Zhang Yu followed Shi Huaiyu and a few others into the competition arena, where a vast square appeared before them.

The competition was divided into two parts: Architecture and Civil Engineering, each held in a different venue. Zhang Yu, of course, had arrived at the Civil Engineering arena.

Civil Engineering students from various years had gathered here, standing in small groups, waiting for the competition to officially begin.

Almost no one participating in this competition was poor; they were all academic achievers and elites from different years.

Rankings, such as top 50, top 30, and top 10 within the entire department, shimmered in the air.

Various colorful Arcane Constructs were flashing under the lights.

The sheer number of Foundation Establishment Domains, if not deliberately overlooked, would constantly flicker into view, overwhelming one’s field of vision.

There were also various projections from the spirit realm: some calling teams to gather, some engaged in combat, some just playing around, and some creating special effects for themselves. It all made Zhang Yu feel dizzy.

This was Zhang Yu’s first time seeing so many Civil Engineering elites gathered in one place.

He couldn’t help but exclaim, “There are really a lot of people participating in the competition!”

Shi Huaiyu replied, “Of course, it boosts overall scores.”

“The higher your ranking in the competition, the more overall points you earn, which significantly impacts your position.”

“Ordinary students might not consider these factors, but top students from every year are bound to participate.”

At this point, Shi Huaiyu sighed, “The top students and outstanding students from years 8, 9, and 10 combined can form six or seven teams, almost monopolizing the top rankings.”

Zhang Yu nodded slightly. Not all high-year students possessed overwhelming strength; after all, even Che Yufei was a seventh-year student.

Shi Huaiyu continued, “With top students from years 4, 5, 6, and 7 leading the way and recruiting members from various places, another five or six teams can be formed to compete for the top ten spots.”

“We cannot defeat the teams from the higher years.”

“Our opponents are those mid-year teams; we need to snatch a spot in the top 10 from them.”

Shi Huaiyu’s tone grew serious at this point: “And this year’s competition will likely be even fiercer.”

The others nodded slightly. As Civil Engineering students, they had gradually felt an increasing sense of opposition in recent months, as the conflict between the War Faction and the Peace Faction was slowly becoming public.

This competition had clearly become the most suitable arena for the two factions to contend.

Shi Huaiyu noticed staff members beginning to livestream around the arena. She thought to herself, “It seems the performance in this year’s Civil Engineering competition will directly impact the standing of both factions, affect the stock prices of the companies behind them, and even influence the future choices of the neutral faction.”

“After all… if our War Faction can secure more spots in the top three and top ten, we will undoubtedly generate greater influence, thereby gaining more support from the neutral faction within the Civil Engineering department and gaining the upper hand in the future.”

“The same applies to the Peace Faction.”

Looking at the elite students in the square, and seeing the department-wide rankings above each of their heads, Che Yufei, Shi Yunxiang, Tian Yang, Xiao Qingxuan, and others all felt a heavy pressure.

Just then, Shi Huaiyu’s steps gradually halted. Looking at the figure before her, she said, “Su Yan Yang…”

The young man, whom Shi Huaiyu called Su Yan Yang, smiled slightly. Flames seemed to constantly burn in his pupils, and a cluster of luminous flames pulsated on his chest, like a beating heart.

Su Yan Yang looked at Shi Huaiyu and said, “I didn’t expect you, Huaiyu, to still be competing.”

“But with such a motley and unpromising group…”

Su Yan Yang’s gaze swept over Che Yufei, Shi Yunxiang, Zhang Yu, and the others, lingering slightly on Xiao Qingxuan before he subtly took a few steps back. Only then did he continue, “Your chances of getting a good ranking like this aren’t high.”

“Without these overall points, if you don’t get first in your class, will you really be okay?”

“For old times’ sake, I can give you another chance. Pay spiritual currency to rejoin the team as a substitute, earn some overall points, and maybe you’ll still have a chance to snatch first place in your class.”

Shi Huaiyu pursed her lips and said coldly, “Don’t bother worrying about me. You should worry more about yourself. When you lose the lawsuit, don’t forget to pay up.”

Su Yan Yang shook his head, sighing, “On the path of cultivation, acting impulsively is most regrettable. That’s why you failed at stock trading back then.”

“And now, your team formation for the competition is still so irrational.”

“I predict you’ll go bankrupt again in the future…”

Watching Su Yan Yang walk away, Che Yufei asked curiously, “Was he on your previous competition team?”

Shi Huaiyu said resentfully, “That guy damaged my kidney and refused to pay compensation.”

“However…” Shi Huaiyu exhaled, “It’s best not to encounter him before reaching the top 10. That guy is still very strong.”

Zhang Yu’s gaze swept over the top of Su Yan Yang’s head, where the ranking of 29th in the entire department was displayed. This was clearly much higher than Shi Huaiyu’s 38th.

With all the contestants present, the Civil Engineering competition officially began.

A handsome man, appearing youthful, stood on the stage and addressed the many students below: “It’s time once again for the annual Civil Engineering competition…”

Looking at the youthful-looking man, Zhang Yu focused on the title appearing above his head and thought, “The Head of the Civil Engineering Department… True Monarch Lingyue?”

