Four Academy Tournament

It was not only a sparring match between prodigies of the same generation, but also a chance to win glory for the academy. For individuals, it was an excellent opportunity to make a name for themselves and obtain fortuitous opportunities.

Besides Divine Martial Academy in Chang'an, Great Tang also had Heavenly Strategy Academy, a special institution founded by the military. Its students were all selected from the army, and it placed great emphasis on actual combat.

Myriad Forms Academy lay in the northwest and was renowned for formations, alchemy, artifact forging, and various other skills. Though its individual combat strength was somewhat weaker, its overall power was still not to be underestimated.

Grand Void Academy was in Jiangnan and focused primarily on qi cultivation, placing little importance on combat techniques. However, its students advanced in cultivation at astonishing speed, and their strength was likewise not to be taken lightly.

"The tournament is divided into team battles and individual battles. Each academy will field five members. Since third year is traditionally an internship year, third-year students will not participate. Thus, all contestants will be first- or second-year students."

Liu Hongyan continued, "This selection will be divided into two rounds. In the first round, all first- and second-year students of the academy may sign up. Arena matches will determine the top thirty-two."

"However, the headmaster has personally designated one special slot."

"Who is it?"

Yu Ling'er could not help asking curiously.

Liu Hongyan's gaze fell on Li Yuan, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly. "Li Yuan. In view of his previous record, he has been granted exemption from the trials and directly awarded a place in the tournament. He has also been provisionally designated as captain."

Everyone had more or less guessed that this would be the outcome. They were utterly convinced by Li Yuan, and all felt it was only natural that he received this slot.

"The remaining four slots will be decided through the selection," Liu Hongyan said. "The trials will begin in three days and last half a month. In the end, this year's representative team of Divine Martial Academy will be formed."

"From today onward, Li Yuan, you will undergo my special training to refine your tactics and familiarize yourself with the opponents you may face."

"The rest of you, prepare for the trials with everything you have. Do not bring shame upon Pivot Star Class."

"Yes!"

Everyone answered in unison, their fighting spirit soaring.

Over the next two days, the academy's atmosphere blazed with excitement. Every training ground was packed to the brim, and everyone pushed themselves to the limit. No one wanted to miss such a rare opportunity.

Li Yuan, meanwhile, underwent one-on-one special training with Liu Hongyan.

Liu Hongyan was indeed an elite from the Demon Suppression Bureau. Her combat experience was exceptionally abundant, and her eye was razor-sharp. Taking into account Li Yuan's simple yet ruthless fighting style, she tailored several different sets of tactics for him.

As captain, personal martial skill was certainly important, but on-the-spot judgment, control of the rhythm, and other such factors were equally indispensable.

She thoroughly analyzed the characteristics of the other three academies, their habitual tactics over the years, and even certain little underhanded tricks that were not widely known.

This suited Li Yuan perfectly. Neither of them was the sort of rigid person who followed rules to the letter.

On the fourth day, the selection trials began as scheduled.

Every member of Pivot Star Class signed up and displayed considerable strength. After the first round, more than half had entered the top thirty-two.

Yu Ling'er, Chu Yunhe, Shen Lian, Shadow, Wu Yu, Cheng Zhao, and ten others all advanced to the second round.

In the following top-eight matches, Chu Yunhe relied on his exquisite swordsmanship to cut through every obstacle in his path and easily secure a place in the top eight.

Shen Lian also entered the top eight with his fierce saber techniques and ruthless, decisive bearing.

Yu Ling'er advanced with footwork as nimble as a fox and tricky, hard-to-defend moves. Wu Yu and Shadow also made it through. In the end, Pivot Star Class claimed five of the eight spots.

Of the remaining three, two were top experts from the second-year Earth Fiend Class. The last, unexpectedly, was a first-year freshman—Ji Fanghua.

This girl, who had been thin, weak, and gloomy when she first enrolled, seemed to have shed her old skin and been reborn in a little over half a year. Though she remained taciturn and solitary, on the arena stage she displayed a decisiveness and ruthlessness utterly unlike her appearance.

Afterward, the academy announced that the finals would use the arena melee format, the greatest test of individual strength.

