Subsequently, Principal Yang stepped off the stage to award the top three students of the competition.
Xu Qingfeng was delighted, having won cultivation resources worth around four hundred thousand.
Meng Chuan was quite envious watching this. If he had known, he would've asked his master to let him compete too...
After awarding the prizes, Yang Huan offered some words of encouragement and then flew off from the back mountain.
He had evening engagements as even a dignitary could not escape social conventions.
He handed over the follow-up responsibilities to An Jing, who announced the New Year competition details.
"Xu Qingfeng, Fu Long... the top seven students have obtained the preliminary qualifications for the 'National Martial Arts Supernova Competition.'
...Lastly, I hope you seven can uphold the prestige of United University Preparatory High!"
Applause erupted, and a few students who narrowly missed out were envious.
Not every student is a second-generation martial artist. United University teaches all without distinction, with many common students as well.
A martial artist is not a recluse and must abide by the social laws, naturally unable to avoid fame and fortune.
And the Supernova Competition is now the best stage for fame and fortune in Great Chu.
Unfortunately, it was not meant for them.
At this moment, a curious student asked:
"What about Brother Chuan? It's a shame if someone as strong as him doesn't participate."
A knowledgeable student nearby explained:
"This competition is a platform for university martial artists to vie. We're lucky to have the United University connection."
"Brother Chuan... after all, he hasn't officially enrolled yet, so he's technically a high school student from another school."
Meng Chuan mixed around practicing at the preparatory high daily, making many people subconsciously overlook this point.
Many expressed their regret:
"Ah, that's really a pity..."
But An Jing continued:
"Finally, three family martial artists in friendly cooperation with United University will accompany us to participate in..."
Before he finished, three people walked up from the mountain, and someone interrupted them.
"Whoever wants to challenge the three of us, get over here quickly and don't waste time."
The speaker was blunt, showing no respect for the martial arts family.
An Jing wasn't annoyed by the interruption.
Some from noble families are pampered, always training behind closed doors, not having faced the harsh realities of society.
She calmly said:
"Zhou Xin of the Zhou family, this is United University, mind your language."
Even among the judges sat no fewer than five grandmasters. How dare the mere Zhou family's branch from Shangjing attempt to compete with United University?
Soooo what if it's a grandmaster's family, this is United University.
Many students, sensing a spectacle, curiously eyed the three individuals.
"What's going on? Someone dares to act out at United University?"
"Don't know, keep watching, it seems related to the Supernova Competition slots."
The panel showed no reaction, as it was a matter among juniors, not requiring exaggerated responses.
Zhou Xin merely wanted to show off, and stopped talking when An Jing spoke.
Another male beside him instead started arrogantly:
"Yeah, who do these nobodies think they are to join the fun?
What's the Luo family all about? This young master doesn't fight nameless individuals.
Would the teacher please call Meng Chuan down, let's not cause a mess."
This person's arrogance was even more evident, a disciple of the Zheng family's branch line.
Though the Zheng family's main line was rooted in Yanhua, the branch family's patriarch and grandmaster had ties to Northern United University.
Therefore, he was given this competition opportunity, as he was the most talented in the family.
The two had been practicing within the family since childhood and now finally had a chance to make their mark, having grown tired of monotonous drills.
Amidst the crowd of martial artists, they were unable to resist their excitement.
Chen Qiushui glanced at Meng Chuan beside him, understanding the situation.
Meng Chuan smiled slightly at Grandmaster Chen, but inwardly noted the speaker's words as a death sentence.
"Nobodies... Luo family, fine, fine, fine."
In his heart, Luo Guanyun was as esteemed as Mount Tai and the Five Sacred Mountains.
Such provocation, to not beat him silly, would be failing his master's teachings.
The last of the three was a woman from the Liu family, Liu Shuxue.
Feeling anxious at Zheng Tao's bold words, she quickly moved back, shielding the two behind her.
Earlier today, her second uncle had specifically sought her out with footage of Meng Chuan training in the residential area caught by SkyNet's cameras.
The scene, the strength, it was all terrifying...
She immediately realized one truth.
A step back now would open a vast horizon for her...
Simultaneously, many students realized what was happening.
"Brother Chuan is going to spar with these three, deciding the Supernova slots, right?"
"Yeah, my cousin trains at the Infinite Martial Arts Dojo,
and the dojo's master is Brother Chuan's personal mentor, Master Luo. I heard Master Luo has only this one disciple, Brother Chuan."
A student nodded thoughtfully:
"Then that kid who spoke out earlier, he's toast..."
"No need to say more, just get your phones ready to record."
The video of Meng Chuan beating Lin Yue was still hot on the forums.
All the preparatory high students knew Meng Chuan would always greet anyone with a smile and be polite on the surface.
But if you dared provoke him, he'd turn hostile immediately and was notoriously harsh...
Thus, everyone's gaze fixated on the speaker.
Their expressions were unified, devoid of anger at the fact that United University had been challenged, filled only with sympathy.
"How pitiful, truly pitiful..."
"Let's place bets, how many moves can this kid withstand?"
Fu Long voiced:
"I bet thirty moves; this kid seems about as strong as me.
Meng Chuan is likely quite angry now and will probably go all out from the start."
