Chapter 667: Golden Core Certification, University War

Chapter 667: The Golden Core Certificate and the University War

Only after Dao Qiankun's figure shot into the sky and vanished from everyone's sight did Zhang Yu finally relax a fraction, turning his gaze to the magical treasures left on the ground.

The Heavenly Sun Radiant God, the Azure Water Golden Crystal Armor, and the twenty-four Taihao Holy Law Flying Swords had all been left behind, not taken with him.

Witnessing this, Zhang Yu mused inwardly, "Dao... brother, did you leave these on purpose?"

With no time to dwell on it, sensing the fierce battle still raging outside, Zhang Yu hastily reconnected with his treasures and flying swords, and donned his armor once more.

At the same time, Director Gao, True Person Xinghuo, Zhang Pianpian, along with Yu Xinghan and Yue Mulan, all gathered around Zhang Yu.

The next moment, the strange phenomenon of the sixth layer's disappearance drew everyone's attention.

Reading the message from the Heavenly Court, Zhang Yu was startled: "For the next two years, there will be no contact with the Heavenly Court or the sects?"

All along, Zhang Yu had felt that his every move was constrained by the myriad rules of the Heavenly Court and the sects, monitored by countless orthodox gods, leaving him with a perpetual sense of confinement and lack of freedom.

Yet here and now, as all those shackles were truly shattered in an instant, a trace of bewilderment surfaced in his heart.

Director Gao barked at that moment, "This is no place to linger. We must leave at once."

The crowd followed Director Gao in a breakout, only to find a massive horde of unlicensed powerhouses converging, locked in a chaotic melee with the elites of the Top Ten Universities.

Surging thunder and qi collided and exploded in relentless succession, whipping up a howling gale that turned the entire award ceremony venue into utter chaos.

True Lord An Zhen arrived with Yan Qianji, Ye Xingli, and the others, joining Director Gao and Zhang Yu's group as they continued their push outward.

Though the unlicensed powerhouses before them were far weaker individually than the elites of the Ten Universities, they were vastly more numerous and utterly fearless of death, charging in relentless waves that pinned the group firmly in place.

Sheltered behind Director Gao, Yu Xinghan exclaimed in shock, "Where did so many unlicensed breakers come from?"

Zhang Pianpian said gravely, "Some were disguised by Dao Qiankun using his immortal privileges, while others likely just broke through around the time the orthodox gods vanished. These people are all devout followers of the Feathered Ascension Cult; they have no fear of death. Beware of their mutual destruction tactics."

Zhang Yu glanced at Yu Xinghan; during his recent clash with Dao Qiankun, he had sensed a spatial fluctuation that originated neither from himself nor from Brother Dao.

However, apart from him and Dao Qiankun, no one else present would have noticed that this faint spatial shift did not stem from them.

"Was it Yu Xinghan?" Zhang Yu's mind brought up the records concerning the Three-Eye Divine Ability.

"Did this guy pick up something just from watching Brother Dao and me fight?"

Yet Zhang Yu knew this was no time for such musings; the thoughts flashed by and vanished as he refocused all his mind on the present crisis.

Just then, the moon in the sky gradually took on a bloody hue, and the sinister laughter of an evil god began to echo in everyone's ears.

"What?"

True Lord An Zhen's gaze sharpened as he felt the parameters of his Dharma Remains spiraling into chaos, the vision of his Eye Remains filling with illusions, and the dispatching of all soul cultivators suffering severe delays.

The powerhouses of the Top Ten Universities were all affected, either disconnecting from the Spirit Realm or shutting down their Dharma Remains, their advantage drastically diminished in an instant.

At that very moment, the Spirit Realm churned violently as the phantom of a pagoda descended from the heavens, sweeping the entire arena with blazing radiance and instantly purging every trace of the evil god's Spirit Realm information.

Seeing the pagoda's shadow, Zhang Yu rejoiced inwardly: "The Nine Heavens Primal Yang Pagoda? Master is here."

Director Gao's eyes narrowed further as he sensed the unusually profound aura emanating from the Nine Heavens Primal Yang Pagoda at this very moment.

He recalled the message the Heavenly Court had just sent to every teacher and student of Wanfa; back then, he had realized that Ciji, the acting principal, had already obtained the Deity Transformation Certificate.

Yet the speed of her breakthrough still astonished him, especially the Nine Heavens Primal Yang Pagoda before his eyes...

"Level forty-one, stepping into the Deity Transformation realm? And her treasure broke through just as fast?"

Director Gao knew that the Deity Transformation realm had been a formidable hurdle since ancient times; even in this era, the difficulty of breaking through remained exceedingly high, and possessing a certificate did not guarantee success for any Nascent Soul cultivator.

Though he knew Ciji had long been stalled at the final threshold before Deity Transformation, needing only the slightest push to enter, the sheer speed and power of her breakthrough today still amazed him... as if she had long prepared for this exact moment.

The next moment, the Nine Heavens Primal Yang Pagoda blazed with renewed brilliance, its searing Spirit Realm light sweeping the arena; wherever it passed, unlicensed powerhouses screamed as their Dharma Remains exploded, leaving them dead or maimed in an instant.

After sweeping the field, Ciji's figure materialized upon the pagoda; she glanced at the crowd and directly transmitted rows of messages.

