Even an Iron Tree Can Blossom?

With the Inner Courtyard side completely at a disadvantage, Xiao Xun'er having exhausted too much of her Dou Qi and unable to hold on any longer.

Zi Yan's appearance gave the Inner Courtyard the confidence to turn the tide.

If it weren't for Great Elder Su Qian's arrangement, Zi Yan would actually not want to participate in this competition.

The main reason is that Zi Yan's reputation in the Inner Courtyard is too "terrifying".

Moreover, many people in the Inner Courtyard know that Zi Yan is a magical beast in human form.

Prejudice exists everywhere.

Therefore, most of the students in the Inner Courtyard avoided Zi Yan when they saw Zi Yan, and the way they looked at Zi Yan was mostly as if she were a "monster".

This made Zi Yan's personality more withdrawn, and she was unwilling to take the initiative to communicate with others.

Anyway, she has a strong fist!

It was precisely because of her experiences growing up that Zi Yan lowered her guard when the protagonist of the original novel, Xiao Yan, truly only treated her as a little girl.

Therefore, after Zi Yan took action, all she wanted was to end this "boring" match as soon as possible.

"What a pretty little girl!"

"Wow, her Dou Qi Light Wings are purple too!"

"Can you please stop yelling! Those are Dou Qi Light Wings, she's Dou Wang!"

"Holy crap! Guys, that little girl is Zi Yan! It's Zi Yan!"

"Senior Zi Yan! Don't hit me, I give up!"

"Senior Zi Yan! Can I treat you to a meal after the competition?"

"Come on, Senior Zi Yan! Although I admit I'm not as good as you, I will never bow down to the strong!"

"Senior Zi Yan, be gentle! My kidneys! My kidneys!"

Countless players wanted to get close to Zi Yan.

But Zi Yan seemed deaf, pouting and continuing to swing her fist.

It differs from Yang Shan's "Tyrant Blade" sword technique.

Every time Zi Yan throws a punch, the force of the punch can spread three zhang away!

Wherever the fist struck, only white light followed!

Yang Shan could at most be considered to have charged in and out of the midst of a massive army seven times.

Zi Yan immediately started "mowing down the grass" (a metaphor for quickly leveling up). Yang Shan also stopped worrying about gaining experience and quickly flew to Xiao Xun'er's side. "Senior! How are you?"

Xiao Xun'er shook her head:

"It's nothing, it's just that I used up a lot of my Dou Qi qi. I didn't expect Zi Yan to participate as well. If I had known, I wouldn't have pushed myself so hard."

Yang Shan: "Senior, it's rare for you to be serious like this, so you have to give it your all."

Xiao Xun'er: "Junior, do you know why I'm being so serious this time?"

Yang Shan did not hesitate at all:

"Because of me!"

"Junior, you're really shameless."

Xiao Xun'er smiled gently, "However, it is indeed because of you."

Yang Shan: "Yes, I understand, that's why I said that."

Xiao Xun'er: "Do you really understand?"

Yang Shan: "I never pretend to know what I don't."

Yang Shan was indeed able to roughly guess Xiao Xun'er's thoughts.

One day, Xiao Xun'er will leave this place.

Life here is also very boring.

But she met Yang Shan here.

Her time with Yang Shan was one of the few "exciting" moments in her otherwise boring life.

Therefore, Xiao Xun'er felt a certain amount of gratitude towards the Jia Nan Academy.

In return, Xiao Xun'er wanted to fulfill her duties as a "Black White Gatekeepers" in this competition.

Also, Xiao Xun'er really enjoys being with Yang Shan.

After all, this guy was the oddball who took out tables and chairs from his Storage Ring and invited everyone to eat after such a tense competition had already started! Who would bother putting tables and chairs in their Storage Ring for no reason? Xiao Xun'er even thought that if there wasn't a shortage of time, Yang Shan would have taken out a mahjong set.

Xiao Xun'er saw in Yang Shan qualities that she lacked.

A quality that allows one to find ways to make even the most mundane experiences interesting.

Therefore, Yang Shan said she knew what she was thinking and was willing to believe it.

[Player, please note that your actions have caused an emotional fluctuation in Xiao Xun'er. Xiao Xun'er's favorability +1, current favorability: 16.]

Meanwhile, Xiao Aotian was already following Zi Yan around like a sycophant, trying to trigger a special interaction with Zi Yan.

Yang Shan wasn't in a hurry at all.

Goodwill isn't something you can build up from nothing; you can't just actively try to get it.

You have to seize the opportunity to get the other party to take the initiative to interact.

Of course, there is a type of NPC who does fall for the "simp" act.

After all, if all the NPCs are difficult to deal with, then Tian Yao Company will probably receive a mountain of player feedback letters.

But it's clear that Zi Yan doesn't belong to this category.

The more humble and pitiful a heart is, the more it needs a strong wall to protect it.

Bumping into a city wall usually results in a bloody head injury.

Letting the other side open the city gates themselves is undoubtedly a better option.

Although there were fewer than 10,000 players still participating in the competition, everyone wanted to build a good relationship with Zi Yan.

Therefore, how could Zi Yan possibly choose one or more of them to actively interact? Yang Shan decided not to bother with that for the time being.

It all depends on fate.

It's more important to hold onto the relationships you already have.

Zi Yan is nice, but my senior is really good!

Xiao Xun'er: "Junior, don't stay here with me, go and earn more Fire Energy Points."

Yang Shan: "Fire Energy Points more important than my senior?"

Xiao Xun'er: "Go quickly and help the others share the burden."

Yang Shan feigned helplessness:

"Okay, but don't worry, senior, if anything happens here, I'll be there immediately!"

