing his bones just once!
It was almost impossible to imagine!
Wang Jinyang was just as surprised. He knew Zhang Xuan had built an incredibly solid, substantial foundation, but he hadn't expected it to be this solid!
"With 200 calories unleashed in one slash, even a careless mid-third-grade martial artist could be killed by Zhang Xuan!"
"Among first-grade martial artists, Zhang Xuan has few rivals!"
Wang Jinyang was surprised, but he was also glad for Zhang Xuan.
With this kind of strength, Zhang Xuan was sure to cut through the first-grade competition.
Although Zhang Xuan's performance had been dazzling, Fang Ping and the others didn't dwell on it. After all, it was almost their turn to fight.
On the arena at the other side, Fu Changding successfully secured a spot.
"Fang Ping, good luck!"
Fang Ping took a deep breath, nodded, and stepped onto the arena.
The moment he got onstage, Fang Ping shifted his feet and let out a furious roar, bringing his long saber down in a fierce slash!
The Military Department martial artist, who had honed his upper-limb bones, hurriedly raised his saber to block!
He hadn't expected Fang Ping to attack the instant he stepped onto the stage. He was slower than Fang Ping and couldn't dodge, so he had no choice but to meet the attack head-on!
The long saber flashed like a shadow, and three clanging strikes rang out!
Fang Ping followed with a flying kick, sending the Military Department martial artist tumbling off the stage.
Panting, Fang Ping broke into a smile.
He'd won!
"Holy crap, another burst-type maniac!"
"Fang Ping's a burst-type martial artist, while Han Xu's an assassin-type martial artist. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses!"
"Burst-type martial artists have it rough. Once their burst ends, they're bound to go through a period of weakness. That's when they're in danger!"
"With a burst like that, he'll definitely win his first match, but it'll be hard to get back onstage after that.
It's better to conserve your vitality and catch your opponent off guard, wearing them down instead!"
"Zhang Xuan and Fang Ping both fight with such explosive bursts... Are they planning to fight one or two matches at the Three Realms Martial Arts Tournament and then just forfeit?"
The Three Realms Martial Arts Tournament had individual and team points. Contestants took the stage one by one and fought until only one remained.
If someone forfeited, the next contestant in line would take the stage.
To earn a high individual score, a contestant had to win multiple matches. Each person could fight up to ten.
(There's no need to worry about the competition format. For the low-grade divisions, just imagine people taking the stage one after another to fight to the death; the mid-grade divisions will be a free-for-all in a Secret Realm.)
But with the way Zhang Xuan and Fang Ping fought, they wouldn't last through many matches.
Everyone shook their heads, unable to understand what these heavenly prides were thinking.
Perhaps they had some trump cards hidden away, though.
Soon, the selection matches ended.
Fang Ping, Fu Changding, Zhao Lei, and Chen Jiasheng had all won.
They were already quite strong, and over the past few days, they had undergone special training and killed enemies in battle. They'd also received rewards from the Sky Screen. It would've been surprising if they'd lost!
In the third-grade selection matches, Qin Fengqing and Ling Yiyi both secured expedition spots.
In the fourth-grade selection matches, Wang Jinyang defeated his opponent with three strikes, winning with ease.
Li Hansong and Yao Chengjun won just as easily.
When Zhang Tao, Li Zhen, and Nan Yunyue saw that Fang Ping and the others had all won their selection matches, they had nothing more to say.
Martial artists had to fight for what they wanted. The expedition spots were theirs because they had fought for them, so the elders couldn't force them to stay behind.
They had already proved they were strong enough to face cunning, ruthless enemies in battle.
They had made their choice. Whatever happened next was up to them.
Rumble!
Golden light flashed across the Sky Screen, and the twelfth name on the Human Realm Heavenly Pride Ranking appeared!
"This girl's going to make the ranking!"
Ling Yiyi rubbed her fists together, patted her chest, and stared at the Sky Screen with burning eyes.
Han Xu sighed inwardly. The violent maniac was going to make the ranking, and she'd even outranked him.
Once Senior Brother Li graduated, would Jingwu really become her territory?
"The heavenly pride who makes the ranking this time has to be from Jingwu!"
"Han Xu made the ranking, and he also honed his bones three times. Shouldn't it be Fang Ping's turn this time?"
"Magic Martial's Xie Lei also honed his bones three times. I wonder if he'll make the ranking."
"..."
[Three Realms Heavenly Pride Ranking: Human Realm List, 12th place: Capital Martial University, Ling Yiyi!]
