by <unknown>
All Li Yao felt was the tip of a spear pressing against his back. He could no longer bear the barbell, so he directly rolled forward, utterly miserably, to avoid the “terrible beast” assaulting from behind. He spun around like lightning with a strength that nearly broke his waist, automatically adopting the tightest defensive guard!
Cold sweat rained from his forehead. His wild beating heart nearly ripped open his chest!
“Who’s aura could be so overbearing!? It’s simply a tyrannosaurus rex in the form of a human!” Li Yao gasped for breath with a gaping mouth. He was trembling with fear as he sized up this “Human-shaped T-rex.”
What appeared behind his back was beyond his expectations — it was actually a woman. An absolutely young girl.
At most, this girl was 3-4 years older than him; she appeared to be just over 20.
She had a very tall stature, so much so that she was taller than him by just a little bit. Her figure was extremely healthy and beautiful with broad shoulders, a strong and flexible waist, and a slender pair of legs. Her plump thighs were bulging and bursting; they were exceptionally buff. They caused one to dream helplessly about her other bulges, wondering what sort of beautiful sensations would arise from coping a feel.
She wore the bare minimum of clothes: just a tank top and shorts, exposing a succubus-grade beautiful figure to the air.
She wasn’t the sort of classical beauty that had flesh so tender and white it seemed like congealed oil. Her skin was a color of honey-like amber, glistening and shining under the light, looking to be as smooth as velvet.
After having just done some exercise, her amber skin glistened faintly with sweat, making her skin appear sparkling, translucent, and gem-like.
Her looks weren’t considered exceptionally pretty, but that was due to her having coarse eyebrows, overly large eyes that contained too much spirit, a nose that stuck out too much, lips that were too thin, and ears that stuck straight out like a monkey’s, kind of like jug ears.
To describe her in a single sentence: she was too outstanding, too straightforward, and too forceful. Her invasive personality was too strong. There was completely no trace of the cool tenderness that most guys liked in a girl.
However, it looked like she completely didn’t give a damn. She continued being like a small sun, spreading heat and radiance absolutely without restraint.
The weirdest thing was the object on each of her beautifully contoured ankles, an ankle bracelet comprised of faded red string connecting three-four tiny bells.
Logically, she should have made some “Ding-ling-dang-lang” sounds as she leapt over here in large steps, but Li Yao didn’t even hear the tiniest of noises. Those eight strings of tiny bells seemed to be rusted to death and were tied firmly above her beautiful feet.
Li Yao gasped inwardly in surprise. This girl had already reached the peak in regards to the fine motor control of her leg muscles. She made her muscles vibrate continuously throughout the entirety of her high-speed movement, superimposing and canceling with the vibrations of her movement; through destructive interference, she was able to keep the tiny bells from moving.
“My name is Ding Lingdang. You can call me Sister Ling. You can also call me by my nickname, “Ding-ling-dang-lang”. You’re quite strong and buff, little brother~! You were able to do quite a few squats under five-times gravity without breaking a sweat. And you were able to sense me dashing over here. Your intuition is quite sharp. You’re good material. Come! Let’s get to know each other!”
Ding Lingdang reached out her hand at lightning speed. She grasped Li Yao’s right hand and gripped firmly, leaving no chance for Li Yao to resist.
Chapter 48: Invitation from Grand Desolate War Institution |
“*Inhale…..”
Li Yao felt like his palm was gripping a piece of red-hot coal. Even though he had endured a month of torment with “Give Up”, he was caught off guard and was forced to take a deep cold breath in pain!
“Your grip strength isn’t bad. I squeezed the hands of seven or eight students a moment ago. All of them cried tears of pain on the spot! One had even wet his pants… You Southeastern students are far too weak, not being able to take a single strike, you’re actually an exception!” Ding Lingdang withdrew her hand as she spoke, being completely pleased.
Li Yao shook his hand. He was pained to the point of being speechless.
He finally realized, at this time, why there wasn’t anyone who dared to come look around at the Grand Desolate War Institution’s booth.
