Under the watchful eyes of the school's discipline director, Li Yao swiftly darted through the slowly closing school gate, letting out a sigh of relief. He glanced at his watch: 7:29 AM. Perfect!
Like all high schools in the Federation, Chi Xiao Second High School had already entered the annual "Crazy College Entrance Exam Season." The campus was filled with a tense atmosphere, akin to a battlefield. Right at the entrance stood a massive light screen displaying several large characters:
"99 days, 18 hours, 32 minutes, and 57 seconds left until the college entrance exam!"
Every second, the numbers on the screen would change, gradually decreasing, exerting immense pressure on the students.
On both sides were several slogans:
"Study until you die, if you must!"
"Improve by one point, crush a thousand people!"
"Chi Xiao Second High School dominates the Federation; we will not return until we conquer the college entrance exam!"
"Get into the 'Nine Elite Universities,' become a cultivator, and reach the pinnacle of life!"
The inspiring march music echoed throughout the campus as nearly a thousand students flooded towards the main sports field like a tide. Li Yao quickened his pace, blending into the crowd. Once on the field, the students split into three distinct groups.
The first group consisted of about forty students, all of them tall and handsome, exuding an air of superiority. Their school uniforms, made of celestial silk, were tailored perfectly and had been refined by cultivators, shimmering with a subtle radiance that highlighted their extraordinary presence—these were the students of the "key class," each one a rare talent in cultivation, capable of competing for spots in the "Nine Elite Universities."
The second group was the largest, with seven to eight hundred students. Their uniforms, also made of celestial silk, were not custom-made and had not been refined by cultivators, appearing somewhat plain and unremarkable. They were students of the "parallel classes," mostly children of wealthy families in Fuguo City, with average aptitude and strength largely built through resources.
The third group had over a hundred students, wearing low-quality school uniforms made of ordinary fabric, loose and baggy, giving them a somewhat slovenly appearance. This was the "regular class," predominantly composed of children from working-class families, considered mere extras in the private Chi Xiao Second High School.
Li Yao easily found his place in the "regular class" line. As soon as he stood still, someone patted him on the shoulder. A somewhat slick voice rang out: "Little demon, why did you come so late? There's a big shot coming to our school today!"
Without turning around, Li Yao knew it was his best friend, "Meng Jiang." He glanced at the podium and indeed saw that the school's top brass, including the principal, vice principal, and discipline director, were all present—a rare sight for a regular morning meeting.
"What big shot is so impressive that even Bald Zhao has come out to greet him personally?"
Bald Zhao was the principal of Chi Xiao Second High School, Zhao Shude, a core disciple of the Chi Xiao Sect and a high-level cultivator at the Qi Refining stage. However, it was said that he had suffered a hidden injury while cultivating in the "Beast Wasteland" of the northwest when he was young, and he often secluded himself for recuperation, rarely managing school affairs.
"It's Peng Hai, 'Demon Blade' Peng Hai!" Meng Jiang was extremely excited, his voice trembling.
This name made Li Yao's heart skip a beat.
Peng Hai, the "Demon Blade," was the greatest legend in the history of Chi Xiao Second High School, which had been established for centuries.
He came from the slums and showed dazzling cultivation talent from a young age. At eleven, he was specially recruited by Chi Xiao Second High School. By twelve, his "Spirit Root Development" had reached one hundred percent, awakening an exquisite spirit root and embarking on the path of cultivation. At thirteen, he was admitted to the "Da Huang War Academy" among the "Nine Elite Universities," and by fifteen, upon graduation, he had reached the tenth level of Qi Refining, becoming a rising star renowned throughout the Federation!
After graduating from Da Huang War Academy, he rejected high-paying offers from more than a dozen cultivation sects and resolutely joined the "Federal Army." He fought against millions of beasts in the Beast Wasteland, defending the Federation with his youth and passion. He also built his formidable reputation as the "Demon Blade" with the corpses of beasts, and finally, at the age of twenty-two, he became one of the youngest cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage in the Federation!
After retiring from the military, Peng Hai returned to his hometown and joined the Chi Xiao Sect with an astronomical "joining fee." In just three years, he became the head of the new business department of the "Chi Xiao Transportation Group," which was under the Chi Xiao Sect. He was responsible for developing new transportation routes in dangerous areas infested with beasts. In addition to a substantial salary, it was said that he owned a large number of shares in the "Chi Xiao Transportation Group," and his annual dividends alone were like mountains of gold and silver!
