235: Jingyuan

Compared to the Corridor Star System, the Myriad Phenomena Star System, as the core star system of the Federation, has a more open academic atmosphere. There are more truly top-tier academies, but Jingyu Academy, located on Crystal Branch Star, undoubtedly ranks among the top three, beyond question.

Unlike Wu Yuan Academy, which specializes in martial arts within the extraordinary evolution system, most academies in the Myriad Phenomena Star System are comprehensive, with martial arts, psionics, and technology coexisting. Academies here are a paradise for technology-based evolutionaries, with numerous related specialties, offering the most favorable learning conditions for technology evolutionaries.

After the handshake, Liu Qin's smile remained, and she introduced the identities of the others behind her in turn, then led the way.

A group of five stepped forward.

Liu Qin's voice continued, "The area a thousand meters ahead of the docking bay is a [No-Fly Zone], so we need to walk to the trial grounds."

Qin Jin nodded.

She looked at Qin Jin, a hint of curiosity deep in her eyes: "Qin Jin, our Jingyu Academy often engages in exchanges with other academies, and students from other star systems frequently come in groups, but it's truly rare for someone like you to come alone."

"It was a necessity for my cultivation, and the academy specifically arranged the itinerary for me."

Hearing this, Qin Jin replied calmly.

"It seems Qin Jin is highly valued within his academy."

"I look forward to your performance in the trial grounds."

Liu Qin's tone shifted here: "I once heard about the deeds of Mr. Chen Shu from Martial Abyss."

"Qin Jin, if there's an opportunity in the future, I'd really look forward to visiting Martial Abyss for exchange and study."

During her speech, the others also chimed in. They were all very young, with many topics to discuss, and they walked along the path.

This was a no-fly zone, and the entire area resembled a vast grassland where plants had crystallized. Within the grassland, there were roads paved with crystals. After moving away from the docking area, the number of people gradually increased, most of them young.

On the way here, through Candle Kite, Qin Jin had already learned about Jingyu Academy's trial grounds.

This place belongs to Jingyu Academy, and every student of Jingyu Academy undergoes trials here. However, it is also open to outsiders. After making an appointment and verifying their identity, young extraordinary evolutionaries from outside can also participate in the trials here.

However, students like those from Jingyu Academy receive rewards when participating in trials, while outsiders naturally do not have this privilege.

They chatted as they walked.

The statue in their line of sight grew closer.

Looking at it, the crystal sails on the sailboat constantly flickered, as if being driven by the wind, setting sail. This colossal emblem statue was hundreds of meters tall. Upon closer inspection, the sailboat pattern within the emblem was not flat but three-dimensional, with runes constantly flickering on its surface.

Qin Jin's knowledge was far beyond what it used to be. Now, taking everything in, he raised an eyebrow, feeling that the sailboat on this statue could indeed "sail."

The giant statue was located in a super-large plaza. The entire plaza, centered around the statue, had various differently shaped teleportation portals on all sides. Young figures occasionally queued up and stepped into them to participate in the trials.

Upon nearing it, there were even more students waiting. Liu Qin and the others led Qin Jin to the front of the line. Under everyone's gaze, she looked ahead, and a call rang out first.

"Teacher Shangguan."

As the call ended, a figure appeared silently before them.

It was a short-haired woman, tall and wearing Jingyu Academy's uniform. Her face was somewhat neutral, and upon appearing, her gaze immediately focused on Qin Jin, her sharp eyes appearing somewhat aggressive.

Qin Jin said nothing, merely looking at the other person directly.

After a few seconds of silence, the woman spoke, her voice a little hoarse: "Qin Jin?"

"Yes."

"My name is Shangguan Yi. You can call me Teacher Shangguan, just like them."

"The academy has already informed me about you. If your performance in the trial grounds is excellent enough, you will also receive rewards from our Jingyu Academy placed within the trial grounds."

As she finished speaking.

The students looked at Qin Jin, their expressions becoming more serious.

Qin Jin's eyes lowered slightly.

Clearly, this privilege was the result of Martial Abyss's efforts, similar to Mitian Dojo, involving some kind of exchange.

Shangguan Yi didn't elaborate on this topic. Instead, she reached out into the void, and a mechanical identity card fell into her hand.

