"Alright, no more idle talk. Although you have passed the selection and qualified to enter the Inner Court, that's not the end of it."
The Great Elder smiled, raising his hand, and a large handful of jet-black crystal chips were taken out from his storage ring.
He casually tossed them, and the crystal chips transformed into streaks of light, flying out. Then, as if they had eyes, all the streaks of light eventually landed in front of each person.
Of course, Zi Yan did not receive one!
"Hey, Old Su, why don't I have one?"
Zi Yan, having repeatedly experienced 'unfair' treatment, finally erupted. She stood with her hands on her hips, staring directly at the Great Elder with a 'furious' expression.
Everyone present was stunned, especially the Inner Court old students who were with the Great Elder. This was the Great Elder of the Inner Court!
Zi Yan actually dared to question him. Are the new students these days really so fierce?
However, something that made them drop their jaws quickly happened: the Great Elder did not punish Zi Yan; instead, he showed a helpless expression.
This made a few people's hearts skip a beat. Could it be that this harmless-looking little girl had an unusual identity? Or was she simply a junior of the Great Elder?
Su Qian was also helpless when it came to Zi Yan. Why on earth had he been so foolish as to bring Zi Yan back in the first place?
Over the past few years, the Outer Court's medicinal herb reserves had almost been depleted, and she would occasionally go to the Magical Beast Forest to wreak havoc on other magical beasts, causing the Magical Beast Forest to be in a state of chaos.
The Great Elder had no choice but to dispatch more personnel to monitor the Magical Beast Forest, fearing that some reckless magical beasts might charge into the academy and injure students. That would truly be a miscarriage of justice!
"Here!" Seeing Zi Yan's 'unyielding' demeanor, Su Qian threw out another green card.
Zi Yan immediately took it with a smile. The card felt cool to the touch, and a strange heat permeated from it. Zi Yan lowered her head and carefully examined the transparent surface of the crystal chip. On this surface, a large red number was printed: "Five hundred!"
Zi Yan was a little puzzled. Her card was clearly different from everyone else's. She raised her hand and grabbed the card in Jiang Yun's hand, only to see that it was a black card with the number five written on it.
"Alright, we'll study the cards later. For now, you need to enter the forest and successfully reach the Inner Court at the end of the forest."
Seeing Zi Yan's confusion, Su Qian did not intend to explain but slowly spoke, pointing his hand at a group of young people nearby, "As you pass through this forest, be careful of them snatching your crystal chips according to the Inner Court's rules. In this forest, they can attack freely, which means they are your last obstacle to entering the Inner Court."
"Don't take it lightly. The cards in your hands, once you enter the Inner Court, you will understand their importance to you! So, in this final stage, fully display your strength!"
After speaking, Su Qian's gaze landed on Jiang Yun. Jiang Yun's eyes flickered; he knew that Su Qian was speaking to him.
Among the old students this time, although only two Dou Ling (Battle Spirit) had come, both of them were five-star Dou Ling (Battle Spirit), having already entered the middle stage of the Dou Ling (Battle Spirit) phase. They were powerful individuals on the Inner Court's Strong Ranking, and it was clear that this was prepared for him.
However, these few were still not enough!
"Now, I announce that this year's 'Fire Energy Capture Competition' officially begins! Students, start your escape!"
As Su Qian finished explaining the Inner Court's traditional team-building activity, the Fire Energy Capture Competition, the competition also began.
Upon hearing the Great Elder announce the start of the 'Fire Energy Capture Competition,' the old students standing behind the Elder let out excited strange laughs. Many of the more ill-natured ones even made provocative gestures towards Jiang Yun and the others, and many new students glared back at them.
"We'll be waiting for you in the forest!" A voice from among the old students said at this moment. The owner of the voice held considerable authority among the old students. After he finished speaking, he turned and headed for the forest, and the rest of the old students followed closely behind, departing one after another.
Seeing this, the new students made arrangements with familiar people around them and walked towards the forest in groups of three to five.
"You and the Great Elder wait for me at the end!" Jiang Yun said with a smile, letting go of Zi Yan's hand. A flash of light, and the card in his hand was put into his storage ring.
"Zi Yan."
After watching Jiang Yun enter the forest, Su Qian then spoke to Zi Yan. Unfortunately, Zi Yan completely ignored him, snorted coldly, unfurled her purple Dou Qi (Battle Qi) wings behind her, and transformed into a streak of light, heading towards the other end of the forest.
"This, this…"
"Great Elder, she, she is a Dou Wang (Battle King)?"
