Chương 143: War God — Chapter 143 - Xianting Association — Face to Face

Northern Zang, northwest region. Yunhe City. From the capital to Northern Zang: about a thousand kilometers. With modern transportation, half a day's journey. The new-era maglev trains are even faster. At top speed, two or three hours. Yunhe City is a major city in northwestern Northern Zang, one of the region's top two. When Wang Xian stepped off the train with the main group of students, the iconic Thousand-Layer Lighthouse at Yunhe City's border was visible right from the station.

The city sits near Dragon Nation's frontier. High plateau terrain. Mountains towering on all sides. Extreme temperature swings. Perfect conditions for breeding exotic beasts. Impossible to station troops for constant surveillance across the countless ruins and unmanaged zones. Inside that lighthouse, martial powerhouses stand watch. Every hour of every day, they monitor malevolent qi fluctuations in the surrounding area, guarding against beast horde attacks.

In my previous life, the Northern Zang Ruins disaster began when this lighthouse came crashing down... Yunhe City and several cities beyond were all caught in the aftermath... Even with early warnings and organized evacuations, at least several hundred thousand people died in that calamity... When a beast tide erupts, no matter how fast the evacuation, you can't guarantee every life. And this time... Wang Xian stared at the lighthouse. Silent.

"I heard it's not just us from the capital. Seems Azure Dragon University also has martial arts students who picked this place for their finals."

"Brother Xian, quite the coincidence, right?" Dao Sanxiao walked over, fully geared up. Both of them were in Single Blade Specialty Class 1. The Single Blade specialty wasn't large: five classes total, 40 to 50 students each. Compared to the Sword specialty's thousand-plus students across ten-plus classes, Single Blade was tiny. This year's hot specialty, Greatsword, had 700 to 800 students. Long Spear was even smaller. Three classes. Around 150 total. But fewer people had advantages. Easier to manage.

Like this final exam: aside from Yan Zhaoxue, the school's Spear Technique Association president, only two Fifth Realm teachers accompanied them. The primary safety and rescue mission fell to the Tenth Unit from the Capital Military Department. Northern Zang's military handled Dragon Nation border defense. They generally didn't rescue martial artists heading into unmanaged zones and ruins. Not enough manpower.

So when universities organized students for practical combat assessments in unmanaged zones, their respective regional military departments dispatched personnel for rescue and safety.

"It is quite a coincidence." Wang Xian made a noncommittal sound. Azure Dragon University, huh?

"Look, those over there seem to be Azure Dragon University students!" Dao Sanxiao patted Wang Xian's shoulder, excited.

"I heard this year's Azure Dragon freshmen are really strong!"

"There's even one who comprehended an Eighth Realm powerhouse's martial true intent at the opening Asking Dao Stele!"

"Compared to you, she's a bit lacking, but among Azure Dragon's freshmen, she absolutely dominates." Wang Xian paused.

"Judging by that look, you haven't paid much attention to other universities... Man, you really are a martial fanatic." Dao Sanxiao chuckled. As classmates, he knew exactly how rigorously the genius beside him trained. What Wang Xian did the rest of the time, Dao Sanxiao wasn't sure. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. But what he'd seen was enough. Every single morning, rain or shine, you could find him at the training ground on Wanwu Island.

Absolutely without fail. Even though his blade technique rank had already hit peak fourth stage, he never missed a single required specialty class. His current martial realm and blade rank: Dao Sanxiao wasn't entirely sure. But definitely far higher than most students in their year. Because during after-class training, Wang Xian often guided classmates. Students from other classes who asked for advice? He never turned anyone away. Always offered pointers. He even found time to audit other specialty classes.

Ruins History. Exotic Beast Studies. And more. His energy was off the charts. What was even more infuriating: he still found time to go shopping with girls... Dao Sanxiao felt he hadn't fallen behind Wang Xian in any area of study this semester. But in this particular aspect, he truly couldn't compare. Especially Fusion Studies. Just a few days ago, he'd officially become an apprentice fusionist. He'd completed the armor plate training Shen Lan assigned. Then quietly reported his results to Instructor Shen Lan.

Instructor Shen Lan had probably seen too many geniuses to get excited. She'd only offered a few simple words of encouragement. But it still made him feel incredibly gratified.

"Actually, I do know a bit..." Wang Xian hesitated. He wouldn't call himself a martial fanatic. He wasn't completely oblivious to outside information. He'd paid some attention to Azure Dragon University. Every month, he visited the Capital Martial Arts Research Institute to see Xiao Xi. While there, he'd ask the researchers about various ruins, whether any new materials had been developed. Like one of the three materials for the Eternal Silence Sword Case: the void jellyfish's stomach sac.

