strokinit Chapter 162 The Back-to-School Craze Begins
Chapter 162 The Back-to-School Craze Begins
The carriage rolled across the bluestone path in front of Xingwu University, its tracks still carrying fine, grayish-white dust from the border. The dust dripped from between the wheels, leaving two faint trails on the stones. The afternoon sun shone through the ancient locust trees on either side of the gate, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone. These spots of light danced and shifted on the carriage curtain as it moved.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Lin Chen leaned out. The afternoon sun streamed in, falling on his robes. It was the same school uniform he'd worn when he left, the collar buttoned neatly, but the fabric carried a faint smell of gunpowder—not strong, but indelible, as if it had seeped into the fibers, impossible to remove no matter how much he scrubbed. He stood on the carriage shaft, not in a hurry to disembark, his gaze sweeping over the familiar scene inside the school gate—the stone lions on either side, the old man dozing in the guardhouse, the notices plastered all over the bulletin board, the roses blooming brightly in the flowerbeds. Everything was the same, yet everything was different.
Students who had heard the news had already gathered at the school gate. It wasn't a deliberate organization; the news had spread, and everyone had come spontaneously. Some ran from the teaching building, still clutching their textbooks; some ran from the direction of the cafeteria, rice grains still on their lips; some ran from the dormitory area in slippers, the soles slapping the ground. They stood on both sides of the school gate, without crowding or making a fuss, just standing and watching the five people disembark from the car one by one. The moment Lin Chen's feet touched the ground, someone first bowed, then one, two, ten, a hundred—the students in the front row all cupped their hands, and those in the back followed suit. No one shouted slogans, no one applauded, just quietly and solemnly raised their hands to their chests and bowed slightly.
Su Ling'er was the last to jump out of the car. The medicine box swayed twice at her waist, but she reached out and held it steady. She looked up and saw the dark mass of people at the entrance and the neatly arranged cupped hands in greeting. She paused for a moment, then smiled, a bright smile that revealed two rows of white teeth. Her ponytail swung behind her as she waved to the crowd.
Ye Zihan squeezed through the crowd. She was carrying a thick stack of documents, higher than her chin, with only half her face visible from the side. She ran quickly, her ponytail swinging wildly behind her, the documents teetering in her arms. As she ran, she pressed her chin down on the top sheet of paper, shouting, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" She burst into the front of the five people, the documents clattering onto the stone platform by the roadside.
"You're finally back!" Her voice was quick and crisp, like popping beans, her face beaming with joy, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons. "The whole school is talking about your exploits at the border; many younger students look up to you as role models. Oh, by the way—" She pulled a piece of paper from a pile of documents and handed it to Lin Chen. The paper smelled of ink and still carried the warmth of the printer. "The school-wide selection for the Global Youth Martial Arts Competition starts in three days. Each college has submitted its seeded players, and we're waiting for you to return to finalize the list."
Su Ling'er leaned closer and glanced at the paper, which was densely filled with names and academies. She patted the medicine pouch at her waist and joked with a smile, "Why even choose? The five of us have fought our way from the secret realm to the border, from the underground lair to the Blackstone Mountain walls. Our teamwork is already perfect. Who can beat us?"
"Don't underestimate them." Chu Fan took the list of contestants from Ye Zihan, his fingers quickly flipping through the pages. The list was thick, with dozens of pages, each printed with the contestant's photo, name, cultivation level, and characteristics of their techniques. His gaze first swept over the list from the Martial Arts Academy, then paused, his brows furrowing slightly. The names of the three veteran students from the Martial Arts Academy were all marked "Mid-stage Transformation Realm," with the remarks section stating "Top Ten of Previous Genius Rankings."
He continued flipping through the list. On the list for the Array Formation Academy, Shen Qing's name was circled in red, with a handwritten note beside it: "His mastery of the Maze Array is unparalleled; even the array formation teachers can't break it." On the list for the Alchemy Department, after the name of Mo Laoguai's disciple was written "Instantaneous use of Alchemy Fire in battle," the handwriting messy but heavily emphasized, the raised pen marks palpable on the back of the paper. He closed the list and adjusted his glasses.
Leng Feng stood to the side, his battle sword slung behind his back, the hilt protruding from his right shoulder. He crossed his arms and, after listening to Chu Fan read out the list of formidable enemies, simply said, "We'll see after we fight."
Su Muyue stood beside Lin Chen, her fingertips lightly brushing the edge of the array flag. The flag was tucked into a side pocket of her backpack, only a section of the silver-white flagpole visible. The flagpole was engraved with fine runes that shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Her fingers paused on the flagpole, feeling the slight warmth emanating from the runes—the Martial Emperor bloodline sensing the power of the array flag.
"The school selection is just for getting the team together; the real focus is the global competition." Her voice was soft and gentle, but every word was clear. "Geniuses from all over the world gather here; it's a veritable treasure trove. And the evil race will never let such a grand event pass by; they'll most likely infiltrate it secretly. It's impossible to defend against."
Lin Chen nodded. He raised his head, his gaze passing over the crowd to the martial arts plaza deep within the academy. The plaza was vast, covering dozens of acres, surrounded by stone stands capable of holding tens of thousands of people. At this moment, the plaza was bustling with activity. Dozens of workers were constructing the selection arena. The frame of the arena was already erected, with tall wooden pillars and thick beams. The surface of the arena was paved with thick bluestone slabs, the gaps between which were embedded array nodes—palm-sized copper discs, engraved with runes, their surfaces shimmering with spiritual light. People were already sparring on the arena. Two figures moved back and forth, their true energy flashing, the muffled thuds of fists colliding echoing through the plaza. Students stood in twos and threes below the arena, some cheering, some commenting, and some watching silently.
After breaking through to the mid-stage of the Transformation Realm in the border battle, his Stellar Qi became nearly twice as thick as before, and its condensation level also reached a new level. However, the realm after the breakthrough still needs polishing, and his Stellar Qi still needs to be tested in actual combat. The school selection is just the right time to hone his skills.