Chapter 61: Ye Tianhao Provokes! A Girl with an Impressive Figure!
"Hmm?"
Lu Li turned his head at the sound.
He saw a red-haired youth standing a few meters behind him with his arms crossed.
His chin was slightly raised, and a semi-mocking smile hung on the corners of his lips.
He had a sturdy build and wore a dark red combat uniform.
Hanging at his waist was a crimson battle saber, its scabbard carved with intricate flame inscriptions that faintly shimmered with heatwaves.
It was none other than Ye Tianhao, who had publicly issued a challenge in the freshman group chat.
Behind him followed four or five other teenage boys and girls.
Each of them had a refined aura and wore extraordinary attire, obviously making them powerhouses among their peers.
"Something the matter?"
Lu Li raised his sword-like brows, silently casting Divine Appraisal Technique over.
[Name]: Ye Tianhao
[Level]: Level 13
[Class]: Flame Blade Swordsman
[Talent]: Crimson Flame Heart (A+ Grade), Iron Bones (B Grade)
[Four-Dimensional Attributes]: Strength: 88, Physique: 82, Agility: 49, Wisdom: 51
'Two talents, an A+ grade main talent, and 88 points in Strength.'
Lu Li felt somewhat surprised in his heart.
This Ye Tianhao truly had the capital to be arrogant.
Purely in terms of naked stats, the opponent's Strength was 8 points higher than his own.
However, attributes did not represent everything.
Low attributes did not necessarily mean weak combat power.
Furthermore, his methods went far beyond the numbers on the attribute panel.
"It's nothing major."
Seeing Lu Li look over, Ye Tianhao grinned, a flash of red light appearing in his eyes:
"I just don't like the look of you."
His tone was casual, yet every single word carried thorns:
"A Paladin taking the provincial top scholar title? Living in a detached villa? And telling me to 'bottle it up if I'm unconvinced' in the group chat?"
"Heh, you're quite arrogant."
He stepped forward, stopping no more than two meters away from Lu Li.
The air between the two seemed to grow a bit scorching:
"You better hope I don't run into you in the competition, otherwise, bear the consequences at your own risk."
Arrogant.
Utterly arrogant.
Targeting a provincial top scholar for no apparent reason!
"It's Ye Tianhao from the Ye family!"
"The one opposite him is Lu Li? The Sichuan Province top scholar?"
"Tsk tsk, the competition hasn't even started yet, and it's already full of gunpowder."
"..."
Ye Tianhao did not deliberately lower his voice.
Therefore, the surrounding students were all attracted over.
Upon discovering it was Ye Tianhao, they weren't even all that surprised.
After all, the other party came from the Imperial Capital's Ye family.
That was a prominent aristocratic family that ranked near the top across all of Yanlong Country.
No matter how arrogant he was, he had a major family backing him up.
However, Lu Li merely glanced at Ye Tianhao and said calmly:
"What a piece of work."
Finishing his sentence, he withdrew his gaze and didn't bother looking anymore.
As if the clamoring Ye family genius in front of him was no different from a passerby on the street.
This complete indifference was more powerful than any retort.
The expressions of the few lackeys behind Ye Tianhaoshifted slightly.
Ye Tianhao himself was not angry at all; instead, he smiled even more brightly:
"Whether I am or not, you'll find out once you run into me after the competition starts.
By then, I hope you can still keep up this act like you are now."
With that, he waved his hand and led the few teenage boys and girls toward the other side.
Seeing this, the onlookers grew even louder in their discussions.
"This feud is set."
"The Ye family against the provincial top scholar, tsk tsk, there's a good show to watch."
"I just wonder if Lu Li genuinely has confidence or is just putting up a calm front."
"..."
Watching the backs of them leaving, Lu Li shook his head.
He had seen plenty of such people in his past life; the more you paid attention to them, the more energetic they got.
The solution was also simple.
Just beat him up thoroughly.
The freshman grand competition was about to begin, and he would have plenty of opportunities.
"Wow! That girl is so pretty!"
"Holy shit! Are those things huge or what?"
"This figure, this appearance, it's practically unfair!"
"..."
Not long after Ye Tianhao left, a burst of commotion suddenly sounded.
Lu Li also looked over along with the crowd's line of sight.
At the entrance of the playground, a white figure was walking slowly.
That was a young girl.
Dressed in a moon-white mage robe with fluttering sleeves, it outlined her tall and slender figure just right.
The most eye-catching feature was her head of snow-white long hair.
Cascading down to her waist like a waterfall, it shimmered with a silvery-white luster under the morning light without a trace of any other color.
