Chapter 96: What a Monster! Song Wanqiu's Anticipation!
Lin Qingyu instantly grew flustered and annoyed, her pretty face flushing crimson.
"Y-You're still looking!"
"There's nothing shameful about appreciating beautiful things."
Lu Li smiled faintly, looking completely at ease.
"On the other hand, if you stay soaked like that, you'll catch a cold.
Take off your clothes and dry them by the fire first."
With that, he crouched down and took out several pieces of dry kindling from his space ring.
Those were small items he had accumulated over the past two months of surviving in the wilderness.
In a few swift motions, he had a campfire going.
Orange flames danced within the cave, bringing waves of warmth.
Lin Qingyu looked at his matter-of-fact expression, both vexed and embarrassed.
Yet, she couldn't find any fault in what he said.
How could this guy say such things with absolute righteous confidence?
She bit her lower lip and whispered,
"Turn around."
"Sure."
Lu Li didn't tease her further, smiling as he turned around to face the cave entrance.
*Buzz~~*
Accompanying a soft hum, Lin Qingyu directly activated her S-rank talent, 'Favor of the Wind'.
Gathering wind elements around her to conceal her body, she finally began to change her clothes.
"A-All done."
A moment later, Lin Qingyu's voice called out.
Only then did Lu Li turn around.
He saw that Lin Qingyu had set up a makeshift drying rack beside the campfire with her wrung-out clothes.
She had already changed into a fresh, dry set of teal martial attire.
As the eldest young miss of the Lin family with a ten-cubic-meter space ring, she naturally hadn't packed only one set of clothes.
She simply hadn't had the time to change earlier.
The sharp, tailored cut of the martial attire outlined her tall, slender, and graceful figure to perfection.
Although nothing compromising was showing anymore, Lin Qingyu's expression remained somewhat bashful.
Recalling how she had been exposed just moments ago still made her face burn.
She peeked up covertly, looking toward Lu Li across from her.
Yet Lu Li looked completely natural, already seated beside the fire.
He unhurriedly turned and roasted a piece of demonic ape hind leg meat.
The firelight reflected off his sharp, chiseled face.
His gaze was focused, as if nothing had happened at all.
Seeing him like this, Lin Qingyu finally relaxed a little, exhaling softly before murmuring,
"Lu Li, thank you."
"Thank me for what?" Lu Li glanced up.
"You saved me twice."
Lin Qingyu looked at him earnestly. "Once with the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape, and once outside the cave.
If not for you, I would have died in the Longji Mountainslong ago."
"Like I said, it was no trouble at all." Lu Li smiled.
"No, I still need to thank you."
Lin Qingyu shook her head, then added solemnly, "Once we get back, I'll treat you to a meal."
"Alright." Lu Li nodded, not refusing.
The corners of Lin Qingyu's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, and she asked again,
"So, what are your plans next?"
"Time's almost up. I plan to head back to the supply base tomorrow."
Lu Li spoke while flipping the roast meat.
After today, only two days remained until the two-month special training ended.
He was already quite deep into the Longji Mountains.
Just traveling back would likely take a full day, so he needed to start back early.
"Okay, I'll head back tomorrow as well."
Lin Qingyu nodded in agreement.
...
Previously, when alone, Lu Li had never dared to sleep deeply.
He only dozed lightly while maintaining vigilance over his surroundings through light elemental perception.
With Lin Qingyu present this time, they could split the shifts.
One took the first half of the night, and the other took the second half.
Thus, after finishing the demonic beast meat, Lu Li went straight to sleep.
Come early next morning, the two packed up their belongings and set out on the return journey.
The journey back was no easier than the journey in.
Heavy rains had washed out several mountain paths, leaving them muddy and slick.
Moreover, quite a few nocturnal demonic creatures had yet to return to their lairs.
Fighting as they advanced, their pace remained reasonably swift.
Along the way, Lin Qingyu truly witnessed Lu Li's current strength for the first time.
Demonic creatures encountered along the road, whether level fifteen or sixteen, or just over level twenty, could barely withstand a single axe strike from him.
Some were even cleaved directly in half by a casual Pure White Blade he threw out.
"This guy is a total monster..."
Lin Qingyu followed behind, unable to hold back a soft exclamation of awe.
Originally, she had intended to work hard and challenge Lu Li again once she grew stronger.
But judging by how fast Lu Li was progressing, that hope seemed hopelessly out of reach...
...
Two days later, August 31st.
The adventurer supply base outside the Longji Mountainswas more than several times livelier than it had been two months ago.
People bustled about the square.
The most eye-catching sight was the cleared area temporarily set up in front of the base building.
Instructor Xu Yang stood with arms crossed, rooted there like an iron tower.
Behind him stood several staff members from the Black Dragon Corps, responsible for tallying the spoils of war.
"Line up properly, one by one!"
Instructor Xu Yang's voice boomed like a bell, making the eardrums of those nearby ring.
Song Wanqiu stood not far away in a white priestess robe, quietly watching the scene.
Her expression remained gentle as ever, though hidden deep within her eyes was a faint, imperceptible anticipation.
Two months.
How much these thirty students could improve...
Today was the day to find out.
"With the blessing of a max-level Divine Blessing plus the Angel Bloodline...
Lu Li's leveling speed shouldn't be slow. His level is probably above Level 19 by now."
Song Wanqiu mused silently to herself.
By this time, freshmen from Imperial Capital Universityhad begun arriving at the supply base one after another.
