Joining Jia Nan Academy

"Hmm, Old Man Su, how about letting my disciple enroll in your Jia Nan Academy?" Old Wang asked, looking at Su Qian.

"Good! That would be wonderful! I haven't been particularly satisfied with the quality of students these past few classes. They're not outstanding, but they're not terrible either. Only a handful are decent. It would be good to have this little fellow sharpen them up!"

Su Qian was naturally delighted to receive such a gifted student.

"Then handle his enrollment procedures, Old Man Su. I recall that students from the Outer Academy who qualify for the Inner Academy get one chance to enter the Library Pavilion. You'd better save that opportunity for Li'er," Old Wang said with a grin.

Jia Nan Academy's Library Pavilion contained countless treasures, all collected by the Dou Zun Expert Headmaster, Mang Tian Chi.

For example, Earth Rank Cultivation Methods and Earth Rank Battle Skills that people outside fought desperately over were hardly scarce at Jia Nan Academy. The Library Pavilion had cultivation methods, battle skills, medicinal ingredients, and pill formulas—everything one could want.

"Hehe, Old Wang, if he wants to enter the Library Pavilion, he must first complete the Outer Academy Selection Tournament. Only those who rank in the top five are qualified. Of course, with the little fellow's strength, that shouldn't be a problem."

Su Qian stroked his beard as he spoke.

"Li'er, go register at the Outer Academy first. I'll be waiting for you in the Inner Academy," Old Wang said with a smile, patting Xiao Li's head.

"No problem. Let me see what Jia Nan Academy's geniuses are made of." Xiao Li clenched his fists, already unable to wait.

"Then, Great Elder, I'll take this little genius to the Outer Academy to report in," Wu Tianlang said with a smile. Having such a genius join Jia Nan Academy was naturally a good thing.

"Mhm. Tianlang, take our newly recruited little genius and get him enrolled," Su Qian said, stroking his beard with a smile.

Wu Tianlang then led Xiao Li toward the Outer Academy, while Su Qian took Old Wang directly to the Inner Academy.

"Old Wang, is that little fellow your newly accepted disciple? I suppose he's an Alchemist as well?" Su Qian asked.

"Of course. Old Man Su, why don't you guess what rank of Alchemist my disciple is now?" Old Wang had always been extremely satisfied with Xiao Li.

"Oh? Let me guess. He must already be a Rank 4 Alchemist, right? With his Dou Ling cultivation, refining Fourth Grade Pills shouldn't be a problem."

Su Qian said with a smile.

"Hehe, you guessed wrong! My disciple is already a Rank 5 Alchemist! He can even refine Grade 5 Pills like the Spirit Ascending Pill!" Old Wang said proudly.

"Rank 5? And he can refine Spirit Ascending Pills? Even Old Huo from our academy doesn't have a high success rate when refining Spirit Ascending Pills. Is this kid really that incredible?" Su Qian exclaimed in shock.

"Who do you think taught him? Enough, old fellow. Arrange an Honorary Elder position for me. I want to research a few things and refine a couple of pills while I'm at it," Old Wang said, waving his hand.

Meanwhile,

"Sir, where are we going now?" Xiao Li asked the fierce-looking middle-aged man.

"I'm not a teacher. I'm the deputy commander of Jia Nan Academy's Enforcement Team. My surname is Wu, so just call me Commander Wu." Wu Tianlang smiled. "We're going to see the Outer Academy Dean to handle your enrollment procedures."

"Got it!"

Half a day later,

"Phew, finally done. The Inner Academy Selection Tournament will be held in about a month. It's probably impossible to raise another star in a month... Hmm, I should refine pills.

"Ever since breaking through to Dou Ling, I haven't properly immersed myself in alchemy. I can't slack off on alchemy—it's how I make my living."

Xiao Li went straight to his dormitory and began a month-long life of pill refining.

One month later,

Knock, knock—

Knock, knock, knock—

"Who is it?!"

"Xiao Li! Today is the Inner Academy Selection Tournament! Did you forget?!"

