Fu Wenyu

"Students." The voice of the leading instructor, Li Yan, echoed through the public address system, overpowering the chatter inside the cabin.

"This Four-Academy Tournament will be held at the Tianyan Martial Arena. The schedule spans five days, including individual arena battles, team cooperation matches, and the final secret realm points competition. The rulebook has been sent to your terminals; make sure to read it carefully."

"The honor of Huaqing Academy rests on your shoulders, but I must remind you..."

Li Yan's voice suddenly turned stern. "According to our latest intelligence, there may be risks during this tournament. Everyone must stay highly vigilant and prioritize safety above all else. If you encounter a situation you cannot handle, call for help immediately. Do not try to be a hero."

Li Yan's words caused the atmosphere in the cabin to freeze slightly. Even Long Ao opened his eyes. Who would dare to cause trouble at the Four-Academy Tournament...

The image of the man he had encountered last time in the Black Wind Ruins inexplicably surfaced in his mind.

Unknown, powerful...

How many more people like that were out there?

A spark of yearning was planted in his heart.

A male student stood up and faced his peers, his voice steady and powerful. "Everyone must keep Instructor Li Yan's warning in mind. The tournament is a stage to showcase our strength and improve through sparring, but it is also a battlefield that tests our wisdom and adaptability. Representing Huaqing, we must not only strive for victory but also display the character and responsibility of Huaqing students. Remember, behind you is the academy, and each other."

His words calmed down some of the slightly restless students. The young man was a senior and the president of the Huaqing Student Council, named Fu Wenyu. He was highly respected among the student body.

Chen Guan looked at Fu Wenyu. This president indeed possessed the aura of a leader; like An Changqing, he was a man of soaring righteousness.

He was actually supposed to be on an internship this year, but because no one was willing to take over the position of president, it had been put on hold.

The Cloud-Piercing Shuttle traveled at an incredible speed. About two hours later, it began to lower its altitude.

Through the portholes, a massive academy city with a style vastly different from Huaqing came into view.

The architecture of Beishi Academy was predominantly dark gray and silver-white, giving it a somewhat dull appearance.

In the center of the city, a giant domed building that looked as if it were made of countless nested metal rings stood out conspicuously. That was the main venue for this tournament, the Tianyan Martial Arena.

The Cloud-Piercing Shuttle landed smoothly on the designated helipad.

The cabin doors opened, and the Huaqing group filed out.

The perimeter of the arena was already packed with a sea of people. Besides the local students of Beishi, there were large numbers of teachers and students from Shengu Academy and Zero Academy, as well as various spectators and media. A wave of noisy clamor washed over them.

The arrival of the Huaqing team caused quite a stir. As a veteran powerhouse, Huaqing had always been one of the favorites to win the championship.

"Look! It's An Changqing from Huaqing!"

"Fu Wenyu actually came? Wasn't he going on an internship?"

"Pfft, bringing a coffin to a tournament? Is Huaqing this edgy now?"

"Don't underestimate him. Word has it he's a bit bizarre..."

Amidst the chatter, the Huaqing team, led by Li Yan, headed toward the competitor resting area.

Just then, another team emerged from a side corridor.

Dressed in uniform moon-white martial suits, the person leading them had long silver hair and calm dark eyes. It was none other than Guan Jinyue.

The origin of this team was not hard to guess; it was the Beishi Academy representative team.

The two teams inevitably met at the entrance of the corridor.

The air seemed to freeze instantly.

The Huaqing members subconsciously stopped in their tracks, their eyes collectively falling on Guan Jinyue.

She came from a grassroots background, yet she possessed a spatial ability with an incredibly high ceiling. Furthermore, she had taken the seat of the Beishi Student Council President as a mere freshman. She garnered a lot of attention; even Fu Wenyu cast a glance her way.

Facing these stares, Guan Jinyue did not break her stride, nor did she even shift her gaze, as if the Huaqing crowd were merely thin air. However, the Beishi team members behind her cast scrutinizing, and even provocative, glances.

Just at the moment the two teams were about to pass each other.

Guan Jinyue's footsteps paused for a second.

Her gaze once again landed on Chen Guan... or rather, the black iron coffin on his back.

This time, it lingered longer and more directly than it had at the East District warehouse.

But it was only for a fleeting moment.

She withdrew her gaze, resumed her normal pace, and led the Beishi team into the competitor corridor first.

"Hmph, still with that arrogant, dismissive attitude," Long Ao spat in annoyance.

An Changqing frowned slightly. Judging by Long Ao's reaction, it seemed they knew each other.

When did they meet? Guan Jinyue was from a grassroots background and had attended ordinary schools before college, so it was impossible for her and Long Ao to be alumni. Where exactly had they crossed paths?

Chen Guan, however, felt a slight ripple in his heart. Guan Jinyue had paid special attention to the black iron coffin twice. The first time could be chalked up to curiosity, but this time, it was absolutely not just curiosity. Could there be some connection between her and the coffin?

Leaving this minor interlude behind, Li Yan led the students further along until they reached the competitor resting area.

The resting area was an independent zone where each academy had its own dedicated floors and rooms. Huaqing's accommodations were arranged on the middle floors of the east tower of the arena, offering a sweeping view.

After settling in, Li Yan gave no further orders, allowing them to move freely. The sophomores, juniors, and seniors all dispersed to do their own things.

On the freshmen's side, An Changqing gathered the classmates for a brief meeting.

"The tournament officially begins tomorrow. The first day is the draw for the individual arena battles, which will use a single-elimination format until the top sixteen are decided. The four grades will compete separately, so we only need to worry about the freshmen."

An Changqing brought up a holographic screen to display the schedule. "Our primary goal is to get as many people into the top sixteen as possible, building an advantage for the subsequent team battles and the secret realm exploration."

"Guan Jinyue is guaranteed to be a seeded player in the individual battles, most likely placed in the upper bracket," Su Yuehe analyzed. "Changqing, Long Ao, you two are very likely to encounter her in the quarterfinals or even earlier."

"That's exactly what I want." Long Ao clenched his fists. Being looked down upon had already annoyed him greatly; he wished he could face Guan Jinyue in his very first match.

"Do not underestimate the enemy," An Changqing said sternly. "Her sword skills and spatial abilities are extremely powerful. In a one-on-one arena battle, she holds a massive advantage."

"I know," Long Ao replied. No matter how reluctant he was to admit it, he couldn't deny Guan Jinyue's strength. The might of her single sword strike that day had already given a glimpse of it.

"Also, pay attention to the people from Shengu Academy and Zero Academy."

An Changqing switched the screen, displaying the profiles of some well-known competitors from the other two academies. "The top student of Shengu Academy this year is named Kamishiro Chizuru. Her ability is Shikigami Manipulation, allowing her to summon and command powerful shikigami. She is very difficult to deal with."

"The top student of Zero Academy is Kevin Ross. His ability is Atomic Manipulation. Although he is only at the second tier, his destructive power is astonishing."

There were more names and brief introductions on the documents, all clearly formidable opponents.

"The detailed rules for the team battles and the mystic realm exploration won't be announced until the individual matches have concluded. However, based on past experience, team battles will test our teamwork and tactics, while the mystic realm exploration will place a greater emphasis on overall strength and adaptability. Over the next few days, aside from competing, everyone should also keep a close eye on our opponents and gather intelligence."

After analyzing sixty contestants in a row, the small meeting concluded, and everyone went off to prepare.

Chen Guan stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows in his room, overlooking the magnificent martial arts arena and the bustling crowd below. His gaze swept past the rest area of the North City Academy before settling on the distant VIP spectator stands.