76: The second semester brings new challenges (Part 1)

On the simulated battlefield, Lei Huang's Thunder Giant army approached, pressing down with a destructive Aura. These giants, over four meters tall, were wrapped in dazzling electricity, holding giant hammers condensed from lightning, their every step causing the earth to tremble slightly.

Enemy Unit: Thunder Giant (Simulated)

Rank: LV18 - LV22 (Elite)

Attributes: Strength 35-40, Agility 12-15, Physique 30-35, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Spirit 18-20

Traits: 【Lightning Affinity】 (Immune to low-level lightning damage, lightning Spell effect +30%), 【Giant Bloodline】 (High HP, strong physical defense), 【Thunder Shock】 (Attacks carry area-of-effect lightning damage)

Hero Unit: Lei Huang (Simulated)

Rank: LV25

Attributes: Strength 45, Agility 18, Physique 40, Intelligence 15, Wisdom 12, Spirit 25

Skills: 【Summon Thunderstorm】, 【Thunder Wrath】, 【Giant Berserk】

Facing such a formidable enemy, Lin Zhou's eyes sharpened as he quickly issued tactical orders: "Abandon the hills, the whole army retreat to the oasis! Elwin, set up Vast Righteous Qi traps along the way! Bronzebeard, let the dwarves cover the rear and use Earth-shaking Strikes to delay the pursuers! Snik, disperse the Lictors and use the bushes to harass them!"

"What? Retreat? Old Lin, this isn't your style!" Zhao Hao was stunned for a moment; his Red Dragon was already poised to breathe Dragon Breath.

"Execute the order!" Lin Zhou's tone was unquestionable. Su Yueyao glanced at Lin Zhou, seemingly understanding something, and immediately directed the Moon Elves to retreat while fighting, casting 【Moonlight Power】 healing on the dwarven rear guard.

The Hundred Schools Kin followed orders strictly, transferring toward the oasis quickly and orderly. Elwin led the Literary Heart Elves to sprinkle dots of Vast Righteous Qi along the retreat path; these "Qi" acted like landmines, exploding upon being triggered by the Thunder Giants, causing small-range holy damage. Although not fatal, it effectively interfered with their vision and pace.

Bronzebeard led the dwarven breakers to take turns using 【Earth-shaking Strikes】 during the retreat. Although the shockwaves couldn't cause too much damage to the thick-skinned Thunder Giants, they successfully shook the ground, greatly slowing the giants' pursuit speed.

Snik commanded the Lictors to break into smaller units, relying on the 【Underwater Adaptation】 trait to silently sneak into the oasis's water sources and swamp areas, or suddenly throw 【Law-forbidding Chains】 from the bushes to interfere with isolated giants, attacking and running without lingering.

Seeing this, Lei Huang snorted coldly: "Trying to hold out by relying on the terrain? Foolish! Thunder Giants, crush them!" He acted personally, raising both hands, and the thunderclouds in the sky rolled violently!

"Summon Thunderstorm!"

In an instant, dozens of thick lightning bolts descended from the sky, covering a large area! Although most of Lin Zhou's troops had already retreated into the oasis, some of the dwarves responsible for covering the rear were still hit by the lightning. Their 【Runic Battle Armor】 crackled with electricity; although it blocked most of the damage, they still suffered paralysis and minor injuries.

"Retreat into the water and wetlands!" Lin Zhou ordered again.

The oasis area was full of water puddles and wet swamps. When the Thunder Giants chased into this area, their heavy weight immediately became a disadvantage. Their huge feet sank deep into the mire, and their movement speed dropped sharply again! Moreover, the humid environment greatly affected the conduction and power of the electricity around them, and the range and effect of 【Thunder Shock】 were greatly reduced!

"Now is the time! Zhao Hao, aerial suppression! Classmate Su, concentrate fire to kill the giants trapped in the swamp! Elwin, use the Aura of Righteousness Barrier to protect the ranged troops! Bronzebeard, dwarves strike from the flanks! Snik, use the Net of Law to bind the one in the front!" Lin Zhou seized the opportunity and issued a series of precise commands.

Zhao Hao's Red Dragon finally got a chance to perform, circling in the air and continuously spewing Dragon Breath. Although it caused limited damage to the Thunder Giants, it greatly attracted their firepower and attention. Su Yueyao's Moonlight Sentinels shot with unerring accuracy, their arrows imbued with Moonlight Power specifically targeting the eyes and joints of those giants trapped in the mire and unable to move easily. The 【Aura of Righteousness Barrier】 raised by Elwin effectively blocked scattered lightning attacks. Bronzebeard led the dwarves to charge from the side, with 【Armor-Piercing Warhammers】 specifically smashing at the giants' knees and ankles. Snik and the Lictors did their best to bind the LV20 giant rushing at the front, creating an opportunity for concentrated fire.

