Not long after, as the last contestant stepped down from the stage, all the participants had been scored.

During this time, two more contestants from other high schools withdrew, leaving a total of 33 contestants to be divided into 8 groups for the elimination rounds.

Seven of these groups had four contestants each, who would face off in pairs after a draw, eliminating until only one remained.

The eighth group had five contestants, and after the draw, they would also face off in pairs, with one contestant getting a bye, until only one remained.

The last person standing in each of the 8 groups would become the top 8 of the competition.

After the scoring round, there was a short break.

Zhang Yu stretched lazily and wanted to go to the restroom with Bai Zhenzhen.

However, after searching for a while, he couldn’t find a restroom anywhere near the competition grounds.

Seeing Song Hailong passing by, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but ask, “Do you know where the restroom is?”

Song Hailong smiled arrogantly and said, “Bailong High School doesn’t have restrooms.”

“What?” Zhang Yu was shocked. “Do you just relieve yourselves anywhere?”

Song Hailong’s face darkened, and he coldly replied, “The teachers and students of Bailong High School have undergone digestive system modification surgeries. We don’t need such backward, dirty, and time-wasting places like restrooms.”

Zhang Yu was speechless. “Then what are we supposed to do?”

Song Hailong said indifferently, “Go to the first floor and look around. There might be restrooms there for the lower classes.”

After much difficulty, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen finally found two makeshift restrooms outside the first-floor hallway, each charging 10 yuan.

After borrowing money from Qian Shen, the two cursed their way through using the restroom.

When they returned to the competition grounds, the 8 groups had already been formed.

Eight massive stages had been set up, and the elimination rounds for all 8 groups would take place simultaneously.

Zhang Yu looked at the groupings and sighed in relief. “Good thing Zhenzhen isn’t in my group.”

“But Zhenzhen’s group…” Zhang Yu frowned slightly as he looked at the high-scoring contestant in Bai Zhenzhen’s group. “They’re really strong.”

The contestant was from Hongta High School and was of demon descent.

He had a humanoid body but a tiger’s head and fur, making him look like a humanoid tiger.

Earlier, when Zhang Yu used his Heavenly Eye Talisman to inspect him, he saw a series of labels above the contestant’s head: Protected Area | Dragon-Tiger Demon Blood | Medicine Vat | Steel Bones.

Zhang Yu recalled Lei Jun’s explanation: “From the demon protected area, mixed with dragon blood and tiger demon bloodline, has taken a lot of medicine, and has undergone some kind of bone modification surgery.”

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “I remember he scored 266 points in the scoring round, right? That’s the second-highest score among Hongta High School’s students.”

Based on Zhang Yu’s observations during the scoring round, this demon descendant named Hu Yuntao was a well-rounded fighter with high strength, agility, attack, and defense, showing no obvious weaknesses in combat.

“He didn’t participate in the magic competition last time, so he’s probably not good at controlling magic power.”

“But since he’s here for the martial arts competition, it means his combat skills are exceptional.”

Zhang Yu’s gaze swept over the sharp, gleaming claws on Hu Yuntao’s hands. “Shouldn’t demons have their claws removed before competing? Isn’t this like bringing your own weapon? That’s so unfair.”

“This is probably the type of opponent Zhenzhen hates the most.”

With some concern, Zhang Yu walked over to his own group’s competition area.

“Don’t go bankrupt, Zhenzhen. I don’t have any money to lend you.”

…

Bai Zhenzhen arrived at her group’s competition area and saw that the other three contestants had already arrived.

They were from Bailong High School, Ziyun High School, and Hongta High School.

The most eye-catching was the contestant from Hongta High School, who looked more like a tiger than a human.

The four of them drew lots, and Bai Zhenzhen ended up facing Hu Yuntao.

After a one-on-one battle, the winner would face the winner of the other two contestants, and the final victor would advance from the group.

Bai Zhenzhen placed her hand on her lower abdomen, feeling the hidden power within, and slowly walked onto the stage.

“I’ve been holding back for so long, and now I finally have a chance to use you.”

“Today, it’s finally my turn, Bai Zhenzhen, to soar to the heavens and amaze everyone!”

On the other side, Hu Yuntao casually walked onto the stage, seemingly not taking Bai Zhenzhen seriously at all, looking around as if bored.

…

Hu Yuntao, like Xiong Bufan who had participated in the magic competition, was from the breeding base in the demon protected area.

However, Hu Yuntao was never ashamed of his identity and didn’t believe that being a demon descendant made him inferior.

On the contrary, Hu Yuntao was proud of his race and bloodline.

Because Hu Yuntao had dragon blood in his veins, he was far nobler than those ordinary humans!

In the protected area, the “Father,” who was also the school director of Hongta High School, would impregnate the mothers of various races every month, ensuring that the breeding base was filled with the Father’s children.

Every month, hundreds of demon descendants were born in the breeding base, each carrying the Father’s dragon bloodline, making them extraordinary from birth.

From the womb, these children were constantly injected with various drugs and underwent adaptive training.

The weak would work, while the strong would study.

This was the lesson Hu Yuntao learned as he grew up.

Those who couldn’t adapt to the drugs from a young age would be sent to work in food factories.

Those who showed a lack of intelligence as they grew older would become employees in ecological protection areas.

Those who were found to have insufficient potential would be sent to work in clothing factories, leather factories, textile factories, and so on.

Only after passing these trials and avoiding these work opportunities could they reach the paradise known as Hongta High School.

Here, they would sign a contract with the Father and become his officially recognized sons.

Only then would they have the opportunity to continue studying and attend university.