If he had known of this earlier, it would have been better to go along with Zheng Dongming to Sky Fantasia Academy’s booth and gaze at the classical beauties…..
While his mind was running wild with imagination, a fragrance of earthly nature assaulted his nose all of a sudden. Ding Lingdang had moved closer to him abruptly. Two lips faced each other, two noses faced each other, and two pairs of eyes faced each other. Two female, beast-like eyes were staring wide and large. Those eyes were fiercely gazing fixed at Li Yao from a hair’s distance away.
“What, what are you up to?”
Li Yao was completely stupefied. His entire back was covered with cold sweat. This female beast was way too bold and straightforward. What she has done so far was simply unimaginable.
However, Li Yao was not your typical kind of person. He grew up in the Artifact Graveyard. What sort of weirdo has he not seen?
This kind of “always being led by the nose” feeling really was a bad feeling. Ding Lingdang’s aggressiveness completely awakened Li Yao’s core and fundamental nature — the vicious Vulture.
He no longer retreated. Rather, he strove forward to face her, refusing her even an inch of ground.
“If you glare at me, I’ll glare at you too. It’s not like that you would eat me under the sun in broad daylight!”
If he was face to face at hand’s reach with a different girl, like the painting classical beauty from a moment ago, this would have been an extremely alluring and exciting moment.
But from Li Yao’s perspective, he did not feel the least bit of attraction to the opposite sex coming from Ding Lingdang.
This was because of the far too violent and fierce expression coming from this girl. It was like a shining blade. The unconcealed murderous aura bubbled forth, ferociously stabbing into Li Yao’s eyes. The aura drove constantly inside Li Yao’s mind. Rushing across and crashing directly, it bombarded recklessly without reason against Li Yao’s central nervous system.
It was 10 seconds. A short 10 seconds of confrontation and it was as if Li Yao had engaged endlessly in direct combat!
Right when his two legs grew weak, when he was unable to hold on any longer, Ding Lingdang suddenly retracted her gaze. She grinned, exposing two pure-white canine teeth.
Her mouth was very large, as were her eyes, nose, and ears.
Her smile seemed to possess a peculiar charm, like the splendid sun that appeared suddenly after days of rainy clouds. It made one forget about their troubles in an instant, making one feel crisp and bright.
“Little brother, you’re quite amazing… Even in the Grand Desolate War Institution, there aren’t that many students of the lower grades who dare to face eye-to-eye with me for so long! Not bad! Not bad at all! You possess strength and spirit rarely seen in a high-school student. And your awareness is incomparably sharp. Most importantly, you will still able to resist while being enveloped by my strong killing aura. Good. This is really good! I’ve waited so long and I finally ended up with you!”
Ding Lingdang waved her fist with strength, suddenly causing air the circulate around.
Li Yao’s head was covered in a cold sweat. It seemed that the other person had misunderstood something. But if he were to say that he just came here to play around willy-nilly… wouldn’t he be beaten to a pulp of meat?
Ding Lingdang patted Li Yao’s shoulder, causing Li Yao to grimace in pain. Paying no mind, she said, “Little brother, these two eyes of senior sister have never b
een mistaken before… You are the real deal! A man of steel! Those dazzling flying swords, artifacts…. They’re all used by pussies. Real men of iron should become Body Practitioners by tempering their own bodies to become powerful artifacts. Use a body filled with blood-racing heat and a pair of iron fists to strike open a giant land under the heavens! Come then! Come to our Combat Department of our Grand Desolate War Institution! Here lies the paradise for hot-blooded men. We’re completely different from those pussy-ass universities!”
Li Yao summoned the courage to speak, “I’m terribly sorry. Miss… Sister Ling. My dream is to become a Refiner, so I’m preparing to apply for Deep Sea University!”
“What? A Refiner?”
In a flash, Ding Lingdang’s eyes bulged to twice their size. Not caring about anything else, she roared and thundered, “With this good of a body, with this great of willpower, you don’t want to be a Body Practitioner, but rather some Refiner? This is simply a reckless waste of talent!”