She gently tossed it, and enveloped by power, the identity card moved forward, hovering before Qin Jin: "Within the trial grounds, if you encounter a real [problem], you can contact me through it to withdraw from the trial."

"The specific content of the trial grounds requires you to explore it yourself, however—the preparatory steps before the trial begins can serve as a reference for you."

At this point, she scanned the students, finally focusing on one of the men who had come to pick up Qin Jin: "Zheng Lang, you go first."

"Huh?"

The student named Zheng Lang, wearing a black and white academy uniform and with a buzz cut, looked a bit awkward. Hearing this, he showed surprise and hesitated, "Teacher Shangguan, can someone else go instead?"

"I still wanted to see Qin Jin's prowess."

"Go."

His only reply was a single word from Shangguan Yi.

Hearing this, Zheng Lang's hesitation vanished, and he stepped forward.

The entire plaza was divided into many sections and passages. The area they were in was an internal area of Jingyu Academy, with no other people present.

Zheng Lang walked forward, stepping into the teleportation portal. At the same time, a light screen appeared in front of them, reflecting an image inside.

Within the image, Zheng Lang was clearly visible.

Qin Jin's gaze fell upwards.

After passing through the teleportation portal, Zheng Lang found himself in a vast space resembling an arena. In the center of the arena, a prismatic crystal hung low in the air, emitting various colors of light.

Upon entering the arena, Zheng Lang's expression became completely serious. He stepped towards the crystal in the center. As he walked, he joined two fingers and touched his brow.

A moment later.

A prismatic pattern appeared on his brow.

The pattern flickered, and around Zheng Lang, ray-like light rose from the void, intertwining and overlapping densely. In the next moment, the light solidified, forming a black-and-red battle suit that abruptly contracted, completely enveloping Zheng Lang, even covering his face.

"Is this a technology-based evolutionary?"

Qin Jin looked at this scene and asked directly.

"You haven't seen one?"

Beside him, Liu Qin's voice sounded.

"No."

Qin Jin replied, "I've only seen some basic technology-based evolutionaries with mechanical modifications."

"That's right, Martial Abyss doesn't have specialties in that area."

Liu Qin showed a look of realization and introduced, "Zheng Lang is indeed a technology-based evolutionary."

"However, he is not of the traditional basic mechanical modification or gene splicing type; he represents a completely new direction."

"I cannot reveal the deeper aspects."

She looked at Qin Jin: "Qin Jin, you'll understand when you spend more time in the Myriad Phenomena Star System. The four major evolution systems are an integration of four large systems, but each system has many branches, just as martial arts once had different schools, and the Mi Sect involves different deities."

"Technology-based evolutionaries have the most branches among all evolution systems. Every related individual might develop a new branch, and by now, the exact number is untraceable."

At this point, she paused slightly: "From the perspective of true evolutionary potential, technology evolutionaries face limits that are difficult to break through, and they have yet to overcome this challenge. However, every technology evolutionary who truly delves deep is an excellent researcher."

Qin Jin nodded.

This was undoubtedly an extremely vast system, impossible to fully understand with a few words. Only by truly delving into it could one grasp its immensity.

As the two conversed.

Zheng Lang, enveloped in the black-and-red battle suit, moved with much greater agility. He looked like a superhero from some stories of a previous life. Upon reaching the crystal, he extended his palm and touched it.

In front of them.

Shangguan Yi's voice sounded at this moment.

"Qin Jin, when you participate, you will need to use your full strength to contend with the crystal when you touch it."

As she spoke, Zheng Lang was clearly engaged in this struggle. The crystal in his hand trembled, its light growing more dazzling. An invisible confrontation was underway. Zheng Lang's face was obscured by the battle suit, so his expression couldn't be seen, but on the black-and-red battle suit, from its initial flat state, veins rapidly appeared, and within these veins, power quickly circulated.

The two were in a stalemate, and in a certain instant, the crystal in Zheng Lang's hand suddenly vanished.

In the next moment, within that arena, crystals appeared in the void. Blue crystals stacked up in the void, and in an instant, accompanied by a dull sound, a crystal giant about ten meters tall formed, standing in place. In its eye sockets, two final round crystals appeared, forming eyeballs, and its gaze fell upon Zheng Lang.

