Chapter 172: Second Round Grouping, Ye Lingxiao's Battle Intent

Chapter 172 – The Second Round Grouping, Ye Lingxiao’s Battle Spirit

Deng Bingding gazed at the twenty students remaining before him and encouraged them: “The techniques you have just learned, I have now granted each of you full rights to use them.”

“This is the Heavenly Court’s reward for the first‑tier examinees, a promotion incentive prepared especially for you.”

“May you remain humble yet unflinching, continue to forge ahead with vigor, stride bravely along the immortal path, and one day ascend even higher, serving the Heaven and your sect…”

After uplifting the assembled scholars, Deng Bingding turned to speak of the next round of examinations.

“The next round will be held on October 15th, at the same venue.”

“Unlike this comprehensive test, the second round is a specialized trial; each of you must choose one of the four tracks—Heart of the Dao, Magical Power, Athletics, or Martial Arts—to compete in.”

“We keep you here now solely to arrange your registrations…”

Thus, under the guidance of the Supreme Deities, the students each produced a phone and logged onto the registration portal.

According to Deng Bingding, after the reform of the Foundation‑building exam, the enrollment for the four tracks had undergone subtle changes.

Each student may now sign up for two tracks, a measure to accommodate tracks that are either under‑populated or overcrowded, adjusting placements based on the first‑round total scores.

In short, the aim is to better unearth talent among the first tier, to balance the distribution across the four tracks, and to prevent too many strong contenders from being eliminated within a single track.

Zhang Yu heard this and furrowed his brow slightly: “Register for two tracks?”

“But Ah Zhen and I only discussed a single track!”

“Will there be a last‑minute reshuffle that throws both of us into the same track, perhaps?”

Zhang Yu wanted to confer with Bai Zhenzhen, but the Supreme Deities had just forbidden any communication among candidates.

It was clear they were required, once informed of the rule change, to complete their registrations independently at this moment.

“Then it will come down to the tacit understanding between Ah Zhen and me.”

By his original agreement with Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu had signed up for Athletics, while Bai Zhenzhen had chosen Martial Arts.

Now, with a second option available, Zhang Yu had to decide between Heart of the Dao and Magical Power.

“Heart of the Dao or Magical Power?”

Recalling his performance in the first Magical Power test, Zhang Yu sighed inwardly: “Unwittingly, because I have neglected further training in controlling my magical power, Ah Zhen has probably surpassed me in that regard now.”

With that thought, Zhang Yu selected Heart of the Dao for his second choice.

Moments later, as each contestant completed their registration, all the data materialized before the Supreme Deities’ eyes.

Deng Bingding nodded: “Indeed, Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao have been staggered apart; they seem to share a tacit understanding.”

Huang Zichou remarked, “If those two end up in the same track, it would be a real loss whichever one gets eliminated.”

Scanning the registration choices of the third, fourth, and fifth place scorers, Deng Bingding said, “Begin the adjustments.”

In Deng Bingding’s view, the first priority was to determine the tracks for the top two—Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing.

For those two possess a qualitative gap in strength compared with the remaining eighteen students.

He thought to himself, “Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing—whichever two tracks they occupy will become the winning tracks.”

After deliberation, the Supreme Deities placed Ye Lingxiao into the Athletics track he had chosen, and Yun Jing into the Martial Arts track he had selected.

Then they continued to group the others in descending order of score, especially keeping the top ten as far apart from Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing as possible.

Thanks to the Supreme Deities’ rapid cognition across the network, the allocations for each track in the second round were swiftly finalized.

Huang Zichou glanced at Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s positions and thought, “Those two are rather unlucky.”

He saw Zhang Yu assigned to Athletics and Bai Zhenzhen to Martial Arts.

In the eyes of the Supreme Deities, because of Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing’s presence, the Athletics and Martial Arts tracks became a death‑match; every contestant aside from the two would be destined for elimination.

Huang Zichou mused, “Even if Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen are knocked out this year, they can sit the exam again next year.”

“These two paupers have astonishing potential, seemingly backed by a mysterious patron, yet they are short a year of cultivation; they should retreat, refine themselves for a year, then return.”

He understood that the primary purpose of this Foundation‑building reform was to scout and elevate more talent.

Thus, placing lower‑scoring candidates into Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing’s groups, and higher‑scoring ones into the other two tracks, was the most rational strategy.

For candidates like Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, who could still sit the exam next year, the examiners felt no regret in seeing them eliminated this round.

When the Supreme Deities finished their discussion, a luminous screen materialized before the twenty students, displaying the groupings for the next round.

Seeing the results, some exhaled in relief, some wore tense expressions, and others wore a helpless look; reactions varied widely.

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen first checked—of course—whether they had collided.

Finding themselves in Athletics and Martial Arts respectively, they each let out a faint sigh of relief.

But upon discovering who their opponents would be in those tracks, their faces hardened instantly.