"Jingwu's finally making a name for itself!"
"Another martial artist from Jingwu! Jingwu really is the number one school!"
"What's the point of winning through sheer numbers? Quality is what matters!"
"Who would've thought the obscure Ling 'Little-Chest-Bro' would make the ranking? Impressive!"
"Wait, Ling Yiyi is in the third grade and made the ranking. Does that mean Fang Ping and Xie Lei didn't make it?"
"Maybe their ranks are even higher!"
"Kehehehe, a female martial artist from the human race? If I meet her, I'll make her wish she were dead!"
"Another doomed soul for the Death Ranking!"
"..."
Ling Yiyi stood with her chin held high, like a proud, fierce little girl.
"At last, it's my turn to make a name for myself across the Three Realms!"
As a third-grade martial artist, Ling Yiyi hadn't been particularly famous in the martial arts world.
It wasn't because she was weak. She'd simply spent all that time killing enemies in the Earth Cave!
She had entered and exited the Capital Earth Cave dozens of times, slaughtering countless enemies. She had killed at least a hundred third-grade martial artists, and possibly more!
She didn't even fear high-stage fourth-grade or peak fourth-grade Earth Cave martial artists!
[Ling Yiyi, currently a third-grade martial artist. Proud and competitive, hot-tempered, tough on the outside and straightforward at heart. Born into a good family, gifted with exceptional talent, and a martial artist who had honed her bones twice! Ling Yiyi, the strongest third-grade martial artist at Capital Martial University! She had entered and exited the Earth Cave dozens of times, killing hundreds of enemies and tempering her murderous aura! Later, at the peak of the third grade, she killed a high-stage fourth-grade Earth Cave martial artist and took first place on the Martial University Third-Grade Ranking! The Future Human King wanted to take the path to invincibility at the third grade, and Ling Yiyi wanted to do the same. When the two met, a great battle over the title of the strongest third-grade martial artist was about to begin! To make money, the Future Human King had the media call her the martial arts world's number one beauty, and even spread rumors about her! In their third-grade battle, Ling Yiyi fought the Future Human King to a draw, losing by a narrow margin! Afterward, the Future Human King tricked Ling Yiyi into joining his ranks. With help from the Future Human King and forces like Jingwu, she continued to break through, driven by her proud and competitive nature! During the Three Realms War, the "strongest expert at Jingwu," Ling Yiyi, wielded a giant axe and single-handedly slaughtered a Demon Clan Emperor Venerable. She even fought three Emperors alone, driving them back again and again! In the end, she burned her Great Dao, helping Martial King Zhang Tao achieve his goal.]
"Holy crap, another female Demon Lord!"
"I can't believe Ling Yiyi fought the Future Human King to a draw, losing by only a narrow margin!"
"She's strong—far too strong! None of the female martial artists on the Heavenly Pride Ranking are pushovers. They're all Demon Lord–level heavenly prides!"
"With Han Xu and Ling Yiyi at Jingwu, it won't decline for a hundred years!"
"She fought three Emperors alone! Ling Yiyi may be petite and cute, but she's absolutely ferocious!"
"This woman dared to slaughter martial artists from God Continent. I'll kill her myself!"
"First among the third grade? Absurd!"
"If she enters the Earth Cave, I'll teach that old woman what it means to be first among the third grade!"
"Kehehe... Poor girl. She won't live much longer!"
"..."
In the Human Realm,
at the Capital Base,
Han Xu stared at Ling Yiyi and sucked in a sharp breath!
The violent maniac was this strong?!
She could rival the Future Human King!
"Ha ha ha ha! I'm Jingwu's strongest expert! I'm the martial arts world's number one beauty!"
Watching Ling Yiyi laugh wildly, Li Hansong looked helpless.
The martial arts world's number one beauty... That was a rumor someone had made up, and Ling Yiyi actually believed it!?
Unbelievable!
Besides, the words "Jingwu's strongest expert" were in quotation marks.
Given the Sky Screen's sense of humor, it was surely poking fun at her. Ling Yiyi definitely wasn't Jingwu's strongest expert.
Still, Ling Yiyi really was strong.
Among the third-grade martial artists, she was one of the best.
Han Xu gazed at the Sky Screen, his expression a little strange.
He remembered that when the Sky Screen introduced him, it had said the Future Human King had tricked him.
Now it said he had tricked Ling Yiyi, too.
Was the Future Human King really that good at fooling people?
No wonder he'd inherited the title Shame of the True Kings!