Beams of spiritual light fell like pillars, striking directly atop everyone's heads. Watching the Golden Core Certificates flutter down like snowflakes onto Zhang Yu, Yu Xinghan, Yue Mulan, Ye Xingli, Yan Qianji, and the others, the faces of Tian Shenggong, Wen Wuya, Ying Mingchi, and the rest flickered with envy.

Even an Nascent Soul powerhouse like True Lord An Zhen, standing nearby, felt a surge of emotion at the sight.

It had been far, far too long since he had witnessed Golden Core Certificates being handed out in such bulk.

But then, as an incomparably brilliant radiance fell from Divine Lord Ciji's fingertip and drifted slowly toward Director Gao, even Nascent Soul cultivators like An Zhen from the various schools underwent a sudden change of expression, revealing profound envy and jealousy.

"A Deity Transformation Certificate..." Director Gao took the brilliant light, gazing at the lines of text he had yearned for day and night, and couldn't help but say, "You're giving me this now, but I don't have the resources here to break through to Deity Transformation."

Divine Lord Ciji sent a message: I have already prepared the resources you need for the Deity Transformation breakthrough in the University City.

Divine Lord Ciji: Bring Zhang Yu and the others back. I will be waiting for you in the University City.

At the same time, she sent a message to Zhang Yu: I'm issuing your Golden Core Certificate today. I'll hold onto your Nascent Soul Certificate for now and give it to you on the day you're ready to break through.

After sending the same message to Ye Xingli, Divine Lord Ciji looked at the crowd and spoke rapidly, "Time is short. This projection of mine has crossed the Spirit Realm to reach you, but I cannot linger, lest I be targeted and draw more dangerous foes to you."

"My true body is still on another battlefield and cannot be spared for now."

She glanced at the blood moon in the sky and continued, "However, one of my incarnations is already on its way. For now, you must go into hiding, use the resources here to break through as quickly as possible, and await my arrival."

"During this time, you must disconnect from the Spirit Realm network as much as possible. Do not communicate with the outside world, and do not contact anyone else, including the soul cultivators bound to you."

Sensing the tension in the crowd, Divine Lord Ciji added reassuringly, "Do not be afraid. After tomorrow daytime, you will be able to restore your normal Spirit Realm connections."

Just then, Tian Shenggong spoke up from the side, "Divine Lord, what about us?"

Celestial Armament, Vajra, Hehuan, Netherworld... Divine Lord Ciji swept her gaze over the teachers and students of the other Top Ten Universities, knowing that with the departure of each school's Deity Transformation experts, the monumental shifts in heaven and earth, and the suddenly perilous Spirit Realm, they were all at a loss.

Divine Lord Ciji said calmly, "Although the Deity Transformation experts of each school have lost contact, the Heavenly Court has already appointed new principals and issued new Deity Transformation Certificates. Someone in your schools must already be breaking through."

"However, among the legitimate breakthroughs of the Top Ten Universities, no one should be faster than me. They will likely take a little longer to reach you."

"My advice to you is the same: divide the resources inside and outside the venue right here, then find a place to hide and wait for word from your schools."

"By tomorrow daytime at the latest, the Spirit Realm network will temporarily return to normal."

Sensing the faint wariness in the eyes of the teachers and students from the Heavenly Demon, Netherworld, Hehuan, and White Bone schools, Divine Lord Ciji said indifferently, "The true University War is about to begin."

"But it will not be between the four Wanfa schools and the four Heavenly Demon schools."

"Rather, it will be us, the Top Ten, against all the Finance Faction, the demonic cults, the evil gods, and every cultivator harboring treacherous intentions."

"Lower-tier schools, vocational colleges, high schools... countless arrogant fools will surge forth like a tide. Those who believe the college entrance exam failed to accurately measure their talent will be driven by ambition and desire, attempting to challenge the Top Ten with their clumsy immortal arts."

"Your task for the next two years is to suppress them all without exception."

The teachers and students, who had been tense just moments ago, now heard Divine Lord Ciji's rousing words; hearing that the Top Ten Universities would join forces to suppress the students of lower-tier schools, vocational colleges, and high schools, confident smiles spread across their faces, and the atmosphere relaxed considerably.

After urging them once more, Divine Lord Ciji's figure vanished before the crowd.

Those left behind immediately began gathering the resources of the various schools from inside and outside the arena.

To participate in the Top Ten League, schools like Wanfa and Heavenly Demon had prepared vast amounts of costly cultivation resources for their competing students, not all of which had been used up by the end of the finals.

However, precisely because they were prepared for the competition, these resources were all tailored for the Foundation Establishment realm and were of almost no use for Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivators.

A short while later, after the spoils were divided, the students of each school watched as massive quantities of resources were loaded onto their respective flying ships, a surge of excitement rising in their hearts.

Ye Xingli, Yan Qianji, and the others, in particular, had already claimed their shares and found quiet chambers aboard their flying ships, preparing to break through to the Golden Core realm.

Zhang Yu, however, did not attempt a Golden Core breakthrough; instead, he hurried over to the Heavenly Sword University's ship.

"Zhang Yu?" Wen Wuya's eyes flickered. "What is it? Do you want to return to Heavenly Sword University with me?"

Zhang Yu shook his head and asked, "Where is A-Zhen? Where is she?"

"I wish to take her with me."

(End of Chapter)