"Shen Qingqing, third sparring platform."
Everyone had just recovered from the shock of Chen Xiandao's previous strike when they immediately heard Senior Brother Liu's voice, prompting them to push and shove toward the third sparring platform.
For them.
These two First-Grade prodigies had always been elusive as dragons seeing their tails but not their heads, and now that they had a chance to catch a glimpse of their postures, naturally they could not easily miss it.
Besides, with Chen Xiandao's fine jade coming first just now, people wanted to see if this prodigy matching Chen Xiandao's name was just as powerful as Chen Xiandao.
The result was as expected.
Shen Qingqing likewise resolved the battle cleanly and decisively.
Her opponent just cast a casual, nameless law technique, and the puppet was blasted off the platform.
Once again, it provoked bursts of exclamations.
Zhang Jing similarly perceived a trace of faint Dao rhyme in Shen Qingqing's law technique.
That was a Five-Winged Azure-Gold Luan Bird blotting out the sky; amid its flapping wings, it seemed about to whip up monstrous storms and thunder, frighteningly ferocious.
Just as he was deep in thought.
Senior Brother Liu's grand voice suddenly arrived.
"The first round of evaluations ends, with fifty-three passing. An hour and a half from now, the official ranking combat begins on time; now you lot may return to rest for a while."
Hearing this, the crowd dispersed in twos and threes.
During this, some people were full of dejection and sighing, while others were excitedly discussing the morning's sights and sounds, debating the rankings among the Grade B geniuses, as well as the eye-catching performances of the few Third-Grade geniuses.
Of course, amidst these discussions, they all very tacitly excluded the two First-Grade prodigies.
After all, judging by the morning's performance, comparing these two with anyone else was utterly meaningless.
On the way back.
"Brother Zhang, how do you suppose those two First-Grades cultivate? Clearly their moves or law techniques are very ordinary, yet in their hands they feel as though they have divine assistance, strong to an outrageous degree."
"The Upper-Grade cultivation methods they practice are strong to be sure, but when all is said and done, isn't it still spiritual power?"
Ji Bochang had yet to calm the agitation in his heart even now, chattering endlessly by Zhang Jing's side.
Hearing this, Zhang Jing involuntarily glanced at the other man, thinking inwardly:
You really guessed right, those two people truly had divine assistance when they struck.
Of course, the fact that the law techniques recorded as a matching set in the Upper-Grade cultivation method happened to complement their Dao rhyme should also be an important reason.
Moreover, if Zhang Jing's sensation just now was not wrong.
Both Shen Qingqing and Chen Xiandao should have broken through to the third layer of Qi Refining. Their bodies, spiritual awareness, and spiritual power had undergone two successive transformations, and coupled with Dao rhyme, naturally they looked more than a tier stronger than people like themselves.
Yet for these things, especially the existence of Dao rhyme, it was inconvenient for Zhang Jing to speak of them with Ji Bochang right now, so he could only echo him repeatedly:
"Brother Ji, your analysis makes some sense!"
While speaking.
He saw that among three figures not far ahead, someone was waving to signal them.
After walking closer, he discovered it was Chu Lingyun and the two others.
Before Zhang Jing could speak.
He saw Chu Lingyun's beautiful eyes brighten as she said softly:
"Congratulations to Brother Ji on passing the first round of evaluations, and also Brother Zhang-looking at your expression, you should have passed too? Congratulations, congratulations!"
As her voice fell.
The expression on the face of Wu Mingyuan, who stood behind Chu Lingyun, immediately turned strange; he looked at the other man with words trembling on his lips.
"Didn't you all look over at Brother Zhang's side?" Ji Bochang's face revealed a trace of puzzlement.
"Haha, because Lingyun wanted to see if there was any chance to contend for a top-ten ranking, we were on the other side at the time and our attention was entirely focused on those Grade B geniuses universally acknowledged to have top-ten strength, so we didn't pay much attention to Brother Zhang here."
Deng An stepped out and explained with a smile.
"Sorry to trouble Fairy Chu for your concern, this humble person passed by a fluke." Zhang Jing answered softly.
The moment the words left his mouth.
Zhang Jing felt two surprised gazes sweep toward him, only for him to ignore them a split second later.
Did he say anything wrong?
That puppet had directly forced out his only two law artifacts; wasn't this considered a fluke?
"That's great, all five of us actually passed the first round; it really wasn't easy."
A brilliant smile surfaced on Chu Lingyun's face as she tightly clenched her delicate fists and encouraged them:
"Everyone will definitely secure a good ranking this afternoon."
At this moment.
Before the Inheritance Pavilion, on the giant stone pillars of the square, a group of Purple Robes from the Inner Academy had not left, but were chatting idly with one another.