Li Yao’s head hurt as if he had been hit. He retreated to the edge of the booth without batting an eyelid. With a humble gesture, he said, “I’m truly sorry, Sister Ling. Everyone has a different understanding of the road of cultivation. Maybe in your eyes, a refiner is not a powerful profession. But where I was born and raised, everyone would seize tools and weapons for the sake of survival. They racked their heads to assemble weapons from scrap… In our hands, even if it's half a glass bottle, even if it's a piece of paper, they can all be crafted into fatal weapons! Those who know only to use their fists do not live long. Only those who can seize materials and craft them into weapons can continue living on! It’s precisely because of this that I feel Refiner is an extremely incredible profession. To become a Refiner is my dream. I cannot apply to your school’s Combat Department. I thank you for your certainty in me.”
With a slight jump, he leapt out of Grand Desolate War Institution’s booth. He turned around and was just about to leave.
“Hey…!” Ding Lingdang suddenly shouted, freezing him.
Li Yao’s body went rigid and his heart thumped… This female T-rex wouldn’t come chasing after him right?
Fortunately, Ding Lingdang did not have the intention of chasing after him. She stepped one foot onto a barbell bench. Extending a finger, she said, “Little brother, don’t make this decision so rashly. Go back and think it over carefully. You can ask around and see what the circle of cultivators think about our Grand Desolate War Institution. As everyone knows… the Federation has a total of Nine Elite Universities. Eight of them breeds Cultivators. Grand Desolate War Institution… is the university that only breeds warriors!”
Li Yao was stunned. He gave her a quick nod and turned around to squeeze into the crowd.
Looking at his back, Ding Lingdang licked her lips. She spread open her hands and then squeezed tightly. The air in the palm of her hand exploded with a “Bang!”.
“Let’s wait and see. You’re this strong and buff. You’re just made to be a part of our Grand Desolate War Institution. I, Ding Lingdang, will capture you for sure!”
…...
In order to leave a deep impression of the Nine Elite Universities on the exam takers, the Exchange Convention lasted for the entire day. The hold continued being brightly lit and filled with a bustling atmosphere all the way until 9 PM,
Anyways, Li Yao had already chosen the university he most aspired. After blazing and ravaging a meal at the affiliated Buffet in the Distant Expanse, he returned early to his assigned single room to rest.
On the way back, all that appeared in his mind was Ding Lingdang’s face that was full of vitality. This girl, who couldn’t be considered that pretty, was the type to leave a deep impression on a person in just a mere half a second.
However, even if her behavior was special and her words cause one’s blood to heat and boil, it was still impossible for Li Yao to apply to the Combat Department of the Grand Desolate War Institution.
His path had already been determined — and that is the Refining Department of Deep Sea University!
“Tonight, I’m going to get a good night’s rest so that I can put on a good performance at the competition tomorrow. I will win over people by blowing their minds with my brilliance. I will catch the eye of Deep Sea University's scout, Xie Tingxian!” Li Yao made a resolution to himself in his heart.
Chapter 49: Small Ji, the Crystal Beast |
A facial recognition glyph array was drawn on the door of the cabin. A red light swept across Li Yao’s face, ringing twice with “Beep Beep” sounds. With a “*click”, the cabin door opened.
The room inside was very simple and plain; there was only a bed and a tiny bathroom. There wasn’t even a desk placed anywhere.
Li Yao actually knew that this was special treatment given to them.
On a crystal battleship, only officers can enjoy the benefits of having a personal room. The average enlisted sailor lived in four-people, six-people, or even eight-people rooms.
Li Yao grew up in the Artifact Graveyard. He was able to sleep perfectly fine even in a pile of garbage. The environment here was luxurious in his opinion. He walked in with large strides, tossed his luggage into the corner, and smashed himself ferociously onto the bed, letting out a sound of satisfaction.
“Puji puji. Puji puji. Student Li Yao, hello. I’m your personal Puji Critter, Puji Critter Number 2899. You can call me 2899, or you can call me Small Ji.”
