Divine-level Base

Within each cubicle stood a Spirit Sect Realm expert from one of the major Extraordinary Academies. This was a precaution against anyone targeting their school’s geniuses.

The Void Demon Association was insidious, and no one knew how many moles they had planted within the major Extraordinary Academies. In the past, students who had defected to the Void Demon Association had launched sudden attacks, assassinating peerless prodigies of the Qianyuan Republic while they were deep in slumber. It was for this very reason that Spirit Sect Realm experts were specifically assigned to guard these students.

"Quick, look! That’s Spirit Saint Wu Zhongchao!"

Shen Xuan, sitting beside Shu Feng, suddenly exclaimed with excitement.

Shu Feng looked toward the high platform and saw a middle-aged man of average build and ordinary features sitting atop the dais of the Grand Martial Arts Arena, looking down on everyone below. Yet, he radiated an air of soaring confidence and unparalleled dominance.

That middle-aged man was the legendary Spirit Saint of the Qianyuan Republic, Wu Zhongchao!

Wu Zhongchao was a graduate of Shuijing High School, one of the three great Extraordinary High Schools, yet he had remained completely unknown throughout his three years there. After entering university, he ventured alone into the Black Tortoise Realm, infiltrating the Great Wheel Temple—a Martial Arts Holy Land—to cultivate in seclusion. He mastered the temple’s foundational classic, the Sutra of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, then continued to temper himself through bitter cultivation across the Black Tortoise Realm, eventually ascending to the rank of Martial Saint and becoming a regional overlord.

After becoming a Martial Saint in the Black Tortoise Realm, Wu Zhongchao went straight to the Gulondo World, becoming a Legendary Mage in a mere seven years. Upon his return to the Qianyuan Republic, it took him only five more years to reach the Spirit Saint Realm. His life was the stuff of legend.

Every Spirit Saint on Blue Star was a peerless prodigy, but experts like Wu Zhongchao—who had reached the peak in multiple worlds in less than a century—were still exceedingly rare and could be counted on one hand.

Below Wu Zhongchao sat more than a dozen of the Qianyuan Republic’s top dignitaries. Each possessed an extraordinary air, and there was no shortage of handsome faces among them. Yet even in this group of extraordinary individuals, he stood out like a torch among candles, commanding all attention.

Wu Zhongchao said calmly, "Begin."

The moment Wu Zhongchao’s voice faded, the void trembled slightly. The ethereal and profoundly mysterious Original Dream Tree materialized, and countless enigmatic vines descended from the sky, transforming into dream-like threads that snaked toward the crowd.

The young prodigies grasped the threads one by one and were immediately plunged into a dream state.

Enormous screens of light materialized in the void, displaying the locations of each of the Qianyuan Republic’s prodigies.

Shu Feng found himself in a dense mountain forest.

’It’s begun!’

Shu Feng scanned his surroundings and, with a casual slash of his sword, sent a beam of Sword Qi flying. It struck a large tree, slicing it—and the Spirit Master-level Ghost-devouring Demon behind it—cleanly in two.

A "+1" symbol flashed in Shu Feng’s mind.

This National High School Spiritual Martial Arts Competition was a contest designed to closely simulate real combat. The students from all the Extraordinary High Schools were placed into this Dream Realm, which was populated with countless Void Demons.

In this Dream Realm, the students from the Extraordinary High Schools had to fight the countless Void Demons using only Spiritual Martial Arts. Killing a Level 1 Spirit Master-level Void Demon was worth 1 point; by that logic, a Level 9 Spirit Master-level Void Demon was worth 9 points. Killing a Level 1 Great Spirit Master-level Void Demon was worth 100 points, and so on, up to 900 points for a Level 9 Great Spirit Master-level Void Demon.

Killing another student allowed the victor to plunder half of the loser’s points.

Within this Dream Realm, students could either cooperate or fight against one another, making the experience incredibly similar to real combat. The only difference was that dying in the Dream Realm did not mean dying in reality.

The battle would last for three days. Afterward, the twenty people with the highest scores would receive a reward.

A flicker of curiosity arose in Shu Feng’s mind. ’They’re training Spirit Warriors to fight in the Black Tortoise Realm! Even Spirit Saint Wu Zhongchao came to watch. Could there be a major operation planned there?’

’My status isn’t high enough. Without enough intelligence, it’s pointless to speculate!’

With a mere thought, Shu Feng activated his Spiritual Power, unleashing the Spiritual Pressure of a Level 9 Spirit Master, which swept out in all directions.

’Here they come!’

Before long, Void Demons began to converge like sharks that had scented blood. Shu Feng smiled faintly, raised his sword, and walked toward them. With every flash of his blade, one Void Demon after another fell before him.

’Too weak! To win, I have to go to a Void Demon Nest! That’s the only place to find High-level Void Demons!’

In no time, dozens of Void Demons had fallen to his sword. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he strode purposefully in the direction of a Void Demon Nest.

In this Dream Realm, the closer one got to a Void Demon Nest, the stronger the Void Demons became. Those who lacked confidence could simply hide on the periphery.

As for the experts aiming for first place, they had to venture into the Void Demon Nests to hunt High-level Void Demons. This forced all the top-tier prodigies to gather in the same areas and clash, revealing who was truly the strongest.

In another part of the forest, a stunningly beautiful girl with long legs, her hair tied in a high ponytail, and wearing a Xuanwei High School uniform and exquisite makeup, was attacking Shen Xuan of Shuijing High School. She executed the Great Demon Suppression Sword Technique, a Superior Swordsmanship, with broad, sweeping movements, thrusting her blade at Shen Xuan, one of his school’s "Three Heroes and Seven Elites."

Shen Xuan executed the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, another Superior Swordsmanship. The light of his sword flowed like layered clouds as he struggled to defend himself, yet he was still losing ground with every exchange.

Five prodigies from Xuanwei High School and three from Shuijing High School stood watching from the sidelines.

CLANG!

After dozens of moves, Shen Xuan’s long sword was sent flying. He retreated abruptly, a wound so deep that bone was visible now gashed his right hand, dripping blood continuously.

The long-legged beauty smiled sweetly and said, "So this is all Shuijing High School’s ’Three Heroes and Seven Elites’ amounts to. Shen Xuan, since you’ve lost, hand over all your points!"

"Zhao Qingqing, don’t get cocky! Someone from Shuijing High School will come and put you in your place!"

Shen Xuan gritted his teeth. With a thought, the points above his head began to disappear, while the score above Zhao Qingqing’s head began to skyrocket.

The other three prodigies from Shuijing High School also gritted their teeth and transferred their points to Zhao Qingqing.

In this Dream Realm, duels and wagers were not forbidden; winning points from others was considered a valid strategy.

Zhao Qingqing laughed arrogantly. "Among your ’Three Heroes and Seven Elites’ at Shuijing High School, only Ning Bufan has any real skill. And even he might not be a match for me!"

"And what about me?"

A calm voice spoke from the side. Zhao Qingqing’s eyes narrowed, and looking toward the source of the voice, she saw Shu Feng walking slowly toward them.

When Shen Xuan saw Shu Feng, his eyes lit up and he shouted a warning, "Shu Feng, be careful! She’s Zhao Qingqing, the second seat of the Ten Elites of Xuanwei, and she has mastered the Great Demon Suppression Sword Technique!"