Chapter 97: Xu Jingming Steps onto the Arena! The Shocking Aura!

“Before the competition officially begins, I’ll reiterate: don’t worry about using too much force and causing fatalities.”

“The top-tier AI, Eva, is monitoring the arena at all times; if any life-threatening danger arises, a protective barrier will automatically activate.”

“We also have a professional medical team on-site, including the dean of the Auxiliary College, who possesses an A-rank healing ability.”

“As long as your head isn’t severed, we can save you.”

After delivering his final warnings, Dean Sun waved his hand: “Eva, begin.”

“Got it! Activating energy defense barrier!”

Accompanied by Eva’s adorable voice.

Along the edges of the massive arena, a transparent energy wall rose like rippling water.

The energy wall sealed shut at the top, forming a giant cubic energy shield!

Thus, any attack backlash would not reach the nearby spectator seats.

“All students on the arena, prepare yourselves!”

“3...2...1...Begin!”

The moment “Begin” echoed, every freshman on the arena unleashed their Qi and activated their abilities.

The freshmen, who had seemed ordinary moments before, suddenly transformed!

“Roar—”

Some with enhanced beast-type abilities partially transformed into beasts, letting out primal roars.

“Boom—”

Others with elemental abilities were surrounded by flames.

Some were wreathed in water, others summoned earth shields, while still others summoned whirling wind blades.

There were also giants whose bodies had swollen to enormous size, wielding two-meter-long greatswords in brutal combat.

Others closed their eyes slightly, and every student within a five-meter radius around them collapsed without exception.

These were powerful mental-type ability users!

Those who entered the Metropolis Ability University were all geniuses from their provinces and cities, and the commotion they unleashed was extraordinary.

Yet, among them, the most striking was undoubtedly Li Chengzhi, the provincial champion of Qinghai.

His second-rank lower-tier Qi radiated like a crane standing among chickens—utterly conspicuous on the arena.

“Whoa, who’s that? He’s already broken into second rank?!”

“That’s Li Chengzhi, the provincial champion of Qinghai!”

“So it’s the provincial champion! No wonder.”

“......”

The freshmen on the field erupted in shocked murmurs; even the upperclassmen in the stands were taken aback.

In their own freshman class, not a single second-rank ability user had ever appeared.

Now, suddenly, a second-rank ability user had emerged among this group of first-rankers—like a lion entering a flock of sheep!

The reality proved it: this first-round hundred-person free-for-all ended in just half an hour.

Li Chengzhi, the provincial champion of Qinghai, advanced to the second stage with the impressive feat of defeating 36 opponents in a row.

“Thirty-six people! Xu Jingming, as an S-rank ability awakener, I wonder if your first-stage score can surpass mine.”

After stepping off the arena, Li Chengzhi couldn’t resist boasting to Xu Jingming.

“This guy is beyond saving,” Liu Wentao muttered, rubbing his forehead as he watched Li Chengzhi walk away.

I’ve seen people who court disaster, but never one who did it so thoroughly!

Yet Xu Jingming himself showed no great reaction to such boasting.

In his eyes, Li Chengzhi’s behavior was as childish as a toddler’s.

“Leader, Li Chengzhi broke into second rank. Should we list him as our top target?”

In the spectator stands.

Someone from the Meteorite Society asked.

Xu Jingming, who possessed an S-rank ability, was their primary recruitment target, but ability rank was only one factor.

The speed of breakthrough was another critical metric—Li Chengzhi, who had surpassed Xu Jingming and reached second rank first.

He had already earned the qualification to be listed as a top recruitment target.

“No.”

Leader Wu Yuan shook his head and smiled: “Xu Jingming isn’t just first-rank upper-tier, you know.”

“Oh? Leader, do you have insider info?”

The girl who had spoken earlier brightened.

“Not exactly insider info—I saw it with my own eyes.”

Wu Yuan shook his head, offering no further explanation.

He recalled the scene he’d witnessed in the early hours of a few days ago, in his combat technique library.

That thunder, like divine punishment, was utterly incomparable to what Li Chengzhi could produce.

