Chapter 102: Taking Turns Challenging! The Miserable Li Chengzhi!

"How about that, my performance wasn't bad, was it?"

Song Qiuyun walked down from the arena and appeared before Xu Jingming with a beaming smile.

"Indeed impressive. Your spell-based and close-combat techniques are well combined." Xu Jingming nodded with a smile.

"Of course, I train hard every single day."

Song Qiuyun proudly puffed out her towering chest.

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

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

Seeing this, Dean Sun also rose from his seat.

He walked to the front of the stage and said:

"The first stage of the Freshman Grand Competition has ended. Next, we will announce the results and rankings!"

Hum~~~

Under the holographic projection of the artificial intelligence Eva.

In midair, a massive leaderboard recording all freshmen's results and rankings slowly materialized:

【First Place: Xu Jingming, Defeats: 102 people.】

【Second Place: Song Qiuyun, Defeats: 45 people.】

【Third Place: Li Chengzhi, Defeats: 36 people.】

【Fourth Place:......】

The rankings of every freshman in this cohort were listed on it.

Among them, those at the bottom were students who hadn't defeated a single person, scoring only zero points.

And Xu Jingming's feat of single-handedly defeating 102 people firmly secured him in first place.

"The first stage of the Freshman Grand Competition has ended. Next, we begin the second stage — the Free Challenge Match!"

Dean Sun on the main podium declared in a clear voice:

"Each of you has three chances to challenge any person of your choosing. The challenged party may not refuse.

Note: freshmen ranked outside the top 50 cannot challenge those within the top 50!

Additionally, each match's winner will be judged by the artificial intelligence Eva, and the victor may choose to take the loser's ranking!"

Rumble~~~

As his words fell, the 1000m x 1000m giant arena on the field.

Split evenly into 100 smaller arenas of 100m x 100m!

"Alright, begin your challenges."

As Dean Sun finished speaking, the freshmen on the field immediately grew excited.

"I want to challenge rank 760!"

"Eva! I want to challenge rank 254!"

"I want to challenge rank 34!"

"......"

The first stage of the Freshman Grand Competition was a hundred-person free-for-all.

Even though some had only defeated one person, because their match rounds came earlier, they were ranked higher.

Faced with such a situation, the freshmen naturally wouldn't think the other party was stronger than themselves.

So they began issuing challenges one after another.

As for the rule that those outside the top 50 couldn't challenge those within, they didn't find it unreasonable at all.

After all, being able to stand out in a hundred-person free-for-all already represented extraordinary strength.

Very soon......

More than half of the over one hundred split-out arenas were already occupied.

It is worth mentioning that freshmen in the top fifty like Liu Wentao and Qi Dongxia also each faced their own challengers.

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

Since they were all at Tier 2, naturally no one dared to overestimate themselves and challenge them.

"Xu Jingming......"

On the field, looking at Xu Jingming's figure not far away, Li Chengzhi, though unwilling, had no choice but to give up.

After all, the gap in strength was too great; he was simply no match for him.

"Then how about challenging the second-place Song Qiuyun?"

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

Although third and second place were only one rank apart, the rewards were entirely different.

Moving up one rank wouldn't be bad either.

"Song Qiuyun has an A-rank ability, and her combat techniques are also solid......"

Just as he was silently estimating the strength gap between them.

He suddenly noticed Xu Jingming not far away turning his head and giving him a warm, friendly smile.

At the same time, Xu Jingming's voice rang out: "Eva, I want to challenge the third-place Li Chengzhi."

Li Chengzhi's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and he shouted loudly:

"Xu Jingming, you're in first place — why are you challenging me in third?"

"Dean Sun never said it had to be a lower-ranked person challenging a higher-ranked one."

Xu Jingming looked at Li Chengzhi with a half-smile: "Besides, you don't 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 new student noticed the situation and exclaimed in surprise.

"Heh, you don't know? Back in the first phase, Li Chengzhi made a throat-slitting taunt toward Xu Jingming."

Someone who saw that scene explained.

"Damn, so bold! No wonder Xu Jingming took the initiative to challenge him."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding new students suddenly understood.

They were all new students, at the fiery age of eighteen or nineteen.

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

"Eva has assigned the battle to Arena #74. Both of you, ascend the stage promptly."

At that moment, Eva's holographic sub-projection appeared beside Xu Jingming.

This confirmed the challenge was valid and had been successfully established.

"Fine! Let me see just how strong you, an S-rank ability user, really are!"

Though deeply reluctant, Li Chengzhi could not refuse under the New Student Competition rules.

