Black Fiend Team Strikes

Time passed bit by bit, and the sun that had hung in the sky slowly descended.

Beneath a large tree, Xiao Yun sat on a rock and took out his Black Crystal Card from his Storage Ring to inspect it. The number on it had changed from five to two hundred and ten. He smiled in satisfaction. This Fire Energy was enough for him to cultivate in the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower until he reached the Dou Ling realm.

A total of fifty Inner Academy old students had participated in the Fire Energy Hunting Competition, divided into ten teams. Now, aside from the White Fiend Team and Black Fiend Team, Xiao Yun's group of five had robbed every ordinary old-student team.

According to the rules they had set beforehand, Xiao Yun took the Fire Energy Crystal Card of the old-student captain each time, so he had gained the most Fire Energy. Though the other four had less than Xiao Yun, the Fire Energy on their Black Crystal Cards was now nearing two hundred as well—dozens of times what they had possessed when they had first entered the Inner Academy.

Just as everyone sat cross-legged, recovering the Dou Qi they had expended in the day's many battles, Xiao Yun suddenly opened his eyes.

"Someone's coming. Their aura is strong. It should be the Black Fiend Team." Xiao Yun rose to his feet and looked toward the dense forest ahead. Within the range of his Soul Perception, several unfamiliar auras were rapidly approaching.

Hearing Xiao Yun's words, Fang Wen and the others hurriedly ended their cultivation, sprang to their feet, and watched the front with guarded expressions.

Of all the old-student teams, only the White Fiend Team and Black Fiend Team remained undefeated. The former needed to guard the final checkpoint, so the only ones who could have come here were the Black Fiend Team.

According to the information they had obtained from the other old students, every member of the Black Fiend Team cultivated ice-attributed Dou Qi. Their captain was even a Nine-Star Peak Da Dou Shi. With the five of them joining forces, even a Dou Ling expert would gain no advantage.

Whoosh!

A few breaths later, the leaves suddenly rustled. Then five figures carrying powerful auras flashed onto the tree trunks, looking down at Xiao Yun and the others from above.

The five men on the trunks wore black fitted outfits. Fierce auras seeped from their bodies without concealment, blanketing Xiao Yun's group below and making them feel as though they were being watched by beasts in the forest.

"Tsk, tsk. I didn't expect this year's new students to be so strong. You actually defeated the other eight old-student teams and stole their Fire Energy." Among the five figures, a towering man who looked like a transformed Magical Beast spoke in an indifferent voice that echoed through the woods.

"How did you know we took the other old students' Fire Energy?" Fang Wen could not help asking after hearing the man's words.

"Hahaha, because those useless fools told us. That's why we came out specifically to find you. Let me give you another piece of good news: those old students you robbed have spread this matter throughout the Inner Academy. Outside this forest, who knows how many Inner Academy students are waiting for you to emerge. If you really manage to take this Fire Energy out of the forest, endless challenges will be waiting for you."

The man grinned, his stark white teeth carrying a beastlike chill. Staring at Xiao Yun, he said, "You can call us the Black Fiend Team. I'm the captain, Lin Dong. If you still want to leave peacefully, hand over your Fire Energy Cards obediently. It'll save us the trouble of acting, and spare you some physical pain."

"Oh? Another confident senior. Even though your surname is Lin, you're not Lin Dong, are you?" Xiao Yun slowly exhaled and spoke calmly.

Light flashed from his Storage Ring, and the Red Blood Spear appeared in Xiao Yun's hand. Dark-red Dou Qi coiled around the spear shaft as the aura around his body steadily rose, pressing back against the five members of the Black Fiend Team.

"Who is Lin Dong? Is he strong? From the looks of you, you're planning to trade a few moves?" Confusion appeared on Lin Dong's face, but upon seeing Xiao Yun's actions, he raised a brow. A cold smile spread across his rough features. "Since you want to fight, I'll defeat you first and ask who Lin Dong is afterward!"

"One each. I'll handle the Black Fiend Team's captain. The rest of you only need to hold the others back!" Xiao Yun stomped the ground and shot into the air. Pointing the spear tip toward the Black Fiend Team, he unleashed a burst of dark-red Dou Qi.

