Chapter 102: Alternate Challenges! The Tragic Li Chengzhi!

“How was my performance?”

Song Qiuyun stepped down from the arena and appeared before Xu Jingming with a smiling face.

“Indeed impressive—you’ve blended magical and close-combat techniques very well,” Xu Jingming replied with a nod and a smile.

“Of course I am. I train hard every single day.”

Song Qiuyun proudly puffed out her prominent chest.

After the ninth round ended, the tenth and eleventh rounds followed swiftly in succession.

An hour later, the first phase of the Freshman Competition was fully completed.

Seeing this, Dean Sun rose from his seat.

He walked to the front of the stage and spoke:

“The first phase of the Freshman Competition is over. Now, I will announce the scores and rankings!”

Hum~~~

Beneath the holographic projection of the AI Eva.

In midair, a massive leaderboard slowly coalesced, listing every freshman’s score and ranking:

【#1: Xu Jingming, opponents defeated: 102.】

【#2: Song Qiuyun, opponents defeated: 45.】

【#3: Li Chengzhi, opponents defeated: 36.】

【#4: ......】

All freshmen’s rankings from this cohort were displayed above.

At the very bottom were those who had defeated no one, scoring zero points.

Xu Jingming’s solo tally of 102 victories firmly secured him the top position.

“The first phase of the Freshman Competition is over. Now begins the second phase—Free Challenge!”

Dean Sun announced loudly from the podium:

“Each of you has three chances to challenge any opponent; the challenged cannot refuse.

Note: Freshmen ranked below 50 cannot challenge those ranked within the top 50!

Also, AI Eva will determine victory or defeat in each match—the winner may replace the loser’s ranking!”

Boom boom boom~~~

As he spoke, the massive 1000m x 1000m arena on the field

Split evenly into one hundred smaller arenas, each 100m x 100m!

“Alright, begin your challenges.”

As Dean Sun finished speaking, the freshmen on the field erupted in excitement.

“I challenge #760!”

“Eva! I challenge #254!”

“I challenge #34!”

“......”

The first phase was a hundred-person free-for-all.

Many had defeated only one opponent, but due to earlier match rounds, their rankings were higher.

The freshmen naturally didn’t believe those above them were stronger.

So they all began launching challenges.

As for the rule forbidding those below 50 from challenging those within the top 50, they saw nothing unfair about it.

After all, standing out in a hundred-person brawl already proved exceptional strength.

Soon...

More than half of the hundred divided arenas were already occupied.

Notably, top-fifty freshmen like Liu Wentao and Qi Dongxia also faced challengers.

As for the top three—Xu Jingming, Song Qiuyun, and Li Chengzhi—

Since all were at the Second Stage, no one dared challenge them out of sheer overconfidence.

“Xu Jingming...”

On the field, Li Chengzhi stared at Xu Jingming’s distant figure. Though bitter, he had no choice but to abandon the idea.

The power gap was too vast—he was no match for him.

“What about challenging #2, Song Qiuyun?”

Li Chengzhi shifted his gaze to Song Qiuyun beside Xu Jingming.

Though the difference between #3 and #2 was only one rank, the rewards were entirely different.

Rising one rank would still be worthwhile.

“Song Qiuyun possesses an A-rank ability, and her combat techniques are solid too...”

As he silently assessed their power disparity,

He suddenly noticed Xu Jingming turning his head toward him, offering a warm, friendly smile.

At the same time, Xu Jingming’s voice rang out: “Eva, I challenge #3, Li Chengzhi.”

Li Chengzhi’s face darkened instantly. He shouted loudly:

“Xu Jingming, you’re #1—why are you challenging me, #3?”

“Dean Sun never said challenges must go from lower rank to higher,” Xu Jingming replied with a faint smirk.

“Besides, you don’t seriously think I’m someone you can provoke at will, do you?”

“What’s going on? Xu Jingming is challenging Li Chengzhi—do they have a grudge?”

A freshman nearby noticed and exclaimed in surprise.

“Heh, you didn’t know? During the first phase, Li Chengzhi made a throat-slitting taunt toward Xu Jingming.”

Someone who’d witnessed the earlier scene explained.

“No way—he’s that bold? No wonder Xu Jingming challenged him.”

The surrounding freshmen suddenly understood.

All were freshmen, aged 18 or 19—full of fiery blood.

Even ordinary taunts could spark a major fight, let alone a “throat-slitting” gesture.

“Eva has assigned this battle to Arena #74. Both contestants, please proceed.”

At that moment, Eva’s holographic avatar appeared beside Xu Jingming.

It confirmed the challenge was valid and properly initiated.

“Fine! Let’s see just how strong this S-rank ability user really is!”

Though deeply reluctant, Li Chengzhi had no choice under the competition rules.

