Chapter 84

When Zhang Ruochen and Zixi returned to the Western Courtyard Training Ground, there were already three to four hundred young warriors gathered there. Many of them were injured, their faces showing signs of disappointment.

Some, however, were in high spirits, laughing and chatting, clearly having completed the first round of the academy examination with confidence.

In the training ground, people were discussing animatedly, mostly about the thrilling experiences they had while hunting the barbarian beasts, recounting them vividly.

"It's said that this year's academy examination saw the emergence of two killing stars, causing bloodshed and carnage in the Tianmo Ridge, with many young warriors falling to their hands."

"I've heard that too! Those two killing stars specifically hunted warriors from the Four Directions Prefectures, causing at least fifty casualties among them."

A warrior from the Yunwu Prefecture sighed, "Fortunately, those two killing stars intimidated the warriors from the Four Directions Prefectures, leaving them no energy to deal with us from the Yunwu Prefecture. Otherwise, I doubt I would have passed the first round of the academy examination."

Zhang Ruochen smiled faintly, walked past the young warriors, and handed over twenty beast eyes to the student responsible for counting them.

Zixi also submitted eighty beast eyes.

Both of them passed the first round of the Wushi Academy examination and returned to the training ground, gathering with other warriors from the Yunwu Prefecture.

As for the extra beast eyes, they both kept them.

The eyes of the barbarian beasts all had medicinal value and could be used for alchemy. Selling them would fetch a considerable price.

It was now noon, and the time for the first round of the academy examination had ended.

On the platform in the Western Courtyard Training Ground, Elder Situ held a scroll of animal skin and began to announce the list of those who passed the first round of the academy examination.

"In the first round of the academy examination, 1,537 people participated, and 468 passed. Those who passed are Jiang Ying, Liu Chengfeng, Xia Hao..."

After Elder Situ finished reading the names, the young warriors who passed the first round remained in the Western Courtyard Training Ground, while the others were sent back to their respective prefectures.

Elder Situ continued, "All those who passed the first round will stay in the Western Courtyard Training Ground tonight. Tomorrow morning, you will participate in the second round, the 'Wuta Challenge.' The top 120 performers in the Wuta will pass the examination. The rest will be eliminated."

"Tonight, two senior sisters will be in charge of maintaining order here. Anyone who causes trouble before the 'Wuta Challenge' will be severely punished."

After saying this, Elder Situ descended from the platform and left the Western Courtyard Training Ground.

After Elder Situ left, two beautiful women, one tall and one short, emerged from the ancient buildings and entered the Western Courtyard Training Ground.

The outer palace students of the Wushi Academy, upon seeing these two women, showed signs of fear and immediately bowed in respect.

"Senior Sister Huang, Senior Sister Duanmu!"

"Senior Sister Huang, Senior Sister Duanmu!"

...

Even Wang Qi, the outer palace student who had escorted Zhang Ruochen and Zixi back to the Wushi Academy, bowed respectfully to the two women.

The woman surnamed Huang was tall and slender, with waist-length sapphire hair and very fair, smooth skin, as delicate as the petals of a pear blossom.

The woman surnamed Duanmu looked only thirteen or fourteen years old, with very delicate features, long eyelashes, and bright eyes. Despite her young age, her figure was well-developed, with her chest more prominent than that of the woman surnamed Huang.

Most importantly, both women were extremely beautiful, with faces that could topple cities and nations.

The two women ascended a seven-zhang-high stone platform, glanced at the 468 young warriors in the training ground, then sat cross-legged on the platform, closed their eyes, and seemed to enter a state of cultivation.

Everyone in the Western Courtyard Training Ground was drawn to the two women, unable to look away.

The outer palace students who had been in the Wushi Academy for one or two years, however, dared not look at the two women, their faces showing signs of apprehension.

Zhang Ruochen also glanced at the two women, slightly surprised, and said, "They are actually wearing brocade robes!"

Generally, outer palace students of the Wushi Academy could only wear white robes.

Only inner palace students could wear brocade robes.

Liu Chengfeng, staring at the two women on the stone platform, whispered, "As long as one becomes a Xuan Rank Warrior or accumulates enough merit points, even an outer palace student can wear a brocade robe."

Usually, Liu Chengfeng's eyes would light up at the sight of a beautiful woman, and he would be eager to pounce.

However, seeing the two women on the stone platform, he showed no signs of his usual frivolous behavior and instead looked somewhat fearful.

Zhang Ruochen, curious, asked, "Are they Xuan Rank Warriors?"

Liu Chengfeng nodded quickly, "The Western Courtyard of the Wushi Academy has always been dominated by women, who are particularly powerful. Male students have little say in the Western Courtyard. Inside the Wushi Academy, they are all called the 'Western Palace Ladies,' who rule over everything in the Western Courtyard. If a male student offends them, he is doomed! Sigh!"