Her skin was fairer than snow, and her facial features were as exquisite as an elf walking out of a snow kingdom.
Furthermore, her figure was explosive to the extreme.
Even though the mage robe was wide, it could not hide the heart-stopping curve in front of her chest.
Especially when she took a step, that exaggerated contrast between her plumpness and slender waist...
Yet the expression on her fair, pretty face was extremely cold.
A pair of silver-gray eyes remained calm and waveless, resembling a layer of frost.
This formed a huge contrast with her explosive figure.
Causing many boys to subconsciously look away, only to helplessly sneak another glance back.
"Shen Qingzhu! The apple of the Shen family's eye!"
"The Shen family, huh? Another aristocratic prodigy. The freshmen of this Imperial Capital batch truly have hidden dragons and crouching tigers."
"So it was her! No wonder!"
"Tsk tsk, she really is gorgeous."
"I heard she also has an S-grade talent as an Elemental Mage, and her strength is extremely formidable!"
"This face and figure are simply the combination of ice and fire..."
"..."
Hearing the discussions of the surrounding freshmen, Lu Lialso felt a sense of emotion in his heart.
Shen Qingzhu, the Shen family.
Just like the Ye family, they were among those aristocratic families in Yanlong Country that possessed Third-Transfer Professionals.
In a place like Jiangcheng, one would never encounter these aristocratic descendants.
But arriving in the Imperial Capital, especially here at Imperial Capital Professional University...
encounters with aristocratic descendants would become increasingly common.
"Let's check her stats."
A thought stirred in Lu Li's mind as Divine Appraisal Technique quietly swept across.
[Name]: Shen Qingzhu
[Level]: Level 13
[Class]: Elemental Mage
[Talent]: Elemental Physique (S Grade), Elemental Affinity (A Grade)
[Four-Dimensional Attributes]: Strength: 45, Physique: 51, Agility: 88, Wisdom: 113
"Wisdom is 113 points, 32 points higher than mine."
Lu Li nodded slightly, "As expected of a magic-type class, stacking Wisdom to the absolute extreme."
Purely judging by the panel, Shen Qingzhu's Wisdom attribute definitely belonged to the absolute top tier among freshmen.
"To think Shen Qingzhu actually came too."
At this moment, on the other side of the crowd.
Ye Tianhao also noticed this white figure, a trace of burning passion flashing in his eyes:
"I'd long heard that the Shen family produced an Elemental Physique this generation. Seeing her today, she lives up to her reputation."
"Brother Hao, should we go say hello?" a nearby youth asked in a low voice.
"No need."
Ye Tianhao waved his hand, his smile playful, "During the competition, there will naturally be plenty of opportunities to interact."
"Besides, she might not necessarily pay any attention to me."
Although he was arrogant, he also had self-awareness.
The Shen family and the Ye family both belonged to the Imperial Capital's wealthy clans. The relationship between them was delicate and not particularly close.
Time ticked away second by second, and soon it reached nine o'clock sharp.
Right at this moment—
"Hum—!"
A low and majestic bell chime suddenly resounded through the entire No. 2 playground.
The originally noisy playground instantly quieted down.
Above the high platform, several figures filed out and took their seats in the front row.
Lu Li looked up.
At the head was a middle-aged man, none other than Zhou Zhenguo, the Vice President of Imperial Capital University!
Behind him, the deans of the four major colleges sat on both sides respectively, each with an unfathomable aura.
Chapter 62: Dungeon Battle Royale! Enemies cross paths!
"That is the vice principal? I heard he is already level 70!"
"Level 70! A fourth-transition professional!"
"I am still far away from even level 20."
"The fourth transition, that is already a level where one can establish a sect, right?"
"..."
Low gasps of amazement rang out all around.
Lu Li also scanned with the Divine Appraisal Technique, but only saw a blur of information.
[Name]: Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo
[Level]:???
[Class]:???
...
Everything was a question mark.
Obviously, the other person's level was far higher than his, and the effect of the Divine Appraisal Technique was heavily suppressed.
"A level 70 fourth-transition professional..."
Lu Li's heart was shaken.
This was the highest-level powerhouse he had ever seen so far.
Even from such a distance, the intangible aura emanating from the other party was still terrifying.
Standing beside Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo were four figures, corresponding to the presidents of the four major academies respectively.
The president of the War Academy, the president of the Weapon Academy, the president of the Element Academy, and the president of the Support Academy.
Two men and two women; the presidents of the War Academy and the Weapon Academy were both male.