He snorted coldly, hefted his greatsword, and stepped onto Arena #74 beside Xu Jingming.

Below the arena, besides Song Qiuyun, over a hundred freshmen gathered to watch.

After all, this was the first battle between two Second Stage ability users in the Freshman Competition!

“Both combatants, prepare.”

On the 100m x 100m arena, Xu Jingming and Li Chengzhi stood forty meters apart, facing each other.

The holographic Eva projected in the center began the countdown: “3...2...1...Begin!”

“Roar—!”

Li Chengzhi let out a bestial roar, his eyes instantly turning amber.

His hair rapidly thickened and turned dark red; his body swelled by a full third!

Enhanced Beast-type A-rank Ability—Crimson Lion King!

After activating his ability, his already massive frame now stood like an iron tower.

“Xu Jingming! You forced me into this!”

Li Chengzhi roared, his blood-red hair whipping behind him as he charged forward, greatsword in hand!

“I didn’t force you—it was your own arrogance that brought this on!”

Xu Jingming snorted.

In a flash of lightning, his tall, dark-gold spear vanished from his original spot!

“So fast!”

Li Chengzhi’s heart jolted.

Before he could react, Xu Jingming’s towering, slender figure appeared right before him!

Instantly, a spear-shadow lashed out!

“You dare fight me hand-to-hand, you lightning ability user? Foolish!”

As an enhanced-type ability user, Li Chengzhi had absolute confidence in his physical resilience.

Seeing Xu Jingming not use his signature “Lei Mao” for ranged attacks, but instead closing in for melee,

He sneered fiercely and swung his blade: “Crimson Lion Slash!”

The crimson greatsword tore through the air with a roar like a rampaging lion!

Crimson Lion Slash was an A-rank technique he’d mastered to intermediate proficiency.

With this strike alone, he was confident enough to battle a Second Stage apex beast!

Taking Xu Jingming is no challenge at all!

CLANG!!

The great blade slashed against the spear, producing a deafening crash!

But the expected overwhelming force never came—instead, the counter-recoil surged up the blade’s hilt, splitting his palms open!

“His strength is stronger than mine!” Li Chengzhi was stunned.

He was an enhanced-type Adept who had awakened his ability!

How could his physical stats possibly lose to an Electrokinetic Adept?!

“Purple Celestial Thunder!”

Xu Jingming had no patience for further words; with a piercing thunderclap, blue-purple lightning swiftly engulfed Li Chengzhi entirely!!

The energy fluctuation is too great—it will trigger Eva’s protective mechanism.

So he did not unleash the Purple Celestial Thunder at full power.

Even so, Li Chengzhi, swallowed by the lightning, felt agony as if it tore through his very soul!

Overwhelmed by the pain, he lost his grip on the blade—it clattered to the ground.

Then he collapsed, writhing helplessly as lightning ravaged his entire body:

“Pain! So much pain!”

The agonized screams made the freshmen below the arena break out in goosebumps!

“Li Chengzhi is a second-rank enhanced-type Adept—he couldn’t even endure it. How excruciating must this be?”

“Does it pierce right into the marrow?”

“......”

Gazing at the towering figure wreathed in lightning on the arena, the freshmen all shared the same thought:

Fearful Xu Jingming—never, ever provoke him!

“Winner of this match: Xu Jingming!”

In a one-sided battle, the AI Eva would also determine the victor.

Thus, after the Purple Celestial Thunder raged for over ten seconds,

Eva declared the match over, and Li Chengzhi was immediately shielded by an energy barrier.

“What a pity.”

Watching the charred figure inside the energy shield, Xu Jingming shook his head in regret.

He’d wanted to zap him a little longer.

“But these ten seconds of agony should be enough to haunt him for life.”

Xu Jingming was not a killer by nature.

Under his control, the Purple Celestial Thunder inflicted unbearable pain on Li Chengzhi—but not death.

This was mainly to teach him a lesson, to temper his arrogance.

Otherwise, with that arrogant personality of his,

he might get killed by some higher-rank Adept the moment he graduated and joined a guild or battle squad.

He was doing this for Li Chengzhi’s own good—Li Chengzhi should thank him when he realizes it.

Opposite him, Li Chengzhi, shielded by the barrier, knew none of Xu Jingming’s thoughts.

At this moment, he had just recovered from endless agony and terror, gasping for breath.

“I’m... alive!” His face wore the joy of barely escaping death.

In that instant, he had truly believed he was going to die!

Unconsciously, he looked up—and saw Xu Jingming walking off the arena.

The once-arrogant provincial champion inexplicably sighed in relief.

But just then, a melodious voice rose from below the arena:

“Eva, I challenge third-place Li Chengzhi.”