He had sparred with Meng Chuan several times and had plenty of experience getting beaten.
Meanwhile, Zhou Xin and Zheng Tao were a bit puzzled.
The eyes of the crowd were piercing, and the two whispered to each other:
"Brother Zhou, what do they mean by this?"
"Brother Zheng, I don't understand either..."
The script wasn't quite what they expected, and the two looked at each other in disbelief.
The atmosphere was tense, and Meng Chuan slowly stood up.
He looked down from above, gazing at Zheng Tao and Zhou Xin by the edge of the ring.
He said calmly:
"You two have quite a bit to say about my master and me."
The next moment, Meng Chuan leapt down, and as he landed, his Qi Strength seemed to become tangible, rolling outward in waves.
"Why not come at me together? Save some time."
Zheng Tao and Zhou Xin laughed in anger, did he take them for some random weaklings, wanting to fight two at once?
Before they could retort, Meng Chuan immediately continued:
"Come up, don't mess around."
He returned this phrase to them completely.
"You've got guts!"
As the words fell, Zheng Tao shot up like an arrow, unable to endure Meng Chuan's arrogant demeanor!
He wanted to defend the honor of the Zheng family and make this kid pay the price!
"Good timing!"
A glint flashed in Meng Chuan's eyes.
The next moment, a wave of air surged under his feet, lifting him as if standing in mid-air.
Meng Chuan's right hand rose, his thumb pressing down to form a fist, amidst the sky of crimson waves, ripples of his fist force appeared in the red.
Iron fists struck Zheng Tao again and again, like red ink dancing in the air!
The bulging veins from Meng Chuan's wrist burst, and Zheng Tao, like a large punching bag, drowned in the sea of red, rising and falling.
"Indeed has some skill, no exaggeration."
Chen Qiushui's expression shifted slightly, this child's strength aside, his murderous aura was an invaluable treasure.
"No wonder Principal Yang values him, possessing both skill and potential, truly a gem."
The other judges also focused intently, now understanding why he didn't participate in the tournament.
If Meng Chuan joined, how could anyone else have a chance?
Coming to his senses, Zheng Tao flew back like a kite with a broken string, and then.
Rolled on the ground, spitting blood.
Crashing beside Zhou Xin, completely unconscious.
Meng Chuan didn't strike deadly, a "small punishment" was enough.
An Jing beckoned, and the school doctor waiting by the ring rushed forward to provide emergency treatment for Zheng Tao.
She secretly felt delighted, seeing that Meng Chuan sometimes being ruthless was indeed warranted.
Meng Chuan's steps echoed in mid-air, an invisible cloud platform supported him to maintain his stance.
"It's your turn, rat."
Zhou Xin dared not go up, trembling like a leaf.
Only his mouth remained sturdy:
"You... you peasant, yet you have some guts."
Meng Chuan's gaze was icy, stepping down twice in the air, descending from the Cloud-Ascending Ladder.
He slowly walked along the edge of the ring, his muscular build casting a large shadow, completely covering Zhou Xin's figure.
"You... you."
The next moment, Meng Chuan's spine twisted like a dragon turning over, his right hand shot out like lightning, five fingers clamped Zhou Xin's head, lifting him off the ground.
Zhou Xin completely lost his composure as an eighth-level Martial Artist, his legs flailing in the air, the jewel-embedded silk belt at his waist snapped with a sound.
"If you don't shut up, I'll knock out all your teeth."
He looked towards Liu Shuxue in the distance, only to find that she had retreated fifty meters away at some point.
Liu Shuxue silently thanked her second uncle Liu Sanduo, praising her own wit:
"A wise man knows his time."
After Zhou Xin shut his mouth, the entire place fell into dead silence.
Soon filled with the sound of gasping.
"Damn, that's frigging awesome!"
Though students had seen Meng Chuan perform many martial displays, each time left them shocked and amazed.
Practicing with a stake was nothing like the impact of hitting a real person!
Fu Long smiled wryly, thinking thirty moves was an exaggeration, not expecting such a one-sided slaughter.
Xu Qingfeng had lost his previous championship vigor, knowing that the result would be the same if it were him.
"Barriers are starting to form between us..."
He thought he had caught up after the eighth-level Qi Blood.
But it seemed the gap had widened, now he didn't even have the qualifications to force out Meng Chuan's second state.
Xu Qingfeng understood one thing.
"There are some people, from the first encounter, that is the closest you will ever get to them, and the only chance to win."
Beside him, Meng Jiaolong's beautiful eyes shone brightly, blinking at Meng Chuan.
On the judges' seat, Chen Qiushui looked at this scene with some irritation.
Clearly, the man was indifferent, while the woman was interested.
Meng Chuan casually threw Zhou Xin to one side, ignoring him.
"I take up one spot, any objections?"
Zhou Xin felt his scalp tingle.
Shook his head, not daring to speak.
"In the future, practice your fists more, and talk less trash, do you understand?"
Zhou Xin nodded vigorously.
At this moment, An Jing spoke softly:
"In that case, the spots are set: Meng Chuan, Liu Shuxue, and... Zhou Xin."
Seeing that the Zheng family's boy seemed unlikely to compete against Zhou Xin for the position.