“What kind of rewards are there?” Huang Xiu asked, a hint of excitement in her voice.
Her combat power, while perhaps not the absolute strongest among Mercury Rank individuals, was certainly among the top tiers.
Participating in this Martial Arts Tournament felt less like a competition and more like a straightforward acquisition of goods.
“Many, many,” Yuan Fei replied.
He patted Huang Xiu’s hand, a slight look of disdain on his face.
“Alright, stop pressing. If you keep pushing like that, my old shoulder blade will fracture.”
“Oh.” Huang Xiu released her grip and settled back beside him.
“In short, the grand prize is called Starfire Flowstone, a product from a long-extinct Void Realm. Tiangong Group has been searching for this stone for nearly a year, and this time, they are determined to get it.”
“Determined to get it?” Huang Xiu scoffed, pursing her lips. “Just one Void Tool? And they’re ‘determined to get it’? That’s a bit lacking in sincerity!”
“If they’re so determined, shouldn’t they offer a hefty reward?”
“Please let me finish,” Yuan Fei said, a hint of exasperation in his tone.
“Firstly, the value of a piece of Starfire Flowstone far surpasses that of a Void Tool. Secondly, this Void Tool is an additional reward from Tiangong Group. If you can lead their people into the top five, you can also choose a reward from the organizers yourself.”
“Doesn’t Tiangong Group have its own Awakened individuals?”
“While Tiangong Group does cultivate its own younger generation of Awakened individuals, their combat strength certainly can’t compare to that of our Tiandu University students.”
Huang Xiu considered this and found herself agreeing.
Tiandu University students were top talents, selected from across the nation and trained with Void Realm exploration as their primary focus.
Tiangong Group might be wealthy, but combat power wasn’t something that money alone could forge.
Yuan Fei then explained the rules of the Martial Arts Tournament to Huang Xiu.
“The Martial Arts Tournament upholds the tradition of the Hundred Battles Void Realm: ‘No Holds Barred.’”
“This Martial Arts Tournament essentially has no restrictions or too many rules.”
“The format is quite simple.”
“Participants are grouped according to their strength rank, then thrown into a confined area to fight to the death.”
“The objective is to seize treasures and the number tags from each opponent.”
“After the competition, rankings are determined by the accumulated scores.”
“Teams can consist of up to four individuals.”
“Wait, what if someone forms a malicious team?” Huang Xiu felt this was a significant loophole.
“What if someone forms a malicious team before the competition? If they overwhelm everyone with sheer numbers, who could possibly win?”
Yuan Fei shook his head. “The organizers won’t interfere. This Martial Arts Tournament has virtually no restrictions.”
“Besides, if others form malicious teams…” He glanced at Huang Xiu, a look in his eyes that seemed to ask, ‘Are you foolish?’ “Would you not form a malicious team yourself?”
“That’s true.” Huang Xiu stroked her smooth chin. Her old master had often said, ‘Fight magic with magic.’
‘As for malicious teaming… others might fear it, but she truly doesn’t seem very intimidated.’
She excelled at it.
“So, do you have any thoughts?”
Yuan Fei produced a business card, placed it on the table, and slid it towards Huang Xiu with his index finger.
[Tiangong Group, Resource Management Department, Department Head Ye Ya, Contact Number XXXXXX]
“This is the contact information for the Tiangong Group’s负责人. If you decide to participate, call this number and inform them,” he said.
“Is it dangerous?” Huang Xiu hesitated.
Wealth was appealing, but one needed to be alive to enjoy it.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that this unrestricted competition posed some risks.
“Do you believe me if I say there’s no danger?”
Huang Xiu immediately shook her head.
“The death rate in every Martial Arts Tournament isn’t low, but those who die are usually minor Void Realm creatures. For us in the Present World, those who dare to participate generally have some skill, and very few encounter serious problems.”
Yuan Fei’s tone was remarkably calm.
‘Moreover, if I thought you lacked the strength, I wouldn’t have brought this up. If you participate, and then bring Yun Ning Senior Male Student along, it’s the other participants in the Martial Arts Tournament who should be worried.’
“That’s not entirely true!” Huang Xiu felt a blush of embarrassment.
However, since her teacher approved of her strength, and with Yun Ning Senior Male Student joining, the danger level was indeed not high.
If she were to save up to buy a Void Tool herself, the fastest she could acquire one would likely be in her second year.
Even Yun Ning only acquired his in his second year.
‘I…’
Huang Xiu was about to say she would participate, but the words caught in her throat.
Suddenly, her parents’ words from that phone call flashed through her mind.
Their only wish was for her to grow up safely.
The word ‘participate,’ which had been on the tip of her tongue, instantly became unspeakable.
Huang Xiu finally changed her mind, saying, “I’ll think about it.”