Zi Yan's Dou Qi (Battle Qi) transformation into wings immediately stunned the Elders present. Their eyes widened, looking like they had seen a ghost as they watched Zi Yan's departing back, those flapping purple wings so dazzling.
At this moment, they all somewhat doubted life. A Dou Wang (Battle King)? A new student?
"You won't be surprised once you get used to it!" The Great Elder's previously gloomy mood vanished at this moment, and he said with a hint of self-satisfaction. Although Zi Yan was quite annoying, he had picked her up after all. After a few years of living together, a deep friendship had long been forged. Otherwise, how could Zi Yan be so 'willful'?
"No wonder Great Elder, you prohibited Zi Yan from participating in the Fire Energy Capture Competition!" Elder Qing of the Inner Court said with a wry smile upon hearing this, shaking his head.
"Those little brats in the Inner Court are probably in for a tough time!" Suddenly, a mischievous gleam flashed in Elder Qing's eyes, and he said with ill intent.
As his voice faded, the figures of the few people also disappeared, and the forest returned to a state of silence.
"Bang!"
Jiang Yun struck down with his palm, and a white flame palm print appeared, sending two figures flying directly.
These were two seven-star Dou Grandmasters. If they had faced other new student teams, it would have been a different outcome. Unfortunately, they encountered Jiang Yun. Jiang Yun merely made a slight move, and they were defeated.
"Will you take it yourselves, or should I do it personally!" Jiang Yun's palm condensed flames, and immediately, a flaming longsword appeared, resting beside the two men's heads. The white flames on the sword body emitted a scorching aura.
The two had no doubt that if that sword fell, they would definitely be out of commission for ten days to half a month.
"Cough, cough, brother, can you leave us some?" The two old students looked at Jiang Yun in horror, tremblingly taking out a blue fire crystal card, their faces fawning.
"I'll leave you five days as a minimum."
Jiang Yun's gaze swept over them. After leaving the two old students five days of basic fire energy, he confiscated all the rest. This wave, he profited a net fifty-five days of fire energy.
He had gone straight to the end of the forest, already encountering several waves of interception. The fire energy in his fire crystal card had already exceeded two hundred days, a small fortune.
At this moment, here, he was probably the richest person besides Zi Yan.
"If the two of you are unconvinced, feel free to find helpers and come again!"
Tossing their fire crystal cards back, Jiang Yun continued unhurriedly towards the finish line, and in a short while, he disappeared.
"Damn it, why are there so many ruthless people among the new students this year?!"
"Yeah, first there's the little girl who dared to yell at the Great Elder, and now this freak. Are the new students these days really that strong?"
"What exactly is his strength? The two of us had no power to resist against him!"
The two old students exchanged words, looking at each other, on the verge of tears. The strength Jiang Yun displayed was truly terrifying. They suspected that even those on the Inner Court's Strong Ranking would be no match.
They had initially thought that this year's Fire Energy Capture Competition would bring a flock of sheep, but it turned out there was a genuine fierce tiger hidden among them.
"No, I can't be the only one to suffer this loss." One of the old students, who felt increasingly uneasy the more he thought about it, said with a somewhat sinister expression.
"You mean…"
"Exactly. We'll immediately spread the news that this kid has a large amount of fire energy. If that new student wins, once he enters the Inner Court, he'll be a fat sheep in the eyes of all factions, and naturally, someone will trouble him. If he loses, it'll just let him know that the Inner Court is not a place for him to act presumptuously."
After speaking, the old student's eyes were full of venom, making his companion shiver slightly.
"Alright, we'll do as you say." Although he felt it was a bit improper to target a new student with such a method, looking at the glaring 'five' on the fire energy card, he still gritted his teeth and said.
After the two reached an agreement, the news of Jiang Yun possessing a large amount of fire energy quickly spread among the Inner Court's old students.
"Have you heard? A formidable character emerged in this year's Fire Energy Capture Competition, single-handedly defeating a team of old students and snatching their fire energy."
"Hmph—, a genius?"
"In the Inner Court, 'genius' is the most useless title. In the Inner Court, can he really turn the sky upside down alone? It must be that those useless guys were incompetent, which is why they were robbed. It truly disgraces our Inner Court."
"Indeed, even if he is a genius, once he enters the Inner Court, he must abide by its rules."
"Let's go, we'll go measure the weight of this Outer Court's number one genius."
Afterwards, Jiang Yun encountered many old students who had come upon hearing the news.
The old students who first saw Jiang Yun all looked excited, their eyes burning as they gazed at him, as if seeing a large fat sheep, ready to transform into a hungry wolf and pounce at any moment.
