Merging with Demon Spirits

Chapter 154: Chapter 136: Qualification to Enter the Demon Spirit Realm

Martial Artist Forum.

It’s noon.

The Red Cloud University Throne Challenge Tournament had just ended, and the exhilarating highlights appeared on the homepage.

At least 30 million people immediately paid attention to this video.

The brilliant highlights, lasting just five minutes, left everyone shocked and discussing fervently.

September marks the nationwide university opening season.

Except for some liberal arts colleges and technical schools, the Nine Elite Joint Schools, the Three Heroic Academies, and some comprehensive Martial Arts Academies, all follow the tradition of holding a freshman challenge tournament, though each has different rules and rewards.

The annual freshman challenge tournament garners widespread attention because it, in some respects, represents how many dazzling talents will emerge in the coming year, making its popularity rival even that of the regular Glory Battle.

As one of the top three universities in the country, the freshman challenge tournament of the Three Heroic Academies naturally draws the most attention.

Each Martial Science University has a different starting date, which causes the dates for the freshman challenge tournaments to be non-fixed but generally occur within a week.

During this week, the Martial Artist Forum and television media gradually introduce names that become familiar and astonishing to the whole nation, with the ten rising stars announced by the Martial Artist Forum being the most famous: Zhang Kaiyi, Ye Qiu, Qi Wu, Yang Tianxing, Feng Yining, Lan Yang, Zong Tian, Xuan Yi, Zhang Dongyu, and Chen Ze.

As a Hero Academy, Demon Star has two people on the list, with Zhang Kaiyi and Qi Wu both coming from Demon Star.

As a specially recruited genius of Demon Star, Zhang Kaiyi showed extraordinary talent and innate divine power from a young age.

Even before the college entrance exams, he had already broken through to First Grade Martial Artist, refining the 135th-ranked Magic Bear from the Earth Chart, whose demon spirit talent ability matched perfectly with his innate divine power, making his combat style simple and brutal and leaving people in awe.

In contrast to Zhang Kaiyi, Qi Wu was initially unenviable, only reaching First Grade Martial Artist, and refined only an Eighth Grade demon spirit. However, relying on his family’s inherited bloodline talent and remarkable combat talent, he became a dark horse, advancing all the way to the end and even defeating Zhang Kaiyi, becoming the first to ascend the Dragon Gate.

Compared to Demon Star, Great Wall University is even stronger, with three people on the list: Ye Qiu, Feng Yining, and Yang Tianxing.

The name Ye Qiu is not unfamiliar to the national audience.

On Awakening Day, he refined the 46th-ranked Thorny Demon Dragon from the Earth Chart, making him a household name as an exceptional genius.

A demon spirit of such a high rank broke the historical record for the youth under 20 who could refine a demon spirit.

As for Feng Yining, she is the only female among the ten rising stars.

In the Martial Artist circle, beautiful girls are not uncommon, but to be beautiful and powerful, surpassing peers, is extremely rare.

Securing the second-tier position in Great Wall University’s tier system, Feng Yining’s strength is undeniable. She also possesses the strength of a First Grade Martial Artist and refined the 87th-ranked Heart Demon Beast from the Earth Chart.

The Heart Demon Beast is a rare Spirit Series attribute demon beast.

Its demon spirit talent ability, ’Heart-to-Heart Technique’, has the power to control the mind or even the soul of others and demon beasts. With its eerie attack style, during the critical moment of the competition, she forcibly controlled three freshmen who had the strength of First Grade Martial Artists, turning them into her puppets.

Her stunning appearance combined with her formidable strength makes her very popular online.

And Yang Tianxing, a distinguished member of the Yang Family from Shangjing, is the pride of the Yang Race, also possessing First Grade Martial Artist strength, refined the Ninth Grade demon spirit Flame Dragon, which, when combined with his family’s inherited Fire Bloodline, results in terrifying destructive power, ranking just below Ye Qiu and Feng Yining in comprehensive strength.

Apart from Demon Star and Great Wall University, the Nine Elite Joint Schools also saw some talents emerging, like Lan Yang from Phoenix Ming University, Zong Tian from Black Wing University, and Zhang Dongyu from Blue Sea University. Although their current strength and popularity cannot compare to Ye Qiu and others, their brilliance is still dazzling and should not be underestimated.

As is customary, after the completion of all universities’ freshman challenge tournaments, the Martial Artist Forum will select the Top Hundred Newcomers and the Ten New Stars based on netizens’ votes.

At this moment, because the Red Cloud Throne Challenge Tournament has not yet concluded, the votes have not been officially tallied.

Although on the internet, Ye Qiu and Zhang Kaiyi have the most supporters, with Feng Yining following closely, many are eagerly anticipating the performances of Yun Kai and Lin Feng.

Therefore, when the highlight video of the Red Cloud University Throne Challenge Tournament was released, the netizens on the Martial Artist Forum truly went wild.

”Yun Kai is so monstrous! He actually possesses two talent abilities: Golden Transformation and Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Root, both terrifyingly powerful!”

”No wonder it’s Ancestral Demonization. Why don’t I have Extraordinary Ancestors? I want that talent too!”

”Bai Ji is so disgusting, but also very strong!”

”Who said everyone is equal? Inequality starts from birth. This world is just unfair. Okay, I admit, Yun Kai makes me feel inferior!”

”Compared to Yun Kai inheriting the bloodline talent of Extraordinary Ancestors, I want to say Lin Feng is the real Demon Fiend here, seriously excessive.”

