Zi Yan

A moment later.

The three Xilan Duchy students who had been chasing Bai Xing stopped about thirty meters away from Reilo and his group.

"Right, what's your name?"

Bai Xing finally caught her breath and looked at Reilo, saying, "Although those three are also first-year students, they're very strong. I estimate they're all within the top 100 Elite Rank students! Especially the purple-haired girl, she can already summon elemental creatures!"

After speaking, Bai Xing stole a glance at Luo Ji and Lulu, recalling her brief encounter with the three Xilan Duchy students and feeling a bit worried.

"Elemental creatures?"

Information about elemental creatures flashed through his mind. Reilo didn't care that she had forgotten his name.

Compared to being remembered by the girl who had her engagement broken off with Xiao Kang, Reilo was more concerned about whether these three Xilan Duchy students would actually conflict with his group over a specimen.

After all, on the surface, although there were four of them, in reality, his combat strength was far inferior to Bai Xing, who was third in their class, let alone the three Xilan Duchy students whom Bai Xing feared.

Fortunately, they were all just first-year students.

Before scholars developed a large number of offensive academic subjects, their combat power was certainly not as direct as that of Fighters. His group had two mercenaries of decent strength, so their combat power should be above the other side, right?

Perhaps, he could use this opportunity to truly understand the combat capability level of first-year students?

This would make the commission for the past two days worthwhile.

Thinking this, Reilo finally calmed down and replied, "My name is Reilo."

On the other side.

The three Xilan Duchy students who had been chasing Bai Xing stopped and looked at Reilo, Luo Ji, Lulu, and Qiu Hei with displeased expressions.

"Zi Yan, what do we do?"

The two girls and one boy seemed to be led by this female student named Zi Yan, who was also the one Bai Xing had specifically mentioned could summon elemental creatures.

With short purple hair, her originally delicate face held a hint of arrogant wildness between her brows, a stark contrast to the elegant aura of Grand Duchy noble scholars. Zi Yan's gaze swept over Reilo and the other three, finally lingering on Qiu Hei for a moment before making a decision.

"The Spirit-Sacrificing Turtle is an extremely rare mutated creature. We are currently in the first quarter of the Elite Rank freshman period, and contribution points will be significantly increased. If I can obtain this specimen, I can attempt to challenge the top thirty of the first Elite Rank freshmen!"

Zi Yan muttered, looking at Reilo and the other three, a hint of defiant confidence showing on her lips. Her gaze lingered on the turtle shell creature behind Reilo for a moment.

"Our Xilan Duchy preparatory students, whether it's the entrance examination or the harsh learning environment during the preparatory period, are far beyond what Grand Duchy preparatory students can experience! While they were still playing with magic tricks in the laboratory, we were already undergoing trials in the arena. You all saw the combat strength of that female student just now! Hmph, this time our main opponents are those two mercenaries. You two help me stall those two mercenaries for a while!"

Beside Zi Yan, the tall and thin male student, wearing a black top hat, nodded repeatedly as he listened to Zi Yan's words, showing his deep agreement.

This male student was eager to prove himself and said, "I'll take care of the female mercenary and the black demon wolf cub. I think that wolf cub hasn't evolved a magic core yet, so it'll be good for us to have a meal later, hehe!"

It was clear that this male student admired Zi Yan.

As for the mushroom-haired female student on Zi Yan's other side, she had a serious and stern expression, not smiling at all, and pushed up her black-rimmed glasses.

"I'll be responsible for your defense. You focus on taking down that Grand Duchy female student with all your might."

Then, the mushroom-haired girl looked at Zi Yan and said, "This is Grand Duchy territory. We need to end this fight quickly. Do you have confidence?"

Before Zi Yan could speak, the male student beside her spoke first, a cold sneer on his face.

"I've long heard from our mentors that as the difficulty of collecting natural specimens increases, the Grand Natural Sciences Academy, which primarily focuses on researching the Profound Meaning of Evolution, has entered an unavoidable decline. Moreover, with their greenhouse cultivation system, they simply cannot compete with us!"

He changed his tone and said admiringly, "Besides, Zi Yan has independently defeated three Fighter students. Don't you believe in Zi Yan?"

Without replying, Zi Yan produced a beast-skin notebook, took a step forward, and looked at Reilo and the others not far away, forming a standoff.

"We are from the Xilan Duchy Royal Academy of Natural Sciences. That female student snatched the natural specimen we discovered. I advise you few to leave on your own to avoid unnecessary trouble!"

