The promotion tournament has entered its final two days.
Currently, the top five in the promotion tournament's point rankings are as follows.
First place, as everyone expected, Heart of Fire Academy, twelve matches, twelve consecutive wins! Their minor match points also set a new record in the promotion tournament! A commanding lead!
Second place, Tianshui Academy, twelve matches, eleven wins; the captain of Tianshui Academy, Shui Binger, also performed excellently.
Third place, Divine Wind Academy, twelve matches, ten wins; Feng Xiaotian of Divine Wind Academy also performed outstandingly, but for some reason this academy falters when facing Heart of Fire Academy and Blazing Academy.
Fourth place, Blazing Academy, twelve matches, ten wins.
Fifth place goes to Plant Academy. Plant Academy has risen unexpectedly, though the exact reason is unclear. Since their matches against Heart of Fire Academy, the students seem to have awakened; their overall strength has jumped a level. As long as they don't face particularly strong fire‑type teams, they perform well. Their record: twelve matches, nine wins.
After Liu Erlong put on the Jingang Zhengxin Circle, she stayed by Ning Rongrong's side as the Liuli Guardian. Over the past few days, she hasn't done anything out of line, but she often faces pointing fingers and gossip from students and teachers of other academies.
Liu Erlong has a belly full of frustration, yet she dares not vent it.
She doesn't know what she's living like now.
She dares not think about Yu Xiaogang, because it would make her head ache as if it were exploding.
She also dares not stir up trouble or lose her temper, for that might scorch all the effort she put into joining Heart of Fire Academy.
The promotion tournament continues in an orderly fashion, as if the pain only befalls those connected to Yu Xiaogang, while other academies are barely affected.
No, the impact on other academies is significant, especially for the four major Elemental Academies, now missing a formidable rival.
On the tournament field, Liu Erlong stared absentmindedly at Xin's back. Though she hadn't spoken much with that Heart of Fire Teacher these past days, she has been closely watching him.
She discovered that this Heart of Fire master isn't as Xiaogang described. In Yu Xiaogang's words, Xin is a stubborn, arrogant troublemaker who leans on his teaching skill and Cultivation Technique to act as if no one matters.
In reality, Xin rarely interacts with outsiders, appearing like a detached, pristine hermit; only when a few academy students cling to him does his mood show any ripple.
Liu Erlong now harbors some doubts:
How could such a serene, indifferent person make such a vicious bet with Xiaogang?
Is Xin a wolf in sheep's clothing?
Or... whose fault is this really?
'Our Tianshui Academy concedes this match.'
'Congratulations early to Teacher Xin's team for becoming first in the promotion tournament.'
In the preparation area, before the Heart of Fire Academy vs. Tianshui Academy match even began, Shui Binger had already arrived here, gently winking at Teacher Xin, and surrendered outright.
Xin said calmly:
'Your Tianshui Academy ranks among the top among the fifteen teams; don't you feel regret surrendering like this?'
'Regret? We'd only regret if we fought and lost. Our Tianshui Academy doesn't want to be mentally broken like Thunder Academy.'
'Teacher Xin, your team is too strong; I just hope to meet you later in the finals, otherwise we won't even make the top eight, which would be terrible.'
Shui Binger, with a tone of a disciple pleading to a master, had already arranged with Teacher Xin after the matches to become his disciple. After several rounds and witnessing Heart of Fire Academy's stunning performance, it's no exaggeration to say she now regards Xin as her teacher.
Shui Yueer followed Shui Binger over, playfully saying:
'If we meet in the finals, Teacher Xin, could you let your students ease up? Don't let us lose disgracefully! Especially Dugu Yan, please don't poison us; I don't want my skin to rot like the Thunder Academy students—so ugly!'
When Shui Yueer thought of Dugu Yan single‑handedly poisoning several Thunder Academy teammates into toad‑like rags, a chill ran down her spine.
Tianshui Academy wouldn't refuse to face Heart of Fire Academy just because they're strong, but against Dugu Yan's lethal poison, Tianshui students can hardly endure it.
When a person isn't beautiful, it's even more painful than being weak.