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Chapter 69: Hidden Spirit Root

Shortly after the last contestant stepped down from the arena, all the participants had been scored.

During this time, two more contestants from other high schools withdrew. This left a total of 33 participants to be divided into eight groups for the elimination rounds.

Seven of the groups had four contestants each. They would compete in two-on-two matches determined by a draw, with contestants being eliminated until only one remained in each group.

The last group, however, had five contestants. After their draw, they would also compete in two-on-two matches until a single person remained, which meant one contestant would receive a bye in the initial rounds.

The eight contestants left standing, one from each group, would be the final eight of the competition.

After the scoring round, there was a break. Zhang Yu stretched and decided to go to the restroom with Bai Zhenzhen.

However, after searching for a long time, they simply could not find any restrooms around the arena.

Seeing Song Hailong pass by, Zhang Yu could not help but ask, “Do you know where the restrooms are?”

Song Hailong smiled arrogantly. “Bailong High School doesn’t have restrooms.”

“Huh?” Zhang Yu was shocked. “You just relieve yourselves wherever you want?”

Song Hailong’s face darkened as he replied coldly, “The teachers and students of Bailong High School have all undergone digestive system modification surgery. We don’t need such primitive, unsanitary, and time-wasting places.”

Zhang Yu was speechless. “Then what should we do?”

Song Hailong replied calmly, “Go check the first floor. There might be restrooms there for lower-class people.”

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen finally found two makeshift toilets with great difficulty outside a hallway on the first floor. Each use costs ten yuan.

After borrowing money from Qian Shen, the two finished their business while grumbling the entire time.

When they returned to the venue, the eight groups had already been formed.

Eight massive arenas had also risen simultaneously on the field, ready for all eight groups to begin their elimination rounds at the same time.

Zhang Yu glanced at the group assignments and breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness A-Zhen isn’t in my group.

But A-Zhen’s group…

Looking at the high-scoring contestants in Bai Zhenzhen’s group, Zhang Yu frowned slightly. They’re really strong.

One of them was a Monsterfolk student from Red Pagoda High School.

He had a humanoid body but the head and fur of a tiger, making him look like a man-tiger.

When Zhang Yu had previously used his Heavenly Eye Talisman, it had revealed a series of component analyses above the student’s head.

The analysis read, Protected Area, Dragon-Tiger Demon Blood, Medicine Barrel, and Steel Bones.

Zhang Yu recalled Lei Jun’s translation for these terms. “From the Monster Reserve, with Dragon Blood mixed into his Tiger Demon bloodline. He’s taken a lot of medicine and undergone some kind of bone modification surgery.”

Zhang Yu thought to himself, I remember he scored 266 points in the scoring round, right? That was the second-highest score among the Red Pagoda High School students.

Based on his own observations of the student’s performance in the scoring round, Zhang Yu saw this Monsterfolk named Hu Yuntao as a true all-rounder with high strength, high agility, high attack, and high defense. He showed no obvious weaknesses in combat.

That guy didn’t participate in the Magic Power Competition last time. It probably means he’s not good at controlling magic power.

But the fact that he’s here for the Martial Arts Competition suggests his practical combat skills are exceptionally strong.

Zhang Yu’s gaze swept over the sharp claws on the student’s hands, which glinted with a cold light.Damn it, shouldn’t monsterfolk participating in the competition have to get their claws removed? This is like bringing your own weapon! That’s just cheating, isn’t it?

This is probably the kind of opponent A-Zhen hates the most.

With a hint of worry, Zhang Yu walked toward his assigned group stage area.

Please don’t go bankrupt, A-Zhen. I don’t have any more money to lend you.

***

Bai Zhenzhen arrived at her group’s competition zone.

She saw the other three contestants already there, representing Bailong High School, Purple Cloud High School, and Red Pagoda High School.

The most striking of the three was the contestant from Red Pagoda High School, who looked like a hulking, tiger-headed brute.

