Chapter 114: The Glory of a Five-Peat Is in Your Hands!

3:00 PM.

First-floor conference hall, Building 2, Magic University.

After receiving the notice, the top fifty freshmen from various colleges and classes gathered together for the first time in a long while.

"Long time no see."

"Not bad."

"We're all in the same few buildings for classes; we sometimes bump into each other after class."

Everyone exchanged greetings.

Having fought each other in the Freshman Competition, they now had at least some understanding of one another.

Moreover, those who made it into the top fifty of Magic University's freshmen.

Were all provincial top scorers or elite students ranked among the top few in their provinces.

Once they graduated from Magic University, their future prospects were brilliantly bright.

More friends meant more paths—this was an excellent chance to build connections, and naturally no one would miss it.

Among them was Li Chengzhi, the Qinghai Province top scorer who had been repeatedly beaten by Xu Jingming and Song Qiuyun.

He had long since lost the arrogance he displayed during the Freshman Competition, now appearing friendly and amiable.

Liu Wentao, the social butterfly, was also chatting merrily with those around him.

"Among our group, there are clearly the most students from the Weaponry College."

"Isn't that true? After all, Xu Jingming is from the Weaponry College."

Only after this reminder did everyone realize the formidable top freshman hadn't arrived yet.

"Wentao, didn't Jingming come with you?" someone asked Liu Wentao.

"Big Brother Ming went to the Element College to audit a class—we didn't come together."

Liu Wentao replied with a smile.

In fact, since being assigned to different colleges and classes.

Due to differing curricula, he rarely acted alongside Xu Jingming anymore.

"Don't worry—given his nature, he'll definitely show up," someone chuckled.

Although everyone was scattered across different colleges, the school's official forum kept information circulating well.

They naturally knew Xu Jingming went to the Wilderness Zone every week.

A combat fanatic like him had no reason to skip such an event.

Moreover, the study trip included a freshman strength competition.

Xu Jingming, as an S-rank student and the top combatant among freshmen,

Even if he himself didn't want to go, the school wouldn't allow it.

"By the way, with Xu Jingming here, we can basically just chill." someone joked half-seriously.

For the past four consecutive years, Magic University has won first place in the freshman study trip.

This year's trip is the only one left to complete the glory of a five-peat.

If we fail this study trip, all of us freshmen will likely bear a heavy load of criticism.

Logically, we should all be under tremendous pressure.

But with the monster Xu Jingming around,

Pressure? What pressure?

It doesn't even exist!

Yet at that moment, a tall figure—long unseen but deeply memorable—walked in!

The students, who had been chatting enthusiastically, instinctively fell silent and turned their gazes toward him.

Xu Jingming!

The top freshman!

Compared to the Freshman Competition, Xu Jingming's aura had grown even stronger!

Especially his clear, piercing, icy eyes, which now faintly shimmered with inner brilliance.

Xu Jingming exuded a powerful presence, yet no one overlooked the slender figure trailing behind him.

Song Qiuyun!

The second-ranked freshman!

This woman, who since enrollment had been regarded as a goddess by countless freshmen, now obediently followed behind Xu Jingming.

Although neither had publicly announced anything, the freshmen had long silently accepted that the two were involved.

Seeing them appear together, no one was particularly surprised.

"Big Brother Ming!"

"Jingming, you're here."

"..."

After a brief silence, the freshmen immediately greeted him warmly.

Xu Jingming's strength and self-discipline were evident to all.

Naturally, everyone was eager to befriend such a person.

"Jingming, this study trip simply can't happen without you."

Li Chengzhi, the Qinghai Province top scorer, also smiled.

After being beaten in the Freshman Competition, he had been depressed for a long time.

He often reflected on whether he had truly been too arrogant.

Putting himself in Xu Jingming's place, he realized that a stranger making a throat-slitting gesture toward him was indeed outrageous.

After realizing this, his demeanor became much more restrained, and later he found Xu Jingming to sincerely apologize.

In fact, not only Li Chengzhi, but Lei Zhou also apologized to Xu Jingming after coming to his senses.

Xu Jingming responded to everyone's enthusiastic greetings one by one.

He gave a slight nod when his gaze passed over Li Chengzhi and Lei Zhou.

Xu Jingming was not a narrow-minded person.

He held no great grudge against Lei Zhou or Li Chengzhi, and both had already paid a price for their actions.

So when they apologized, he chose to accept it.

Ten minutes later, when the conference hall gradually filled up.

Hum—

A soft sound suddenly rang out.

Everyone looked up and saw the space on the podium grow hazy, forming a door!

Seeing this signature ability, everyone knew who had arrived.

Indeed,

the next moment the door swung wide open.

A woman wearing a pale blue long robe resembling Hanfu, with a tear mole beneath her eye, stepped out barefoot upon empty air.

It was,

none other than the Vice Principal Ling Shuang, the Spatial Ability Grandmaster!

Everyone's spirits instantly lifted—they never expected the Vice Principal herself would preside over the meeting!

Vice Principal Ling Shuang stood on empty air, her robe fluttering in the wind, her gaze sweeping over every new student in the hall.

After pausing slightly on Xu Jingming, she withdrew it, then a cool, clear voice echoed through the conference room:

"I will preside over this meeting. The main topic concerns the research study trip."

"Eva, unfold the map."

Hum—

Pale blue virtual light projected from the ceiling converged into a miniature blue globe suspended in midair.

"Our destination for this research study trip is Shun'an City in Guizhou Province."

Ling Shuang waved her jade hand; the virtual map rapidly zoomed in, finally locking onto a city in the southeastern corner of Daya Nation.

"More precisely, the wilderness area deep within Dashan in Shun'an City, Guizhou—also known as the Seventh Demon Cave."

The virtual map's perspective shifted, transforming from a bustling city into dense forests and towering mountains.

Countless crimson eyes lurked within; even as a virtual projection, their ferocious, brutal aura could still be felt.

"So it really is a Demon Cave!"

Although rumors about this had circulated before,

when the location was officially announced, everyone couldn't help but gasp in shock.

Areas overrun by ferocious beasts are generally called wilderness zones.

But some wilderness zones, due to their vast expanse and extraordinary numbers of ferocious beasts,

have earned the name "Demon Cave" after countless adepts perished within them.

Vice Principal Ling Shuang paid no heed to the crowd's reactions and continued:

"This research study trip will be led by me personally, and each academy will assign mentors to join."

"Additionally, this trip concerns a resource allocation for our school, requiring you to compete against new students from two other universities."

"The competition format resembles the Wu Ke Gaokao you took—ranked by the number and tier of ferocious beasts slain."

"The top 50 will receive valid scores: first place 34%, second place 23%, third place 19%."

"The remaining 47 will split the leftover 24%, roughly 0.51% each."

"In other words, the more students who enter the top 50, the more resources your school will receive."

"Of course, the most important part is the first-place share—over one-third."

"Whoever claims first place wins the championship."

She paused, her clear eyes already showing clear admiration as they fixed on Xu Jingming in the center seat.

"This concerns our Magic University's five-year championship streak. Xu Jingming, as the top new student,

I entrust this task to you. Is that alright?"

"No problem."

Xu Jingming nodded.

His voice was low and steady, radiating reliability.

"Good."

Vice Principal Ling Shuang was highly satisfied with Xu Jingming's response, but the next moment she shifted tone:

"However, I must warn you in advance: according to the latest information,

Qingjing Institute of Psychic Arts has recruited an external expert with an S-class ability for this research study trip.

You may face some challenges."