Chapter 67
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Chapter 67: The Gap and the Seeded Score
After listening to the specifications for the scoring competition for a while, Zhang Yu generally understood how it worked.
“So, they’ll stick sensor patches on various parts of my body and also on the Yellow Turban Warrior. Every time a sensor patch is struck, the hit will be recorded.”
“For example, hitting the sensor patch on the Yellow Turban Warrior’s back earns 5 points, a hit to its chest gets 3 points, and its arm gets 1 point.”
“Conversely, if the sensor patch on my back gets hit, 5 points will be deducted.”
“The final score is calculated from the total points accumulated within a one-minute duration.”
“Of course, another method is to knock the Yellow Turban Warrior straight out of the arena. That would add a whooping 300 points in one go.”
Zhang Yu understood that the purpose of this seeded score round was to prevent high-scoring contestants from being grouped together during the upcoming bracket stage, thus avoiding the premature elimination of strong competitors.
“This way, powerful contestants probably won’t dare to deliberately hold back too much, since that could land them in the same group as another expert.”
Thinking of this, Zhang Yu nodded slightly and turned his gaze toward the Yellow Turban Warrior.
It was a humanoid figure over two meters tall, clad in golden armor and wearing a golden mask. Its exposed muscles, etched with dense intricate runes, resembled marble.
Hmm… it feels like it’s missing a certain something…
Just as Zhang Yu was thinking this, a staff member came over and sprayed advertisements onto the Yellow Turban Warrior. Its chest was emblazoned with an ad for Oasis Foods that read, “For the Healthy Diet of All People in Kunxu,” while its back advertised Wei Lan Pharmaceuticals with the slogan, “Ultra-Potent, Super-Wild, and Peerlessly Dominant.”
Seeing this, Zhang Yu finally nodded and thought to himself, I knew something was missing. Now that’s more like it.
He remembered that Oasis Foods was the company that promoted synthetic foods and was backed by the Netherworld Palace, one of the Ten Great Sects.
Wei Lan Pharmaceuticals, unlike Purple Cloud Pharmaceuticals, focused more on combat-related drugs and was one of the sponsors of this Martial Arts Competition.
Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen, who was standing beside him, sized up the Yellow Turban Warrior and commented, “Songyang High is so much worse than Bailong High. Look, they get to use Yellow Turban Warriors for exams and matches, while we still have to make students beat each other up.”
Zhang Yu nodded and said, “The realism on this Yellow Turban Warrior is incredible. It looks just like a real person.”
Bai Zhenzhen, who was also seeing a Yellow Turban Warrior in the flesh for the first time, agreed. “That’s just how rich people’s tastes are. They love making valuable things look worthless.”
“Like turning designer clothe into something that resembles a trash bag, or making a Yellow Turban Warrior look like a person.”
An idea suddenly struck Zhang Yu. “In that case, do you think our school could just hire someone to act as a Yellow Turban Warrior?”
Just then, from behind them, their Martial Arts Combat teacher Lei Jun, who was also the organizer of Songyang High School’s combat exams, spoke with a dark expression. “Someone who could act as a Yellow Turban Warrior… do you think their labor costs would be cheap?”
“And who do you suppose is going to pay to hire them? Are you suggesting we start charging a monthly fee for the monthly exams?”
With that, Lei Jun snorted and jerked his chin toward the arena. “The first round, the seeded score, is about to begin. Watch closely and learn. Don’t you dare embarrass me when you get up there.”
Earlier, as the contestants gathered, the host, Bailong High School, had distributed numbers and tags. They would soon be called to the arena according to their numbers to battle the Yellow Turban Warriors.
Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, the announcer stepped onto the arena and walked over to the Yellow Turban Warrior.
“Welcome, everyone, to this year’s Songyang City Freshman Martial Arts Championship, jointly sponsored by Oasis Foods and Wei Lan Pharmaceuticals.”
“Delicious and all-natural, because health should be nourished naturally. All meals at this event are supplied by the Oasis Group.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen both spat in disgust.
Synthetic food? Not even a dog would eat that stuff.
The announcer continued, “A thousand-year legacy and your essential companion. Whether for an arena tournament or a street brawl, Wei Lan Pharmaceuticals is your most trusted aid. Any contestants in need of medicine can make a purchase at the pop-up pharmacy next to the arena.”
Finally, after the announcer had finished reciting all the sponsor advertisements, the first round of the scoring competition was set to begin.
