29: Chapter 29: Fame Arises in the Secret Realm, Qualification for the National Competition

The moment the spatial rift of the Ten Thousand Beast Ridge Secret Realm completely closed, a deafening cheer erupted in the plaza at the foot of the mountain.

Several streaks of light shot out from the rift, landing steadily before the Provincial Martial Arts Alliance referees who had been waiting for a long time. They were Lin Zhou, Qin Yue, and Su Ye, along with other surviving Genius students. At this moment, they were all in tattered clothes, more or less covered in wounds, their faces filled with the joy and exhaustion of surviving a disaster.

The referees stepped forward quickly; the white-bearded old man leading them was the leader of the Provincial Martial Arts Alliance, Zhou Qing. His gaze swept over everyone, and when it finally landed on Lin Zhou, a hint of undisguisable amazement flashed in his eyes.

"Everyone, you've worked hard." Zhou Qing's voice was loud, spreading across the entire plaza. "This trip to the Ten Thousand Beast Ridge Secret Realm was exceptionally dangerous; it is a great fortune just to come out alive. Next, we will conduct the final rankings based on your gains in the Secret Realm and the Rank of the exotic beasts you killed!"

As his voice fell, the referees immediately got busy. Holding specially made detection Jade Slips, they scanned everyone's storage rings one by one, recording the exotic beast Materials, Spirit Medicine, Legacy fragments, and other precious items inside.

Around the plaza, mentors and reporters from major martial arts academies had already gathered. Camera flashes went off one after another, freezing everyone's figures on film.

"Look! That's Lin Zhou from Jiangcheng Martial Arts University! I heard he killed a Pseudo-King Rank Earth-Splitting Giant Bear in the Secret Realm!"

"For real? A Pseudo-King Rank exotic beast! Even legendary rank experts find them difficult to deal with. How could he, a Peak epic rank, manage it?"

"Don't you know yet? He has a sun-shooting bow fragment in his hand; that's a part of an ancient Divine Artifact, with boundless power!"

Discussions surged like a tide, and everyone's gaze focused on Lin Zhou, filled with curiosity, respect, and a hint of disbelief.

Zhang Hao's figure also appeared in the crowd, supported by two referees, the wound on his thigh still bleeding and his face as pale as paper. He looked at Lin Zhou, who was surrounded by the crowd, his eyes full of resentment and unwillingness, yet he didn't dare to make any move. The Blood Shadow Old Monster had already fled; he had lost his last backer and could now only be dealt with by the referees.

Soon, the ranking results were tallied.

Zhou Qing held a golden list, walked slowly onto the high platform, cleared his throat, and said loudly: "Now, I announce the final rankings of this Ten Thousand Beast Ridge provincial Secret Realm assessment!"

The plaza fell silent instantly; everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the list in Zhou Qing's hand.

"Third place, Jingdu Martial Arts University, Wang Chen! Killed three Peak epic rank exotic beasts and obtained one ancient sword Dao Legacy fragment, totaling eight thousand points!"

Hearing this, Wang Chen walked slowly onto the high platform and took the copper medal handed over by Zhou Qing. His gaze swept over Lin Zhou, and he nodded slightly as a greeting. After fighting side by side in the Secret Realm, he was already thoroughly convinced by Lin Zhou.

"Second place, Donghai Martial Arts University, Li Mengyao! Killed five High-Rank Epic exotic beasts and obtained a Thousand-Year Snow Lotus, totaling eight thousand five hundred points!"

A young girl in a pink dress walked onto the platform, took the silver medal, and a sweet smile appeared on her face.

Zhou Qing paused, turned his gaze toward Lin Zhou, and his voice suddenly rose several decibels: "First place, Jiangcheng Martial Arts University, Lin Zhou! Killed one Pseudo-King Rank exotic beast and ten epic rank exotic beasts, obtained one sun-shooting bow fragment and one ancient Archery Dao Legacy, totaling fifteen thousand points! The well-deserved champion!"

Boom!

The whole place instantly exploded!

Fifteen thousand points! It exceeded the second place by a full six thousand five hundred! This gap was like heaven and earth!

"My god! Fifteen thousand points! This is too terrifying!"

"A Pseudo-King Rank exotic beast plus a sun-shooting bow fragment—this reward is simply Heaven-Defying!"