"Did you hear? Peng Hai just bought an unbeatable sea view villa on 'Silver White Beach,' which is said to be worth seventy to eighty million! Some tabloid reporters have also seen him often bring a dozen women back to the villa for wild parties!" Meng Jiang said with a mouthful of drool, not hiding his envy and jealousy.
From a penniless kid in the slums to a high-level manager of a major sect, with a fortune of hundreds of millions, luxury cars, beautiful women, and sea view mansions—this was the dream of all slum youths, and Li Yao and Meng Jiang were no exception.
They all longed to become the next Peng Hai!
"Here he comes!"
Li Yao's watch vibrated slightly, indicating that something was approaching rapidly from the air. He looked up and saw a black streak of light shooting from the eastern horizon, moving extremely fast. One second it was on the horizon, and in the blink of an eye, it was quietly hovering in the air above the sports field—a black flying shuttle!
This flying shuttle was slender, like an elongated droplet, almost twice the length of an ordinary flying shuttle. Its crystal-clear exterior showed no seams or rivets, appearing perfectly natural. From the outside, it was impossible to tell what offensive magical treasures this flying shuttle was equipped with, but the hidden danger beneath the black light was enough to make one's heart stop. The murderous intent seemed to transcend space, causing thousands of middle school students to feel suffocated at the same time.
"It's the 'Xuan Niao War Shuttle'! The most advanced armed flying shuttle in the Federation, with a combat power comparable to a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator! With the 'Xuan Niao War Shuttle,' one can roam freely and without restraint, even in the Beast Wasteland!" Li Yao exclaimed inwardly.
As a magical treasure enthusiast, the attraction of this "Xuan Niao War Shuttle" to him was even greater than that of Peng Hai himself!
And he knew that the lowest configuration of a "Xuan Niao War Shuttle" would cost nearly 100 million, which was unaffordable for ordinary wealthy families.
The next second, the chest of thousands of middle school students relaxed simultaneously, and they regained their ability to breathe. The Xuan Niao War Shuttle in the air had already disappeared, replaced by a handsome man in black armor, tall and thin, with a smiling face.
However, in the depths of his pitch-black eyes, there were still occasional flashes of light, like lightning, like a demon blade.
Wherever his gaze fell, even the principal of the second middle school, Li Shude, and the usually fierce discipline director "Black Face God" couldn't help but slightly turn their bodies, not daring to look directly at Peng Hai.
"Cultivators, they are really rich, really imposing, and really domineering!" Li Yao "gulped" down a mouthful of saliva.
"I heard that this time Peng Hai was specially invited back by the school to tutor the students of the 'key class'! Little demon, you know, although our Chi Xiao Second High School is a century-old prestigious school, its college entrance exam results in recent years have not been particularly outstanding, and there are not many students admitted to the 'Nine Elite Universities,' which also brings shame to the Chi Xiao Sect. So this time, Peng Hai was specially invited back for special training, hoping to turn the tide and create brilliance again!" Meng Jiang's voice was full of jealousy.
After all, the privilege of being personally trained by the "Demon Blade" Peng Hai was only available to the students of the "key class," and they, the poor boys of the "regular class," had no chance.
Upon hearing this, Li Yao also sighed inwardly.
The "Nine Elite Universities" are the nine most profound, resource-rich, and talent-filled higher education institutions in the Federation, the ultimate dream of countless students in the Federation.
Ordinary universities do not aim to cultivate cultivators. Even if students have high talent, work hard, and have continuous adventures, the chance of becoming a cultivator is no more than one in ten thousand.
The Nine Elite Universities, however, have many cultivation sects as their backing, specifically aiming to cultivate cultivators. As long as one is admitted to the Nine Elite Universities, there is a thirty percent chance of becoming a cultivator and reaching the pinnacle of life!
To become a master of refining, one must first become a cultivator, and to become a cultivator, one must first be admitted to one of the Nine Elite Universities. Li Yao has always strived towards this goal, but his innate disadvantages seem insurmountable, and his dream seems to be slipping further away...
Lost in thought, Li Yao was somewhat disheartened and didn't even pay attention to what was being said on stage. Time is precious for cultivators, and Peng Hai didn't dawdle for long. Principal Zhao Shude soon declared the morning assembly over.
Peng Hai was escorted away by the talented students of the key class, while the students from the parallel and regular classes also lost their enthusiasm, walking towards the teaching building in small groups.
The day's learning officially began!