56: It ended as soon as it started?

The seafood buffet restaurant was bustling with people, with guests watching the chef prepare salmon on the spot.

Hearing Lu Yuan's words, the four girls were speechless.

"We tease you, and you tease the group's pet, Ke Yueyao?"

How could Lu Yuan say that with such a thick face? The key was that they were genuinely worried he might actually do it.

After all, Ke Yueyao was famously socially anxious!

"Tch, you don't know when you're well off," Zhuo Mengze said.

Their team members had excellent relationships, and Lu Yuan was the younger brother of their captain, Lu Yeli.

Since they finally met, they naturally wanted to tease him, but who knew Lu Yuan would pinpoint their weakness so accurately.

"Stop messing around and conserve your energy for tomorrow's quarterfinals," Lu Yeli stopped them.

She didn't mind, but it was mainly for Lu Yuan's sake.

Tomorrow, Lu Yuan would definitely have a fierce battle with Chu Wushe. Whoever won would get to choose a high-grade spirit tool from the Five Great Top Academies' treasury!

After eating and drinking their fill, everyone returned to Pengcheng University.

Lu Yeli and the other five all stayed the night at the independent villa where Lu Yuan lived, which he welcomed.

The independent villa had many empty rooms, enough for each of them to have their own bedroom.

"I'll deal with you after the fight."

That night, Lu Yeli didn't pester Lu Yuan; she was also looking forward to seeing who would win between Lu Yuan and Chu Wushe.

The first ray of morning sunlight spilled onto the playground as the quarterfinals of the Five Great Top Academies began on schedule!

"Who will win the championship in the fourth-year group?"

"I'm betting on Fei Mingyu from Imperial Capital University; his performance yesterday was too ferocious, giving me the impression of a Law Realm powerhouse!"

"The second-year group is also very exciting, as is the first-year group. Lu Yuan and Chu Wushe have been advancing triumphantly without encountering any opponents!"

The playground was crowded with students from the five top academies.

They had already been eliminated, but that didn't stop them from coming to watch the excitement.

There were many topics of discussion, such as who would win the championships for the first, second, and fourth-year groups.

The only group no one mentioned was the third-year group.

For no other reason than that Lu Yeli was too strong, terrifyingly so.

And since Lu Yeli had won two consecutive championships, it was expected that this year would be her third!

At the guest seating area, Hall Master Shen Duanhong of the Tribunal Hall and the four alliance leaders took their seats.

"Greetings, Hall Master Shen, greetings, four alliance leaders!" the students on the playground said in unison.

Shen Duanhong smiled and greeted the students, then nodded to Lao Qiyuan, the principal of Pengcheng University, beside him.

"The first-year group will draw lots first!" Lao Qiyuan announced.

The students, instructors, alliance leaders, and elders in the guest seats looked toward the front of the playground.

Lu Yuan was the center of attention, followed by Chu Wushe in his black-and-gold school uniform, and Jiang Tianxia.

"Oh, it's finally starting. Will Lu Yuan meet Chu Wushe early?"

"There's a one-in-seven chance; I can only say there's a possibility, but it's not high."

"On the Arena Stage yesterday, Lu Yuan and Chu Wushe's strength was in a league of its own. I estimate the first-year championship will be decided between them!"

The students were discussing it heatedly, especially those who had faced Lu Yuan and Chu Wushe yesterday.

When they saw these two names, they knew they were doomed!

Lu Yuan was the first to draw his opponent.

【Arena Stage No. 1, Ge Yanping, Linan University, Wind Attribute, Xuan Gang Realm 1-star】

"Ge Yanping, fifth in the national Martial Examination." Lu Yuan remembered this person.

Upon learning his opponent was Lu Yuan, Ge Yanping's expression turned ugly.

"You and Lu Yuan are both Xuan Gang Realm Practitioners; you have a chance to defeat him," Ge Yanping's instructor kept encouraging him.

"I... I will try." Ge Yanping thought about how he should fight later.

"Wan Zichen, fourth in the national Martial Examination." Chu Wushe glanced at the slip of paper in his hand and walked onto the Arena Stage expressionlessly.

"As long as it's not Lu Yuan!" Jiang Tianxia breathed a sigh of relief. Her opponent was Hou Haoxuan, who was sixth in the national Martial Examination.

On the Arena Stage, Lu Yuan looked at the somewhat nervous Ge Yanping opposite him.

"Begin!" the instructor acting as the referee said.

As soon as the word "begin" rang out, Ge Yanping flew into the air to distance himself from Lu Yuan.

Mystic Tier High-Grade Spirit Skill: Spiral Airflow

Mystic Tier High-Grade Spirit Skill: Confusing Wind

Ge Yanping unleashed two Profound-rank Spirit Skills in one breath, attempting to end the battle quickly!

