Hunting God Era

Chapter 144 Provincial Martial Arts Competition (4k)

Having resolved the matter, Li Ye declined Zhuang Han's offer to host a banquet and left on his motorcycle.

Zhuang Han smiled as he watched Li Ye walk away, then his face fell. He snorted coldly at Su Ao and the others, said nothing, and turned to leave.

"Is this the end?"

The girl said, somewhat bewildered, "He seems to be about our age."

The title of "Director of the Disinfection Bureau" sounds too fantastical and beyond the comprehension of students.

Su Ao said, "That's just someone with connections; it has nothing to do with us. Let's focus on our cultivation. We were lucky this time because someone with connections helped us out, but who knows what will happen next time?"

He looked at Zhuang Han as he left, clenching his fist. "I will remember this humiliation!"

He doesn't need any connections or background; the only thing he believes in is his own martial arts skills!

The humiliation Zhuang Han inflicted on him was not something that could be consoled by connections; after all, it was not something he could resolve.

"Old Tie, Old Tie."

Deep in his heart, Su Ao called out a name, "Are you awake?"

……

The provincial martial arts competition was organized by 48 academies from 16 cities in Jianghuai Province, and was held in the largest martial arts arena in Yangcheng.

After spending two days with Pan Zhengyang in Yangcheng, Li Ye arrived at the stadium entrance early, waiting for their school's bus to arrive.

Representing Ningjiang City in the competition are Ningjiang No. 14 Middle School, Wuyu Middle School, and Yunlu Middle School, which won third place in the city's martial arts competition last time.

"Master Li!"

The bus from Yunlu Middle School arrived first, and Bai Shichang, one of the team's main players, was the first to run up to Li Ye, smiling ingratiatingly, "You're here to participate too?"

Li Ye said, "Don't make it sound like I'm here for some strange reason. Like you, I'm a student, and I'm a key player in the martial arts competition."

"Yes, you're right."

Bai Shichang flattered, "Master Li, you're sure to shine in this provincial martial arts competition. You can then choose whichever martial arts university you want to attend."

"Stop joking around, come on in. You're not from our school," Li Ye said with a smile.

"Alright, Mr. Li, you go ahead with your work."

Bai Shichang smiled and nodded before walking into the venue.

A student from Yunlu Middle School who was traveling with them asked curiously, "Brother Bai, are you and Li Ye very familiar with each other?"

Li Ye and his team also knew that during the city's martial arts competition, they had knocked down the Wuyu Middle School contestant with a single blow.

But this was the first time I'd ever seen Bai Shichang act so humbly and subserviently.

They know very well that the Bai family is quite powerful in Ningjiang now.

"More than just familiar, you guys..."

Bai Shichang was about to warn them to avoid trouble when they encountered Li Ye, but after thinking about it, he realized that the only occasion these people would see Li Ye was probably the provincial martial arts competition, and they would have no further interaction after that.

"In short, this is my boss, that's all you need to know."

Strictly speaking, this is his father's eldest son.
But that's not wrong either; he plans to join the disinfection bureau after graduation, just like Qi Yuan.

He didn't have much ambition; he just wanted to broaden his horizons at university. As for finding a good job, he figured he might as well go back and inherit the family business and be a local bigwig in a small city—that would be more comfortable than working for a big company.

As for the pest control bureau, things are much better in Ningjiang now; it's not as dangerous. Besides, with our family business here, joining the pest control bureau is a contribution.

The martial artists in Ningjiang are now closely united under the leadership of Li Ye.

Li Ye was well aware of this; as long as he remained in power, the Ningjiang martial artists would obediently follow orders.

He fell down.
That's none of his business anymore.

After waiting a while, a black sedan drove up first, and after it stopped, a woman with delicate features but a calm face got out. She walked to Li Ye's side and stood with him, facing forward.

Fu Chuxue.

It would be a lie for Li Ye to say he wasn't curious about this woman.

He was a man, and the other person was a beautiful woman, and a very strong and beautiful woman at that. He was quite curious about how she cultivated herself.

I don't have any other ideas.

She's beautiful, but there's just one thing about her.
It lacks any real presence; it's more like a mannequin.

Li Ye wasn't interested to begin with, and Fu Chuxue didn't give him any reason to be moved either, so he didn't even appreciate her beauty; he simply thought she was pretty.

Which university are you planning to apply to?

Just as Li Ye was thinking this, a cold voice rang in his ear.

Li Ye turned his head and found Fu Chuxue staring at him. There was no curiosity or questioning in her eyes, just a direct and simple question.

"Central Tianwu."

Li Ye said directly, "I'm planning to go to the capital to broaden my horizons."