The rules were simple and cruel. Eight people would take the stage together, with no restrictions on methods. They could attack any opponent, but joining forces against an enemy was strictly forbidden. The final four still standing on the stage would be the winners.

Eight figures leaped onto the massive arena one after another, each taking a position in one direction. A grim, murderous air filled the space.

Chu Yunhe wore a moon-white fitted outfit, his longsword casually angled toward the ground, his lips carrying their usual lazy smile.

Shen Lian stood alone with his long saber held in his arms, an icy Sha Qi that warned strangers to stay away radiating from his body.

Yu Ling'er held a short staff, her doll-like face still bright with a radiant smile, though her large eyes darted constantly about.

Wu Yu's expression was grave. His fists were clenched, and earthy-yellow true qi faintly circulated around him as he stood ready for battle.

Shadow's figure seemed deliberately—or perhaps inadvertently—to blend into the shadows, flickering in and out of sight.

They had once been classmates, but on this arena, they were also powerful opponents who knew each other best.

Beside them stood a burly youth, Zhou Rencheng of Earth Fiend Class. He held a heavy black-iron shield in one hand and a warhammer in the other, his aura deep and imposing.

The other lean youth was Duan Sui, also of Earth Fiend Class. He wielded a pair of Emei Piercers, and his gaze was sinister.

And the dark horse attracting the most attention today was Ji Fanghua.

She wore a black dress and kept her head lowered, seeming utterly out of place amid the solemn atmosphere around her.

"Begin!"

At the referee's command, the air above the arena was instantly set ablaze.

Duan Sui moved first. With a flicker of his body, the weapons in his hands shot straight toward Wu Yu, who was closest to him, clearly intending to catch him off guard.

"Good!"

Wu Yu let out a low roar. Rather than dodge, he gathered earthy-yellow true qi into both fists in an instant and struck out fiercely, colliding with the Emei Piercers in a dull, thunderous bang.

Both men retreated a step. Duan Sui was more agile; after failing to land the blow, he immediately changed direction and slipped away like a swimming fish, searching for his next opportunity.

At the same moment Duan Sui attacked, Zhou Rencheng also moved. He locked onto the seemingly frail Ji Fanghua. With the black-iron shield protecting his body, his warhammer crushed toward her with a howling gale.

Clearly, he had decided that this first-year freshman was a soft persimmon ripe for the squeezing.

Yet in the face of this overwhelming strike, Ji Fanghua raised her head, her eyes filled with an almost icy calm.

At the instant the warhammer was about to reach her, her slight figure slid an extremely strange foot to the left.

The warhammer smashed heavily into empty air with a booming crash. Having missed, Zhou Rencheng's body stalled slightly from overexertion.

In that instant, Ji Fanghua's hands, which had been clasped together all along, suddenly separated. At some point, a short sword had appeared in her right hand.

Yet she did not stab directly at Zhou Rencheng. Instead, she lightly swept the short sword toward the side in front of her.

Sshhk—!

A soft sound rang out, and something strange happened. Zhou Rencheng staggered, then crashed straight toward the short sword. From the audience's perspective, it looked as though he had willingly thrown himself onto it.

Cries of alarm rose from below the stage. Ji Fanghua had actually predicted her opponent's trajectory with such precision.

Zhou Rencheng was horrified. It was too late to bring his shield back, so he could only roar and sweep his warhammer sideways, trying to force Ji Fanghua back.

Yet Ji Fanghua's strike had been a feint. The sword tip slid aside and shifted upward by an inch, easily avoiding the sweeping warhammer before landing upon the vital hollow of Zhou Rencheng's shoulder.

"Ugh!"

Zhou Rencheng felt half his body go numb. His warhammer nearly slipped from his hand, and his protective true qi was effortlessly pierced. He staggered backward several steps before crashing into the light barrier at the edge of the arena and barely managing to steady himself.

However, his right arm was clearly no longer able to rise. His combat strength had been greatly diminished, and the way he looked at Ji Fanghua was filled with shock and dread.

Everything had happened too quickly. In a single exchange, Zhou Rencheng had already been severely injured, and the entire venue immediately erupted in cheers.