The Dao Tournament Reserve

The strongest vocational college student!

Those five words left Chen Zhuo stunned.

But what did that have to do with him?

I'm just an ordinary first-year student at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer...

Puzzled, Chen Zhuo looked up at Counselor Yuan.

Instructor Yuan seemed to notice everyone's confusion. He cleared his throat and said, "Of course, that has nothing to do with you."

"The Dao Tournament is generally divided into groups spanning five years each. University lasts twenty years, making four groups in all. You're in the First Academic Stage now, so if you enter, you'll compete in the First Academic Stage Dao Tournament."

Instructor Yuan continued, "But each year, the academy chooses its competitors from students who've been enrolled for five years."

Then why the hell are you telling us?

Chen Zhuo grumbled inwardly, though he knew there had to be more.

"Under academy policy, however, starting today we'll select talented first-year students for the Dao Tournament Reserve."

"Members of the Dao Tournament Reserve will receive extra academy resources, such as interest-free loans and free Spell Arts. Future competitors will also be chosen from the reserve!"

Counselor Yuan paused and swept his gaze around the room. "If you're interested, come to my office after class. I'll put together a list."

With that, Counselor Yuan tucked the booklet into his Storage Bag and added, "My office is Room 307 on the third floor. Remember to bring your ID and student card. If anything is unclear, you can contact me on your Spirit Communicator first."

Counselor Yuan surveyed the classroom once more. His gaze lingered on Meng Yan for a moment, as though it carried some hidden meaning, before he left.

What was that supposed to mean?

Chen Zhuo had noticed the strange look too. He was baffled.

As soon as Counselor Yuan left, the classroom erupted.

"The Dao Tournament Reserve! If you get picked, wouldn't you be set?"

"Extra academy resources! I heard there's even a special allowance of forty or fifty Spirit Coins a month!"

"The requirements must be high, though. Do we stand a chance?"

"..."

Whispers filled the room.

Sitting in the back row, Chen Zhuo fell into thought.

The Dao Tournament Reserve...

It sounded good. Getting a share of the academy's extra resources would be ideal.

More importantly, if he was selected, he could get additional help with spell cultivation—exactly what he lacked.

Buying spells from the Spell Repository cost Spirit Coins too.

And Chen Zhuo had other uses for his Spirit Coins.

With that thought, Chen Zhuo began observing his classmates.

The first person he spotted was Wang Heng.

It wasn't that Chen Zhuo held a grudge. Wang Heng was simply too conspicuous.

Wang Heng was bent over, asking Little Jade in a low voice, "Little Jade, Little Jade, do you think I can make the Dao Tournament Reserve and qualify for the tournament?"

Wang Heng spoke softly, just as he had before.

But Chen Zhuo was no longer the person he once was. His ears and eyes had grown keen; when he concentrated, he could make out Wang Heng's conversation with Little Jade.

"Enter the Dao Tournament? You think far too highly of yourself! I suggest you go to the bathroom, piss, and take a good look at your reflection. Look at the state of you! You think you deserve to enter? Can you even beat a Qi Refining Second Layer cultivator with Acquired Spiritual Root Implantation?"

Wang Heng: ...

Something's wrong with my Little Jade.

Ever since that duel... well, it hardly counted as a duel. Ever since that scuffle, when he had accidentally, inadvertently, through one careless slip, suffered a narrow, slight, hairbreadth defeat to Chen Zhuo by a single move, Little Jade had turned sharp-tongued and mean.

Little Jade never used to be like this...

An indescribable bitterness welled up in Wang Heng's heart.

I'm so tired.

Wang Heng took a deep breath and asked quietly, "Little Jade, what should I start doing today to change myself?"

"I recommend dropping out immediately and finding manual work in a mortal community. You'd have no trouble supporting yourself..."

At those words, Wang Heng's fists clenched.

Meanwhile, Chen Zhuo found Little Jade's response rather strange.

The upgraded paid version of Little Jade didn't seem all that great either.

Once upgraded, Little Jade would gain access to all its user's permissions. It would know exactly which cultivation method they practiced and what their cultivation level was. There would be no privacy at all.

His free version was better: an offline encyclopedia.

He didn't have to worry about his privacy being leaked either.

Chen Zhuo exhaled, abandoning his earlier plan to spend 68 Spirit Coins on a month of paid Little Jade access.

It really did seem useless.

From what he had read online, the Yuqing Domain mainly applied "Tianyuan" to artifact refining. The "Swarm Flying Swords" jointly developed by the Yuqing Domain and the Shangqing Domain were formidable. Equipped with AI algorithms, they could split their sword light independently and strike an enemy's weak points.

Deploy dozens or even hundreds at once, and it was practically a blanket of fire. A cultivator needed only one command through their spiritual sense to lock down an area, with no need to painstakingly control each sword.

As for an intelligent companion like Little Jade, the Yuqing Domain clearly hadn't developed it much further.

Still, his classmates' enthusiasm showed that joining the Dao Tournament Reserve really did have its benefits.

In that case...

Maybe it's worth a try?

Chen Zhuo rubbed his chin, then immediately rose, left the classroom, and headed for Room 307 on the third floor of the office building.

Besides applying for the reserve selection, Chen Zhuo had another goal.

A loan!

Just as Yuan Mingde had said, Foundation Establishment cultivators and Golden Core True Person were taking out loans. How could you grow if you didn't borrow?

Other cultivators were born gifted, with Heavenly Spiritual Roots and an innate spiritual energy sensitivity of at least 60.

But if he could borrow a million or so, that would be a talent of his own!

Who said being able to get a loan wasn't a talent?

And what if he couldn't pay it back?

Then he would just fly away.

If the Taiqing People could fly, and the Immortal Estate People could fly, so could he!

Chen Zhuo had only just reached the office door when Counselor Yuan's voice drifted out from inside. "No need to knock. The door's open. Come in."

Chen Zhuo thought nothing of it.

Counselor Yuan was at the Qi Refinement Peak, after all. With his spiritual sense, he could naturally detect someone from this distance.

"Teacher Yuan."

Chen Zhuo entered politely. Counselor Yuan sat in an office chair, sipping tea from a thermos, with a faint smile on his face.

Before Yuan Mingde could speak, Chen Zhuo said earnestly, "I'd like to apply for the Dao Tournament Reserve!"

The smile vanished from Counselor Yuan's face. He opened a drawer, pulled out a sheet of paper, and said without looking up, "Sit down and fill out the form."

Chen Zhuo froze for a moment.

But he soon understood. "Teacher Yuan, after I apply, I'd also like to ask about a bank loan..."

At that, Counselor Yuan's smile returned.

"Student Chen, set that form aside. I'll fill it out for you later. Let's talk about the loan first!"