"Wang Dashan, Level 17, fail! Take your spoils to register!"
Instructor Xu Yang scanned the boy before him with Appraisal, delivering his verdict impassively.
The boy named Wang Dashan turned pale.
He parted his lips to speak, but ultimately said nothing.
Dejectedly picking up his tactical backpack, he walked over to the registration desk on the side.
"Phew, made it back alive at last."
"Dammit, I was almost chased to death by a Level 19 Gold-rank demonic creature."
"Just being alive is good enough, who cares about passing or failing!"
""
The freshmen continued to return in trickles.
Some looked utterly exhausted, some were covered in injuries, while others held their heads high.
However, most wore expressions of relief at having survived a disaster as they queued up in the line before Instructor Xu Yang.
"Next, Li Hu, Level 16, fail."
"Zhao Man, Level 17, fail."
"Chen Feng, Level 18, pass."
""
Instructor Xu Yang's voice rang out again and again.
The vast majority failed; not many freshmen had reached Level 18.
Song Wanqiu wasn't too surprised by this outcome.
Even though they were freshmen from Imperial Capital University, they had only ever entered dungeons prior to this.
Very few had actually trained in wilderness zones or demonic beast mountain ranges.
Expecting them to gain five levels in two months was indeed asking a bit much.
Of course, only through this could they filter out students with genuine potential.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the square.
The members of the Black Dragon Corps' Youth Training Team had assembled long ago.
They remained in neat, orderly formation; though their black uniforms were also stained with blood and grime, their eyes were as sharp as ever.
In front of them, severed demonic creature ears were piled into small hills.
Chapter 97: Lu Li Returns! Level 22 Already?
"Youth Training Team Squad One, an average of 33 Gold-tier monsters killed above Level 16 per person!"
"Squad Two, an average of 31 per person!"
"Squad Three, an average of 29 per person!"
As the staff members called out the numbers one after another, the atmosphere on the square grew increasingly heavy.
33, 31, 29...
Each number weighed like a massive mountain on the hearts of every Imperial University freshman.
It should be noted that two months ago, these freshmen were only Level 13.
In sixty days' time,
matching these Level 18 Youth Training Team members in kills of Gold-tier monsters above Level 16 was an almost impossible task.
"My god, 33? That's way too exaggerated."
"I risked life and limb for two months and barely killed 15. How are we supposed to compete?"
"It's over, it's over, we're really in trouble this time."
"What are you afraid of? Don't we still have Shen Chuyou, Lu Li, and the others?"
"Exactly! Even if we can't beat the Youth Training Team's average, someone will!"
"…"
The freshmen whispered among themselves, their expressions varied.
People continued to arrive in trickles, but very few had more spoils than the Youth Training Team.
The spoils most people handed in didn't even amount to half of the Youth Training Team's average.
Instructor Xu Yang shook his head as he watched.
He couldn't help thinking that Dean Song had set the bar far too high.
"Shen Chuyou is back!"
Just then, an exclamation suddenly rang out from the crowd.
Everyone reflexively looked over, only to see a slender, graceful figure walking out slowly from the entrance of the mountain range.
Her silvery-white hair cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall, and her moon-white mage robes were splattered with plenty of monster blood.
Yet it did not diminish her aloof, peerless beauty in the slightest.
The loose mage robes were pushed high into a prominent curve by her chest.
Every step she took was breathtaking to behold.
It was none other than Shen Chuyou.
Expressionless, she walked up to the registration desk.
She placed a visibly bulging tactical backpack onto it.
Then, she took out a space ring and poured out a massive pile of monster ears.
The staff members hurried forward to count them, growing more and more astonished as the tally rose, until finally announcing a number:
"Shen Chuyou, Level 20, 103 monsters hunted!"
"103?!"
"My god, that's more than triple the Youth Training Team's average!"
"That has to be the highest among the freshmen, right?"
"As expected of an Elemental Mage! Her mob-clearing efficiency is insane!"
"Isn't she a mage? How could a mage's mob-clearing efficiency be this high?"
"…"
Gasps of amazement swept across the entire plaza.
Even Song Wanqiu revealed a faint smile of approval.
Shen Chuyou merely stowed away her space ring calmly.
She turned and stepped aside, completely deaf to the awe-struck cries around her.
However, even with an achievement like Shen Chuyou's,
the average kill count of the Imperial University freshmen still lagged considerably behind the Youth Training Team.
"Right now, the freshmen's average is only 17, while the Youth Training Team's average is 32—more than double that."
The registrar reported softly to Instructor Xu Yang.
Instructor Xu Yang nodded, not particularly surprised by this outcome.
"Where's Lu Li? Why haven't we seen Lu Li yet?"
Someone casually brought it up.
Only then did everyone remember that the rookie king, Lu Li, seemed not to have returned yet.
"Oh right, where is Lu Li?"
"Could he still be inside and hasn't come out?"
"And Lin Qingyu! She hasn't returned either!"
"It's already the last day, could something have happened to them…"
"…"
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
In the crowd, Ye Tianhao perked up upon hearing this.
Feigning concern while harboring malicious intent, he remarked,
"The Longji Mountains are so dangerous. Could Lu Li have died inside?"
The moment he said this, the surrounding area fell dead silent.
Everyone knew Lu Li was this year's rookie king.
He was also Imperial University's best hope for achieving results in the exchange tournament.