A chubby, plump, and charmingly innocent Puji Critter had squeezed out from under the bed with great difficulty, giving Li Yao a scare.
The white Puji Critter laboriously flapped its wings to fly into the air, speaking, “Starting from now all the way until the end of the competition, Student Li Yao will always have Small Ji at his service. Small Ji will explain the rules of the competition to you, answer your questions, help you get in touch with scouts from the Nine Elites, and shoot pictures and videos of every action you do in the competition, which will be transmitted to our monitoring center. If you encounter some sort of mortal crisis, Small Ji will even yell for cultivators to come save you! So contrary to my dull-witted appearance, I’m actually Li Yao’s good assistant in this competition!”
Li Yao stared unwaveringly at the white Puji Critter for a long time before asking suspiciously, “Small Ji, are you speaking of your own accord? Or is there someone controlling you from behind the scenes?”
The white Puji Critter began flying, orbiting around his head. It spoke cheerfully, “Small Ji isn’t saying these words by himself, and there is no one controlling me from behind the scenes. It’s that Small Ji’s body has been installed with the latest CPU system. 100,000 telepathic functions were programmed in advance so that Small Ji can perform the proper response in real time towards certain sorts of situations. Small Ji is the product of a joint R&D collaboration between Deep Sea University and the Empyrean Capital School of Medicine. I’m not your ordinary Spirit Beast! I’m the most advanced ‘Crystal Beast’ — a Spirit Beast controlled by a Crystal Processor!”
“Oh, so it was like this all along! You’re quite advanced. So they increased the intelligence of Spirit Beasts in this fashion. This way, they don’t need to worry about losing control over Spirit Beasts like with Demon Beasts!”
Li Yao’s resolution to enter into Deep Sea University hardened even further. He continued asking, “Then Small Ji, please explain to me the rules of the Limit Challenge Competition.”
“Sure thing.”
The hair on top of the Puji Critter’s head shook to and fro. A meaty pink antenna extended out, and on the tip of the antenna was a flickering and shiny synthetic crystal stone.
A beam of light shot out from the crystal, forming into a large 3d hologram right in front of Li Yao. With a flare of spiritual energy light, the holographic image of Devil Flood Dragon Island appeared in front of Li Yao’s eyes.
“The Limit Challenge Competition is a time-honored traditional competition of the Federation. Its purpose is to allow the Nine
Elites to select young talent gifted in cultivation. At the same time, it also gives the opportunity for students whose expertise are more focused on practical use rather than theory to show off their talent.”
“The annual Limit Challenge Competition has always been held two months before the university entrance exams. The entire Federation is divided into nearly 1000 different exam regions with each area containing 3000 competitors.”
“Floating Spear City and its surrounding area are Cultivation Cities in the Federation. Quite a few cultivation geniuses have emerged from here. So, exam region 571 has an extremely vicious environment, gaining the nickname as an ‘Exam Region of Death’.”
“Three thousand competitors must do their best to find a way to survive for five days on Devil Flood Dragon Island along with the rampaging Demon Beasts… Student Li Yao, try not to underestimate Devil Flood Dragon Island. Back in the day, this was the location of the final battle between Star Glory Federation and the Far East Demon Kingdom. Countless corpses are buried in the depths of the ocean. Demonic aura permeates the air!”
“The Demon Beasts of Devil Flood Dragon Island absorbs this aura year round. The Demon Beasts here are far more vicious than those in other places.”
The white Puji Critter flew to face Li Yao. It shook its stubby wing, speaking completely cheerfully, “The five days of the Limit Challenge Competition are divided into two parts: the preliminaries and the finals. The first three days are the preliminaries, and the last two days are the finals.”
“Tomorrow morning at 9 AM, three thousand competitors will be tossed together into Devil Flood Dragon Island. You will be wearing the most plain of clothing: a sports tank top and shorts that contain no defensive capabilities whatsoever. You won’t have weapons. You won’t have food. You won’t have water. You won’t even have shoes! Each person will only have a single Puji Critter.”
