80: Chapter 8 A formidable foe emerges!
After fighting several hearty battles in the simulation pod and initially integrating the [Lei Yan Three Transformations] into his practical combat system, Zhou Heng dragged his exhausted but satisfied body back to the dormitory and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
The night passed in silence.
Early the next morning, Zhou Heng woke up feeling refreshed. His energy from yesterday had fully recovered, and his state had returned to its peak.
"The last day..." He stood by the window, looking at Donghuang Military University gradually waking up in the morning light, his heart filled with anticipation.
The Freshman Competition was finally coming!
He habitually opened his tactical watch and logged into the [Spark Forum] to see if there were any latest news about the competition.
Sure enough, the forum's homepage was almost flooded with various posts about the Freshman Competition!
[Breaking! Final rules for the Freshman Competition released!]
[Detailed explanation of the No. 09 Folded World! Opportunities and dangers coexist!]
[Latest championship odds list! Dark horses appearing frequently!]
[Rational analysis: who will be crowned this year's Rookie King?]
[Betting thread! Come support your favorite champion!]
Zhou Heng clicked on the pinned official announcement post.
[Announcement for the 17th Freshman Competition of Donghuang Military University]
[Location: No. 09 Folded World (Personally controlled and temporarily opened by the Empyrean Sword Master)]
[Time: Starts tomorrow at 8:00 AM sharp, lasting 72 hours]
[Mode: Points System]
[Ways to earn points:]
1. Kill demonic beasts (the higher the rank, the more points)
2. Collect rare resources (the higher the quality, the more points)
3. Defeat other participants (seize 5% of the opponent's points)
4. Complete special hidden tasks
[Ranking Rules: After 72 hours, ranking is based on total points. For ties, ranking is based on the time of achievement.]
[Precautions:]
5. The Folded World is full of dangers, with Third-Rank demonic beasts and above, as well as potential threats from the Myriad Races. Life and death are your own responsibility!
6. Intentionally causing death or disability to classmates is strictly prohibited; violators will be severely punished!
7. Each person is issued an Emergency Teleportation Talisman. Once activated, you will be instantly teleported back to the safe point, but this counts as a withdrawal.
8. The entire competition will be live-streamed.
[Rewards: The top ten will receive generous rewards (credits, merit points, cultivation resources, divine weapons, favor from mentors, etc.), and the champion will receive an exclusive title and special rewards!]
"No. 09 Folded World... personally controlled by the Empyrean Sword Master..." Zhou Heng's eyes narrowed.
Folded Worlds are special spatial fragments attached to the main world, often rich in resources but also exceptionally dangerous.
Folded Worlds controlled by top human powerhouses are relatively safe, but still should not be underestimated.
"Points system... killing, collecting, defeating opponents... interesting!"
Zhou Heng licked his lips. These rules would undoubtedly lead to intense competition! He would not only have to deal with demonic beasts and the environment but also watch out for other participants!
He continued browsing other posts and was quickly attracted by a hot thread titled [Latest Championship Odds List].
Clicking in, Zhou Heng's eyebrows quirked slightly.
Top three on the odds list:
1st: Ji Cang (S-rank White Tiger Blade Master) Odds: 1 to 1.8
2nd: Lu Chenxin (S-rank Azure Sky Sword Heart) Odds: 1 to 2.5
3rd: Zhou Heng (S-rank Annihilation Wind and Thunder) Odds: 1 to 3.0
"Ji Cang?" Zhou Heng had some impression of the name, but hadn't paid much attention before.
He remembered this guy didn't seem to participate in the dual-track system assessment.
He clicked on Ji Cang's detailed introduction.
[Ji Cang: Direct descendant of the Kyoto Ji Family, S-rank Divine Seal - White Tiger Blade Master]
[Current Realm: Spirit Awakening Nine-Star (Peak! One foot into Spirit Nurturing!)]
[Recent Battle Record:]
1. Challenged and repelled a lower Third-Rank demonic beast, the Sky-Sustaining Giant Tiger, alone
2. Killed a 20th-ranked warrior of the Kunwu Race on the Myriad Races Ranking list alone
3. Suspected of mastering some essence of the Ji Family's inherited Emperor-grade cultivation technique, the Seven Kills Army Breaker Manual!]
