Chapter 26: The Poison-Tongued Platform

To ensure the smooth running of this magical combat test and to demonstrate his seriousness, the principal personally invited two Golden Core sword cultivators to guard the main gate.

One carried a long sword on his back, the other had sword pellets circling him like spinning beads.

Not bad—these two were precisely the sword cultivators Xu Xing had seen at the entrance of the Errands Hall.

Quite the range of services—professional security guards, aren’t they?

But unlike last time, they were far more serious now, their piercing gazes sweeping over every person entering the school.

Clearly, the principal had paid them well.

Xu Xing bit into a steamed bun, following behind a man in a sharp suit as they entered the school; the two sword cultivators scanned the man ahead but gave Xu Xing not a single glance—as if he weren’t even there.

And indeed, he wasn’t.

The main purpose of coming to school was to observe the method created by Shenghuang Yuan, so better keep a low profile.

Otherwise, if he’d only come to watch the combat test, couldn’t he just use his Xu Sandao identity? Would the school principal dare refuse him face?

Arriving at the playground, he looked up at the massive floating combat platform.

“Thought they’d improve it—turns out it’s still the same old thing.”

This platform was named “Zhige,” a creation of the Dragon-Elephant Soaring Heaven Sect; when cultivators sparred upon it, the moment one received a fatal wound, they’d be teleported away.

But the one now visible was merely the lowest-grade version—if its rank were higher, the platform could even form its own separate realm.

Besides “Zhige,” the Dragon-Elephant Soaring Heaven Sect also had the “Xue Zhan” platform, where once stepped upon, the platform would sever all external contact until only one combatant remained.

And whether “Zhige” or “Xue Zhan,” both would evaluate the combatants’ performance.

Hmm…

But those evaluations were rarely kind words; today’s audience was large, and many students here would likely be shattered by them.

Xu Xing didn’t linger long; he tossed the paper bag holding his buns into a trash bin, then continued upward—the crystal card storing the “Basic Cultivation Method” was kept in the Dean’s office.

No one should be there now, but even if someone was, it didn’t matter.

…………

At precisely nine o’clock, each class’s teacher led their students to the playground to wait.

The judging platform floated midair, occupied by the principal, two vice-principals, the dean, the mayor’s secretary, and Li Fengping, personally invited by the principal.

“Begin!”

A voice, neither loud nor soft, echoed across the entire grounds.

No long speeches, no elaborate ceremonies.

This was a martial combat among cultivators—even if these students’ realms were low, the principal would grant them full respect.

Today’s stage belonged to them!

BOOM! With a thunderous roar, the floating “Zhige” platform began to split apart, like dismantled building blocks; streaks of crimson spiritual light flashed, radiating an aura of deadly solemnity.

Under all eyes, the once vast and massive “Zhige” platform split into twelve smaller platforms of varying sizes.

THUD! THUD! THUD!… Each platform descended, kicking up clouds of dust as the ground trembled continuously.

The spiritual light blocked the dust from reaching the audience and judging seats, but students and teachers weren’t so lucky—the dust surged forward, leaving everyone with at least a little grit on their faces.

Seeing that the effect was sufficient, the principal raised his hand; the dust flying from the falling platforms instantly froze in place, as if pinned down, and settled immediately.

Twelve platforms now covered the entire playground—the largest in the center, growing smaller toward the edges.

“Challengers! Ascend the platform!”

The combat test lasted only half a morning, so this format was adopted.

Those confident enough could choose a platform to defend; if they held out through nine challenges, they succeeded as defenders.

After the top twelve defenders were determined, each could challenge any other defender—except themselves—to seize their platform; final rankings would be decided by the size of the platform they held.

In other words, this combat test was not mandatory—anyone lacking confidence could simply opt out.

Silence…

Over five hundred students—none stepped forward; the playground grew even quieter.

After several minutes, a student finally emerged—a boy who looked prematurely aged, at Qi Refining eighth layer, among the second tier of students.

He ascended the smallest, outermost platform. “Class Four, Du Qian—please, fellow students, grant me your teachings.”

He clearly looked nervous.

With one stepping forward, another soon followed—a girl, also Qi Refining eighth layer; she climbed onto the same small platform, standing opposite Du Qian, announcing her name and class.

WHOOSH! The lower-grade students in the audience burst into exclamations—right away, they’re fighting?!

The two wasted no words; they began immediately. Zhang Yunlu watched intently, afraid to miss a single detail—but as she watched…

Huh? Is this even called combat?

A thought surfaced in her mind.

One threw a fireball, the other countered with a water shield—they just kept tossing spells back and forth, utterly rigid.

Are they playing turn-based?

Hmph.

Fang Lin, holding a black battle knife, couldn’t help sneering at the sight.

Soon, the challenger’s spiritual power was exhausted—Qi Refining-level energy simply couldn’t sustain such wasteful use, but Du Qian wasn’t faring much better.

The challenger bowed. “Senior Du’s cultivation surpasses mine—I accept defeat with full respect.”

“Junior sister, you’re too—”

Du Qian was about to modestly respond.

【Called “combat,” yet merely spell practice—why not go to the marketplace and shout for alms? You might earn two or three silver coins.】

【Both attacker and defender are mere trash.】

A vast, majestic voice echoed across the entire playground; the two on the platform froze, then their faces instantly flushed crimson.

Holy shit!

This platform’s tongue is brutally sharp!

The lower-grade students in the audience and the senior students yet to climb up were stunned.

The challenger covered her face and leapt off the platform; the shame of having loudly announced her name moments ago nearly overwhelmed her.

Though Du Qian had successfully defended, the evaluation shattered his composure—he simply abandoned the platform and jumped down.

For a moment, no one dared ascend.

Especially those lacking confidence—they’d planned to give their best, but now…

Go up and humiliate yourself? “Ascend.” Xu Xing’s voice suddenly echoed in her ear.

Zhang Yunlu froze, quickly glancing around—but saw nothing; instead, she spotted her older brother waving at her from the audience.

【Has the elder arrived too?】

Gathering herself, Zhang Yunlu stepped out of her class line and walked toward the platform—though even without Xu Xing’s voice, she’d planned to climb up.

For safety, she’d intended to defend a medium-sized platform.

“Ascend the central platform.” Xu Xing’s voice sounded again.

“...”

Xu Xing stood at the window of the Dean’s office, a crystal card pinched between his fingers, watching Zhang Yunlu walk step by step toward the central platform.

“The Dragon-Elephant Soaring Heaven Sect’s brutes still have their usual cruel tongues.”

Even within their own sect, many had been shattered by “Zhige” platform’s evaluations.

But precisely because of this, internal conflicts within the Dragon-Elephant Soaring Heaven Sect had decreased greatly.

Body cultivators were mostly hot-blooded and quick to anger, often fighting over trivial matters.

Zhige, Zhige—no matter how great the grievance, once you step onto the “Zhige” platform and fight, you’ll realize the conflict wasn’t worth it.

All these years passed—no one knows if the bastard who created the “Zhige” platform has been beaten to death yet.

Please collect, please follow!

(End of chapter)