Chapter 36: Convergence! The Freshman Assembly!

Thunder Martial Hall Training Chamber

Frost and lightning interwove into dazzling energy webs. Su Qingyue staggered back three steps, her ice crystal spear shattering. "Enough! You're a monster!"

Lin Ye dissolved his Thunder Armor and tossed an energy drink. "Your Frost Domain has improved. That Glacial Path trap nearly got me."

"Flattery won't work!" Su Qingyue wiped sweat from her brow, eyeing the charred walls scarred by Nine Heavens Thunder Prison's residue. "But… thanks for these days of training."

"You've advanced to First-Tier Lower-Class Special Ability Holder in weeks," Lin Ye grinned. "Master your Special Ability and Combat Skills, and you'll shine in the Freshman Grand Exam."

Su Qingyue's fingers trembled. She'd once dismissed him as an E-Class weakling. Now, hexagonal ice crystals crystallized in her pupils. "I won't disgrace you."

Lin Ye's Villa – Evening

"Galaxy, access the Credits Marketplace. Filter for gauntlets."

"Acknowledged."

Lin Ye lounged on the sofa, sipping a frosty drink as holographic listings floated:

E-Class Alloy Gauntlets: 120 Credits

E-Class Obsidian Gauntlets: 130 Credits

E-Class Amethyst Gauntlets: 130 Credits

...

D-Class Alloy Gauntlets: 300 Credits

D-Class Obsidian Gauntlets: 320 Credits

D-Class Amethyst Gauntlets: 330 Credits

He purchased D-Class Obsidian Gauntlets—his current tier capping higher gear—plus 150 Credits on reinforced combat armor and boots for defense. All items would deliver to his dorm by dawn.

Over the following days, Lin Ye visited Qin Wuyan once to consult on Special Ability and Combat Skill refinement. The rest of his time was spent drilling in Thunder Martial Hall's training chambers. Daily sparring sessions with Su Qingyue accelerated her growth—Lin Ye was determined to ensure her survival in the coming trials.

September 1st – Imperial Capital University Central Plaza

The plaza shimmered under a golden quantum barrier. Over 3,000 freshmen clustered in the amphitheater, their Special Ability auras intertwining into a volatile energy tapestry.

"Look! Li Mubai, the Sword Obsessive from East Sea Province! His blade energy can slice through third-tier Mutant Beast scales!"

"That cloaked figure from Western Desert—they say he controls sandstorms!"

"Frost Queen Murong Feng of the Northern Wastes!"

Whispers rippled through the crowd. Every attendee was a prodigy who'd dominated their hometowns. Yet among geniuses, hierarchies still formed—and the apex predators now gathered here.

A buzz erupted from the west. Lin Ye strode in, Lightning Step leaving crackling arcs on the ground. His Dark Thunder Combat Armor, purchased with Credits, gleamed with azure insignias.

"Ah, our Yunzhou Province champion!" Sun Ping'an sneered, flame tattoos pulsing. "Heard you broke Thunder Hall's first-tier strength record. Steroids, maybe?"

"The jealousy stinks three blocks away." Chu Xinghe popped out of the crowd, picking his nose. "Some mutt who didn't crack the top 3,000 in strength rankings shouldn't bark here."

"You—!" Sun's tattoos flared crimson before his crew restrained him. "Wait for the Freshman Grand Exam! I'll show you true superiority!"

Lin Ye ignored the theatrics, walking toward front-row seats. The crowd parted instinctively. Among dozens of hostile glares, one icy gaze pierced coldest—Frost Queen Murong Feng.

"Lin Ye!" A pink-armored girl materialized in his path. "I'm Xia Youran, tactical analyst. Mind sharing your comms ID?"

Chu wedged between them. "Add mine instead! I'm way more fun!" His wrist hologram flashed the Freshman Rankings: "Seventh place, baby!"

"Uh, no thanks…" Xia retreated hastily.

"Impressive record-breaking punch." Cheng Xue's voice cut through as she approached, frost crystal armor clinking. Frost blossomed under her stiletto combat boots. Five sycophants glared daggers at Lin Ye.

Chu's eyes lit up. "Xuexue, you're shining brighter than—"

"Silence." Her ice earrings glinted dangerously. "Call me that again, and I'll introduce you to -100°C hospitality."

"Such chilly enthusiasm might freeze your fans' hearts." Lin Ye flicked a lightning spark, vaporizing encroaching frost. The entourage's Special Ability auras spiked in response.

Tension shattered as a crushing energy wave silenced the plaza.

A silver-spectacled man in a tailored suit ascended the podium—Vice President Xie Yu. His gaze pinned students like insects. Most flinched; Lin Ye met it unblinking.

"This year's crop… intrigues me." Xie's smile chilled blood. "I am Xie Yu, your vice president. Today's assembly will clarify university regulations… and let you size up future rivals."

Though genial, his presence coiled like a serpent around the freshman class' throat.