Chapter 63: I'm Here to Join You; All of You, Come On!

"They've joined forces and seem intent on targeting you."

Her pale hand gently propped up her jade-white profile as Gu Yue glanced imperceptibly toward the other side, where the nine geniuses were in the midst of a fervent battle.

"As expected."

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's tone was light; he was clearly long accustomed to fighting across realms and being besieged by numerous soul masters, and he held no objection to it, for this was the inevitable path of the strong.

"Do you want to be the vice monitor?" Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen asked.

"Of course I do. I don't have the entire Xuanlong Street as my backing, so I need to work hard to earn contribution points, or else..."

"Does anyone want to support me?"

Gu Yue's voice was melodious, carrying a hint of casual, subtle temptation, as her clear, deep black eyes fixed directly on Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, seemingly eager for an answer.

"So, are you easy to support?"

"If I'm not easy to support, you won't support me?" Gu Yue tilted her head, frowning.

"I'll support you. Let's buy a bowl and go to the skybridge. I'll lie on the ground, you squat by the bridge, and we'll see how many kind-hearted people there are in Slime City."

Gu Yue slowly curved her lips into a faint smile: "That's so miserable. Then I suppose I should work and support you instead."

The tug-of-war between the two ceased; Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's expression remained as calm as water, showing no change in emotion, yet a trace of solemnity quietly swept through Gu Yue's eyes.

Although her aggressiveness was far from comparable to Xiang Xiang Naer's, making Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen fall for her was an incredibly difficult feat. He was skilled at mixing truth with jokes to conceal his true feelings, making it hard for Gu Yue to discern which words represented genuine emotion.

Gu Yue straightened her back, preparing for a protracted campaign; the more difficult the process of conquering Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen became, the more excited she would be when she finally saw Xiang Xiang Naer kneeling on the ground, weeping in despair!

Twenty minutes passed in an instant, and the one hundred and four new students left the classroom in a grand procession, winding along the curved corridors toward the martial arena.

Called the martial arena, it was actually a virtual space similar to the Spirit Ascension Platform. Shen Yi lightly patted the wall, and egg-shaped spheres emerged from the metal floor, splitting open to form cockpits.

Wu Wu Changkong said indifferently, "Each of you choose one to sit in, and then you will be transported to a forest. The forest has limited scope, so you will easily encounter other classmates.

Let me reiterate: the student standing last will be elected monitor, while the second-to-last and third-to-last to fall will be the vice monitors.

The martial arena is extremely safe; death automatically ejects one from the space without harming your real-world bodies, so there is no need to consider camaraderie among classmates. Fight with your full strength without any reservations."

Once everyone from Class One of the first year was lying down, Shen Yi activated the martial arena's teleportation device, and a sensation of weightlessness and disorientation echoed in everyone's minds.

"Vroom—"

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen opened his eyes, and the world before him was a primeval forest. Vegetation covered the earth, and the trees were lush and green. He did not linger, unfolding his form and heading toward the depths of the forest.

Light and shadow interwove among the trees; Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen moved like a phantom through the jungle, his toes tapping over gnarled tree roots, the corner of his robe fluttering up to startle a few falling leaves.

"Rustle—"

Sensing prey step into a trap, azure-green vines that had been lurking beneath the rotting leaves coiled toward his ankles like a snake, while at the same time, the sound of objects breaking the air suddenly exploded from four directions: front, back, left, and right!

Ahead was a youth manipulating azure-green vines, his third soul ring, positioned at the end of the line, lighting up; the vines split into double their number, wrapping around him in layer upon layer.

Two figures wreathed in purple lightning burst from the bushes on the left and right, their leopard-shaped shadows behind them rearing up and roaring, while a streak of emerald light dove down from the tree canopy behind, the gale raised by its wings slicing through the swaying leaves.

Azure Sky Vine, Lightning Leopard, Thunder Frenzy Leopard, and Jade Green Bird!

A hunting squad composed of four Soul Kings: the Azure Sky Vine soul master set traps to control the prey, while the three agility-type soul masters launched their assault!

"Come on then."

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's lips curled slightly upward; as his hips sank, a visible black-and-white vortex swirled around his body, easily shattering the Azure Sky Vines from all directions.

