30: Chapter 30 Battle Arena

Provincial Capital, heavenly pride list Observation Room.

3:17 AM.

A massive light screen floated in mid-air, refreshing the ranking data of the Qinglin Province heavenly pride list in real-time. In front of the screen, ten leather chairs were arranged in a fan shape, each occupied by a figure with a profound aura.

They were the recruitment officers from the top ten academies.

Imperial Capital Academy, Magic Capital Academy, Jinling Academy, Xinghai Academy, Kunlun Academy... each was a top-tier Creator institution in the country, and the recruitment officers sent by each were at least Seventh-Order world Creators.

Normally, if any one of these people appeared in a local city, the local education director would personally accompany them.

But at this moment, all ten were squeezed into this observation room of less than fifty square meters, staring wide-eyed at the same light screen.

"It moved again."

The speaker was the recruitment officer from Imperial Capital Academy, a middle-aged man with slightly graying temples, wearing a washed-out gray cloth robe, looking like a down-and-out schoolteacher. However, his eyes were so deep they seemed capable of seeing through everything.

"From twenty-ninth to ninth, it only took... one day."

The recruitment officer from Magic Capital Academy was a woman in her early thirties, wearing a black qipao with a seductive figure and exquisite makeup. At this moment, she was staring at the name on the light screen, a dangerous light flickering in her eyes.

"Yin Qi World. Trash grade. Second day after awakening, Third-Order. At least four hero units. Combat records... Yaksha Realm, Crimson Blood Realm, Fungal Realm, all devoured, zero defeats."

As she read out these statistics, her voice grew softer.

"Crimson Blood Realm, Third-Order A-rank difficulty, five failed invasion records. Fungal Realm, Third-Order A-rank difficulty, four failed invasion records."

"He took them all."

"Two days."

A brief silence fell over the observation room.

The recruitment officer from Jinling Academy was an old man with white hair and beard. He was currently squinting at the name on the light screen and spoke slowly:

"I remember, the last time Qingshi City No. 1 Middle School produced a top ten provincial ranking was twenty-three years ago."

"That student was named Chen Qingdi, a Martial Arts World. He was seventh in the province upon graduation, then entered Imperial Capital Academy, went to the Northern Frontier Battlefield after graduation, and died in battle five years ago."

The Imperial Capital recruitment officer in the gray cloth robe nodded: "Chen Qingdi, I saw him off."

He paused, his gaze landing on that name.

"This Su Bai is stronger than Chen Qingdi."

"How much stronger?"

"I don't know."

"Then snatch him!"

The recruitment officer from Kunlun Academy was a burly man with a back like a tiger and a waist like a bear. He slapped the armrest, making the entire observation room tremble.

"What are we waiting for? Waiting for other provinces to come and snatch him? This is a damn Trash-grade world? This is a damn Yin Qi World? I've lived for fifty years, and this is the first time I've seen someone play a Trash-grade world like this!"

"I'm going!" He suddenly stood up. "I'll drive to Qingshi City right now and sign him overnight! Whoever tries to snatch him from me, I'll beat them up!"

"Sit down."

The Imperial Capital recruitment officer in the gray cloth robe spoke indifferently.

The burly man's body stiffened, and he slowly sat back down, the anger on his face instantly turning into a sheepish grin: "Big brother, I didn't mean it like that..."

"I know what you meant." The Imperial Capital recruitment officer didn't look at him, his gaze still fixed on the light screen. "But you can't go."

"Why?"

"Because of the Sapling Plan."

As soon as those three words were uttered, everyone in the observation room fell silent.

The sheepish grin on the burly man's face vanished, replaced by solemnity.

The Magic Capital recruitment officer in the black qipao sighed softly: "The Sapling Plan... I almost forgot about that."

"I just remembered it myself." The Imperial Capital recruitment officer stood up, walked to the window, and stood with his hands behind his back, looking out at the pitch-black night sky. "The original purpose of establishing the heavenly pride list was never to rank students."

