Inside the large lecture hall of Jiangzhong Military Academy.
Aside from the principal-level professors from the Shanhai Academy, Ning Zhiyuan and Cheng Qingqing, currently ranked first and second respectively by all the students of Jiangzhong Military Academy, are standing on the podium.
Three other professors from the School of Mountains and Seas were also seated in the first row.
In the large lecture hall, besides the five professors, nearly three hundred military students had gathered.
There are about 70 or 80 freshmen, and the rest are sophomores and juniors.
When the wall clock pointed to a certain point, Ning Zhiyuan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.
"quiet."
The voice was soft and not loud, but the entire lecture hall fell silent instantly.
Cheng Qingqing had already picked up the chalk and written four elegant yet sharp characters on the blackboard.
"The Battle of the Nine Heavens!"
The expressions of the students present became visibly subtle.
Many people clenched their fists in excitement and couldn't help but start discussing it.
"Sure enough, I knew it was for this reason that we were summoned..."
"It's almost time. Other schools have released their participant lists one after another, but our Jiangzhong Military Academy hasn't made a move yet. We only have less than half a month left. If we don't select our participants soon, it will be too late."
"So that's what you mean. So everyone here is an elite member of our military, huh? Hey, no wonder my roommate was giving me that weird look when the teaching assistant came to tell us..."
"Strange, I don't seem to see Shen Qian. He couldn't possibly not be here, could he?"
"It really is... Could it be..."
"Shh!"
Someone noticed that Ning Zhiyuan's expression was starting to turn cold and quickly reminded him.
Everyone quickly shut up, and only then did Ning Zhiyuan speak calmly.
"Many students have already guessed it, so let's skip the formalities and get straight to the point."
"Fourteen days later, on January 11th of the new year, will be the opening day of 'Stepping into the Nine Heavens'. As the largest college competition in recent decades or even longer, Jiangzhong Military Martial Arts, as the nominal number one military martial arts competition, will naturally not be absent."
"I would like to thank all the students for their kindness in choosing Professor Cheng and me as the team leaders for this trip."
A burst of enthusiastic applause and whistles temporarily interrupted Ning Zhiyuan.
After the applause subsided, Cheng Qingqing lazily took over the conversation, "The first thing to do today is to assemble the Jiangzhong Military Forces' combat team."
"As everyone knows, 'Treading the Nine Heavens' is actually a competition divided into two units. The 'Nine Heavens Cup' is held every year, and this year's rules are similar. It is still open to freshmen from all universities, who form teams of ten to participate."
"There are five official players and five substitute players. They will compete in rounds, and the winner will be the champion."
"There are eighty-three freshmen in this classroom right now. You are all geniuses selected by the professors of your respective departments. In a moment, you will all come with me to the physical testing hall, where you will compete against each other to determine the nine spots..."
As soon as Cheng Qingqing finished speaking, a commotion broke out at the spot where the freshmen were gathered.
"What's wrong?" Cheng Qingqing raised her eyebrows.
"Um... Professor Cheng, why are there nine spots available?"
A boy mustered up his courage, stood up, and asked after a moment's hesitation.
Many voices echoed this sentiment, clearly indicating that many people shared similar questions.
With over eighty people competing for ten spots, a ratio of nearly ten to one, it was already incredibly brutal. Now, with one spot naturally missing, everyone was understandably resentful.
Those who can enter Jiangzhong Military Academy are already geniuses above the baseline, not to mention those gathered here now are geniuses among geniuses.
Opportunities like the "Nine Heavens Cup" that bring prestige are naturally something no one wants to miss.
"What else could it be? Don't you even look who's not here?"
Yue Dakan, with his hands behind his head and lounging comfortably in his chair, yawned.
Everyone was taken aback, and after looking at each other, they gradually realized what was going on.
"Sinking forward?"
Someone whispered the name that was in everyone's heart.
It is obvious that there are only nine spots available because one of them was pre-selected.
"Why should I..."
A girl instinctively wanted to question someone, but her classmate next to her immediately covered her mouth.
"What are you doing?" the girl asked her companion, sounding a little angry.
"Ah Xue, are you stupid? Don't you see that no one in the first row has said anything? Why are you going to be the one to stick your neck out?" her companion said with a wry smile.
The woman named Xue paused, looked up, and immediately fell silent.
Yue Dakan, Ye Shicong, Geng Qianqiu, Zhao Keyi, Xiao Ye, Shangguan Ting...
Those sitting in the first row were all prominent figures from Jiang Zhongjun's first year of martial arts school, true peerless geniuses.
If even they have no objections, then others certainly have even less confidence.
The people behind were talking amongst themselves, while the geniuses in the first row, whom they looked up to, were somewhat discouraged.
However, their reasons were different from those of the people in the back row.
"Old Ye, did you really ask?" Geng Qianqiu asked again to confirm.
"Hmm." Ye Shicong said somewhat impatiently, "Professor Cheng said it himself yesterday. Shen Qian is only a substitute this time. He originally didn't want to participate in the 'Nine Heavens Cup', but the school gave him a spot directly as a precaution."
"Damn it, I have such mixed feelings!" Zhao Keyi exhaled a breath of stale air and said helplessly, "I don't know whether I'm angry that the school doesn't believe us, or angry that that bastard actually looks down on the Nine Heavens Cup."
Zhao Keyi's words accurately described what the group of people were thinking.
Since enrolling in school, they have been living in Shen Qian's shadow, and they are almost in a bad state.
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