Outer Academy Vice President Hu Gan had originally been presiding over this Inner Academy Selection Tournament. However, when he noticed that the little fellow he had met a month ago was absent from the lineup, he came over personally.

"Open the door! What are you doing in there, kid? I'm breaking in!"

Bang—

Hu Gan kicked the door open. When he looked inside, he found that the spirited youth from a month ago now had disheveled hair and filthy clothes. Though dark circles hung beneath his eyes, his gaze remained fixed on the blue Medicine Cauldron before him.

"Hiss—he's refining a pill! Judging from the energy fluctuations, it's a Grade 5 Pill! This kid can refine Grade 5 Pills!" Hu Gan was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped. He had never expected a sixteen-year-old youth to be capable of refining Grade 5 Pills!

This was far too outrageous!

"Condense!"

Xiao Li activated the flames and condensed the Medicine Liquid into a pill the size of a longan.

Boom—

The phenomenon triggered by the Grade 5 Pill filled the entire room.

Xiao Li held the pill in his hand. It was still warm, but its surface was not round enough.

"Tch, I was too careless during the final condensation! This pill's quality is terrible! It's all your fault, old man! You actually interrupted my alchemy and ruined a perfectly good Qing Yuan Pill!"

Xiao Li shouted at Hu Gan. What Alchemists feared most was being disturbed during pill refinement. Xiao Li had been at the most critical stage of condensing the pill when Hu Gan distracted him.

"Qing Yuan Pill! The High-Grade Fifth-Grade Pill, Qing Yuan Pill! It can assist Dou Emperors in cultivation. Although it can't directly raise one's cultivation by a star like the Dou Spirit Pill or Imperial Origin Pill, its effect in accelerating cultivation is extremely remarkable!"

Hu Gan said in astonishment. It was no wonder he was so shocked—Jia Nan Academy truly did not have such a formidable Alchemist. The strongest Alchemist in the academy was Fire Elder, the Department Head of the Alchemist Department, and he was only a Rank 5 Alchemist.

If he wanted to refine a Qing Yuan Pill, he would probably need to spend quite some time honing his alchemy.

"Ahem, Vice President, what did you say you needed? What day is it today?" Xiao Li asked, picking at his ear.

"Today is the Inner Academy Selection Tournament. Don't you want to enter the Inner Academy? And obtain a Library Pavilion slot while you're at it? If you miss today, you'll have to wait until next time!"

Hu Gan explained. Wisely, he did not mention interrupting Xiao Li's alchemy just now. After all, what he had done had violated an Alchemist's greatest taboo.

"Got it. It's nothing more than fights against Dou Masters and Da Dou Shi. I'll take them all on." Xiao Li dusted himself off and headed outside.

At the selection tournament,

The top students from each class had been waiting for quite some time. However, the tournament had yet to begin because one student had not arrived, and the Vice President had gone to fetch him personally.

"Who is it? He has quite the status if the Vice President has to personally invite him."

"Who knows?"

Boom! Boom! Boom—

Explosions of air rang out as a crimson streak of light shot over at high speed, slamming directly onto the Martial Arena and kicking up a dense cloud of dust.

"Alright, geniuses. If you've got any skills, bring them out. I'll take all of you on at once!"

As the dust dispersed, a youth appeared, holding a red-and-silver greatsword and looking arrogantly at the remaining students.

"Bold!"

"Arrogant!"

"You're courting death!"

The geniuses were initially startled, but Xiao Li's words soon enraged them. Without another thought, they all charged at him.

"Hmph! Heavenly Fierce Slash!"

Xiao Li raised Heavenly Fierce above his head and gathered Dou Qi. An immensely powerful energy fluctuation converged upon Heavenly Fierce. Earth Rank Battle Skills could draw upon World Energy to unleash devastating destructive power.

With Xiao Li's current Three-Star Dou Ling cultivation, once he unleashed an Earth Rank Battle Skill, he could be said to have few rivals among Dou Lings. If a Dou Wang took Xiao Li's attack head-on, even if he did not die, he would be crippled.

"Not good! Protect the students!"

Vice President Hu Gan had only just sat down before leaping back to his feet. Xiao Li had gone too far.