B-rank or S-rank

"Ah, it's so hot!"

Listening to Xiao Shan's constant muttering beside him, Xiao Ming felt somewhat helpless.

"If it's hot, just go into the tent."

"I want to, but I can't beat those older students," Xiao Shan said with a dejected face.

It wasn't as though no one had resisted earlier and tried to enter the Green Tent, but they had quickly been thrown back out by those older students. Some were still sulking over it even now. With his strength, wouldn't he just be walking into a beating?

"Sigh, forget it. Come with me. I'll take you in."

"What, you're going to make a move?!"

Xiao Shan knew that Xiao Ming had broken through to the Dou Zhe realm long ago, so he had no doubts about his strength. His tone was filled with excitement.

At that moment, Xiao Ming's small figure seemed immensely towering in Xiao Shan's eyes.

"Yeah."

With Xiao Shan endlessly muttering and the weather truly scorching, Xiao Ming figured he might as well show off a little.

Unfortunately, he never got the chance to show off.

Because...

"Everyone, come in." Just as Xiao Ming stood up, a deep male voice came from within the Green Tent.

Hehehe, time was up.

Upon hearing those words, the new students were overjoyed. Supporting themselves with their hands, they swiftly got to their feet, dusted off their bottoms, and headed into the tent.

Xiao Ming immediately gave up on showing off and dragged Xiao Shan toward the tent.

After hearing the voice, the students outside the tent also entered.

"Hahaha, looks like I got lucky this time and recruited a prodigy!" As soon as Xiao Ming entered the tent, he saw a burly Big Man with a tiger's back, bear-like waist, and a face full of beard staring at him as though he were some priceless treasure. The students beside him all called him Instructor Ge Hu.

"Instructor." Since the man was staring at him, Xiao Ming could not pretend he hadn't seen him. He nodded and greeted him politely.

"Mm, wait a moment first. I'll record your Talent Levels." Ge Hu nodded in satisfaction at Xiao Ming's politeness. At such a young age, anyone who could enter must have decent talent. And he did not look like a spoiled Problem Child either. Not bad, not bad.

It had to be said that although Jia Nan Academy's method of crushing the new students' arrogance was somewhat inhumane, it was still somewhat effective.

At the very least, the new students who had been drenched in sweat beneath the blazing sun were clearly much more restrained than when they had first arrived. Those who entered alongside Xiao Ming had all huddled in shadowy corners, their eyes constantly sweeping across the tent's interior.

Once everyone had arrived, Ge Hu flipped his palm. The Na Ring on his finger flashed, and a green Sheepskin Scroll along with an ink brush appeared in his broad palm.

Raising his eyes slightly, Instructor Ge Hu said with a smile, "Students, congratulations on passing the preliminary test. You may now be considered to have entered the gates of Jia Nan Academy. However, because the academy needs to distinguish your Potential Values, I need to know your exact current strength."

"Eight Duan Dou Qi corresponds to an F-rank Potential Value. This is Jia Nan Academy's standard."

"Nine Duan Dou Qi corresponds to an E-rank Potential Value."

"One Star Dou Zhe is D-rank, Two Star Dou Zhe is C-rank, and so on. The Highest Level is Five Star Dou Zhe. Of course, the age limit here is under eighteen."

"Jia Nan Academy has not recruited a new student with S-rank potential in many years. I do not expect any of you to be S-rank, but I'll be satisfied if there's even an A-rank."

As he spoke, Ge Hu looked at Xiao Ming expectantly. Xiao Ming had passed the initial test at such a young age, so Ge Hu held great hopes for him. Sometimes, age was a major bonus.

"Alright, step forward one by one and report your age and level. Start from the left."

"Mashi, seventeen years old, Dou Qi Nine Segment..."

"E-rank. Next."

"Zhao Shuang, eighteen years old, Eight Duan Dou Qi..."

"F-rank. Next."

"Wang Hai, eighteen years old, One Star Dou Zhe..."

"Not bad. D-rank. Next."

"..."

Most of those reporting their levels were below the Dou Zhe realm. Of course, there were also quite a few new students who had originally possessed Nine Duan Dou Qi but had fallen to Eight Duan Dou Qi after failing their attempt to break through to Dou Zhe.

