Recruitment

Recruitment

Early in the morning, Xiao Yan sat at the table fully dressed, propping his cheek on one hand as he stared at the pale yellow Dou Qi in his palm. After a long silence, he finally let out a deep sigh.

"What? Regretting it?"

Yao Chen's graceful figure appeared, gazing teasingly at the somewhat dejected Xiao Yan.

Ever since Xiao Yan had learned the Fen Jue that day, he often stared at his palm and sighed like this. The sorrow on his face never faded, all because of the cultivation technique known as the Fen Jue.

"Regret isn't the right word. This is the path I chose for myself. I have neither the right nor the intention to regret it." Xiao Yan spoke faintly, then sighed again. "It's just that the battles I face from now on may be far more difficult than I expected."

Just as Yao Chen had said before, before it evolved, the Fen Jue was merely a Yellow-tier low-grade cultivation technique. It offered almost no enhancement whatsoever; even the most worthless cultivation technique would likely be superior to the current Fen Jue.

That meant that when facing opponents of the same Dou Qi level, Xiao Yan's cultivation technique was practically equivalent to having none at all. He would clearly be at a severe disadvantage against opponents of the same rank.

"I think you really don't need to worry about that."

Yao Chen gazed at Xiao Yan somewhat speechlessly.

Though Xiao Yan was only a Three-star Dou Zhe now, even low-ranking Dou Masters probably would not last more than a few moves against him. Even without a cultivation technique, Xiao Yan's true strength would absolutely surpass that of opponents at the same level.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, snapping Xiao Yan back to his senses. He rose, walked over, and opened it, only to find Xiao Yu standing outside. With one hand on her hip, she looked at him with a light smile.

"Yo~ Good morning~"

"Good morning, Sister Xiao Yu."

Xiao Yan returned her greeting with a smile. Xiao Yu then lightly tilted her head toward him.

"Come on~ Jia Nan Academy has already begun recruiting students at Wutan City's square. Let's go sign up~"

"Alright~"

Xiao Yan answered softly, closed the door, and left the courtyard with Xiao Yu. The moment one of his feet crossed the courtyard gate, a figure suddenly pounced into his arms.

"Cousin Xiao Yan! Good morning!!!"

Needless to say, it was Xiao Mei, that little girl. Ever since Xiao Yan had said a few days ago that he would be leaving to gain experience, the already clingy Xiao Mei had become even more attached to him. If Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yu had not forcibly dragged her away these past few days, she likely would not have let go even when Xiao Yan returned to his room to sleep.

Xiao Yan could only look on helplessly, but he did not stop her too much.

They would not see each other for quite some time afterward. He would let the little girl cling to him a while longer.

Although Xiao Yan would certainly visit Jia Nan Academy for the Fallen Heart Flame, now was not the time. Even Yao Chen did not approve of him going straight to Jia Nan Academy and setting his sights on the Fallen Heart Flame.

First, Xiao Yan's strength was currently insufficient, and he had yet to gather all the medicinal ingredients, among many other issues. Going now would be pointless, and staying at the academy would only waste time.

Second, Yao Chen knew very well that the Fallen Heart Flame could be called Jia Nan Academy's treasured guardian flame. Several powerful instructors watched over it at all times. There was no reason they would allow a student to approach the Fallen Heart Flame's source.

For these two reasons, Yao Chen believed that rather than heading directly to Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Yan should first go out and gain experience while gathering the medicinal ingredients needed to subdue a Heavenly Flame.

And most importantly, Yao Chen did not wish for her own affairs to hinder Xiao Yan's steps along the Righteous Path.

Though Yao Chen greatly admired Xiao Yan's Righteous Path, her years of experience had also made her realize that the Righteous Path Xiao Yan currently pursued still contained many flaws.

Those flaws could not truly be conveyed to Xiao Yan through Yao Chen's words alone. He had to experience them firsthand before he could understand.

"Brother Xiao Yan, good morning~" Xiao Xun'er stood with her hands behind her back, smiling at Xiao Yan. "Cousin Xiao Ning has already taken the others ahead. We should hurry and register too~"

"Mm."

Xiao Yan nodded, carrying Xiao Mei on his back as he followed behind Xiao Yu with Xiao Xun'er toward Wutan City's square.

As they neared Wutan City's square, Xiao Yan spotted the bustling crowd from far away. Heads packed the area densely, making it even more crowded than the busiest market.

"Why are there so many people?" Xiao Mei wrapped her arms around Xiao Yan's neck, resting her Little Head against his shoulder as her brows furrowed in confusion. "I remember that Jia Nan Academy's requirement is Eight stages of Dou Qi before the age of eighteen, right? Did this many people really meet the requirement?"

Wutan City was not a major cultivation city to begin with. Many people were not even cultivators. Of the rest, some were too old, while others had not reached Eight stages of Dou Qi. Only a small portion of the entire city should truly have qualified.

In response to Xiao Mei's question, Xiao Yu, who was walking ahead of them, slightly turned her head and answered.

"Most of them are just here to watch the excitement. Of course, there are also plenty of people trying to sneak through. There are people like that every year, though none of them ever get what they want."

Jia Nan Academy was renowned throughout the continent. It could be called a famous institution of the Dou Qi Continent, a place ordinary people would desperately struggle to enter.

However, Xiao Yu had not originally been so eager to enter Jia Nan Academy. She had only enrolled in that renowned institution to find the reason Xiao Yan had lost his Dou Qi, hoping to uncover an answer there.

For that reason, Xiao Yu had cultivated desperately within the academy, seeking more useful information. She had even entered the top fifty of the Outer Academy, where the average level was Seven-star Dou Shi, with the strength of merely a One-star Dou Shi last year, breaking Jia Nan Academy's record for entering the Inner Academy at the lowest rank.

Afterward, Xiao Yu entered the Inner Academy and remained there for a full year, cultivating while searching for records related to Xiao Yan's symptoms.

Yet after a year, Xiao Yu's strength had risen from One-star Dou Shi to Three-star Dou Shi, but she had still found nothing concerning Xiao Yan's condition. Furious, Xiao Yu withdrew directly from the Inner Academy before returning home for the New Year.

You can't find even a single clue, and you still have the nerve to call yourselves the continent's number one academy!

That was what Xiao Yu had shouted on the spot at the Elder escorting her out of the Inner Academy when she left. The Elder had been left completely stunned, utterly unable to understand what Xiao Yu was talking about.

But now, Xiao Yu already knew why Xiao Yan had lost his Dou Qi, and Yao Chen had resolved Xiao Yan's Dou Qi problem. This had also eased much of Xiao Yu's resentment toward Jia Nan Academy.

Xiao Yu led Xiao Yan and the other two to queue up properly. Although the leader of this Jia Nan Academy recruitment team was Xiao Yu's former instructor, Xiao Yu had already spent a year in the Inner Academy, so she truly felt too embarrassed to ask that instructor to pull strings and let them cut in line.

Moreover, based on Xiao Yu's understanding of Xiao Yan, he definitely would not accept something like using connections. If Xiao Yan would not cut in line, then Xiao Mei and Xiao Xun'er would certainly follow him obediently. There was no point in Xiao Yu asking for favors.

After quite a while, it was finally Xiao Yan and the other two's turn. They naturally passed the recruitment requirements, then followed Xiao Yu toward a temporary courtyard built behind the square.

But just as the four of them approached the temporary courtyard, before they had even stepped inside, an enraged roar suddenly rang out from within.

"You're just freshmen! Don't get too arrogant!!!"