I'm Not Targeting Anyone

Wang Teng, dressed in white, stood before Xiao Yang with his hands behind his back. "Forfeit! You can't beat me. A Nine-Star Da Dou Shi against a Four-Star Da Dou Shi—you have no chance of winning.

"Even I have to admit that your talent far surpasses mine.

"But unfortunately, I'm a full ten years older than you, and I've had ten more years to cultivate.

"I have no desire to bully the young with age.

"And I might as well tell you that I also had a fortunate encounter while training in the Black-Corner Region. I obtained an Earth Tier Technique and a matching Earth-Rank Fighting Skill.

"The advantage is mine in this battle!"

Xiao Yang slowly drew Tensa Zangetsu, its tip slanting toward the Azure Nightmare Stone floor of the arena. "Very well. In that case, I won't hold back."

"The match begins!" At the referee's command, Xiao Yang raised Tensa Zangetsu. Black-and-red Blade Aura coiled around its blade, followed immediately by—

"Crescent... Sky Impact!"

With a fierce roar, an enormous black-and-red crescent-shaped blade light dozens of meters long came crashing down!

Wang Teng's face went pale at once. Thankfully, he reacted quickly enough and shouted as well, "Referee, save me!"

Of course, even before he called for help, Hu Qian, the Principal of the Outer Courtyard seated at the judges' platform opposite them, had already sensed the immense power contained within the black-and-red Blade Aura around Xiao Yang's blade. He knew something was wrong and had long been prepared.

Thus, the instant the Blade Aura was unleashed, Hu Qian was already standing in front of Wang Teng.

Hu Qian flung out a stream of Dou Qi, smashing it into the black-and-red crescent blade light and shattering it. Then, with a dark expression, he looked toward Xiao Yang. "You little brat, are you trying to tear down the Outer Courtyard?"

With both hands in his pockets, Xiao Yang looked at Hu Qian. "There are at least three or four Peak Dou Emperors sitting over there. If you really can't block even one slash from me, wouldn't that be a joke?"

A sharp, domineering edge like a drawn blade radiated from Xiao Yang's blood-red eyes. "I merely wanted that self-important idiot to see reality clearly. He thinks that being a few years older gives him the right to spout nonsense in front of me? He isn't qualified!

"I'm not targeting anyone in particular. I'm just telling you an obvious fact—people like you can't even take a single slash from me!"

After thinking about it, Xiao Yang decided not to repeat his senior brother's line about everyone present being trash.

After all, if every student of Jia Nan Academy was trash, wouldn't Jia Nan Academy become a trash academy? And what would that make Xiao Yang himself, a student there?

When one carried a sharp blade, the urge to kill naturally arose.

What was more, the Avici Dao Three Blades and Sky Splitting Tyrant Leg that Xiao Yang cultivated were both domineering techniques. In particular, the Nine Apertures Golden Pill he had consumed contained the blood of a great emperor of the demonic sect. Naturally, Xiao Yang had inevitably inherited some of that great emperor's overbearing temperament.

Wang Teng could only count himself unlucky for provoking Xiao Yang.

Xiao Yang was not Xiao Yan. He did not have such a good temper.

People in his previous life often claimed that Xiao Yan was a middle-aged man, but Xiao Yang had always scoffed at that notion.

If Xiao Yan had truly struggled through society, he would not have possessed that sort of softness and mercy from the original story.

At his core, all of Xiao Yan's methods during his early days revealed the naivety of a student sheltered in an ivory tower. He believed in treating others kindly, and from head to toe, he exuded that uniquely clear-eyed stupidity found in students transitioning from high school to university.

Ah, of course, put more nicely, it was called youthful vigor and the spirit of youth.

Only after his third ascent of the Misty Cloud Sect, when Yao Lao was captured and the final thread of affection between him and Yun Yun was severed, was Xiao Yan's youthful immaturity completely worn away.

Yun Yun, too, only truly matured after the Misty Cloud Sect was destroyed.

Before that, although she was already a woman in her thirties, she really was somewhat too naïve. Aside from cultivation, there had been nothing else in her life.

When she had been a disciple, she had been the beloved little junior sister cherished by everyone in the Misty Cloud Sect.

It was precisely the ignorant young Nalan Yanran and her naïve master who had caused such a sensational incident as the broken engagement.

Because Yun Yun had truly been protected too well.

Before becoming sect leader, she had been the beloved little junior sister of the entire sect.

After becoming sect leader, she had the full support of the sect elders, as well as the devoted assistance of a sixth-grade alchemist simp. There was practically nothing for her to worry about.

Thus, whenever she truly needed to make up her mind and reach a decision, she wavered back and forth until everything became a complete mess.

After saying that, Xiao Yang turned and leaped down from the arena. Following an urgent discussion, Hu Qian and the others decisively named Xiao Yang first place in this Inner Courtyard Selection Competition, lest any more complications arise.

There were still forty-nine remaining spots anyway—more than enough for everyone else to fight over.

That slash of Xiao Yang's could not be received by anyone below Dou Wang, and judging from his calm and composed appearance, he clearly had not gone all out.

There was currently no student in the Outer Courtyard who could withstand even one slash!

As Principal Hu Qian announced this decision, the system's notification rang out in Xiao Yang's mind once more. "Achievement attained: Awe-Inspiring Jia Nan, Fame Throughout the Outer Courtyard.

Reward: One top-tier Dual Cultivation Technique, Xuanyuan Jade Maiden Scripture; Taoist Yang Five Thunder Method; and Lightning Release: Thousand Birds.

After securing first place in this Inner Courtyard Selection Competition with a single Crescent Sky Impact, Xiao Yang became lazy again, simply waiting for the upcoming trip to the Academy Treasure Pavilion.

Nearly three days after the selection competition ended, Instructor Ruo Lin knocked on Xiao Yang's door. "Little fellow, get up. It's time to enter the Academy Library Pavilion."

At those words, Xiao Yang sprang up from the bed like a carp, got dressed, and dashed out of the room.

Jia Nan Academy was an external power of the Lei Clan. Even Xun Er, the young lady of the Gu Clan, had praised the collection within this treasure pavilion, so its abundance was self-evident.

Inside the spacious, brightly lit room, bookshelves crisscrossed one another, filled with all sorts of ancient books and lending the place an especially scholarly air.

Behind a desk, an elderly man with white hair and beard slowly flipped through the documents in his hands. The entire room was enveloped in silence.

Besides this old man, there were also two men and two women present. They were the other four among the top five of this Inner Courtyard Selection Competition, apart from Xiao Yang.

With a faint rustle, Xiao Yang slowly stepped inside.

"Hehe, little fellow, you've finally arrived."

After carefully sizing Xiao Yang up, Hu Qian was secretly shocked.

Xiao Yang no longer possessed even a trace of the peerless sharpness he had displayed on the tournament stage, like an unrivaled divine blade drawn from its sheath. Instead, he seemed gentle and perfectly rounded, wholly integrated as one.

Hu Qian's gaze traveled over Xiao Yang. When it fell upon Tensa Zangetsu at his waist, he immediately understood. "Concealing the edge within the sheath, returning to simplicity... Good lad! At such a young age, you're already truly extraordinary! Such talent can only be a gift from heaven!"