Unfortunately, they encountered Jiang Yun. Whether they were eight-star Dou Grandmaster or nine-star Dou Grandmaster, Jiang Yun easily dealt with them.
Afterwards, these old students all looked utterly dejected, staring at their black cards with only 'five' days of fire energy left, shedding 'emotional' tears.
"I've already collected six hundred seventy-one days of fire energy. It's time to go see the final Black Demon and White Demon teams."
Jiang Yun looked at the number on the black card in his palm and calmly headed towards his ultimate destination.
"Zhao Ji and his team also lost, defeated by that Outer Court's number one genius, Jiang Yun, in just three moves."
In another corner of the forest, ten people sat together discussing Jiang Yun's battle record. The two leaders had powerful auras, clearly different from the others.
"What—?"
"Three moves? Zhao Ji has already stepped halfway into Dou Ling (Battle Spirit). Even he was easily defeated. Could that kid already be stronger than Brother Sun?"
One of them said in shock, and after speaking, he couldn't help but glance at the man sitting in the distance.
He had a handsome appearance, dressed in white robes, with a perpetual smile, making him extremely likable. He was calm and composed, possessing an air that inspired trust.
"Hmph—, hearing is not believing. I don't believe any new student can reach such a level."
At this moment, another person said with extreme impatience. He was extremely robust, holding a large black sword, his thick eyebrows raised like swords. His resolute face, which commanded respect without anger, carried a sharp and domineering aura.
"Indeed, I remember that we, back then, merely defeated a few teams and then quickly left, passing the barrier by avoiding the Black Demon and White Demon. It seems that kid intends to charge straight at us; he truly doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth."
Another sneer came from the crowd. The words spoken caused a slight discontent among everyone. No one likes to be treated as a soft target, let alone Inner Court old students who prided themselves on being superior to the Outer Court.
"I truly do not know how high the sky is or how thick the earth is. Perhaps Elder Brother can enlighten me!"
A calm voice came, making everyone present vigilant. Some even broke out in a cold sweat. Not a single person among them had detected anyone approaching just now.
At this moment, the vigilance in everyone's hearts had risen to the extreme. Those who had previously claimed not to care now dared not be careless in the slightest. This one move alone was enough to indicate that the newcomer was not simple.
Under their gazes, a somewhat slender figure slowly emerged from the dense forest.
Upon seeing Jiang Yun, even though they already knew about him, seeing Jiang Yun with their own eyes still made them gasp, their hearts filled with shock.
He was simply too young! At their age, they were still hovering around Dou Qi and Dou Zhe! Yet, he could already make them focus and be on guard.
This child was terrifyingly powerful!
"I truly didn't expect such a person to emerge in this batch!"
The faces of the Black Demon and White Demon teams' members were somewhat grim. No one wanted to offend such a talented individual with boundless potential. Who knew what his temper was like? With his talent, once he entered the Inner Court, it wouldn't be long before all of them would be left behind, and then their lives would not be easy.
"The show is finally about to begin!" At the forest exit in the distance, a few old men were all beaming as they discussed. It was simply that Jiang Yun's previous moves had been too overwhelming, making Su Qian even suspect that someone was throwing the match.
Now, they should be able to gauge Jiang Yun's depth, right?
"You are the final obstacle, aren't you!" Jiang Yun's gaze calmly swept over them, and that soul-piercing stare made the old students feel a surge of pressure.
"White Demon Squad Captain, Sun Hai!"
"Black Demon Squad Captain, Wu Qiu!"
The two captains of the Black Demon and White Demon teams each announced their identities. Their gazes had not left Jiang Yun since he appeared. Jiang Yun's aura was almost imperceptible, like a deep abyss, unfathomable, making them feel a hint of pressure.
"Jiang Yun!" Jiang Yun announced his name. The next moment, a long roar sounded, "Let's begin!"
"Fire Cloud Hand!" Jiang Yun stepped forward, his powerful aura gradually and fully unleashed. The fire attribute energy in the air suddenly surged, condensing into a giant flaming hand that swept towards the Black Demon and White Demon teams.
At this moment, his strength was truly displayed before everyone's eyes for the first time.
"Is that an eight-star Dou Grandmaster?"
"Earth-rank Dou Technique?"
Someone exclaimed, filled with intense disbelief. Jiang Yun's strength completely exceeded their expectations. They had thought Jiang Yun was a Dou Ling (Battle Spirit), but they hadn't expected him to be just an eight-star Dou Grandmaster.
Moreover, was this an Earth-rank Dou Technique?