Fire Energy Hunting Competition

Hu Qian was the first to enter the silver gate, followed by the other students.

Soon, everyone discovered that this world was no different from the outside world. The sky was still the same sky, blue and dotted with white clouds beneath bright sunshine. Towering trees surrounded them, forming a vast forest, and a fresh, natural breath washed over them.

On a nearby hillside stood two elderly men and over twenty young people, who appeared to be waiting for them.

Led by Hu Qian, the group walked over together.

Hu Qian smiled and spoke first.

"Elder Liu, Elder Wan, it seems the two of you are presiding over this Fire Energy Hunting Competition."

At those words, Elder Liu and Elder Wan both smiled. Elder Liu then asked somewhat curiously, "Old Hu, you're several days late bringing the Outer Courtyard students to the Inner Courtyard this time. We've been waiting for quite a while."

Hu Qian did not rush to explain. Instead, he said leisurely, "I wanted to come earlier too, but the champion of this Inner Courtyard Selection Competition went into seclusion to break through his realm, which delayed us by a few days. I'm sure you can understand."

Hearing this, Elder Liu and Elder Wan were greatly surprised. Anyone capable of becoming the champion of the Inner Courtyard Selection Competition had to be a genius among geniuses. Taking several days to break through a realm gave them some ideas...

Immediately afterward, both men swept their sharp gazes over the students and quickly locked onto Xu Haoyu. Elder Wan then asked impatiently, "Old Hu, aren't you going to introduce him?"

Hu Qian laughed. "That's right. The one you're looking at is the champion of this Inner Courtyard Selection Competition. His name is Xu Haoyu. He was previously a Nine Star Da Dou Shi, and now he's a One Star Dou Ling."

A monster!

In that instant, the same thought arose in both Elder Liu and Elder Wan's minds. He had only just entered the Inner Courtyard and was already a Dou Ling. With such talent, if he entered the Heavenly Flame Training Gas Tower and cultivated diligently for a few years, he would surely give everyone an enormous surprise.

Elder Liu stroked his beard and said delightedly, "Haha, this is a good thing. A Dou Ling so young—his talent is beyond question. Forget making us wait a few extra days; even a few dozen days would have been worth it."

Elder Wan nodded in agreement. "The Inner Courtyard is about to get lively. This will be a good chance to let those little ones in the Inner Courtyard who hold their heads too high see that, compared to true geniuses, their greatest advantage is merely being a few years older."

The two Inner Courtyard elders were absolutely welcoming toward a genius student like Xu Haoyu. Although he had made them wait several extra days, both felt it had been well worth it.

Despite receiving such praise from the two elders, Xu Haoyu remained calm and composed, showing no excessive pride. He had lofty ambitions—to become a Dou Di and ascend to the Great Thousand World. Naturally, he would not grow arrogant from a few casual compliments.

At this moment, Elder Liu and Elder Wan each took out a large number of black cards and tossed them into the air. As though they had eyes, every black card flew before a student.

Before long, each of the fifty students held a black card. A number was displayed on each card: 5.

Elder Liu then explained, "The cards in your hands are called Fire Crystal Cards. The number on them is called fire energy. One point represents one day of fire energy, allowing you to cultivate in the Heavenly Flame Training Gas Tower for one day."

"As for what kind of place the Heavenly Flame Training Gas Tower is, you'll understand once you truly enter the Inner Courtyard. All I can say is that it will be the place where every one of you undergoes transformation."

Elder Wan continued, "Before entering the Inner Courtyard, you still have one final trial. Pass through the forest before you. Guarding it are your senior brothers and sisters from previous years. They will use every means possible short of killing you to seize the fire energy in your hands."

"Your task is to preserve as much fire energy as possible. We call this event the Fire Energy Hunting Competition. Once you're ready, you may enter the forest. And if your performance is exceptional, the rewards will be considerable."

After the two elders finished speaking, they quietly stood to the side and said nothing more. They did not rush the students.

Xu Haoyu put away his Fire Crystal Card and looked toward the forest, a smile curling across his lips.

My hunt begins now!

Xu Haoyu immediately rushed out first. He was extremely fast and made no attempt to conceal himself, striding openly into the forest.

With him taking the lead, Zhang Kaidi, Yu Huo, and the other forty-nine students also charged into the forest in groups of three or five.

Inside the forest!

A group of five walked leisurely through the woods. Smiles rested on their faces, and they looked entirely relaxed as they chatted among themselves.

"Haha, we got bullied terribly last year. This year, it's finally our turn to bully someone else. The experience we earned through suffering has to be taught to our junior brothers and sisters through suffering too."

"Of course. Once you enter the Inner Courtyard, even a dragon has to coil up, and even a tiger has to lie down. That's the wisdom we've gained through experience. Hehe, we finally got the chance to participate in this Fire Energy Hunting Competition. We have to bring back at least ten days' worth of fire energy."

"There are too many monks and too little porridge. There are only fifty new students, each given only five points of fire energy—a total of just two hundred and fifty points. We need to move fast, or we won't even get a sip of soup."

"..."

As they chatted, a faint sound of wind slicing through the air suddenly came from the distance. The five immediately became alert and looked toward its source.

Then they saw a young man, still bearing a trace of childishness on his face, swiftly darting through the forest. The five were overjoyed and were just about to intercept him.

However, the young man stopped of his own accord. Standing there, he looked at the five with a smile at the corner of his lips and said threateningly, "This is a robbery. Hand over the Fire Crystal Cards in your hands, and I won't beat you up. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rough."

???

In an instant, the five men were full of question marks. The tables had completely turned—this was absolutely outrageous. That youth had stolen all their lines.

The strongest among the five, a Six Star Da Dou Shi, immediately flew into a rage and said:

"Damn it! Kid, you're the one who should hand over your Fire Crystal Card! Otherwise, don't blame us for getting rough with you!"

The young man narrowed his eyes and wasted no words. Dou Qi erupted from his body as he charged at the five of them.

In an instant, the sounds of fists striking flesh mixed with a string of miserable screams, echoing through the forest and startling the birds into scattering skyward.

After a while, when the young man left, the number on the Fire Crystal Card in his hand had changed from 5 to 135.

As for the five senior students, they lay on the ground, on the verge of tears. All the Fire Energy in their cards had been taken, and they had been beaten badly enough that they would not recover anytime soon.

They had meant to rob the new students, only to be robbed by one instead. Were freshmen these days all this fierce? There was even a Dou Ling among them...