Translator: Kazeyuki_ Editor: Jimmy_
About six hundred upper-level martial arts students came from eight counties of Redwood Royal City. This number was huge. Any one of these people was an elite within their counties. However, when they arrived at this grand stage in Redwood Royal City, their previous advantage had disappeared without a trace.
In here, everyone was a child of an elite family, and they were all exceptional.
The Emperor Stage was the biggest martial arts performing center in Redwood Royal City. It was also one of the popular martial arts training ground.
Now, all six hundred martial arts students from the Redwood Royal City were gathered here.
Their registration form had already been sent to the Royal City from each county. And now, it was time for officials of the Zhen Wu Holy Place to announce the rules.
After the announcement of the rules, all martial arts students would travel to the exam center. And on the border of the exam location, they would regroup with martial arts students from the other three Royal Territories.
After gathering together, martial arts students from all over the country would receive their numbers, and they would get assigned into teams, training playgrounds, etc.
“Everyone, you are all elite people from your own respective counties. I believe that your State Magistrate has told you all the details before your departure, right?” The official representative from the Zhen Wu Holy Place spoke in a clear voice.
“Yes!” The martial arts students answered with energy.
That official raised both of his hands and made a pressing down motion to let everyone quiet down to hear him speak.
“When you entered the city, I believe you have all seen the details on the bulletin boards. Those rewards are genuine. Tell me, do you want it?”
“Yes!” A definite reply.
“Do you want to become a King or a Marquis?”
“Yes!” An even more crazier reply.
“Do you want your family to take a step toward the Heavens because of what you will achieve in this exam?”
“Yes!” A hysterical reply.
That official of the Zhen Wu Holy Place had desired such an atmosphere. Especially to the teenagers, only when emotions arose to the extreme extent, and only when they had received intense encouragement would these young teens get completely stirred up. This way, they would perform to their utmost potential, and they would perform to the best of their abilities.
He knew that most martial arts students were only here to serve as a prop. Most of them would be green leaves and even cannon fodder. Most of them would not achieve success, and in the end, they would get eliminated.
Only those few people would be the lucky ones.
However, this was not important. What was important was that they provided them with the opportunity. Even if it were a one in ten thousand chance, these martial arts students would not hesitate to charge forward.
Besides, this probability was even higher than a one in ten thousand!
He waved his arms and continued to inspire them: “Good! From your eyes, I see the energy that a young teenager should have. You guys have the boldness. If you genuinely want these, then perform your best! Think about it, when you bring back the best results, and bring back the rewards given by the Royal Families to your family, what kind of honor it would be! What glory you are bringing to your ancestors! Remember, this exam will let you bring back both honor and monetary rewards!”
“Roar!”
The blood of the martial arts students had been thoroughly inflamed. Each of them rubbed their fists as if they wanted to charge into the exam place immediately.
“Ok, the beautiful future outlook has already been presented before you. It will only depend on your performance. Next, I will announce the exact details. Please prick up your ears and listen carefully. I will only speak it once.”
All the martial arts students listened attentively and did not dare to miss one word.
“There are two thousand and five hundred martial arts students from the Bai Yue Country that signed up for this exam. Each of you will receive your serial number. These figures will not be the same. And your serial numbers is assigned by the Zhen Wu Holy Place based on region and your place of origin. Fifty people in a team and fifty teams in total. To prevent you guys who are from the same area from grouping together and forming an alliance. Thus, it’s impossible for those of you from the same place to be in the same location. Your team assignment and your serial number will be given to you only when you arrive at the outer boundary of the testing grounds. This way, we will prevent any possibilities of cheating!”
Inwardly, Qin Wushuang nodded. Certainly, it was exactly of what Tong Yao had told him. It seemed that Tong Yao did have a superior intelligence network and was not to be underestimated.
That person in charge said again: “This is all I can tell you. Regarding the explicit test material, rules and evaluation methods, those will be announced before the exam. This exam is critical to the Royal families of the Bai Yue Country. No cheating will be tolerated. Thus, we have done a thorough work regarding this matter. Now, everyone packs your bags and get ready to leave!”
However, this trip was not to let the martial arts students go on their own. Instead, the representatives of the Zhen Wu Holy Place will lead them and would not allow the students to travel by themselves.
Qin Wushuang could not help but feel somewhat suspicious. Until now, he had not figured out which one was Tong Yao’s little brother.
However, since Tong Yao was full of confidence, surely she would come up with something with her delicate personality. Thinking here, he followed the group and went off.
