Urban God-level Youth

After chatting for a while, it became night. Although the secret realm did not have a moon or stars, there still was a cycle of day and night.

Lan Manshuang and Nangong Yuya never expected that they would spend two months in the secret realm like this.

Initially, they thought they would have to stay awake hunting beasts without rest. Who would have thought Qin Hao would be so exceptional, able to even set up a top-level formation.

On the morning of the fifth day, Qin Hao and his companions were meditating and cultivating in the valley when suddenly a group of fifteen people arrived.

They looked at Qin Hao and the others in the valley with a start: "Didn't expect there would actually be four people hiding here. Finding them costs us no effort at all."

"Will you commit suicide and hand over your points, or shall we do it for you?" one man said, looking at Qin Hao and his companions.

Especially after they saw the three ladies with Wei Xianyun, their eyes lit up. Unfortunately, this was the secret realm; otherwise, they would definitely capture the three of them and have their way.

Qin Hao was taken aback, not expecting anyone to find their way there: "Aren't you supposed to be hunting beasts? What are you doing here?"

"Hunt beasts? There are more contestants outside than beasts now; the beasts are nearly killed off. Enough talk, you're smart enough to hand over your points and forfeit, don't make us do it ourselves."

Qin Hao scrutinized the fifteen people; they seemed to belong to some medium and small factions, not ranking at the top, trying to improve their ranking by robbing others.

So these people joined forces. Even top prodigies wouldn't provoke them lightly, as dealing with a dozen people is too troublesome.

Of course, they wouldn't actively provoke top prodigies either; they specifically target prodigies from medium and small factions, so they wouldn't fear retaliation even after leaving the secret realm.

Wei Xianyun, Lan Manshuang, and Nangong Yuya remained calm, without any change in expression—these people were asking for trouble.

The path to heaven is wide open, but you charge into the gate of hell on your own.

Qin Hao: "Running into me is your bad luck."

"Heh, such big talk. Enough with the crap, let's move, the later we delay, the more things might change," someone hastily added.

Just as they planned to charge in, the scenery inside the valley drastically changed. Qin Hao and his group disappeared before their eyes—in fact, Qin Hao and his group disappeared before them because they had fallen into the formation.

Inside the Demon Slaying Array, lights shone and a chilling aura spread out from the formation. The fifteen people felt it and turned pale.

A top-level formation? This is actually a top-level formation!

"We forfeit, we forfeit!" someone inside the formation exclaimed frantically.

They knew of the terrifying power of a top-level formation; though this was a small one, it was still beyond their capability to withstand.

All fifteen people voluntarily forfeited and left the secret realm. Their points were then distributed evenly among Qin Hao and his companions, allowing them to regain their previously declining ranks.

The area outside the valley became chaotic, as the number of beasts dwindled. Whether they were all killed or someone else took them away was unknown, but the contestants soon outnumbered the beasts, causing them to collide with each other as they moved deeper into the mountains.

For their ranking, these people were bound to clash.

In the early part of the secret realm, most participants focused on hunting beasts, but the latter period involved contestants fighting over points.

...

Qin Hao chose a more secluded spot, so in all this time, only this group managed to find them.

After redistributing the points, Qin Hao and his group's rank increased significantly.

Meanwhile, the images from the external screen changed, divided into over a dozen sections covering the deeper areas of the secret realm with no blind spots.

Everyone outside could see the contestants' positions and movements.

Having dealt with that group, Qin Hao and his companions continued to train in the valley, secure in the Demon Slaying Array without worry of threats.

The remaining time passed somewhat quietly for Qin Hao and his group, though two or three batches of people came, all perished in the Demon Slaying Array.

Once the two-month limit ended, everyone was transported out of the secret realm.

They reappeared in the arena, but the number of people was reduced by nearly half.

"Those ranked in the top hundred thousand will advance. Rest for five days, the second round will commence afterward," the dean of the Ancient God Academy proclaimed with a calm voice that spread throughout the arena.

Everyone had their rankings. Qin Hao, Wei Xianyun, Nangong Yuya, and Lan Manshuang placed in the seven hundreds, largely due to several groups handing them points, which left him feeling helpless.

Upon the dean's announcement, they all returned to their respective areas.

Qin Hao asked Wei Xianyun, "Will you come with me or return to the David Dynasty?"

Wei Xianyun glanced at him and replied, "Since I've become your Dao partner, I'll follow you of course."

Hearing this, Qin Hao laughed heartily, taking her hand as they headed towards the Southern Continent Heavenly Earth Academy, encountering Yin Jian and his entourage from the Yin Family on their way.

Seeing Qin Hao surrounded by beautiful women, Yin Jian felt a tinge of jealousy and sneered, "Oh, isn't this Qin Hao, heralded as the top prodigy of the Southern Continent Heavenly Earth Academy?"

Wang Teng, standing beside Yin Jian, also commented, "Yes, hailed as the number one prodigy of the young generation. I wonder what his ranking is now?"

"Seems to be over a thousand, didn't expect Qin to rank in the top thousand. Impressive."

...

Qin Hao looked at them with indifference and uttered two words: "Idiot!"

Then he walked with Wei Xianyun towards the Heaven and Earth Academy, with Lan Manshuang and Nangong Yuya ignoring Yin Jian's group, for they were no longer aligned with him.

Returning to the Heaven and Earth Academy's area, Zhou Danqing noticed Qin Hao and Wei Xianyun and paused slightly: "Qin Hao, who is this?"

"Danqing, this is my Dao partner, Wei Xianyun, the princess of the David Dynasty."

"Xianyun, this is Zhou Danqing, Mr. Zhou, though in the Heaven and Earth Sect she ranks below me, so I call her junior niece."

Wei Xianyun, slightly surprised by Zhou Danqing's fiery figure, smiled and said, "Hello, Mr. Zhou."

Zhou Danqing smiled upon hearing her greeting, "No need for formalities, Princess Xianyun. I wonder what luck this fellow had to become your Dao partner. What do you see in him? For him to find such a partner, he must have been virtuous in his past life."

"Cough, cough, Danqing, that's going too far. Is that how you talk to your senior uncle? Do you not understand the sect rules?" Qin Hao said in mock annoyance.

Zhou Danqing couldn't be bothered with him and continued chatting with Wei Xianyun and the others.

Soon, Hou Changfeng and Zhou Wantong, the two deans, returned, leading the academy back to their residence.

The first round was only the beginning; the second round would be the most brutal.