Shi Kuan nodded. “Exactly. Every four years, the Ten Thousand Worlds holds a ranking tournament. All major cities send their elites to compete, and the final rankings determine a realm’s standing. You don’t have to win first place, but you must prove your strength.
“Though it’s called the Ten Thousand Worlds Ranking Tournament, only a hundred teams actually qualify. Many small realms team up to enter, but our Human Realm participates independently. Every four years, we select our team for the tournament. That team is the Heavenly Blade.”
“Why not form alliances with other realms?” Li Chuan asked.
He had learned before that the Human Realm wasn’t particularly strong within the Ten Thousand Worlds.
Gods and demons had superior physiques. High-dimensional worlds were full of unfathomable mysteries. Parasitic realms were impossible to guard against. High-tech worlds had powerful cyborgs. Compared to those, the human body had few advantages.
In the grand scheme, humanity was a small realm.
Shi Kuan said kindly, “That’s a typical student’s way of thinking—like two classmates helping each other with homework. But the truth is, if multiple small realms team up, in less than a century, they’ll become a powerful realm.”
Li Chuan thought for a moment, then understood. “The small realms would devour each other?”
Shi Kuan replied, “Exactly. Different worlds can never truly be one family. When small realms ally against strong foes, they invite other races into their worlds. In time, one race will rise above the rest and absorb the strengths of all others. Once one realm becomes more powerful than the others, it’s bound to swallow them whole. The Human Realm refuses to fall into that trap, so we must compete alone!”
Li Chuan deeply agreed.
Shi Kuan continued, “You also know that the Ten Thousand Worlds’ laws prohibit the transfer of weapons between realms. That means physical strength becomes the symbol of a realm’s power.
“Humans may be physically weak, but we are intelligent and capable of passing down knowledge. Our predecessors developed methods to strengthen ourselves using items from the Ten Thousand Worlds. By converting universal energy into our own strength, one person can summon the power of heaven and earth to battle across worlds!
“That is the origin of the Stardust Method taught at Fuyao Academy.”
Li Chuan was deeply moved. He rolled up his sleeves and said he wanted to join the Heavenly Blade to bring honor to humanity. He asked excitedly, “What was our ranking in the last tournament?”
The mechanical bee tribe had placed fifteenth. Surely, they had done even better. Maybe top ten? Top five? Maybe even top three!
Shi Kuan’s expression turned blank. “Forty… fourth.”
The first “four” was barely audible.
Li Chuan didn’t catch it. He said seriously, “Fourteenth isn’t bad. At least we beat the mechanical bees.”
Shi Kuan enunciated clearly, “I said four–ty–four!”
“HOW MANY?!!” Li Chuan’s voice cracked.
Shi Kuan leaned to the side, avoiding the blast of volume. He said helplessly, “We placed forty-fourth in the last tournament. But that doesn’t mean we’re weak. The rules prohibit repeat entries, so the last tournament didn’t have our strongest team. The previous teams were excellent. We just had a weak lineup last time.”
“What about the one before that?” Li Chuan asked loudly.
Shi Kuan replied, “Thirty-seventh.”
Li Chuan: “That’s not much better! And before that?”
Shi Kuan: “Thirty-second. We made it into the top thirty-two! No need to get so worked up.”
Li Chuan looked like he was about to shatter. He shouted indignantly, “Why is our ranking so terrible? Are we really worse than a bunch of bees?”
Shi Kuan said, “You underestimate the mechanical bee tribe’s hive-mind. They cheat—injecting ‘Queen’s Neural Fluid’ into weak opponents. Within minutes, the field is full of their puppets. They’re terrifying!”
“Does this low ranking affect the Human Realm?” Li Chuan asked worriedly.
Shi Kuan answered, “As long as we stay in the top thirty-two, there’s little danger. But if we fall out of that for three consecutive tournaments, even the small realms will start bullying us, let alone the major ones.
“Since that disgraceful forty-fourth-place finish, border defense pressure has intensified. City Guards die every month, and we’re severely understaffed. Many students have started working part-time for the City Guard to earn contribution points and Heavenly Coins.”
Li Chuan immediately thought of his friend from the City Guard—Nianxiang—and asked, “Is that why they can’t return to the Human Realm?”
Shi Kuan sighed. “The higher-ups know the City Guard and residents want to return, but the situation won’t allow it. The front lines are stretched thin. We must achieve a good result this time. Otherwise…
“Even if humanity has the will to resist, war only brings suffering to ordinary people.”
“I want to join the Heavenly Blade! Teacher, please teach me the Stardust Method right now—no, teach me everything you’re allowed to. And please, give me one of the slots in the Heavenly Blade selection!” Li Chuan said solemnly.
But Shi Kuan gently patted his head and said, “The Heavenly Blade selection allows for death. With your small frame, you’d just die pointlessly. I won’t give you a slot. Sheng Xin of the Water Sector and Mu Ge of the Sky Sector are already set to receive my two nominations. They’ve been trained for years.”
Li Chuan clenched his fists and said, “Teacher, at least assess my potential first before deciding. Can you do that?”
Shi Kuan glanced at his pale, untrained fist and sneered. “Fine, fine. If you insist on proving yourself, I’ll give you a chanc—”
Before he could finish saying the word “chance,” Li Chuan threw a punch and sent him flying over ten meters, slamming hard against the wall of the training hall.
Li Chuan stood with his fist clenched, coldly asking, “Teacher, does this level of physical ability qualify me for the Heavenly Blade?”
