Chapter 0111 – The Most Direct Confrontation
After the results of the 2nd round came out, the Falling Star Academy was ranked 1st with a total of 221 points, with 155 points, the Luo Huo Academy secured the 2nd place. The Thunder Academy with 138 points finished 3rd, the Clear Sky Academy with 130 points was 4th, but the God Wind Academy was the last with the most distant score of only 76 points.
The man who hosted the 1st and the 2nd rounds of the tournament, after announcing the start of the 3rd round, no longer spoke. At this point an old man sitting below him on the main altar, walked to the front of the main altar, and spoke loudly, “The 3rd round is a Battle Round in which the strengths of the 5 Star Academies would be compared, which is also the best measure of strengths of each of the Academies. Therefore, the points that can be scored in the 3rd round is also the maximum, with a total of 250 points, as to how much an Academy can score, it will depend on their individual’s skill……”
When Ning Cheng heard this, he immediately thought, this time this particular round was really the deciding factor when compared to the previous 2 rounds. Maybe they could not decide on which of the people who could comprehend the leather like parchment to choose from, after all both the rounds were only for a short period of time, so the score was still lower than what they expected. As such to decide which one of the Academies would be promoted to a 6 Star Academy, most of the 5 Star Academies would definitely go all out in this round.
“Ning Cheng……” Ji Luo Fei still had some worry in her heart as she met up with him, even though she only met with her paternal aunt just for a moment, but it ended up making her sad. At this moment her heart and mind was wholeheartedly focussed only on Ning Cheng.
Liu Xian also walked towards them from the main altar, he just patted on Ning Cheng’s shoulder and said, “You do not need to be worried about this round, even if you got a 100 points, our score in the 3rd round is not very optimistic. You can rest in the 3rd round, and have a look at the performances of your fellow apprentices, while also taking the time to learn from their practical experience.”
On hearing Liu Xian’s words Ning Cheng really had a very favourable impression of him, he was still treating him with the respect of a core disciple of the God Wind Academy, despite the price he had to pay for him. Moreover, there was still the fact that in the first two rounds of the tournament, he had only scored a combined score of a measly 11 points. But because his score was too low, it was simply not counted in the total.
After the simple comforting words spoken to Ning Cheng, Liu Xian at once went towards the three Late Stage True Condensation fellow apprentices and spoke some encouraging words to them for the 3rd round.
“Although your performance was just as I expected, as you only scored a total of 11 points in the two rounds. But I am still a bit disappointed. I thought that you were similar to me and would end up taking my quota, the God Wind Academy would definitely take one’s score into consideration. Actually, it seems that I really did not read you wrong.” Meng Jing Xiu said as she walked over towards them, she even looked at Ning Cheng with disdain in her eyes.
Ning Cheng knew the reason why she was acting that way, it was because he had almost taken away her spot, if not for Liu Xian still being friendly towards him, that Meng Jing Xiu’s hatred towards him might even be a lot bigger than now.
But Ning Cheng did not take Meng Jing Xiu seriously at all, and just spoke lazily, “You also did not score much higher than me.”
“I may have not scored much higher that you, but out of us 2 people from the God Wind Academy, my score of 35 points is still enough to tower over you completely. Moreover, with my score I easily am much ahead of you in the first two rounds, it just seems that you really do not understand what you said before.” Meng Jing Xiu looked at Ning Cheng and said while shaking her head, with an expression of pride on her face.
Saying that. She simply turned away, and absolutely did not wait for Ning Cheng to reply back.
Ning Cheng who was behind her, just chuckled and said, “Just how do you think that you and I are similar? How could you be so sure that I would not be able to score points in the 3rd round?”
When Meng Jing Xiu heard Ning Cheng’s words, in her eyes flashed a trace of ridicule, but she did not bother to reply back.
At this time the old man hosting the third round once again spoke up, “Now I am going to explain the rules of the 3rd round, the 3rd round of the tournament is not limited to your opponents in the other Academies, simply put anyone can fight anyone, even participants from the same Academy can fight each other……”
This explanation was somewhat unclear to Ning Cheng, since this was a competition between the 5 Star Academies. Of course participants from one Academy fighting with participants from other Academy was the norm, but how could they allow the participants from the same Academy to fight each other?