Meanwhile, the presidents of the Element Academy and the Support Academy were both female.
But regardless of gender, every single one of them was a powerhouse with a profound aura.
"Time is up."
On the high platform, Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguostepped forward.
His gaze was like lightning, sweeping across the audience, and his voice was as loud as a bell, clearly ringing in everyone's ears:
"First of all, welcome, students, to the Imperial Capital Professional University.
From now on, you will officially become students of Imperial Capital University.
I know that everyone present here is a top prodigy from various provinces.
Many of you have been the strongest among your peers since childhood.
But today, I want to tell you.
Here, the definition of a powerhouse will be rewritten!"
His voice was passionate, carrying an uplifting power.
"Imperial Capital University gathers the most outstanding group of young people in the entire Yanlong Country!
Here, the talent you once took pride in might just be someone else's starting point.
The strength that once made you invincible among your peers might just be considered 'not bad' in others' mouths.
But this is precisely why we chose you!
Because you have both the qualification and the ability to keep moving forward on this stage!"
As these words fell, the breathing of many new students off the stage became rapid, and a blazing fighting spirit ignited in their eyes.
"Alright, I won't waste words."
Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo changed the subject and got straight to the point:
"Next, I announce the rules for the freshman grand competition."
As soon as these words came out, the audience instantly quieted down, and even the sound of breathing was clearly audible.
Lu Li also gathered his focus and listened carefully.
"This freshman grand competition is divided into two stages."
"The first stage is the Dungeon Battle Royale!"
Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo paused, his gaze slowly sweeping across the audience:
"All 1020 of you new students will enter the dungeon in groups of 102.
Only those who can ultimately clear the dungeon will be able to reach the second stage of the competition!
The Dungeon Battle Royale tests your survival skills, combat capabilities, and... comprehensive judgment!
In the dungeon, you not only have to face powerful monsters, but you also have to guard against competition from other new students.
Only the final clearers are qualified to enter the second stage.
In other words, at the end of the first stage, there will only be ten people left!"
As his voice fell, an uproar immediately broke out off the stage.
"What? We have to compete with each other too?"
"Groups of 102, and only the ones who clear it at the end get to stay? This is too cruel!"
"Doesn't that mean most people will stop at the first stage?"
"Imperial Capital University is truly ruthless!"
"..."
A sharp light flashed in Lu Li's eyes.
Dungeon Battle Royale.
You have to fight monsters and guard against people.
It could be said that the pressure was maxed out!
"Interesting."
The corners of Lu Li's mouth curled up slightly.
What he loved most was a stage like this, crowded with powerhouses and fiercely competitive!
The more chaotic it was, the greater his advantage!
"Quiet!"
Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo raised a hand to suppress the discussion and continued:
"Regarding the grouping rules, the school will randomly shuffle the groups based on your dormitory assignments when you checked in.
Each dungeon entrance is equipped with an independent teleportation array.
After the match begins, you will be randomly teleported to various corners of the dungeon.
How to survive, how to form teams, and how to break the deadlock are entirely up to you!
Remember, in the dungeon, life and death are up to fate!
Although the school will make every effort to ensure safety and give you life-saving tokens.
Injuries are inevitable during combat, however.
If anyone wants to quit now, the school will never force you.
Of course, those people's rankings will also be at the very bottom!"
The audience was silent.
No one quit.
Which of those who could stand here was not a proud and arrogant person?
"Good!"
Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo nodded with satisfaction:
"Since no one is quitting, then the first stage of the freshman grand competition officially begins!
Now, all new students, please check the grouping list on the big screen, determine your group members, and get ready for battle!"
As the words fell, above the center of the playground, a huge holographic light screen suddenly lit up.
Over a thousand names were divided into 10 groups, densely arranged on it.
Lu Li's gaze swept quickly, and he quickly found his name.
Group Three.
And when he saw another name in the same group's list, his eyes couldn't help but narrow.
Ye Tianhao.
"Enemies really do cross paths; I actually met him right in this first stage of the competition."
The arc at the corners of Lu Li's mouth gradually widened.
For such a divine person, he just had to be taught a good lesson!
Chapter 63 Have You Finished Talking Nonsense? Generous Rewards for the Grand Competition!
"Enemies truly meet on a narrow road, Lu Li, the two of us are in the same group!"
Not far away, Ye Tianhao also discovered that the two of them were in the same group.
But immediately after, he feigned a frown, putting on a hypocritical expression of worry:
"However, you wouldn't get eliminated before you even run into me, would you? That is certainly not what I want to see."