The tactic worked! Under unfavorable terrain, the Thunder Giants' advantages were greatly weakened, while Lin Zhou's side fully utilized troop coordination and terrain. One by one, the giants wailed and fell into the swamp, turning into simulated data and disappearing.

Lei Huang's face was livid; he hadn't expected the opponent to be so difficult to deal with. "Thunder Wrath!" He erupted with stronger Divine Power, attempting to forcibly turn the tide of the battle, and a huge thunder spear shot toward the direction of Lin Zhou.

"Definition: This attack, trajectory offset!" Lin Zhou used the 【Legalist True Words】 again. Although it couldn't completely negate the attack, it caused the thunder spear to slightly deviate from its target, slamming into a nearby pool and exploding with a sky full of water splashes. The conductive water flow instead caused several nearby giants to convulse all over.

The battle reached a stalemate, but the scales of victory were already beginning to tilt toward Lin Zhou's side. The number of Lei Huang's kin was steadily decreasing, while although Lin Zhou's three parties also had losses, their core strength remained.

Just as Lei Huang hesitated whether to use the resource-heavy 【Giant Berserk】, a grand prompt sounded over the battlefield:

【Remaining number of people: 100. The first round of the qualifying melee has ended. The list of those advancing is determined.】

As light flashed, the consciousness of everyone still engaged in battle was pulled out of the battlefield.

...

Lin Zhou's consciousness returned to his body, and he sat up from the Divine Domain connection pod. The surroundings were noisy, with excited cheers of those who successfully advanced intertwined with the frustrated sighs of those who were eliminated.

"Old Lin! We advanced! Hahaha!" Zhao Hao patted Lin Zhou's shoulder hard, his excitement overflowing. Su Yueyao also walked over and nodded slightly to Lin Zhou, her cold eyes carrying a trace of recognition. The coordination just now, and Lin Zhou's on-the-spot command and grasp of the battle situation, left a deep impression on her.

On the light screen, the final ranking was listed. Lin Zhou was ranked 19th, Zhao Hao 15th, and Su Yueyao 22nd. Although Lei Huang was a bit embarrassed at the end, relying on the advantages accumulated in the early stage, he was still ranked 8th. Zhou Feng was eliminated early, with a ranking outside of two hundred.

"Well done." Class teacher Old Wang walked over with a gratified smile on his face, "Especially Lin Zhou, your tactical command and kin coordination have distinctive features. Prepare well for the upcoming arena tournament; that is where individual strength is truly tested."

"Yes, Teacher Wang." Lin Zhou responded calmly. Being able to advance was within his expectations. The upcoming one-on-one arena tournament was the real challenge. He needed to digest the experience of the melee as soon as possible and prepare for the strong enemies he might encounter.

Meanwhile, in the real Divine Domain.

Old farmer Barton and the believers knew nothing about the simulated battlefield; they were still rejoicing for the newly expanded land and the 【White Jade Spirit Rice】 that was about to be harvested. The Divine Domain area exceeded twenty square kilometers, nourished by the Dragon Vein and blessed by the Altar of Shennong, everything was developing in the best direction.

However, Snik (main body), who was responsible for guarding the death passage, keenly noticed a trace of abnormality. The passage sealed by the 【Lawful Boundary】 seemed "quieter" than usual. The unconscious dissipation of death Aura from before had almost completely disappeared, and the fluctuations of the passage had also become more obscure, as if... something on the opposite side was deliberately restraining its Aura, observing in secret.

Snik immediately reported this situation to Lin Zhou, who had just returned.

Lin Zhou's consciousness sank into the Divine Domain, and he came to the passage in person. Sure enough, the passage gave a strange sense of calmness. He tried to probe a trace of Divine Sense into it, but it was like a clay ox entering the sea, blocked by a deeper, colder death will.

"Something with intelligence has awakened on the other side?" Lin Zhou frowned. This was definitely not good news. A death-plane creature with intelligence was far more dangerous than an unconscious tide of undead.

He reinforced the 【Lawful Boundary】 and ordered Snik to send double the manpower, while also letting Elwin lead the Literary Heart Elves Spell group to set up another layer of 【Purifying Evil Light Lotus】 formation outside the boundary, just in case.

With the school arena tournament concerning his future inside, and the potential threat of death outside, Lin Zhou felt a trace of pressure. But he did not panic; instead, he became calmer.

"Soldiers come, block with generals; water comes, cover with earth. The top priority is to improve one's own strength." He cast his gaze toward the upcoming arena tournament, as well as those resources in the Divine Domain that were urgently waiting to be converted into actual combat power.