"Everyone, what do you think of these two First-Grade geniuses?"
"Not bad, their law power is solid and pure, and in the short span of a month, they've actually comprehended a trace of Dao rhyme; no wonder they could obtain a First-Grade rating. Senior Brother Liu, the fit of the Upper-Grade inheritances these two chose... shouldn't be low, right?"
An Inner Academy member asked out of curiosity.
"Both have Supreme Compatibility, one three feet, one two point eight feet." Senior Brother Liu concealed nothing.
"No wonder, then estimated within five years, we can all add another junior brother and junior sister. Once they grow up, our Dragon Lake might just suppress Divine Firmament and Profound Light and secure more resources."
"Hope so, Nanli is still far too barren." Several people sighed in succession.
At that moment.
The Purple Robe sitting at the outermost edge suddenly opened his eyes, as though he had thought of something, and looked straight at Senior Brother Liu:
"Senior Brother, the afternoon's ranking battle won't be that business you lot played before of mutual challenges, ranked according to the order of strength, will it?"
"What advice does Junior Brother Qiu have?" Senior Brother Liu asked curiously.
"Haha, Senior Brother flatters me. Dao Academy evaluations have always belonged to you all in the Inheritance Pavilion as Inner Academy members to host; someone like me from the Thousand Techniques Pavilion wouldn't dare speak of advice. I just have an immature thought that I'd like to share with you senior brothers."
"Junior Brother, please speak, etiquette bids me wash my ears and listen."
"Then this junior brother will be presumptuous..."
After a hurried bout of breath-regulation.
Zhang Jing and the others arrived early at the open space in the middle of the sparring platform.
As for those eliminated in the morning, they had gathered at the periphery of the sparring platform, unanimously casting gazes filled with envy and jealousy toward the fifty-three people in the center, their eyes brimming with looks wishing they could take their place.
At this moment.
Amidst the crowd, Zhang Jing was closing his eyes to rest his mind.
Before long.
Senior Brother Liu's figure appeared once more.
Glancing at the people below who had already arrived ahead of time, a trace of satisfaction first appeared in his eyes, and then his gaze grew somewhat strange.
The next moment, Senior Brother Liu was heard speaking:
"As the saying goes, the Immortal Dao is distant and hazy; we cultivators must possess both the courage to forge ahead and break through everything, and a clear understanding of ourselves in our cultivation."
"Junior brothers and junior sisters, the ranking battle officially begins. The rules are as follows:"
"The entire ranking battle is divided into three stages, from first to last, determining the rankings of twenty to thirty, ten to twenty, and the top ten respectively. Each person may only choose to participate in one of these stages."
"Participants independently choose the sparring platform corresponding to their ranking. Winning six consecutive challenges from challengers or continuing until no one challenges is deemed winning the ranking. Each person has three challenge opportunities, with breaks in between. Should a ranking vacancy occur... no replacements will be granted!"
"Now commencing the first stage, platforms one through ten respectively represent rankings twenty-one through thirty. Those wishing to participate, step forward."
Boom-
The moment the rules were announced, a huge roar of clamor arose from all directions, with astonishingly shocking cries of surprise rising one after another in an endless stream.
Zhang Jing was likewise stunned.
He did not know how to evaluate these rules.
It was self-evident that once one lacked sufficient self-awareness regarding one's strength or held biased perceptions of competitors, one might end up facing a situation where water is fetched in a bamboo basket and nothing is gained.
Unless one's strength was strong enough!
Otherwise, one either risked taking a gamble or settled for second best, securely locking down a guaranteed ranking.
Zhang Jing could imagine how fierce the clashes on the sparring platforms would be shortly.
There was no retreat; one could only fight for one's life!
"It's over, it's over. This means if one chooses to compete for the top ten and then fails, not even the meagerest reward will remain."
The anxious and unsettled muttering of Ji Bochang suddenly reached his ears.
Zhang Jing turned around and discovered panic written all over the other man's face; presumably all his prior preparations had been disrupted by the rules just announced.
Subsequently, he involuntarily looked around.
Within his line of sight, almost everyone wore an expression similar to Ji Bochang's. Only a sparse few people, including himself, had expressions that remained entirely unchanged.
Among these few people.
The two First-Grade prodigies were excluded from consideration.
Zhang Jing's attention landed straight on the three men and two women elsewhere.
Seeming to sense his gaze, one slender-figured man abruptly turned his head, met Zhang Jing's gaze, and then nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Zhang Jing likewise responded with a smile.
It seemed those five people were his true competitors this time around.
Thinking of this.
Zhang Jing withdrew his gaze and once more began resting his eyes.
