Selection Tournament Begins

Selection Tournament Begins

Jia Nan Academy covered an enormous area. After walking for quite some time, the group finally entered the plaza hosting this Inner Academy Selection Tournament through the packed crowd.

As one of Jia Nan Academy's major events, the Inner Academy Selection Tournament naturally drew tremendous attention.

Moreover, all the prominent figures who usually stirred up the academy would appear at this Selection Tournament.

For the male and female students who regarded those people as idols or objects of affection, this was undoubtedly an immense attraction.

Therefore, although the academy had chosen Jia Nan Academy's largest plaza for this event, it was still crammed with a sea of people.

Countless Jia Nan Academy students squeezed their way into the seats around the plaza. Looking across the stands, all one could see were dense masses of heads and hear the clamor soaring into the sky.

Xiao Ling's group also drew some attention upon their arrival. After all, they were all renowned geniuses of the Outer Academy.

Seeing the crowded masses around them, Xiao Ling frowned and said to the people behind him, "Go back to your respective classes and compete first. We'll meet up afterward."

The others nodded and went off to find their classes. Xiao Ling took Xiao Xun'er with him, and they soon spotted Instructor Ruo Lin along with several students from their class.

The two made their way through the packed crowd and quickly reached their class's area.

"Xiao Ling, Xiao Xun'er, you two are finally here. Why are you so late? Our class was only waiting on you two. Hurry and sit down—the Selection Tournament is about to begin."

Instructor Ruo Lin, seated in the stands, spotted her two students with her sharp eyes and waved them over.

"We were discussing something with some friends just now. Sorry, Instructor."

Seeing Instructor Ruo Lin wave at them, Xiao Ling and Xiao Xun'er greeted her, found two adjacent seats, and sat down.

After smiling and exchanging greetings with a few classmates they knew, Xiao Ling turned his gaze toward the bustling plaza.

His gaze swept across the plaza and landed on the best seats at the center of the stands. Only four white-haired, white-bearded elders sat there. Although their auras were nearly indistinguishable from those of ordinary old men, Xiao Ling's gaze was the first to settle upon them. Others might not sense anything, but with his exceptional Soul Perception, he could faintly detect traces of Spatial Fluctuation occasionally appearing around the four elders. Such Spatial Fluctuation could only resonate with the surrounding space when the Dou Qi within one's body had reached a certain extreme.

They were Elder Huo of the Alchemy Department and Hu Gan, the Outer Academy's Vice Dean.

The two elders seated beside them were veterans of the Outer Academy.

All four were Dou Huang Peak experts, only a step away from the Dou Zong realm. If they could consume a Sect Breaking Pill, they might become Dou Zong experts in one stroke.

Unfortunately, although Jia Nan Academy possessed abundant resources, its Alchemist inheritance was not particularly profound. It had not cultivated a Sixth-grade Alchemist capable of refining Sect Breaking Pills, and Medicine Emperor Han Feng of the Black Corner Region would never aid an enemy by refining Sect Breaking Pills for Jia Nan Academy. Thus, the elders could only remain trapped at the Dou Huang Peak realm for who knew how many years, forever unable to take that final step.

When Xiao Ling looked toward the four of them, they all seemed to sense it and turned their gazes in his direction. Seeing that it was Jia Nan Academy's number one genius, Xiao Ling, they all smiled kindly and nodded.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling also greeted them before withdrawing his gaze.

One of the elders said to Elder Huo, "Old Huo, how long will it take Xiao Ling to become a Sixth-grade Alchemist? We're still waiting for Sect Breaking Pills."

Hearing this, Elder Huo stroked his beard and said proudly, "That boy's Soul Perception is extraordinary. He can already refine Fourth-grade Pills. Once he enters the Inner Academy and raises his cultivation, becoming a Sixth-grade Alchemist will only be a matter of time. Jia Nan Academy has the inheritance of a Sixth-grade Alchemist; it's only that my own abilities are lacking, and my Soul Perception has never met the requirements. A Sixth-grade Alchemist will merely be that boy's starting point."