"Xiao Shan, sixteen years old, Dou Qi Nine Segment."

"E-rank. Next."

When it was Xiao Ming's turn, he had no intention of hiding his strength. The better he performed, the more resources he would receive. Why hide it?

Besides, how strong was he really? There was No Need to hide it at all.

"Xiao Ming, six years old, Three-Star Dou Zhe..."

"Whoa!" As soon as Xiao Ming finished speaking, a burst of shocked cries rose from beside him.

Ge Hu was overjoyed when he heard it, nearly snapping the brush in his hand. He raised his head and stared fervently at the child Before His Eyes. His guess had been right—he had truly found a treasure.

"Cough cough. Based on your current strength, you should be B-rank. But you're only six years old, so I'll give you S-rank treatment. This is the best treatment I can offer you. No problem with that, right?"

Xiao Ming had not expected such a good thing. Naturally, he had no objection. Who would refuse better conditions?

After the registration was complete, Ge Hu told everyone to return home and bid farewell to their families, then gather here again in three days. In three days, Jia Nan Academy's Flying Caravan would arrive at Wu Tan City, and they would be able to fly directly to the academy.

During those three days, the results of Jia Nan Academy's recruitment test spread throughout the city, and Xiao Ming's reputation soared once more.

Xiao Ming did not pay much attention to any of that. During those three days, he cultivated as usual.

Three days later.

Everyone who had passed the test gathered once again, preparing to head to Jia Nan Academy.

At that moment, Ge Hu saw that the new students had mostly gathered.

With his hands behind his back, he stepped forward twice. Facing all the new students, he said sternly, "First, congratulations again on standing out and becoming students of Jia Nan Academy. However, there are hundreds, even thousands of students in the academy with talent equal to yours. You have no right to be proud yet. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

The old students' display of dominance from last time was still fresh in their minds, so the new students Naturally Will Not contradict him.

"Mm, very good. Follow me."

Ge Hu led everyone to the Square. After waiting for a while, several small Black Dots appeared in the sky.

The Black Dots grew larger and larger, gradually revealing bird-like outlines.

The enormous Airflow kicked up a great deal of dust, forcing everyone to cover their faces with their hands to block it.

A group of flying Magical Beasts finally descended before them, their enormous bird faces staring straight at the crowd.

This sight immediately filled all the new students' faces with terror. Some had even begun backing away.

Xiao Ming, however, remained very calm. Knowing there would be no danger, he studied the Flying Magical Beasts with curious eyes.

These birds looked enormous, and their Aura should have been around the Three-Tier level. They were likely mounts specially bred by Jia Nan Academy.

"As expected of Jia Nan Academy. Its foundation truly runs deep. They even directly use Three-Tier Magical Beasts for recruitment. If I had a flying mount like this too, it would probably make things much more convenient," Xiao Ming thought.

However, raising Flying Magical Beasts was not something ordinary people could afford. Xiao Ming did not have that kind of capability now, and by the time he had the time and energy for it, he likely would not need one personally anymore.

The old students To The Side looked at the new students' reactions, contempt showing on their faces to varying degrees.

A bunch of country bumpkins who have never seen the world.

Yet they had forgotten that they themselves had been no different from these new students back then.

"Don't be afraid. These Magical Beasts are mounts raised by the academy. We'll be riding them back to the academy," Ge Hu explained as he Turned His Head to observe everyone's reactions.

Seeing that Xiao Ming was younger than the others yet bolder than them, he became even more satisfied.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ge Hu circulated his Dou Qi and leaped into the air, landing atop the leading giant bird before Disappearing.

Some of these giant birds already had figures on their backs. Ge Hu was not the only instructor who had come to recruit students in the Jia Ma Empire. This Flying Caravan was responsible for picking up people from several cities, and Ge Hu had gone to coordinate with them.

Not Long After, Ge Hu appeared again. He jumped onto another Flying Magical Beast and Opened His Mouth, saying, "Everyone, get on. We're setting off."

First, the old students leaped onto the giant birds one after another.

Only afterward did the remaining new students climb aboard, each of them trembling with fear.

Once everyone was on board, the flying Magical Beasts spread their wings and soared into the sky.

Honestly, the fact that Dou Qi Continent had English was pretty amusing.