The four contestants drew lots, and Bai Zhenzhen drew Hu Yuntao.

After their one-on-one battle, the winner would face the victor of the other match to determine who would advance from the group.

Bai Zhenzhen touched her lower abdomen, feeling the latent power within as she walked slowly toward the arena.

I’ve held back for so long, and finally, I have a chance to use you.

Today, it is finally my turn, Bai Zhenzhen, to soar into the heavens and stun everyone present!

Across from her, Hu Yuntao casually strode onto the arena, seemingly not taking Bai Zhenzhen seriously at all as he glanced around distractedly.

***

Hu Yuntao, like Xiong Bufan who had participated in the Magic Power Competition that day, came from the breeding base within the Monsterfolk Sanctuary.

But Hu Yuntao had never been ashamed of this background, nor did he believe his Monsterfolk heritage made him inferior. On the contrary, Hu Yuntao possessed a deep-seated pride in his race and bloodline.

Because Hu Yuntao carried dragon blood, dragon essence coursed through his veins, making him far nobler than any mortal.

Within the Protected Area, his ‘Father’, a school board member of Red Pagoda High School, would ‘sow seeds’ into prospective mothers of various races each month, ensuring the women in the breeding base carried his children.

Every month, hundreds of Monsterfolk were born within the breeding base, each carrying his Father’s dragon bloodline, which made them extraordinary from birth.

From the womb, these children were constantly injected with various drugs and subjected to adaptive training.

The weak would work while the strong would study. This was the principle Hu Yuntao learned as he grew up.

Those who could not adapt to the drugs from a young age were sent to work in food factories.

As they grew older, those found intellectually deficient would be made workers in the Protected Area.

Later still, those found to be lacking potential were sent to factories producing clothing, leather goods, or textiles.

Only by passing through these successive trials and avoiding one ‘work opportunity’ after another could one reach the paradise known as Red Pagoda High School.

Here, they would sign a contract with Father, becoming his truly acknowledged son.

Only then would they have the chance to continue their education and take the university entrance exams.

I don’t want to work! I want to study! This was the cry echoing in the heart of every Monsterfolk at the breeding base.

And Hu Yuntao was one such child who had overcome these trials to study at Red Pagoda High School.

He had endured countless tests, repeatedly breaking free from the dead-end paths of labor, to finally earn the right to attend high school and take the university entrance exams.

Now, he would use the bloodline bestowed upon him by Father to defeat all his opponents in the Martial Arts Competition and make Father proud.

***

On the arena.

As the referee counted down 3! 2! 1!, Hu Yuntao shot forward. His claws whipped up a vicious wind and a cold glint, slashing toward Bai Zhenzhen like sharp blades.

The woman before him was far inferior in size, strength, and speed. Hu Yuntao was confident he could shred her hands and rip open her throat in the next instant, leaving her utterly defeated.

This single blow is going to land you with 600,000 in Medical Expenses.

But the very next moment, a powerful sense of danger surged through him, causing Hu Yuntao to instinctively halt his advance and leap backward.

He looked again at Bai Zhenzhen and sensed wisps of spiritual energy flowing toward her, even gathering at her fingertips where they coalesced into a faint Sword-light.

Hu Yuntao’s eyes narrowed. “A Combat-type Spirit Root?”

***

In the spectator stands.

Qian Shen watched Bai Zhenzhen’s arena with curiosity. “What kind of Spirit Root is that? I’ve never seen anything like it. But the commotion it’s causing by drawing in spiritual energy is quite significant. It must be a Heavenly Spirit Root, right?”

Zhao Tianxing, who was beside him, chimed in, “No wonder A-Zhen is so broke she can’t even afford food. She must have spent all her money on renting that Combat Spirit Root. It looks like she’s really determined to win.”

Considering the travel cost and the several hours the competition would take, Zhao Tianxing estimated the rental fee for the Combat Spirit Root would cost at least tens of thousands. He could not help but gasp inwardly. Participating in this Martial Arts Competition really cost a fortune.

