The Selection Tournament Begins

Jia Nan Academy covered an enormous area. After walking for quite a while, the group finally made their way through the crowded masses and entered the plaza where the Inner Academy Selection Competition was being held.

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

Moreover, the prominent figures who usually made waves throughout the academy would all make an appearance at this competition.

For the male and female students who regarded these people as idols or objects of admiration, it was undoubtedly an enormous attraction.

Therefore, although the academy had chosen the largest plaza in Jia Nan Academy for this event, it was still packed to the brim with a sea of people.

Countless Jia Nan Academy students had squeezed their way into the seats around the plaza. Looking across the stands, all one could see were dense masses of heads and hear a deafening uproar that seemed to reach the heavens.

Xiao Ling and the others' arrival also drew some attention. After all, they were all well-known geniuses of the Outer Academy.

Looking at the packed crowd around them, Xiao Ling frowned and said to the others behind him, "Go back to your own classes and take part in the competition first. We'll meet up afterward."

The others nodded and went off to find their respective classes. Xiao Ling led Xiao Xun'er and quickly spotted Instructor Ruo Lin along with some students from their class.

Heading in that direction, the two soon squeezed through the crowd and reached their class's designated area.

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

Instructor Ruo Lin, seated in the stands, had sharp eyes. Upon noticing her two students, she waved them over.

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

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

After smiling and exchanging greetings with several classmates he knew, Xiao Ling turned his gaze toward the bustling plaza.

His gaze swept across the area. At the center of the stands was a section with the best view, occupied by only four white-haired, white-bearded elders. Although the aura around the four was almost no different from that of ordinary old men, Xiao Ling's attention was immediately drawn to them. Others might not sense anything, but with his exceptional Soul Perception, he could faintly detect traces of rippling space occasionally appearing around them. Such Space Fluctuation could only arise when the Dou Qi within one's body had reached a certain extreme and resonated with the space outside.

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

The other two old men seated beside them were senior elders of the Outer Academy.

All four were peak Dou Huang experts, merely one step away from the Dou Zong realm. As long as they consumed a Sect Breaking Pill, they might be able to become Dou Zong experts in one stroke.

Unfortunately, while Jia Nan Academy possessed abundant resources, its alchemist inheritance was not particularly profound. It had not produced a Sixth-grade Alchemist capable of refining Sect Breaking Pills, and Medicine Emperor Han Feng of the Black Corner Region would hardly help an enemy by refining Sect Breaking Pills for Jia Nan Academy. Thus, the elders could only remain trapped at the peak Dou Huang realm for who knew how many years, forever unable to take that final step.

When Xiao Ling looked toward the four, they all seemed to sense it and turned their gazes in his direction. Upon seeing that it was Xiao Ling, "Jia Nan Academy's Number One Genius," they all revealed kind smiles 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 Xiao Ling need before he reaches 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 possesses the inheritance of a Sixth-grade Alchemist; it's only that my own abilities are insufficient, and my Soul Perception has never met the requirements. Sixth-grade Alchemist is merely that boy's starting point."

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

Thinking of his granddaughter, who was also one of Jia Nan Academy's outstanding prodigies, Hu Gan could not help comparing her with Xiao Ling. They were close in age, yet their cultivation levels were worlds apart. Once Xiao Ling entered the Inner Academy and used the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower, he might even advance to Dou Wang before graduation.

Shaking his head, Hu Gan could not help sighing inwardly. There were differences even among geniuses.

As they spoke, the plaza had already become a sea of people, and the clamor soared into the sky. The Inner Academy Selection Competition had finally begun.

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

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

"Students, today is the long-awaited day when the annual Inner Academy Selection Competition begins. The participants in this competition come from every Mysterious Yellow Tier class, as well as the Enforcement Team and the Alchemy Department. They are all the outstanding students of their respective classes, three hundred people in total.

"The rules for this selection are as follows:

"First, this competition emphasizes sparring. You are fellow students, and no one may ruthlessly kill a fellow student.

"Second, no one may have another person take their place in a match.

"Third—

"Anyone who violates any of the above rules will, at best, be disqualified from the Inner Academy Selection Competition, and at worst, be expelled from the academy on the spot."

"Alright, the selection competition is now beginning. Any participant whose name is called, please take the stage as quickly as possible. Anyone who exceeds the allotted time will be considered 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.

"Mysterious Tier Class Two, Dai Yuhao."

"Mysterious Tier Class Three, Huo Mubai."

Upon hearing their names, two figures who had long been prepared flashed down from the stands and landed steadily in the arena. They stared at each other as sparks flew from their eyes. Dou Qi of different attributes surged out from their bodies, and their powerful Dou Qi wrapped around them, forming perfect Dou Qi garments.

Although the two contestants were not prominent figures comparable to Lin Xiuyai or Liu Qing, they had some reputation in the academy. The moment they stepped onto the stage, cheers of support rose from the stands. Those qualified to participate in the selection competition were the seeded contestants of their respective classes. No matter what, within Jia Nan Academy's Outer Academy, they could be considered above-average in strength.

Of the two in the arena, Dai Yuhao used the relatively rare Ice Attribute Dou Qi, which was quite good in both offense and defense. Huo Mubai used Gold Attribute Dou Qi, which possessed tremendous offensive power but was somewhat lacking in defense. As soon as the match began, the two launched into close-quarters combat. Relying on his family's secret art, the White Tiger Vajra Transformation, Huo Mubai steadily suppressed Dai Yuhao in close combat. Although Dai Yuhao was currently being pushed 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 pull away, Dai Yuhao unleashed his trump card—the Mysterious-tier Advanced Dou Technique, Ice Burst Technique. The icy Dou Qi above the arena immediately exploded, but Huo Mubai could no longer escape in time and could only use the Mysterious-tier Intermediate Dou Technique, White Tiger Bodyguard Barrier, to protect his vital areas. When the smoke on the field cleared, Dai Yuhao was merely panting heavily. The Ice Burst Technique had clearly consumed an enormous amount of Dou Qi, though he had preserved his physical strength fairly well. Huo Mubai, on the other hand, was already kneeling on one knee, unable to rise again and no longer capable of fighting.

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

Upon hearing this, the surrounding audience erupted into enthusiastic cheers, their roar shooting into the sky.

Even Xiao Ling in the stands could not help applauding. It had truly been an extremely exciting match. It seemed the upcoming selection competition would be very interesting.