In an instant, a gale blew, causing the students around the Arena Stage to sway unsteadily.

Seeing this, Lu Yuan summoned the Wind Calamity Feng Chi and controlled Feng Shi to unleash the Earth Tier High-Grade Spirit Skill: Spiral Wind-Piercing Stab!

However, before the Spirit Skill could be fully unleashed, the instructor stepped in to stop it in time.

"You have lost."

How could a Mystic Tier High-Grade Spirit Skill compare to an Earth Tier High-Grade Spirit Skill? Even two of them wouldn't work!

Ge Yanping smiled bitterly, knowing the gap in strength between him and Lu Yuan was too great.

If the instructor hadn't intervened, he wouldn't be standing here perfectly fine right now, but lying on the ground as a corpse!

"Over before it began?" The students watching closely around the Arena Stage were dumbfounded.

They hadn't even realized what happened before hearing the instructor announce Lu Yuan's victory!

"Has anyone forced Lu Yuan to control more than ten monsters at the same time yet?" everyone wondered.

Even Ge Yanping, who had the Wind Attribute and had broken through to the Xuan Gang Realm, was instantly killed by Lu Yuan, who only controlled one special monster!

Bang— Just as everyone reacted, they heard a dull thud of someone falling heavily to the ground.

Wan Zichen, who was fourth in the national Martial Examination and a 1-star Xuan Gang Realm Practitioner, was clutching his chest with a pained expression while fighting Chu Wushe on the Arena Stage.

"Chu Wushe wins!" the instructor announced.

It was also an instant kill!

Having won, Chu Wushe showed neither joy nor sorrow as he looked toward Lu Yuan on Arena Stage No. 1.

The scene was silent, and everyone fell into a long silence as they watched the two who had won so easily.

Keep in mind that the lot drawing for the second, third, and fourth-year groups hadn't even finished, yet both of them had secured their spots in the final four at the same time.

This speed was simply too fast!

"Do you need to replenish your spirit power?" the support-class instructor asked Lu Yuan.

Before each contestant goes on stage, they must ensure they have sufficient spirit power and are in optimal physical condition.

Having advanced to the final four, Lu Yuan had to prepare for the next round immediately.

"No need." Lu Yuan shook his head; the other four still had to fight for a while.

That time would be enough for him to restore his spirit power to its peak state.

"It just depends on who you draw for the final four," Tang Jinghui said, walking over.

According to his judgment, the final four would most likely be Lu Yuan, Chu Wushe, Jiang Tianxia, and Han Junchen.

The first three were easy to guess, as they had previously swept the top three spots in the national Martial Examination.

But Han Junchen was different; he always defeated his opponents with difficulty.

"It doesn't matter who I draw." Lu Yuan looked toward Chen Yaozong, the principal of Imperial Capital University, thinking of the high-grade spirit tool, the heavenly punishment token, that his teacher had mentioned.

Possessing this high-grade spirit tool, every monster he controlled would have the same spirit power reserves as he did!

"Oh man, why is it Lu Yuan? Why isn't it that guy with the dyed purple hair?" Jiang Tianxia complained.

That's right, her opponent in the final four was Lu Yuan!

Chu Wushe would fight Han Junchen to decide who would advance to the finals!

"Are you recording?" the members of Jiang Tianxia's team who were watching said.

"Recording, recording!" Yin Zeyao picked up his phone and aimed it at Lu Yuan, looking forward to the scene of Lu Yuan beating up their captain later.

"It's a pity Chu Wushe didn't meet Lu Yuan in the final four."

Zhuo Ruifeng, who had previously argued fiercely with Tang Jinghui due to conflicting teaching philosophies, said with regret.

He had hoped that Chu Wushe would defeat Lu Yuan in the final four!

"Do you really think Han Junchen is a soft persimmon?" Tang Jinghui sneered.

"What do you mean?" Zhuo Ruifeng frowned.

"Let me tell you, in my judgment, Han Junchen's strength among these four should not be underestimated; Chu Wushe might not necessarily win against him." Tang Jinghui's eyes glinted.

"Bullshit! Chu Wushe is a four-attribute, 2-star Xuan Gang Realm Practitioner, while Han Junchen only just broke through to the Xuan Gang Realm. Tell me, how could Chu Wushe lose?!"

"Wait and see." Tang Jinghui couldn't be bothered to argue.

"This kid has something suspicious about him!" Zhuo Ruifeng looked at Han Junchen, knowing that Tang Jinghui was not a man to brag.

But what puzzled Zhuo Ruifeng was that, even with his Domain Realm, he couldn't tell what exactly was suspicious about Han Junchen!