28: Chapter 28 Cross-School Provocation

When Wang Pingan exited his Divine Kingdom, the two thousand Heavy Immortal-Martial Legions on the northern martial training ground were still repeatedly practicing the Xianwu Meat Grinder Array.

He did not continue accelerating time, instead having Wang Shan and Wang Mu lead the legion to digest the new Formation on their own.

The Xianwu Meat Grinder Array had just taken shape, and forcing time acceleration would instead easily solidify incorrect habits.

Outside it was already morning, and the classes at Tianhai No. 1 High School began as usual.

Wang Pingan sat in the back row of the classroom, his wrist watch still displaying the progress of the logistics orders.

Zhao Yang's second batch of spiritual wheat and iron ore were already on the way, and Wang Qingyan's healing Spiritual Plant delivery had also been completed.

These things were inconspicuous, yet they could keep his warfare Divine Kingdom turning.

Old Li just walked into the classroom, and his expression was tighter than usual.

He did not start lecturing immediately, instead tapping on the podium.

"Today's actual combat class is canceled; everyone go to the grand auditorium."

A chorus of discussions instantly sounded in the classroom.

Zhao Yang leaned close to Wang Pingan and whispered, "Something's not right. Old Li's expression looks like someone owes him eight million."

Wang Pingan turned off his wrist watch and stood up, following the queue outside.

Quite a few students had already gathered outside the grand auditorium. Not just Grade 3 Class 4, almost the entire senior grade had been called over.

The sand table deduction platforms in the very center of the auditorium were all activated, and more than a dozen holographic combat cabins were also glowing with blue light.

A group of students wearing dark blue school uniforms stood on the other side, the badges on their chests reading Tianhai Second Middle School.

The team leader was a male teacher in his thirties with a smile on his face, but his eyes carried a critical look.

After Old Li led Class 4 to enter, the expressions of several teachers from No. 1 High School did not look very good.

Wang Pingan quickly understood that this was an inter-school exchange battle.

Tianhai No. 1 High School and Tianhai Second Middle School were both in Tianhai City, and they would hold an exchange battle every year after the Awakening season.

Calling it an exchange was actually probing each other out, and it was also an opportunity for the two schools to vie for the Federal Education Bureau's attention.

Whichever family's students performed better would get more resource inclination that year.

Tianhai No. 1 High School had generally suppressed No. 2 High School by a head these past few years, so No. 2 High School always held back their strength every time they came.

This year, No. 1 High School produced an A+ evaluation like Wang Pingan, so it would be strange if No. 2 High School didn't come.

Wang Pingan originally didn't have much interest.

Winning this kind of exchange battle might not bring many benefits, but losing meant being watched and gossiped about.

What he lacked most right now were resources that could be converted into combat power, not verbal prestige within the school.

But the students of No. 2 High School quickly pushed the atmosphere to its ugliest point.

In the first match, a student from No. 2 High School who controlled beast-pattern Martial Artists frontally defeated a C+ student from No. 1 High School's Class 3.

In the second match, a fire-magic Divine Kingdom student from No. 2 High School used thirty fire-magic subjects to burn straight through the No. 1 High School student's Shield Soldiers Formation.

In the third match, No. 2 High School dispatched their true leading figure.

That person was named Gu Jianbai, with a rather slender build, sharp eyebrows and eyes, and a decorative long sword hanging at his waist.

As soon as he went on stage, the students from No. 2 High School immediately quieted down.

The team-leading teacher introduced with a smile: "Gu Jianbai, overall evaluation A, majoring in the Sword Dao civilization, with an initial Divine Kingdom area of ninety square kilometers."

The expressions of quite a few students on No. 1 High School's side changed.

An A-grade evaluation was a top-tier Genius in any school.

What was even more troublesome was the Sword Dao civilization.

This route was extreme, sacrificing food, mining, Spirit Planting, and other developments in the early stage, piling all resources onto the Sword Cultivator subjects.

