At half-past one, as the teachers took their seats, a list of 200 people who had advanced appeared on the large screen in the sports center, which measured 20 meters in length and 10 meters in width.
At this moment, Chen Chu also redirected his attention from the recently fed heavily armored beast.
"Sure enough, I am too miserable," Xia Youhui wailed, as his name was nowhere to be found on the big screen.
As a 'genius' who had established his foundation within a week, he seemed to be the only one who hadn't advanced.
Even Li Wenwen had managed to advance to the second round, much to Chen Chu's delight as he spotted her name in the first row, wearing a smile on her face.
"All those who have advanced, enter the arena, and the second round of defending competition will begin," declared Lin Xiong, the director of class one.
"Remember, battle until the end."
With these instructions, all the students on the list rose from their seats in the auditorium, donned their weapons, and one by one entered the arena.
After Lin Xue and the others descended, Chen Chu also stood up, carrying the long knife on his back.
At that moment, Luo Fei made a supportive gesture towards him, sporting a smile on her face. "Come on, Chen Chu, aim for a spot in the top fifty."
Chen Chu turned his head and smiled back at her, while Xia Youhui, standing beside him, appeared bewildered.
What was going on? Where did they get the confidence to aspire to the top fifty?
As Chen Chu reached the field below, many individuals in the fifty rings were eager to engage in challenges. According to the rules, the first person to achieve four consecutive victories would be considered a successful defender and could no longer accept challenges. This meant that the remaining challengers might be stronger.
"Zhang Hong, Class 15, who will challenge?"
"Li Tianyao, Class 4, who wants to challenge?"
"I, Zhang Zilin from Class 9..."
Chen Chu wasn't in a rush to step on stage. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Ring No. 1, where a girl in a black windbreaker with long, ponytailed hair stood at an angle.
While challengers in other arenas were eager to engage, no one approached Ring No. 1, as if it were an invisible restricted area.
"Is that An Chengqing from Class 1?" Chen Chu cast a deep glance at the girl before turning away and heading toward Ring 49.
In Ring No. 2, the boy carrying the pillar displayed astonishing dominance. He easily sent an opponent and their weapon flying with a single strike, exuding an overwhelming presence.
As Chen Chu walked past Ring No. 10, he noticed Lin Xue battling a boy wielding a two-handed knife. The skirmish between them was intense.
In Ring No. 29, Yi Rui appeared to be evenly matched with a boy.
In Ring No. 34, Li Meng, who Chen Chu had defeated earlier, swung a heavy hammer and knocked a boy out of the ring with thirteen consecutive blows. He wore a triumphant smile.
However, his joy was short-lived as Chen Chu walked over from a short distance away. Li Meng's smile froze, but to his relief, Chen Chu only gave him an indifferent glance before proceeding to Ring 49.
"It's a good thing that guy didn't come to challenge me; it scared me half to death," Li Meng muttered while patting his chest.
When Chen Chu arrived at Ring 49, two boys were already engaged in a fierce battle on it. Observing the spectacle, he halted and joined a small group of students watching the fight.
Among those who had advanced to the top 200, everyone was undeniably strong. Consequently, with every collision, their weapons generated a multitude of sparks due to the powerful impacts. The shockwaves even reverberated through the air with a distinct buzz.
Boom!
After over 20 exchanges, the less skilled boy was kicked off the ring.
"Admission of defeat."
On Ring 49, the boy with the crew cut wore a smug smile, glanced around, and shouted, "Who else wants to step up?"
With only 200 students and fifty rings, not many individuals surrounded each ring. Those who weren't competing were seated in the audience.
The students observing these rings were contemplating their strengths and determining which arena to challenge based on their evaluations, knowing they had only one opportunity.
"I'll give it a try."
Just as a student nearby expressed their eagerness, Chen Chu leaped onto the two-meter-high ring. The boy with the crew cut involuntarily displayed a hint of apprehension when he noticed Chen Chu's approach.