If something truly happened to Lu Li, it would undoubtedly be a colossal loss for Imperial University.
"Right? It really is dangerous in the mountains. I almost met with disaster back then myself..."
Ye Tianhao sneered, about to say more.
But right at that moment,
Shen Chuyou turned her head, her ash-gray eyes sweeping over him indifferently.
The look held no emotion whatsoever.
Yet Ye Tianhao felt his entire body stiffen.
The words already on the tip of his tongue were forced right back down his throat.
In terms of background, the Ye Family was roughly on par with the Shen Family.
However, Shen Chuyou was a direct-line young lady of the Shen Family, whereas he was merely from a collateral branch of the Ye Family.
He could act cocky in front of the other imperial capital freshmen,
but before Shen Chuyou, he didn't even have the courage to talk back.
Not to mention, this woman's strength was vastly superior to his.
Minutes and seconds ticked by.
The sun climbed higher and higher, and more and more people gathered on the square.
Yet Lu Li's figure still did not appear.
Though Song Wanqiu's expression remained calm, her gaze drifted from time to time toward the entrance of the Longji Mountains.
Instructor Xu Yang frowned as well.
"Could this kid have really run into trouble?"
he muttered under his breath.
Even Shen Chuyou couldn't help but furrow her brows slightly at this moment.
Just then, the forest near the entrance of the mountain range suddenly rustled.
Immediately after, two figures emerged side by side.
The one on the left had a tall, upright build.
His black-and-gold combat suit was covered in dried bloodstains, and a faint golden holy light swirled around his body—it was Lu Li.
The one on the right had her black hair tied up high.
Dressed in neat, crisp azure martial attire, she exuded a striking, cold elegance—it was none other than Lin Qingyu.
"Lu Li! Lu Li is back!"
"Lin Qingyu is there too! How did they come back together?"
The freshmen all turned their gazes toward them.
"Tsk, what a shame."
Ye Tianhao clicked his tongue softly, seeming rather disappointed.
Instructor Instructor Xu Yang let out a sigh of relief.
If Imperial University's rookie king met with an accident during the special training,
his days as deputy commander of the legion would be numbered.
Soon, Lu Li and Lin Qingyu walked up to the registration desk, one after the other.
"You're back?"
Instructor Xu Yang sized the two up with interest and casually cast two Appraisals.
"Lin Qingyu, Level 19, passed!"
"Lu Li... hm?"
He froze for a moment, scanned him with Appraisal again, and only then spoke in utter disbelief:
"Lu Li, Level 22! Passed!"
As Instructor Xu Yang's voice fell, a fleeting silence washed over the square.
Immediately following it was an uproar even more violent than when Shen Chuyou had returned.
"Wh-What level? Level 22?!"
"Did I hear that right? He was only Level 13 two months ago!"
"Going up nine levels in two months? Is he even fucking human?!"
"I busted my ass just to reach Level 17, and he shot straight to 22?"
"I thought Shen Chuyou's Level 20 was already the limit, but Lu Li is even more of a monster!"
"Holy shit, is this what the rookie king is really made of?"
"…"
Exclamations rose and fell one after another; shock was written across the faces of nearly every freshman.
They knew all too well how difficult it was to level up in the Longji Mountains.
During these two months, they had hunted monsters day and night, where the slightest carelessness could cost them their lives.
Yet even so, barely anyone managed to reach Level 18.
And Lu Li had actually skyrocketed straight to Level 22?
The gap was so immense it drove people to despair!
Chapter 98: Even a Diamond-tier monster? Could it be cheating?!
Shen Chuyou stood on the edge of the crowd, her silver-gray eyes flashing slightly.
Her frosty, pretty face rarely showed a trace of surprise.
She considered her improvement over the past two months to be astonishing enough.
Yet she hadn't expected Lu Li to be a full 2 levels higher than her.
"Just how did this guy manage to do this..."
Looking at the tall and straight youth's figure, a trace of curiosity couldn't help but well up in Shen Chuyou's heart.
Lin Qingyu stood beside Lu Li, the corners of her lips involuntarily curving into an extremely faint arc.
Among everyone present, she was probably the only one who knew just how terrifying Lu Li's leveling speed was.
He could smash a level 27 male Silver-Backed Demonic Ape to death with a single hammer, so what was so strange about rising to level 22?
"Haha, not bad, not bad! Rising 9 levels in two months! As expected of Imperial University's prodigy!"
After his shock, Instructor Xu Yang laughed heartily, the pleasant surprise on his face unmasked.
He raised a hand and patted Lu Li's shoulder, that cattail-leaf-like big hand causing Lu Li's shoulder to sink down slightly.
"Good lad, I really didn't misjudge you!"
The more Instructor Xu Yang looked at Lu Li, the more satisfied he became, grinning as he said,
"Come on, you go first and tally the spoils of war.
Let everyone take a look at just how many monsters our rookie king hunted."
Not far away, Song Wanqiu also nodded slightly.
Her gaze towards Lu Li was filled with gratification, the corners of her red lips carrying a gentle smile.
"Yes."
Lu Li smoothly complied, walking step by step up to the registration desk.
He first took off the tactical backpack on his back and placed it on the desk.
That tactical backpack was bulging, its zipper stretched almost to the point of bursting open.
Immediately afterward, he raised his left hand again, spiritual power surging into his space ring.
"Clatter——!"
The next moment,
A large number of monster ears poured out like a waterfall, piling up into a small mountain on the registration desk!