After Yang Shan left, Xiao Xun'er finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, a beam of azure light shot out from the greatly reduced group of new students!

The speed was so fast that even Xiao Xun'er was caught off guard.

In that brief moment of hesitation, several gusts of wind had already swept towards Xiao Xun'er.

Xiao Xun'er activated her Beast Flame to neutralize the gale, but this delay allowed the azure light to successfully pass through the Inner Courtyard gate.

Su Yitang, dressed in white, appeared! Yang Shan had sent Su Yitang a message before.

During this competition, he will be busy collecting Fire Energy Points and experience points, so he will have no time to pay attention to Su Yitang.

But for the others, Su Yitang has to figure out a solution herself.

Yang Shan will not offer any help whatsoever.

Like Xiao Aotian, Yang Shan takes the competition very seriously.

If you can't even take games seriously, how can you take your life seriously?

Therefore, Su Yitang remained hidden in the shadows and never made a move from beginning to end.

She had been waiting for the perfect opportunity! As Wind Attribute Dou Wang, and possessing a Xuan-rank movement technique that could be stacked on Dou Qi Transformation Wings, Su Yitang's speed, though far inferior to Yang Shan's, was still among the best of the players!

Su Yitang seems to have spent too much time with Yang Shan, so she has learned most of the patience that Yang Shan, that Old Schemer, should have.

Blood Rampage has already made his move, but she's still waiting! Zi Yan has made her move, but she's still waiting!

Su Yitang only made her move when Zi Yan, Yang Shan, and Xiao Aotian had all charged into the group of new students and were wreaking havoc, and when Xiao Xun'er had exhausted herself.

Su Yitang has received a system message that she is the first new student to pass the competition!

But at this moment, she wasn't paying attention to the system messages.

She was dressed in white, and Xiao Xun'er was also dressed in white! The two women gazed at each other from hundreds of meters away.

Su Yitang gave Xiao Xun'er a sweet smile.

Xiao Xun'er also gave Su Yitang a polite smile.

The meaning of this is something men cannot understand.

But Su Yitang seemed to remember that the area around where she was standing was full of Inner Courtyard students!

Su Yitang shuddered, wishing she could turn into an ostrich and bury her head in the sand.

While trying to impress Xiao Xun'er, I forgot there were so many other people around!

Social anxiety is really tough!

But it was Su Yitang's sudden and contrasting behavior that drove the men in the Inner Courtyard into a frenzy.

"What man doesn't like beautiful women?" From behind, Liu Fei, a beautiful woman in the Inner Courtyard, whispered.

"Cousin, this junior from the Outer Courtyard is really pretty. She's probably comparable to Xiao Xun'er."

"Cousin? Cousin?"

Liu Qing, who had been staring at Su Yitang, finally realized what was happening. "Oh, cousin, what did you just say?"

"I"

Liu Fei wanted to repeat what she had just said, but she noticed that Liu Qing's expression was quite strange!

Her cousin had always revered strength and would never give a woman a second glance! But now, the blank look on his face was something she had never seen in her life! Liu Fei was shocked. "No, no way? My cousin..."

Su Yitang wanted to find a corner to stay in, but then she heard someone calling her.

"This junior!"

Su Yitang turned around and was also stunned.

She never expected that Liu Qing, who was regarded as a "cool and aloof man" by many female players on the forum, would take the initiative to chat with her!

Su Yitang even received a system notification:

[Ding! Congratulations, player! Your beauty is like adrenaline, making Liu Qing's heart pound. Liu Qing's favorability towards you increases by 5.]

[Players please note: Liu Qing is attempting to interact with you. Your actions will significantly affect Liu Qing's favorability towards you.]

Only three words popped into Su Yitang's mind right now:

"No way?"

Su Yitang occasionally comes across fitness (almost) men with eight-pack abs on short video platforms.

I'll take a second look when I see it.

Curious!

But when a muscular man with eight-pack abs actually stood in front of me...

When other men approached with pounding hearts, Su Yitang panicked.

She didn't know why, but all she could think about was another man.

"Boss, come save me!"

In her panic, the first person Su Yitang thought of was actually her own boss!

But it's clear that Yang Shan is unavailable at the moment.

Seeing Su Yitang in a daze, Liu Qing tried to make his voice sound gentle, "Junior, congratulations on successfully passing the Fire Energy Hunting Competition!"

"Thank you! I have to go! My stomach hurts! I have to go now!"

Su Yitang's language system seemed to have gone awry at this moment.

For Su Yitang, this place filled with strangers was like climbing Mount Everest.

She needed oxygen! Su Yitang activated her Dou Qi Transformation Wings and flew away in a flash.

Liu Qing remained standing there, motionless for a long time.

Lin Xiuya approached Liu Qing and teased, "What's wrong, Liu Qing? Even an iron tree can bloom?"

Liu Qing said coldly, "Very good, that junior has successfully piqued my interest."

"E Liu Qing, we're old acquaintances, but I still have to remind you."

Lin Xiuya didn't want Liu Qing to end up like him, so he made his point clear:

"That girl's behavior just now didn't seem like she was interested in you."

Liu Qing: "No, she panicked because of my arrival. My cousin said that this is a behavior that women only exhibit in front of someone they like."

Yan Hao, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it anymore. "No, your cousin acts all high and mighty all the time, has she ever been in a relationship? Do you dare to believe what she says?"

Liu Qing was certain:

"It's alright, we're all in the Inner Courtyard, we'll have plenty of opportunities to meet again in the future."

Lin Xiuya couldn't help but think of Xiao Xun'er he had a one-sided crush on.

Xiao Xun'er looked as if her whole heart was devoted to Yang Shan!

Lin Xiuya reminded him:

"Why don't you find out first whether she's already taken?"