Jia Nan Academy (Seeking recommendations, seeking follow-ups)

The Family Grand Competition did not end because of Xia Jinan and Xia Yuancheng's departure. Instead, it truly began to get back on track.

However, perhaps because of Xia Jinan and Xia Yuancheng's provocative visit, the hostility between everyone had lessened considerably. During the fights, they stopped at the right point. The winners consoled the losers, while the losers congratulated the winners. In the end, everything was harmonious.

Without a doubt, Xu Haoyu ultimately took first place. Although Xu Feng and Xu Yun felt somewhat regretful, they sincerely believed that their cousin, who had defeated Xia Yuancheng, was indeed stronger than the two siblings.

At the head table!

Xu Yaozu glanced at the smiling Xu Tianlong before loudly announcing that Xu Haoyu was the champion of this competition.

As soon as his words fell, thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue. Though Xu Haoyu was still young, his formidable strength was enough to earn anyone's heartfelt amazement and respect.

Then, Xu Yaozu raised a hand to press downward. Only after the venue had quieted did he announce Xu Haoyu's rewards:

"Haoyu, you claimed first place in the Family Grand Competition this time. You also defeated the stronger Xia Yuancheng despite being weaker, preserving the family's honor and rendering a great service. After discussion, we have decided to grant you the secrets of learning the Heaven Splitting Divine Palm. The Grand Elder will personally teach you later."

"Additionally, though you are still young, your strength is formidable. What plans do you have at present? Will you devote yourself fully to cultivation, or go out and make your way in the world? As the champion of the Family Grand Competition, you may select a group of family disciples to form your own team. Whether you enter politics, the military, or business, the family will make arrangements for you."

A smile appeared on Xu Haoyu's face when he heard that he could learn the Heaven Splitting Divine Palm. His grandfather's promise from back then could finally be fulfilled.

He had learned many things by now, but a true Earth-Rank Dou Technique still held immense appeal for him.

As for the second matter, normally, anyone who could claim first place in the Family Grand Competition—regardless of age or strength—was already qualified to go out and make their way in the world, freely choosing whatever they wished to do.

It was only because Xu Haoyu's talent was so terrifying that he had attained the cultivation of a Four Star Da Dou Shi at the age of eleven.

He was still in a period of rapid growth, and he would not allow other matters to delay his cultivation. Thus, he quickly made his decision:

"Patriarch, I want to devote more time to cultivation. I'll wait until my cultivation is stronger before going out to do anything."

Xu Yaozu understood this well. An eleven-year-old Four Star Da Dou Shi—if he cultivated properly, he would have hope of reaching the Dou Zong realm in the future and become the Xu Family's second Dou Zong.

He readily agreed:

"Good. Although this Family Grand Competition encountered many unexpected twists along the way, it has now concluded smoothly. It is not just Haoyu—you are all outstanding among the Xu Family's younger generation. We have seen all of your performances, and rewards will be issued to you later."

At those words, all the young members of the Xu Family from both the main branch and side branches beamed with delight. They all knew that as long as one performed well in the Family Grand Competition, the family had never been stingy with rewards.

Amid waves of cheers, this Family Grand Competition gradually came to an end.

Afterward, everyone left in an orderly fashion, while Xu Haoyu departed alone with Xu Tianlong.

Once they returned to the courtyard where the grandfather and grandson lived!

Xu Tianlong finally burst into laughter and said:

"Haoyu, well done! Now I can rightfully pass on the secrets of the Heaven Splitting Divine Palm to you."

After saying that, Xu Tianlong extended a finger and touched Xu Haoyu's forehead, wrapping all the secrets of the Heaven Splitting Divine Palm in Soul Strength and transmitting them wholesale into Xu Haoyu's mind.

Xu Haoyu closed his eyes and carefully absorbed the enormous amount of information being passed to him. The Heaven Splitting Divine Palm was an Earth-Rank Middle-Level Dou Skill that had later been divided into the Mystic Low-Rank Dou Skill, Heaven Splitting Palm, and the Mystic High-Rank Dou Techniques, Thousandfold Strike.

For these two Mysterious-Rank Dou Techniques to merge back into their original Earth-Rank Dou Technique, the key lay in two words: resonance!

Through resonance, the two Dou Techniques complemented each other, then shook the external Heaven and Earth Energy, raising the technique's power to an inconceivable level.

This was the Earth-Rank Middle-Level Dou Skill, the Heaven Splitting Divine Palm!

Only after a long while did Xu Haoyu pull his mind out of that vast flood of information. He took a deep breath, his eyes shining brightly. As expected of an Earth-Rank Middle-Level Dou Skill—it was far more profound than Mysterious-Rank Dou Techniques.

Fortunately, he had already learned Heaven Splitting Palm and Thousandfold Strike, the two prerequisite Dou Techniques for the Heaven Splitting Divine Palm. The difficulty of learning the Heaven Splitting Divine Palm had therefore been greatly reduced, and he believed he would soon get the hang of it.

Xu Haoyu said joyfully:

"Grandfather, I lack nothing now. The next time I encounter Xia Yuancheng, I can send him to his grave with a single palm strike."

When facing the Earth-Rank Dou Technique Eight Directions Destruction Fist unleashed by Xia Yuancheng, a Nine Star Da Dou Shi, Xu Haoyu had only managed to defeat him because of the immense Dou Qi he gained from fusing seven attributes of Dou Qi.

If he also possessed an Earth-Rank Dou Technique, he was highly confident that he could win with ease.

At the mention of this matter, Xu Tianlong's expression darkened for an instant. He raised his chin slightly, his voice gradually turning cold:

"This time, Xia Jinan and Xia Yuancheng came to provoke us. If they had not received the Xia Family Royal Family's instructions, they would never have dared to act so boldly. The family will not simply swallow this insult, but unless we destroy the Xia Family Royal Family, everything else is merely petty squabbling."

"The friendship from back when the Xu Family's ancestor followed the Xia Family's ancestor to seize territory has long been worn away. Friction has been constant over these years, and a great war will inevitably come someday."

"Haoyu, cultivate well. Once you break through and become a Dou Zong, our Xu Family will no longer have to remain confined to the Southern Three Provinces. At that time, all old and new grudges will be settled together."

Xu Haoyu nodded solemnly. Having been born into the Xu Family, he would certainly have to do something for the family in the future. Then he said:

"Grandfather, I am a Da Dou Shi now. Cultivating in the family all this time has left me lacking in experience. I want to go to Jia Nan Academy. I've heard that many geniuses gather there, and I want to see them for myself."

Jia Nan Academy was a special place on the Dou Qi Continent. As the only academy, even clans and factions from the Central Plains sent their younger generations there to study.

Although the Outer Courtyard was fairly ordinary, the Inner Courtyard was truly extraordinary. Most importantly, there was the Heavenly Flame Training Gas Tower, where Fallen Heart Flame was imprisoned—a powerful Heavenly Flame ranked fourteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.

Fallen Heart Flame could summon Heart Fire to temper Dou Qi at every moment, greatly increasing the speed of Dou Qi cultivation. It was perfectly suited to his current needs.

Among the twenty-three Heavenly Flames on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, aside from the number one Heavenly Flame, Emperor Flame, which was formed by fusing twenty-two Heavenly Flames, Fallen Heart Flame was one of the Heavenly Flames Xu Haoyu most wanted to subdue. It was a terrifying cultivation cheat.

However, this Heavenly Flame was not something that could be forcibly seized. Besides, with his current strength, he probably could not absorb a Heavenly Flame comparable to a peak Dou Emperor.

In any case, he would first go and make use of the Heart Fire in the Heavenly Flame Training Gas Tower...