Chapter 599: Rules, Storm

Chapter 599: Rules, Storm

Gazing at the projection of the Dao Treasury catalog—a repository said to contain every technique of the immortal path known to the world—not a single student present could suppress the hunger in their eyes.

As the Heavenly Evolution God concluded his address, a series of images flickered before the students’ retinas, detailing the rules for the upcoming first round.

The projection first displayed the very floating continent upon which they stood.

With a flow of light, one hundred beams, each representing a student, were cast toward various corners of the landmass.

Dao Qiankun’s gaze sharpened. "One hundred contestants, randomly scattered across the floating continent?"

"A team competition of this nature?" Wen Wuyai’s eyes glinted. "The Spirit Realm remains accessible, as do all communication technologies and Sky-Patrol Flying Swords, yet contact with those outside the arena is severed... This suits me perfectly."

As further rules emerged, the floating continent in the projection seemed to erupt in fierce battle, the mountains and earth trembling violently.

Ye Xingli’s eyes flashed as she rapidly captured and saved the incoming rules, thinking to herself, "This team match lasts for three days, and the final victory is determined by the number of captives each school secures?"

Yan Qianji smiled faintly. "Heh, simply defeating an opponent is useless; one must take them captive? The more captives held at the moment the match ends, the higher the score. And since captives can be rescued, the crux of this competition lies in that very word: 'captive'?"

Nearby, Jiutian Liu pondered coolly, "The final ranking of this team match will determine the qualifying slots and the number of participants allowed in the second round."

"The top-ranked school team earns ten qualifying spots, while the last-place team gets only one—meaning out of a team of ten, only one person can advance."

Jiutian Liu reached a conclusion: "The outcome of this match will have a profound impact on the subsequent rounds. The higher the rank, the more students can proceed. To win, one must quickly rendezvous with teammates and allies from other schools."

Zhang Yu took a deep breath, thinking, "As both sides gather and consolidate, this team match will likely devolve into a grand showdown between two major alliances, led by the Wanfa and the Heavenly Demon schools respectively."

Reading one specific rule, Zhang Yu noted, "Especially the fact that killing opponents is permitted during the match—one is not disqualified for doing so, nor is there any need to pay spirit coins in compensation."

"Moreover, many should have the means to resurrect, and some schools can even foot the bill for it."

"That means even if one falls in battle, provided they are of sufficient value, they can be resurrected and selected for a qualifying spot... to compete in the next round."

Seeing this, Zhang Yu could already imagine the sheer brutality this battle would eventually reach.

On the other side, within the Heavenly Demon University team, Kuang Tianqing couldn't help but laugh upon reading the final rule: "Tch, a contestant can only carry one captive at a time?"

"In other words, even if I wipe them all out, I can only drag one away at a time... Hmph, are they trying to restrain me?"

Meanwhile, on the floating continent in the projection, countless resources—plants, materials, minerals, spirit beasts, and even spirit veins—rained down from the sky, distributing themselves across the land as if forming a complete, natural ecosystem.

An Zhen the True Monarch mused, "With all resources present and a three-day duration, each specialty will have ample room to shine. It means that utilizing the resources of this floating continent to bolster one's combat power on the fly will be crucial."

Looking at the vast abundance of resources, An Zhen couldn't help but think, "The company that built this arena must be making a fortune."

Once the content and rules of the first round were finalized, a five-minute countdown appeared before everyone.

In five minutes, the one hundred students from the ten top universities would be randomly scattered across the continent.

These five minutes were their final window for preparation.

An Zhen’s eyes flashed as he spoke in the school team group: Once the match begins, communication with the outside world will be cut off, but internal communication between contestants—whether through the team group or the four-school alliance group—remains unaffected.

An Zhen: The moment you land, confirm your coordinates and communicate rapidly to establish a rendezvous point.

An Zhen: Do not get bogged down in skirmishes on the way; avoid solo combat. Speed is the key to the early stages of this match...

Ye Xingli asked: What if we encounter people from Heavenly Sword, Vajra, or Immortal Soldier schools?

An Zhen: They are still trustworthy. If your paths align, join forces with them.

As An Zhen continued to coordinate with his students, the five minutes slipped away.

In an instant, a radiance from the Spirit Realm seemed to wrap around the students.

From this moment on, they were severed from all contact with the outside world.

The next moment, an invisible force seized Zhang Yu, and he felt his body soar into the sky, transforming into a streak of light that shot toward a corner of the floating continent.

Simultaneously, a hundred streaks of light, like a hundred falling stars, tore through the firmament, blanketing the entire continent.

"Senior Sister is in that position..."

Zhang Yu’s eyes scanned the trajectories of the light beams.

Though he could no longer see the individuals inside, having stood together just moments before, he could still recall which light represented whom.

"Dao Qiankun, Jiutian Liu, Yan Qianji... they are all quite far from me."

As he pondered, the earth below rushed up to meet him. With a thunderous crash, Zhang Yu slammed into a dense forest.