[Characteristics: Extremely violent attack power, decisive killing, domineering blade techniques, suspected to possess the White Tiger Battle Body]
[Evaluation: The biggest favorite to win! Strength is unfathomable!]
"Spirit Awakening Nine-Star peak? Repelling a Third-Rank? Killing a member of the Kunwu Race?" Zhou Heng's expression turned serious. "The Kyoto Ji Family... a family that can challenge the Lu Family... truly not simple!"
This was definitely a powerful rival! His realm was higher, his battle record was fierce, and his background was deep!
He then looked at Lu Chenxin's information.
[Lu Chenxin: Direct son of the Shanghai Lu Family, S-rank Divine Seal - Azure Sky Sword Heart]
[Current Realm: Spirit Awakening Nine-Star!]
[Recent Battle Record: Unknown]
[Characteristics: Sword Heart Clarity, superb swordsmanship, sharp attacks, extremely fast]
[Evaluation: Strength has greatly increased after a breakthrough, the sharpness of his sword path is unstoppable! A favorite to win!]
"Lu Chenxin is also at the ninth star?" Zhou Heng was a bit surprised, but then felt it made sense. For these top geniuses with abundant resources, breaking through quickly was normal.
He himself was ranked third, and the odds were decent.
Below them were the names of Chen Ye, Song Yunle, and other geniuses from prestigious families, with varying odds.
The discussion about them in the forum was even more heated.
"Big Boss Ji Cang is invincible! The White Tiger is the master of slaughter! Definitely number one!"
"Young Master Lu is the coolest! A nine-star Azure Sky Sword Heart, who can compete?"
"I'm betting on Zhou Heng! Dark horse counterattack! The Yuan City mission was too fierce!"
"Chen Ye's Ice Prison Monarch is also very top-tier! An A-rank Divine Seal proving its worth!"
"Bet on Song Yunle! S-minus rank Golden Soul Blade Spirit, his Gentleman's Blade is domineering!"
Zhou Heng couldn't help but find the various praises and arguments amusing.
He then clicked on the [Rookie King Voting Thread].
Sure enough, the voting rankings were highly consistent with the odds list.
Ji Cang was in first place with an absolute advantage, his votes leading by a huge margin. Lu Chenxin was second, and he was third.
"Ji Cang... is that fierce?" Zhou Heng rubbed his chin. "It seems this competition will be interesting; it won't be a one-man show for Lu Chenxin."
Instead of feeling pressure, he became even more excited!
The stronger the opponents, the more interesting the competition!
Only by stepping over geniuses to reach the top would there be a sense of accomplishment!
"White Tiger Blade Master... sounds like someone who can take a beating." A mischievous arc formed at the corner of his mouth. "I wonder if he can withstand my Thunderstorm Star plus Thunder Aura Transformation?"
Closing the forum, Zhou Heng took a deep breath.
On the last day, there was no need to train desperately anymore. The focus was on adjusting his state and checking for any gaps.
He checked his equipment and supplies.
The dragon spine spear was in perfect condition; the tactical watch was fully charged; spare energy potions, healing pills, and mental recovery potions were sufficient; the Emergency Teleportation Talisman was checked and correct.
[Omniscient Eye] self-check, functions normal.
[Lei Yan Three Transformations] deduction memories were clear.
Various martial techniques were mastered by heart, and his physical state was at its peak.
"Everything is ready, all that's missing is the signal!"
In the afternoon, he went to Master Hong's place to report on his recent cultivation results and competition preparations.
Hong Yuanhai remained concise, only saying faintly: "In the core area of the No. 09 Folded World, there is a Thunder Fiend Valley, which may be beneficial to you. Act within your capabilities."
Zhou Heng took it to heart: "Thank you for your guidance, Teacher!"
After leaving Master Hong, he contacted Chen Ye, Song Yunle, and Chu Weiwei to briefly communicate their initial tactical ideas.
After doing all this, Zhou Heng's heart completely calmed down.
In the evening, he didn't practice anymore but took a rare leisurely meal at the cafeteria before returning to the dormitory early.
Lying on the bed, he looked back on his experiences over the past few months, from awakening his Divine Seal to now being about to step onto the stage of the Freshman Competition, filled with many emotions.
"Tomorrow will be the time to test everything."
He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep with a confident smile on his face.
Conserving energy and building strength, waiting for the great battle to arrive!