That sheer quantity caused the staff standing behind the desk to subconsciously take half a step back.
"S-So many?!"
"Just looking at this pile, there's got to be at least a hundred, right?"
"More than that! I roughly counted, and it's probably heading towards three hundred!"
"Hiss——! This isn't him going for special training; he clearly went to wipe out the Magical Beast Mountain Range!"
"..."
The surrounding freshmen watched in dumbfounded amazement.
Not far away, those members of the Youth Training Teamcouldn't help but stretch out their necks to look over in this direction.
Each of them had only averaged hunting a little over 30 gold-tier monsters above level 16 in two months.
But looking at Lu Li's dump, just what was piled on the desk was more spectacular than the combined spoils of their entire team!
The registrar wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly called two colleagues over to begin counting on the spot.
"Scarlet Flame Hound, level 16 gold tier, qualified."
"Armored Boar, level 17 gold tier, qualified."
"Thunder-Patterned Leopard, level 16 gold tier, qualified."
"Shadow Demonic Wolf, level 18 gold tier, qualified!"
"..."
The staff member counted faster and faster, their shouted numbers practically merging into a single line.
Among those monster ears, there were level 16 ones, level 17 ones, and level 18 ones.
Occasionally, a few level 19 and level 20 ones could even be turned up.
As for the monster ears below level 16 that didn't meet the criteria,
they actually piled up a huge heap as well, and were placed aside separately.
Later on, to save time, they simply stopped calling out the numbers and concentrated on counting.
"What are those..."
Someone pointed at the pile that had been screened out and spoke doubtfully.
"They are monsters below level 16. They don't meet the conditions and don't count."
The registrar explained without raising his head.
"What? That pile of invalid ones has over a hundred heads?"
"Could it be that Lu Li killed so many even below level 16?"
"Damn, just how many monsters did this guy slaughter?!"
"..."
Everyone only felt their scalps tingling.
Other people couldn't even gather 30 gold-tier monsters above level 16.
Lu Li, on the other hand, had unqualified spoils alone that were more than everyone else's total harvest!
Time ticked away second by second.
The monster ears on the registration desk were gradually classified and counted completely.
Finally, the registrar abruptly raised his head, his voice trembling slightly from excitement:
"Lu Li, a total of 256 qualified gold-tier monsters above level 16!"
"In addition, there are 175 spoils from low-level monsters that do not meet the conditions!"
As those words fell, the Imperial University freshmen present were all dumbfounded.
"256 heads?!"
"I fucking only killed 13 in two months, and he killed over two hundred?!"
"Is this something a human being can do?"
"Is this guy here for special training? He's here to restock goods!"
"I was wrong, I was really wrong. I shouldn't have used normal people's standards to measure this freak..."
"..."
The freshmen were all stunned blank.
They originally thought Shen Chuyou's 103 heads were already exaggerated enough.
As a result, Lu Li directly doubled it!
With these two hundred-plus spoils of war, let alone catching up with the Youth Training Team—
Even if you added together the spoils of a five-man squad from the Youth Training Team, it probably still wouldn't be as much as his alone!
Over at the Youth Training Team, it was also a scene of shock at this moment.
They stood neat and tidy in place.
The composure on their faces had long since disappeared, replaced by deep shock.
"Just him alone equals the amount of the six of us combined."
"And he's only level 22? How is this possible?"
"We admit that everyone from Imperial Capital Universityis a prodigy. But isn't this a bit too exaggerated?"
"..."
The members of the Youth Training Team looked at each other in dismay, discussing in low voices.
It wasn't like they hadn't heard of Imperial Capital University freshmen being formidable.
But how was this just being formidable?
This was clearly outrageous!
As elites selected from all over by the Black Dragon Legion, they considered themselves top contenders among their peers.
Yet at this moment, in front of Lu Li,
their proud achievements were reduced to absolute nothingness.
However, right at this moment,
among the Youth Training Team, a sharp-eyed member suddenly stared fixedly at a corner of the registration desk.
His expression changed abruptly, as if he had seen something extremely incredible.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
That member could no longer care about discipline, abruptly raising a hand to point at the registration desk, his voice completely out of tune:
"Isn't this going too far?!"
"How did even a level 27 Silver-Backed Demonic Ape get mixed in?!"
"That's a Diamond-tier monster!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire audience was shocked.
"What? A level 27 Silver-Backed Demonic Ape?!"
"Where? Let me see!"
"F*ck, it really is! That silver back hair only belongs to the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape!"
"A Diamond-tier monster? Lu Li even killed a Diamond-tier one?"
"Wait, can a level 27 Diamond-tier monster be killed by a level 22 Paladin?"
"Could it have been done by the Hidden Thorn team, and then mixed into Lu Li's spoils?!"
"Damn! Wouldn't this be cheating?"
"..."
The others in the Youth Training Team also discovered that small tuft of silver back hair, instantly causing a commotion.
After all, they weren't a real army, and their discipline wasn't sufficient.
What's more, this evaluation result directly concerned whether they could continue to stay in the Youth Training Team.
If an Imperial University freshman casually took out some spoils from the Hidden Thorn team to pad the numbers, what was there left for them to compete with?
Therefore, many people immediately spoke up to question it in public.
Upon hearing this, Instructor Xu Yang's gaze swept across.
When he saw that glistening silver tuft of back hair on the registration desk, his brows also furrowed slightly.
Silver-Backed Demonic Ape.