Zhang Ruochen's face showed a serious expression. If the two women were indeed Xuan Rank Warriors, their strength was truly formidable.

Entering the Xuan Rank List was much more difficult than entering the Huang Rank List.

The Huang Rank List only ranked the top Huangji Realm Warriors in a single prefecture. First, the Huangji Realm was still a relatively low realm; second, the geographical scope of the Huang Rank List was quite limited.

However, the Xuan Rank List was different. Only the top Xuanji Realm Warriors could enter the list.

Moreover, the scope of the Xuan Rank List extended to the thirty-six prefectures surrounding the Tianmo Ridge.

In other words, only the top Xuanji Realm Warriors from the thirty-six prefectures could enter the Xuan Rank List.

It could be said that every Warrior who could enter the Xuan Rank List had the strength to contend with Diji Realm Warriors. The top-ranked individuals on the Xuan Rank List were even more powerful than ordinary Diji Realm Warriors.

If the two beautiful women sitting on the stone platform were indeed Xuan Rank Warriors, then their strength could rival that of top Diji Realm experts.

No wonder all the outer palace students feared them.

Zhang Ruochen withdrew his gaze and stopped staring at the two women. He looked around and found that this year, thirty-one young warriors from the Yunwu Prefecture had passed the first round of the examination.

Such a result would have been unimaginable in previous years.

The Four Directions Prefectures had 162 people pass the first round, still the highest number among the nine prefectures in the western part of the ridge. However, compared to previous years, this number was much lower.

After all, just the number of warriors killed by Zhang Ruochen and Zixi alone was ninety-eight, and many of them were skilled, indeed causing significant damage to the Four Directions Prefectures' warriors.

Prince Huoxing sat among the warriors from the Four Directions Prefectures, staring coldly at Zhang Ruochen and Zixi, his eyes filled with intense killing intent.

Zhang Ruochen also stared at Prince Huoxing, noticing that the prince's blood energy had clearly increased, and his eyes had become abnormally sharp.

"Prince Huoxing has broken through to the Xiaojiji Realm of the Xuanji Realm!" Zhang Ruochen said.

"What?"

Liu Chengfeng exclaimed, his face changing, and he became somewhat worried, "Prince Huoxing is already a genius with extraordinary talent and a talented beast tamer, so his mental strength must be quite powerful. Now that he has broken through to the Xiaojiji Realm of the Xuanji Realm, he is likely to become the top performer in the academy examination this time."

Zhang Ruochen asked, "What are the benefits of becoming the top performer in the academy examination?"

Liu Chengfeng replied, "Not to mention becoming the top performer, even being in the top ten of the academy examination can earn you very generous rewards."

"Even the tenth-place newcomer can receive 100 merit points. The ninth-place newcomer can receive 200 merit points. And so on, the fourth-place newcomer can receive 700 merit points."

"The third-place newcomer can receive 1,000 merit points."

"The second-place newcomer can receive 2,000 merit points."

"The first-place newcomer can receive 3,000 merit points."

Beside them, a young warrior said disdainfully, "Only 3,000 merit points for first place, that's not much!"

Liu Chengfeng glared at him, "The merit points of the Wushi Academy can be exchanged for various cultivation resources, including elixirs, True Martial Treasures, barbarian beast mounts, servants, palaces... anything you can think of, the Wushi Academy can provide."

"As long as you have enough merit points, you can even buy a prefecture, and the Wushi Academy can help you do it."

"One merit point of the Wushi Academy is equivalent to one spirit crystal. The first-place newcomer, rewarded with 3,000 merit points, is equivalent to 3,000 spirit crystals, worth three million silver coins."

"Three... million... silver coins..." The young warriors from the Yunwu Prefecture were all stunned.

Zhang Ruochen was also slightly surprised. He had only heard that the Wushi Money House was incredibly wealthy, but now he truly understood its wealth.

Even a powerful seventh-tier family like the Lin family would have to use all their resources and savings to possibly gather three million silver coins.

Now, just by becoming the top newcomer, one could receive 3,000 merit points, worth three million silver coins.

With this enormous wealth, one could certainly exchange for a large amount of cultivation resources, and rapid advancement in cultivation would be a given.

"The key is tomorrow's 'Wuta Challenge.' The better your performance, the higher your score."

Liu Chengfeng added, "The 'Wuta Challenge' not only tests a warrior's cultivation level but also their talent and overall qualities, such as mental strength, senses, perseverance, judgment, and so on."

Zixi's eyes sparkled, "In tomorrow's 'Wuta Challenge,' I will definitely be among the top three newcomers."

Liu Chengfeng looked thoughtfully at Zhang Ruochen, "Your Highness, what about you?"

Zhang Ruochen smiled, "I don't know much about the Wuta, so I can only do my best!"