He could only sneer, gripped his great sword, and stepped onto Arena #74 alongside Xu Jingming.

Below the stage, besides Song Qiuyun, over a hundred new students had gathered to watch.

After all, this was the first battle between two second-rank ability users in the New Student Competition!

"Both sides, prepare."

On the 100-meter by 100-meter arena, Xu Jingming and Li Chengzhi stood forty meters apart, facing each other.

The holographic projection of Eva counted down from the center: "Three... two... one... begin!"

"Roar—"

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

His hair instantly grew wild and dark red, his body swelling a full circle in size!

Enhancement-type beast ability—Furious Blood Lion King!

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

"Xu Jingming! You forced me!"

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

"It wasn't me who forced you—it was your own arrogance that brought this on!"

Xu Jingming sneered.

In a flash of Lei Guang, his tall, dark-gold spear-wielding figure vanished from his spot!

"So fast!"

Li Chengzhi's heart jolted.

Before he could react, Xu Jingming's tall, lean figure appeared right before his eyes!

Instantly, a spear shadow struck!

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

As an enhancement-type ability user, Li Chengzhi had great confidence in his physical strength.

Seeing Xu Jingming didn't use his signature Lei Mao for ranged attacks, but dared to close in for melee combat,

he snarled fiercely and swung his blade: "Furious Lion Slash!"

The blood-red great sword tore through the air, howling like a furious lion as it slashed down!

Furious Lion Slash was an A-rank combat technique he had trained to intermediate proficiency.

With this slash, he even had the confidence to battle a second-rank apex beast!

Defeating Xu Jingming would be no problem!

CLANG!!

The great sword struck the spear with a thunderous crash!

But the expected overwhelming force never came—instead, a counter-shock surged up the blade's hilt, splitting his Hukou open and drawing blood!

"His strength is greater than mine!" Li Chengzhi was stunned.

He was an enhancement-type ability user, fully activated!

How could his physical stats possibly lose to a lightning ability user?!

"Purple Thunder Divine Lightning!"

Xu Jingming had no patience for further words; with a piercing thunderclap, violet-blue Lei Ting instantly engulfed Li Chengzhi!

The energy fluctuation was too great—it would trigger Eva's protective mechanism.

So he did not unleash the full power of Doushen Shenlei.

Even so, Li Chengzhi felt a searing pain, as if it tore through his very soul!

Overwhelmed by agony, he could no longer hold his blade—it clattered to the ground.

Then his entire body collapsed, writhing in agony as lightning surged over him:

"Pain! So much pain!"

The cries of anguish made the new students below the stage break out in goosebumps.

"Li Chengzhi is a second-rank enhancement-type ability user—he can't even withstand it? How much pain could this be?"

"Must be agony deep in the marrow!"

"......"

Gazing at the towering figure wreathed in Lei Ting on the arena, the new students below all simultaneously thought the same thing:

Terrifying Xu Jingming — in the future, whoever you provoke, don't provoke him!

"This match goes to Xu Jingming!"

When the battle situation was one-sided, the artificial intelligence Eva would likewise judge the match's winner and loser.

Thus, after Xu Jingming's Doushen Shenlei had run rampant for over ten seconds—

Eva declared the match over, and Li Chengzhi was also protected by the energy defense shield.

"What a pity."

Gazing at the scorched-black figure inside the energy shield, Xu Jingming shook his head regretfully.

He had wanted to keep zapping him a while longer.

"Still, over ten seconds of agony should be enough for him to remember for a lifetime."

Xu Jingming was not a bloodthirsty person.

Under his control, the Doushen Shenlei, though it brought Li Chengzhi extreme agony, was not fatal.

This was mainly to teach Li Chengzhi a lasting lesson and rein in his temperament.

Otherwise, given the other's arrogant disposition—

Once he graduated and entered a guild or battle group, sooner or later some high-level ability user would have him killed.

This was all for his own good — Li Chengzhi, knowing the truth, ought to say thank you.

Across the way, Li Chengzhi, who had been protected by the defense shield, naturally had no idea of Xu Jingming's thoughts.

At this moment, he had just recovered from the endless agony and terror, gasping for air in great gulps.

"I'm... I'm alive!" His face wore the joy of a man who'd survived a disaster.

In that instant just now, he had truly thought he was going to die!

He instinctively looked up and saw Xu Jingming walking down from the arena.

This originally arrogant provincial top scholar inexplicably let out a breath of relief.

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

"Eva, I want to challenge the third-ranked Li Chengzhi as well."