The exam place was more than a few thousand miles away from the Redwood Royal City. They proceeded in the morning and rested at night. They only arrived around lunch time on the third day.
With the continuous mountain range, it formed towering mountains and steep ridges where streams shuttled back and forth. Waves surged forward, all mentioned, it made this place seemingly mystical.
At the foot of the mountain, there lay a vast and empty land. Martial artists from the nation’s four Royal Territories had all arrived.
This time, since the exam was related to the competition between the four Royal Territories, and it emphasized on competing with groups, it had resulted in martial arts students from each place not to act too friendly with each other.
The less severe ones were only glaring and rolling eyes at each other. But others were swearing and provoking one another.
If mighty warriors from the Zhen Wu Holy Place were not overseeing them, these kids would most likely have already started a brawl.
Even though each of them was in a state of hostility. Strangely, those mighty warriors from the Zhen Wu Holy Place saw the hostility between students, but they did not stop it. Instead, they watched them with a smile. Vividly, they were showing signs of encouragement.
This was a competition. It would not be bad to make everyone experience the feel of a contest.
After letting the commotion go on for a bit, the officials of the Zhen Wu Holy Place from the four Royal Territories finally stopped their students. They shouted at them to quiet down and to listen to the speech from the Honored Warrior from the Zhen Wu Holy Place.
The highest title in the Zhen Wu Holy Place was the Martial Saint. Under him, there were four Honored Warriors. Then, it would be Elders.
When they heard the words of the legendary “Honored Warriors” appeared, all martial arts students became absolute silent.
One of the purple robed old men walked to the front with force. With a sharp gaze, he glanced across the entire scene. Most martial arts students drew in a breath of cold air because they all felt a wave of coldness from the gaze.
Such powerful presence!
“Young people, this Sobbing Sky Mountain Range will be your testing ground. Now, I will announce the exact competition rules.”
“There are fifty teams. Each team will have fifty people. Each one will get their own number. All fifty individuals in the same team will be thrown into the same testing ground. Each team would have their own area. In total, there are fifty testing grounds.”
He stopped for a moment for these martial arts students to digest these rules.
After a moment, that Honored Warrior started to speak again: “Remember, even though you are all on the same team, it did not mean you are friends. On the contrary, of all fifty people in the team, you are all enemies!”
In the same time, they are not friends, but enemies?
Martial arts students became confused, and they looked at that Honored Warrior with a confused look.
“Why do I say like this? Because we will throw fifty jade plates that would have the same serial number as you guys in your testing ground. Each one would correspond to your serial number. Your task is to acquire these jade plates and to acquire points. Remember, each jaded plate has a different number of points. If you get the plate that has the same serial number as yours, you could get thirty points! If you get a corresponding jade plate, you will get twenty points. If you get the jade plate that has the same ending digit as yours, you could get five points. Any other plates would only worth two points!”
It was easy to understand that to win, one should acquire the jade plates that have the same serial number. It was also not hard to comprehend the same ending digit. For example, if your number was one, then from one to fifty, the same end digit plate would eleven, twenty-one, thirty-one and forty-one.
In other words, there were four people among the fifty that would have the same ending digit serial number.
Everyone was the same, without exception.
However, what did it mean for that corresponding jade plate? Wouldn’t it just be the plate with the same serial number?
That Honored Warrior apparently knew everyone’s confusion as he explained patiently: “The corresponding jaded plate was easy to understand. From one to fifty, one will pair with fifty; two will pair with forty-nine and so on. Overall, if the two serial number that would add up to fifty-one, then that person’s number is your correspondence! Additionally, the person with the corresponding number would never have the same ending digit as yours. Thus, everyone’s opportunities are equal!”
From his words, martial arts students suddenly see the light and calculated in their mind.
This way, among the fifty people, the highest would be the one that the same number, then it would be that corresponding jaded plate. Next, it would be the plates with the same ending digits. As for all other plates, they were the cheapest and would be worth almost nothing. However, the plates you thought were worthless would undeniably be a crucial one to that corresponding and ending digits.
Such method, fighting and scheming and competing fiercely will become very complicated.
“I must get hold of more jaded plates. Most importantly, I need to protect my own; then I will get that corresponding plate…” Martial arts students calculated inwardly.
That Honored Warrior pressed his palm and motioned everyone to quiet down. He did not finish speaking yet.
Qin Wushuang dwelled in his thoughts. He thought that this testing method was very unusual. No one could predict it. Not to mention cheating, but he didn’t know if Tong Yao’s little brother’s number would be his correspondence or the one with the same ending digit?
If that were the case, then it would be tough to take away his jade plate…