He deliberately raised his voice extremely high, attracting the surrounding freshmen to cast sidelong glances.
"Brother Hao, isn't this simple?"
A lackey beside him immediately caught on, stepped forward, and said with a flattering smile:
"Won't it be fine if all the brothers in the third group just follow Brother Hao's arrangements?"
"That is right, Brother Hao, just tell us what to do, and we will do it!"
Another youth cleverly chimed in.
Ye Tianhao nodded with satisfaction, seemingly having planned this long ago.
He looked around and suddenly said in a clear, loud voice:
"How about this! To the freshmen who are also in the third group, let's not make a move in the early stages of the battle royale!
Even if you run into Lu Li, do not make a move.
Wait until the zone shrinks to the final area and let me duel Lu Li one-on-one!
That way, he won't be eliminated in advance."
Speaking up to this point, the corners of his mouth curled into a cruel arc:
"After Lu Li and I finish fighting, how about we have the final showdown?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire audience, and his voice rose by a few notches:
"Of course, I am not forcing this.
Those who are willing to do so can gain the friendship of the Imperial Capital's Ye family!"
As his voice fell, the surrounding freshmen instantly burst into an uproar.
"Good grief! To keep Lu Li from being eliminated early, they actually came up with this trick?"
"It doesn't seem impossible either; eliminating him together at the very end works too!"
"Tsk tsk, this Lu Li is in danger. Looking at Ye Tianhao's posture, he is bound to get back face!"
"The friendship of the Ye family, this deal is not a loss..."
"..."
The surrounding freshmen whispered among themselves.
There were even freshmen from the third group whose eyes flickered, considering whether to follow Ye Tianhao's proposal.
After all, that was the Imperial Capital's Ye family!
The Ye family was a powerful tycoon family in the imperial capital, with no less than ten Tier 3 powerhouses within the clan.
There was even a Tier 4 ancestor holding down the fort, and they possessed extremely deep influence in both the business and military circles of Yanlong Country.
If doing as the other party said could truly earn their friendship,
that would definitely count as a very cost-effective deal!
Those with quick minds had already begun calculating how to curry favor with Ye Tianhao in the dungeon.
"It seems everyone agrees with my proposal!"
Hearing the discussions of the people around him, Ye Tianhao became even more smug.
He raised his chin high, looked at Lu Li mockingly, and said:
"Alright, now I've already helped you handle everyone else.
When the time comes, the two of us will fight one-on-one!"
At this moment, Lu Li finally turned his head, glanced at him, and said indifferently:
"Have you finished talking nonsense?"
Ye Tianhao was taken aback: "What?"
"If you're done talking, quiet down and don't disturb others from listening to the rules."
Lu Li withdrew his gaze, his tone calm, "As for your little schemes, we'll talk about them after entering the dungeon."
"Lu, Brother Hao is giving you face, don't be unappreciative!"
Behind Ye Tianhao, a tall and thin youth couldn't help jumping out, glaring angrily.
Lu Li didn't even look at that person, only saying indifferently:
"And who are you?"
"You!"
Ye Tianhao's expression stiffened, and anger surged in his eyes.
Yet in the end, he didn't make a move in full view of the public, only sneering and nodding:
"Good, very good! Lu Li, just keep putting on airs.
When you run into me in the dungeon, let's see if you can still smile!"
Lu Li ignored him further.
For this kind of clownish fellow, he had no interest in responding.
In Ye Tianhao's eyes, Lu Li's attitude turned out to be a manifestation of a guilty conscience.
He laughed even more frantically, and just as he was about to drop a few more harsh words, he was interrupted by the commotion on the high platform.
At this time, Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo on the high platform continued to explain the rewards for the freshman grand competition.
"First, as long as students can clear the dungeon melee, they will all receive 200 credits.
Those in the top ten will receive additional credit rewards depending on their ranking.
The highest first place can additionally receive a reward of 400 credits!"
As the voice fell, many freshmen instantly became excited.
"200 credits! Given just for clearing it?"
"Wait, are credits very valuable?"
"Are you an idiot! 1 credit equals ten thousand yanlong coins!"
"What? Ten thousand yanlong coins for a single credit?!"
"That's 2 million yanlong coins! My monthly living expenses are only a few thousand!"
"I heard the training tower's cultivation rooms only cost 5 credits a day; 600 credits are enough for over a hundred days!"
"Don't just stare at the money, the things credits can exchange for are the real bulk!"
"Exactly, high-tier skills that couldn't be bought outside for millions can be directly picked from the library once you have enough credits!"