The next second, the claws of the Thunder Frenzy Leopard soul master, the fastest in speed, were already at his face. Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's five fingers precisely clamped onto the opponent's wrist bones. In the instant lightning crackled and exploded, the Thunder Frenzy Leopard felt a massive force surge backward through his meridians, and he was swung into a half-circle arc, smashing into the Lightning Leopard soul master.

The black shadow in his vision magnified in an instant; the Lightning Leopard soul master's face was filled with sheer terror. He had been charging at full speed with all his might and had absolutely no time to change direction or dodge!

"Boom—"

Lightning erupted and swirled as the two leopards collided violently, shooting out an exceptionally blinding flash of lightning. After a mournful cry, the sound of cracking bones mixed with the smell of burning spread out; the two Soul Kings fell to the ground, their bodies twitching helplessly a few times before turning into white light and exiting the primeval forest.

With two teammates nearly instantly killed, and the opponent having not even used a single soul skill, the Jade Green Bird soul master knew the enemy was extraordinary, but there was no turning back once the arrow was loosed; he gritted his teeth and pressed on! His first and third soul rings flashed with light, his wings transforming into sharp guillotines as he descended from the sky accompanied by a rain of feather blades.

Ripples swirled from the hem of his robe; Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen turned his left hand into a whip and lashed toward the sky. The seemingly soft force actually made the air emit a trembling sound like a bowstring snapping. The Jade Green Bird's emerald wings vibrated frantically but were caught at the base by invisible air pressure, causing the green feathers to explode and scatter like rain!

Just before his body was enveloped in white light, the Jade Green Bird soul master looked at the Azure Sky Vine soul master. Under that gaze full of hope, the Azure Sky Vine soul master "did not disappoint," slamming on the brakes, turning around, and fleeing in a wretched manner!

"Unlucky, unlucky, unlucky! Meeting Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen right at the start of the battle!"

The Azure Sky Vine soul master swore to the heavens that in fourteen years, he had never run this fast!

What a joke! Three Soul Kings couldn't last three moves against Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen. Was that guy even from the same world as them?

Locking onto the panicked Azure Sky Vine soul master who had lost his way, Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen raised his palm, condensing a beam of black-and-white air current, but then suddenly sensing something, he did not release the flow.

"Want to run?"

Amidst the dappled tree shadows, a clear, cold female voice echoed softly. Three green-and-white wind blades whistled toward him. The Azure Sky Vine soul master, focused entirely on fleeing, had no energy to deal with the sneak attack, and the wind blades precisely split him in two.

A black-haired girl leaped down from a branch, the wind elements swirling around her fingertips not yet fully dispersed. She glanced at the scorched earth left by the two lightning leopards, her gaze falling on Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's palm where air pressure flowed, and said:

"Sorry, I stole your kill."

"Let's go. We'll clear the area."

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen shook his head with a smile, the black-and-white vortex surrounding him swirling into the shape of a Taiji diagram.

"Mm."

Gu Yue responded softly and walked to Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's side, walking shoulder to shoulder with him.

The two advanced straight toward the center of the forest. Along the way, they encountered numerous newly formed student squads, varying in numbers and combat power, but without exception, all were easily driven out of the arena by Zhao Xuan Yue.

"Rustle, rustle..."

Passing by a dense patch of grass, Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen and Gu Yue stopped in perfect unison. A bright yellow sword light sliced through the obstructing grass. Ye Ye Xinglan, holding the Star God Sword, looked at the two moving in unison, pressed her crimson lips together, and said seriously:

"I am here to join you.

One monitor and two vice monitors; three people is just right."

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen fell into thought. Becoming the monitor was certainly not for the sake of those few contribution points; he simply disliked anyone standing above him. However, since he had decided to serve as the first-year monitor, it would be best for the vice monitors to be familiar and reliable old acquaintances.

After three years of getting along, their relationship could be considered friendship. For Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, there was no one in Class One of the first year more suitable for the position of second vice monitor than Ye Ye Xinglan. He nodded slightly and said:

"Welcome."

"Thank you."

Ye Ye Xinglan smiled with a look of relief; her decade-long stoicism healed the moment she became Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's teammate. She walked slowly to the other side, joining Gu Yue in embracing Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen at the center.

The Zhao Xuan Moon Star Squad is formed!

In the external observation room, Shen Yi watched the trio of three who were pushing through everything and couldn't help but sigh, "Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, Gu Yue, and Ye Ye Xinglan teaming up... the outcome of the first-year class monitor election is already decided."

