No one had expected the final match of the Inner Academy Selection Tournament, which should have been its most spectacular, to be the quickest match of the entire tournament to draw to a close.
It was all because Han Yue had said before the match began that she hoped Xiao Yao would show his true strength.
Then Xiao Yao had erupted with such terrifying speed that Han Yue could not even react, subduing her in an instant.
Han Yue had not even had time to draw her weapon before a spear was pressed against her snow-white, tender neck.
After a spell of dead silence, the entire crowd erupted in an unparalleled roar of cheers.
Even though the two had not put on a spectacular contest, Xiao Yao's absolute strength had won unanimous applause.
From the qualifying rounds onward, Xiao Yao had defeated formidable opponents one after another. At the very end, he had displayed an utterly overwhelming advantage that left everyone in awe.
Even the academy instructors were dumbstruck.
Though they had taught at the academy for many years and seen numerous geniuses, few had performed as exceptionally as Xiao Yao in the Inner Academy Selection Tournament.
In the central stands, several of the academy's higher-ups exchanged glances, most of them looking stunned.
"This kid is no ordinary talent!"
"Indeed he isn't. I didn't expect him to have such a terrifying physique hidden beneath his Dou Qi."
"That burst of speed just now was probably no slower than a speed-type Third-Rank Magical Beast."
"With that speed and his astonishing stamina, I'm afraid even if everyone else in the top fifty joined forces against him, they still wouldn't be his match!"
With a few brief exchanges, the higher-ups had assessed Xiao Yao's strength, and admiration flickered in their eyes.
Admiration for Xiao Yao's strength.
To be sure, over the long years they had lived, they had seen Outer Academy students whose cultivation realms were higher than Xiao Yao's.
But this was the first time they had seen a student possess such combat strength at the Three-Star Da Dou Shi realm.
Ultimately, it came down to Xiao Yao's almost terrifying recovery speed.
Indeed, after watching so many matches, the academy's higher-ups had all but confirmed their suspicion that Xiao Yao possessed a terrifying recovery speed.
That meant a prolonged battle was a major advantage for Xiao Yao.
Vice Dean Hu Gan looked around and said with a smile,
"Since Xiao Yao has already shown us his talent and abilities, we can't be too petty ourselves."
"Since he only wants to browse them, not read the Soul Imprints, what harm is there in letting him look through the Profound Tier Cultivation Methods?"
"Even if he memorizes all those cultivation methods, it would be impossible for him to master them."
The higher-ups hesitated for a moment, but ultimately nodded.
However, there was no way the academy would bring out its Earth Tier Cultivation Methods.
That was because the Earth Tier Cultivation Methods were generally kept in the academy's Library Pavilion, and only the top five in the Inner Academy Selection Tournament would be given a chance to obtain them.
Those were the Inner Academy's rules. No matter how exceptional Xiao Yao's talent was, no exception could be made.
After all, even among Jia Nan Academy's instructors, the vast majority cultivated Profound Tier Cultivation Methods.
Only elders who had made outstanding contributions to the academy might qualify to learn an Earth Tier Cultivation Method.
Looked at that way, it seemed students actually had a better chance of obtaining an Earth Tier Cultivation Method than elders did.
But that was not actually the case. Although the Library Pavilion contained Earth Tier Cultivation Methods, there were corresponding requirements for obtaining them.
Everything in the Library Pavilion had a seal on it, and the higher the grade of the item, the stronger the sealing power.
At the Earth Tier, the sealing power was downright terrifying. It was practically impossible for an Outer Academy student to break through it.
Besides breaking through by force, however, there was another way: the item within the seal had to be compatible with the person.
In that case, although there would still be some resistance, the sealing power would be far weaker than normal.
In the original story, Bai Shan had seized a light orb containing an Earth Tier Dou Technique, only for its sealing power to recoil violently the moment he touched it, forcibly shaking his hand away.
Xiao Yan, on the other hand, had easily broken the seal and obtained the Earth Tier Middle-Grade Cultivation Method, the Ninefold Phoenix Fire Art!
The reason was the degree of compatibility with the sealing power.
Thus, if a student really managed to obtain an Earth Tier Cultivation Method or Dou Technique from the Library Pavilion, it was because that opportunity truly suited the student.
If a student really was that compatible with an Earth Tier Cultivation Method or Dou Technique, the academy would not mind going along with it, helping the student and making an investment in him or her.
After all, the odds of such a thing happening were exceedingly slim.
The academy's elders were different, however. They were already among the academy's higher-ups, and all were qualified to cultivate Earth Tier Cultivation Methods. Without restrictions, no matter how many Earth Tier Cultivation Methods the academy had, it probably could not bear the cost.
Of course, there was another consideration: making the elders truly work for the academy and earn merit, which they could exchange for high-tier Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills.
With the elders all yearning for Earth Tier Cultivation Methods, they were even less likely to let Xiao Yao browse them at will.
Therefore, opening access up to High Xuan Tier cultivation methods was already the limit.
Xiao Yao did not know this yet. If he had, he would already have been grinning from ear to ear.
He did not expect to be able to browse all of the academy's Earth Tier Cultivation Methods either.
Even if he became an academy elder, or even a vice dean, he might not be able to do such a thing.
After all, the academy also had its mysterious, unfathomable pavilion guardians.
They were former grand elders of the academy who had withdrawn from their posts to cultivate in seclusion within the academy.
Their strength was actually far greater than that of the academy's higher-ups known to the public.
Yet they also happened to be the guardians of the Library Pavilion. One could imagine how difficult it would be to get past them and take Earth Tier Cultivation Methods from the pavilion.
Afterward, Vice Dean Hu Gan delivered the closing speech for the Inner Academy Selection Tournament. When he spoke of Xiao Yao, an unending roar rose from the crowd as everyone shouted Xiao Yao's name.
Instructor Ruo Lin, Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian and the others stood beside Xiao Yao.
Instructor Ruo Lin smiled and patted Xiao Yao on the shoulder.
"Congratulations, Xiao Yao. You've been enrolled for less than a month, and you've already achieved a glorious record worthy of the academy's history books."
Xun'er also smiled and said, "Brother Xiao Yao, your reputation in the Outer Academy has probably already surpassed Senior Han Yue and the others."
Xiao Yi Xian added with a smile, "Among all the students in the Outer Academy, no one can compare to you!"
Xiao Yao laughed. "Luck played a part too, I suppose."
Xiao Yao truly was not being modest. In the first three rounds, he had encountered Da Dou Shi-level opponents one after another, steadily adding weight to his record.
After all, the stronger his opponents were, the stronger Xiao Yao, who had defeated them, naturally appeared.
"But I'm afraid I'll have to keep a low profile for a while."
Feeling countless burning gazes falling on him, Xiao Yao spoke with some resignation.
Ruo Lin's red lips curved into a smile. "Actually, you probably won't have much time to draw attention to yourself anyway, will you?"
Xiao Yao was taken aback. Then he said, pleasantly surprised,
"Instructor Ruo Lin, do you mean the academy has agreed to let me browse higher-tier cultivation methods?!"
Ruo Lin nodded with a smile. Xiao Yao pumped his fist hard, thrilled beyond measure. He had finally achieved the goal that had brought him to the academy!