23: Chapter 23 The Strength of Each Academy

For the rest of the journey.

Tang Chen was harboring a secret worry, so he remained silent the entire time.

In front of so many teachers, Shen Xingchen had no way to cause trouble for him, so no conflict broke out.

Soon.

The school bus stopped outside the downtown gymnasium.

This was a magnificent building resembling a hexagonal crystal. On its walls, 3D projections were playing footage from matches of previous years.

Both sides of the gymnasium's main entrance were hung with red banners—

[Ten years to sharpen a sword, today we test its edge!]

[No pain, no fatigue, senior year is fearless; no striving, no fighting, senior year is lived in vain!]

[Fight for a spring, summer, autumn, and winter; who will the dreams of a decade fall to?]

Shen Xingchen took it in, feeling somewhat like he was back before taking the college entrance examination in his past life.

However, these words were all meant to encourage ordinary students.

Are you kidding me? You want to rely on a few years of effort to surpass my one-in-ten-thousand talent?

If hard work were useful, what would I need talent for!?

Soon, the reception staff rushed over.

Led by them, Shen Xingchen and the others headed toward the competition platform.

As soon as they entered the venue, they attracted numerous gazes.

"Look quickly, that's the competition delegation from Wudao No. 3 High School!"

"I heard they produced an S-rank student this batch, truly amazing!"

"S-rank! How many S-ranks are there in all of Huaxia? So awesome? Then won't this batch's championship undoubtedly belong to their high school? Truly terrifying!"

"What are you talking about? This batch of students from No. 1 High School has a full four Second-Tiers, and the strongest one is at Second-Tier Level 5! No. 3 High School's S-rank is only at Second-Tier Level 1, how can they fight with that?"

"Really or fake?"

"If I'm lying, may I lose my manhood!"

"..."

Amidst the discussion of the crowd, Shen Xingchen walked past calmly, and then chose a seat to sit down in the rest area.

The rest area of Mochen Dao Academy.

Wen Heng, the top person of his grade, stared at Shen Xingchen spiritedly: "Is this an S-rank? Truly dazzling."

His eyes were filled with jealousy.

As a pinnacle figure of the academy, Wen Heng naturally had his own pride and certainly wouldn't feel inferior just because the other party was an S-rank.

Beside him, the girl Wen Zhi, who was also a contestant of Mochen Dao Academy, smiled and said: "He's right in the spotlight right now. If older brother can step on him to advance, even if you fail to win the championship, you can still gain quite a bit of fame!"

She was Wen Heng's younger sister, with the strength of First-Tier Peak.

Wen Heng smiled and said: "How could it be that easy?"

Although he was modest on the surface, Wen Heng's expression was quite satisfied; he liked the look of admiration his younger sister gave him.

Wen Zhi: "Then does older brother think he will lose?"

She used a small bit of reverse psychology.

Wen Heng still smiled: "How is that possible!?"

"Then older brother, I want to see you step on him to advance. When you meet him, you must use your full strength to humiliate him well!" Wen Zhi said.

Wen Heng wondered: "Did that person provoke you?"

Today, his younger sister was obviously targeting that S-rank, how could Wen Heng not see it.

Wen Zhi explained: "Before he came, everyone was admiring older brother, but now, it's all voices discussing that person. Xiaozhi is unhappy, obviously older brother is much more awesome than him!"

Wen Heng was stunned.

He didn't expect Wen Zhi to be so meticulous. In fact, he had also been somewhat dissatisfied just now.

Isn't it just an S-rank Talent Divine Ability?

There are too many things that determine strength—tiers, cultivation methods, martial arts techniques, combat awareness, and so on. Which of these is not a factor that can elevate combat power?

If that fellow surnamed Shen can prove his combat power is strong just by relying on an S-rank, then what is the point of this Six Academies Grand Competition? Just award the prize to him directly!

Wen Heng looked at his younger sister gently and doted on her: "Then older brother will grant your wish. When I meet him, I will definitely humiliate him thoroughly!"