“I don’t want to work! I want to study!” This was the cry in the heart of every demon descendant in the breeding base.

And Hu Yuntao was one of those who had passed these trials and come to study at Hongta High School as the school director’s son.

He had endured countless trials, avoided numerous work opportunities, and finally earned the right to study in high school and take the university entrance exams.

Now, he would use the bloodline bestowed upon him by the Father to defeat all his opponents in this competition and make the Father proud of him!

…

On the stage, as the referee counted down “3! 2! 1!”, Hu Yuntao shot forward, his claws slicing through the air with a cold gleam, like sharp blades aiming to cut Bai Zhenzhen down.

In terms of size, strength, and speed, the woman before him was no match for him.

Hu Yuntao was confident that in the next moment, he would tear her hands apart, rip open her throat, and completely defeat her.

“This strike will cost you 600,000 in medical fees.”

But in the next moment, a strong sense of danger surged in his heart, causing Hu Yuntao to instinctively stop and retreat.

He looked at Bai Zhenzhen again and felt strands of spiritual energy in the air gathering toward her, even condensing at her fingertips, as if emitting a faint sword light.

Hu Yuntao’s eyes narrowed. “A combat spirit root?”

…

In the audience seats.

Qian Shen watched Bai Zhenzhen’s stage with curiosity. “What kind of spirit root is that? I’ve never seen it before. But the way it’s drawing spiritual energy is quite impressive. It must be a heavenly spirit root, right?”

Zhao Tianxing, sitting nearby, said, “No wonder Zhenzhen has no money to eat. She must have spent all her money renting this combat spirit root. She really wants to win.”

Thinking about the travel expenses and the hours spent on the competition, Zhao Tianxing estimated that renting this combat spirit root must have cost tens of thousands.

He couldn’t help but click his tongue.

Participating in martial arts competitions was really expensive.

…

On the stage.

Bai Zhenzhen felt the spiritual energy filling her body and thought to herself, “They must all think I rented this combat spirit root for the martial arts competition.”

But Bai Zhenzhen knew that wasn’t the case.

Compared to renting a spirit root, she would rather spend her money on medicine and cultivation techniques.

After all, she already had a spirit root.

To hide the spirit root within her, Bai Zhenzhen felt like she had been holding back since she was a child, as if she couldn’t go to the restroom.

And this holding back… had lasted for ten years.

“Zhenzhen, you have to control yourself. Don’t absorb spiritual energy. Don’t let anyone find out you have a spirit root.”

Every morning, the first thing Bai Zhenzhen heard upon waking up was this.

“Zhenzhen, hold it in! Don’t cause any disturbances in the spiritual energy. Don’t let anyone find out you have a spirit root.”

Every night, Bai Zhenzhen, awakened by someone, had to control her spirit root again, forcing it to stop.

“Zhenzhen, I know it’s hard, but only when you can control it and not let anyone find out you have a spirit root can we return to Songyang.”

It was like not being able to breathe when there was air, not being able to drink when there was water, and not being able to go to the restroom when nature called.

Don’t let anyone find out you have a spirit root!

Don’t let anyone find out!

Bai Zhenzhen held it in, held it in… until one day, she felt like her spirit root had disappeared.

That day was the happiest day of Bai Zhenzhen’s life since she could remember.

After holding it in for nine years, after hiding it for nine years, this troublesome thing was finally gone.

She no longer had to hold it in.

But soon, she realized that the spirit root hadn’t disappeared—it had just hidden itself.

And it wasn’t just the spirit root that had hidden…

After repeatedly “holding her breath,” the spirit root had hidden her along with it.

It was as if she had become a ghost.

No one could see her, sense her… or rather, everyone seemed like ghosts to her.

No one paid attention to her, no one could communicate with her.

That night… the whole world seemed to have only her left.

Until she found a way to make people see her again.

…

Seeing the spiritual energy surging toward Bai Zhenzhen, Hu Yuntao decided not to give her any more time.

With a roar, he charged forward again.

But in the next moment, Bai Zhenzhen disappeared from his sight.

Hu Yuntao’s eyes widened as he scanned the entire stage.

Nothing!

“A stealth-type combat spirit root?”

To find her, he quickly retreated to a corner of the stage, his eyes sweeping across the entire area, but there was no trace of Bai Zhenzhen.

Could it be…

In the next moment, he suddenly looked up at the sky, but there was still nothing!

In the next instant, he felt an extreme sense of danger.

Bai Zhenzhen suddenly reappeared in front of him, her finger pointing toward Hu Yuntao’s dantian.

Although the attack was sudden and dangerous, Hu Yuntao’s reaction was incredibly fast.

Almost the moment Bai Zhenzhen appeared, his claw shot out like lightning, aiming to tear apart the sword-like finger.

“Hmph! Weak strength, slow speed. Even if you caught me off guard, how do you expect to win?”

But in the next moment, as if she had already predicted Hu Yuntao’s move, Bai Zhenzhen’s finger shifted, and she retreated.

Hu Yuntao was about to chase after her when he felt a sharp pain in his foot.

He had been tripped.

Everything happened so perfectly, as if he had deliberately charged forward to be tripped.

With a soft thud, Hu Yuntao looked at himself, now lying outside the stage, filled with frustration.

Roar!

“I’m not done! I haven’t used my full strength!”

As Hu Yuntao, still snarling and clawing, was dragged out by the referee by the scruff of his neck, Bai Zhenzhen calmly flicked her fingertip.

“What an idiot. I didn’t use my full strength either.”

This battle, Bai Zhenzhen had won!

(End of Chapter)