“Now, let’s welcome our first contestant to the stage!”
A student in a Bailong High School uniform walked onto the arena. Following a countdown of 3,2,1 he was immediately locked in a fierce battle with the Yellow Turban Warrior.
Zhang Yu could see that this Bailong student’s strength and speed were on par with the Yellow Turban Warrior, which possessed a Physical Strength of level 1.98.
Each punch and kick was delivered with brute force, meeting the Yellow Turban Warrior’s strikes head-on while simultaneously striking the sensor plates on the warrior’s body to score points.
From a distance, it looked like two giant bears grappling and tearing at each other in the arena. Each collision echoed like clashing metal, a sound that was truly staggering to hear.
After a minute passed, the Bailong student had accumulated 128 points.
The next few contestants to take the stage were all from either Bailong High School, Purple Cloud High School, or Red Pagoda High School.
Qian Shen grew increasingly alarmed as he watched. These top students from the top three schools… every single one of them would be the absolute number one in Songyang High’s first-year class based on Physical Strength. Is the gap really this huge? Are Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen going to face opponents like this today?
He Dayou, however, was completely unfazed by this. “Unless they can join our school’s Sports Competition Team and undergo the special training program, there is no way they could surpass the Physical Strength of the strongest of these monsters from the top three famous schools.”
“Not to mention the disparities in magic power, martial arts, Spirit Roots, and other aspects. When you factor all that into actual combat, it’s enough to drive one to despair.”
As a school board director’s son, He Dayou knew all too well the gap between Songyang High School and the Three Schools.
Take the annual admission spots for the Top Ten Universities. For Songyang High’s top students, they often had to wait until Bailong High’s best had taken their pick. Only then could they compete with Bailong’s second-tier elites for whatever spots remained.
Just then, a Bailong student who was over two and a half meters tall and resembled a Titan slowly strode onto the arena.
Standing before this student, even the Yellow Turban Warrior seemed almost delicate in comparison.
As this student took the stage, the Bailong students in the audience, who had been sitting upright and composed just moments before, suddenly rose to their feet to clap and cheer.
Zhang Yu, however, was more focused on the student’s current hairstyle. Isn’t that Song Hailong? Why did his hairstyle change?
Song Hailong was the number one first-year at Bailong High School, the student whose uniform displayed a large ‘1’ on both the chest and back.
Zhang Yu still remembered that during the last Magic Power Competition, Song Hailong had long, spiky hair that shot straight up into the air.
Today, however, he had a short, spiky hedgehog cut.
Song Hailong offered a slight smile and gestured towards the audience with a downward motion of his hand. The next moment, the Bailong students who had been cheering and applauding immediately sat back down, falling completely silent.
Watching this scene, Zhang Yu was suddenly reminded of the legendary low-score slave system at Bailong High School. The students in the audience truly obeyed Song Hailong’s every command.
Bai Zhenzhen, who was beside him, stared at Song Hailong’s new hairstyle and said, “He must have changed his External Spirit Roots again!”
“His last one was clearly meant to influence spiritual energy and aid in Magic Power cultivation.”
“Since this is a Martial Arts Combat competition, he must have switched to a Combat Spirit Root this time.”
With that, Bai Zhenzhen turned to Zhang Yu and urged, “Yu Zi, Yu Zi, hurry up and take out your 100,000 yuan Talisman Register. Use the Heavenly Eye Talisman to check out Song Hailong’s details.”
Over the past two weeks, besides focusing on his Martial Arts, Zhang Yu had also been familiarizing himself with the Talisman Register from time to time.
He had not dared to touch any of the paid items inside it, only using his daily free attempt to practice Talismans.
The two Talismans he had practiced the most were the Detainment Talisman and the Heavenly Eye Talisman, both of which were taught at school.
At this moment, Zhang Yu cautiously pulled out his Talisman Register. His fingertips flicked across the display, and as he activated the Heavenly Eye Talisman, he immediately felt the entire world transform.
For Non-Divine personnel, it was like seeing through a paid subscription-level interface.
For a brief period, status displays appeared above each person’s head. Having practiced with this sight many times, Zhang Yu was already accustomed to it and focused his attention on Song Hailong in the arena.
