Monster

"Elder Su..." An instructor surnamed Han looked at Great Elder Su Qian hesitantly.

"Uh... let Zi Yan handle it... Go, replace the testing stone with a new one." Su Qian rubbed his forehead awkwardly and gave the order to the person beside him.

"Yes, Elder."

The new testing stone was soon set up. At that moment, Xiao Fan also entered the tent and was slightly startled to see that Zi Yan was acting as the recruitment instructor.

He looked at Su Qian standing nearby, seeming to ask, You let Zi Yan be a recruitment instructor? Aren't you afraid you won't recruit anyone?

Meeting the gaze of this somewhat youthful-looking boy, Su Qian instinctively felt as though he had found a kindred spirit.

No one knew just how difficult Zi Yan was to handle, or how greedy and mischievous she could be, but these two men knew better than anyone.

Their eyes met, and they knew they had found the right person.

One glance lasted a lifetime; both of them knew the other was a kindred spirit.

Though he had yet to truly understand Xiao Fan, Su Qian had already formed quite a favorable impression of him.

Xiao Fan looked again at Zi Yan, who sat upright in her seat, holding her brush backward as she scribbled on the paper. He had to admit, she looked rather dignified.

"Her eyes seem a little red?"

Unsure, Xiao Fan immediately leaned closer to inspect her. With a serious expression, he asked, "Xiao Yan'er, who bullied you?!"

Zi Yan panicked at Xiao Fan's question. The dignity she had barely managed to maintain instantly collapsed. "N-No one bullied me."

"Xiao Yan'er?" Hearing their exchange, Su Qian was now certain that this little fellow was the friend Zi Yan had just made.

Su Qian did not inspect Xiao Fan's Dou Qi level. Casually probing another person's background was extremely impolite.

Zi Yan felt utterly humiliated. Clearly, she was stronger than Xiao Fan now, yet when facing him, she still obediently listened to him...

"Wah... Xiao Fan has trained me wrong." Zi Yan clenched her tiny pink fists. Next time, next time, I absolutely can't let Xiao Fan have his way so easily.

Su Qian stared at Zi Yan in even greater astonishment. Had Zi Yan ever been this obedient in his memory? Yet this little fellow before him had somehow trained her to be so compliant.

Su Qian became even more interested in Xiao Fan.

Taking a deep breath, Zi Yan asked, "Name, age, Dou Qi level."

Xiao Fan looked at the serious Zi Yan and reached out to pat her little head.

Su Qian immediately sensed trouble and was just about to save Xiao Fan. Zi Yan hated having others touch her head most of all, and she never knew how to hold back. With one punch, she might lose her very first friend.

Su Qian wore the worried expression of an old father, Dou Qi gathering at his fingertips. Yet the expected scream never came. Zi Yan was actually enjoying Xiao Fan's touch. She even narrowed her eyes and let out a soft moan like a cat stretching.

"Mmm~"

"Xiao Fan, three-star Dou Zhe."

Zi Yan recorded Xiao Fan's information without the slightest doubt, but Su Qian could no longer hold back. "What?! Three-star Dou Zhe?"

This information shocked Su Qian even more than Zi Yan's earlier abnormal behavior.

"Th-This..."

Su Qian had seen geniuses before, but he had never seen a monster. If what this little fellow said was true, then he truly was a monster.

Su Qian hurriedly brought Xiao Fan to the testing stone. Xiao Fan also understood that the Dou Qi he possessed at his age would indeed make others suspicious.

Xiao Fan placed his hand on the testing stone and poured in his Dou Qi. Before long, his Dou Qi level appeared on its surface.

"Dou Zhe, three stars!"

"A monster!" Su Qian had never expected a genius like this to emerge from a place like Wutan City on the Northwest Continent.

"S—no, talent beyond S-rank!" Su Qian even considered taking him as a disciple, but then remembered that he was not qualified to teach such a genius, so he asked Xiao Fan about his plans.

"Xiao Fan, I am Elder Su Qian of Jia Nan Academy. What plans do you have for the future?"

But after asking, Su Qian felt that a boy this young could not possibly have planned his future. Yet Xiao Fan immediately gave his answer.

"Elder Su, I want to gain some experience first and take part in the Inner Academy selection three years from now."

"Hm? It seems you know quite a lot about Jia Nan Academy."

"My family elders told me about it."

Su Qian stroked his beard and asked, "Then how long do you want to take leave for?"

There was nothing wrong with giving a genius some special privileges.

"Two years—no, two and a half years!"

"No!" Su Qian immediately refused. Taking two and a half years off would practically mean not studying at the Outer Academy at all.

"Elder Su, I know that my strength is exceptional. The cultivation methods and Dou Techniques of the Outer Academy are of no use to me, which is why I plan to go out and gain experience."

Su Qian hesitated again. He could see that Xiao Fan truly had a clear understanding of himself. A genius like this was not someone he could restrain.

"How about this? Instructor Han is a nine-star Dou Master. If you can last twenty moves against him, I'll agree to your request."

Su Qian gave Instructor Han a meaningful look, and Instructor Han immediately understood.

"Alright," Xiao Fan answered.

The instructor surnamed Han was brought onto the martial stage by Su Qian. When he learned that his opponent was Xiao Fan, he did not let down his guard. Zi Yan was the perfect example—underestimating an opponent was never a good thing.

Instructor Han assumed a fighting stance and said to Xiao Fan, "Little fellow, be careful!"

"You too, Instructor Han."

Xiao Fan's entire aura changed. Su Qian stared intently at him. This was an aura that only those who had endured countless battles could possess. But he's just a child. How could that be possible?!

Before Instructor Han could make a move, Xiao Fan actually chose to attack first.

Only then did Su Qian relax. Sure enough, he was still just a child. Charging into a hopeless fight despite knowing he was outmatched—wasn't that exactly how children thought?

Against an opponent far stronger than oneself, the best approach was to defend and wear down the opponent's energy.

"Sure enough, that aura just now was only my imagination." Su Qian sighed, feeling that he really was getting old enough to have hallucinations.

Zi Yan popped Sugar Pills into her mouth one after another, watching Xiao Fan and Instructor Han's duel with her beautiful eyes half-lidded. In her heart, she firmly believed Xiao Fan could win.

"Explosive Step!"

"Moon Step!" Xiao Fan shouted.

"Two movement-type Dou Techniques? And they both seem to be of a rather high grade!" Su Qian recognized the Dou Techniques Xiao Fan had used at a glance.

Below the Dou Wang realm, only Dou Lings could barely sustain flight, while the movement technique Moon Step allowed its user to briefly remain suspended in the air.

Combined with Explosive Step, it allowed him to approach an opponent along an extremely bizarre path. Watching Xiao Fan constantly flicker and shift about, Instructor Han did his utmost to keep up with Xiao Fan's speed.

"Shave!"

Xiao Fan shot straight at Instructor Han like a sharp blade. Instructor Han had long been prepared. "Mystic-rank Dou Technique, Water Dragon Bullet!"

Water elements gathered in Instructor Han's hands, forming a cannonball-like projectile that shot toward the incoming Xiao Fan.

Just as Instructor Han estimated that it would strike Xiao Fan, the Water Dragon Bullet passed straight through Xiao Fan's chest.

"What?!" Instructor Han cried out in disbelief. He had clearly seen the Water Dragon Bullet hit Xiao Fan.

"Instructor Han, losing focus in battle is not a good thing!"

Instructor Han sensed danger and crossed his arms before his chest, but a whipping kick immediately followed, slamming viciously into his body.