Chapter 128: Rank Challenge (2)
Translator: Henyee Translations | Editor: Henyee Translations
After that, the Yellow-rank disciples would challenge the Black-rank ones, then the Black-rank disciples would challenge the Earth-rank ones, and so on.
The Nine Yang Academy also set several rules for the challenges.
First, everyone who challenged a higher-rank disciple had to pay a certain amount of merit points.
For example, if a Yellow-rank disciple wanted to challenge a Black-rank disciple, he had to pay a minor merit.
Regardless of the outcome, this small merit would go to the Black-rank disciple who was challenged.
This rule was to prevent low-rank disciples from challenging at random to try their luck.
Secondly, more than one low-rank disciple could challenge the same high-rank disciple. The latter didn't have to accept all of them, but they had to accept at least three challenges.
The order of challenges may be determined by the challenger through negotiation.
If the negotiation failed, the cultivation level would be the priority. The challenger with a higher cultivation level could go first. If the cultivation level was the same, the tutor would randomly choose one.
Every time a challenger was defeated, the challenged person would get an hour of rest.
Thirdly, the disciples who successfully advanced and the disciples whose rank dropped would no longer accept challenges from others.
However, disciples who were challenged and lost their rank could challenge other high-rank disciples. If they succeeded, they could recover their rank.
These were the most important rules of the Nine Yang Academy's rank challenge.
Of course, there were other rules, but they were just minor details.
It was worth mentioning that the rank challenge happened to take place in the square where the guided battle was held.
When Lin Shen arrived, he realized that a two-meter-tall platform had appeared in the middle of the square. There were stone pillars engraved with mysterious patterns standing around them. It looked like some kind of array formation.
Most likely, it should be some kind of protective array formation to prevent the aftershock of the battle on the platform from affecting the surrounding spectators.
Apart from the empty space within ten meters of the platform, the other parts of the square were already filled with people. It was a bustling scene.
"Probably all 700 people from the entire lower house are here..."
Lin Shen was secretly amazed.
However, after thinking about it, it made sense. There was no such thing as taking leave for a rank challenge.
Whether it was because one was injured and couldn't come to the scene personally, or because one happened to be cultivating in seclusion or going out to train, as long as one wasn't present when they were challenged, they would be deemed to have lost the challenge.
The rules were that cruel!
Just as he was sighing, he heard a familiar voice come from not far away.
"Lin, over here!"
Lin Shen looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yang Zhongyi waving at him from more than 20 meters away. Su Nian was standing beside him.
"You always take your time. Why? The protagonist is always the last to appear, right?"
Before Lin Shen could say anything, Yang Zhongyi punched his shoulder and teased him.
"What protagonist?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Yang Zhongyi gestured at his surroundings with his eyes.
"You're the most eye-catching person in the entire square today!"
Just as Yang Zhongyi had said, Lin Shen's arrival attracted the attention of many people.
As far as he could see, many disciples were pointing in his direction, and many of them had malicious gazes.
"Look, it's Lin Shen!"
"Tsk tsk, he actually came!"
"Of course, he's here. If he doesn't come, he'll lose his rank!"
"What's the difference? Do you really think Lin Shen can keep his spot as a Black-rank disciple? Don't be naive!"
Hearing the discussions, Lin Shen wasn't affected at all, as if he hadn't heard them.
There would never be a shortage of people who gloated over others??misfortune. He could just ignore them. There was no need to argue with them because it was just a waste of energy.
"Being considered the protagonist isn't too bad."
Lin Shen smiled without denying it.
"On such an occasion, the protagonist will usually kill anyone who stands in his way. Perhaps I can surprise everyone today."
"If only that were true."
Yang Zhongyi only thought that Lin Shen was having fun in his misery and didn't take his words seriously at all. He lowered his voice and comforted Lin Shen.
"It doesn't matter even if you lose your rank as a Black-rank disciple.
With your aptitude and strength, you'll be able to snatch it back sooner or later. There's no need to rush!"