Upon hearing this, Fu Chuxue nodded, "Okay, I'll go too."

"?"

Li Ye was a little stunned. What did those words mean?
"You want to apply to the same school as me? Wasn't that already planned?"

Fu Chuxue shook her head, "No, I didn't have this idea before. I only found out after asking you."

"why?"

"I know someone there."

These words made Li Ye twitch his lips, and he was a little confused.

It had been a year since he entered the martial arts training class, and this was the first time he had a conversation with Fu Chuxue, but it was very strange.

"Am I someone you know?"

Li Ye thought for a moment, then pointed to Hua Zihang, who was getting off the bus that had just stopped at Wuyu Middle School, and said, "Isn't he more familiar with it?"

"Dislike is not a world. Not disliking is a world."

Fu Chuxue's words were unusually direct, causing Hua Zihang, who had just seen Fu Chuxue and was about to come over to greet her, to freeze and lower his head in disappointment.

He should have glared at Li Ye, but after the city's martial arts competition, he was terrified. Even a genius at the Breakthrough Realm was no match for Li Ye, so he was even less of a match.

They could only sheepishly blend into the student crowd and enter the venue.

She looked like a defeated dog, unable even to whimper softly.
Li Ye: "..."

He looked directly at Fu Chuxue and found that her expression was neither happy nor sad, as if she were talking about something that was perfectly ordinary.

It was as if that was what she truly thought.

"If I may be so bold, what's your opinion of the people in the martial arts training program? For example, our Principal Qian?" Li Ye asked.

“My father’s good friend.”

"My mentor, Gu Yang?"

"A decent but unremarkable mentor."

"Yang Jie?"

"The weak who have no connection with each other."

"Xiang Feipeng?"

"A classmate I haven't seen in a long time."

Fu Chuxue answered Li Ye's questions directly, more like a straightforward and simple person than a machine. "What is your life like? Cultivation?" Li Ye asked.

Fu Chuxue paused for a moment, as if thinking, and said, "Cultivation, going to school."

Good guy.
This is a ruthless training machine.

This is how Fu Yan, a martial artist of the third realm, teaches his daughter?

This isn't about being emotionless; it's about being straightforward and expressing all your personal preferences.

If there were a martial art called the Heartless Path in this world, this woman would probably be the perfect fit.

But does this mean I've ruined my training?
"What's wrong with your father? With your talent, he just lets you cultivate in Ningjiang like this?" Li Ye asked.

My father doesn't interfere with my cultivation practices.

Fu Chuxue said, "It doesn't matter where you practice martial arts."

This is true.

As long as you get enough nutrition and martial arts skills, there's not much difference between training in the deep mountains and forests and training in a big city.

“I understand.” Li Ye nodded. “Which university you go to is your business.”

Fu Chuxue nodded in agreement, not finding the words offensive or distant, and also taking them quite ordinary.

The two gradually fell silent until the bus from No. 14 Middle School pulled up, and the principal led all the students from the martial arts class off the bus.

"Brother Ye!"

Jia Dong and Deng Hao immediately waved to Li Ye at the door and excitedly ran over.

"Brother Ye, we're going to get a good ranking today!"

Deng Hao rubbed his hands excitedly, "We can choose any training location in the entire province!"

Jia Dong chuckled and nudged him with his elbow, "The competition hasn't even started yet, and you're already thinking about it?"

"That's right, my brother Ye is the best in the world. He can become a bureau chief, so a mere provincial martial arts competition is a piece of cake for him." Deng Hao chuckled.

Jia Dong chuckled and said to Li Ye, "Brother Ye, we are confident that we can get into Chongqing Military Academy before the college entrance examination."

Li Ye nodded, "Keep it up. If you get into Chongwu, the resources you'll receive will be better than those in Puwu. But it also depends on the situation. If you both reach the Four Dragon Gates in Foundation Establishment, you can apply to Ningjiang University to broaden your knowledge."

The martial arts university in Ningjiang City is the most basic one, accessible through the first gate. The students there focus more on social practice and martial arts-related knowledge than martial arts skills.

Even how to develop weapons effectively when facing demons.

Of course, the last point does not apply to Ningjiang Martial Arts University. Such schools are more common in Chongqing Martial Arts University. It's not that ordinary universities don't have them, but they are rare schools that require assessment.

Some people who practice martial arts and also have a solid foundation in the humanities and sciences will have access to specialized martial arts universities. These highly specialized universities don't focus on improving martial arts skills; they are purely focused on how to construct demons and develop weapons based on them.

However, Ningjiang University is not bad either. The president of Ningjiang University even visited him specifically, asking if he could use his influence to encourage those in Ningjiang City who are not very good at martial arts but have high levels of qi and blood to apply to their school.