"No, the ending is not yet decided," Wu Wu Changkong disagreed. "Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen has already become the target of everyone's attack. Tang Tang Wulin, Wu Youming Wu Siduo, Luo Luo Guixing, and other students of the level of the Young Genius List have all joined forces, and their numbers are growing. Every single one of them is a peerless outstanding figure among their peers."

"Senior brother, speak the truth. Who do you most hope will become the first-year class monitor?" Shen Yi asked.

"... Tang Tang Wulin."

After a moment of silence, Wu Wu Changkong gave his answer: "The class monitor is the spiritual symbol of a class. Not only must they possess combat power, but they must also possess the aura of a leader."

"I do not know Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen well and am unclear about his personality beneath his formidable combat power. Tang Tang Wulin, however, is the most excellent student I have ever taught, perfectly matching both of the above points."

"Senior brother, I have been Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's homeroom teacher for three years and know him somewhat," Shen Yi sighed. "Today's selection standard is combat power. The class monitor position will absolutely not be held by any student other than Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen."

"Many ants can bite an elephant to death, but they cannot bite a giant dragon soaring in the sky to death. As long as the strength is far inferior to Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's, the number of people is ineffective in front of him."

"If the training ground were the real world, then Class One of the first year would face a bloody slaughter. Including those geniuses standing tall above the crowd on the Young Genius List, they are like lambs awaiting slaughter, with no power to resist at all."

"I always heard teachers mention that in the previous era, the Sky Pillar Pavilion Master suppressed everyone. The Shuanglong of Shi Shi Laike, the Twin Phoenixes of the Spirit Pagoda, the Twin Swords of the Tang Sect... countless future powerful figures who would dominate a region were suppressed by the Sky Pillar Pavilion Master to the point they couldn't lift their heads."

"Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen is already walking this path, and is even more powerful than the Sky Pillar Pavilion Master of the same age."

"Is that so..." Wu Wu Changkong murmured, "Then I will add another difficulty to his path of growth to see if he can handle it with ease."

Having said that, Wu Wu Changkong approached the amplification soul tool, and a voice cold to the bone rang out above the Primeval Forest:

"All students, please note: the training ground space is transforming into night!"

As soon as the words fell, the daylight of the Primeval Forest faded, and night descended!

"It's dark?"

The nine geniuses completed their gathering, occupying a forest area rich in Blue Silver Grass. Xu Xu Xiaoyan looked up at the starry night sky and said happily, "Great! This time I'm not just a pendant!"

Tang Tang Wulin clenched his fist heavily and said excitedly, "Xu Xiaoyan, your Ice Staff evolves into the Star Wheel Ice Staff at night. With the absolute validity of the Starlight Attribute as a foundation, we have at least an extra ten percent chance of defeating Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen!"

"Starlight Attribute!?"

Hearing this, Wu Youming Wu Siduo and the others were greatly surprised. As heirs of great families, they had naturally heard of the terror of absolute validity. Xu Xu Xiaoyan's Starlight control would last at least one second; this brief second is enough to decide the outcome of a battle!

Luo Luo Guixing clapped his hands, gathering everyone's attention, and said in a deep voice, "Let's say it in advance: before defeating Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, we must be united. Do not have second thoughts."

This young genius, known as the "Imprisoned One," looked meaningfully at his teammates, specifically warning the Dark Bear Yang Nianxia and the Green Snake Zheng Zheng Yiran. One of them looked honest but had a sinister heart, while the other was consistently sinister and vicious. Who knows, when Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen is about to be defeated, they might suddenly stab their teammates in the back.

"Understood," the two said gloomily.

Luo Luo Guixing nodded. These young geniuses all harbored pride and were unwilling to be beneath others. The temporary "Lao Jiumen" alliance was not stable either. It was only because Taiji Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen possessed a prominent strength advantage that they united; otherwise, the consequence of not resisting together would inevitably be being picked off one by one.

Except for Wu Youming Wu Siduo and Tang Tang Wulin, the others were far from as powerful as Lan Dian Yu Yu Yuanheng was three years ago, let alone Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, who ascended the Young Genius List with lightning speed. Rumor had it that upon entering Shi Shi Laike, he defeated the top four one by one!

