Chapter 77: Hidden Spirit Root

Not long after, with the last contestant stepping down from the platform, the scoring round for all participants officially concluded.

During this period, two more contestants from other high schools had withdrawn, leaving a total of thirty-three contestants to be divided into eight groups for the elimination matches.

Seven of those groups had four contestants each, where they'd draw lots and fight in pairs until one remained.

One group, however, had five contestants. After drawing lots, some would receive a bye, and the rest would fight in pairs, also until one remained.

From each of these eight groups, the last one standing would make it into the top eight of the tournament.

After the scoring round, there was a short break. Zhang Yu stretched and decided to go to the restroom with Bai Zhenzhen.

But after wandering around for quite some time, they couldn't find a single restroom near the arena.

Seeing Song Hailong walking past, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but ask, “Hey, do you know where the restroom is?”

Song Hailong answered with a proud smirk, “White Dragon High doesn’t have restrooms.”

“Huh?” Zhang Yu was baffled. “You guys just go anywhere?”

Song Hailong’s face darkened. He replied coldly, “The teachers and students of White Dragon High have all undergone digestive system modifications. We don’t need such backward, filthy, time-wasting facilities.”

Zhang Yu was speechless. “Then what about us?”

Song Hailong said flatly, “Try the first floor. They might’ve left some toilets for the lower class.”

So Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen finally found two makeshift restrooms outside a hallway on the first floor—ten bucks per use.

After borrowing money from Qian Shen again, the two cursed their way through the process and finally returned to the competition hall.

By then, the eight groups had already been finalized.

Eight enormous platforms had risen in the venue, with the elimination matches about to begin simultaneously across all groups.

Looking at the groupings, Zhang Yu let out a soft sigh of relief. “Good, Ah-Zhen didn’t end up in my group.”

“But her group…”

His brows furrowed slightly as he eyed the high-scoring contestant in Bai Zhenzhen’s group. “Tough opponent.”

It was a Demon-Kin student from Red Tower High.

Humanoid in form, but with the head of a tiger and striped fur over his body—he looked like a humanoid beast.

Earlier, Zhang Yu had used the Heavenly Eye Sigil on him, which returned a long list of ingredient identifications across his head.

Protected-Zone | Tiger-Dragon Hybrid Blood | Pill Tank | Steel Bones

Zhang Yu recalled Lei Jun’s translation: “From a Demon-Kin protected zone. Tiger bloodline mixed with dragon blood. Drug-heavy body. Some kind of skeletal modification surgery.”

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “If I remember right, he scored 266 in the scoring round. That’s the second-highest among Red Tower students.”

From what Zhang Yu had seen of his performance, this contestant—named Hu Yuntao—was the classic all-rounder: high strength, high speed, powerful offense, and rock-solid defense. No obvious weaknesses.

“He didn’t compete in the Law Tournament, so he probably struggles with Mana Control.”

“But since he’s in the Martial Arts bracket, his close-combat skills must be top-notch.”

Zhang Yu’s gaze swept over the guy’s glinting, clawed fingers. “Shouldn’t there be a declawing policy for monsters in the tournament? Those things are basically weapons. So rigged.”

“This is exactly the type of opponent Ah-Zhen hates most.”

Still a little worried, Zhang Yu made his way to his own group’s zone.

“Don’t go bankrupt on me, Ah-Zhen. I really don’t have any money left to lend you.”

…

Bai Zhenzhen arrived at her group's match area.

The other three contestants were already there, representing White Dragon High, Purple Cloud High, and Red Tower High.

Naturally, the most eye-catching among them was the one from Red Tower High—clearly Hu Yuntao. The tiger head alone made him look more beast than man.

The four drew lots, and Bai Zhenzhen got matched against Hu Yuntao.

The winners of the two initial matches would then face off, and the final victor would advance to the next round.

Touching her lower abdomen, Bai Zhenzhen felt the power dormant within and slowly stepped onto the platform.

“I’ve waited so long… finally, a chance to use you.”

“Today, it’s my turn to shine—to soar into the sky and stun the whole arena!”

Opposite her, Hu Yuntao swaggered onto the platform with an air of indifference, barely sparing her a glance as he looked around lazily.

…

Like Xiong Bufan from the Law Tournament, Hu Yuntao was also from the Protected-Zone Breeding Facility.

But unlike some, Hu Yuntao felt no shame in his origins. He didn’t believe being Demon-Kin made him inferior. Quite the opposite—he was proud. Proud of his race. Proud of his bloodline.

Because Hu Yuntao carried dragon blood.

And with that dragon blood, he believed himself to be far nobler than any common mortal.

In the Protected-Zone, his so-called “Father” was a Red Tower High school board member who, every month, inseminated various pregnant-capable species at the breeding facility—producing a steady stream of children infused with his dragon bloodline.

Every month, hundreds or even thousands of Demon-Kin children were born, all carrying the lineage of their “Father.”

From the womb, they were subjected to drug injections and adaptive training.

The weak went to work. The strong got to study. That was the rule Hu Yuntao had learned growing up.

Those who couldn’t handle the drugs were sent to food factories.

Those who lacked intelligence were shuffled off to nature preserves as staff.

As they grew older, those without potential were funneled into clothing, leather, textile, and other factories.

Only by surviving trial after trial—dodging one “job opportunity” after another—could a Demon-Kin make it to the promised land known as Red Tower High.

Only then, after signing a contract with their “Father,” would they be recognized as his true children.

Only then would they get the chance to keep studying, to dream of college.

I don’t want to work—I want to study! That was the cry in every Demon-Kin’s heart at the facility.

And Hu Yuntao had made it. He had passed every test, resisted every detour, and finally earned the right to attend Red Tower High as a school board member’s son.

Now, he would use the bloodline gifted by his “Father” to defeat every opponent in this tournament.

To make his father proud!

…