Chapter 2404: Chapter 2408: Opening the Trial Grounds
"I’m going to live here. Everyone take a look, it’s best if we live close together. This way, we can look out for each other."
Jiang Chen arrived at the first-class residential area and selected a pavilion that was unoccupied, gently calling out.
"I’ll stay here."
"And I’ll be here!"
Yan Hu and Yun Tao directly claimed the pavilions on either side of Jiang Chen.
Jian Wuheng and others chose their residences close to the three of them.
All the pavilions in the residential area are two stories high, with a living room on the first floor and a bedroom on the second floor.
With Jiang Chen’s help, most people had ample credits, so there was no need to squeeze into one pavilion.
That night, after everyone had settled in, they began their cultivation. Yan Hu went to Jiang Chen’s pavilion to share their experiences from this period and discuss some future plans.
The next day.
Early in the morning, everyone gathered on the open ground in front of the third-class residential area, waiting for the arrival of Liu Chang and others.
The two thousand new students gathered together, inevitably sizing each other up. Some new students from other three major regions of the Mid-stage and Late-stage of Virtual Refinement Realm kept pointing at Jiang Chen, clearly drawn by the question he posed yesterday about challenging the highest-ranked individual.
Jiang Chen ignored these curious looks, quietly awaiting the arrival of the academy’s grand competition.
"That kid is really arrogant! Cheng Senior, looks like he’s going to challenge you!"
In the area where the Changfeng Academy students were gathered, a cultivator of Mid Divine Infant Realm quietly conversed with a Late Divine Infant Realm cultivator, implying that the number one rank of the Late Divine Infant Realm was already theirs.
"Humph! Still lingering at Mid Divine Infant Realm at his age, he’s just a waste, nothing to fear! Let them boast a little longer. Once we enter the trial grounds, I’ll let them know that their Changlin Academy isn’t worthy to be mentioned alongside our Changfeng Academy!"
Senior Cheng glanced coldly at Jiang Chen, a greedy look in his eyes for the elixirs Jiang Chen had retrieved yesterday.
Detecting the murderous intent, Jiang Chen furrowed his brow and turned to look at Senior Cheng.
"Young Master, that man is named Cheng Kang, the leading figure among Late Divine Infant Realm cultivators in Changfeng Academy. He is said to be a top-tier genius with exceptional affinity for the Dao of Wind, ranked third in the overall assessment, and a favorite to claim the top position in the same realm!"
Yan Hu noticed Jiang Chen’s curious look and glanced at Cheng Kang, introducing him softly.
"That Cheng Kang really does have some skills. His score is only a few hundred less than Cai Jianlin, the second-ranked at Cangming Academy. He’s a formidable opponent."
Lei Kai spoke in a low voice.
"The overall assessment list? How come you all know about it?"
Jiang Chen looked at Lei Kai in surprise.
Lei Kai smiled slightly, took out a jade slip, and handed it to Jiang Chen. "The overall assessment list is available with the heads of each academy. I got this from my master."
Jiang Chen accepted the jade slip and examined it with his divine sense.
The first name he saw was his own.
Overall assessment list first place, Jiang Chen, Mid Divine Infant Realm, Changlin Academy, total assessment score of 41,632 points.
Overall assessment list second place, Cai Jianlin, Divine Infant Realm Early Stage, Cangming Academy, total assessment score of 37,840 points.
Overall assessment list third place, Cheng Kang, Late Divine Infant Realm, Changfeng Academy, total assessment score of 37,235 points.
Overall assessment list fourth place, Lin Zhong, Mid Divine Infant Realm, Changlan Academy, total assessment score of 33,279 points.
This type of assessment slightly disadvantaged the students at the Divine Infant Realm Peak, since the rewards for defeating monsters at higher levels were too generous, and there was a significant gap between the Divine Infant Realm and the Void Refinement Realm. It was much harder for someone at the Divine Infant Realm Peak to kill an early-stage level six monster than for someone at the Mid Divine Infant Realm to kill a late-stage level five monster!
Thus, the top ten in the overall list were all from the Divine Infant Realm Early Stage to Late Stage.
"These people are indeed quite impressive. Even after we used those methods to gain points, we couldn’t get senior brother and the others into the top ten!"
Jiang Chen spoke slightly astonished.
"That method isn’t exclusively ours."
Lei Kai chuckled lightly, then his expression turned serious. "But Cheng Kang is truly formidable. I heard he alone killed a peak level five monster during the initial assessment. If you want to face him, you also need to watch out for Lin Zhong. I heard Lin Zhong battled alone against five peers from the same realm during the assessment task, and these five were all top students in their region, all among the top 100 in the overall list!"
"Oh?"
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow slightly, a confident look flashing in his eyes. "In that case, let’s face them!"
Lei Kai and the others smiled, refraining from further persuasion. They were quite familiar with Jiang Chen’s combat prowess; no peer could possibly be his equal. Whether he could defeat that Cheng Kang would depend on the situation.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
A sound of tearing through the air was heard. Ouyang Song appeared with a hundred senior students before them.
"Little fellows, are you all ready? Next, you’re here to bring honor to your former academy!"
Ouyang Song chuckled lightly, glancing at everyone, his gaze stopping at Jiang Chen for a moment.
"Ready!"
Everyone loudly responded.
Jiang Chen nodded towards Ouyang Song as they made eye contact.
"Alright, then follow me!"
Ouyang Song chuckled, called out to everyone, and turned to fly towards a mountain peak in the academy.
Everyone followed suit and flew behind.
After approximately an hour of flight, they arrived at a steep mountain peak, where Li Yuanting and the seven Great Elders along with Su Qingluan were already waiting.
"Open the trial grounds!"
Li Yuanting scanned the group of students and spoke aloud.
Swoosh!
Ouyang Song leapt beside Li Yuanting and eight Great Elders bowed simultaneously towards the mountain behind.
Rustling!
After the bow, the eight Great Elders radiated Great Dao Divine Light, their palms continuously shaping complex hand seals.
"Open!"
With a shout from Li Yuanting, the Great Elder, the elders stopped their seals, each capturing a different hand seal, simultaneously forming an imprint towards the mountain.
Swish!
Eight imprints converged at the foot of the mountain, emitting dazzling light, a space vortex with a diameter of twenty meters appeared at the foot.
"New students, follow the senior students in. If you can’t hold on, shout loudly, and someone will pull you out!"
Li Yuanting spoke aloud.
"Follow me!"
"Keep up!"
A hundred senior students flew forward, summoned, and rushed towards the space vortex.
Jiang Chen and the others quickly flew to follow.
Two thousand one hundred people rushed into the space vortex like a swarm of locusts.
Once everyone entered, the space vortex at the foot of the mountain vanished.