“Leader, I hate riddles.” The girl gave him a resentful look.

“Haha, you’ll know soon enough—don’t rush,” Wu Yuan chuckled.

“First round of the Freshman Competition’s first stage is complete. Now selecting participants for the second round.”

The medical team beside the arena swiftly moved to carry away the severely injured freshmen unable to stand.

Meanwhile, the AI Eva initiated the selection for the second round.

Hum! Hum! Hum!......

Dozens of light columns erupted among the freshmen on the field; Xu Jingming was engulfed by one of them.

Of the four selected, he was the only one chosen.

“Lucky me—I’m up in the second round.”

Xu Jingming smiled faintly, drawing his Dark Cloud Gale Spear from his back and gripping it firmly.

“Xu, good luck.”

Though Xu Jingming’s dominance was inevitable, Song Qiuyun and Qi Dongxia still cheered him on with bright smiles.

“Big Ming, show Li Chengzhi what you’re made of!” Liu Wentao was also excited.

“Alright.”

Xu Jingming nodded and walked onto the arena with the others.

“Holy shit! It’s Xu Jingming!”

“How unlucky—we got drawn in the same round as him!”

“This is over—we’ve lost one qualifying slot; now we’re fighting for only four left.”

“At least it’s not bad—those who got drawn with Li Chengzhi? Now that’s truly cursed!”

“......”

Although Xu Jingming had nearly vanished from public view since a month and a half ago,

the freshmen still held deep wariness for this Jiangnan provincial champion who shattered the fist-power record, completely crushed Lei Zhou, and possessed an S-rank ability.

So, once on the arena,

the freshmen all scattered far away, leaving a fifty-meter radius around Xu Jingming as a forbidden zone.

“You think standing far away makes you safe? Naive.”

Xu Jingming shook his head, his cold, sharp eyes flickering with latent battle intent.

“Is that the new disciple Professor Yang took on recently?”

“Yes, that’s him—the S-rank lightning ability awakener, Zi Xiao Divine Thunder.”

“His aura looks impressive—very sharp.”

“......”

On the main stage, the deans and professors were closely observing Xu Jingming, who had awakened an S-rank ability.

Seeing him appear on the arena, they began whispering among themselves.

“I heard he was just an awakener before enrollment, yet he reached first-rank upper-tier in just over a month—this cultivation speed is terrifying.”

“Indeed. Had his initial gap not been so vast, he might have reached second rank like Li Chengzhi.”

“Yes, wait—this aura is...?!”

High-rank ability users possess powerful spiritual senses.

At close range, a single glance is enough to sense the rank of low-rank ability users.

Xu Jingming was now two to three hundred meters away, requiring deliberate use of spiritual force to perceive his rank.

But the professors’ surprise came the moment they tried.

Xu Jingming’s rank had soared to an astonishing second-rank upper-tier!

“What the hell?! How did Xu Jingming’s rank jump so much?!”

One professor, holding a teacup, nearly spat out his tea upon sensing the rank!

All other deans and professors wore expressions of shock.

“Old Yang, you kept such a huge secret and didn’t even hint at it—you’re good at hiding things!”

Dean Sun couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

Just as the professors on the main stage were stunned by Xu Jingming’s rank,

On the arena, an energy defense barrier rose, and the artificial intelligence Eva’s voice sounded simultaneously:

“All students participating in the second round of the match, please prepare!”

“3... 2... 1... Begin!”

Same as the previous round.

At the moment the match began, the freshmen on the arena unleashed their respective abilities and energies.

“Sure enough, compared to fighting ferocious beasts, I still prefer fighting humans!”

Feeling the surging waves of abilities and energy around him, Xu Jingming’s lips curled slightly with battle fervor:

“Purple Thunder Divine Lightning!”

Boom boom boom!!

Amidst the deep rumble of thunder, a blue-purple lightning burst forth, radiating the primordial aura of the heavens!

Simultaneously, an energy surge far exceeding that of every freshman on the arena erupted from Xu Jingming!