Rather than being a follower in heavy martial arts, it's better to be the leader in ordinary martial arts. In terms of resources, those with higher cultivation levels will definitely be given priority.

There are actually quite a few such paths. Some people clearly have the qualifications to reach the top level of martial arts, but they will choose to go to the secondary martial arts level.

Top-tier martial arts have abundant resources, but they also have a large number of members. A single Seven Dragons Gate might not receive much attention, but it's different in heavy martial arts, where resources will definitely be allocated accordingly.

People like Jia Dong and Deng Hao, who have a good boss and whose future is completely predetermined, would be even more exciting if they could go to Chongwu or Puwu.

In any case, they no longer need to worry about cultivation and nutrition.

"Ningjiang? Brother Ye, I want to go to the capital with you."

Deng Hao said, "We also want to see the prosperity of the capital. We've never been to Beijing before."

"There is no Puwu in the capital."

Li Ye laughed and said, "Then you guys need to work harder. You need to improve your skills before the college entrance exam. Give it your all!"

As they were talking, Principal Qian walked over with a smile. He shook Li Ye's hand and said with a grin, "Li Ye, you're the last one in this provincial martial arts competition. With you here, our ranking will definitely be higher."

"Don't worry, I won't hold back."

Li Ye said, "You sold everything you owned to make up for my year's bonus back then, so I'm definitely going to repay you in kind."

From today's perspective, those things certainly don't seem like much, but some things only have a future because they existed at the time.

If Li Ye hadn't received a large quantity of nutritional supplements, he wouldn't have reached the Nine Dragons Gate. And if he hadn't reached the Nine Dragons Gate, Pan Zhengyang wouldn't have gone to such lengths to find dragon meat for him, allowing him to break through three trials in a row.

Without breaking through the three barriers, he cannot get involved in the Ren family's affairs, nor will he receive a fiefdom.

The likely outcome is that Pan Zhengyang will be transferred after three years of inaction, replaced by a bureau chief who is content with the status quo, until higher authorities have time to deal with the Ren family, or the Ren family itself collapses and can no longer maintain the current stable order, at which point they will be dealt with severely.

This is how Shenzhou treats local bullies and tyrants. Li Ye understood this even better after learning about the existence of the Primordial Demon Realm.

Leaving these things in place is more effective than simply removing them.

A second-realm martial artist can maintain stability and control demons when necessary.

Three Realms
Regardless of how they broke through, they can be summoned to the Primordial Demon Realm whenever needed.

The point that came out was to distinguish between merit and demerit; if the demerit was too great, the person would be executed, but if the merit was too great, then it would be overlooked.

If you can't get out, consider it a contribution.

It's cruel, but it's also true.

Ren Changxu had also visited the Primordial Demon Realm once in his early years.

That's the place that really needs our attention.

"Fu Chuxue, we will have to rely on you too. You have worked hard and suffered grievances over the past three years."

Principal Qian looked at Fu Chuxue and smiled, "In the past two years, due to our personnel issues, we couldn't get you into the provincial martial arts competition. This is the last year, and we've finally managed to get you in. It's my fault, and I feel very guilty."

Fu Chuxue nodded, but didn't say anything.

But there was a hint of taking it all for granted in that calm expression.

For her, Principal Qian's words were the truth.

This is the first time in three years that he's been able to get in; if he doesn't feel guilty, who should?

"Let's go inside."

Principal Qian was used to Fu Chuxue's indifference. He chuckled and then beckoned people inside.

Inside the venue, many areas were already filled with students from various colleges who had come to cheer on their students.

There are a total of 48 colleges. In the first round, 16 colleges will be eliminated, and 32 colleges will be selected as qualified. Then, they will be divided into groups for challenges.

"Brother Li, there are only a few schools you need to be careful about."

Yao Ledan leaned closer and said, "Yangcheng No.1 Middle School, Yangcheng Wuyu Middle School, and three other Wuyu Middle Schools in other cities are quite strong."

"Why are they all martial arts training programs?" Li Ye frowned.

“They’re a conglomerate,” Yao Ledan shrugged. “They have branches in various cities. In smaller cities, Wuyu High School is always number one, but in Yangcheng, Yangcheng No. 1 High School is number one. Look, it’s the one right next to us.”

Li Ye looked in the direction Yao Ledan was pointing and was immediately taken aback.

Just one area away from their school, where several acquaintances were sitting.

I saw Su Ao at the Zhuang Group last time, along with his classmates.

But that's not the point.

The key point is...
After a few days apart, Su Ao's qi and blood stabilized and no longer showed signs of surging.

He passed the test.

(End of this chapter)