He'd gotten that specific material information from the Research Institute. He just hadn't expected Capital University to have it in-house... Truly the foundation of a top-tier university. As for other matters, Wang Xian didn't have much mind to pay attention.

"Then do you know who that student is?" Dao Sanxiao asked. Wang Xian's heart stirred.

"Xu Rong?"

"You know Xu Rong too?" Dao Sanxiao looked surprised.

"She's this year's spear arts standout at Azure Dragon... But no, not her."

"Chen Yuting?" Wang Xian said casually. Dao Sanxiao froze.

"Damn, you do know..."

"......" Not really. Just a guess. Didn't expect it really was her... An Eighth Realm powerhouse's martial true intent...

"This Chen Yuting is said to be truly extraordinary..." Dao Sanxiao chatted as they walked out of the station.

"Right after entering Azure Dragon and comprehending martial true intent, she trained for an entire month in the university's cultivation ground, 'Dragon Soul Martial Ruins'."

"One month later, she formed 'Xianting Association,' a brand new club. Then led the first batch of members to directly clear a new D-rank ruin. Who knows how much battle merit she gained, how many materials she seized."

"I heard they found a precious primordial medicine inside: 'Yu King Ginseng'. Anyway, she led that batch of club members to complete an entire semester's objectives in one month. Their strength rivals some second-years." Dao Sanxiao clicked his tongue.

"This woman is seriously impressive. Her secondary specialty is the extremely rare 'Divine Fortune Studies,' an ancient doctrine specializing in researching special anomalous objects, analyzing martial artist talents, parsing strengths and weaknesses."

"Any student she values, even if they're total trash, supposedly has a sliver of possibility."

"Students in her entire club worship her. Even second-years and third-years want to join."

"Add in the rumors of her devastatingly beautiful face and figure... Who knows how many prodigies at Azure Dragon have fallen at her feet... Even several descendants of Dragon City martial families have been drawn in..." Wang Xian nodded.

"Wait, you're not the least bit surprised?" Dao Sanxiao blinked.

"I don't think she's as impressive as me. Why should I be surprised?" Wang Xian smiled.

"......" Dao Sanxiao. Right. Faced with a peerless genius who awakened a Martial God's martial true intent upon entering university, directly slew a D-rank peak exotic beast with perfected-mastery advanced martial technique during military training, and would step into the Third Realm before finishing first year... Not really worth being that surprised.

"Still feels different though..." Dao Sanxiao mused.

"Brother Xian, you're the kind of old martial path genius with maxed individual combat power and talent. This Chen Yuting feels more like... uh..."

"A new martial path genius with maxed leadership, organizational ability, and personal charisma." Wang Xian thought to himself. Given Chen Yuting's experiences in her previous life, this was nothing... Now with a terrifying martial talent like the World-Toppling Demon Body, against a bunch of university students, it was a dimensionality reduction strike. In her previous life, she'd trained Seventh Realm Great Grandmasters like dogs...

Of course, in that era, Seventh Realm Great Grandmasters had gradually become more numerous. Not like now. But even then, Seventh Realm Great Grandmasters remained high-tier combat power among human martial artists. The two chatted as they boarded a train with the main group toward Yunhe City's Border Defense Bureau. Among first-year Single Blade specialty students, only a small portion qualified to go to Panlong Mountain for finals. About 70 or 80.

Because in one semester, out of several hundred first-year Single Blade students, only these 70 or 80 had reached the Second Realm. Among them, led by Dao Sanxiao, a few had already reached high stage Second Realm. Next semester they could hit peak Second Realm, even break through to Third. At this pace, if fast, they'd reach Fourth Realm by third year and graduate at peak Fourth or even Fifth Realm by fourth year. Truly the cream of the crop.

In comparison, among second and third-years, several hundred Single Blade students were coming to Panlong Mountain for finals. Add the Spear specialty students: over a thousand total.

"Everyone, rest tonight at the Defense Bureau. Make sure you rest well!"

"Tomorrow, I, Chi Jiuyou, will personally lead you first-years into Panlong Mountain." The Single Blade specialty leader was naturally Chi Jiuyou, the Blade Technique Association president.

"Second and third-years will be led by two other association vice presidents and several teachers." Being personally led by the fourth-year president clearly excited the mere few dozen first-years. Chi Jiuyou, with her full head of white hair, whether in appearance, bearing, or the faint aura of leadership about her, was deeply reassuring. If not for most Single Blade students being male, they'd probably find her quite pleasing to the eye as well. The group rested for the night at the Defense Bureau.

➤ Next: Wang Xian: But I'm Already Third-Realm