Chapter 18: First Battle

"How well do you think Ah Ling will rank this time?"

In a certain family living room, a group of people were gathered in front of the television set, waiting for their child to appear on the screen. The Moon God system was running at full capacity to ensure that everyone could find the live broadcast channel of their children, and their Ah Ling was also competing this time.

"Don't worry, I gave that brat our family's Unyielding Blade of the Eight Winds. With that blade, he can at least make it into the top ten thousand!"

Ah Ling's grandfather was very confident. The Unyielding Blade of the Eight Winds was a First Grade weapon of Great Perfection, more than enough to let that stinky kid win many matches.

"Why is Ah Ling's opponent bald and wearing prison clothes? Ah Ling's going up, Ah Ling's using the Whirlwind Blade Technique, Ah Ling looks so cool, Ah Ling... how did he lose?"

The family sat in stunned silence in front of the TV as they watched their son's defeat.

Ah Ling's opponent had simply led and directed with his long sword, then with a flash of light, a point of sword light twinkled, and their child was defeated?

How could that opponent be so strong? Wait, his face, why does it look familiar?

Seems like I've seen it in some news report?

...

In the first match, Meng Yu won, facing a somewhat strong opponent, especially that curved blade that could manipulate wind, which made Meng Yu quite envious.

The Immortal Sect's college entrance exam is fair, but the Immortal Sect's virtual online joint exam is very, very unfair. Simply put, the rich can still bully the newbies.

You think you're a genius, don't you? You think you work hard, don't you? Do you think you can break through the Nine Heavens?

Well then, good. Let's show you "other people's children"!

Children at the Foundation Establishment stage have minor premium, children at the Golden Core stage have a bunch of minor premium, and Nascent Soul's grandchildren not only use minor premium Perfection, but even have other things!

Although all are First Grade.

This is a show of force, to let you know the world is never fair. Of course, the exam is not decided by life or death but by effective hits. Facing the formidable treasure tools of the enemy, as long as you can repeatedly hit the enemy's vital spots, then even if you're beaten badly in the competition, you can still win.

After all, you won't really die, and if your opponent goes too far and tries to slice you up, they will be stopped. Hence, winning the match but losing your life is not disgraceful.

This exam doesn't count towards the college entrance examination total score, but it can qualify for early admission spots.

The long sword Meng Yu is currently using is a common First Grade Red Maple Wooden Sword mass-produced by Hongye Prison.

Entry-level First Grade.

This is the result of a trade between Meng Yu and the Prison Warden.

Why doesn't the Prison Warden sponsor Meng Yu with a better sword?

Ah, you're a swordsmanship prodigy and you're going to take part in the college entrance exam, so please be sure to use our prison's flagship product, the ordinary Red Maple Wooden Sword, and fight well!

What, why not use the best Red Maple Wooden Sword? Like the premium Red Maple Wooden Sword?

Sorry, how would that benefit the Prison Warden?

If the low-end product becomes a hit, its sales can immediately soar. The Prison Warden is still young; he'll move on after a few years. Targeting high-end products takes time, and the most annoying part is that if you make it successful, the fruits of your labor end up benefiting your successor, enough to make someone hiss with rage on the spot. Since that's the case, it's better to advertise the product with the highest output, right?

However, the Red Maple Wooden Sword, although named a wooden sword, is not that simple. As a product carved from the branches and leaves of the Red Maple Ancient Tree, it is tough and extremely hard, barely distinguishable from Refined Steel of a Hundred Forgings. Additionally, as it grows on a Volcanic Spirit Vein, it carries a trace of fire energy, making it one of the favored entry-level Spirit Swords for those attuned to both the Wood and Fire Elements.

Barely usable.

Then, with three consecutive moves, Meng Yu attacked with full force while his opponent struggled to control Spiritual Energy efficiently.

First Sword, Meng Yu launched an all-out offensive, and his opponent hastily deployed all his attacks.

The second sword, Meng Yu's body instantly retreated, the first move was a feint, causing his opponent's attack to miss.

The third sword, Crane Spirit Needle, pierced through the opponent's throat, and the fight ended.

Ranking increased by +1.

...

The opponent in the second match was a Spirit Talisman Master, who, upon seeing Meng Yu appear, quickly activated a spirit talisman.

Flames, ice, wooden arrows, and even poisonous fog, it was a pity that activating spirit talismans required time, and she was too close to Meng Yu.

Although she didn't think she was close, she had been careful from the start.

But, with invisible fluctuations and flowing wind before Meng Yu's eyes, the girl was like prey caught in a spider's web.

The wind blew, and Meng Yu drifted over.

"Pfft."

The wooden sword pierced through her throat, and the girl's body dissipated into a faint white light.

...

The opponent in the third match was a young man with a staff, but upon seeing Meng Yu, he said, "Hero Meng, let me sing a song before you kill me, okay?"

He recognized Meng Yu and thought of himself as a poet.

Well, Meng Yu nodded, and then listened to his crow-like voice, sang his self-composed song, probably a proposal to some girl. As soon as he mentioned the girl's name, the battle began.

Meng Yu seriously wounded him with his sword and burned him to death with a Fiery Flame Talisman.

The song's content was too sweet, too torturous for singles. It deserved burning!

Meng Yu touched his bald head and looked at his prison garb.

Hmph, this guy would be a college student next year, with a beautiful college life awaiting him, while I, on the other hand, have to make friends in prison!

...

The fights proceeded quickly, the number of participants dwindling from 916857412 to a million, then to a hundred thousand. Meng Yu was lucky, marching triumphantly all the way. Even the occasional expert he encountered lost to him, until today, when he met a true opponent.

It was a top student from Plain High School and a seeded competitor in this match. He also used a sword, and the premium Fiery Sun Sword in his hands was like a blazing torch.

"It's your luck to meet me, but also your misfortune!"

Rong Mingda smiled as he looked at Meng Yu. In his eyes, this youth wearing prisoner's clothes and a bald head, was nothing more than a stepping stone to his victory.

Indeed, there are always some special competitors who want to participate in the college entrance examination competition, including criminals, but the Immortal Sect absolutely does not allow them to turn this place into a performance stage; for example, those who commit daily evils appear to be ethereal like fairies on TV, or as handsome as dragons, making criminals look cool.

Therefore, the Immortal Sect decreed that all criminal high school students who wish to compete must wear prisoner attire and shave their heads bare.

What, oppose it? By rights, you criminals should be deprived of certain rights for N years, but the college entrance examination competition is a matter of opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime chance for every Immortal Sect high school student, and it's not convenient to deprive them of that. If you feel it's discriminatory, you don't have to participate!

So, what Rong Mingda saw was a bald head wearing yellow clothes, with a large "Prisoner" character on both the front and the back.

"Hmm, you're right, your sword is really nice, can I ask, what swordsmanship do you practice?"

"Radiant Sword of the Great Sun Tathagata!"

Rong Mingda said with a smile, the person before him really knew how to flatter.