stjorthotic Chapter 164 Pre-League Preparations
Chapter 164 Pre-League Preparations
Lin Chen and his five teammates ultimately secured a spot in the competition for Xingwu University with a perfect record.
After the awards ceremony, the sun was already setting. Golden sunlight fell on the martial arts plaza, casting long shadows of the rings, like a giant dragon lying across the center of the plaza. The audience gradually dispersed, and workers began dismantling the temporary stands and railings, the clanging and hammering echoing across the empty plaza.
Chen Feng stood by a stone pillar in the corner of the square, beckoning to the five people to come over. The five people walked over and surrounded him. Without exchanging pleasantries, he directly took out an encrypted file from his pocket. The file was wrapped in black oiled paper, sealed with a red seal bearing the seal of the Martial Arts Alliance. He tore open the seal and unfolded the file. The paper inside was specially made, waterproof, fireproof, and resistant to spiritual energy detection. The paper was covered with dense text and photos.
"This is intelligence on the participating athletes from various countries, sent by the alliance." Chen Feng's voice was very low, as if he was afraid of being overheard. His gaze swept across the photos one by one, finally settling on a few faces. "There are a few people in there who you need to pay extra attention to."
His finger pointed to the first photograph. The person in the photo was wearing a white kendo uniform, with long hair tied back, a stern face, and holding a long katana in his hand. The sword was not drawn, but his eyes in the photograph were as sharp as blades, and one could feel the sharpness even through the paper.
"Miyamoto Ichiro of the Sakura Country possesses exceptional swordsmanship talent. According to intelligence from the Alliance, he has already reached the threshold of sword intent. Sword intent is not a sword move, nor sword intention, but a force. It can draw upon the power of heaven and earth to enhance one's swordsmanship, making him virtually invincible within the Transformation Realm."
His finger moved to the second photo. The man in the photo had blond hair and blue eyes, was tall, and wore a set of silver-white knight's armor, engraved with intricate holy light patterns. In his hand, he held a tower shield as tall as himself and a broadsword. His face was resolute, and his gaze was steady, like that of a knight who had been through many battles.
"Arthur, the Holy Knight of Europe. His Holy Light can subdue evil races. He has a profound background and is no ordinary warrior. His lineage comes from an ancient European knightly order, which is said to have been an ally of the Martial Emperor a thousand years ago."
His finger moved to the third photo. The person in the photo wore a black cloak, the hood pulled low, obscuring most of his face, revealing only a pale chin and chapped lips. His breath was faint and indistinct, and the image in the photo was blurry, as if something was deliberately interfering with the imaging; even the Alliance's intelligence personnel could not capture a clear picture of his face. The note only read one line—"Independent martial artist, identity unknown, the Alliance has no information on him."
Lin Chen turned to the last page of the file, his gaze lingering on the blurry photograph of a man in a black robe. In the lower right corner of the photo was a small label—"Code Name: Black Crow." The surrounding black mist cast a faint shadow on the photograph, as if it had been smoked. Looking at the shadowy figure, the core of his dantian suddenly trembled slightly—not a steady pulsation, but a reactive response, like encountering a natural enemy, or sensing danger. Even through the photograph, the faint sense of malevolent power caused his stellar energy to repel it.
"Young Master Black Crow." Lin Chen spoke in a deep voice, low but resonant, like a stone falling into a deep pool. "He disappeared after the secret realm incident, and sure enough, he's hiding here."
Chen Feng sighed, closed the file, and resealed it. "The Alliance also has this suspicion, so they specifically instructed us to be extra vigilant. During the competition, high-ranking officials from various countries will gather; the Evil Clan will certainly not let this opportunity to wipe them all out slip by." His gaze swept across the five faces, his voice deepening. "While you participate in the competition, you must also be aware of any unusual activity inside and outside the arena. Protect the Alliance's high-ranking officials, and protect the innocent spectators. This is the mission the Martial Arts Alliance has entrusted to you; it's more important than winning the championship."
All five nodded in unison. No one said anything like "I guarantee I'll complete the mission," they just nodded, but the nod was heavy, and each person nodded with great force.
The setting sun cast long, long shadows of the five figures on the martial arts plaza's arena. The shadows stretched from the edge of the arena all the way to the steps of the stands, overlapping each other so tightly that it was impossible to distinguish one from another. They resembled a long, drawn-out blot of ink, stuck to the ground, following their every step.
The global tournament hasn't even begun, yet undercurrents are already stirring. They know this grand event is not only a stage for martial arts exchange, but also a battlefield where good and evil clash. Miyamoto Ichiro's sword, Arthur's holy light, the mask of the Black Crow's young master, and the conspiracies and murderous intentions yet to surface—all await them.
In the distance, lights came on in the windows of the teaching buildings. One after another, like lit matches, the lights shone from the first floor to the top floor, from one building to another. The streetlights also came on, their orange glow forming a string, like a luminous river flowing from the school gate all the way to the dormitory area.
Five people walked side by side along the tree-lined path. The path was wide, and the dense foliage of the plane trees on both sides completely blocked out the sky, revealing only a few patches of deep blue. The evening breeze blew from the direction of the playground, carrying the fresh scent of freshly trimmed grass, the aroma of food wafting from the cafeteria, and the faint sound of music coming from the distant dormitory buildings. Their footsteps rustled on the fallen leaves, light, steady, and rhythmic.
The competition hasn't started yet, but they're already on their way.