As branches and leaves flew, the immense impact unleashed a gale that uprooted giant trees, carving a clearing out of the thick woods. In the crater, which looked as if it had been struck by a meteor, Zhang Yu floated upward, a sword case over three meters tall hovering behind him.

Inside the case, alongside his twenty-four Taihao Sacred Law flying swords, were other artifacts: the Gold-Thread Jade Wall, the Earth-Suppressing Seal, and reserve Taiyi Golden Liquid Pills.

Meanwhile, messages flooded the team group.

Dao Qiankun: Everyone, report your positions. I will head to the center point; you all converge on me.

Jiutian Liu frowned at the chaotic data flickering on his retina and replied: Unable to confirm geographic coordinates.

Beside Yan Qianji, Tianri Huangshen emitted waves of fire, sensing in all directions. His eyes shifted: There is intense geomagnetic interference on this floating continent.

Yan Qianji: The entire continent is likely shrouded in a formation; there is no way to confirm our positions through conventional means.

Dao Qiankun asked: Zhang Yu, any ideas?

Zhang Yu tapped his sword case, and the twenty-four Taihao Sacred Law flying swords shot into the sky, sweeping out in all directions with him at the center.

Zhang Yu: I still remember the map of the floating island. It will take about one to two hours to re-scan the base data and reconstruct the geographic model.

Dao Qiankun frowned and said: You all remember the general direction you fell, right? Send map markers.

The team members each sent the map of the floating continent, marking their landing spots.

Dao Qiankun marked the center point for the other nine and said: All of you, head here.

Dao Qiankun: I will wait for you here.

Dao Qiankun: Keep a low profile. You can hide your Spirit Realm projections and Foundation Establishment auras.

Dao Qiankun: Don't get ambushed on the way.

He then sent a message to the four-school alliance group: Those who see me and require sanctuary may follow in my wake.

After sending the message, Dao Qiankun looked toward his destination and pointed at the sky.

"Winds, come!"

The next moment, a mass of dark clouds materialized in the sky, expanding at an inconceivable speed.

Gales, torrential rain, thunder, and lightning... in the blink of an eye, a storm had formed.

Ten meters, a hundred, a thousand... one hundred kilometers!

The storm's reach expanded to a hundred kilometers in an instant.

At the heart of the tempest, Dao Qiankun stood like a deity commanding the heavens. Countless bolts of lightning and swirling torrents bowed to him like loyal subjects, transforming into dragon-like shapes that escorted him as he shot toward his destination.

A student from Bone University watched from afar, gazing at the figure faintly visible within the center of the meteorological catastrophe, feeling as if he could hear the man’s voice amidst the roaring thunder.

*Don't bother me!*

The Bone University student stared at the towering characters formed by the Spirit Realm projection in the eye of the storm, and the elegant, sweeping calligraphy of the name "Dao Qiankun" beneath them...

He swallowed hard, turned, and retreated with light, cautious steps, terrified of making a sound or drawing the slightest bit of attention to his presence.

Within the jungle, Zhang Yu’s silhouette flickered with blinding speed, stirring up gusts of wind as he raced toward the appointed rendezvous.

Yet, at that very moment, a piercing shriek tore through the sky, and a sudden, biting chill descended to shroud him.

With a sharp crackle of energy, Zhang Yu spun around, his palm striking out to collide with the incoming figure.

A massive shockwave erupted from the point of impact, sweeping outward in all directions and causing the surrounding tiers of trees to tremble violently.

As he watched the figure emerge from the turbulent air, Zhang Yu’s gaze sharpened: "Sky Demon University?"

The man before him made no effort to conceal the spiritual projection hovering above his head.

The name of Ying Yufan, ranked seventh in the Monster Department of Sky Demon University, flashed clearly into Zhang Yu’s vision.

Though the man’s appearance closely resembled a human student, the tufts of feathers hidden within his hair betrayed his identity as a demon-kin.

Zhang Yu knew that among the demon-kin, those of higher lineage were said to look more human and possess fewer bestial traits the purer their blood became; Ying Yufan was clearly one such individual.

A faint smile curled upon Ying Yufan’s lips: "Zhang Yu of Myriad Arts University?"

Zhang Yu’s eyes narrowed, sensing the undisguised malice radiating from the other’s gaze.

Ying Yufan stared at the glaring red-purple projection above Zhang Yu’s head and sneered coldly: "Scum, you must be the weakest among the ten sent by Myriad Arts University, aren't you?"

"Then don't blame me for starting my hunt with you."

"After all, the strong prey upon the weak; such is the way of the world."

In the next heartbeat, Ying Yufan let out a wild laugh as his flesh suddenly swelled, transforming in an instant from a human form into a colossal dragon, his talons outstretched to seize Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu’s heart sank, for he recognized the technique the other was wielding.

The military-grade Daoist art of the Sky Demon University Monster Department—the Hundred Transformations of the Sky Demon.

(End of chapter)