Although she had the identity of a mage, she was only sixteen or seventeen years old, and she was from an enemy country. Zi Yan's condescending and arrogant demeanor made Luo Ji and Lulu, who were accustomed to the humble and gentlemanly virtues of Grand Duchy mages, instinctively uncomfortable.

Bai Xing said angrily, "I found it first! You Xilan Duchy bandits!"

Even so, Reilo still found it hard to believe that they would engage in a fight with his group of four over a specimen.

After all, although this was the border between the two countries, it was clearly Grand Duchy territory!

Thus, Reilo threatened, "I don't care what the reason is, but you three are currently on Grand Duchy territory. As far as I know, quite a few students from the Grand Duchy Royal Academy of Natural Sciences come here to collect specimens!"

Showing weakness would only make them appear guilty and timid.

Recalling the scene from a few months ago in the Demon Eagle Forest, when he confronted the Black Demon Wolf Mercenary Group with Orn, Reilo became even more confident.

However, it was completely different from what Reilo had imagined.

Beneath her short purple hair, a hint of disdain flickered in Zi Yan's eyes. With a faint snort, the corners of her mouth curved upward as she took a step forward.

"Hmph, doesn't your Grand Natural Sciences Academy always advocate for survival of the fittest, where the strong prey on the weak? Coincidentally, our Xilan Duchy Academy of Natural Sciences also firmly believes that nature does not pity the weak."

Zi Yan lightly stroked the notebook in her right hand as if caressing a lover. The cold arrogance in her beautiful eyes instantly intensified as a stream of energy flowed into the notebook. Centered around the purple-haired girl, a large amount of flame energy converged, just like Orn, using mathematical foundations to gather the fiery power of nature!

However, the nature being gathered at this moment far surpassed that of Orn when he confronted the Black Demon Wolf Mercenary Group.

"Then let us use combat to eliminate the weak and decide the ownership of that specimen! Flame Soul Beast!"

Roar!

A meter-high wave of flame heat formed a blurry beast soul, causing the surrounding air to steam and distort slightly due to the heat.

"Damn it!"

Even Reilo's upbringing in the Church couldn't stop him from letting out a curse.

Was the other party really going to fight outnumbered on enemy soil for a specimen?

That wasn't all. As Zi Yan's hand flashed, she retracted the spatial box and produced a small, exquisite magic wand.

With another surge of energy, the ground behind Zi Yan, next to the mushroom-headed girl, rumbled and a stone pillar rose up.

The pillar was etched with dense energy runes.

"Burning Totem!"

After casting two academic skills in quick succession, Zi Yan showed a hint of fatigue, but her eyes burned with even greater defiance and excitement!

This was her first time fighting against an enemy nation's students!

Having grown up in a nation with a brutal slave system, the Xilan Academy of Natural Sciences, though it had Elite Rank, had no academic paper points. Instead, they had arena trials to test academic skills through practical combat, gradually earning the academy's recognition, and then joining the wars waged for the will of the Xilan royal family.

Undoubtedly, the Grand Duchy, which had been at war with Xilan Duchy for hundreds of years, was their greatest enemy!

"You guys who grew up in greenhouses don't understand the power of the Xilan Academy of Natural Sciences. You'll always be the bugs we crush under our feet!"

A maniacal frenzy appeared on the face of this determined girl.

The surge of Energy Magnetic Field was so intense that Zi Yan's loose scholar's robes fluttered and billowed as if in a strong wind, though there was no breeze.

It wasn't just Zi Yan; the two students following her also had a fervor for battle in their eyes. They licked their lips excitedly, just like Reilo when he discovered a new specimen.

In the eyes of Reilo and his companions, the beautiful and capable girl from moments ago had transformed into a battle-crazed lunatic, spewing defiant words. It seemed like a mad devotion to the iron-blooded combat culture of Xilan Duchy. With the two students behind her, she charged towards Reilo and his group!

Gulp.

At this tense moment, Reilo stared blankly at the magic wand in Zi Yan's hand, swallowing enviously. He wondered how many gold coins it would cost to buy and wished he had one too.

Speaking of which, Reilo wasn't without magic tools for combat. He might even have a better quality magic tool than the wand Zi Yan held now!

Unfortunately, the magic folding fan Wushuang had gifted Reilo was a magic item capable of releasing a Level 1 wind academic skill, but the energy required was far beyond what Reilo could currently handle. It was like trying to quench a thirst with water from a distant river.