Moss covered the old, aged flagstones!
Students in the midst of meditation could be seen everywhere in the forest!
Rich, heavy, and ancient—the place fully exhibited a historical vibe!
“As expected of a 40,000-year-old institution,” marveled Meng Lei.
He followed the academy presidents and the others to a big and tall teaching faculty building. Upon their arrival, he discovered that several other kingdoms’ contestants were already gathered there.
These contestants from various kingdoms were divided into quite a few camps. All of them secretly sized up one another, yet also minded their own business at the same time, maintaining a sufficient sense of distance from one another.
“The contestants from the Tempest Kingdom, Thunder Dragon Kingdom, Black Dragon Kingdom, and Earth Dragon Kingdom have already arrived. Including us, the Fire Dragon Kingdom, that makes five kingdoms from the empire.
“We’re supposed to assemble and report today while the competition officially starts tomorrow. Therefore, all contestants have to be present. I’m sure the contestants from the other ten kingdoms will be arriving soon, too.
“Stay here and wait for further instructions, everyone. We’ll be back in a moment.”
After the six academy presidents left them instructions, they entered the teaching faculty building together with Vice-President Dorothy, leaving Meng Lei and the other 51 contestants to wait there quietly.
During the next hour and a little more, the contestants and teachers-in-charge from the other ten kingdoms and dukedoms arrived one after another.
For a while, the area in front of the teaching faculty building was full of people.
15 kingdoms!
48 dukedoms!
Close to 2,000 contestants—and all of them ninth-grade experts!!
Just a line-up like this was enough to apply great pressure on many contestants. Meng Lei couldn’t be sure about those from other kingdoms, but what he did know was that quite a fair number of Fire Dragon Kingdom contestants were beginning to turn nervous.
It wasn’t over yet, though.
Another ten minutes or so later, an almost 3,000-strong team came approaching. They formed a large, black mass, as though a group of Triad members had been mobilized and caused a huge buzz to go through the crowd.
“They are...”
Everyone raised their heads and looked over.
At the sight of them, several people’s countenances changed.
“They are Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants!”
“What? Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants?”
“T-they’re so strong!”
Meng Lei also raised his head and looked over.
A small portion of the exchange competition contestants came from the 15 kingdoms and 48 dukedoms, while a large majority of them were from the Dragon God Imperial City itself.
This group of contestants was also known as Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants—in other words, contestants from academies directly affiliated to the Dragon God Empire.
Evidently, those 3,000 people in front of them... were exactly those very contestants.
Dressed in uniforms of varying styles, those 3,000 contestants obviously hailed from different academies. However, the way they looked at Meng Lei and the other contestants from the 15 kingdoms and 48 dukedoms was the same—full of contempt and disdain!
As Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants, they held an extreme sense of superiority toward others and totally looked down on contestants from the kingdoms and dukedoms.
In their opinions, contestants from the kingdoms and dukedoms were no different from people from the countryside. How could they possibly be qualified enough to compete with them on the same platform?
“So, they are the contestants from the 15 kingdoms and 48 dukedoms? They don’t look like much!”
“As expected of people from the countryside. They are but just a motley crew!”
“When have they ever taken the exchange competition seriously instead of just going through the motions...”
Chapter 144: Second In History, Augustine
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Among those that could advance in their respective kingdom and dukedom’s qualifying rounds to make their way here, which one of them wasn’t proud and lofty?
How would they possibly be able to tolerate such provocation that was almost no different from humiliation?
“Aren’t they just Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants? What’s the big deal about them? Come forward and fight one-on-one with me if you’re that strong!”
Unable to stop himself, a contestant from the Black Dragon Kingdom stepped forward and glared furiously at the Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants.
“Exactly! A barking dog never bites. If you’re that capable, then let us take a gander at your skills! What does shooting your mouth off even count as?”
“Have the great Empire-Affiliated Academies groomed only a bunch of braggarts that only know how to talk big?”
The contestants from the other kingdoms and dukedoms also spoke up one after another—the Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants had completely riled up all of them.
“Oho!”
The Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants were greatly amused by the sight of the mounting public indignation among the contestants from the kingdoms and dukedoms. As if they’d just witnessed a bunch of infuriated country bumpkin dogs barking madly, they burst into uproarious laughter.
One of them snorted in derision and sneered. “Country bumpkins, I wish I could rip your foul mouths apart and show you what we city-dwellers are capable of, but unfortunately...”
He pointed at the ground right underneath his feet and continued. “Do you have any idea where you currently are? This is Dragon God Academy, the most sublime, most excellent, and noblest education institution in the empire! It’s not a place that your little colleges in the countryside can compare to, much less somewhere that you can act atrociously at will.
“Dragon God Academy prohibits private fights.
“Country bumpkins, you don’t need to be in such a hurry even if you’re looking for a thrashing. You’ll be so sorry when the exchange competition comes around tomorrow!”
“Hmph! Why bother waiting till tomorrow? I’ll show you a thing or two right away today. Which one of you wants to fight one-on-one with me?!”
The Empire-Affiliated Academy Contestants’ cockiness and contempt had thoroughly infuriated the contestants from the kingdoms and dukedoms. All of them stepped forward one by one, the aura around them