Level 27 Diamond-tier monster.
This thing...
Let alone the Youth Training Team.
Even for a regular squad from the Black Dragon Corps, killing it would be quite strenuous.
A level 22 Paladin...
Instructor Xu Yang narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice:
"Hidden Thorn, come out."
As soon as the voice fell,
in the shadows around the square,
dozens of figures that almost merged into the darkness quietly emerged.
Every single one of them was wrapped in dark-gray battle armor, revealing only a pair of cold eyes.
Only at this moment did the Imperial University freshmen present realize in shock
that they had actually been secretly followed by someone this entire past two months!
"What the f*ck? Someone was really following us?"
"I didn't feel a thing! When were they even there?"
"Is this the Black Dragon Legion's Hidden Thorn team? It's too terrifying."
"..."
The freshmen discussed spiritedly.
However, there were also freshmen who had been rescued who weren't too surprised by this.
Lu Li also raised an eyebrow slightly, then felt relieved.
He had long vaguely felt that he seemed to be followed by something from time to time.
It was just that the other party's concealment skills were extremely high, and he could only capture a trace of extremely faint aura.
Now it seemed, it should be these Hidden Thorns.
Chapter 99: B-Grade Resource Obtained! Return!
Instructor Xu Yang looked at one of the Hidden Thorns and asked directly,
"Did you kill this Silver-Backed Demonic Ape?"
This was the Hidden Thorn who had been tailing Lu Li.
The Hidden Thorn shook his head and replied,
"No."
"Then who killed it?" Instructor Xu Yang pressed.
"He did."
The Hidden Thorn raised his hand and pointed directly at Lu Li.
The entire crowd erupted into an uproar once again.
"Lu Li really killed it?!"
"A Level 27 Diamond-tier monster! Just how did he pull that off?"
"That's impossible, isn't it? Level 22 taking down a Level 27—skipping five levels against a Diamond-tier monster, no less!"
"Is he using cheats?!"
"…"
Just as everyone was reeling in shock and disbelief,
the Hidden Thorn member who had been following Lin Qingyu also stepped forward voluntarily to confirm:
"I can bear witness."
He paused, a rare trace of marvel slipping into his tone as he continued,
"I saw it with my own eyes.
Lu Li killed the Level 27 male Silver-Backed Demonic Apeall by himself, and it was in a berserk state at that."
As those words rang out,
the looks the freshmen gave Lu Li shifted from mere shock to deep awe.
The members of the Youth Training Team fell completely silent.
Doubt?
What was there left to doubt!
They believed the words of the Hidden Thorns.
The guy had smashed a berserk Level 27 Diamond-tier demonic ape to death with a hammer.
For a monster like him, let alone 256 trophies,
even twice that amount would be entirely reasonable!
Instructor Xu Yang was stunned as well.
He parted his lips, taking a long while to regain his composure.
As a Level 56 third-turn expert, he understood better than anyone what it meant to skip five levels to slay a Diamond-tier monster.
This was no longer a question of mere talent.
This guy was an absolute fucking monster!
"Good lad! Looks like I still underestimated you!"
Instructor Xu Yang laughed heartily, and the way he looked at Lu Li
shifted from initial appreciation into undisguised fervor.
"Lu Li, are you interested in joining our Black Dragon Corps?"
Instructor Xu Yang grinned, his booming voice making no effort to avoid the ears of the surrounding crowd:
"With your talent and strength, once you join our Black Dragon Corps, it won't take even a year for you to make the Ace Squad!
Name whatever terms you want. I, Instructor Xu Yang, might not have many skills,
but when it comes to petitioning for merits and securing resources for my people, I'm top-tier!"
At those words, the class-changers passing by the plaza stopped dead in their tracks, staring wide-eyed.
The Black Dragon Corps!
That was one of the ace corps under the Yanlong Countrymilitary—countless people fought tooth and nail just for a chance to get in.
And now, their vice commander was openly extending an olive branch to a freshman right in front of everyone!
The members of the Youth Training Team wore even more complicated expressions, their gazes toward Lu Li dripping with envy.
Didn't they slave away in the Youth Training Team just to become full members of the corps one day?
Yet here he was, directly invited by the vice commander himself.
However, before Lu Li could say a word,
a gentle, pleasant voice rang out unhurriedly:
"Commander Xu, poaching my student right in front of my face... isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
The speaker was, naturally, Song Wanqiu.
A faint smile graced her lips, making her appear poised, dignified, and utterly graceful.
"Uh..."
The grin on Instructor Xu Yang's face instantly froze.
Belatedly slapping the back of his own head, he hurried to laugh it off and explain:
"Dean Song, don't misunderstand! Of course I know Lu Li is still a student of Imperial University.
I meant after he graduates! He can consider it after graduation!"
As he spoke, he didn't forget to wink at Lu Li, lowering his voice:
"Kid, I've got my eye on you."
"That's more like it."
Song Wanqiu gave a slight nod, her expression returning to its usual gentle and warm demeanor:
"Continue."
Instructor Xu Yang felt as though he had received an imperial pardon, secretly letting out a sigh of relief.
A third-turn Saint Light Archpriest and a dean of Imperial Capital University—
if she genuinely lost her temper, it would be no laughing matter.
"Next, Lin Qingyu!"
Instructor Xu Yang cleared his throat, regaining his towering, imposing composure.
Hearing her name called, Lin Qingyu stepped forward on her long, slender legs.
