novelraw Chapter 390: Torment
Chapter 390: Torment
……
The top ten list for the Five Great Academies' Grand Competition personal tournament was finally settled, under the watchful eyes of millions.
This list, like a miniature power map, clearly showed the current power landscape among Daxia’s younger generation:
Azure Dragon Academy and Kirin Academy each took three spots.
White Tiger Academy and Black Tortoise Academy each held two.
Vermilion Bird Academy, however, had not a single seat on this top-ten list that symbolized the highest honor.
Feng Jue, Xu Hao, and Liu Ziming had fought with everything they had, but still regrettably fell outside the top ten.
Online, related topics spread at lightning speed.
“As expected, Vermilion Bird has no one in the top ten. Times have changed!”
“Talent drought. That’s the real state of Vermilion Bird right now.”“Pity for Feng Jue and the others’ efforts, but reality is brutal. A lack of top-tier fighters is a fatal flaw.”
“Back when Su Zhan was around, who could have imagined Vermilion Bird would fail to make the top ten?”
“Should the officials consider redistributing resources? Vermilion Bird claims the name of one of the Four Great Academies, but it can’t produce matching results.”
……
These topics pushed Vermilion Bird Academy into the eye of the storm.
Everyone who cared about Vermilion Bird felt a cloud hanging over their hearts.
It also dropped the academy’s reputation to its lowest point in years.
Inside the Celestial Arena.
The cheers prepared for the top ten contestants contrasted starkly with the silence surrounding Vermilion Bird.
Wang Mingyuan stared at the list, eyebrows tightly knit.
Feng Jue and the other two were even quieter, a heavy sense of helplessness pressing down on them.
In the stands.
Almost everyone was discussing the newly released top-ten list and predicting who would take the championship.
“If you ask me, this year’s champion is probably Chu Zhou! Myriad Forms is too versatile, offense and defense in one, hardly any weaknesses. Look at how he fought Feng Jue—every trick at his fingertips, unfathomable.”
“Versatility can also mean not being supreme in any one area. I bet on White Tiger’s Bai Pojun. His Supreme Fist is the true path of slaughter! No matter how many transformations you throw at him, one punch will break them all. That kind of power, it’s just satisfying to watch!”
“Power means nothing if you can’t land a hit. Don’t forget Black Tortoise’s Xue Wuhen. His Zero-Degree Snow Leopard form boosts speed, strength, and perception, plus control techniques. In extreme cold, an opponent’s movements, thought processes, even spiritual energy flow will be affected. He’s definitely a strong rival to Chu Zhou and Bai Pojun.”
“Azure Dragon also has a mysterious contestant this year, Shui Wuxin. Her Spirit of the Vast Sea is a water-system prodigy. Rumor says she can mobilize nearly endless water elements—attacks like tidal waves, defense like a deep-sea whirlpool. Her endurance in prolonged fights is probably unmatched. Her opponents are often worn down over time; she’s not to be underestimated.”
Everyone chipped in, arguing energetically.
The atmosphere in the Celestial Arena reached a fever pitch.
After days of fierce battles, the ten champions who stood at the peak were finally decided.
Under the gaze of hundreds of millions, they ascended the specially constructed honor platform in the center of the arena.
Spotlights focused on them.
Huge screens clearly displayed each young face.
These ten, especially the eight SSS-grade Life Soul bearers among them, already had names that echoed throughout Daxia, wielding unparalleled influence and fandom.
They represented the most brilliant future for Daxia’s younger generation.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Fellow citizens of Daxia!
Please give your warmest applause to those standing here, the future of Daxia, the ten strongest who rose from thousands of prodigies!”
The host swung his arm toward the platform, his voice suddenly rising, brimming with pride:
“Look! So young, yet possessing power that can shake mountains and rivers!
They represent humanity’s hope against the Mist, they symbolize limitless possibilities on the path of the Awakened!
They deserve our cheers, they deserve our applause!”
His words were infectious, stirring the crowd into a roar.
“With sweat and struggle, they show what true genius is. With will and strength, they show us what an unbowed backbone looks like.”
The host opened his arms: “Let us remember this moment! Remember these names! Because of them, we firmly believe that the human spark will never go out! Because of them, we see an even more glorious Daxia being forged by their hands!”
The crowd’s excitement reached its climax.
Chu Zhou took the microphone, his voice warm and spreading throughout the hall: “Thanks to the academy’s training, to our mentors’ teachings, and to every opponent. The Dao is vast; we Awakened should focus on exploring rules and clarifying our hearts. It’s an honor to spar with all of you.”
Bai Pojun grabbed the microphone, his voice loud and domineering: “Strength is truth! My fist will smash all obstacles and ascend to the top!”
His words drew the most fervent cheers from White Tiger Academy supporters.
Xue Wuhen spoke coldly and succinctly: “Watch closely.”
Shui Wuxin of Azure Dragon, graceful in temperament, spoke ethereally: “A heart like the vast sea can hold a hundred rivers. I will remember your splendor.”
The other SSS-level prodigies, and the two “dark horses” who made the top ten through S-grade Life Souls and extraordinary perseverance, also gave their remarks one after another.
Some impassioned, some steady, some humble.
Each displayed their convictions.
The ten stood on the high platform, basking in incomparable glory.
For a moment, they were the brightest stars in all of Daxia, the idols countless young people worshipped and pursued.
The scene buzzed incessantly with applause and cheers.
Under all this brilliance, anyone who followed Vermilion Bird Academy couldn’t help but feel regret.
That blazing Vermilion fire was missing from the stage of glory.
“Let us once again welcome the awards ceremony with warm applause!”
The host shouted.
Solemn and grand music played.
The flags representing the Five Great Academies slowly rose around the arena.
Under countless cameras and the eyes of millions.
Several figures walked slowly out from a special passage and took their seats at the guest judges’ platform beside the honor stage.
These people were the five deans who oversaw Daxia’s top academies, along with weighty representatives from the Council and the Military Department.
The Azure Dragon dean, an imposing elder wearing a teal dragon-patterned robe.
The White Tiger dean, a tall, upright middle-aged commander.
The Black Tortoise dean, an elderly woman with a calm, watery temperament.
The Kirin dean, an old man in a dark robe with a rugged face.
And then, the Vermilion Bird dean, Ye Hongyu.
Ye Hongyu wore a formal crimson dean’s robe today, making her already radiant features even more dazzling.
After the judges sat, the awards ceremony officially began.
An announcer read the names of the top ten contestants and their academies in a booming voice. Amidst triumphant music and cheers, each young prodigy walked to the center stage.
They received medals and certificates—symbols of power and honor—from their respective deans or senior representatives.
Each presentation was met with a burst of enthusiastic applause.
Ye Hongyu, following procedure, also presented awards.
This celebration for the victors, however, was undoubtedly a public torment for her and Vermilion Bird Academy.