The Library Pavilion

The spacious, bright room was filled with crisscrossing bookshelves, packed with all manner of ancient, rustic volumes that lent the space a distinct scholarly air.

At the center of this room, Xiao Li and the others stood quietly. Behind a desk facing them, an old man with white hair and a white beard was slowly leafing through the documents in his hands, the entire room steeped in a heavy silence.

After this silent atmosphere had persisted for nearly ten minutes, Vice Dean Hu Gan finally shifted his gaze away from the pages.

"You are all the most outstanding students of this year; I am very gratified."

Hu Gan's smile grew more pronounced. Being able to recruit a heaven-sent talent like Xiao Li this year was like a pie falling from the sky.

Closing the book in his hand, Hu Gan smiled and turned his gaze toward Xiao Li and the others, saying, "Once you enter the Inner Academy, you will inevitably have to struggle together, so do not let your relationships turn sour. Every year, the new students who enter the Inner Academy will find their fate less than ideal if they do not band together."

"Furthermore, in the Inner Academy, strength is king. Whoever has the hardest fist will obtain the best cultivation conditions. There, none of your backgrounds will be of any use—including mine!"

Hu Gan's words were pointed, his gaze shifting toward Xiao Li.

Xiao Li nodded slightly, signaling that he understood.

Li Hao laughed to himself, "We are all heaven-gifted talents of the same generation; we are already too busy trying to befriend such people, let alone making enemies of them."

Hu Gan nodded, "That is good. Follow me; I will take you to obtain your cultivation methods and Dou Techniques."

As he spoke, Hu Gan walked to the wall behind him and patted it a few times. A low, rumbling sound echoed out, and a pitch-black passageway appeared before the five of them.

Upon entering the passage, Xiao Li discovered that large, luminous pearls were embedded in the walls. Their faint radiance cast a hazy light over the tunnel, though it was more than enough for Xiao Li and his companions.

After walking through the passage for about half an hour, a speck of light finally appeared at the end. Seeing the light, the group quickened their pace, and a moment later, they reached the end and stepped out.

Blinding sunlight poured down from the sky, causing Xiao Li and the others to instinctively squint. After a while, they slowly opened their eyes, and upon seeing the scene before them, they were somewhat astonished.

Although he had read about this scene in books, seeing it with his own eyes was an entirely different experience.

Before Xiao Li and the others lay a valley depression. The steep mountain walls extended upward until they vanished from sight. Nestled between the three cliffs was a vast, open space, and standing upon it was a massive, heavy, and ancient pavilion that was truly staggering to behold.

His gaze swept slowly over the colossal, ancient structure before finally resting on a weathered plaque hanging outside the entrance.

Library Pavilion!

The ancient calligraphy, though ravaged by the passage of time, still left Xiao Li and the others feeling awestruck by the rustic artistic conception contained within the brushstrokes. It was worthy of being the mysterious Library Pavilion of the Canaan Academy's Outer Academy; this plaque alone was enough to underscore its status.

Having come to Canaan Academy from Wutan City, where the strongest were merely Great Dou Masters, this was the greatest difference Xiao Li could perceive.

A single plaque fully displayed the capital of the continent's premier academy!

If Xiao Li remembered correctly, the mysterious Dean of Canaan Academy was a Half-Saint of the Thunder Clan—a figure who left the Gama Empire in the dust by who knows how many miles.

Hu Gan led the five of them slowly toward the Library Pavilion. When they were about twenty meters away, he suddenly stopped, cupped his fists toward the pavilion, and shouted, "The top five of this year's Inner Academy selection tournament have been decided. According to the rules, I have brought them here. I ask the Elders to open the gates!"

Hu Gan's voice, carried by Dou Qi, echoed through the small valley, lingering for a long time.

Shortly after Hu Gan's words fell, Xiao Li's pupils, which had been fixed on the Library Pavilion, suddenly constricted. His gaze shifted violently, finally landing on two gray-robed figures sitting cross-legged on the ground at the main entrance. When he had first arrived, he had clearly seen that there was not a single soul there!

Even though he had been prepared and had been paying close attention, he still could not detect a trace of them.

Yet now, these two gray-robed figures sat there as if they had been there all along. This eerie scene made Xiao Li's heart tighten.

Elder Bai shifted his gaze toward the five young people, his eyes lifting slightly when he saw Xiao Li. "Bone age of fifteen; a fine sapling."

Elder Qian nodded imperceptibly, a trace of regret in his eyes. "If I weren't currently focusing all my efforts on breaking through to the Dou Zun realm, I might not have been able to resist taking him as a disciple."

With that, the two fell silent, slowly extending two pairs of withered hands from their sleeves. They began to form hand seals one by one, and as they did, Xiao Li could clearly feel two immensely powerful, invisible ripples emanating from their palms like waves.

"Let's go." Seeing the spatial gateway, Hu Gan waved his hand and walked in first. After a moment of hesitation, Xiao Li and the others followed, stepping cautiously into the invisible frame.

As the spatial ripples brushed over his skin, Xiao Li's heart stirred. Spatial power—what a marvelous experience.

Elder Qian opened his eyes. "What a freak. He actually sensed the spatial power with the strength of a Great Dou Master."

Elder Bai looked at his old friend, waiting for what would come next; he knew his companion had something else on his mind.

Sure enough, Elder Qian paused before continuing, "Bai Lie."

Elder Qian solemnly called out Bai Lie's name, and Elder Bai likely already understood what he was going to say.

Elder Qian spoke, "A genius like this will walk many unnecessary paths if left to cultivate alone. We had guidance and still struggled; I do not wish to see a young man more talented than us get stuck at this juncture."

Elder Bai was silent. "We are old, yet the Black-Corner Region remains chaotic. For instance, Old Demon Ground and Old Man Eagle Mountain are still alive."

Elder Qian nodded. "That is why I want to cultivate a young man to shoulder the burden."

The two fell silent again; they already had their answer.

Canaan Academy needed a new leader.

Elder Qian's gaze seemed to pierce through thousands of layers of space, watching the little fellow who had walked away.

"However, we should wait a little longer. Being too hasty would not befit our status."

Even so, once the seed of the idea had been planted in their hearts, it was difficult to suppress.

The two figures vanished, appearing in a corner where no one could notice them.

"Tell me, do you think it would be better to give him a cultivation method or a Dou Technique?"