CHAPTER 36 — "DEPLOYMENT DAY: DESCENT INTO THE ISLAND OF DEATH"
Dawn broke over Azure Dragon Academy with a sky the color of molten steel.
This was not a normal morning.
It was Deployment Day.
Across the academy's outer grounds, massive spirit buses lined up in perfect rows, each one carved with formation runes and reinforced with spiritual alloys. Every bus bore the insignia of a different academy.
Students boarded in silence.
No laughter.No boasting.Only restrained excitement… and fear.
This was no sparring match.This was real combat.
Chen Wulian cracked his neck as he climbed aboard the Azure Dragon Academy bus.
"Finally," he grinned. "I was starting to feel bored."
Ouyang Xue'er glanced at the other buses through the window.
"So many academies… so many enemies…"
Bai Qianlan closed her eyes, illusion petals faintly drifting around her fingers.
"Not enemies," she corrected. "Obstacles."
Ling Yifan leaned against the window, spear resting against his shoulder.
"…And rivals."
Long Hao sat quietly at the back, gaze unfocused, already mapping possibilities.
The bus doors sealed.
WHOOM—
The convoy moved.
The buses arrived at a colossal floating carrier platform, suspended over the sea by enormous anti-gravity formations. At its center stood something that made even hardened cultivators swallow.
A gigantic spacecraft-like transport plane.
Its wings stretched like those of an ancient dragon.Runes pulsed along its black-metal hull.Jet engines roared with compressed spiritual energy.
This wasn't transportation.
This was a war deployment craft.
Chen Wulian whistled.
"…Okay, I admit. This is cool."
Vice-Dean Rui Jin stood near the ramp, hands behind his back.
"Board quickly," he said. "Once you're inside, there's no turning back."
The Top 10 stepped onto the ramp.
The hatch sealed shut behind them.
The interior was vast, lined with rows of drop seats, weapon racks, and glowing tactical maps.
At the front stood Instructor Lan Meiying.
Her playful smile was gone.
Now, she looked every bit like a combat veteran.
"Listen carefully," she said, her voice cutting through the engine roar."The island you're about to enter is officially classified as—"
She tapped the screen.
[ZONE NAME: BLACKFANG DESOLATION]
A hologram appeared.
The island was massive.
Jagged mountains clawed at the clouds.Forests so dense they swallowed light.Swamps that bubbled with poisonous mist.Ruins half-buried in blood-red earth.And at the center—
A dark spire rising like a fang from the ground.
Even the image felt oppressive.
"This island is alive," Meiying continued."And it hates humans."
The room went silent.
The hologram shifted.
"Monsters here are classified into three primary threat tiers."
🔴 EPIC-TIER MONSTERS
Common elites
Travel in packs
Each kill grants moderate points
Examples:
Graveclaw Stalkers
Bloodmaw Raptors
Ironhide Behemoths
Chen cracked his knuckles.
"Warm-up."
Meiying shot him a look.
"These 'warm-ups' have wiped out entire squads."
Chen shut up.
🟠 DRAGON-TIER MONSTERS
The hologram darkened.
"Territorial apex predators."
The images were terrifying.
Ashstorm Wyvern
Voidscale Serpent
Crimson Earth Dracolisk
"Encountering one without preparation," Meiying said flatly,"means death."
Ling Yifan's grip tightened.
"…Good."
Ouyang glared at him."Don't say 'good' like that!"
⚫ KING-TIER MONSTERS
The hologram dimmed further.
A single silhouette appeared.
Enormous.Ancient.Unmoving.
"King-tier monsters," Meiying said slowly,"rule entire regions of the island."
"Do not fight them," she emphasized."Do not provoke them.Do not even be noticed by them."
She looked directly at Long Hao, Chen, and Ling Yifan.
"This is not negotiable."
Long Hao nodded.
"…Understood."
Chen sighed dramatically.
"…Fine."
Meiying crossed her arms.
"Your goal is not to hunt recklessly."
She pointed at the map.
"Your priority is survival.Only after that—scoring."
"To rank in the Top 3 academies, you must balance:
Survival points
Monster kills
Team integrity"
She looked at Chen.
"Captain. Keep them alive."
Chen stood straight.
"I will."
Meiying nodded once.
"Good."
The plane shuddered.
Outside the windows—
The island appeared.
It was worse than the hologram.
Black clouds churned violently.Lightning split the sky without thunder.The ocean around the island boiled unnaturally.A colossal roar echoed from deep within the land.
The island felt hungry.
Ouyang Xue'er swallowed.
"…It feels like it's staring at us."
Bai Qianlan whispered.
"It is."
Red lights flashed.
[DEPLOYMENT IN 60 SECONDS]
Parachute packs descended from the ceiling, locking onto each student's back.
Chen laughed loudly.
"HAHA! This really is like a game!"
Meiying smirked.
"Die once and you're eliminated."
Chen stopped laughing.
Ling Yifan rolled his shoulders.
"Landing zone?"
"Randomized," Meiying replied."Adapt."
Long Hao closed his eyes.
"…As expected."
The rear hatch opened.
A hurricane of wind and spiritual pressure rushed in.
Below them—
The island waited.
[DEPLOYMENT IN 10… 9…]
Chen grinned.
"Alright, team."
[5…]
Ouyang Xue'er's frost aura flared.
"No holding back."
[3…]
Bai Qianlan's eyes shimmered.
"I'll cover our descent."
[2…]
Ling Yifan leveled his spear.
"I'll take the front."
[1…]
The floor vanished.
They jumped.
As they plunged toward the island—
Chen Wulian roared:
"LET'S TURN THIS ISLAND INTO OUR HUNTING GROUND!"
Ling Yifan's voice cut through the wind:
"Anyone in my way—fall."
Bai Qianlan whispered calmly:
"I'll decide what's real… and what isn't."
Ouyang Xue'er shouted, frost blazing:
"Freeze everything that moves!"
And Long Hao—
As the wind tore past him, eyes calm, voice steady—
"…Survive first."
The island rushed up to meet them.
The war had begun.
[CHAPTER ENDS]