"What jealousy! She’s ranked tenth, and if we defeat her, we’ll advance into the top ten. Plus, she’s the first realm cultivator I know best, so our chances of winning against her are the highest."
Christina excitedly analyzed, "For those ranked in the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth, other first realm cultivators, even if they can’t break your defense, are you sure you can definitely defeat them? What if it’s a draw? What if they have some kind of secret technique, something like an array or a magical treasure that could suppress you?"
"There’s only one chance to challenge!"
"Challenging Liu Bingxin makes the most sense!"
Although Zhou Bai felt that Christina’s suggestion was entirely due to her jealousy of Liu Bingxin, he found her analysis to be quite reasonable.
After all, he had just entered the first realm and did not plan to reveal all his strength, just his defensive power; thus, challenging Liu Bingxin, whom he understood the best among first realm cultivators, was the safest option.
Moreover, Christina would be in command of the fight! It wouldn’t be right not to respect the choice of the driver.
After careful contemplation and weighing the costs and benefits, Zhou Bai said, "Alright, then let’s challenge Liu Bingxin later and aim for the tenth rank."
Christina laughed, "Haha! Good! Watch me thrash her later!"
Before long, Ying Hui arrived and surveyed the group, rarely gathered together, and said, "The bi-monthly internal assessment of the special training class has begun again. I understand each of your cultivation progress well, everyone except Meng Hao and Jiang Ran is progressing."
This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
Zhou Bai looked at the stele:
19 Meng Hao, First Realm
20 Jiang Ran, First Realm
Clearly, these two students, who had already reached the pinnacle of the first realm, hadn’t managed to break through to the second realm in the past two months.
Ying Hui continued, "Meng Hao, Jiang Ran, if you still haven’t advanced in your cultivation by the next assessment, you won’t need to attend the special training class anymore."
Both of them bowed their heads in acknowledgment, their faces showing a hint of shame.
Ying Hui said, "I am aware of everyone’s cultivation progress, so I won’t waste everyone’s time with another test. Today, apart from specifically warning Meng Hao and Jiang Ran, everyone else is fine. You have passed the cultivation assessment and can continue to study in the special training class.
As usual, the next step is the combat assessment, and the result will determine your ranking. From the last rank to the first, I will ask you one by one, and you can choose to challenge anyone ranked above you. Those challenged can’t refuse unless they are injured.
Remember, each person only has one opportunity to challenge.
Of course, if you’re not confident or don’t wish to challenge, that’s also acceptable. No one will force you."
"After all, the ranking affects your monthly extra credits, which is your own monthly interest."
With those words from Ying Hui, the atmosphere became subtly charged, with everyone displaying varying degrees of fighting spirit in their eyes.
Zuo Dao also turned his gaze towards Zhou Bai, and even towards Meng Hao and Jiang Ran ahead of him, who were also in the first realm but ranked ahead of him.
In Dao School, credits represented countless resources. From food and lodging to various cultivation materials, and even magical treasures, all could be exchanged for credits, affecting each student’s personal interest, their speed of cultivation and strength.
The students of the special training class were elites among elites, and naturally, none of them feared competition; each harbored the ambition to rise to the top, to compete for the first rank.
Ying Hui glanced at everyone, his Primordial Spirit sensing their fighting spirit and ambition, and nodded in satisfaction, "Everyone is quite spirited. However, let me just mention that the current first rank, Meng Ruocun, is absent; she has gone into seclusion to break through to the fourth realm."
Upon hearing this, everyone present showed a look of shock.
The fourth realm, in the history of East Dao School, only the fastest cultivating students had stepped into the fourth realm just before graduation, and that was the highest record yet.
Qian Wangsun exclaimed next to Zhou Bai, "Incredible, this Meng Ruocun! I heard she’s a fourth-year student, still many months away from graduation, yet she’s already attempting to break through to the fourth realm. Could that mean she might have a chance to attempt the fifth realm before graduation? She’s going to set a record."
Qian Wangsun shook his head, "This woman definitely doesn’t have a boyfriend."
Ying Hui coughed, stopping the ongoing murmurs, and resumed, "The last batch of fifth-year students graduated four months ago, and there’s no one else at the third realm like Meng Ruocun here anymore, so her absence won’t affect the rankings."
Ying Hui added, "By the way, there are ten months left until the next round of inter-school exchange competition, and our special training class will select the top ten ranked students to participate. Those selected will get even better resources for training. And those who perform well in the competition will receive even more rewards."
Upon hearing Ying Hui’s announcement, regardless of whether they had known this news before or had just learned it today, many students displayed an even fiercer determination to fight.
Just then, Master Snake entered the hall, and Ying Hui asked in surprise, "What brought you here?"
Master Snake answered with a smile, "Can’t I come and see my disciple? Don’t mind me, just pretend I’m not here." After speaking, he looked at Liu Bingxin with an expectant face, clearly very much looking forward to her performanceç in the practical assessment.
Ying Hui shook his head and turned to Qian Wangsun, "Qian Wangsun, you’re the last in rank, the first to challenge, who do you want to challenge?"
Qian Wangsun looked towards Zhou Bai, then chuckled, "I reckon I can’t beat you yet, so I won’t pick you."
The next moment, he looked at the fifth-ranked, second realm Lu Wanzhen, "Wanzhen, want to have some fun with me?"
Lu Wanzhen’s gaze turned cold, and she sneered, "You want to challenge me?"
Ying Hui was also slightly startled, frowning, "Qian Wangsun, are you sure you want to challenge Lu Wanzhen?"
Qian Wangsun smiled lightly, "I’m sure."
Zhou Bai frowned, "Has Qian Wangsun lost his mind?"
Christina said, "He’s not crazy, he knows he can’t beat anyone, not you, not Zuo Dao, nor Meng Hao and Jiang Ran, who both have a Primordial Spirit power of 999. He knows he can’t catch up with them in just two months."
Zhou Bai said, "He doesn’t have to take on Lu Wanzhen either, right? A second realm versus a first realm, the gap is too big."
Christina said, "He’s pushing himself." She turned to look at Qian Wangsun, who had now lost his joking demeanor and walked seriously into the center of the arena, facing Lu Wanzhen with a bowed hand, speaking earnestly, "Senior sister, please guide me."
Seeing Qian Wangsun’s solemn expression, Lu Wanzhen also became serious and nodded, "I understand."