Their eyes met.

After a brief pause, Zheng Lang's figure suddenly shot out, and the battle began!

Behind Qin Jin, a student's murmur could be heard.

"The crystal giant Zheng Lang triggered seems to have increased in rank. I wonder if he can advance further."

Within the light screen, the battle continued.

The seemingly ordinary battle suit underwent complex changes. Compared to other systems, technology-based evolutionaries undoubtedly relied more on [external objects]. Truly profound individuals relied on [external objects] they developed themselves.

In front, Shangguan Yi spoke at this moment.

"This is the preliminary test before entering the trial grounds."

She turned to look at Qin Jin: "You should have understood by now that our Jingyu Academy's trial grounds are not just one level. The better you perform in this preliminary test, the higher-level trial grounds you can enter."

"Now, you can depart."

"Are you ready?"

"Of course."

Qin Jin responded.

Beside them, Zheng Lang's battle on the light screen was still ongoing.

Under the gaze of the others, Qin Jin quickly moved forward, heading directly towards the teleportation portal.

As Qin Jin departed.

Behind him, watching his retreating figure, Liu Qin lowered her voice slightly and looked at Shangguan Yi: "Teacher Shangguan, I heard that the academy originally assigned Teacher Liu to receive Qin Jin, but you specifically took over the task."

"You—"

Before she could finish her question, Shangguan Yi directly said: "He has some connection to an old acquaintance of mine."

"Oh."

Seeing that Shangguan Yi didn't want to explain further, she didn't ask more, looking at the light screen: "It seems Zheng Lang is very likely to successfully open the high-level trial grounds this time."

"I wonder what the result will be for Qin Jin."

Hearing this.

Shangguan Yi looked at Qin Jin's retreating figure, lost in thought.

"He—"

"Should bring you all a surprise."

"Get ready."

The last sentence seemed to be addressed to all the students present.

Behind them, figures looked at each other, slightly bewildered.

It was at this moment that a new light screen formed at the front of the line.

Stepping forward quickly.

Entering the teleportation portal was like walking on flat ground, and an arena very similar to the one Zheng Lang entered came into view. However, Qin Jin's gaze swept around, keenly noticing that this place seemed somewhat different from the arena Zheng Lang was in; beyond the surrounding buildings, there was actually a blue sky.

This was a Sky Arena!

In front, a crystal hovered, displaying five colors.

"At this moment, shouldn't those Jingyu Academy students outside be paying attention to me?"

A thought flashed through his mind, and Qin Jin's figure flickered. When he reappeared, he was already in front of the crystal.

Qin Jin's brows furrowed in seriousness.

Within the Federation, academies exchanged students, but they were also competitors. Being here, he represented not only himself but also Martial Abyss.

"Let me see what level of trial grounds I can open now."

Muttering to himself, Qin Jin extended his right hand and touched the crystal.

Outside, two light screens ran in parallel. Zheng Lang's battle was still ongoing, but at this moment, all the Jingyu Academy students shifted their gaze to the other light screen.

Because—

The moment Qin Jin grasped the crystal, a dazzling light erupted, almost illuminating the entire arena!

They clearly knew that this light represented the power bursting forth from the crystal!

The brilliant light illuminated all directions, enveloping Qin Jin completely. This crystal was extremely special; its power erupted in an unusual way, causing no damage to the crystal itself, yet continuously impacting Qin Jin, trying to break free from his restraint.

Qin Jin stood his ground, power gathering at this moment, surging like a river. In this instant, before his palm, the surging power was undergoing extreme compression and meticulous sculpting. This was the ultimate result of continuous cultivation.

In a flash, at the juncture of Qin Jin's palm and the crystal, power surged out, constructing a cage, binding the crystal within. The dazzling light, after flickering for a moment initially, quickly receded.

In the light screen viewed by everyone, an exquisite cage clearly surrounded the crystal on all sides.

"The crystal's power burst has been suppressed."

"As expected of a top student from Martial Abyss, he truly has some skills."

"Everyone, it's not over yet."

"There are people in our academy who can achieve this too."

Amidst the chatter.

The crystal within the cage trembled slightly. In the next moment, various colors of light merged, changing from mixed to pure, like a tsunami, wave after wave. A more violent surge rose, and power swept out from within!