"It's for nurturing saplings."

"To pick out the most promising sprouts in the entire province, place them under the sunlight, and let them grow on their own. Don't let them grow crooked, don't pinch off the tops, and don't intervene prematurely."

"When they've grown to the point where they should be harvested..."

He paused.

"Naturally, someone will go to harvest them."

A deathly silence fell over the observation room.

After a long while, the old man from Jinling Academy spoke: "Then we now..."

"Wait." The Imperial Capital recruitment officer turned around, walked back to his chair, and sat down. "Just watch."

"Then what if other provinces come to snatch him..."

"They won't be able to." The Imperial Capital recruitment officer closed his eyes. "During the Sapling Plan's activation period, if any recruitment officer from another province dares to step a single foot into Qinglin Province, it will be considered an invasion."

"Kill without mercy."

Everyone in the observation room fell silent.

The burly man swallowed hard and muttered in a low voice, "Damn... this is much more ruthless than I thought..."

The Magic Capital recruitment officer in the black qipao glanced at him but said nothing.

Her gaze just fell upon the name on the light screen once more.

Su Bai.

Yin Qi World.

Ninth in the province.

She sighed softly.

This child probably doesn't know what kind of whirlpool he's been dragged into.

...

Meanwhile, Qingshi City No. 1 Middle School, dormitory building.

Su Bai was sitting cross-legged on his bed, staring blankly at the world mark on his wrist.

When the heavenly pride list updated its rankings just now, that pitch-black metal plate not only pushed the ranking changes but also unlocked several new functions.

At this moment, his consciousness was immersed in the newly opened interface.

[heavenly pride list · Qinglin Province Sub-list]

[Ranking: 9th]

[Unlocked Functions: Chat Room, Mall, Battle Stage]

[Chat Room: The top one hundred in the province can enter, real-time communication]

[Mall: Use federal credits or points to exchange for resources; points come from ranking improvements and combat achievements]

[Battle Stage: The top ten can enter, not yet open]

Su Bai's gaze swept over these three new functions, finally landing on the Chat Room.

He clicked in.

[Qinglin Province Heavenly Pride Chat Room]

[Online: 87/100]

[Chu Kuangren: Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap! Did you guys see the rankings? What the hell is with that Su Bai? He was at twenty-nine yesterday, and today he's straight to ninth?]

[Sword Heart Clarity: I saw it. Yin Qi World, Third-Order. I remember he was Third-Order yesterday? How did a Third-Order get ranked ninth? Everyone ahead of him is Fourth-Order.]

[Ice Queen: The scoring mechanism isn't just about world level; it also considers hero quality, combat achievements, and civilization potential. His comprehensive score must be very high.]

[Peerless Battle Demon: I checked his combat records... Yaksha Realm, Crimson Blood Realm, Fungal Realm, all Third-Order A-rank difficulty, total victories. That Fungal Realm one had four failed invasion records, and he took it in one go.]

[Chu Kuangren: ...]

[Chu Kuangren: Is this guy even human?]

[Sword Heart Clarity: @Su Bai, buddy, come out and chat?]

[Ice Queen: @Su Bai, how did you achieve such results with a Yin Qi World?]

[Peerless Battle Demon: @Su Bai, interested in joining our Battle Demon Academy? Resources are guaranteed!]

This user has been muted by the administrator for 30 minutes.

[Administrator: Poaching is prohibited in the chat room; violators will be muted.]

[Chu Kuangren: Hahahahaha, I'm dying! That idiot Chu Tiange, let him show off!]

Su Bai watched the messages flooding the chat room with a calm expression.

He didn't reply, simply lurking silently.

In times like this, the more you say, the more you expose.

Silence was the best choice.

Just then, a private message popped up.

[Sender: Chu Kuangren]

[Content: Buddy, want to chat?]

Su Bai raised an eyebrow.

Chu Kuangren, eighth in the province.

He hesitated for a second and clicked accept.