”How can a top scorer not be strong to become the top scorer!”

”Truly a Demon Fiend, having just broken through to First Grade Martial Artist and able to perform Third Grade Thunder Step and Thunderstorm Strike! Just wait till he refines a demon spirit.”

Netizens are frantically discussing and sharing.

Undoubtedly, with Yun Kai and Lin Feng’s talent and strength, they both deserve a place in the Top Ten New Stars list. Indeed, within half an hour, Xuan Yi and Chen Ze disappeared from the list of the top ten newcomers on the Martial Artist Forum, replaced by Lin Feng and Yun Kai.

No one contested Lin Feng and Yun Kai’s appearance in the top ten list.

However, the fans of Xuan Yi and Chen Ze voiced grievances online, expressing their opinions and stating that the ten newcomers should have eliminated Lan Yang and Zhang Dongyu, sparking heated debates and even insults.

Fans fervently posted in support of their idols, even attacking other newcomers.

Regarding this, there are many people watching the excitement, but it is not surprising.

The rankings on the Martial Artist forum may seem to hold no value or benefit. For those like Lin Feng who make the list, it merely adds to their fame.

But it is this fame that drives everyone crazy.

In the Martial World, it is a widely accepted truth that one should become famous early.

For students, the four years in university, from age 16 to 20, are the fastest-growing phase, directly impacting future development. During this stage, attention comes from outside sources, such as the Glory Professional Alliance, over a hundred A-level or higher clubs, and various martial arts clubs and financial groups.

The top ten list, which seems like just an ordinary ranking, means being watched by billions of eyes, and implies a multiplied value.

Therefore, a position represents a better contract, signifying billions in income and a spot in a future team. This is why fans care so much.

However, online, this kind of discussion is quickly drowned out because everyone’s focus is on one question.

Who is the number one among the top ten new stars?

The main focus of the discussion among netizens is on Yun Kai and Ye Qiu.

These two are nationally recognized extraordinary talents. One underwent Ancestral Demonization, Refining the 94th place on the Earth Chart, the Golden Lion King.

The other is a Martial Arts genius, Refining the 46th place on the Earth Chart, the Thorny Demon Dragon.

For the fans, who is stronger or weaker is naturally an unavoidable topic. Both Yun Kai and Ye Qiu have tens of millions of fans, whose admiration for their idols makes them post crazily online, not yielding an inch.

Three in the afternoon.

A ranking appeared on the homepage of the Martial Artist forum, officially starting the rankings of the top hundred newcomers and top ten new stars for the university school opening season.

In just half an hour.

Over fifty million people voted.

The top hundred list has been released.

Magic Star has 21 people on the list, Great Wall 23, Red Cloud 19, with the Three Heroic Academies taking up two-thirds of the list.

Yun Kai, with an absolute advantage, ranked first on the list with 21.33 million votes.

Ye Qiu ranked second with 19.03 million votes.

Zhang Kaiyi ranked third with 14.89 million votes.

Qi Wu ranked fourth with 12.67 million votes.

Lin Feng ranked fifth with 9.08 million votes.

Feng Yining ranked sixth with 8.95 million votes.

Yang Tianxing closely followed, ranking seventh with 8.06 million votes.

Lan Yang ranked eighth with 6.05 million votes.

Bai Ji ranked ninth with 5.50 million votes.

Zhang Dongyu ranked tenth with 4.98 million votes.

Just when everyone thought the top ten list was finalized, no one expected that in just five hours, Zhang Dongyu dropped out of the top ten, replaced by Chen Ze.

And most surprisingly, Lin Feng, originally ranked fifth, started to overtake one by one. With 29 million votes, he surpassed Ye Qiu and Yun Kai, forcefully claiming the top spot.

Many people only responded after the initial shock.

While they were amazed and debating whether Yun Kai or Ye Qiu was stronger, they overlooked Lin Feng’s demon-like Martial Arts talent.

Though Demon Spirit Masters surpass Martial Artists, it does not mean that Martial Arts talent is unimportant.

In less than half a year, from a Body Cultivator of Seventh Rank breaking through to a First Grade Martial Artist, and in just three months of reaching First Grade, Lin Feng can exhibit two types of Third Grade Martial Skills, both of which are extremely difficult — Thunder Step and Thunderstorm Strike. Lin Feng’s Martial Arts talent cannot be described as a genius but only as a demon fiend, more astonishing than Yun Kai’s Ancestral Demonization.

Moreover, among the top hundred on the list, Lin Feng is the only freshman who has not yet Refined a Demon Spirit.

Without even Refining a Demon Spirit, Lin Feng can enter the top ten new stars. When he truly Refines a Demon Spirit on the Earth Chart, who will be his opponent?

It is not an exaggeration to say that billions across the nation and all clubs in the Glory Professional Alliance are eagerly anticipating and speculating on what level of Demon Spirit Lin Feng will refine?

This anticipation gradually evolves into a national hot topic.

A demon fiend-like Martial Arts talent, a rare combat genius — if Lin Feng also refines a Demon Spirit from the Earth Chart, he will undoubtedly become a national treasure-level genius.

And this anticipation will be known in a week because, according to convention, the Red Cloud University Throne Challenge, the First Throne holder, can have one opportunity to enter the Demon Spirit Realm.

If nothing unexpected happens, within a week, Lin Feng will refine a Demon Spirit.