Mystic Realm Tournament

"The Secret Realm Tournament is based on academies. Teamwork and resource exploration skills are more important," Su Yuehe said softly. "It makes sense for her to conserve her strength and forfeit. This also counts as setting up Academy Zero, causing them to miss out on the championship and runner-up spots early on."

Chen Guan did not voice his suspicions or the information from the bullet comments. For one, he lacked evidence, and for another, he didn't want to expose his uniqueness. He just listened silently, but the uneasiness in his heart lingered.

"Regardless, the team battle is a foregone conclusion. Next, we will fully prepare for the Secret Realm Tournament." An Changqing pulled himself together and brought up a light screen, displaying information about the Desolate Proving Ground.

"The Desolate Proving Ground is a secondary space controlled by Beishi Academy. It has been cleared many times and has a low danger rating, but it covers a vast area with complex terrain and some natural hazards. The main threats are the environment itself and some low-level demonic beasts."

An Changqing looked at Chen Guan and Su Yuehe. "You two have consumed the most energy. Rest and recover well tonight, and try to adjust to your peak condition for tomorrow."

Chen Guan and Su Yuehe nodded in agreement. After hanging up the call, Chen Guan opened the forum and started browsing the posts.

Unfortunately, while there was plenty of random news, there was nothing about Guan Jinyue. Although she had gained a large number of fans thanks to her face, personality, and formidable strength, she was simply too mysterious.

Seeing that he had found nothing, Chen Guan activated his Stargazing Meditation Technique, doing his best to recover to his optimal state.

...

The next morning, at the entrance to the Desolate Proving Ground.

The teams from the four academies assembled once again.

Compared to yesterday, many contestants had less excitement and more solemnity on their faces. After all, the initial thrill had faded during the first two rounds. Today was the final match, and the success or failure in the Four Academies League hinged on this one move.

Guan Jinyue still stood at the very front of the Beishi team. With her silver hair and white clothes, her expression remained as calm as ever, as if yesterday's team battle defeat and the dispute with Ross had never happened.

On Academy Zero's side, Ross himself stood in the front row, looking equally nonchalant.

The dean of Beishi Academy gave the usual safety briefing. After finishing, he gave the order: "Teams from all academies, enter in order. The trial time is twenty-four hours. Begin!"

Passing through the spatial barrier, the dim, desolate world unfolded before their eyes once more.

"Group up and move out according to the plan."

As the class leader, An Changqing gave the command, and the Huaqing team quickly split into five squads, heading in different directions.

An Changqing, Long Ao, Chen Guan, and Su Yuehe naturally formed one squad. Their target was the area closer to the center of the proving ground. Resources were usually more abundant there, and the level of the mission steles might be higher. It was also within their standard for speed-clearing, but correspondingly, the competition would be fiercer.

Fortunately, their squad's combat power was strong enough that they could solve most problems just by showing their faces. After all, no one wanted to tangle with the champion squad from the previous round.

Along the way, they encountered a few scattered waves of animals that looked like vultures, with a strength of about early Tier 1. They were easily dispatched by a few magic orbs from Su Yuehe. The group also found some low-tier crops and gathered them in passing, slowly increasing their points.

Two hours later, they arrived at a relatively open Gobi desert area. In the center stood a dilapidated stone altar, upon which a faintly glowing mission stele could be vaguely seen.

"There's a mission!" Su Yuehe's eyes lit up.

The group approached. Ancient text was carved into the stele, with a spiritual energy sensing device at the bottom.

An Changqing pressed his hand against it and injected his spiritual energy. The text on the stele lit up and translated into information they could understand.

[Clearance Mission: A pack of mutated Sandstorm Hyenas has gathered deep in the Gobi desert. Their leader is suspected to be close to Tier 2, posing a severe threat to passing explorers. Eradicate the Sandstorm Hyena pack and bring back the leader's fangs as proof. Reward: 300 points.]

"A leader close to Tier 2..." Long Ao curled his lip. "Boring."

To be honest, he still preferred fighting real people. Demonic beasts were mostly a bit stupid, and it was hard to find one whose strength matched his own.

"Sandstorm Hyenas usually live in packs, so there might be quite a few of them," An Changqing analyzed. "The mission reward isn't low; it's worth a try. Yuehe, scout the surroundings, especially that area of wind-eroded rocks behind the altar. That would be an ideal nest."

Su Yuehe nodded, her spiritual energy quietly spreading out like a spider web. She quickly caught the life signatures coming from deep within the rocky area.

"Deep in the rocky area, about three hundred meters away, there is a large cluster of life forms. The one with the strongest fluctuation should be the leader," Su Yuehe said in a low voice. "The number... I estimate there are over thirty of them."

"Over thirty of them, plus a leader close to Tier 2..." She was a bit worried. "With just the four of us, isn't it too risky?"

Ever since the Shadow Wolf incident last time, Su Yuehe had suddenly become the conservative type, preferring to play it safe in everything.

"We can fight them," Long Ao said, brimming with confidence. "It's just a pack of dogs. As long as we take out the leader, the rest are nothing to fear."

He was as confident as ever. After thinking for a moment, Su Yuehe agreed.

The four of them quietly made their way toward the rocky area. Inside, bizarrely shaped rocks were jagged and rugged, and the passages were winding and tortuous.

Soon, they spotted their target. In a relatively open sandy area, dozens of mutated hyenas, a full size larger than normal hyenas, were lying or resting.

One of them was particularly robust, with a shoulder height approaching two meters. Its fangs were exposed, and a ferocious spiritual light flickered in its eyes. Without a doubt, it was the leader.

"Do it!"

At An Changqing's command, Chen Guan was the first to strike.

Mass Fear.

An invisible wave of spiritual energy enveloped the pack of dogs. Many Sandstorm Hyenas instantly let out terrified whimpers and fell into a panic, spinning around in place and plunging into utter chaos.

Su Yuehe blew her piccolo. A sluggish status effect was accurately applied to the hyena leader, while a sharpness buff was cast on An Changqing's weapon.

"Roar!" The hyena leader was enraged. It roared and stood up on its hind legs, a sandstorm swirling around its body to form a miniature sandstorm domain. Resisting the sluggish effect of the spirit words, it lunged toward the closest person, Long Ao.

"Bring it on!" Long Ao didn't dodge or evade. Crimson aura erupted from him as he threw a punch. The wind from his fist clashed with the sandstorm, producing a muffled boom.

An Changqing, moving like a swimming dragon, bypassed the sandstorm with a golden sword gleam and aimed straight for the leader's flank.

Chen Guan continuously maintained the illusion. At the same time, his spiritual energy locked onto a few hyenas attempting to flank them, using sensory misdirection to make them lose their bearings and crash into each other.

Although his physical combat skills were not bad, Chen Guan increasingly preferred using his spiritual energy as his primary method of fighting.

The battle erupted in an instant. Long Ao clashed head-on with the leader, An Changqing roamed and struck, Chen Guan controlled the field and disrupted the enemies, and Su Yuehe provided auxiliary support.

The four coordinated seamlessly. Even though the hyenas were numerous, they were divided by the illusions and struggled to form an effective siege.