Hu Gan, beside him, also said, "We've waited so many years already. Can't we wait a few more? My granddaughter used that boy's self-created pill while cultivating Dou Qi, and its effects were indeed quite good."

Thinking of his granddaughter, Hu Gan could not help but sigh. She was also one of Jia Nan Academy's most outstanding prodigies, but compared to Xiao Ling, despite being around the same age, their cultivation levels were worlds apart. Once she entered the Inner Academy and used the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, she might even advance to Dou Wang before graduation.

He shook his head and could not help sighing inwardly. Even among geniuses, there were differences.

As they spoke, the surrounding plaza had already become a sea of people, and the clamor surged into the heavens. The Inner Academy Selection Tournament had finally begun.

When a middle-aged referee slowly stepped onto the plaza, deafening cheers immediately erupted from the stands.

The cheers gradually subsided as the referee lowered his hand. After glancing around, he announced loudly:

"Students, today is the long-awaited day when the annual Inner Academy Selection Tournament begins. The contestants come from every Xuanhuang-grade class, as well as the Law Enforcement Team and the Alchemy Department. They are the finest students in their respective classes, three hundred participants in total.

"The rules for this Selection Tournament are as follows:

"First, this competition emphasizes sparring. You are all fellow students, and no one may brutally harm a classmate.

"Second, no one may have another person compete in their place.

"Third."

"If anyone violates any of the above rules, the lightest punishment will be disqualification from the Inner Academy Selection Tournament, while the harshest will be immediate expulsion from the academy."

"Alright, the Selection Tournament has begun. Contestants whose names are called, please take the stage as soon as possible. Anyone who exceeds the specified time limit will be deemed to have forfeited." The middle-aged referee did not waste any more words. After explaining the rules, he slowly retreated to the referee's platform at one side of the plaza. At that moment, two names rang out from the platform.

"Xuan Tier Class Two, Dai Yuhao."

"Xuan Tier Class Three, Huo Mubai."

At the roll call, two figures who had long been prepared flashed down from the stands and landed steadily in the arena. They faced each other, sparks flying from their eyes as Dou Qi of different attributes surged from their bodies. The powerful Dou Qi enveloped them, forming perfect gauzy Dou Qi robes.

Although the two competitors were not prominent figures in the academy comparable to people like Lin Xiuyai and Liu Qing, they at least had some reputation. Thus, the moment they entered the arena, waves of cheers rose from the stands. Anyone qualified to participate in the Selection Tournament was a seeded competitor in their class. No matter what, they could be considered above-average in the Jia Nan Academy Outer Academy.

Of the two, Dai Yuhao wielded the relatively rare Ice Attribute Dou Qi, with both formidable offense and defense. Huo Mubai wielded Gold Attribute Dou Qi, which possessed extremely powerful offensive strength but somewhat weaker defense. As soon as the match began, the two engaged in close-quarters combat. Relying on his inherited ultimate art, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, Huo Mubai steadily suppressed Dai Yuhao in close combat. Although Dai Yuhao was currently being forced back step by step, he had already created a large amount of icy vapor across the arena. Using one of Huo Mubai's heavy blows to open some distance between them, Dai Yuhao unleashed his trump card, Mysterious-tier Advanced Dou Technique: Ice Burst. The icy Dou Qi above the arena immediately exploded, and Huo Mubai could no longer escape in time. He could only use the Xuan Tier Intermediate Dou Technique: White Tiger Protective Barrier to protect his vital areas. When the smoke cleared, Dai Yuhao was merely panting heavily. Clearly, Ice Burst consumed an enormous amount of Dou Qi, though his physical strength remained fairly intact. Huo Mubai, on the other hand, was already kneeling on one knee, unable to rise again and incapable of continuing the fight.

Seeing this, the referee raised the flag in his hand and announced loudly, "Xuan Tier Class Three, Dai Yuhao wins!"

At those words, the surrounding spectators erupted into enthusiastic cheers, their voices soaring into the sky.

Even Xiao Ling in the stands could not help applauding. It truly had been an exceptionally exciting match. It seemed the Selection Tournament ahead would be quite interesting.