Jia Nan Academy

Jia Nan Academy's admission threshold was not low. Before the age of eighteen, one had to reach Dou Qi Stage Eight. Such harsh conditions had shattered many dreams.

In the past, fewer than two members of the Xiao Family's younger generation would have been able to meet that requirement.

But with Xiao Lin's full support, the Xiao Family had poured enormous resources into its younger generation, raising that number to more than ten!

And that was only counting those who could make it on their own. There were also several who had received special sponsorship from the Xiao Family, each of whom had cost the family a great deal of resources.

On the surface, it would have been best for these people to remain in the Xiao Family and handle its various affairs.

But with a stroke of his pen, Old Ancestor Xiao Lin had directly given them the chance to advance further, even though it had cost a tremendous amount of resources.

Yet those people and their parents were deeply grateful to Xiao Lin. After all, this was Jia Nan Academy.

Even some Little Geniuses of Wutan City might not be able to get in, yet their sons could enter simply because they bore the surname Xiao and belonged to the Xiao Family!

This move won Xiao Lin the hearts of the Xiao Family and united them, letting them know that following him came benefits for everyone.

And for those who entered Jia Nan Academy, even if they advanced by only one or two realms, the feedback Xiao Lin received would increase as well.

So this was a business deal that could never lose money.

Although this recruitment team had stopped in Wutan City, the area under its responsibility also included several cities near Wutan City.

Thus, when the Xiao Family arrived at the designated recruitment plaza, what they saw was a sea of people that stretched beyond sight.

On the enormous plaza, waves of clamor soared into the sky as countless young people desperately squeezed toward its interior.

If not for the troops dispatched by the City Lord's Manor to maintain order around the plaza's edge, these excited crowds would likely have rushed in without a care for anything else.

"Follow me." Xiao Yan looked at the sea of people, flicked the token in his palm, and led more than twenty Xiao Family members inside.

"Why do they get to cut in line?!"

"I refuse! I refuse!"

"You soldiers, can't you look at them? Do they have no sense of rules at all?!"

The people waiting in line saw the Xiao Family group enter directly through another route and immediately began shouting.

However, the soldiers merely glanced at them and paid no further attention.

This made those in line even more furious, and they began clamoring louder.

At that moment, a soldier finally could not bear it any longer. He shouted angrily, "What are you yelling for? Anyone who yells again can get out! Do you know whose people those are? And you still dare make a fuss?"

"I'm telling you, they're from the Xiao Family of Wutan City—the Xiao Family of the Dou Wang Family! Try yelling one more time!"

"The Xiao Family has over twenty people going, and every one of them can pass. Why should they stand in line with you? You sorry lot couldn't get one person through even out of a hundred!"

"You were the loudest just now. Why aren't you yelling anymore? Want me to take you inside to report the Xiao Family?"

"N-No, no..." The man's face turned green as he hurriedly hid in the crowd, afraid of being recognized.

The Xiao Family group circled half the enormous plaza before finally stopping in the western section, already near the rear of the plaza.

Fully armed soldiers stood there in two or three layers. Their cold gleaming weapons reflected dazzling light beneath the sun.

Before the Xiao Family group could even produce their token, the military leader waved his hand directly. "Let them through."

"Chief, shouldn't we check them?" someone beside him asked in a low voice.

"They're from the Xiao Family. In Wutan City, no one would dare impersonate the Xiao Family. Let them through!"

Clatter!

A crisp, orderly sound rang out as everyone almost simultaneously lowered their weapons, opening a path.

As they reached the center of the plaza, an open green canopy came into view. From here, Xiao Yan and the others could see the sea of people outside. Every so often, young men and women who had passed the test entered through several passageways, their faces filled with excitement.

"Ahem. The old man said the Xiao Family can't fight among ourselves, but we can compete. Since we're going to Jia Nan Academy, we need a leader."

At that moment, the group of more than twenty split into several smaller groups, and Xiao Ning stepped forward to say this.

Several figures stood behind Xiao Ning, Xiao Yan, Xiao Mei, and the others respectively.

"Grandfather really..." Xiao Yan helplessly pinched his chin. Behind him, Xun Er tilted her little head and smiled. "Grandfather probably wants us to grow through competition. Healthy competition is better than infighting, isn't it?"

"That's true." Xiao Yan nodded, about to say something.

Suddenly, several figures approached from afar. At their head was Xiao Yu, her snow-white long legs striding forward. Several people followed beside her, seemingly harassing her and making her frown tightly.

"I already said it. As long as you agree, everything can be discussed."

Among the people beside Xiao Yu, the leader was a Young Man dressed in grayish-white clothing. He followed behind her with a smile on his face. He was rather handsome, but his brilliant smile always struck Xiao Yan and the others as somewhat fake.

Finally, seeing Xiao Yu continually avoid him, the Young Man waved his hand, and several figures immediately surrounded her.

"Luo Bu, what do you mean by this?" Xiao Yu spoke coldly, her small hand gripping the hilt of the sword at her waist.

"I want an answer. You keep avoiding me, which makes things difficult for me."

Luo Bu smiled without smiling, and someone among the group spoke up as well:

"Xiao Yu, Big Brother Luo Bu has gone this far. Don't be too much."

"Hmph, don't refuse kindness when it's offered! Big Brother Luo Bu thinks highly of you!"

Seeing this, Xiao Yan patted Xiao Ning among the more than twenty Xiao Family members in the distance. "You can still endure this?"

"Xiao Family members, get them! Before I left, the old man told me something: whoever dares touch a Xiao Family member, kill his whole family!"

Xiao Ning's eyes widened, the fury in them completely undisguised.

More than twenty people charged forward at once, surrounding Luo Bu's group in turn.

"Who are you people?! Who let you in?!"

Luo Bu shouted coldly, revealing the strength of a Four-star Dou Zhe.

However, before he could finish speaking, he was swallowed by the crowd.

"Enough nonsense! Beat him to death!"

Xiao Ning threw punches and kicks. Though many of them had not yet reached the Dou Zhe realm, there were simply too many of them.

More than twenty people surrounded four opponents. What more was there to say? Just beat them up!

Of course, girls like Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Mei did not make a move. They could not squeeze in at all. The Xiao Family members had forcibly tackled the four to the ground, so it would not have been appropriate for them to go over.

Boom!

"Get lost!" Luo Bu erupted, his powerful Dou Qi directly blasting the group away.

Xiao Ning was only at the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi. Swept by that Dou Qi, he was sent flying and crashed to the ground.

"Pah! You still dare fight back?!"

Xiao Ning spat, and the Xiao Family disciples all rose to their feet.

"Damn it, you've forgotten your own surname in Wutan City! Fire the arrows!"

Xiao Ning recalled Xiao Lin's words before they had left: I hope you won't become a wastrel. But if you do become one, then do me proud—be the biggest wastrel of them all!

One Cloud-Piercing Arrow, and Thousands of Soldiers would come to meet it!

High in the sky, a firework shot upward and burst in midair.

It formed the character "Xiao."

The previously chaotic, deafening plaza suddenly fell silent. Even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard clearly.