You dare to cultivate without money?!
Chapter 203 - 203 170 Second Round Grouping Ye Lingxiao's Battle Intent

203: Chapter 170: Second Round Grouping, Ye Lingxiao’s Battle Intent 203: Chapter 170: Second Round Grouping, Ye Lingxiao’s Battle Intent Deng Bingding looked at the remaining twenty students and encouraged them: “I have granted all of you the usage rights for the cultivation techniques you just learned.”

“This is the reward prepared by the Heavenly Court to motivate the one-layer candidates as part of your exam progression.”

“I hope you remain humble, continue to advance bravely, and fight vigorously on the Immortal Path.

May you achieve greater heights in the future and serve the Heavenly Court and the sect…”

After encouraging the students present, Deng Bingding proceeded to talk about the next round of exams.

“The next round of exams is scheduled for October 15th, and the location will remain the same.”

“But, unlike this comprehensive exam, the second round is a specialized exam, where each of you must choose one of four paths: Dao Heart, Mana, Physical Education, and Martial Arts.”

“I’ve called you here to arrange your registration…”

Under the guidance of the True God, the students on-site took out their phones and logged into the registration website.

According to Deng Bingding, with the reforms to the Foundation Establishment exam this time, the registration process for the four paths has also undergone some changes.

Each student can register for two paths, which helps to adjust based on the first-round total score if there are too few or too many people in particular paths.

In sum, it is all to better discover talent among the first layer, ensure the number distribution among the four paths is more balanced, and avoid having too many strong candidates clustered in one path and being eliminated.

Upon hearing these words, Zhang Yu slightly furrowed his brow: “Register for two?”

“But Azhen and I have only discussed one path?”

“Won’t this whole adjustment just end up placing me and Azhen on the same path?”

Zhang Yu wanted to discuss with Bai Zhenzhen, but the True God had just forbidden candidates from communicating with each other.

This was clearly a requirement for them to independently complete the registration upon being informed of the rules change.

“Then it will depend solely on my and Azhen’s understanding.”

According to the original agreement with Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu registered for Physical Education, and Bai Zhenzhen registered for Martial Arts.

With the addition of a second registration option, Zhang Yu had to choose between Dao Heart and Mana.

“Dao Heart or Mana?”

Reflecting on his performance in the first Mana exam, Zhang Yu sighed inwardly: “Unknowingly, as I neglected to continue honing my Mana control, Azhen might already be better than me in this area.”

Thinking of this, Zhang Yu chose Dao Heart for his second option.

A moment later, as the students completed their registrations, all the data appeared before the True Gods.

Deng Bingding nodded: “As expected, Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao have avoided each other?

It seems they are quite in sync.”

Huang Zichou said: “If these two meet on the same path, it would be a pity to eliminate either one.”

Deng Bingding swept his gaze over the registration choices of the third, fourth, and fifth highest scores and said, “Let’s start making adjustments.”

In Deng Bingding’s view, the priority was naturally to decide the paths for the first and second scores, Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing.

Because the strength of these two is qualitatively different from the other eighteen students present.

Deng Bingding thought to himself: “Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing—whichever two paths they’re placed in, those will be the ones with the winners.”

Thus, after the True Gods held discussions, they placed Ye Lingxiao on the Physical Education path he registered for and Yun Jing on the Martial Arts path he registered for.

Next, they grouped students according to scores from high to low, especially trying to separate the top ten students from Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing.

With the True Gods rapidly processing data online, the candidate selections for the second-round exams were quickly adjusted.

Huang Zichou glanced at where Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were placed and thought to himself: “These two fellows are a bit unlucky.”

Zhang Yu was assigned to the Physical Education path, while Bai Zhenzhen was assigned to the Martial Arts path.

From the perspective of the True Gods, due to the presence of Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing, these Physical Education and Martial Arts paths are like groups of death; all candidates except for Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing were doomed to be eliminated.

Huang Zichou thought: “But even if Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen are eliminated this year, they can still take the exam again next year.”

“These two, although they have amazing potential and seem to have mysterious support behind them, lack a year of cultivation time.

They should go back and settle for a year and come back.”

He understood that the main aim of the Foundation Establishment exam reforms was to discover more talents for upward movement.

Therefore, the most reasonable choice was to place the lower-scoring candidates in the Ye Lingxiao and Yun Jing groups and distribute the remaining high-scoring candidates among the other two groups.

With Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen still able to participate in the Foundation Establishment exam next year, the examiners thought it not regrettable if they were eliminated in the next round.

As discussions among the True Gods concluded, an illuminated screen with the groupings for the next exam appeared in front of the twenty students present.

Looking at these group results, some breathed a sigh of relief, some had anxious expressions, and others were helpless; reactions varied widely.

As for Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, the first thing they checked was whether they would run into each other.

Upon realizing they were in the Physical Education path and Martial Arts path, respectively, both let out a subtle sigh of relief.

