Zeng Quan’s voice was seething, but there was nothing he could do. The battle was lost.

’Dammit. It’s all Zheng Zhuhe’s fault for running his mouth.’

As Zeng Quan made the announcement, the field instantly fell silent.

Luo Wendeng and the others reluctantly reined in their warhorses, while the students from the University Institutes collapsed to the ground one by one...

Those who had suffered bone-piercing wounds were still wailing on the ground.

Then, a number of deans and other officials rushed into Battle Valley, clearly there to retrieve their injured students. But as they landed, every one of them glared at Lu Chao and his companions, their murderous intent almost piercing the clouds.

If this were any other occasion, they would have torn the people from Dragon Flame Academy limb from limb.

The next moment... SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Sun Shijin and his men swooped down as well, moving to protect Lu Chao and the others.

On a stone cliff nearby...

Senior Sister Sky Cliff murmured, "After this battle, there will be no resurrection match for the third round. And for the twenty Outer Courtyard spots, besides Dragon Flame Academy, there are no other academies from the Seven Great Flame Countries left in the competition."

The twenty University Institutes, including Zhongyue Academy, had all been either killed or grievously wounded in this battle. Unless the third round and its resurrection match were postponed for more than half a month, those twenty University Institutes were completely out of the running.

Hearing this, the people from the various Small Institutes nearby broke into brilliant smiles. Their chances were now huge.

But when they looked at Lu Chao, their expressions were complicated.

From beginning to end, except for when Dongfang Ren appeared, they had barely helped Lu Chao in the slightest. Yet, they were now indebted to him, having gained the opportunity to compete for a full twenty Outer Courtyard spots.

At this very moment, the hatred they held for the Azure Flame Sect for sowing chaos in the Hundred Countries all but vanished from the hearts of everyone from the Small Institutes.

"That Fake Lu Chao... he’s truly incredible."

A student from some unknown Small Institute exclaimed in sincere admiration.

In an instant, many from the Small Institutes recalled Lu Chao’s battle in the second round. He wasn’t just fighting the thousand-plus students from the University Institutes; he was fighting the entire upper echelon of Beast Flame, and even Zheng Zhuhe and Wu Yiyi from the Inner Courtyard.

But a dissenting voice still emerged. "What are you hyping him up for? If it weren’t for Marquis Longyin and Dongfang Ren, he would have been finished long ago."

This came from someone from a Small Institute who had already been eliminated in the second round.

But Senior Sister Sky Cliff and the others immediately retorted, "If someone hadn’t framed Dragon Flame’s Lu Chao for using poison gas to scare the warhorses, would Marquis Longyin and Dongfang Ren have even needed to step in? The battle would have been over long ago."

A flood of retorts drowned out the dissenting voice.

The dissenter still said hatefully, "The Fake Lu Chao is fake, after all. Scaring away the warhorses was just him riding on the coattails of the real Lu Chao. It has nothing to do with his own combat power or achievements."

"He sent Zheng Zhuhe flying with a single exploding arrow, what do you say to that?" someone immediately shot back.

The person sneered, still insistent. "Sent him flying? All he did was attack a woman. What kind of skill is that?"

"Damn it! A thousand people were surrounding ten! What more do you want from Dragon Flame’s Lu Chao?" another Small Institute student shot back.

That person laughed slyly. "If he’s so great, let his ten people fight a thousand in a head-on cavalry battle."

The crowd was dumbfounded with anger and immediately erupted in another volley of curses.

Finally, Senior Sister Sky Cliff said, "Ignore this kind of person. He’s just a bootlicker for the so-called University Institutes. Even if Dragon Flame’s Lu Chao won a head-on cavalry battle, they’d still find a reason to say he’s no good."

"For people like this..."

As Senior Sister Sky Cliff spoke, she suddenly flashed over... SMACK!

She slapped him across the face, then said coldly, "For a big mouth like that, a slap is the only answer."

