On the vast grounds of the Sichuan Province Martial University's training arena stood three hundred fighting stages, each marked with a iron plaque featuring silver text on a black background.
The sight was incredibly majestic.
It left an impression on the hearts of over nine hundred students.
After all, the majority had come from small cities and were seeing such a grand spectacle for the first time.
This was also the purpose of the school authorities, to flaunt the heritage of their institution, fostering a stronger sense of belonging among the students.
After the secretary with black silk hair, Xinzhu, announced the official start of the challenge.
Not a single person made the first move, choosing to bide their time and strategize, since the rationale behind these rules could be easily understood after some thought.
The first to step forward would become the target of everyone's attention, the prey for all arrows.
One against many is a struggle, even heroes fear a pack of wolves.
The challenge wouldn't end until the next day's dawn, and stepping up so soon would only make one a target for others to wear down.
If defeated, one would not be able to challenge upwards again, suffering a huge loss.
Some even grumbled to themselves.
"With these rules, I bet the intense battles will only break out in the last hour. Only a fool would go up first."
"Yeah, going first would also expose one's combat habits, making it easy for others to figure out one's strategies and be defeated."
"In short, nothing good comes out of going first. Let someone else take that spot, I'll wait till the end."
Even the top Martial Champions from the leading bases across the provinces felt uneasy.
Going early meant exhausting one's strength for nothing. How could they withstand formidable opponents of the same level later on?
Shi Kai and the other instructors had already arrived at another area, a high platform without seats, standing above they could overlook the entire battleground below.
Seeing that no one had entered the fray, the neat, short-haired female martial artist instructor sneered:
"Let's see the caliber of this year's students, how many have the guts."
"Such a competition tests many aspects, but courage and endurance are of the utmost importance."
Another instructor responded.
"Martial artists are ultimately meant for the battlefield, where the enemy's strength is unknown. Without the guts to step up, how can they be effective? The truly powerful are those with the ability to adapt to various enemies at any time."
"Besides, the battlefield won't provide you with a fair one-on-one fight. Isn't being ambushed or surrounded par for the course?"
The elder with white hair and beard, Yang Cang, spoke softly, "I wonder if these students can understand that if it were not to test their mettle and bravery, why set up such a challenge."
"A simple draw would have been so much better to decide the first."
Standing at the forefront, Shi Kai had been silently listening to their conversation from behind, never making a comment.
His gaze lingered below, the corners of his mouth revealing a faint smile.
"Principal Shi seems to be in a good mood today." The short-haired, efficient-looking female martial artist said incredulously, whispering, "For someone with such a stoic face, he's smiled several times already today."
"Cough cough." Xinzhu spoke, "Instructor Hua, aren't you afraid of repercussions for openly maligning the principal to his face like this?"
The disciplined short-haired woman shook her head: "If he resorts to petty retaliation, he wouldn't be the principal I know."
"Principal Shi has successfully brought over the Da Xia Godson; it would be odd if he were in a bad mood." An instructor nearby chimed in with laughter, "According to friends at Jing Province Martial University and Demon Province Martial University, they have been getting an earful from their own principals every day."
Instructor Hua was puzzled: "Who is this Da Xia Godson? He sure looked dashing to the bone in the videos, but I see no such person among the crowd here."
The elder Yang Cang also raised a question.
"Hasn't the God's Child reported yet?"
Xinzhu seemed to look through her nose as though in deep contemplation, feigning complete ignorance, and pursed her lips.
The principal had strictly ordered that the God's Child must not be exposed.
Of course, she dared not blurt out anything.
The group exchanged a few words, and dozens of breaths later.
Over nine hundred new students, all chosen by the heavens, remained standing still without taking a seat.
Those with substantial talent simply sat down cross-legged and began to regulate their breathing.
"Thud——"
"Thud, thud——"
Footsteps suddenly broke the silence, and everyone saw a young figure emerge from the crowd.
He walked directly toward the stages.
"Hmm?"
Both the instructors above and the other students focused their gaze on him.
"Who is this? So bold."
"Damn, one shouldn't be grabbing the spotlight like this. A wise person knows the lay of the land."
"Yes, didn't you see even the other prodigies haven't stood up? Who is this fearless one?"
When they saw that the person who emerged was wearing black-rimmed glasses, someone tall but otherwise average-looking, they were disappointed.
"I thought some peerless ferocious person had shown up. It looks like someone just wants to stand out."
"Seeking attention at a time like this? It's like looking for death by lighting a lantern in a latrine."
"Don't talk nonsense, what if he really has the skill?"
"True, if he's really capable, he could choose one of the lower-ranked stages. A real strong fighter wouldn't bother fighting him, and the weaker ones in a brawl probably couldn't beat him either."
However, when they saw the stage Luo Yu had chosen and the moment he leaped onto it.
Such talk came to a halt.
Soon, many students began to discuss fervently, some eager to watch the excitement, others sneering and waiting to see a joke unfold, and yet others with their eyes darting around, pondering. Even those who had closed their eyes to meditate snapped them open.
Because the stage the young man had chosen was not at the back; it was right at the front, the second seat.
"This guy, he chose a stage ranked second from the start?"
"Tsk, does this fellow think his strength ranks him second among us all? Quite confident, isn't he?"
"Confident my foot, I suspect he thinks if he loses the second one, it doesn't matter. After stepping down, he can still choose one of the stages further back to continue fighting. After all, the rules only say you can't challenge the ones ahead if you lose, not the ones behind."