Scarlet Flame Palm! Using the Red Blood Spear, Xiao Yun launched a massive flaming palm that blasted into the tree trunk where the Black Fiend Team stood, splitting apart their formation.

Then Xiao Yun plunged like a meteor straight toward Lin Dong, who had dodged to the ground. Fierce Dou Qi surged forth at once.

"A Seven-Star Da Dou Shi. No wonder you defeated the other old-student teams. With this strength, you're already comparable to old students who have cultivated in the Inner Academy for two years."

Relying on his rich combat experience and nimble movement technique, Lin Dong dodged two consecutive attacks from Xiao Yun before flashing to an open space nearby. Azure-blue Dou Qi rose from his body, forming a suit of azure-blue Dou Qi armor over him.

"The battle's starting! Junior, don't let me beat you until you cry." Lin Dong waved both hands, and moisture in the air swiftly crystallized. Countless ice spikes shot toward Xiao Yun like a blizzard.

A sharp glint flashed through Xiao Yun's eyes. He gripped the spear with both hands and swept it fiercely. Flames erupted like a dazzling sun, colliding with the soaring ice spikes in midair and producing a deafening roar.

Profound Ice Sword! Seeing his attack blocked, Lin Dong did not hesitate. Ice-attributed Dou Qi spread through the surroundings, condensing into icy longswords that stabbed toward Xiao Yun once more.

"So you're a ranged mage?" After discerning his opponent's attack pattern, Xiao Yun exhaled softly and began changing his strategy. He no longer exchanged ranged attacks with him.

His body flashed, transforming into a crimson streak that leaped back and forth among the branches, evading the stabbing icy swords. In an instant, Xiao Yun closed in on him.

Seeing that Xiao Yun had actually chosen close-quarters combat, a cold smile surfaced on Lin Dong's face. Ice wrapped around his arms as he clenched fists the size of sandbags. Ice-attributed Dou Qi gathered around them, and he smashed them viciously toward Xiao Yun, who had appeared before him like lightning.

Feeling the sharp whistle of wind descending from above, Xiao Yun was somewhat surprised. He hurriedly raised his spear and used its shaft to block Lin Dong's fists.

One stood high while the other was below. The ice-wrapped fists pressed tightly against the spear shaft, seemingly trying to crush the person beneath them.

"Didn't expect that, did you? I'm one of the best fighters in the Inner Academy arena. How could I let you spot my weakness so easily?"

Lin Dong grinned savagely, continuously increasing the force in his hands as he pressed Xiao Yun down, refusing to let him rise and escape.

Feeling the force transmitted through the spear shaft, Xiao Yun's expression did not change. His right leg shot out like lightning, purple flame wrapping around his foot as he kicked fiercely at Lin Dong's shin.

"Ah..." Purple Flame instantly ignited on Lin Dong's lower leg. Even the Dou Qi armor covering it was burned open. In pain, he shoved Xiao Yun away with both hands and hurriedly wrapped the Purple Flame in ice-attributed Dou Qi.

Cold air rushed out, but the moment it appeared, the Purple Flame burned it with sizzling sounds. A thick white mist coiled around Lin Dong's body. In the end, he had to expend a considerable amount of Dou Qi before extinguishing the Purple Flame.

"What kind of flame is that?" Terror filled Lin Dong's eyes as he shouted at Xiao Yun.

"Just ordinary Beast Flame. Senior, you should be careful."

Xiao Yun smiled faintly. This Purple Flame was naturally not ordinary Beast Flame. It was the Sixth Order Beast Flame—the Purple Crystal Lion Flame—that Fire Elder had rewarded him with when he advanced to Third-Tier Alchemist!

Tap!

Xiao Yun stomped the ground again. A crisp muffled sound rang out as his body transformed into a crimson streak once more, carrying scorching heat as he charged directly at Lin Dong.

Damn it! Looks like I'm about to capsize in a ditch this time. Lin Dong frowned deeply. Although Xiao Yun claimed that purple flame was merely ordinary Beast Flame, Lin Dong did not believe that for a second. What ordinary Beast Flame could burn a hole straight through the ice-attributed Dou Qi armor of a Nine-Star Peak Da Dou Shi?