Raising her left hand, her space ring gave a faint shimmer, and monster ears poured out in a heap.
The staff members busied themselves once again, reporting the final tally shortly after:
"Lin Qingyu, qualifying monsters, a total of 87!"
"87?"
"Another fierce powerhouse!"
"Though she can't compare to that freak Lu Li's 256, it's still way above the Youth Training Team's average!"
"…"
The freshmen buzzed with discussion.
In previous batches, 87 kills would have been an exceptional, top-tier result.
Unfortunately, a radiant gem had already outshone everything else.
With Lu Li's outrageous 256 kills setting the bar, everyone wasn't nearly as shocked by 87.
Lin Qingyu remained thoroughly unbothered.
Following Lu Li and Lin Qingyu, more freshmen emerged from the Longji Mountains in succession.
Some were covered in wounds, limping as they walked.
Others were utterly dejected, clearly having suffered immensely during these past two months.
It was not until 12:00 PM, when the final freshman reached the base, that everyone had arrived.
Instructor Xu Yang waved his hand, leading the staff to finalize the overall statistics.
The final results quickly emerged.
Among the 30 freshmen, those who reached Level 18
and killed more monsters than the Youth Training Team's average numbered only nine.
This figure was slightly better than Instructor Xu Yang had anticipated.
He had originally thought getting five or six would already be quite an achievement.
"Not bad, stronger than I expected."
Instructor Xu Yang nodded in satisfaction, then looked over toward Lu Li:
"The first place of this mountain special training—Lu Li!"
"256 monsters, Level 22, well and truly earned!"
A scattering of applause broke out.
It wasn't that the students were unwilling to applaud; rather, they had been so thoroughly disheartened that their clapping was utterly listless.
"Lu Li, come claim your reward."
Instructor Xu Yang waved him over.
Lu Li stepped forward.
Instructor Xu Yang retrieved an antique wooden box from his space ring and handed it to him:
"This is the mystery reward promised earlier."
Lu Li accepted the wooden box and opened it.
Lined with a layer of soft brocade, a thumb-sized crystal vial rested quietly inside.
The vial held half a bottle of silvery-white liquid, its surface shimmering with starlight-like radiance.
An exceptionally dense fluctuation of mental energy slowly emanated from within.
"This is…"
Lu Li's heart stirred as he cast Divine Appraisal Techniqueover it.
[concentration essence liquid] (B-Grade Rare Resource)
Description: Refined from dozens of precious spirit plants. Consuming it permanently increases the Spirit attribute and slightly enhances the effectiveness of mental-type skills.
"A rare B-grade resource that boosts the Spirit attribute!"
Lu Li's eyes brightened.
Among his current four core attributes, although his Wisdom attribute was not low, no one would ever complain about having attributes that were too high.
"Thank you, Instructor Xu!" Lu Li said immediately.
"You earned it!"
Instructor Xu Yang waved his hand dismissively, then addressed the crowd with a booming voice:
"You've all worked hard for two months, and you probably haven't had a proper meal.
Come on, we've prepared a banquet for you!"
Hearing this, the freshmen were stunned for a moment before bursting into enthusiastic cheers.
Two whole months!
They had spent two months gnawing on energy bars and monster meat, to the point where their mouths tasted completely bland.
"Finally, a decent meal!"
"I want braised pork!"
Instructor Xu Yang waved his broad hand and led the group toward the cafeteria in the base's main building.
A lavish banquet was already prepared in the dining hall.
The long tables were laden with all kinds of dishes.
There were crispy golden roasted demonic pig shanks, mouthwatering braised pork, and a variety of delicacies they couldn't even name.
There were even several jars of military-exclusive fruit wine.
The freshmen cast aside all manners, taking their seats and digging in ravenously.
Naturally, Lu Li didn't hold back either.
Seated at the table, he held a roasted demon bird leg in his left hand
and scooped up a large chunk of braised pork with his chopsticks in his right, savoring every bite.
"This flavor is incredible!"
He praised enthusiastically between mouthfuls.
Although the monster meat in the demonic beast mountains tasted decent,
the lack of proper seasonings made eating too much of it feel dull after a while.
It truly couldn't compare to an elaborately prepared feast.
His teacher, Song Wanqiu, sat beside him.
Watching Lu Li wolf down his food, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly:
"Eat slowly. No one is going to snatch it from you."
"Hehe, Teacher, you have no idea.
For the past two months, I was dreaming about taking a bite of this," Lu Li mumbled around his food.
He had already resolved to stock his space ring with plenty of seasonings in the future.
If he ever entered the demonic beast mountains again, he would ensure he ate well!
…
The banquet went on for over an hour, leaving everyone completely satisfied.
Many students patted their round bellies, slumping back in their chairs with looks of utter bliss on their faces.
At this moment, Song Wanqiu stood up and spoke gently:
"Alright, now that everyone has eaten their fill, it's time for us to head back to the university."
Back to the university?
Everyone froze.
Lu Li was also somewhat puzzled.
They were returning already?
He had assumed they would be doing special training here for all three months.
"Teacher, isn't there still one month left?" someone asked in confusion.
Song Wanqiu smiled faintly and explained,
"The final month of special training will take place back at the university.
It will primarily focus on training your teamwork and coordination."
"I see."
Realization dawned on the crowd.
"Commander Xu, thank you for looking after us during this time."
Song Wanqiu gave her final farewell to Instructor Xu Yang.