"Jiangcheng Martial Arts University is going to rise this time! With a Genius like Lin Zhou appearing, the future is promising!"

Cheers swept through the venue like a tsunami, and the reporters' camera flashes flickered frantically, wishing they could record every expression of Lin Zhou.

Lin Zhou took a deep breath and walked slowly onto the platform. His pace was steady, his eyes calm, and his aura was restrained, yet he still couldn't hide that sharpness.

Zhou Qing looked at Lin Zhou with approval in his eyes; he personally hung a golden medal around Lin Zhou's neck and handed over an exquisite wooden box.

"Student Lin Zhou, you truly deserve it!" Zhou Qing's voice carried a hint of excitement. "This medal is a recognition of your strength. And inside this wooden box is the Entry Token for the National Martial Arts Tournament! Three months from now, Geniuses from major competition zones across the country will gather in the capital to compete for the championship throne! I hope you can represent our province and create glory again!"

National Martial Arts Tournament!

These four words exploded in everyone's ears like a thunderclap!

That was the top martial arts event in the country, gathering Genius experts from all over, a stage that every Martial Artist dreamed of!

Lin Zhou took the wooden box; it felt warm to the touch. He opened it, and inside lay a silver token engraved with the six ancient characters for "National Martial Arts Tournament," emitting a faint glow.

"Thank you, Alliance Leader." Lin Zhou bowed, his voice powerful and resonant. "I will certainly not let down the expectations of the Provincial Alliance!"

Zhou Qing nodded with satisfaction and spoke loudly into the microphone again: "In addition, after deliberation by the Provincial Martial Arts Alliance, it has been decided to grant Student Lin Zhou the title of 'Provincial Martial Arts Pioneer,' reward him with one hundred thousand Cultivate resources, and one copy of the legendary rank Cultivation Technique, 'Cloud-Piercing Arrow Technique'!"

One hundred thousand Cultivate resources! A legendary rank Cultivation Technique!

The mentors present were all green with envy! These rewards were something even some veteran legendary rank experts might not necessarily get their hands on!

Qin Yue and Su Ye stood below the platform, watching the radiant Lin Zhou on stage, their faces showing heartfelt smiles.

"Great! Lin Zhou got the qualification for the national tournament!" Su Ye shouted excitedly, almost jumping up.

Qin Yue smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling: "His path is destined to go beyond this."

On the high platform, Lin Zhou raised the silver token in his hand and waved it toward the crowd.

Instantly, the cheers reached their Peak!

Countless people shouted Lin Zhou's name, the sound echoing through the clouds, spreading across the entire Ten Thousand Beast Ridge, the entire Jiangcheng, and the entire province!

From today on, the name Lin Zhou will resound throughout the provincial martial arts world!

After the assessment ended, the three of them were surrounded by countless reporters, with various questions hitting them like raindrops.

"Student Lin Zhou, may I ask what the secret to killing a Pseudo-King Rank exotic beast is?"

"Will the sun-shooting bow fragment you obtained allow your strength to reach another level?"

"For the upcoming National Martial Arts Tournament, what is your goal?"

Facing the reporters' persistent questioning, Lin Zhou maintained a calm and composed attitude throughout. He answered a few questions briefly and then squeezed out of the crowd under the cover of Qin Yue and Su Ye.

Sitting in the private car returning to Jiangcheng, Su Ye still couldn't hide his excitement: "Lin Zhou, you're famous! Now the entire provincial martial arts world knows your name!"

Qin Yue also chuckled softly: "The National Martial Arts Tournament is full of experts; you should prepare well. Three months is enough for you to break through to the legendary rank."

Lin Zhou nodded, his gaze falling on the silver token in his hand, his eyes shining with a burning light.

First place in the provincial Secret Realm was just a beginning.

The National Martial Arts Tournament was the real stage.

There, there would be stronger opponents, richer rewards, and a broader world.

And he, Lin Zhou, would surely burst forth with even more dazzling light on the national stage!

The car slowly drove away from Ten Thousand Beast Ridge, speeding toward Jiangcheng. The scenery outside the window receded rapidly, but in Lin Zhou's heart, he had already begun to plan his future Cultivate path.

Break through to the legendary rank and prepare for the national tournament!

This was his next goal!