In the Earth Cave,
Ji Yao gazed at the Sky Screen, her beautiful eyes gleaming.
"The human realm's female martial artists are all impressive!"
They were practically all Demon Lord–level martial artists.
If they were on the same side, perhaps she could become friends with them.
Nearby, an Earth Cave martial artist gave a cold laugh, his voice brimming with murderous intent and provocation.
"Haha, I've always wanted a human woman's head as an ornament. Ling Yiyi will do nicely!"
"Hmph, this woman has killed hundreds of martial artists from God Continent!
"If I run into her, I'll make sure she learns what fear is!"
"Heh, a third-grade martial artist? Nothing but an ant!"
"Ha ha ha ha! You can have the women. The Future Human King's head is mine!"
"..."
The martial artists from the Earth Cave, Heaven Beyond Heaven, and other forces were brazenly arrogant, as if killing human heavenly prides were as easy as reaching out and grabbing them.
The talented martial artists from the Earth Cave Forbidden Zone, along with those from Heaven Beyond Heaven and other forces, had never fought against human martial artists.
In their eyes, the human race's martial arts heritage was incomplete, its combat techniques were trash, its resources scarce, and its people pathetically weak!
They, on the other hand, were martial artists under the command of Emperors and True Kings. They were obviously stronger than the human race.
In the distance, King Huai listened to everyone's brazen laughter and silently sneered.
A bunch of arrogant fools!
If human martial artists were really that weak, the Earth Cave would've already invaded the Human Realm!
King Huai reckoned that King Ming's plot was bound to backfire this time.
Humanity's prodigies weren't so easy to kill.
This was no longer the age of the ancient martial artists from a thousand years ago.
Among prodigies of the Three Realms, those from the Human Realm were probably the strongest at the same rank!
On the other side of the Earth Cave,
King Ming, King Feng, and the others' expressions changed instantly!
Ling Yiyi and the Future Human King were competing for the title of top third-rank martial artist!
But Ling Yiyi was already a third-rank martial artist.
And since she was known as Jingwu's top third-rank martial artist, she had to be at the high or peak stage of the third rank!
Which meant...
"The Future Human King isn't a first-rank martial artist!"
King Feng's gaze turned cold. "The Future Human King is definitely a martial artist of the new generation, but he's absolutely not first rank!"
It couldn't be that the Future Human King was currently first rank, had broken through to the peak of the third rank in just a few months, and Ling Yiyi had spent all that time steadily advancing through the third rank, could it?!
How was that possible?!
The Future Human King definitely wasn't a first-rank martial artist now!
"Damn it! The Sky Screen nearly misled us!"
King Feng's gaze was icy as he said coldly,
"We must keep an eye on humanity's first-rank martial artists, but pay even closer attention to their second-rank prodigies!"
King Ming's eyes were cold. "To be safe, we can't let a single human prodigy get away!"
"Whatever it takes! Even if our subordinates have to blow themselves up, we must cut them down!"
"If anyone surrenders, have our martial artists provoke and insult them!"
"Hot-blooded young prodigies can't possibly stand being provoked and mocked."
King Gan frowned. "Don't provoke them too much!"
Life and death were decided in the arena, but if they went too far with their provocations outside it, how could humanity's powerhouses possibly stand by?!
If a martial artist below the True God level died, then so be it.
But what if Heaven Suppressing King, Martial King Zhang Tao, Underworld King Li Zhen, and the others flew into a rage and set off a war between Emperor Venerables and Heavenly Kings? What if they insisted on killing True Gods, Emperor Venerables, or even Heavenly Kings to make an example of them? What then?
Feng glanced at King Ming, King Feng, and the others with indifference, then said coolly, "Any human martial artist who enters the arena or a Secret Realm must be killed with overwhelming force!"
"But if a human martial artist surrenders, don't press them too hard. We don't want humanity backed into a corner and fighting like a trapped animal."
In the Human Realm,
Ling Yiyi's cheeks flushed as she stared at the Sky Screen, eagerly awaiting her reward.
[Evaluation: Ling Yiyi is bold and tenacious, a role model among female martial artists. She has a fiery temper and a strikingly unexpected side. Her strength is formidable, and her talent exceptional!]
[Basic rewards: Unimpeded Great Dao, Transcend the Three Realms!
Advanced rewards: One drop of True Blood, which can gradually resolve the flaws in her body; a special divine weapon, the Heaven Opening Axe (the axe will shatter when its owner dies; bound to the owner); one small Secret Realm (for her sole use).]
"This is awesome!"