"Being able to assist Imperial Capital University is our honor!"
Instructor Xu Yang laughed heartily.
"You are too courteous. We shall take our leave then."
Song Wanqiu nodded.
Without another word, she tapped her staff lightly against the ground.
A golden teleportation magic circle lit up once more, enveloping everyone within.
A brilliant flash of light flared.
By the time everyone opened their eyes again, they had returned to the entrance gates of Imperial Capital University.
Chapter 100: Isn't Something Wrong with This Lineup? Kick Ye Tianhao Out!
"All eliminated freshmen may head back now."
Song Wanqiu turned around, her voice gentle yet brooking no dissent:
"Once you return, get some proper rest and don't be discouraged.
To have lasted two months already makes you quite impressive."
Though the eliminated freshmen felt bitter inside,
they could only nod in compliance and dejectedly disperse.
Only after they had left did Song Wanqiu look at the remaining nine people:
"Follow me."
She led the group back to the university and into a spacious conference room.
Everyone took their seats one after another, and only then did Lu Li have the time to look over the nine-person roster.
Shen Chuyou, Lin Qingyu, Ye Tianhao...
as well as several other freshmen whose names Lu Licould or could not recall.
Out of the thirty students, only nine remained.
Among them was Ye Tianhao.
Lu Li's gaze swept over him, his eyebrows arching slightly.
One could only say he truly lived up to being a member of the Beijing Ye Family.
Even though Ye Tianhao had ranked twenty-first in the Freshman Grand Competition, his performance over the past two months had been exceptionally eye-catching.
Not only had his level broken through to Level 18, but the number of monsters he hunted had solidly exceeded the Youth Training Team's average line.
Meanwhile, quite a few who had originally placed in the top ten of the Freshman Grand Competition had been eliminated by this brutal special training.
"If he hadn't run into me in the first round of the Freshman Grand Competition, he might really have made it into the top ten,"
Lu Li mused inwardly.
Of course, it was merely a possibility.
With Ye Tianhao's temperament and petty nature, even if he had made the top ten, he wouldn't have gone very far.
"First of all, congratulations on passing the first two months of special training."
Inside the conference room,
Song Wanqiu sat at the head of the long table, her eyes scanning the nine freshmen present as she spoke:
"Secondly, regarding this final month ahead,
what we need to prepare for is the National College Freshman Exchange Tournament."
As her words fell, everyone's spirits lifted.
"You should all be familiar with the format of the National College Freshman Exchange Tournament."
Song Wanqiu looked at the group.
Everyone nodded.
Lu Li also gave a slight nod.
Before awakening his memories of his past life, he had watched every single National College Freshman Exchange Tournament.
The competition format was divided into two categories: team matches and solo matches.
Generally speaking, the champions of the team competition and the solo competition did not come from the same university.
Of course, there were occasional double champions.
In the previous tournament, Modu Professional Universityhad clinched both titles.
"Then I won't explain the tournament format further."
Song Wanqiu parted her red lips, her voice gentle:
"For the solo competition, you may train on your own."
"The team competition, however, is different; it tests coordination to the utmost degree."
"Therefore, in this final month, I need you all to enter dungeons together to hone your synergy while slaying monsters."
Everyone's expression turned solemn.
Entering dungeons to train team coordination was indeed extremely reasonable.
Pausing, Song Wanqiu continued:
"Lu Li, Shen Chuyou, Lin Qingyu, Chu Nan, and Bai Yuqing, the five of you are the main roster.
The other four are substitutes. In addition, Lu Li, you will serve as captain."
"Understood."
Lu Li did not decline and nodded directly.
The others had no objections to this arrangement either.
There was no helping it; whether during the Freshman Grand Competition or the two months of special training in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range,
the strength Lu Li displayed had been overwhelmingly formidable.
This captaincy belonged to none other than him.
"Alright, that is the lineup arrangement. Do you have any questions?"
Song Wanqiu looked around and asked.
At this moment, a delicate and crisp voice rang out:
"Dean, doesn't our lineup seem a bit off?"
The speaker was a young girl seated beside Shen Chuyou.
She was extremely petite, likely just over 1.5 meters tall.
With a baby face, she looked extraordinarily adorable.
Yet her attire formed a sharp contrast with her cute appearance.
Clad in tight-fitting black assassin gear, it outlined her slender yet explosive figure to perfection.
Though her chest wasn't as magnificent as Shen Chuyou's, it was still delightfully contoured.
At her waist hung two daggers glinting with cold light.
This person was none other than one of the main roster members, Bai Yuqing.
This was also the first time Lu Li had closely observed this girl, whom he had barely interacted with during the Freshman Grand Competition.
Seeing everyone looking her way, Bai Yuqing showed no stage fright and said directly:
"I'm an Assassin, and Chu Nan is a Mage."
She extended a fair, slender finger, pointing first to herself and then to the black-haired youth across from her.
Hearing this, the black-haired youth nodded, confirming Bai Yuqing's words.
"Not to mention Shen Chuyou and Lin Qingyu—an Elemental Mage and a Blade Dancer, both are damage dealers."
Bai Yuqing continued, her voice clear and crisp:
"Adding Captain Lu Li, isn't our whole team made up of pure DPS?"
As her words fell, the others realized it as well.
Something really was wrong!
Warrior, Mage, Priest—the holy trinity of team composition was indispensable.
Yet right now, their entire team was composed of damage dealers, lacking both a tank and a support!
