Freshman Tournament

No one from the Central Continent was simple. Being able to establish a faction in a place like that said plenty; those rare pills and cultivation techniques were probably nothing more than ordinary to them.

Everyone had their own trump cards, and Xiao Shuang would not be arrogant enough to look down on these talented young people. Rather, he was looking forward to fighting powerful peers. With the boost from his Extreme Cold Physique, there was no reason for him to lose to anyone his age, no matter how strong they were.

"You're cultivating a rather high-level Dou Technique, aren't you?" Instructor Ruolin took the parchment from Xiao Shuang's hands, rolled it up, and stored it in her storage ring.

"Yes." Xiao Shuang looked up at Instructor Ruolin, confusion in his eyes. Cultivating a Dou Technique should not have violated any rules, should it?

After receiving his confirmation, Instructor Ruolin propped up her chin and said, "There is a primeval forest on the outskirts of Jia Nan Academy. There are many fairly powerful magical beasts around its perimeter, and they can serve as practice opponents for you."

After saying that, Instructor Ruolin added sternly, "But under no circumstances are you to enter the depths of the forest. There are magical beasts at the Dou Wang level there. With your current strength, you cannot handle them."

"I understand."

After nodding and asking Instructor Ruolin for the exact route to the forest, Xiao Shuang could hardly wait to take a look at that primeval forest.

"Don't rush off yet. I'll submit an application for you. You can sell the magic cores you obtain there to the Alchemy Department of Jia Nan Academy. That will give you a source of income, and you can even exchange them for pills to aid your cultivation."

Instructor Ruolin naturally had other intentions. At Jia Nan Academy, many cultivation resources had to be fought for personally. She had no way to give Xiao Shuang special treatment, which was why she had told him the location of the primeval forest.

Besides, she still needed to submit an application. Not just anyone could enter that primeval forest. There was even a spatial barrier within it, meant to prevent students on training expeditions from wandering into the depths. Any magical beast in there could casually kill a Da Dou Shi-level expert. Even she was deeply wary of it, so naturally she had to give Xiao Shuang a proper warning.

"I understand. Thank you, Instructor Ruolin. I'll go adjust my condition first and prepare for the freshman tournament in a few days."

After Instructor Ruolin nodded, Xiao Shuang returned to his room. He still needed to practice the Frosty Snow Step a little more. Even reaching minor mastery would give him a great advantage in the competition.

Opening the window, he lightly tapped a tree branch with the tip of his foot and leaped beneath the large tree in just a few bounds.

A streak of Dou Qi struck the trunk. As the leaves fell, the icy-blue light in Xiao Shuang's hands flared brightly, directly forming frost over the surfaces of those leaves.

The practice method for this Dou Technique had already been noted down. Through tireless attempts, Xiao Shuang had gained a certain understanding of the Frosty Snow Step.

Though he had yet to reach minor mastery, his agility had already risen by an entire level.

An Earth Tier Dou Technique truly was not so easy to cultivate.

Amid such cultivation, the day of the freshman tournament quickly arrived.

Instructor Ruolin selected five people from the freshmen. Aside from Xiao Shuang, the strongest of the rest was a One-star Dou Practitioner.

Those few stood behind Instructor Ruolin, while the other freshmen stared curiously at the plaza. At that moment, several instructors had already led their students to the center of the plaza.

Xiao Shuang stood beside Instructor Ruolin, dressed in green and wearing a calm expression without the slightest hint of nervousness.

Instructor Ruolin glanced around. Several instructors had already entered with the students behind them, and she said with a smile, "All right, it's time for the Yellow Tier classes to enter. Let's go."

At Jia Nan Academy, strength was revered above all else. This principle applied even to freshmen.

Several elders exchanged looks and marked out an area before announcing loudly, "What you must do is fight independently. Only the final three freshmen remaining will receive rewards."

There was not enough time for elimination matches, so they directly began a melee. Whether they remained because of good luck or great strength, the freshmen left standing would receive the rewards they deserved.

The students of each class exchanged glances. They would prioritize working together. No matter what, they belonged to the same class, so there was a greater degree of trust.

The Yellow Tier classes were targeted first. More than half of the freshmen from the Profound Tier classes were at the Dou Practitioner level, and there were even several Dou Shi among them.

"Isn't this batch of freshmen a little too strong?"

Several elderly men sat at the judges' table. Looking at the freshmen's records in their hands, they chatted with smiling faces.

"Indeed. There are six Dou Shi in total. This battle is truly something to look forward to."

Xiao Shuang swept his gaze around and noticed quite a few people directing their eyes toward his side. It seemed the Yellow Tier classes really were seen as easy targets.

Students from two Profound Tier classes approached, ten in total. Even the weakest among them was a Two-star Dou Practitioner, not to mention a rather tall youth carrying a pitch-black heavy spear as long as he was tall on his back. His face was resolute, and he gave off a sharp, imposing air.

No students dared approach him at all. Even the freshmen from his own class kept their distance, though he himself did not seem to care in the slightest.

Elsewhere, a handsome youth holding a longsword casually forced a freshman clad in a Dou Qi Gauze Robe to the edge of the plaza.

The disadvantaged freshman wore a Dou Qi Gauze Robe and wielded a greatsword, his aura somewhat disordered. A Dou Shi-level freshman was about to be eliminated so quickly, making the female students watching look at him with unusual interest. Not to mention that Lin Xiuyai was handsome, and every swing of his longsword carried an elegant grace.

"If you want to eliminate me, don't think you'll get away unscathed!" Seeing that he had been forced to the edge of the plaza, the Dou Shi-level freshman roared. The light on his greatsword blazed as he swung it down with all his strength, its momentum making the surrounding Dou Shi students retreat in terror.

After all, if any of these freshmen took that blow head-on, they would likely lose their ability to fight immediately.

Lin Xiuyai remained as calm as ever. He elegantly twirled his longsword, then stored it in his storage ring as green Dou Qi coiled around his arm.

"Don't get too arrogant!" Seeing this, the Dou Shi freshman's face filled with rage. The light on his greatsword strangely contracted together. This appeared to be a Profound Tier Dou Technique as well, but he had not mastered it yet. After the light contracted, the Dou Qi gathered on the greatsword began to leak out, giving the impression that it was about to lose control.

Drawing in a deep breath, the freshman knew his Dou Technique was not being executed perfectly and could only slash down in haste.

The older students watching all changed expression. Even they would find it difficult to take an attack like this head-on. Were this year's freshmen not too terrifying?