Yet, when they spotted their opponents in each path, their expressions immediately grew serious.

“Number 23?” Zhang Yu glanced at Ye Lingxiao and thought to himself: “Do I have to compete with this guy?”

Reflecting on Ye Lingxiao’s performance in today’s three exams, Zhang Yu mused to himself: “Damn it…

This guy absolutely has some tricks, right?

The tricks are bigger than mine, right?”

“Rich and cheating, number 23, you really deserve to die.”

At this moment, Zhang Yu really hoped Ye Lingxiao would be hit by something when he goes out.

But he also knew it was impossible.

Not to mention if a vehicle could actually hit him, the protective forces around him were definitely not ordinary.

“Yu Shu, oh Yu Shu, it’s still because you’re not strong enough.”

“If you were just a bit stronger, would I need to be worrying about this?”

“In the end, I still have to rely on myself to upgrade you.”

Initially, Zhang Yu thought Yu Shu was his cheat.

Later, after repeatedly improving his power through his own efforts, Zhang Yu felt Yu Shu was merely his potential.

Now, thinking about having to figure out ways to hunt the Evil God to upgrade Yu Shu, he felt like he was the cheat for Yu Shu.

On the other side, Bai Zhenzhen looked in Yun Jing’s direction: “Is this person number 11?

Damn it, they actually paired me with him?

That’s rigged!”

“Could his family suddenly go bankrupt?”

Bai Zhenzhen troubledly scratched her head, thinking: “The martial arts exam will have real combat in the end, right?

To defeat this guy…”

She began to repeatedly recall Yun Jing’s performance in today’s three exams, carefully noting every detail, unwilling to let anything pass by.

Yu Xinghan, seeing his own assignment to the sports group, although frowning a bit, wasn’t too dejected either.

After all, according to his own psychological preparation, he never expected to snatch a Foundation Establishment qualification this time; reaching this point was already good enough.

“Alright.” Deng Bingding spoke up: “Everyone has seen the list, so that’s it for today.”

“After you all go back, prepare well for the next round of exams.”

After speaking, Deng Bingding pointed towards the passage where everyone came from, indicating that they could leave.

As Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen headed towards the passage, they realized that at some point, Ye Lingxiao was also walking beside them.

Upon noticing Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen beside him, Ye Lingxiao exchanged a glance with them, nodding as if in greeting.

Not far away, Dai Xingzhi watched this scene, thinking to himself: “Ye Lingxiao actually took the initiative to greet them?

Indeed, they are seen by Ye Lingxiao as the same level of people.”

Thinking about when he came in with Zhang Yu, how he secretly looked down on him for being an outsider, Dai Xingzhi inwardly let out a helpless smile: “Ah, being rich is great.

Even outside Xiandu, it’s still impressive.”

After exchanging a glance with Zhang Yu, Ye Lingxiao spoke: “Was today’s exam not worth your full effort?”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu’s spirit was suddenly shaken, internally questioning: “What does he mean?

Is it bullying language from Xiandu?

Sarcasm about today’s poor performance?”

Ye Lingxiao continued: “But for the next round of competition, you can’t do it without giving your all.”

“I’ll be looking forward to competing with you then.”

“So…

see you at the peak.”

The peak Ye Lingxiao mentioned referred to the second layer of Kunxu.

After all, from his perspective, considering Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s displayed level, even if they didn’t pass the Foundation Establishment qualification, in the future, entering the second layer was absolutely no problem.

Watching Ye Lingxiao fall into the black hole beneath his feet and vanish, Zhang Yu’s mind was filled with the fighting spirit expressed in Ye Lingxiao’s eyes.

The next moment, he and Bai Zhenzhen also fell into the hole, being transported back to the restroom at the train station.

“That guy…” Zhang Yu thought to himself: “Isn’t he being sarcastic?”

Zhang Yu slightly clenched his fists: “Don’t worry, in the next exam, I will definitely surprise you.”

…

Returning to the station, looking at the gray night sky, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen didn’t dare linger in Xiandu long; they quickly bought train tickets and soon left this high-cost city.

As the train started, Zhang Yu, just beginning to feel a bit relaxed, found that the ritual started again.

“Sigh.” With a sigh, Zhang Yu could only go to the corridor to practice Spring and Autumn Endless Zen.

Seeing Zhang Yu like this, Bai Zhenzhen inwardly cursed: “Still grinding?”

Having gone through three consecutive exams, Bai Zhenzhen only felt incredibly exhausted and had no interest in continuing cultivation.

But thinking about the opponents they have to face with Zhang Yu in the next exam, Bai Zhenzhen could understand Zhang Yu’s mood.

“Yu Zi must be feeling really anxious right now.”

“Sigh, anxiety won’t help.”

“At least after the exams, take a rest on the train first…”

Just as Bai Zhenzhen was thinking this, her phone buzzed.

“Hello?”

A gentle yet polite female voice came from the other end of the line: “Is this Miss Bai Zhenzhen?”