"You still have to get into the top ten first, aren't you guys thinking too far ahead?"
"..."
You must know that credits were the universal currency of Imperial Capital University.
1 credit equaled ten thousand yanlong coins!
As long as one advanced to the second round, they could obtain 2 million yanlong coins!
Its value was even higher!
After all, the resources inside Imperial Capital Universitycouldn't be bought outside even with money!
Here, they could be easily obtained using credits!
"Calculated this way, first place can directly obtain 600 credits!
That is roughly 6 million yanlong coins, this is too exaggerated..."
Lu Li couldn't help but marvel inwardly in his heart.
Just a freshman grand competition could give out 6 million in rewards.
Placed in his past life, this was simply unimaginable!
"In addition, all your performances throughout the entire process will be recorded by Artificial Intelligence Number Seven.
Ultimately, you will be assigned to the appropriate academy based on your performance.
And those with high rankings can even obtain the opportunity to freely choose their academy and exclusive mentor."
Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo paused and continued.
"Freely choose an academy? And an exclusive mentor?"
"Heavens! I said it, as long as you perform well, you can jump from the Support Academy to the War Academy!"
"Target, War Academy!"
"..."
As soon as these words came out, the freshmen boiled over once again.
The War Academy was the trump card academy of the imperial capital!
Naturally, it was the academy that all freshmen wanted to go to the most.
"The announcement of the rules is over.
Next, let us begin the dungeon melee for the first group!"
Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo's voice fell.
A silver giant door crashed down, appearing in the center of the playground.
"Hum—!"
On the silver-white door panels, countless runes flowed frantically, bursting with dazzling radiance.
Unlike ordinary dungeon doors, this dungeon door showed no information whatsoever.
At the same time, streaks of white light lit up, enveloping the freshmen assigned to Group 1.
Swish swish swish—
These people were all successively teleported into the dungeon.
Among them were many with tyrannical auras, some carrying heavy shields.
Some held staves, and every single one of them was a top talent who had killed their way out of their respective provinces.
Lu Li noticed that Lin Qingyu was among them.
Before that cold, tall figure disappeared, she seemed to tilt her head slightly and glanced in his direction.
In just a split second, she turned into a stream of light and merged into the silver door.
Chapter 64: Lin Qingyu Shows Her Edge! It Is My Turn!
"Hum—!"
The silver gate suddenly vibrated, and a hundred streaks of white light plunged into it.
Immediately after, above the center of the playground, a huge holographic projection slowly unfolded.
"It's starting!"
In the spectator stands, countless senior students perked up.
On the light screen, 102 holographic projections rose simultaneously.
Like 102 small screens, they were densely arranged.
Every projection corresponded to a freshman.
And in the upper right corner of each projection, a compact dungeon map was floating.
It was marked with terrain outlines such as dense forests, plains, and valleys.
On the map, 102 pale white light spots were scattered everywhere.
Their distances from each other were far or near, precisely representing the 102 freshmen randomly teleported into the dungeon.
"This dungeon map is interesting; it can even display everyone's location in real-time!"
"In other words, who is where is known at a glance?"
"Right, but it only displays light spots, not names. Moreover, the freshmen in the dungeon cannot see this master map themselves; only we can see it."
"Then what about the shrinking circle?"
As soon as the words fell, a pale golden boundary emerged on the dungeon master map in the upper right corner, slowly shrinking inward.
"The circle is shrinking! The first wave of the safe zone has already refreshed!"
"Haha, we were treated so miserably last year, and this year we can also watch the performance of this group of freshmen."
There was a lot of discussion in the spectator stands.
The upperclassmen seniors were all waiting to watch the freshmen suffer setbacks.
Lu Li's gaze, however, locked onto the holographic projection belonging to Lin Qingyu at the very first moment.
Inside the dungeon.
Lin Qingyu appeared in the depths of a dim dense forest.
Her expression was cold and aloof, and she had entered a combat state the moment she landed.
The long sword in her hand was unsheathed, its tip pointing diagonally at the ground, and fine cyan airflow circulated around her body.
In the darkness ahead, three Silver-tier magic wolves lunged out simultaneously!
Lin Qingyu tipped her toes, her figure sweeping out like the wind.
"Hiss—"
A cyan sword light slashed horizontally across, and the movements of the three magic wolves froze in unison.
The next second, the wolf bodies broke in the middle, and blood spattered.
"That girl's sword is so fast!"
"With this single sword strike, she slashed out at least six sword qi!"
In the spectator stands, someone who knew their stuff also discovered Lin Qingyu's formidable strength and cried out in surprise.
