On the third day of the Fire Energy Hunting Competition, Xiao Yan and the other new students had fully recovered from their injuries and replenished their Dou Qi.
"It'd be great if Senior Xiao Tian were here. I wonder where he is right now."
"Senior Xiao Tian took down the Black Fiends Team all by himself — his strength is terrifying. If he were with us, our chances of winning would definitely be much higher."
A few of the new students Xiao Tian had saved wore expressions of anticipation and reverence. Even those he hadn't personally rescued had come to acknowledge him, thanks to his achievements in both the tryouts and the hunting competition.
"Oh? I heard someone talking about me?"
A light chuckle echoed above the new students' gathering point. Two figures, like immortal companions, descended from the sky and landed right in front of them — Xiao Tian and Xun'er. The two had originally been wandering around looking for unlucky senior teams to bump into, when they noticed all the new students grouped together. Curious, they had come over and happened to overhear themselves being discussed.
At the enthusiastic invitation of Xiao Yan and the others, Xiao Tian joined this conquering army.
"This is great! With Senior Xiao Tian and Senior Xiao Yan, we're definitely going to win!"
The new students' faces lit up with excitement, radiating confidence that victory was firmly on their side.
"In that case, let's move out!"
Seeing that morale had reached its peak, Xiao Yan waved his hand and led the new students forward like a swarm of locusts, sprinting toward the end of the forest.
At the finish line, the defeated senior students and the Black Fiends Team had already gathered. After briefly explaining how they'd been beaten, they silently took seats far away from the White Fiends Team, who looked on with utter indifference.
"Arrogant fools," Sha Tie sneered inwardly, watching the unruly White Fiends Team. "Your comeuppance is coming. Those two freaks are going to make you despair."
…
As time ticked by, the sound of air being torn echoed from the edge of the forest.
When more than twenty new students emerged before them, the surrounding senior students gasped in disbelief. Even Luo Hou, whose expression was usually a mask of indifference, couldn't help but show a slight change of face.
"The new students actually united. Looks like there's someone extraordinary among this batch."
"Are you the last team in the Fire Energy Hunting Competition? The White Fiends Team?"
At Xiao Tian's hint, Xiao Yan stepped forward, cupped his fists, and smiled.
"White Fiends Team, Captain, Luo Hou."
The pale young man rose to his feet, swept his gaze over the few leading new students, and finally let his eyes rest on Xiao Yan and Xiao Tian.
"New student, one of the leaders, Xiao Yan."
Xiao Yan mimicked Luo Hou's tone, introducing himself just as simply.
"Xiao Yan, you're quite good."
Luo Hou nodded, then turned his gaze intently toward Xiao Tian.
"You, I presume, are Xiao Tian — the top new student. Was it you who defeated the Black Fiends Team?"
"I am indeed Xiao Tian."
Xiao Tian smiled faintly.
"I'll handle Xiao Tian."
Luo Hou looked at Xiao Tian with a grave expression. He could feel an immense threat emanating from him. He also instructed his four teammates not to separate; all four possessed ice-attributed Dou Qi, which could resonate together and unleash far greater power as a unit.
"Attack!"
Xiao Yan and Luo Hou shouted at nearly the same instant, and both sides charged forward. Only Luo Hou and Xiao Tian remained standing where they were.
The new students' strategy was simple. Xiao Yan, Hu Jia, Wu Hao, and Xun'er would each lock down one member of the White Fiends Team, while the remaining new students, led by Xiao Yu, would serve as harrying support. Within moments, the two sides were locked in battle. Dou Qi of various attributes flared across the field, illuminating the entire area in a riot of colors, punctuated by a constant stream of explosions.
Luo Hou frowned slightly. Watching his teammates gradually being ganged up on and falling into a disadvantage, a cold iron staff appeared in his hands. He glanced at Xiao Tian, who still hadn't moved, and thought about attacking Hu Jia, who was closest to him, while Xiao Tian remained still.
But just as he made to act, Xiao Tian's voice suddenly reached his ear.
"Captain Luo Hou, just where do you think you're going?"
Luo Hou immediately swung his cold iron staff behind him, the staff carrying a sharp, air-splitting howl.
Bang.
A fist encased in golden lightning collided directly with the cold iron staff. A deafening crash echoed across the area. At the moment of impact, Luo Hou felt a terrifying force surge through his weapon. The staff he'd gripped tightly was sent spinning through the air, clattering to the ground far away. A wave-like force traveled up his arm, numbing it completely, and he staggered backward more than ten steps before steadying himself. Xiao Tian's body hadn't even swayed.
"You're… very strong."
After Luo Hou straightened himself and spoke, he spat out a mouthful of blood — and then collapsed straight to the ground. Xiao Tian's punch had contained a hidden force that had detonated internally, wrecking him from the inside out.
After defeating Luo Hou, Xiao Tian chose not to join the other fights. He simply stood in place, observing the remaining battlefields.
"Captain…!" one of the White Fiends Team members shouted, seeing his captain taken down in an instant.
"How dare you get distracted while fighting me? Blood Fiend Palm!"
Wu Hao seized the opening and slammed a palm directly into the man's body. He was sent flying and crashed to the ground, unable to stand again.
Thump.
Another body hit the earth. Xun'er's opponent was forcibly smashed from midair straight to the ground by a single palm strike. The other two battlefields were cleaned up in short order, thanks to Wu Hao's intervention and the relentless harassment from the other new students.
With the defeat of the last White Fiends Team member, the Fire Energy Hunting Competition was officially over. It marked the first time in nearly a decade that the new students had passed with a complete and total victory.
The group gathered the White Fiends Team members together and searched them for their crystal cards. When Luo Hou's cyan crystal card surfaced, it drew exclamations from the senior students and sighs from the new students. The Fire Energy was distributed fairly and reasonably among everyone.
Luo Hou took back his crystal card, and as he looked at it, a hint of relief rose in his heart. Fortunately, he had advanced to Dou Ling some time ago and subsequently spent two hundred Fire Energy to upgrade his card.
"You seem quite happy. How about we go another round right now?"
Xiao Tian looked at Luo Hou's smiling face and naturally understood exactly what he was thinking.
"No, no…" Luo Hou looked at Xiao Tian's mischievous smile and shook his head like a rattle drum. That single punch from earlier still filled him with lingering fear.
Elder Su did a head count and realized that not all the new students had arrived yet. In a flash, he appeared directly in front of Xiao Tian, who was chatting with Xun'er.
"Elder Su, may I ask what you need from me?"
"Student Xiao Tian, would it be convenient to have a word?"
Elder Su asked, looking at Xiao Tian's calm expression.
"Of course, Elder. What would you like to discuss?"
"Let's talk about you."
Elder Su glanced at Xun'er beside Xiao Tian. Xiao Tian understood the implication. "Xun'er is the person closest to me. It's fine."
Hearing that, Elder Su said nothing more. He directly raised a Dou Qi barrier, enclosing Xiao Tian, Xun'er, and himself, isolating them from any eavesdropping.
"Though my question might be a bit presumptuous, I still have to ask. Xiao Tian, what is your current cultivation level?"
Elder Su chose not to beat around the bush and asked plainly.
"Dou Wang."
Xiao Tian saw no need to hide too much of his cultivation. Only by revealing his talent could he receive special attention from the academy. He also had no intention of playing the pig to eat the tiger — pretend to be a pig for too long, and you really might end up as one. Besides, he planned to establish his own force inside the Inner Academy later, and his personal strength would be its greatest draw. Any faction built on the foundation of his power could leap straight into the ranks of the top-tier forces.
"You… what did you say?! Dou Wang? Did I mishear, or did you misspeak?"