22: Reward Selection

Lin Ye gave a wry smile. This time, it was unexpectedly serious. The penetrating wound from last time didn't seem this outrageous, did it?

However, it seemed understandable. The injured area this time was too large, the wound was deeper, and burns indeed caused more damage than penetrating wounds.

Still, he could feel that he was very weak, dizzy, and especially thirsty.

Ma Junjie was carried away. The black fist marks on his body were only partially dispelled even under the holy light.

Star Power condensed to its extreme was difficult for simple holy light to dispel. He would likely be taken to a higher-level healer for treatment.

Lin Ye also discovered an advantage of Great Achievement Star Force: healing blockade. This effect only existed when fully activated.

He got into the car surrounded by adoring crowds and returned to the dorm.

Fortunately, Li Yaoyang helped; otherwise, getting away from the enthusiastic audience would have been a problem.

The Grand Competition ended, and rewards began to be distributed. The top ten selected their rewards, which would be personally given by the school leaders tomorrow.

"Annoying, another long speech from the leaders."

Lin Ye did not practice the Body Tempering Art today. After finishing his Star Power cultivation, he went to sleep.

The reward for first place in the Grand Competition was a self-selected Star Level ability seed. After communicating with the school, Lin Ye chose Gas Source Flow, the superior replacement for Qi Sea.

When he first heard the name, he thought he had misheard it. Wasn't this a cultivation method from a famous domestic animation in his previous life?

But it seemed to make sense.

Hmm, it still felt a bit strange.

However, it did not affect his extremely good mood in acquiring this ability.

Magic University was Magic University after all. They even stored such precious general-purpose abilities, and it seemed there were quite a few.

Perhaps it wasn't that Magic University was amazing, but that the Ministry of Education was amazing, with countless resources! The Ministry of Education in this world seemed to hold a very transcendent position among the various national departments.

He did not choose to receive it immediately. After communicating with the school, he decided to absorb it at the Ministry of Education when he reached the fourth rank. He planned to absorb Force Control for his third-rank ability first.

Star Force, Force Control, and Muscle Master—when these three were gathered, that was a Martial Artist. From then on, the cultivation speed of various Martial Artist skills would also greatly increase.

Lin Ye could feel that once he mastered Force Control, he would be able to learn Gold-level skills. At that time, he would get a few ranged ones first; he was tired of being kited.

The next day, school leaders gathered, and the teachers who had been discreetly watching in various college conference rooms also arrived.

Lin Ye was somewhat shocked; a full two hundred thousand people were gathered.

Not only were there ability users, but new students from the College of Arts also came.

After a long speech, Lin Ye was groggily woken up by Li Yaoyang.

"Don't sleep, the award ceremony is here. You're the last one," Li Yaoyang roused Lin Ye.

Jiang Xiaoyu was also sitting next to Lin Ye.

"Lin Ye, get ready!" Jiang Xiaoyu was truly riding high. His disciple winning first place really made him shine in front of the leaders, and his father also praised him for his discerning eye in recognizing talent.

Lin Ye instantly sobered up and looked towards the stage. The ninth-place winner was an old acquaintance—Bai Wenjie. However, he truly deserved it; there were few with minor-achievement level ability proficiency, and his minor-achievement Silver-level skill, Mountain Piercing Fist, was also extremely rare.

If not for bad luck, encountering the Dragonman Ma Junjie, he wouldn't have placed only ninth.

The Martial Artist Academy had its moment of glory, with two in the top ten. Only the Dragonman's record was better than theirs, but could the Dragonman be considered an academy? He was an individual, while the Martial Artist Academy had hundreds of people each year.

After Ma Junjie went up, it was Lin Ye's turn.

"Congratulations to Lin Ye from the Martial Artist Academy for winning first place in this Grand Competition! Lin Ye, mentored by Jiang Xiaoyu, reversed the tide multiple times as a second-rank against third-ranks, ultimately achieving victory. His strength is well-deserved."

As the emcee spoke, Lin Ye went up on stage and received the award certificate from Principal Chen Hai—to prevent any accidents, Gas Source Flow had not been transported.

"Congratulations, Lin Ye. I hope you will strive forward in the future and contribute your strength to humanity."

Chen Hai was a very approachable, slightly plump middle-aged man. Who would have thought that he was already a ninth-rank Dragonman?

"Thank you for your encouragement, Principal. I will certainly live up to expectations, strive forward, and dedicate my strength to humanity," Lin Ye replied very seriously.

The top ten stood in a line, from highest to lowest, full of ceremony.

Amidst the applause of two hundred thousand people, Lin Ye felt light all over.

Even when he stepped off the stage, that excited feeling had not dissipated.

But soon, the leaders' long speeches made him start to feel drowsy again.

After Li Yaoyang went to the bathroom three times, the ceremony finally ended; it was already two in the afternoon.

The three of them also took a car back to Prosperity Group.

Back at the dorm, Jiang Xiaoyu began to give him instructions.

"You should know about ability user training. From now on, you don't need to go to school; just continue training at the club. However, Star Realm team formation will begin in two months, so you need to pay attention," Jiang Xiaoyu said.

"Fish Brother, are we going to the Star Realm in two months?" Lin Ye asked.

"Of course, ability users must go to the Star Realm for training! Magic University's teaching focuses on mentor training and Star Realm experience."

"Star Realm training requires teamwork, taking on missions, fighting exotic beasts, and earning academic credits and rewards. But don't worry, the training areas are basically under Magic University's control, with no high-risk areas. They are also cleared annually, serving as a 'newbie village' built for you students."

Jiang Xiaoyu explained.

Under a mature cultivation mechanism, students who had not yet matured would naturally not be allowed into dangerous unknown areas, but would first be allowed to team up and adapt in safe zones.

"However, this 'newbie village' only lasts for two months. After that, you will be sent to undeveloped areas. While undeveloped areas are safer than unknown areas, people do die there. Magic University has an annual Death rate of ten percent."

This had been the custom for hundreds of years; universities were not the cradles of his previous life.

Lin Ye nodded to show he understood. He had actually learned a bit about it, but not comprehensively.

After Jiang Xiaoyu finished explaining, he suddenly smiled and said, "I said I would give you a reward, and now that the competition is over, it's time to distribute the reward."

"Fish Brother, what reward?" Lin Ye was full of anticipation. Jiang Xiaoyu was very generous; his reward's value would definitely not be small.

"You have two choices: one is a full set of Martial Artist Rune Battle Armor, and the other is a low-level Star Spirit."

Lin Ye knew about the full set of Martial Artist Battle Armor. This battle armor was not the kind of technological armor used by soldiers, but armor created with Star Power runes, which were more suitable for the Star Realm.

The Star Realm existed in another dimension. Under its rules, technology failed, but a more magical rune technology emerged.

Top-tier Rune Battle Armor was even more powerful than technology.

The battle armor rewarded by Jiang Xiaoyu was naturally of no low value.

However, Lin Ye was concerned about the other reward.

"Fish Brother, what is this Star Spirit? Why have I never heard of it?"

Once again, affected by his social stratum, another term he did not understand appeared.