In terms of damage output, tanks and supports certainly couldn't compare to them.
However, in a team match,
without a tank, no one would absorb damage or draw aggro, and the enemy would dive straight in to assassinate your mages.
Lacking a support was even worse; buffs and healing were absolutely vital.
Without these two roles, a team competition was simply unwinnable!
"That's true, our lineup really doesn't have a tank or a support."
"I'm a Shield Warrior, but I'm just a substitute..."
"Without a support, our team fight sustain won't be able to keep up at all."
""
Several substitute members began murmuring in low voices.
Song Wanqiu, however, raised an eyebrow and said:
"Who said we don't have them? Isn't Lu Li both a tank and a support?"
Hearing this, everyone was taken aback.
Then, thinking carefully about it, that's right!
Lu Li was a Paladin!
A Paladin was inherently a class that could tank, heal, and buff.
Not only was he durable, but he also possessed a whole array of blessing and healing skills.
Acting as a tank and a support was entirely within his wheelhouse!
It was just that Lu Li's performance over the past two months had been far too overwhelming.
He instakilled anyone he met, cleaving through a monster with every axe swing.
To the point that everyone subconsciously forgot he possessed other abilities.
"Can that really work...?"
Bai Yuqing was still somewhat hesitant. "Having the captain shoulder both roles all by himself?"
It wasn't that she doubted Lu Li's strength.
It was simply that Lu Li's wild combat style was far too divergent from a traditional tank or support.
What kind of tank charged into a horde of monsters with an axe to play Dynasty Warriors?
"Whether it works or not, you'll find out tomorrow,"
Song Wanqiu did not bother to explain further, directly making the call:
"Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, gather in the first-floor lobby of Imperial University's Dungeon Building."
"Form up and run a dungeon first to test the results."
"Understood!"
Even though she still had doubts, Bai Yuqing could only nod at this point.
"Alright, that settles the lineup."
Song Wanqiu looked at Lu Li again and asked gently:
"Lu Li, as captain, do you have any other thoughts?"
"I do."
Lu Li didn't stand on ceremony.
He stood up, his eyes sweeping across everyone present before finally resting on Ye Tianhao.
"I don't want Ye Tianhao on our team."
As soon as these words came out, the entire room was stunned!
No one had expected Lu Li to make such a demand in public at this moment.
Inside the conference room, the atmosphere froze instantly.
Ye Tianhao's face also turned unsightly.
He glared at Lu Li, gritting his teeth:
"Lu Li, what do you mean by this?!"
"I don't mean anything in particular,"
Lu Li replied nonchalantly, "I just find you an eyesore."
"You!"
Ye Tianhao trembled with rage.
Just because he found him an eyesore, he wanted to kick him off the team?
Isn't this crossing the line?!
He was a member of the Ye Family!
Even if he was only from a branch, the name 'Beijing Ye Family' had never been treated with such contempt!
Lu Li's expression remained unchanged.
Ye Tianhao had harbored resentment against him ever since the Freshman Grand Competition.
And judging by the guy's character, he wasn't someone who would let go of revenge easily.
Keeping someone like that on the team meant there was no telling when he might stab them in the back.
Team competitions required absolute trust and tacit coordination.
Someone like Ye Tianhao wasn't worthy of trust in the slightest.
It was better to kick him out early.
"I object!"
Ye Tianhao rose abruptly, turned to Song Wanqiu, and suppressed his anger as he asked:
"Dean Song, can he really do this?"
He believed his performance over the past two months had been outstanding enough.
Not only had he reached Level 18, but the number of monsters he had hunted comfortably exceeded the Youth Training Team's average line.
On what grounds should he be kicked out just because Lu Li said so?
Hearing this, Song Wanqiu's expression remained tranquil:
"Lu Li is the captain, and the entire squad follows his arrangements.
I have no objections to his decision."
As her words fell,
Ye Tianhao felt as if struck by a heavy blow, freezing on the spot.
He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.
Even Dean Song was siding with Lu Li.
On what grounds?
Just because he was the Freshman King?
Just because he was your disciple?
Fine, fine, fine—you two master and disciple are thick as thieves, aren't you?
Ye Tianhao's face fluctuated between pale and livid, his chest heaving violently.
"Fine! Very well!"
After a long silence, he squeezed out through gritted teeth:
"Dean Song, this isn't over! I will report this to the vice principal!"
Having said his piece, he spun around abruptly,
and marched out of the conference room without looking back.
The remaining crowd exchanged glances.
No one had imagined such drama would unfold right at the beginning of the meeting.
Lu Li remained as calm as ever, showing little reaction.
Shen Chuyou's expression was serene, not surprised in the least by Lu Li's decision.
Lin Qingyu only glanced up at Lu Li before withdrawing her gaze.
After the events in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, she would not object to any of Lu Li's decisions.
Song Wanqiu looked at Lu Li, a faint trace of a smile at the corner of her lips:
"Any other thoughts?"
"None." Lu Li shook his head.
He knew in his heart that Song Wanqiu's straightforward agreement naturally came with her own considerations.
Ye Tianhao was, after all, a member of the Beijing Ye Family.
Keeping him or not made little difference to her.
Yet for this team, it was of paramount importance.
"Very well."
Song Wanqiu nodded, then addressed the room:
"Alright, everyone is tired today. Head back and rest."
"Tomorrow at nine in the morning, gather in the first-floor lobby of the school's Dungeon Building. Don't be late."