Lu Li's expression was calm.
Six sword qi were just a tiny appetizer for Lin Qingyu.
Sure enough, the subsequent scenes almost became Lin Qingyu's solo show.
She headed south all the way, and wherever she passed, the monsters were all executed.
Whether it was the Silver-tier Poison Lizard, Armored Mad Bull, or the Gold-tier Shadow Leopard, none of them could block a single sword strike from her.
What was even more terrifying was that her judgment on the timing of the shrinking circle was precise to the extreme.
Every time the safe zone refreshed, she could always arrive in the shortest possible time.
She even repeatedly stuck to the edge of the poison circle to counter-kill freshmen who attempted to ambush her.
"Such formidable swordsmanship! Which province's provincial top scorer is this?"
"This sword technique, this movement technique, definitely comes from a famous master!"
"Which province is she from? Does anyone know her?"
"..."
Relying on her extremely formidable strength,
Lin Qingyu quickly became the most dazzling existence in this group of matches.
Moreover, well-informed freshmen dug out Lin Qingyu's information from the roster.
"Lin Qingyu, from Sichuan Province!"
"Sichuan Province's provincial top scorer? No wonder she is so strong!"
"Wait... not the provincial top scorer! She is the runner-up of Sichuan Province!"
"What?!"
The whole audience broke into an uproar.
Even Shen Chuyou, who had been quietly standing in the crowd, glanced sideways slightly.
Her silver-gray eyes fell on Lin Qingyu's projection, flashing a trace of extremely faint surprise.
"The runner-up of Sichuan Province actually has this kind of strength?"
"Then how strong should the number one of Sichuan Province be?"
"Who is the number one of Sichuan Province?"
Countless gazes involuntarily gathered toward the direction where Lu Li was located.
"Lu Li! The number one of Sichuan Province is Lu Li!"
"Is it that Paladin?"
"The second place is already this strong, how incredible must the first place be?"
The discussions spread like a tidal wave.
Lu Li's expression was calm, as if the object of discussion was not himself.
"Hmph."
A cold snort rang out inopportunely.
Ye Tianhao stood with his arms crossed, a look of disdain on the corners of his mouth:
"I checked long ago, Sichuan Province's gaokao this year was a dark-type dungeon.
A Paladin being able to take the provincial top scorer is purely attribute suppression!
If it were changed to another dungeon, who is first and who is second is still uncertain!"
As the words fell, everyone suddenly understood.
"A dark-type dungeon? No wonder!"
"Holy light is a natural nemesis to darkness!"
"I knew it, how could a Paladin win the provincial top scorer?"
"..."
In an instant, those expectant gazes restrained themselves a lot.
Above the high platform.
The deans were also whispering and discussing.
"This Lin Qingyu has extremely high talent in swordsmanship, and her combat intuition is even sharper."
The dean of the Weapon Academy nodded slightly, "Entering our Weapon Academy is indeed suitable."
"Don't rush."
The dean of the War Academy laughed, "The battle royale has just begun, let's watch more."
"I'm more curious about that Lu Li."
The dean of the Elemental Academy spoke, "An S+-grade Child of Light, yet he is a Paladin. This combination is truly rare."
"Indeed."
The dean of the Support Academy, a woman with a gentle temperament, said with a smile in her eyes:
"You all must not fight with me."
...
Inside the dungeon, the slaughter continued.
Lin Qingyu pushed across all the way, and the light spots kept extinguishing.
And the light spot belonging to her always remained as bright as a star.
Lu Li looked at this scene without being too surprised.
With Lin Qingyu's strength, clearing the battle royale dungeon was not difficult.
Time passed minute by minute.
The safe zone shrank again and again, and the number of freshmen inside the dungeon plummeted rapidly.
Forty minutes later, there were less than twenty people left in the dungeon.
Fifty minutes later, only seven people were left.
At fifty-seven minutes, Lin Qingyu slashed down the last competitor with a single sword at the edge of the final safe zone.
"Boom—"
In the depths of the dungeon, a pillar of light leading to the clearance gate soared into the sky.
Lin Qingyu entered holding her sword, and her figure disappeared into the pillar of light.
[Dungeon Cleared!]
A huge prompt appeared on the light screen.
"One hour and three minutes!"
"Lin Qingyu, the first person to clear the first group!"
"So strong! She suffered almost no injuries throughout the entire process!"
"The runner-up of Sichuan Province, this level of achievement is terrifying."
"..."
Warm applause and cheers rang out in the spectator stands.
