The morning sun over the Jia Nan Academy was partially obscured by a thick, mystical mist that rolled down from the mountains. In the center of the campus, thousands of students had gathered. The air was thick with the scent of high-grade medicinal pills and the vibrating hum of various Dou Qi attributes.
"The Inner Academy Selection begins today!" the booming voice of Vice-Principal Hu Gan echoed across the plaza. He was a high-level Dou Huang, and even his casual speech made the air tremble. "The rules are simple: Enter the 'Forest of Trials.' Collect five 'Competition Badges' from other students or high-tier magical beasts. The first fifty to reach the inner gate survive. The rest... try again next year."
Xiao Yan tightened the straps of the Heavy Xuan Ruler on his back. "Chen, the forest is massive. Groups will form instantly. We need to move fast."
Chen adjusted the cuffs of his new, clean academy robes. His 8x Soul Perception was already radiating outward, mapping the heartbeats of every competitor within a three-mile radius.
"Let them form groups, Yan-er," Chen said, his voice calm. "A hundred sheep are still just sheep when a wolf enters the pen. We don't need to hunt; we just need to wait at the entrance. The badges will come to us."
The Forest of Trials: The Hunter's Game
As they entered the dense, ancient woods, the "Peaceful Zone" was officially left behind. Within minutes, the sounds of battle erupted—the clashing of steel and the explosions of elemental Dou Qi.
Chen and Yan moved with a practiced rhythm. While Yan used his physical agility to navigate the canopy, Chen used his 8x Neural Processing to calculate the most efficient path.
"Stop," Chen whispered, holding up a hand.
From the thick brush ahead, six students emerged. They weren't the bumbling seniors from the dorms; these were the top-tier disciples of the Outer Academy, led by a man named Lu Mu, a 9-Star Dou Shi who specialized in Wood-attribute poisons.
"Xiao Yan, Xiao Chen," Lu Mu sneered, his hands glowing with a sickly green light. "You two have quite the reputation. A twelve-year-old monster and a fallen genius. Hand over your badges now, and we won't break your legs. We need your spots for our group."
Xiao Yan smiled, a competitive fire in his eyes. "Master, it seems we've been found."
"Heh, let the boy handle the small fry," Yao Lao's voice echoed in Yan's mind. "You need to save your strength for the Inner Academy's 'Fire Energy Hunting Competition'."
Chen stepped forward, his hands tucked into his sleeves. "Six of you? That's exactly the number of badges I need to reach the quota for me and my cousin. How convenient."
The 8x Absolute Dominance
Lu Mu didn't waste time with words. "Formation! [Skill: Tangling Thorn Cage]!"
The six students slammed their hands into the ground. Hundreds of thick, iron-hard vines erupted from the earth, weaving together to create a dome around Chen and Yan. The thorns were coated in a paralyzing toxin that could drop a 5-Star Dou Shi in seconds.
"Brother Chen, watch out! These vines are reinforced with their combined Qi!" Yan shouted, preparing to swing his ruler.
"No need, Yan-er," Chen said.
He didn't move. He didn't use a Dou Skill. He simply closed his eyes and triggered a pulse of his Green Wood Flame Heart—but he focused it purely on the "Wood" aspect.
With his 8x Multiplier, Chen's affinity for the Wood element was so high that he didn't just control his own Qi; he could "command" the plant life around him.
"Submit," Chen whispered.
The charging vines froze mid-air. The green glow of Lu Mu's Qi was suddenly overwhelmed by a vibrant, emerald radiance emanating from Chen. The vines didn't just stop; they turned around, their thorns pointing back at their creators.
"What?! My control is gone!" Lu Mu screamed, his face turning pale. "The forest... the forest is listening to him!"
"Your wood is weak," Chen said, his golden-slit pupils flashing. "Let me show you the difference between a shrub and a primordial forest."
Chen flicked his finger. The vines lashed out with supersonic speed, binding the six students and hoisting them into the air. Before they could even scream, Chen's 8x Soul Pressure hit them like a physical hammer, knocking them unconscious instantly.
He walked over, picked six badges from their belts, and tossed three to Xiao Yan. "Three minutes. We're slightly behind schedule."
The Eruption of the Hidden Flame
As they reached the heart of the forest, the temperature began to rise unnaturally. It wasn't the heat of the sun; it was a dry, internal heat that made the blood feel thick.
Thump.
A vibration traveled through the earth—a heavy, subterranean pulse.
"Did you feel that?" Yan asked, his expression turning grim.
Chen looked toward the distant peak where the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower sat. His 8x Soul Perception saw a massive plume of invisible, distorted energy erupting from the ground.
[Warning: Proximity Alert]
Event: Sub-eruption of the Falling Heart Flame.
Energy Wave: Approaching in 3... 2... 1...
"Yan-er, guard your Dantian! Seal your pores!" Chen barked.
A wave of "Invisible Flame" swept through the forest. It didn't burn the trees or the grass; it passed through physical matter like a ghost. But for the students, it was a catastrophe.
Dozens of students in the distance began to scream as their own Dou Qi ignited within their bodies. This was the "Heart Flame"—a fire that fed on the desires and the energy of the cultivator.
Xiao Yan grunted, his face turning red as he struggled to suppress the fire in his heart. But Chen... Chen stood perfectly still.
The Invisible Flame hit him, but instead of burning him, it was sucked into his pores as if his body were a vacuum. With his 8x Foundation, his meridians were so tough that the flame couldn't find a single crack to burn. Instead, the System began to analyze the flame's frequency.
[Analysis: 12% Complete]
[Target: Falling Heart Flame]
[Note: The flame is attempting to communicate. It perceives the Host as 'Kin'.]
"Kin?" Chen thought, a cold smile touching his lips. "No. It perceives me as its future master."
The Gate of the Inner Academy
By the time the fire-wave dissipated, Chen and Yan were the first to arrive at the Inner Gate. They found the Vice-Principal and several elders standing there, their faces pale with shock.
"The seal... it's weakening," Hu Gan muttered, looking toward the tower. "We need to accelerate the selection. This year's batch needs to be moved inside before the main eruption."
He looked up and saw Chen and Yan standing there, looking completely unbothered by the Heart Flame eruption that had incapacitated half of the other students.
"You two..." Hu Gan stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Chen. "How did you resist the Heart Flame? Even the 9-Star Dou Shis are currently vomiting blood in the woods."
"I have a cold constitution, Vice-Principal," Chen lied smoothly, his witty charm masking the fact that he had just "eaten" a portion of the Heavenly Flame's essence. "And my cousin has a very heavy ruler to keep him grounded."
Hu Gan didn't believe a word of it, but he couldn't deny the results. He looked at the silver alchemist badge on Chen's chest and then at his aura.
"Xiao Chen... Xiao Yan... welcome to the Inner Academy," Hu Gan said solemnly. "But be warned. The Tower is hungry this year. Don't go deeper than your strength allows."
Chen looked past the gates toward the dark, obsidian tower in the distance. He felt the 8x multiplier in his blood vibrating, reaching for that final 16x jump.
"Deeper than my strength allows?" Chen whispered to himself. "I haven't even found the floor that can make me sweat yet