Zhang Yu had heard Tu Lishan mention this old head, knowing that he was the true leader of the Civil Engineering Department.

However, he had also heard Tu Lishan say that the man’s lifespan was nearing its end, and he was close to dying of old age.

Yet, True Monarch Lingyue on stage now appeared vibrantly youthful. How could he be dying of old age?

Meanwhile, True Monarch Lingyue on stage announced, “To adapt to the changes of the new era, the university has decided to increase the stakes for this Civil Engineering competition by adding more prizes.”

“The top seven teams in this competition will each receive two spots, with each spot granting a ‘Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes’ cultivation method. The allocation of these spots will be decided internally by each team.”

Upon hearing this, the students below were slightly stunned, and then immediately began to murmur among themselves.

Zhang Yu exclaimed in surprise, “Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes? Two people chosen from each of the top 7 teams means 14 people will be granted the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes?”

He thought to himself, “Compared to the original rule where only the first-place student in each class annually could be granted one of the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes, this is a significant loosening of restrictions.”

Soon, Zhang Yu realized that many others present were thinking the same thing.

“If they do this every year from now on, wouldn’t many people master the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes, or even the Minor Triad?”

“Even the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power might be mastered by a few more people.”

Fu Ji commented, “The cultivation methods, which were previously restricted, are now suddenly being opened up. Is this perhaps preparation for a potential university war? Heh heh, this is an opportunity granted by the times, allowing you to cultivate the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes more easily than previous students.”

“War truly is a ladder to progress. It hasn’t even truly begun, and yet it’s already providing you with more opportunities.”

Zhang Yu said, “So, does this mean the War Faction has gained the upper hand in the Civil Engineering department?”

Fu Ji replied, “Not necessarily. The Peace Faction merely doesn’t wish for the Ten Great Universities to descend into open conflict; it doesn’t mean they don’t desire to wield stronger power.”

“In fact, if you consider the Civil Engineering department’s own desires, I believe both the pro-war and pro-peace factions would want to make the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes available to more students. Only by doing so can they earn more.”

“Every department in the university is like this; they inherently want to continually expand, gain more resources, more students, and more powerful individuals.”

“Therefore, the past restriction and current loosening of the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes—this policy change—should stem from a higher authority’s will, rather than being solely decided by the Civil Engineering department itself.”

“Perhaps it’s the School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, which oversees the Civil Engineering department? Or the leadership of Ten Thousand Laws University? Or even the influence of the Ten Thousand Laws Sect?”

“In any case, the reason for this sudden change… we’re currently too low-ranked and lack information channels, so there’s no need to delve too deeply.”

“But the inevitable result will be an even fiercer Civil Engineering competition. I see many people here already preparing to take out loans and order magical artifacts and Arcane Constructs for express delivery.”

Zhang Yu understood. Regardless of whether one advocated for war or peace, they would certainly want their students to include more individuals who had mastered the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes, or even the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power.

A moment later, the first round of eliminations began.

The square before them shifted, and various distorted, fluctuating gravity fields appeared.

Gravity fields, constantly changing in direction and magnitude, formed layer upon layer of obstacles.

The content of the elimination round was simple: all students had to cross a thousand-meter-wide complex gravity field, and their completion times would be recorded.

The times taken by the members of each competition team would be added together to get the total time for that team.

Based on each team’s total time, the top 20 teams with the best scores would remain to continue to the next round, the 20-to-10 competition, while all other teams would be eliminated.

True Monarch Lingyue said calmly, “For the Finance Department, the more money one has, the better one can cultivate. For our Civil Engineering department… the stronger one’s physical body, the better one can cultivate.”

“This first elimination round is designed to filter out all students whose physical cultivation is lagging.”

As the first elimination round began, students charged into the gravity field, racing towards the finish line a thousand meters away.

However, students who were incredibly fast just moments before, stirring up sounds of wind and thunder, experienced a sudden drop in speed and began to stagger once they entered the gravity field.

As a group of students struggled through the gravity field, Zhang Yu felt a slight change in the surrounding gravity.

The next moment, several figures moved like streaks of black lightning, crossing the gravity field in an instant.

Zhang Yu’s eyes widened: “It’s Mo Shangjin.”

He remembered this senior, who had mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, very clearly.

Mo Shangjin activated the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power and, in almost an instant, crossed the thousand-meter gravity field with five teammates.

“So strong.”

Just as Zhang Yu was marveling, the sensation of slight gravity change returned, and several more figures passed through the gravity field with a crackling air blast.

“Is that another tenth-year student who has mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power?”

Zhang Yu, witnessing this, was slightly taken aback: “So he and Mo Shangjin aren’t on the same team?”

Fu Ji chuckled, “Most likely, one belongs to the War Faction and the other to the Peace Faction. It’s internal strife; they’d rather weaken their own team than cooperate with the other side.”

Zhang Yu shook his head. Mo Shangjin’s team and that of the tenth-year student were too far away for him to worry about. What he needed to do now was find a way to quickly pass through the gravity field.