Su Nian also echoed, "That's right. Your talent is obvious to all. It's only a matter of time before you advance to a Black-rank disciple or even higher. You don't have to take it to heart!"
Lin Shen was amused and touched by their comforting words, but he didn't intend to explain further. He changed the topic.
"What about the two of you? Have you used the Spirit Breath Fruit from before?"
At the mention of this, Yang Zhongyi and Su Nian smiled happily.
"Thanks to you, we found an alchemist to refine the Breath Gathering Pill. We've already successfully advanced to the Long Breath Stage!"
Yang Zhongyi said with a smile.
After advancing to the Long Breath Stage, he and Su Nian would almost certainly remain Yellow-rank disciples.
The difference between Yellow-rank disciples??cultivation levels was the largest in the Nine Yang Academy. They ranged from the seventh level of the Qj Transformation Stage to the fourth level of the Long Breath Stage.
As for the other three ranks, the disciples??cultivation levels were at most two or three stages apart.
Therefore, no one would ignore the other Qi Transformation Stage disciples and come to challenge two Long Breath Stage ones.
Of course, Yang Zhongyi and Su Nian didn't intend to challenge the Black-rank disciples.
Apart from Lin Shen, the abnormality, the weakest Black-rank disciples were Level-4 Long Breath Stage cultivators. Yang Zhongyi and Su Nian had just broken through, and there was no chance of them succeeding in challenging a Black-rank disciple!
Not only did they not have to worry about being challenged, but they also had no intention of challenging others. Yang Zhongyi and Su Nian were two of the most relaxed people in the square.
The only person they were worried about was Lin Shen.
About ten minutes later, a cry suddenly came from the sky.
More than ten snow-white cranes with wingspans of more than two meters flew over from afar and arrived in the sky above the square in the blink of an eye.
After circling a few times, the crane slowly landed on the square. The tutors on their backs jumped and landed lightly on the stage.
The square instantly fell silent. All the academy disciples shut their mouths and watched the tutors descend from the sky.
The leader was Ke Ya.
With him in the lead, the tutors came to the seats that had been prepared long ago and sat down.
Immediately after, Ke Ya's gaze swept around like lightning. He waved his hand and cut to the chase.
"Let's begin."
The deacon who had been waiting at the side took a step forward and shouted,
"The Yellow-rank disciple challenge begins now!"
As soon as he finished speaking, someone rushed onto the platform impatiently. Before he could stabilize himself, his loud voice spread throughout the square.
"Zhai Guangdong wants to challenge Yellow-rank disciple Tang Rongquan!"
The Yellow-rank disciple's face darkened when his name was called. He snorted.
Although the rank challenge was a custom, as the party being challenged, some of them would inevitably feel that the other party had underestimated them. As a result, they were usually in a bad mood.
The deacon in charge didn't agree immediately. Instead, he looked around and asked,
"Any other challengers?"
No one answered. The deacon nodded expressionlessly and looked at Tang Rongquan.
"Tang Rongquan, do you want to accept the challenge?"
Of course, he would. If he didn't accept it, he would be considered defeated without a fight.
Tang Rongquan cursed inwardly and used his reaction as an answer. He quickly took a few steps and jumped onto the high platform.
The battle broke out in the blink of an eye, but it ended very quickly.
In the end, Tang Rong won and successfully defended his position as a Yellow-rank disciple.
However, the next two battles ended with the challenger's victory.
This wasn't surprising. 79 Yellow-rank disciples were new students this year like the rankless ones, and their strength was actually not much different.
However, some of them were a little unlucky and didn't get a good ranking in the examination. That was why they missed the Yellow-rank disciple spot.
And now, it was time for them to take back what should have been theirs!
In just over an hour, more than ten Yellow-rank disciples had their spots taken away and became rankless disciples.
These people were all freshmen without exception.
As for the senior students, there were very few who dared to challenge them.
As expected, the few challengers also failed.
At this moment.
There was a sudden commotion in the crowd.
Lin Shen looked in the direction of the noise and saw a figure leap onto the platform with a saber in hand.
It was Yan Xing!