For some reason, he felt a subtle sense of pressure emanating from the handsome boy.
The boy with the crew cut hesitated briefly before announcing himself, "Zhang Yiming from Class 37."
"Class Three, Chen Chu."
With these introductions concluded, Chen Chu effortlessly withdrew a two-meter-long straight knife from his back. Zhang Yiming didn't dare to underestimate him, immediately circulating the energy and blood within his body, releasing a potent aura.
In the auditorium, when Chen Chu leaped onto Ring 49, Luo Fei glanced in his direction.
Simultaneously, Xia Youhui also directed his gaze towards Chen Chu and inquired thoughtfully, "Concubine Luo, let's be honest. Is there something you two are keeping from me?"
With a faint smile, the long-haired girl replied, "You can tell just by looking, can't you?"
Xia Youhui remained speechless.
"Engage!"
On the ring, Zhang Yiming issued a low shout, rapidly advancing and closing the distance between himself and Chen Chu in the blink of an eye.
The snow-white blade sliced through the air, emitting a piercing sound as it descended from above. The wind generated by the blade was so powerful that it stung Chen Chu's face.
Clang! Sparks flew.
Chen Chu wielded his knife with one hand, effortlessly blocking Zhang Yiming's full-powered strike. Not only did his body remain unaffected, but he also disregarded the force of the blow.
This display caused Zhang Yiming's face to pale.
At this moment, a surge of majestic qi and blood erupted within Chen Chu's body. His muscles swelled, and his presence transformed abruptly, resembling a suddenly awakened giant elephant.
Clang!
With a flick of his wrist, Chen Chu unleashed an astonishing surge of strength, sending Zhang Yiming stumbling backward a few paces.
In that very instant, Chen Chu advanced and executed a slashing motion. The ear-piercing rush of wind assaulted Zhang Yiming's senses, and the overwhelming aura of impending doom sent shivers down his spine.
Clang!
Zhang Yiming gripped his knife with both hands to defend, sparks scattering in all directions.
Under the relentless onslaught of force, Zhang Yiming was forced back by the overpowering blade. Before he could react, the fierce, howling wind erupted once more.
Clang clang!
Without any unnecessary movements, Chen Chu expertly wielded the knife: horizontal, vertical, horizontal. Each slash was executed at a terrifying speed, containing an impact force exceeding 1,000 kilograms.
Under such terrifying might, Zhang Yiming found himself unable to resist, even though he practiced advanced techniques.
In just four strokes, Chen Chu ruthlessly defeated Zhang Yiming. His arms trembled, his muscles ached, and he could no longer maintain his grip on the weapon.
"Admission of defeat."
On the ring, Chen Chu calmly sheathed his straight knife, wearing a gentle smile on his handsome face, concealing the dominant and fierce demeanor he had displayed moments ago.
"I concede," Zhang Yiming admitted with a hint of bitterness.
Soon, as Chen Chu confirmed his readiness to continue, another student leaped onto Ring No. 49.
"Class 15, Liu Huang."
"Chen Chu, Class Three, prepare yourself."
Roar!
With the faint sound of an enraged elephant's roar, Chen Chu's entire being resembled a furious giant elephant. His two-meter-long straight knife sliced through the air, issuing an ear-piercing roar as he delivered a powerful horizontal slash.
Clang clang!
Chen Chu sent the freshman named Liu Huang tumbling off the ring three consecutive times, exuding a dominating aura.
Suddenly, silence enveloped the surroundings.
For Zhenwu practitioners, the Foundation Building stage was still in its infancy, rendering the students' competitions appear rather monotonous and mundane, characterized by tests of strength and speed. The intricacies of combat and tactical awareness only came into play when the contestants' strengths were closely matched.
With Chen Chu's current strength, he didn't even need to employ advanced sword techniques against opponents who had yet to reach the limits of the first level. Absolute strength and speed alone rendered him unbeatable.