A moment later, the silver gate flashed with light, and Lin Qingyu stepped out.
Her clothes fluttered, and her expression remained cold and aloof.
It was as if the one-hour life-and-death combat just now held no difficulty for her at all.
"Lin Qingyu! Amazing!"
"Goddess! Too cool!"
The cheers came like a tidal wave.
Lin Qingyu only nodded slightly, her gaze passing through the crowd and accurately falling on Lu Li.
Their eyes met.
Her red lips parted slightly, her voice not loud, yet incomparably clear:
"I'll wait for you in the second round."
"Okay."
Lu Li nodded, also feeling somewhat expectant.
The two had no extra words.
But that invisible fighting intent made the surrounding people subconsciously hold their breath.
"Tsk tsk, is this considered issuing a challenge?"
"Sichuan Province's runner-up challenges Sichuan Province's number one!"
"Interesting, too interesting!"
"It seems Lin Qingyu is also unconvinced by Lu Li being the provincial top scorer!"
"..."
Amidst bursts of discussion,
the battle royale match of Group 2 quickly began.
This time, there wasn't a player of crushing level like Lin Qingyu.
However, it ended just over an hour later.
"Group 2 battle royale has ended! Next, please let the freshmen of Group 3 get ready!"
The crisp voice of Artificial Intelligence Number Seven resounded throughout the venue.
"It's my turn!"
Lu Li let out a long breath, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
Imperial Capital University's debut was related to system rewards.
He had to fight brilliantly!
Chapter 65: Battle Royale Dungeon! Daily Quest Refreshed!
"Buzz—!"
His consciousness blurred, and by the time he snapped out of it, Lu Li had already entered the dungeon.
Before his eyes was a primeval jungle so dense it was almost suffocating.
Towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, their thick branches wrapped in dark green vines.
The damp, muggy air was mixed with the smell of decaying leaves and moss.
Beneath his feet was a soft, muddy layer of fallen leaves, making a faint rustling sound as he stepped on it.
In the distance, the roars of unknown monsters rose and fell.
Sometimes distant, sometimes near, it made one's scalp tingle.
Occasionally, unknown birds swept overhead, bringing a gust of fishy wind and causing the branches and leaves to shake violently.
"Is this the Battle Royale dungeon?"
Lu Li looked around, and his expression quickly returned to calm.
He raised his left wrist.
On it was a silver-gray metal bracelet.
The bracelet was made entirely of some silver-gray alloy, with fine runes carved on its surface and a faint magical luster flowing over it.
This was the dungeon-exclusive smart bracelet issued by the school.
He reached out and tapped it gently.
"Beep—"
A light-blue holographic screen projected out, spreading in mid-air.
It was a three-dimensional map of the dungeon's terrain, with mountains, dense forests, and rivers clearly visible.
In the bottom right corner of the map, a pale white dot was blinking quietly.
"This dot must be me."
Lu Li understood at a glance.
The dot's position was indeed in the bottom right corner of the map.
And just then—
A bright crimson-gold ring suddenly appeared on the map.
As soon as the ring appeared, it hummed and slowly began to shrink toward the center of the map.
Its edges emitted a heart-palpitating blood-red glow.
"Hmm? The first circle shrink, and I'm not even inside?"
Lu Li was slightly surprised.
This luck was truly subpar.
However, he did not hesitate.
According to the rules of the Battle Royale, if one did not enter the circle within one minute after it shrank, they would be directly eliminated!
"I need to get to the safe zone first."
Lu Li pulled back his wrist and suddenly exerted power through his legs!
"Bang!"
A shallow pit was stomped into the muddy ground, and his figure shot forward like an arrow from a bow.
With his current Constitution and Agility attributes close to 80 points,
even while carrying a heavy weapon like the single-edged battleaxe,
he still ran like a swift cheetah, moving at extreme speed.
The wind whistled past his ears as the trees on both sides receded rapidly.
He moved like the wind, sometimes stepping on tree trunks to gain leverage, sometimes ducking under low branches, his movements smooth and natural.
Just then—
"[Ding! The system's daily quest has refreshed!]"
"[Quest Content: Kill three monsters.]"
"[Quest Reward: Random.]"
The familiar system notification sounded in his mind.
"The system quest has refreshed!"
Lu Li's eyes lit up.
Although the system's daily quests refreshed every day, the exact time was not fixed.
He hadn't expected it to refresh so early today.
"If I were at school, killing three monsters would be somewhat difficult.
But now that I'm inside a dungeon, it's actually simple."
Lu Li's eyes flickered slightly, and his speed did not decrease.