“Hmm?” A flicker of surprise crossed Yuan Fei’s face.
From his student’s demeanor, he had assumed it was a foregone conclusion.
Yet, at the last moment, Huang Xiu had changed her mind.
‘Did she have some concerns…’ he mused internally.
“Alright, the Martial Arts Tournament won’t start until September at the earliest, most likely in October. You have at least three months, so you can think it over carefully.”
Yuan Fei crossed his legs, his tone tinged with a slight regret.
“I had originally thought you would agree and had even negotiated a signing bonus for you. But it seems that bonus will go to waste now.”
“Huh? What signing bonus?” Huang Xiu’s eyes widened.
“You should know, you are my student now,” Yuan Fei explained. “And you are also the only S-rank in the entire nation this year, a strong contender for the strongest among the Mercury Rank.”
The reason he specified ‘this year’ was because, at her current pace, she would likely be a contender for the strongest among the Gold Rank next year.
“Tiangong Group wanted to play it safe and recruit talent, and you are definitely their top target. So, I went with the flow and casually negotiated some terms for you.”
Yuan Fei clicked his tongue, his tone as calm as if he were haggling with a market vendor.
“They agreed that as long as you lead their team, they are willing to custom-make a Void Tool for you in advance. If you make it into the top five, they’ll even provide a small extra reward.”
Rewards paid in advance? A Void Tool obtainable first?
Huang Xiu’s eyes instantly lit up.
With a Void Tool for protection…
And if the Martial Arts Tournament only began in September, then, without a doubt, the [Wind’s Aid] Void Tool could definitely be fully inscribed.
If Yun Ning Senior Male Student was also added to the mix…
This Martial Arts Tournament wouldn’t pose much danger at all!
“Also… the large-scale Void Realm descent in Ying City is only a few months away. I need to maximize my strength before then.”
A ripple of determination appeared in Huang Xiu’s eyes. The large-scale Void Realm in Ying City was her most pressing concern at the moment.
Her hometown was about to face war, and now that she had the ability, she didn’t want to be a mere bystander.
Huang Xiu was about to change her mind and agree.
But just then,
She noticed Yuan Fei watching her with a half-smile, as if he was waiting for her to change her mind on the spot.
‘No, I can’t let Yuan Fei make fun of me.’
“I’ll still think about it!” Huang Xiu stood up and began to walk out, a voice trailing after her.
“Oh, I heard that a custom-made Void Tool takes at least three months to manufacture.”
“!!!”
Huang Xiu spun around abruptly, her face flushing, and she swiftly ran back to Yuan Fei’s side.
Huang Xiu took a deep breath, quickly turned, and strode back to the table, reaching out to pick up the business card.
“I just didn’t want to see the signing bonus you worked so hard to negotiate go to waste, Teacher.”
She spoke rapidly, not waiting for Yuan Fei to reply, then turned and scurried out of the room, closing the door behind her.
She left Yuan Fei with a wry, amused expression.
Huang Xiu had actually been spot on. The signing bonus was indeed difficult to negotiate; an advance payment for rewards was practically unheard of.
If it weren’t for his reputation, it might not have been secured at all.
“Xiao Xiu…” He raised his head, looking in the direction Huang Xiu had departed, his gaze seemingly piercing through the walls.
‘Grow quickly, my child.’
He had already received the latest news from the Jurisdiction Bureau and the Conquest Bureau.
It had been essentially confirmed that the large-scale Void Realm in Yong City was the [Shushan] Void Realm, which had been expelled from the Present World centuries ago.
The sudden return of a major Void Realm, expelled for hundreds of years, made Yuan Fei subtly suspect it was no mere coincidence.
Huang Xiu, a genius born and raised in Yong City, would inevitably be linked to the [Shushan] Void Realm.
“There really isn’t… much time left!”
Yuan Fei picked up the water glass on the table and took a sip.
With frequent Void Realm descents, the world’s situation was accelerating into turmoil, and a second full-scale war might be imminent.
This world already had one foot in the abyss, yet many were still fanning the flames.
The Black Tower sought to destroy the world, Arnoman had ascended to Star Rank and established an Awakened kingdom abroad, the City of Injustice was recruiting forces, and hidden Awakened families plotted nefarious schemes.
“I cannot see the path to Transcendent Rank.”
Yuan Fei’s eyes were filled with melancholy. “But with your talent, perhaps you can take that step.”
****
The high-quality business card lay in the center of the table, gleaming white under the incandescent lamp.
Huang Xiu stared at the business card, lost in thought.
Huang Xiaoxian, meanwhile, was wiping the floor with a rag nearby.
“Puff, puff, puff…”
Bending at the waist, its backside sticking out, it vigorously pushed the rag, scurrying all over the room.
Everywhere it passed, the floor became spotless.
It eventually wiped its way to Huang Xiu’s feet.