“Number 23?” Zhang Yu glanced at Ye Lingxiao, thinking, “Do I have to contend with this guy?”

Recalling Ye Lingxiao’s performance across today’s three tests, Zhang Yu thought, “Damn… that guy must be cheating; his cheat is bigger than mine.”

“Rich and cheating, number 23, you truly deserve to die.” In that moment Zhang Yu fervently wished Ye Lingxiao would meet a fatal accident on his way out.

Yet he knew such a thing was impossible; even setting aside whether a vehicle could kill him, the protective forces surrounding Ye Lingxiao were undoubtedly extraordinary.

“Feather Book, Feather Book, in the end it’s you who are lacking strength.”

“If only you were a bit stronger, would I still be worrying here?”

“Ultimately, I must rely on myself to upgrade you.”

At first Zhang Yu regarded Feather Book as his own cheat code.

After countless efforts to raise his own power, he came to see Feather Book merely as his latent potential.

Now he thought of having to hunt down a rogue deity, to upgrade Feather Book, so that it would feel as though he himself were the cheat.

Across the room, Bai Zhenzhen fixed her gaze on Yun Jing’s direction: “That’s number 11, right? Damn, they actually paired me with him? This has to be a conspiracy!”

“Can his family go bankrupt all of a sudden?”

Bai Zhenzhen tugged at her hair anxiously, thinking, “The Martial Arts test will inevitably come down to real combat; I must defeat that guy…”

She repeatedly replayed Yun Jing’s performance in today’s three trials, noting every detail, refusing to let any slip away.

Yu Xinghan stared at his assignment to the Athletics group, frowning slightly yet not overly despondent.

After all, given his own mental preparation, he didn’t even think securing a Foundation‑building certificate this year was a given; reaching this point already felt like an achievement.

“All right,” Deng Bingding announced, “you’ve all seen the list; we’ll conclude here for today.”

“Return now and prepare diligently for the next round of examinations.”

Having spoken, Deng Bingding pointed toward the passage through which they had entered, signaling that everyone may depart.

As Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen walked toward the exit, they suddenly noticed Ye Lingxiao walking beside them, though they could not recall when he had appeared.

Seeing Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen beside him, Ye Lingxiao met their eyes, nodded to each other, as if offering a greeting.

From a short distance away, Dai Xingzhi observed the scene and thought, “Ye Lingxiao actually greeted them? So they must be regarded as his equals.”

Recalling how he had looked down on Zhang Yu’s outsider status when they first entered, Dai Xingzhi could only offer a helpless, bitter smile: “Ah, wealth is wonderful; even outside the Immortal Capital, it still makes one formidable.”

After his brief eye contact with Zhang Yu, Ye Lingxiao spoke, “Was today’s test not worth giving your all?”

Zhang Yu heard the words, and his spirit jolted suddenly; in his mind he thought, “What does that mean? Is this the bullying slang of Xiandu? Mocking my poor performance today?”

Ye Lingxiao continued, “But in the next round of competition, you won’t get by without giving it your all.”

“I’ll look forward to our contest then.”

“Then… see you at the summit.”

The ‘summit’ Ye Lingxiao spoke of referred to the second tier of Kunxu.

After all, from his perspective, given level Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen had displayed, even if they failed to obtain the foundation‑building certificate, qualifying for the second tier in the future would be a certainty.

Watching Ye Lingxiao plunge into the black abyss at his feet and vanish without a trace, Zhang Yu’s mind conjured the fighting resolve reflected in his eyes.

In the next instant, he and Bai Zhenzhen also fell into the void, only to be whisked back to the station’s restroom.

“That guy…” Zhang Yu thought inwardly, “Is he being sarcastic?”

Zhang Yu tightened his fist slightly and said, “Don’t worry, next exam I’ll certainly give you a surprise.”

……

Back at the station, under the gray‑hued night sky, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen dared not linger in Xiandu; after hastily buying tickets, they soon departed the high‑cost city.

As the train set off, Zhang Yu, just beginning to feel a hint of relaxation, heard the ceremony resound once more.

“Alas.” With a sigh, Zhang Yu could only retreat to a side corridor to practice the endless Zen of Spring and Autumn.

Seeing Zhang Yu in that state, Bai Zhenzhen muttered inwardly, “Still grinding?”

Having endured three examinations in a row, Bai Zhenzhen now felt an overwhelming fatigue, unable to muster any enthusiasm to continue her cultivation.

Yet, thinking of the opponents they would face in the next round, Bai Zhenzhen could understand Zhang Yu’s mindset.

“Yuzi must be feeling anxious now, right?”

“Alas, even anxiety won’t come quickly.”

“At least after the exam, we can rest a bit on the train…”

Just as Bai Zhenzhen was thinking that, her phone began to vibrate.

“Hello?”

On the other end, a gentle yet courteous female voice asked, “May I speak with Miss Bai Zhenzhen?”

(End of Chapter)