Chapter 167: The End of the First Round
Tony Smith finally arrived at the registration platform.
The staff member responsible for verification glanced at the flag in Tony’s hand before recording his qualification.
"Qualified."
Tony nodded and casually stepped into the designated area reserved for successful candidates.
The moment he entered, countless eyes turned toward him.
After all, news of the daylight robbery had already spread throughout the examination grounds.
Others simply stared at him as though he were some rare beast.
Yet Tony himself showed no shame whatsoever. As if everything was perfectly normal.
Not far away, a newly qualified youth happened to hear the discussions surrounding Tony. Looking at Tony standing proudly among the successful participants, the youth couldn’t help sneering.
"Some people truly have thick skin. Others climb mountains while certain people rob their way into qualification."
Unfortunately for him, before his words could spread further, a sharp smack landed on the back of his head.
PAK!
The youth yelped in pain.
Turning around, he found his older cousin glaring at him with murderous eyes.
"Have you lost your mind?" she hissed. "Keep your mouth shut before you drag our family into unnecessary trouble."
The young man looked wronged.
"I only stated facts."
"Facts won’t help you when trouble arrives."
The woman almost wanted to slap him again.
Didn’t this idiot understand? The issue wasn’t whether Tony was right or wrong. The issue was that nobody wanted their family becoming Tony’s next target.
Who in their right mind would voluntarily attract that monster’s attention?
Tony naturally overheard everything. His gaze shifted toward the young woman.
A playful smile appeared. "At least... you know what you’re playing with." He even gave her a lazy wink.
The young woman’s eyes immediately brightened. Unlike her foolish cousin, she possessed far better judgment. She smiled sweetly and subtly adjusted her posture, pushing forward her round chest while pretending to smooth her uniform.
Several nearby girls rolled their eyes.
Shameless... Absolutely shameless.
Yet the young woman didn’t care.
In the martial world, strength was attractive. Potential was attractive. Fame was attractive.
And Tony currently possessed all three.
Tony merely chuckled before looking away.
The woman couldn’t help feeling slightly disappointed.
Her cousin, however, felt relieved. At least his family had survived this encounter.
***
As the sun slowly descended toward the horizon, the mountain examination entered its most brutal stage.
The remaining positions became fewer and fewer.
Competition intensified dramatically.
The peaceful atmosphere from the morning completely vanished.
Shouting echoed throughout the mountain.
Explosions erupted from various locations.
Participants no longer bothered hiding their intentions.
Many openly fought for favorable positions.
Some blocked routes.
Some distracted opponents.
Some used teamwork.
Others relied entirely on individual strength.
The mountain had transformed into a battlefield.
One particularly talented genius from a second-rate family became famous after single-handedly protecting five younger relatives while advancing upward.
Elsewhere, three different families temporarily formed an alliance to help their strongest heir secure a qualification slot.
Resources were shared.
Information was exchanged.
Temporary loyalties emerged.
The moment a common goal appeared, strangers became allies.
Of course...
Not everyone played fairly.
Several cunning participants deliberately spread false information.
Others lured competitors into dead ends.
One clever fox even convinced three groups to fight each other before quietly claiming the position they had all been competing for.
The spectators watching below were thoroughly entertained.
Meanwhile, countless cameras transmitted everything across the nation’s martial network.
The examination had become viral.
Discussion forums exploded.
Comment sections moved faster than anyone could read.
"That alliance strategy is brilliant!"
"Look at Mark Smith!"
"Emma Rock is incredible!"
"That guy just betrayed his own teammates!"
"Tony still hasn’t done anything else after stealing that flag!"
Millions followed the event.
Every major family monitored developments closely.
The academy examination had become the center of national attention.
Eventually...
The number reached nine hundred and ninety-nine.
Silence gradually spread.
Everyone knew only one position remained.
One final qualification.
One final opportunity.
Hundreds of exhausted participants stared at the mountain.
Some prayed.
Some clenched their fists.
Some desperately searched for possibilities.
Then suddenly—
A young girl from a minor city found an overlooked location near the middle region.
With trembling hands, she planted her flag.
The mountain shook.
A brilliant pillar of light erupted into the sky.
The entire examination ground fell silent.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then the giant formation covering the mountain activated.
Thousands of planted flags released streams of light.
The streams connected together.
Merged together.
And finally formed a gigantic golden number above the academy.
1000
The number illuminated the sky like a second sun.
The first round was officially over. Cheers erupted everywhere... Some participants celebrated wildly... Others collapsed from exhaustion.
Many families hugged one another.
Meanwhile, countless eliminated participants lowered their heads in disappointment.
Victory and defeat.
Such was the reality of cultivation.
Just as the crowd began discussing the results... The sky suddenly darkened.
A powerful pressure descended upon the entire academy. The noise vanished instantly. Everyone looked upward. Even the academy elders stood respectfully.
Then...
A giant golden formation appeared above the clouds.
Countless runes rotated across the heavens.
Ancient symbols illuminated the sky.
Until every participant felt their heart trembling. A figure slowly emerged from within the golden light.
An old man.
Dressed in simple white robes.
Holding a crystal staff.
Despite his ordinary appearance, the moment he appeared, the entire world seemed to revolve around him.
Many younger participants immediately held their breath. Even family patriarchs lowered their heads respectfully. Because everyone recognized him.
Academy Master Da Vinci. The ruler of the Nine lotus Academy.
His gaze swept across the examination grounds. Wherever his eyes passed, people instinctively straightened their backs.
Then his voice echoed across heaven and earth.
"Today, more than one hundred thousand hopefuls entered this academy."
His calm voice reached every corner of the grounds.
"Many arrived carrying dreams. Many arrived carrying ambitions. Many arrived believing themselves exceptional."
The old man paused briefly.
"Yet only one thousand remain."
The giant golden number floating above the academy shone brighter.
"Do not celebrate too early." His next words instantly cooled the excitement of the qualified participants. "The first round merely removed the weak. The true examination begins now."
Many participants felt their hearts skip a beat.
Da Vinci’s gaze swept across the thousand qualified participants.
"Tonight, the details of the second round shall be revealed."
His voice became majestic.
"Those who qualified will remain within academy grounds. Those who failed shall depart peacefully before tomorrow’s sunset."
Then the Academy Master raised his staff toward the heavens. The giant formation behind him exploded with golden light.
"Rest well... Prepare yourselves."
"Because from this point onward... you are no longer competing for admission. You are competing for your future."
BOOM!
The sky erupted with golden light.
The giant number 1000 illuminated the heavens.
The first round had ended.
