Chapter 288: Firmly in First Place

Chapter 288: Chapter 288: Firmly in First Place

WHOOSH!

Lin Qi sprinted through the forest, his speed so great he resembled a black bolt of lightning as he raced madly toward Area 2.

He had removed all the Gravity Rings from his body. This time, he had no intention of hiding his strength.

His goal was to hunt as many Calamity Beasts as possible within three days.

He no longer bothered with Level 1 Calamity Beasts, but there were always some that didn’t know what was good for them.

A pack of Mastiff Dogs, with streamlined bodies and brownish-yellow fur, was racing through the forest in search of prey when Lin Qi’s figure appeared in their line of sight.

ROAR!

Amidst the howls, they launched a surprise attack, darting out from their hiding places in the tall grass.

SWOOSH!

They attacked swiftly from different directions, leaping into the air. Their sharp claws tore through the air, capable of instantly shredding a person’s skin.

Facing their coordinated assault, Lin Qi flashed a disdainful smile. The Black Great Spear in his hand traced a graceful arc through the air.

Its sharp tip glinted with a cold light.

SPURT! SPURT! SPURT!

In an instant, three bloody gashes appeared on the necks of the Mastiff Dogs. The concussive Power instantly tore their throats apart.

Scalding red blood splattered through the air and rained down on the ground.

Lin Qi flicked his wrist, the spear tip quivering as it pierced through the air.

A cold light flashed. The spear tip stabbed precisely into the necks of the Mastiff Dogs, the long spear becoming a phantom as Power shot out, piercing through their throats.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

In less than three seconds, all six Mastiff Dogs were dead.

Points +6

Without even looking, Lin Qi knew they were all dead. His figure vanished from the spot.

A moment later, Unihorned Black Pigs charged at him. He was like a tiger let loose among a flock of sheep, yet the sheep thought he was easy prey.

As a result, they were devoured one after another.

Points +10, Points +10, Points +10, Points +10...

In a short time, his points skyrocketed, and his rank within the Azure Sky Sixth Institute left everyone else in the dust.

"Damn, Brother Qi is so fierce! It’s been less than an hour, and he’s already passed 1,000 points?"

"And they’re still skyrocketing! Isn’t this pace a bit too insane?"

"Second-Level Calamity Beasts are no different from ordinary wheat to him."

The students of the Azure Sky Sixth Institute were both shocked and thrilled when they saw Lin Qi’s points.

...

In a massive conference hall within the Red Cloud Building of the Tenth Academy, the vice deans of all Nine Great Academies were gathered.

A huge projection screen hovered in front of them.

[Disaster Beast Hunting Competition Overall Points Chart]

[First Place: Azure Sky First Institute]

[Second Place: Azure Sky Sixth Institute]

[Third Place: Azure Sky Ninth Institute]

...

"The competition is so intense. The Sixth Institute and First Institute keep swapping for first place."

"Who would have thought the Sixth Institute’s overall strength would be this formidable?"

"I heard that the Sixth Institute’s Jiangtao has officially become an S-class genius. That means the Sixth Institute now has two S-class geniuses."

One of the leaders sighed with envy.

The others also looked enviously toward Dean Big Ear Liu, who was in a corner. Not only had the Sixth Institute produced a top-level genius like Lin Qi, but its overall quality of geniuses was also impressive.

Their total points were actually on par with the First Institute.

"By the way, who’s in first place on the individual points chart right now?" Wu Yueze asked curiously.

Vice Principal Xu Wenji projected nine screens, each showing the respective points chart for one of the Nine Great Academies.

Their gazes locked onto the screens for the Azure Sky First Institute and the Sixth Institute.

"Huo Wanyang is already at 1,200 points. That’s fast!"

"Lin Qi is already at 1,390 points?"

"How come Huo Wanyang’s points can’t catch up to Lin Qi’s? Didn’t he awaken a Special Ability?" someone asked in confusion.