***

On the arena.

Bai Zhenzhen felt the spiritual energy coursing through her body. They all must be thinking I rented this Combat Spirit Root for the Martial Arts Competition, she thought.

But Bai Zhenzhen knew that was not true.

Compared to renting a Spirit Root, she would rather spend her money on medicine and Cultivation Arts.

After all, she already possessed her own Spirit Root.

To conceal this Spirit Root within her, Bai Zhenzhen felt as if she had been holding in the urge to go to the bathroom since childhood. This restraint had now lasted for ten years.

A-Zhen, you must control yourself. Do not absorb the spiritual energy. Do not let anyone discover your Spirit Root.

For countless mornings, these were the first words Bai Zhenzhen heard upon waking.

A-Zhen, hold it in! Do not cause a stir in the spiritual energy. Do not let anyone discover your Spirit Root.

Countless nights, Bai Zhenzhen was awakened and had to regain control of her Spirit Root, forcing it to cease its activity.

A-Zhen, I know it is difficult, but we can only return to Songyang after you master your control and keep your Spirit Root hidden from everyone.

It was like being surrounded by air but unable to breathe, seeing water but unable to drink, or desperately urge to relieve but forced to hold it in.

Don’t let them discover your Spirit Root!

Don’t be discovered!

Bai Zhenzhen kept suppressing it, on and on, until one day, she felt as if she had suppressed her Spirit Root out of existence.

That day was the happiest Bai Zhenzhen had known since she first gained awareness.

After nine years of suppression and nine years of desperate concealment, the troublesome thing was finally gone. She no longer had to suppress it constantly.

But she soon realized the Spirit Root had not disappeared. It had merely hidden itself, and it was not just the Spirit Root that had gone into hiding.

After repeated attempts to metaphorically “holding her breath,” the Spirit Root had hid her along with it.

She became like a ghost. No one could see her or sense her. Or rather, everyone else seemed like ghosts to her. No one paid her any attention, and no one could communicate with her.

That night… it seemed she was the only one left in the entire world.

Until she found a way to make herself visible again.

***

Watching the spiritual energy surge toward Bai Zhenzhen with increasing intensity, Hu Yuntao decided he could not give her any more time. With a roar, he charged forward again.

But in the next instant, Bai Zhenzhen vanished before his very eyes.

Hu Yuntao’s eyes shot wide open as he scanned the entire Arena.

Nothing!

“A stealth-type Combat Spirit Root?”

To search for her, he quickly retreated to a corner of the Arena. His gaze swept across the entire platform before him, but he could not spot a single trace of Bai Zhenzhen.

Could it be…

The next moment, he jerked his head toward the sky, but still, there was nothing.

An instant later, an overwhelming sense of danger washed over him.

Bai Zhenzhen suddenly reappeared before him, her finger already aimed at Hu Yuntao’s Dantian.

Though the attack was sudden and dangerous, Hu Yuntao reacted with lightning speed. The instant Bai Zhenzhen appeared, he clawed at her outstretched sword finger in a blinding flash.

Hmph! such a weak strength and slow speed. Even with surprise on your side, what makes you think you can beat me?

But the next moment, as if she had seen through the trajectory of his attack all along, Bai Zhenzhen withdrew her sword finger and retreated.

Hu Yuntao lunged forward to pursue but felt a sharp pain in his foot, only to find he had been tripped over his opponent.

Everything was timed so perfectly it was as if he had deliberately thrown himself forward to be tripped.

With a soft thud, Hu Yuntao watched himself tumble out of the Arena, his heart filled with indignation.

ROAR!

“I refuse to accept this! I haven’t even used my full strength yet!”

Watching Hu Yuntao flail wildly before being dragged away by the referee, who held him by the scruff of his neck, Bai Zhenzhen nonchalantly flicked her fingertips.

“What a Fool. I haven’t used my full strength either.”

Bai Zhenzhen wins this match.