Ling Yiyi was delighted. She hated it most when people said she was petite!
Her small stature was partly hereditary and partly because she had honed her bones too early.
She was extremely satisfied with all three rewards from the Sky Screen!
Feeling the changes in her body, Ling Yiyi immediately swung her Heaven Opening Axe!
"Li Hansong, fight me!"
"..."
Li Hansong felt a headache coming on.
That troublemaker Ling Yiyi was at it again.
To keep his junior from getting too full of herself, Li Hansong decided to knock some sense into her!
After a flurry of blows, Ling Yiyi rubbed her chest and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Of course, she wasn't badly hurt.
"Why do I feel like I haven't grown at all?" Ling Yiyi grumbled.
"Yikes, Ling Yiyi's so violent!" Han Xu remarked from a distance.
So much for being the martial arts world's number-one beauty!
The Future Human King was shameless enough to lie through his teeth!
Fu Changding, Zhao Lei, and the others exchanged glances, all shuddering.
Female martial artists were crazy!
Nearby, Zhang Xuan had also seen Li Hansong and Ling Yiyi sparring.
He had to admit, he kind of liked Ling Yiyi.
A female martial artist with a surprising side.
A legal loli wielding a giant axe—tell him that wasn't a contrast!
But Ling Yiyi seemed to like Li Hansong, that big, simple-minded fool. He just didn't know whether Li Hansong liked her back.
When he'd read the book back then, he'd thought Ling Yiyi and Han Xu were the bickering pair.
"Tsk, love is complicated!"
Zhang Xuan sighed. As a single guy, there was no way he could easily understand what girls were thinking.
The selection tournament at Capital Base soon came to an end.
Zhang Tao, Li Zhen, Nan Yunyue, and the others looked over the final list, their expressions complicated.
"We've been at this long enough!"
"It was their choice."
The Earth Cave side had already sent word: King Ming and the ancient kings were preparing to bring the Three Realms Martial Arts Exchange Tournament forward.
Before long, they would lead humanity's martial artists on an expedition into the Earth Cave's Outer Regions.
Zhang Tao had already made arrangements.
When the time came, Heaven Suppressing King and God Forger would use special means to disguise all the martial artists and give them false names.
They could fool the enemy for a while, at least.
"The Sky Screen... Why is it exposing everything?" Zhang Tao stared at it, pondering for a long time.
At that moment, golden light shone across the Sky Screen, and its gilded words shifted once more!
"This time it has to be Fang Ping, the one with Triple Bone Honing. He's the Freshman King of Magic Martial University!"
"The Sky Screen's finally done exposing Martial Arts University freshmen. It's about time the upperclassmen got their turn!"
"There are geniuses among us upperclassmen, too!"
"Li Hansong, Yao Chengjun, and Wang Jinyang are bound to make the list!"
[Three Realms Heavenly Pride Ranking: Human Realm List, Rank 11: Magic City Martial University, Yu Feng!]
Magic Martial University erupted into an uproar!
Yang Xiaoman looked bewildered. "Yu Feng? Is there a talented martial artist named Yu Feng at Magic Martial University?"
Chen Yunxi and Zhao Xuemei looked just as confused.
They'd never heard of a talented student named Yu Feng at Magic Martial University.
Anyone who made the Heavenly Pride Ranking couldn't possibly be an unknown nobody!
But who was Yu Feng?!
None of the instructors at Magic Martial University answered Yang Xiaoman and the others' questions.
Li Changsheng, Huang Jing, Lv Fengrou, Wu Kuishan, and the other instructors all had tears in their eyes, their bodies trembling.
"Yu Feng... That name sounds so familiar!"
At Capital Base,
Fang Ping, Fu Changding, and Zhao Lei were just as baffled.
Was there a prodigy named Yu Feng at Magic Martial University?
None of the instructors was a powerful figure surnamed Yu, either!
Wang Jinyang's pupils contracted. He seemed to have heard that name somewhere.
Qin Fengqing stared at the Sky Screen in disbelief, his lips trembling.
Zhang Tao, Li Zhen, and Nan Yunyue exchanged glances. Their eyes flickered, and a strange heaviness settled over them.
[Yu Feng, principal of Magic Martial University, peak eighth rank!]
Please keep reading!
As for the old principal of Magic Martial University's surname, I don't know either. It might be Zhang, or it might be Yu.
Also, the principal of Magic Martial University is a legend and deserves a place on the Heavenly Pride Ranking.
5,000 characters—please keep reading, and thank you all for your support.
Before you continue