If they could sustain the early stage, the combat power would be terrifyingly high.

Gu Jianbai stepped onto the sand table deduction platform and casually clicked open the projection.

Three hundred Sword Cultivator subjects appeared, every single one wearing cyan-gray cloth clothes, with a Flying Sword suspended in their hands, their auras fierce and violent.

Exclamations immediately rang out in the auditorium.

"Three hundred Sword Cultivators? How long has he even been through the Awakening?"

"The Sword Dao civilization is too fierce in the early stage; ordinary troops simply cannot withstand it."

"No. 2 High School is probably here to slap faces this year."

The student dispatched by No. 1 High School was quickly defeated.

As soon as the opponent's Shield Soldiers formed up, Gu Jianbai's Sword Cultivators simultaneously manipulated their swords.

With a round of volley fire from the Flying Swords, the Shield Soldiers front line was scattered on the spot.

The second No. 1 High School student took the stage, bringing three hundred spear Martial Artists.

As a result, before they even got close, they were cut apart from both flanks by the Sword Cultivators.

The third student was even more miserable; before his Spirit Beast could even charge up, it was nailed into the sand table by a Flying Sword.

After three consecutive victories, the laughter from No. 2 High School grew louder and louder.

Gu Jianbai stood on the stage and glanced at No. 1 High School's student area.

"Is Tianhai No. 1 High School only at this level?"

As those words fell, the anger in the auditorium was completely ignited.

A student immediately counterattacked: "What are you acting arrogant for? Is winning against a few ordinary classes considered true skill?"

Gu Jianbai smiled, his tone even more grating.

"I thought that since No. 1 High School dared to set up such a grand auditorium, they could at least produce a few who can actually fight."

Old Li's complexion was already livid.

The other teachers didn't look good either, but inter-school exchange battles had rules; once students took the stage, teachers could not casually interfere.

No. 2 High School's team leader was still smiling, even hypocritically reminding: "Gu Jianbai, speak more politely. After all, this is No. 1 High School."

Gu Jianbai acknowledged it verbally, but there was not the slightest bit of restraint on his face.

He turned his head to look at No. 1 High School's student area, his gaze quickly falling onto Wang Pingan.

"I heard your No. 1 High School produced an A+ evaluation named Wang Pingan?"

The entire auditorium quieted down.

Wang Pingan sat in the back row, not even changing his posture.

Zhao Yang's expression sank, and he whispered: "This brat is coming for you."

Wang Qingyan also looked toward Wang Pingan, her eyes carrying worry.

She knew Wang Pingan was very strong, but Gu Jianbai was obviously not an ordinary student.

Extreme Sword Dao civilization; its early-stage combat power was best at tearing through Formations.

Old Li's gaze also cast over.

He did not speak to urge him, but the pressure in that gaze was already very clear.

No. 1 High School had already lost three consecutive matches.

If Wang Pingan didn't step up, No. 1 High School's face today would truly be trampled into the ground by No. 2 High School.

Seeing that Wang Pingan did not move, Gu Jianbai's tone became even more wild.

"What, can an A+ evaluation only hide in the back and watch the show?"

Someone on No. 2 High School's student side immediately jeered.

"Brother Gu, don't make things hard for him. He probably dumped all his resources into the panel."

"Rumors about this kind of thing are understood by those who know; the fiercer the boast, the more hollow the actual combat."

No. 1 High School's students were so angry their faces turned red, but no one dared to rashly go up.

They had already seen Gu Jianbai's combat power clearly just now.

Ordinary students going up would simply be delivering kills.

Wang Pingan still did not stand up.

He didn't have much interest in verbal disputes.

Gu Jianbai's provocation was grating, but he had no obligation to expose more trump cards just for a few words.

He only wanted resources.

Seeing Wang Pingan still sitting upright, Gu Jianbai frowned slightly.

He took out a grayish-black card from his wrist watch space and held it between two fingers.