Even the audience below was confused and were discussing loudly with each other, it was clear that they also did not understand why that old man was setting such a rule.
When the old man saw that everyone was speaking noisily, he immediately raised his hand which caused every one of them to feel a heavy pressure bearing down on them. At the same time, he once more spoke with a loud voice, “Pipe down, listen to the rules that I am speaking.”
The old man was also a guest from the Intermediate Class Continent. So his words had a lot of weight behind them, so after he spoke out, the audience immediately quieted down.
The old man hosting the round once again spoke in a loud voice, “Before the 3rd round of the tournament starts. The 25 participants will each carry 10 points, with the total adding up to 250 points, meaning each Academy has a total of 50 points. When two people come onto the stage to compete, the score of the losing side will be scrapped and added to the score of the person who won.”
“For example, if Zhang San and Li Si came up to battle, both of them will initially have 10 points, after Zhang San wins the fight, then his score will then become 20 points, but Li Si will have lost his score. People without a score, will not be allowed on to the stage to fight again. If another Wang Wu Dai comes onto the stage with 10 points, and then challenge Zhang San, and if Zhang San loses, then his score will be added to Wang Wu Dai’s score. Wang Wu Dai will now have a score of 30 points, while Zhang San will now have no score.”
As the old man spoke till this point, it became very clear and all the people could easily understand. This really was the most direct way to grab points, moreover it was also the most intuitive method too. But if they went along with this, then wouldn’t the person with the highest cultivation level among the participants, whisk away the 250 points completely? However, as they thought that since there would only be a single 6 Star Academy, they could not find any contradictions to it.
The old man once again spoke, “If one of the participants from the Academy, at any point before the start of the battle, has a weaker cultivation level or if they feel that they would not be able to win the round, or those who don’t want to participate in this Battle Round, they can hand over their score to one of the other participants from the same Academy, preferably to the person with the highest cultivation, if you want. Once you hand over your score, you will not be able to continue to challenge others on the stage, moreover the others also cannot challenge those who do not have a score. Moreover, each person will have the chance to challenge only three times, but each person can only be challenged up to three times. Remember, if the participants from the same Academy battle out each other, then no matter how many times they are challenged, it would only be counted as one. The rules of this round have already been stated, so if any of you any questions, you can raise them now.”
“If the disciple from an Academy loses, but after leaving the stage, can the other disciples give him their score and then continue to challenge on the battle stage?” God Wind Academy’s Liu Xian asked.
The other people knew the hidden meaning behind his words, the God Wind Academy only had a very few experts for the Battle Round, he was afraid that if his most powerful disciple lost, then there was no chance for them to bounce back.
“It is not possible.” The old man answered very simply.
“Excuse me, what if during the battle, one slipped and ended up killing their opponent?” This question was asked by Shui Yu from the Shui Clan.
As Ning Cheng listened to Shui Yu’s words, he knew that this was the guy who had looked at him with Killing Intent in his eyes, he could say with confidence that he said those words because he had planned to kill him.
The old man indifferently looked at the eyes of Shui Yu, and said with an expressionless tone, “If you fear death, then just give your points to some other person from your Academy who does not.”
As the old man finished, he waited for a moment, and then once again said in a loud voice, “The 3rd round of the tournament will now begin, the first person to go up on stage will be the person might just end up with the highest score till now.”
The old man who was hosting the 3rd round then drew back, and set up a few strong Restrictions on the square platform, but for the moment no one went up to the stage.
It seems that no one was willing to be the first person to take the lead, but the people who came to view the battle round were not getting impatient. Everybody knew that it was just the calm before the storm, once the storm hits, there would not be a single calm moment. The people on the main altar, were also not worried about it, they were just watching as if waiting to eat steamed crabs for the first time.
At this time there were 25 names being displayed on the 3rd Projection Array Formation Screen, and all of them had 10 points in front of them. Although there were 25 people that appeared on the Projection Array Formation Screen, but everyone knew, that under these rules, only a dozen people at most can enter the square stage, not everyone could come up.