The one thing this Battle Royale dungeon did not lack was monsters!
"Swish—!"
Just as Lu Li was distracted, a dark shadow burst out from the dense foliage.
Carrying a foul-smelling wind, it pounced directly at Lu Li!
It was a tiger-like monster, pitch-black all over.
Its fangs were bared, its claws gleamed with a ghostly green light, and its body was over two meters long!
This pounce was swift and fierce; a normal freshman would likely have failed to react in time.
But Lu Li's eyes lit up:
"Perfect timing!"
He shifted his steps, showing no intention of slowing down in the slightest.
Reaching out with his right arm, the battleaxe on his back was already in his hand.
With a twist of his wrist, a blinding golden axe light slashed out fiercely!
"Slash—!"
The axe light was like lightning, fast to the extreme!
The tiger monster didn't even have time to scream before it was split down the middle by the golden arc!
Blood sprayed everywhere as its massive body split in two, crashing heavily onto the muddy ground.
"The first one."
Lu Li stood with his axe in hand.
The monster's corpse on the ground was bloody, and a foul stench filled the air.
Generally speaking, the flesh and blood of monsters were highly valuable.
Even their hides could be skinned to be used as materials for leather armor.
But he had no intention of harvesting it.
The reason was simple.
In a dungeon, except for equipment and rewards, nothing else could be taken.
The same went for this monster; before long, it would turn into points of light and disappear.
Only monsters killed outside in the wilderness counted as true kills where corpses could be looted.
"Keep killing!"
Lu Li did not stop his steps, continuing his charge.
With his current strength, he didn't need to apply any buffs at all.
Ordinary monsters with levels not exceeding Level 15 were all killed in a single strike.
...
On the other side.
Deep in the dungeon, on a relatively open rocky high ground.
Ye Tianhao casually tapped open his smart bracelet.
He glanced at the slowly shrinking crimson-gold ring on the map.
Then he looked at his own white dot, which happened to be inside the circle, instantly feeling extremely relaxed.
"Good luck. I'm already inside for the first circle shrink."
He grinned, his eyes filled with arrogance:
"Kill monsters! Gather more experience! When I meet Lu Li, I'll beat him to a pulp!"
With that, he randomly chose a direction and rushed out, dragging his crimson saber.
Saber light surged, and any monsters he encountered along the way were split in two with a single slash.
"Too weak, too weak!"
He shook his head as he slaughtered.
...
Meanwhile, in the outside world, above Playground No. 2.
The light screens for the third group had all lit up, and 102 projections spread out.
As the top scorer of Sichuan Province, Lu Li already drew quite a bit of attention.
Not to mention he was also being publicly targeted by Ye Tianhao of the Imperial Capital's Ye family.
Thus, the attention on him was even greater.
As soon as they entered the dungeon, not only the freshmen,
but also many seniors cast their gazes toward his screen.
However, once they looked, many in the audience were instantly disappointed.
"This is the top scorer of Sichuan Province? That's it?"
"Uh, it really is a bit ordinary."
"Indeed, he doesn't feel as elegant as Lin Qingyu. Look at her sword light, how gorgeous!"
"As expected, his title as the top scorer was just because he took advantage of dungeon attributes. Put him in a normal dungeon, and his true colors are immediately revealed."
"..."
In the dungeon broadcast, Lu Li killed a second monster in quick succession while charging forward.
The axe light was fierce, clean, and crisp; there was nothing to complain about.
But it was just too standard.
No fancy swordplay, no dazzling spells.
No exquisite footwork, just simple dashing and axe swinging.
If it were anyone else, like Lin Qingyu or Ye Tianhao,
their swordplay and skills would be too fast to even comprehend!
In comparison, Lu Li was truly a bit too ordinary.
"Haha, Shen Moli, this is the top scorer of your Support Academy? He doesn't look like much!"
In the spectator stands, a female student wearing the Elemental Academy uniform giggled behind her hand.
Shen Moli's pretty face flushed, but she shot back, refusing to show weakness:
"What do you know! Junior Lu Li hasn't even shown his true power yet!"
Though she said so, she was also secretly anxious.
However, the other girls from different academies beside her laughed even harder:
"Hasn't shown his true power? He's a Paladin; if he's not healing, what else is he going to do?"
"Hahaha, Moli, stop being stubborn."
"Just accept your fate, Support Academy!"
Shen Moli was so angry that her ample chest heaved violently, but she also knew that anything she said now would be useless.
She could only clench her pink fists and stare intently at the screen belonging to Lu Li.