As soon as the card appeared, the expressions of several teachers in the auditorium changed slightly.

Old Li's gaze condensed.

Wang Pingan's sight also rested on that card.

Blood-colored mist rolled on the face of the card, and the shadow of military Formations slaughtering could faintly be seen.

Gu Jianbai raised the card, his voice spreading throughout the auditorium.

"D-Rank Legion Killing Aura Concentration Method, which allows the legion to condense Evil Qi during long-term combat, enhancing the suppression of the charge and the probability of enemy morale collapse."

An exclamation suddenly erupted in the auditorium.

A D-rank legion card was already a top-grade item for newly awakened students.

Moreover, this card was not an ordinary combat skill, but a legion-growth-type technique.

The earlier such a thing was used, the more profitable it was.

The more the legion killed and the thicker the Evil Qi accumulated, in the later stages it could even crush the minds of enemy troops of the same rank.

There was finally a change in the depths of Wang Pingan's eyes.

This thing was just right for his Xianwu Meat Grinder Array.

The Heavy Immortal-Martial Legion would be responsible for advancing, the Evil Qi for suppressing minds, and paired with the crimson flame saber and Black Iron Shield, it could raise the slaughter effect up another notch.

Gu Jianbai stared at Wang Pingan, his tone carrying provocation.

"If you win, this card belongs to you."

Old Li's expression changed, and he immediately looked at No. 2 High School's team leader.

No. 2 High School's team leader did not stop him, instead smiling and saying: "Adding a little stake between students can also make the exchange more interesting."

All the students on No. 1 High School's side looked toward Wang Pingan.

This was no longer a simple provocation.

The opponent had brought out the real deal.

Zhao Yang anxiously lowered his voice: "Pingan, this card is truly valuable, but this brat is definitely prepared."

Wang Qingyan also reminded him: "The Sword Dao civilization has very strong early-stage burst, and he brought out this kind of wager, which shows he has confidence."

Wang Pingan stood up.

Zhao Yang was stunned.

Wang Pingan looked at Gu Jianbai, his tone calm.

"I accept the wager."

All sounds in the auditorium quickly subsided.

The corners of Gu Jianbai's mouth curled up.

"You're finally willing to come out."

Wang Pingan walked toward the combat cabin, pausing for a moment when passing by Old Li.

Old Li looked at him, his tone steady.

"Don't be careless. Gu Jianbai is not an ordinary A-grade evaluation; his father is one of the school directors of No. 2 High School, and his family has poured a lot of Sword Dao resources into him. He came today just to step on you."

Wang Pingan nodded.

This motive was very clear.

No. 2 High School wanted to use the exchange battle to suppress No. 1 High School this year, and Gu Jianbai also wanted to step on his A+ evaluation to build momentum for himself.

Before the Nova Assessment, reputation itself was a resource.

As long as Gu Jianbai won, he would be able to elevate his position in No. 2 High School, the Gu family, and even the Department of Education.

Before walking into the combat cabin, Wang Pingan looked back at that D-Rank Legion Killing Aura Concentration Method card.

"Old Li, help me keep an eye on that card."

Old Li was taken aback, then scolded with a smile: "You brat, win first before talking!"

Wang Pingan entered the combat cabin.

The cabin door closed, and the holographic sand table began connecting the projections of both sides' Divine Kingdoms.

Gu Jianbai also entered the other combat cabin.

The auditorium's large screen lit up, and the names of the two simultaneously appeared.

[Tianhai No. 1 High School, Wang Pingan.]

[Tianhai Second Middle School, Gu Jianbai.]

The No. 1 High School students off stage all held their breath.

The No. 2 High School students were full of anticipation, waiting to see Gu Jianbai shatter No. 1 High School's strongest signboard.

Old Li stood in front of the teachers' seating area with his hands behind his back, his gaze closely staring at the large screen.

He was suppressing a fire in his heart.

This match must be won.

And it must be won beautifully.