Dou Qi attributes naturally countered one another. Ice could extinguish flame, but fierce fire could also melt solid ice.

Feeling the scorching heat rushing toward him, Lin Dong did not choose to evade. He could tell that Xiao Yun had cultivated a movement Dou Technique, and his speed far surpassed his own. Even if he tried to dodge, he could not escape Xiao Yun's attack. Rather than waste his effort and expose his openings, he might as well stand his ground.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Dong made his decision.

His body stood in place like an iron tower. Ice-attributed Dou Qi continuously surged from Lin Dong's body, gathering before him to form a thick ice wall. The ice-attributed Dou Qi armor on his body was also reinforced without pause, wrapping him completely. From afar, he looked like a man sculpted from ice.

An ice-blue longsword appeared in his hand, wrapped in an icy aura. Lin Dong gathered his strength, waiting for Xiao Yun's attack.

Boom!

The spear tip wreathed in purple flame struck the ice wall first. Like a hot knife through butter, it pierced through without effort. The collision between ice and fire raised waves of white mist.

Lin Dong thrust his longsword forward, colliding with the spear that had pierced through the ice wall. Energy ripples scattered in all directions, making the dense leaves around them rustle violently. Within the swirling white mist, the two fought again.

This time, however, Lin Dong no longer had his earlier relaxed demeanor. The Purple Flame raging from Xiao Yun's spear forced him to expend immense focus, keeping his full attention on Xiao Yun's attacks. If he carelessly touched the Purple Flame, he would have to spend a great deal of Dou Qi to extinguish it again.

Bang!

After they exchanged dozens of moves, Lin Dong's mental strain grew too great. In a moment of distraction, Xiao Yun seized the opportunity. Purple Flame surged from his spear, and a single sweeping strike sent Lin Dong flying.

Where the spear shaft struck the Dou Qi armor, a mass of Purple Flame instantly spread across Lin Dong's body. At once, piercing sizzling sounds continuously rang from his Dou Qi armor.

Looking at the purple flames on his body, Lin Dong's expression changed drastically as he was flung through the air. Intense heat seeped through the armor, even scorching his skin red.

His body flew rapidly backward. Anything he collided with was instantly reduced to ash by the Purple Flame, until he finally slammed heavily beneath a tree trunk.

Xiao Yun closed in, controlling the flames so they only burned Lin Dong's Dou Qi armor. The spear tip descended with sharp force behind it, stopping before Lin Dong's face.

"Do you concede, Senior?"

Xiao Yun's calm voice reached Lin Dong's ears. Lin Dong raised his head resentfully to look at the youth before him, who was not even half his height. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed that his Dou Qi armor was nearly burned through by the Purple Flame.

"I concede, I concede! Hurry and take away this damned fire!"

Hearing Lin Dong's words, Xiao Yun waved his hand. The Purple Flame clinging to Lin Dong immediately halted and was completely drawn into his palm.

"If it weren't for that strange purple flame of yours, who knows who would have won! Pwah!"

With that, Lin Dong collapsed facedown and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Listen to yourself. It's like you could have taken that spear strike from me." Xiao Yun raised a brow, tossed him a healing pill, then took the Fire Energy Card from his robes. After transferring away Lin Dong's Fire Energy, he immediately rushed off to help the others.

With Xiao Yun's help, Fang Wen and the other four—who had not been much weaker than the Black Fiend Team's old students to begin with—quickly defeated them.

"Among the old-student teams, only the White Fiend Team remains. Once you recover, head straight for the finish line. Fight the White Fiend Team once, and it'll be over."

Beside the campfire, Xiao Yun leisurely roasted game he had caught somewhere and spoke to Fang Wen and the other four.

Starting a fire in the forest had originally been a major taboo, but he was no longer afraid of anyone coming for him. The White Fiend Team would definitely guard the finish line, and all the other old students had been eliminated. The only ones who could come were new-student teams. If anyone thought they could play the oriole, he would not mind fighting another battle.

"You four should recover your Dou Qi properly. Take turns keeping watch tonight. I'll take the first shift."

The four responded one after another, then each found a spot to sit cross-legged. Only Xiao Yun remained seated before the campfire.