“Master, lift your foot!”
“Oh!” Huang Xiu lifted her foot.
Then, snapping back to reality, she clutched her head, her face contorted in agony.
“Ugh, I can’t think of anything!”
Huang Xiu had already contacted the people at Tiangong Group.
Miss Ye Ya had agreed readily, asking her to come directly to Tiangong Group’s headquarters in Tiandu City that weekend.
Her current dilemma was deciding what type of Void Tool to choose.
“Forget it, if I can’t think of it, I won’t. When I go this weekend, I’ll ask the professionals for advice.”
Huang Xiu’s main principle was to listen to good advice.
It was fine if she couldn’t make up her mind, as long as others could offer relatively reasonable suggestions.
This was also the primary reason Huang Xiu believed she couldn’t be a captain or a class leader.
Afflicted with decision paralysis, she truly lacked the decisive courage to make a final call.
That evening, temporarily free from the burden of choice, Huang Xiu continued her cultivation of the Hammering Method.
The practice of the Hammering Method was like an endless marathon; initiation was merely the starting line, the first step.
Only through persistent hammering could one advance step by step, temper oneself into steel, and break through to higher ranks.
Huang Xiu diligently remembered her teacher’s instructions, continuously visualizing the White Pattern Diagram in her mind.
After achieving initiation, each successful visualization of the complete pattern consumed a significant amount of her mental energy.
This depleted mental energy would be replenished and enhanced after sufficient rest.
These enhancements, in turn, would manifest as an increase in her Void Energy through her Awakened mental faculties.
Although the increase was small, it accumulated like grains of sand forming a tower.
After cultivating for a long time, Huang Xiu opened her eyes.
She briefly assessed the Void Energy increase from yesterday to today.
“At this rate, I should be able to break through to the Gold Rank before the end of the year.”
Six months to go from Mercury Rank to Gold Rank.
Huang Xiu was quite pleased with this cultivation speed.
The Mercury Rank was a crucial period for laying foundations.
Most students would strive to solidify their foundations during this time, aiming to reach the point where they could inscribe three Void Arts.
Therefore, to ensure a strong foundation, not many second-year students had yet reached the Gold Rank.
Just like Yun Ning.
He preferred to remain in the Mercury Rank, refining himself rather than breaking through.
Huai Nannan Senior Female Student, even more so, continued to refine herself until her third year.
However, Huang Xiu always suspected that Huai Nannan still being Mercury Rank in her third year was definitely related to her being too ‘lazy.’
Fortunately, Huai Nannan didn’t know her junior female student was criticizing her, or she would surely jump up and shout, “Is that polite?!”
“Because of my S-rank, my foundation is very solid; I only need a little polishing.”
This saved her a lot of time, allowing her to cultivate quickly and catch up with her senior male students’ progress.
“After about another week of cultivation, once I’m more familiar with the Hammering Method, I can start forging my Chakra.”
Huang Xiu’s face showed a hint of helplessness.
The biggest difficulty in forging a Chakra was the high Void Energy consumption.
Most Mercury Rank Awakened individuals needed to increase their Void Energy level through the Hammering Method before they could meet the standard.
However, her current Void Energy level already far exceeded the standard; her only lacking aspect was the proficiency of the Hammering Method.
****
Wednesday’s classes, in summary, were utterly brain-numbing.
During the introductory Hammering Method class, everyone closed their eyes to cultivate the technique.
After cultivating until their heads spun, they ate lunch, took a nap, and recovered a bit of their mental energy.
In the afternoon, they immediately resumed practicing Void Art architecture.
Void Arts were imitations of abilities.
The so-called ‘architecture’ referred to a simplified version of the Void Energy patterns on the core of the ability being imitated.
As everyone knew,
Even seemingly useless abilities had incredibly complex patterns on their core.
For example, Huang Xiu’s own ability, [Senluo], had Void Energy patterns on its core that were intertwined and twisted like a ball of yarn.
Just looking at them for too long made her dizzy.
Therefore, even after simplification, the Void Energy patterns within Void Art architecture remained intricate and complex.
They were even far more complicated than the circuit diagrams Huang Xiu had studied in high school.
“I didn’t even learn circuits well in high school, and now in college, I have to study even more complex Void Art architecture…”
Huang Xiu’s eyes welled up with tears. “Please spare me!”
Consequently, after an entire afternoon of classes, her head spun even more, and she lost her appetite for dinner.
That evening, Huang Xiu arrived at the conference room with a pale face, punctual for her gossip session.
However, Teacher Nanmen Xiu, seeing her abnormal complexion, thought she had gotten her period and prepared to make her brown sugar water.
This left Huang Xiu both embarrassed and annoyed. It took her a while to explain and clear up Teacher Nanmen Xiu’s misunderstanding.