This was merely the first stage after all... the time was still early!
On the other side.
Many Grade B geniuses gazed at the empty sparring platforms with entangled expressions on their faces.
If they went up now, it meant automatically forfeiting the Dao Merit rewards for the top twenty, and they inevitably felt some lingering unwillingness in their hearts; after all, the gap between them was not a small one.
Yet if they did not go up now...
Should they fail in the second stage's competition, they would be left with nothing.
Taking advantage of the time while they were still weighing their options.
Those Third-Grade rated individuals who had barely passed the first round were already scrambling to run onto the sparring platforms.
Especially the lower-ranked sparring platforms, where the defenders holding the rings had already been replaced more than three times over.
Ultimately.
Rationality overcame greed.
"Alas~ misfortune strikes; why did I have to run into this generation? There are simply too many monsters."
One Grade B genius after another began to abandon unrealistic fantasies, walking onto the sparring platform amidst sighs.
Five points of Dao Merit was five points of Dao Merit; that was still better than having nothing at all.
In an instant.
The law technique fluctuations on the sparring platforms grew intense.
"Lingyun, I want to..."
Beside Chu Lingyun, Deng An withdrew his gaze from Wu Mingyuan on the sparring platform and stammered.
A trace of intense unwillingness carried within his eyes, yet he was utterly helpless.
"Brother Deng wants to go up?"
"I have no certainty of winning in the second-stage ranking competition."
"So be it. This is not your fault; if you must blame someone, blame this generation for being too strong. In past years, where would there be so many Grade B ratings, let alone two First-Grade prodigies firmly occupying the top two spots?"
Chu Lingyun's voice no longer held the high spirits of the afternoon.
Her gaze involuntarily swept past the three men and two women who were closing their eyes to rest in the distance.
She knew that under the current evaluation rules, she no longer had any hope of attempting to compete for the top ten; the risk was simply too high.
Time passed quickly.
"The first stage has ended, congratulations to you all!"
Senior Brother Liu looked at the ten people who were still tenaciously remaining on the sparring platforms at that moment and congratulated them with a smile.
Simultaneously, ten rays of azure light rose from his hands, flying straight toward the sparring platforms and finally coming to a halt in front of the ten people, transforming into rounded, crystal-clear emerald-green jade tokens.
"These are your Outer Court identity tokens. Future Dao Merit rewards will be recorded within them, and at the same time, this token is also a fine defensive law artifact."
"Many thanks, Senior Brother."
The ten people on the stage gripped the identity tokens tightly in their hands and shouted in unison.
As these people walked down the sparring platforms with unsteady strides, Senior Brother Liu's voice rang out immediately after: "Commencing the second stage. Those wishing to compete for rankings eleven through twenty may now ascend the sparring platform."
The instant the voice fell.
Zhang Jing heard heavy footsteps sound beside him, and then the footsteps vanished.
He opened his eyes, only to meet the gaze cast by Ji Bochang.
Seeing Zhang Jing standing steadfastly in place, Ji Bochang asked in astonishment: "Brother Zhang, it's the second stage. Aren't you going up?"
"I'll wait a bit longer."
Zhang Jing answered with a smile.
"You're going to wait--"
Seeming to realize something, Ji Bochang's words came to an abrupt halt.
The next moment, he was seen staring blankly at Zhang Jing, feeling a tingling numbness sweep across his scalp.
"You..." Ji Bochang first pointed at the two First-Grade prodigies, then spoke incoherently: "The... third stage, the top ten?"
Zhang Jing nodded.
"Brother Zhang, you..."
His mind was a complete blank.
With a numb expression on his face, Ji Bochang turned around and walked toward the sparring platform.
Another large group left.
At this point, only sixteen people remained where they stood.
Though the fighting on the spellcasting platform was fierce, countless gazes converged on these sixteen people.
With the rules already made clear, their daring to take part in the third stage and contend for the top ten meant that-every single one of these sixteen had absolute confidence in his own strength!
And because those two First-Grade Prodigies were there.
It became a contest for fourteen to claim eight places.
In today's third stage of the assessment, nearly half of these top-tier geniuses would actually be eliminated!
The spellcasting platform was sure to witness an earth-shaking clash!
An inexplicable flame began to rise in everyone's hearts, ceaselessly stirring their feverish excitement.
In midair.
Senior Brother Liu actually spotted Zhang Jing among the sixteen.
This junior brother had left a deep impression on him.
"Tsk, Qi Refining Second Layer. Junior brother, you've certainly given your senior brother a surprise."
P.S. Thanks to [No Beginning Is No End] and [Ink Trails Without a Trace] for the tips~
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