Ascending the Young Genius List at ten years old, the undisputed number one monster of the continent recognized by the soul master world. The position of the top of the list will be unshakable for the next eight years. The next Sky Pillar Limit Douluo to suppress an era is rising like the red sun!

The number one on the Young Genius List is indeed fierce like a wolf and a tiger, but a newborn calf fears no tiger. As long as they have not been personally defeated by Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, these young geniuses will never admit defeat. They will never acknowledge him in this lifetime!

"We have a total of eighteen people, covering all types of soul masters, each with their own strengths," Luo Luo Guixing said with burning eyes. "Tang Tang Wulin, you have once been teammates with Taiji Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen and Element Gu Yue, and you have also been opponents with Ye Ye Xinglan. Tell us how we should fight."

The "Lao Jiumen" each had many connections, such as Zheng Zheng Yiran's underlings Zheng Long and Zheng Hu, the old friend of the Undying Xu Xu Yucheng, and the friends Luo Luo Guixing had made with his eight-sided cleverness in the past, etc. These eighteen "Lao" men were undoubtedly the most powerful force in Class One of the first year.

Tang Tang Wulin had already made plans and decided immediately: "Today we are competing for three class cadre positions, so Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen, Gu Yue, and Ye Ye Xinglan will likely join forces to seize the positions. Let us directly assume we are facing all three of them simultaneously."

"You probably don't know that Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's multi-element control is superior to Gu Yue's. Luo Luo Guixing, your Space Element will be doubly suppressed by Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen and Gu Yue. So you and Xie Xie Xie Xie will take one Strong Attack System and one Defense System to encircle and annihilate Ye Ye Xinglan."

"The Dark Demon Scythe is good at close-quarters combat but is not suitable for close-quarters combat against a soul master with abnormal physical strength like Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen. Gu Yue is not good at close-quarters combat; Elementals mainly rely on long-range attacks."

"Xu Xu Yucheng and Zheng Zheng Yiran will take three people to tie up Gu Yue. The Dark Demon Scythe combined with the Green Phosphorus Snake Emperor poison can at least hold them off for a while."

"Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen is left to me, Wu Youming Wu Siduo, Yang Nianxia, and Xu Xu Xiaoyan. We will lead the rest of everyone to fight him."

"I will use Golden-veined Blue Silver Grass to control the field. Yang Nianxia will take people to stand at the front. Wu Youming Wu Siduo will ambush at any time... Xu Xiaoyan, you are the key to our victory. You must master the timing of activating the Star Wheel Ice Staff!"

"Yes! I guarantee the mission will be completed!"

Xu Xu Xiaoyan's pretty face turned red, feeling the heavy weight of responsibility!

"Xu Xu Li Zhi, you are our support. Provide various kinds of buns for the three small teams."

"Good... okay..."

Xu Xu Li Zhi looked at the three dark shadows in the distance, his voice trembling terribly: "They are coming... Sister Ye Xinglan is here, Sister Ye Xinglan..."

All the fat on his body trembled uncontrollably. This was his first time fighting against Ye Ye Xinglan!

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's clothes were whipped up by the wind, a faint smile lingering on the corners of his lips as his gaze swept over the eighteen elite new students gathered there.

"This is good. It saves the time of looking for them one by one."

"Act according to the plan. Go!"

Tang Tang Wulin roared loudly, and the eighteen people immediately split into three teams, charging towards their designated enemies!

"Don't help. I will handle my opponent myself."

Ye Ye Xinglan gripped the Star God Sword tightly, her eyes firm, with sword intent surging like a tide!

"Zhao Xuanzhen, separate the battlefields!" Gu Yue had the same intention!

"Gen character: Solid Wall."

Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen's eyes turned into a mysterious deep blue. Stone walls suddenly rose from the ground, with rocks flowing with black and white qi streams. Shi Laike giant dragons breaking through the earth, they cut through the three battlefields. Someone who collided with the stone wall unexpectedly had their arm bones shattered by the shock!

Standing at the very top of the highest stone wall, Zhao Zhao Xuanzhen looked down at the tiny opponents below. Moonlight cast a long shadow behind him, enveloping the entire forest in a cold pressure.

"In the face of absolute strength, unity is like the tricks of ghosts and demons, with nowhere to hide."

"Come at me all together, those who challenge me!"

(End of this chapter)