“Ning Cheng, give me your score. Your cultivation is too low, with your score in my hands, at least no one will challenge you.” Meng Jing Xiu had thought that she would never again have to speak with Ning Cheng, but when she heard the rules of the Battle Round, she immediately arrived at Ning Cheng’s side and spoke up.
“Just who do you think you are? And why should I give it to you?” If at first when Meng Jing Xiu spoke about her thoughts of him robbing her quota, then at least Ning Cheng could still understand such behaviour. But now she thinks that she is amazing, and comes over to demand his score as if it was natural, Ning Cheng really did not feel well in his heart.
“Then I will challenge you.” Meng Jing Xiu saw that Ning Cheng’s cultivation was just at trivial Early Stages of True Condensation Realm, but he even unexpectedly dared to hold onto his 10 points, she immediately became angry. In her view, if Ning Cheng did not hand over his score to other disciples from the same Academy, then he would only end up giving it to other people.
“Fuck Off.” Ning Cheng was finally driven to the limits of his patience. He really was despising this woman in his heart, if you want to challenge, then go challenge the people from the different Academies, of the other 20 people from the other institutes, you are free to challenge any one. Unfortunately, she just had to look at the 10 points in his possession, just how could he not feel humiliated?
At once Meng Jing Xiu’s eyebrows trembled, but before she erupted in anger, Liu Xian immediately walked over and spoke, “The round is going to start soon, what are you people still quarrelling about?”
Ning Cheng immediately said to Liu Xian, “Deacon Liu, Meng Jing Xiu wants to challenge me, is something wrong with her head?”
Meng Jing Xiu wanted to explain that letting Ning Cheng hold onto his score was just a waste, but then she saw Liu Xian frown and immediately speak.
“Meng Jing Xiu, our God Wind Academy is a 5 Star Academy. Do not speak something that will make us lose face, if you want to fight, then fight the other Academies in the tournament.”
“Yes.” Meng Jing Xiu did not dare to be impolite towards Deacon Liu, once she answered respectfully, she immediately turned and walked away, she did not even bother to take a look at Ning Cheng.
“Deacon Liu, do you want me to hand my score over?” Ning Cheng spoke calmly, if Liu Xian also came to ask for his score, he would immediately give it to Liu Xian, then bring Ji Luo Fei and walk far away from here. In this tournament, the benefits he had received were more than enough. Just the several hundred variations from the leather like parchment, had already benefited him greatly.
When he asked Liu Xian about his score, it was not that he did not respect him anymore. It was just that even if he did not ask about it, he would have given it to him by himself.
Liu Xian just smiled bitterly and shook his head while saying, “No, but you should look after your own safety. I already saw that Shui Yu looking at you with an intent to kill in his eyes, you really have to be careful about him. My God Wind Academy is already doomed to be at the bottom, why would I even bother about your 10 points? If you really are not sure about yourself, then you can give your score to Chu Yong Xin yourself, he is my God Wind Academy’s strongest person in the True Condensation Realm.”
“Thank you, Deacon Liu, I think that I still want to give it a try.” Ning Cheng felt that Liu Xian was also a mild mannered person like him, even in his temperament towards him.
“God Wind Academy’s Meng Jing Xiu comes to the stage with 10 points, regardless of who, I will accept the challenge.” After Meng Jing Xie stepped on to the square platform, she then saw Ning Cheng in a conversation with Liu Xian.
When Liu Xian saw Meng Jing Xiu was the first person to step onto the platform to accept the challenge, he just shook his head, sighed and then turned around to leave.
Nobody thought that the first person to come up on the platform to accept challenges, would unexpectedly turn out to be Meng Jing Xiu of the God Wind Academy. Looking at the cultivation of Meng Jing Xiu, it was only at True Condensation 6th Level. Out of the five 5 Star Academies participating in the third round, the cultivation of worst of them that would participate in this round would at the very least be in the Late Stages of True Condensation Realm, but unexpected a cultivator at the True Condensation 6th Level came out to take the challenges?
The audience surrounding the square platform immediately began to talk, everyone wanted to know which Academy would come out to rob the points from Meng Jing Xiu from the God Wind Academy.