Instructor Ruo Lin

The conflict between Lin Ze and the man immediately drew everyone's attention.

The students from Canaan Academy watched the confrontation with curiosity.

Most of them looked like they were enjoying the show, with no intention of stepping in.

A few watched coldly from the sidelines. They'd been put through the same kind of "tempering" back when they were new.

They'd weathered the storm themselves, so of course the newcomers should have to weather it too.

Only a handful furrowed their brows, wanting to speak up but hesitating. Their classmates beside them gave them a subtle tug, holding them back.

As for the newcomers, plenty of them looked at Lin Ze with anticipation.

Whether they hoped he'd end up suffering the same fate as them,

or hoped he'd vent their frustration by beating the senior student senseless, was hard to say.

Some of them, though, were seething inwardly. They silently cheered Lin Ze on, willing him to win.

They might not be able to fight back against the senior students' "tempering."

But if someone else could stand up to them, that would be even better!

Noticing all eyes converging on him, the mature-looking man smiled even more broadly.

He relished being the center of attention.

And the thought of giving the newcomers a harsh "tempering," grinding down their cockiness and making himself the star of the show, delighted him even more.

"Kid, let your senior teach you a lesson. When you get to Jia Nan Academy, don't act so cocky!"

"This isn't some backwater you came from. There are 'geniuses' like you all over Jia Nan Academy."

"Remember, my name is Gao Xiang! Don't go crying to the Mentor later without even knowing who taught you a lesson!"

Lin Ze listened to Gao Xiang ramble on, frowned slightly, and pulled Xiao Yi Xian behind him.

"Why all the chatter? If you want to fight, then hurry up and fight!"

At Lin Ze's words, the man's smile froze.

The students watching from around them began to heckle.

"Exactly! Gao Xiang, you're way too long-winded. This junior gets right to the point!"

"Gao Xiang, have your hands and feet gotten rusty? Is all you've got left that mouth of yours?"

"If you can't handle it, let me take over. Listening to you ramble is making my mouth feel dry."

As the crowd's teasing laughter rang out,

Gao Xiang finally lost his patience. Pale yellow Dou Qi appeared around him as he charged at Lin Ze.

"Blazing Flame Fist!"

Gao Xiang's fury lent power to his attack. The Dou Qi swirling around his fist gave off an extremely dangerous aura.

The students from Canaan Academy were startled, their brows furrowing.

"Has Gao Xiang gone mad? He actually used a Yellow Tier High-Grade Dou Technique. Isn't he afraid of going too far and seriously injuring the newcomer?"

"We have to step in, or Instructor Ruo Lin will be furious with us too!"

Seeing how reckless Gao Xiang was, someone instinctively moved to stop him, pale Dou Qi rising around their body.

But in the next instant, they abruptly froze.

"Roar—"

A sound like a furious lion's roar suddenly rang out, making everyone flinch.

The young man stood his ground against the Yellow Tier High-Grade Dou Technique, neither dodging nor retreating. A light blue Energy Lion had taken shape around his fist.

That terrifying sound had come from the Energy Lion, roaring like a raging beast.

"How is that possible?!"

"That power is definitely from a Xuan Tier Dou Technique!"

As the crowd cried out in shock, Gao Xiang's face changed dramatically.

"Damn it! It's a Xuan Tier Dou Technique!"

But the distance between them left him no room to dodge.

He'd already drawn his bow; now he had to loose the arrow.

Gao Xiang gritted his teeth.

His Dou Qi surged wildly as he tried to put everything he had into the attack.

"So what if it's a Xuan Tier Dou Technique? I'm a Three Star Dou Practitioner, and this guy's a newcomer. No matter how strong he is, he can't be more than a One Star Dou Practitioner!"

The thought had barely crossed his mind when his fist collided with the one wrapped in the Energy Lion.

He immediately felt a terrifying force ripping into his fist.

The flesh across its surface was torn to shreds, and the pain twisted his face.

Then an even more terrifying force lifted him off his feet.

He shot backward, crashing into a tent and knocking over a row of chairs.

In an instant, the crowd fell completely silent.

It had been an overwhelming, crushing victory!

Gao Xiang, who'd studied at Canaan Academy for a year, had been crushed by a newcomer in the most decisive fashion.

Gulp!

Someone swallowed, staring at Lin Ze in shock.

He was only a newcomer, yet he already had the strength to overwhelm a senior student.

This guy was a monster!

Behind Lin Ze, Xiao Yi Xian smiled and raised a hand to smooth her wind-tossed hair.

Her other hand, which had slipped into the small pouch at her waist, relaxed a little.

If Lin Ze had been at a disadvantage, she wouldn't have hesitated to use her Medicinal Powder.

Just as everyone was staring at Lin Ze in shock, a soft, lilting voice came from nearby.

"What's going on?"

As the voice rang out, a graceful figure appeared before the crowd.

Lin Ze couldn't help looking over. His first impression was that she was as gentle as water.

The woman was beautiful, her lips curved in a gentle smile. She was a little older than the people around her.

Perhaps it was the years she'd lived that gave her mature figure such a captivating charm. Her full, rounded bust outshone those of all the young women present.

The moment she appeared, a stream of heated gazes fell upon her, plainly tinged with admiration.

"Instructor Ruo Lin!"

A group of female students crowded around her, chattering over one another as they described what had just happened.

The woman was Instructor Ruo Lin, who was in charge of this recruitment.

As she listened to the female students, a look of understanding flickered through Ruo Lin's eyes.

She clearly knew about this particular form of "tempering."

She neither supported nor opposed it.

She didn't support it because it could encourage the senior students to make a habit of bullying newcomers.

But she didn't oppose it either. The academy wasn't meant to raise delicate flowers untouched by hardship; it was meant to produce strong people who could face the storms.

A moderate amount of tempering could indeed help people grow.

As for the newcomers' cockiness, Ruo Lin wasn't particularly concerned.

Once they arrived at the academy and saw that everyone around them was just as outstanding, if not even more talented, their sharp edges would naturally be blunted.

After hearing the whole story, Ruo Lin nodded, clapped her hands lightly, and said gently,

"All right, everyone, head inside the tent."

Ruo Lin went in first and saw Gao Xiang being helped to his feet by several students.

When Gao Xiang saw Instructor Ruo Lin, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Clearly, letting Instructor Ruo Lin see him in such a humiliating state was, to him, worse than being killed.

Ruo Lin glanced at Gao Xiang's mangled fist, then turned her head slightly and shot Lin Ze a look.

"Young man, you hit him pretty hard."

Lin Ze shrugged at her words, without offering any excuse.

He couldn't be bothered to justify himself. He'd hit him, so he'd hit him.

Were senior students allowed to hit newcomers, but newcomers weren't allowed to hit senior students?

Ruo Lin clearly understood that too. She only gave Lin Ze a look before beckoning Gao Xiang over.

Water attribute Dou Qi appeared in her hand. Under the envious eyes of the male students, Instructor Ruo Lin placed her hand over Gao Xiang's wound and began treating it.

Water attribute energy was the gentlest kind, making it well suited for healing injuries.

After a brief treatment, Ruo Lin spoke to Gao Xiang in a gentle voice.

"Rest for a while first."

"...Yes, Instructor Ruo Lin."