The vice dean of the Ninth Institute, a woman in a purple dress, spoke up:

"Awakening a Special Ability may significantly boost combat power, but it also consumes a massive amount of stamina."

"Besides, hunting Calamity Beasts is all about kill efficiency. He’s not a Spiritual Mind Master who can control Flying Blades to hunt beasts with ultra-high efficiency."

"His performance against Level 1 and Level 2 Calamity Beasts might not even be better than an ordinary Martial Artist’s."

The First Institute’s dean, Wu Yueze, smiled confidently. "This is just the beginning!"

"Huo Wanyang will be number one sooner or later!"

Meanwhile, Dean Liu, still in the corner, had his eyes locked on the live broadcast in front of him.

’Lin Qi went all out the moment he entered the Disaster Beast Garden. He even took off his Gravity Rings. It seems he really is short on cash!’

...

The Disaster Beast Hunting Competition had officially begun, and the competition among the Nine Great Academies was in full swing.

「Two days passed in the blink of an eye.」

Deep within Area 2, in a region of crumbling ruins mixed with jungle, the air was thick with a foul stench and the heavy smell of blood. The ground was covered in it.

AWOO!

Gray Ridge Giant Wolves—their fur a deep gray, their bodies as sturdy as small hills, and their muscles like cast iron—let out shrill, miserable cries.

SWISH! SWISH!

A glint of cold light cut through the air, followed by a spear that moved like a dragon, tearing the space apart.

The Gray Ridge Giant Wolf could only watch helplessly as the spear tip pierced its neck. The terrifying Power instantly mangled the surrounding flesh and organs, and it died in an instant.

THUD!

Its body slammed heavily onto the ground. Blood seeped out as its limbs twitched, then went still.

AWOO!

The scent of blood drove the surrounding fifteen Gray Ridge Giant Wolves into a frenzy. They surrounded Lin Qi in the center, ready for the kill.

They clawed at the ground, leaped through the air, or opened their massive jaws to bite.

Facing the siege, Lin Qi transformed into a flash of Thunder Light, weaving between the Gray Ridge Giant Wolves as if taking a leisurely stroll.

WHOOSH!

Letting the fierce wind whip across his face, he swung his Black Great Spear, unleashing the Mountain Shaking Spear Technique.

His body trembled as Power condensed and gathered in the spear’s shaft. He thrust, and it tore through the sky, becoming a blurry afterimage.

It pierced the tough hide of a Gray Ridge Giant Wolf, and the Mountain Shaking Power erupted.

SPURT!

With a crisp sound, a bloody hole instantly appeared on its neck, its life force extinguished in a moment.

Its enormous body crashed heavily to the ground. Points +100

SPURT! SPURT! SPURT!

Lin Qi didn’t stop. His Black Great Spear was now stained with a copious amount of bright red blood.

「One minute later.」

THUD!

As the last Gray Ridge Giant Wolf fell, the air grew quiet, leaving only the thick stench of blood.

Points +1500

Lin Qi looked around. The ground was completely covered with the corpses of Calamity Beasts.

Iron Spike Wild Boars, Mastiff Dogs, Unihorned Black Pigs, Fierce Tiger Dogs, Pan Snakes, Gray Ridge Giant Wolves, Blood-Scaled Iron Pigs...

There were Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Calamity Beasts!

’To me, Third-Level Calamity Beasts like the Gray Ridge Giant Wolf and Blood-Scaled Iron Pig are nothing special. Killing them is as easy as slaughtering pigs.’

Lin Qi shook the blood off his Black Great Spear. Without the Gravity Rings, he could unleash the full power of his Fourth Realm Bone Cultivation. Third-Level Calamity Beasts were just fish on a chopping block.

He plopped down on the corpse of a Blood-Scaled Iron Pig and pressed a yellow button on his watch, projecting two screens in front of him.

[Institute Points Chart (Sixth Institute)]

[First Place: Lin Qi, Points: 35,600]

[Second Place: Jiangtao, Points: 19,056]

[Third Place: Guo Heng, Points: 18,702]

...