Wen Zhi jumped up in excitement: "Older brother is the best!"

Just at this moment.

A figure, wearing a sky-blue school uniform, came from the contestant passage to the competition area.

Each of them was high-spirited, and on the left shoulder of their school uniforms, the flowing-cloud emblem in the style of Wudao No. 1 High School shone brilliantly.

This was the competition delegation from No. 1 High School.

At the very front was Director Li Junfeng, the leader of No. 1 High School. He merely took casual steps, yet it felt as if there was a heavy coercion—that was the aura of a high-tier martial artist.

Behind them, two students walked side by side, looking at each other and smiling, appearing exceptionally intimate.

Those were the top figures of Wudao No. 1 High School this time: Qi Yang at Second-Tier Level 4 and He Yan at Second-Tier Level 5!

Almost at the same time.

He Yan's and Shen Xingchen's gazes collided.

Shen Xingchen was very curious: after witnessing his strength, what kind of person could Tang Chen arrange to deal with him.

And after her gaze intersected with Shen Xingchen's, He Yan merely revealed a gentle smile, as if it were just a normal greeting from an ordinary contestant.

But Qi Yang beside He Yan was different.

The corners of his mouth carried an obvious mocking smile, looking at Shen Xingchen with a playful expression.

Shen Xingchen likewise smiled and gave him the middle finger.

Qi Yang instantly lost his smile, his expression turning gloomy.

He Yan noticed the actions of the two and couldn't help but smile.

This S-rank is really confident!

He wouldn't truly think that just by relying on the advantage of his Talent Divine Ability, he could be invincible under heaven in this venue, would he?

That is truly naive!

He Yan asked Qi Yang with a smile: "What, you want to help me teach him a lesson?"

Qi Yang shrugged: "To be honest, I really have no mood to bother with a newbie who is three tiers lower than myself!"

For figures like them, cross-tier battles were the norm; how could they possibly care about a person at Second-Tier Level 1?

But he continued: "However, since he has a grudge with our younger brother, I don't mind pinching him to death casually!"

He Yan reproached angrily: "Who is your younger brother, that's my cousin!"

This thick-skinned boyfriend just knows how to take advantage of her! Hum!

Although she reproached verbally, her face rippled with a happy smile.

Qi Yang smiled as he walked to Shen Xingchen's side, made a throat-slitting gesture, and then strode away.

Jiang Qingyao came to Shen Xingchen's side and asked worriedly: "Did that person say anything to you just now?"

Just now, she also felt the malice from the third-ranked person of No. 1 High School's grade.

Shen Xingchen shrugged indifferently: "Maybe... he wanted to die!"

He felt that the students of Wudao No. 1 High School all had an inexplicable sense of superiority. A small fry with an A-rank martial arts talent and only at Second-Tier Level 4 actually dared to provoke him!

...

The onlookers also noticed the confrontation between the two sides and instantly developed a strong interest.

"The smell of gunpowder between Wudao No. 1 High School and Wudao No. 3 High School is really thick!"

"Are you blind? Obviously this is a personal action!"

"You mean the two people from No. 1 High School provoked the S-rank student from No. 3 High School? That's really pitiful, I hope the S-rank goes a bit easier on them."

This person had just found out that No. 3 High School produced an S-rank student and was astounded.

"Are you blind? Those two people from No. 1 High School are He Yan and Qi Yang. Qi Yang is already at Second-Tier Level 4, and He Yan is even at Second-Tier Level 5. How could they be afraid of that fellow surnamed Shen? On the contrary, that fellow surnamed Shen had better pray he doesn't run into the two of them!"

"Holy crap! So awesome?"

"..."

Long after, the discussions gradually subsided.

The bell rang, and on the command platform, a middle-aged man picked up the microphone.

"Students and teachers, please be quiet. Next, the Six Academies Grand Competition officially begins!"

This is the organizer of this competition, Section Chief Wang Hao of the Education Bureau.