Entering the Inner Academy, Brute Strength King!

Endless mountains, vast forest sea.

Two figures stood atop a Gryphon, flying toward the depths of the back mountain.

"Teacher Ruo Lin and all the students from Class Two wanted to see you off in person, but academy rules do not permit them to visit the Inner Academy freely." Hu Qian glanced at Jiang Han as he spoke.

"With their talent, they will all enter the Inner Academy eventually. I'll wait for them there."

Jiang Han wore a smile. He had left so many treasures behind for Ruo Lin and his students.

No matter how useless they were, those resources would be enough to pile them into the Inner Academy.

"I never expected the Inner Academy to be so far from the Outer Academy."

Looking at Jia Nan Academy's main peak disappearing beyond the horizon, Jiang Han could not help but sigh.

"Not just you. Even Inner Academy students cannot find their way back without a designated Gryphon to guide them," Hu Qian replied.

After another hour of flight.

The Gryphon slowed and descended below.

Jiang Han looked down. Apart from a bottomless mountain ravine, the surroundings were covered by endless greenery.

Soon, the Gryphon landed in an open patch within the ravine.

After landing, Hu Qian formed a strange hand seal before Jiang Han's watchful gaze and pushed it forward.

At once.

A bizarre scene appeared.

The previously tranquil space rippled layer by layer. Once the ripples faded, a silver gate seven or eight zhang tall appeared out of thin air before Jiang Han.

"So this is the entrance to the Inner Academy!"

Jiang Han muttered as he stared at the strangely appearing silver gate.

It was fortunate he had not tried to search for the Inner Academy entrance by himself.

Who could have imagined that such mysteries were hidden in this open place?

"Come in with me."

Hu Qian pushed open the silver gate. The scenery beyond it did not seem much different from the ravine where they stood.

When Jiang Han followed him through the gate, the silver gate vanished just as strangely.

"Headmaster Hu Qian, is this the Outer Academy instructor you mentioned to the Grand Elder? He is truly young!"

"Indeed. He has already become a Dou Wang at such an age, unlike us old men who are nearly in the grave."

Two elderly men flew over from the depths of the woods. Each wore a badge on his chest engraved with a tower-like pattern.

"Jiang Han, these two are elders of the Inner Academy."

Hu Qian first introduced the two elders to Jiang Han, then said, "I'll leave you here. There are still matters to handle in the Outer Academy. From here on, these two elders will take you into the Inner Academy."

Jiang Han nodded in response, then followed the two elders along the shaded path for some distance.

After crossing a hill, he finally saw an enormous sunken basin.

Judging by its shape alone, the basin looked as though a gigantic meteor had fallen from the sky and smashed it into existence.

Within the basin stood towering buildings.

Several black shadows darted and leaped across every building, crossing and chasing one another as if sparring.

"As expected of the Inner Academy. These students are far stronger overall than those in the Outer Academy."

After sighing in admiration, Jiang Han's eyes rolled about as he scanned the basin, as though searching for something.

A quarter of an hour later.

The two elders brought Jiang Han before a standalone pavilion.

"Elder Jiang, this will be your residence from now on. Rest on your own today, or take a look around the Inner Academy. Tomorrow, we will bring you to meet the Grand Elder."

After giving him a few instructions, the two elders departed.

Jiang Han first entered the pavilion to inspect his future residence.

He was quite satisfied.

The pavilion had three floors. If such a building were assigned to students, it would house at least ten people.

Yet Jiang Han had been given the entire building to himself.

"An elder's treatment really is good!"

Looking at the fully furnished residence, Jiang Han rested briefly before leaving the pavilion to familiarize himself with the surroundings.

Jiang Han wandered around casually.

As he passed before a pavilion, he noticed several students rushing in a swarm toward one direction.

From their conversation, Jiang Han learned the reason.

There was a Strong Ranking within the Inner Academy.

Just moments ago, two students ranked eighth and ninth on the Strong Ranking had arranged a duel.

"Interesting."

Jiang Han's interest was piqued, and he followed the crowd.

Five minutes later.

Jiang Han arrived at a plaza.

There was an arena in the center of the plaza, where two figures stood facing each other, tense and ready.

The area around the arena was packed with spectators, all of them looking eagerly expectant.

"Do you think Wu Yang can succeed in his challenge this time?"

"Although both of them are eight-star Dou Lings, Wu Yang has challenged You Peng three times in the last two months and failed every time. The result will probably be the same this time."

"Haha, that's exactly what I think."

"But Wu Yang seems rather confident this time. Maybe he really can defeat You Peng."

Amid the surging crowd, Jiang Han squeezed into the inner circle with difficulty.

"Fatty Wu, do you really want the eighth spot that badly? Can't you show a little self-awareness?" A young man on the arena sneered.

"Half a month has passed. I'm no longer the young man I used to be!" the other young man snorted coldly.

"If that's the case, then I'll beat you up again."

As You Peng's teasing words fell, the two men on the stage drew their weapons at the same time.

You Peng's weapon was a massive pitch-black iron hammer, while Wu Yang wielded a golden object shaped like a circular saw. Its sharp teeth gleamed with a chilling light.

"Fight!"

Wu Yang launched the first attack.

As his shout rang out, dense Dou Qi surged from within his body. With a sudden shake of his arm, the weapon in his hand shot toward You Peng like a golden bolt of lightning.

Boom!

Almost simultaneously, Yan Hao's pitch-black iron hammer slammed viciously into the ground.

In an instant.

An arm-thick crack rapidly spread across the arena. Then, an incomparably powerful dark-yellow energy burst from the fissure and struck the flashing golden lightning head-on, knocking it back.

"Fatty Wu, you haven't improved much!"

After easily catching Wu Yang's attack, You Peng burst into laughter.

"Not good! The Brute Strength King is here! Run!"

However, just as Wu Yang was preparing to attack again, a terrified scream rang out from the edge of the plaza.

Upon hearing the words "Brute Strength King," fear instantly appeared on the faces of the people watching around the arena.

On the arena, Wu Yang and You Peng's expressions also turned grave at once, their grips tightening around their weapons.

"Brute Strength King?"

Hearing that nickname, Jiang Han quickly thought of a certain little fellow.

Sure enough.

Only a few seconds later.

First, a young man with a face full of terror came sprinting over at high speed. Then, a petite figure slowly ambled over.

She was a little girl in white who stood just over a meter tall, around twelve or thirteen years old, with light-purple hair falling straight to her waist.

Her fair, tender cheeks and large, dark, watery eyes made her look like an exquisitely carved doll.

When Jiang Han saw the little girl in white clearly, an unconscious smile rose at the corner of his lips.