Seeing this, the crowd rushed forward and started beating him. In an instant, the Small Institutes’ viewing cliff descended into chaos. Order Enforcement Team Members hurried over to maintain order and asked what had happened.

The one being beaten immediately wailed that he was just stating a fact—that the Fake Lu Chao was no good.

SMACK...

After listening, an Order Enforcement Team Member slapped him unconscious and then said, "Order has been restored."

「While chaos erupted among the Small Institutes...」

Battle Valley was now empty. Everyone, including Lu Chao and his group, had returned to their original positions.

Dragon Flame Academy versus Zhongyue Academy had been the sixteenth match. The second round was supposed to continue, but even Zeng Quan had no interest in carrying on. He casually tossed the responsibility to Li Wumian to preside over the rest before turning and leaving.

Normally, it wouldn’t have been Li Wumian’s turn, but Dean Tiger Institute and the other five deans of the Inner Courtyard had also left.

They were going to discuss their next move.

This time, it wasn’t just about the Fake Lu Chao issue; it was also about the complete annihilation of twenty University Institutes.

More importantly, Dongfang Ren had interfered in the affairs of Beast Flame, and Marquis Longyin had even invoked the Dragon Flame King to oppose them.

For Zeng Quan and the others, things were not going smoothly at all.

A short time later, the second round ended. Thirty qualifiers were determined and would advance to the third round.

However, Li Wumian announced that the time for the third round was yet to be determined, causing the previously excited Small Institutes’ spirits to sink slightly.

’Don’t tell me they’re really going to drag it out for ten days or even half a month?’

With no other choice, everyone could only return to their temporary residences to rest.

「At the temporary courtyard where Dragon Flame Academy was staying...」

They entered one by one, elated. Joined by Wu Caicai and Uncle Leng, who had just managed to arrive... everyone was talking about the previous battle, still ecstatic.

"Haha, that piece of trash Yan Jun is finally dead! I killed him with my own hands."

Luo Wendeng said, a hint of madness in his voice. Only after their victory did he finally have the chance to vent the humiliation he had suffered since childhood.

"Dammit, the look on Zeng Quan’s face was priceless."

"That’s right, we slapped them right in the face! They targeted us, tried to crush us, so we crushed them right back!"

Suddenly, their mood shifted to one of sorrowful indignation. Yu Xiaoping, for instance, was on the verge of tears. Even though they had won, the feeling of being oppressed had been too painful.

’And there will definitely be more dirty tricks in the third round.’

Gradually, Wu Caicai’s excitement faded. Uncle Leng quietly came to her side.

"Miss, the patriarch will surely be furious..."

"And Hero Lu shot Wu Yiyi with an arrow right there. With how much the second master and the others dote on Wu Yiyi, they’re probably going to lose their minds."

"If they can’t deal with Hero Lu, I’m afraid the second master will take his anger out on you."

Uncle Leng’s voice was filled with worry...

But Wu Caicai just smiled and said, "Now is the time to celebrate. Let’s not talk about this for now."

On the other side, Sun Shijin quietly called Lu Chao out, and the two spoke softly in the courtyard...

"This isn’t over. Zeng Quan, the Saint Bone Zheng Family, the six Inner Courtyard deans, the twenty University Institutes... none of them will let this go. They’ll only come at us even more fiercely."

At this point, Sun Shijin said, "The young Jiangs told me... you don’t want to accept Dongfang Ren as your master?"

His eyes were filled with confusion. The Jiang Family Siblings had told him this, and in his heart, Sun Shijin hoped Lu Chao would become his disciple.

’With Dongfang Ren’s backing, things would be so much smoother.’

Lu Chao smiled and replied, "Elder Sun, have you forgotten? I’m the same as you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Sun Shijin froze for a moment before his eyes widened in understanding. He and Lu Chao both possessed the Life-taking Bone.

Thinking of this, Sun Shijin’s eyes turned red as he cursed, "Those bastards!"