Elephant Tendon Body (Expand Details)
Elephant Tendon Body | Demon Slayer | Heavenly Spirit Infused Body | Unyielding Fighting Spirit | Bailong Slave Master | The Family’s Ace Son
Meanwhile, on the arena, Song Hailong let out a wild laugh and grabbed the Yellow Turban Warrior’s massive hand. Then, to the utter shock of the crowd, he sent the warrior flying with a thunderous boom.
In less than a second, the battle was already over.
Song Hailong scored 300 points.
The Bailong students in the audience erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
As they watched Song Hailong slowly descend from the arena, many of the other contestants felt as if they were not watching a person but a ferocious beast.
Witnessing this, Qian Shen gasped. Song Hailong… he scored 683 points on the last Monthly Exam. Seeing him in action with my own eyes is just as shocking as that score.
Meanwhile, Zhao Tianxing had just entered the stadium and was still searching the audience for Qian Shen when he saw the scene unfolding on the stage. That’s brutal. Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen have to fight that monster?
A flicker of worry crossed his mind. Will they be okay? They won’t get seriously injured, will they?
On the other side, Zhang Yu stared at the long list of attribute evaluations above Song Hailong’s head. What the heck is all this stuff?
After Zhang Yu muttered the list aloud, Bai Zhenzhen, who was standing beside him, explained, “I know about the Heavenly Spirit Infused Body. It should refer to a Body Tempering Spirit Root, which is a combat-oriented Spirit Root within the Heavenly Spirit Root category. The spirit energy meridians formed by this Spirit Root wrap around the entire body, comprehensively enhancing the user’s strength, speed, stamina, and resistance to attacks.”
Zhang Yu could not help but give Bai Zhenzhen another look. This girl, A-Zhen… It was the same with the External Spirit Root last time. She recognized it in a single glance.
How do she know so much about Spirit Roots when she can’t even afford one?
As Bai Zhenzhen hesitated over the other evaluations, Lei Jun, who was standing behind them, suddenly spoke up. “Implanted with elephant demon muscles. Minimal negative emotions from prolonged combat with Demon Beasts. Bailong High School’s top student. The Song Family’s Ace Son this year.”
Zhang Yu was astonished. “Old Lei, you know about the Heavenly Eye Talisman too?”
Seeing their surprised expressions, Lei Jun said calmly, “Dao Arts would be quite useful if they could be used as freely as you use them.”
Old Lei! You’ve betrayed the Martial Dao!
With Lei Jun’s explanation, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen gained more information from this evaluation round.
Next on the arena, more powerful students began to showcase their abilities.
First up was Lian Tianji from Purple Cloud High School. His fists and feet moved like a storm and completely overwhelmed the Yellow Turban Warrior, whose physical strength was maintained at level 1.98. He scored a staggering 261 points.
Shortly after, a student from Red Pagoda High School who resembled a brown bear stepped onto the arena. In an instant, he pounced on the Yellow Turban Warrior, knocked it to the ground, and sent it flying, earning 300 points.
Not long after, Le Mulan from Purple Cloud High School took the stage. She pinned the Yellow Turban Warrior to the ground with a single hand, completely immobilizing it.
Then, this woman began to repeatedly kick the sensor plate on the warrior’s upper back. She only stopped when her score reached 305 points, just enough to surpass Song Hailong’s 300. She then glanced at Song Hailong before stepping off the arena.
From the moment Le Mulan appeared, the Purple Cloud students in the audience had remained completely silent, a sea of hushed stillness.
Zhao Tianxing found this odd.
After hearing this, Qian Shen explained with practiced ease, “Purple Cloud High School’s scores are updated daily based on student classroom performance, and the grade rankings are also updated daily. The top-ranked student each day gets to set a grade-wide rule that lasts for one day, as long as it does not disrupt the order of teaching.”
“As far as I know, Le Mulan has been the top-ranked student in Purple Cloud’s First-Year class since the very first day of school.”
“And the daily rule she sets has never changed.”
“It is that all First-Year students must remain silent in her presence, and the commoner students with scores below 650 are forbidden from speaking to her without permission.”
Commoner students with scores below 650? Hearing this, Zhao Tainting felt personally insulted.
But then he remembered that Qian Shen, the one speaking, had not reached 650 points either, so he immediately calmed down.
Zhao Tianxing asked, “How do you know so much?”
Qian Shen smiled faintly. “You could say I’ve done a bit of research on the Three Schools.”
Meanwhile, in the contestants’ area, a provoked Song Hailong burst into laughter. “Le Mulan, I’ll be waiting for you in the finals!”
