New Tricks

When Xiao Yan and his companions arrived outside the newly renovated plaza, they were quite shocked by the sheer number of people who had almost completely blocked the entrance.

Finally, Lin Shuiyao used her mentor's connections, and the three of them entered the plaza through a heavily guarded passage.

"Thump!"

Not long after arriving at their assigned classrooms, a deep bell rang out across the square, gradually quieting the bustling area as countless eyes turned toward the center.

Hu Gan slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping around, his muffled voice echoing across the square.

"The trials of the Black-Corner Region have undoubtedly been quite rewarding for all the trainees. To avoid any regrets of missing out, those who did not register for the selection before but feel that their strength has improved significantly during this period can now register."

Furthermore, after discussion at the academy meeting, the new selection competition will no longer be a series of rounds, but a large-scale elimination tournament. Whoever can last the longest in this elimination tournament will have a higher ranking, and vice versa.

"This elimination system is quite interesting," Xiao Xun'er said with a light, crisp laugh.

Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. He was still a hair's breadth away from becoming Da Dou Shi. A large-scale melee could fully unleash his potential and allow him to break through.

If it were still a series of selection rounds, no student from the Outer Academy would be his match.

Amidst the clamor, a large group of people stepped onto the arena. Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er exchanged a glance, found a corner, and stood at the edge of the arena.

With Hu Gan crack, the previously quiet arena erupted with a deafening boom as dozens of Dou Qi of distinct colors burst forth.

With a series of muffled thuds, figures flashed across the arena, engaging in fierce combat.

As the dazzling Dou Technique were on display, the stands erupted in excited screams and shouts almost immediately after the fight began.

This kind of massive, chaotic battle is far more exciting than a single round of competition.

Unlike the chaotic free-for-all at the beginning, some of those who didn't actually fight had their own small groups, and these were the elite among the participants.

These people didn't rush to fight, nor did they seem to intend to fight each other. Instead, they searched for something in the crowd, and finally all focused their attention on Xiao Yan.

They were both geniuses in the Outer Academy of the Jia Nan Academy, with reputations no less than Mu Rong Han and Yang Lie, but unexpectedly, despite being geniuses, they were no match for Xiao Yan.

Despite being watched by hundreds of people, Xiao Yan showed no fear, though he was slightly surprised.

These trainees, after undergoing rigorous training in the Black-Corner Region, were indeed completely different from before. The fear they felt when they parted last time was gone, and their eyes burned with Xiong Zhan spirit.

Amidst the rumbling, those who made the first move soon suffered the underhanded attack from behind. Those who continued fighting immediately became vigilant, and after a brief contact, they dared not linger, their eyes constantly scanning their surroundings cautiously.

Anyone who enters their attack range will cause them to retreat or attack hastily, like a frightened bird.

In a short time, even some students who were not good at socializing formed their own groups.

Watching the groups gradually separating in the arena, Xiao Xun'er tilted her head and smiled, "Brother Xiao Yan, it seems we're at a complete disadvantage."

"There's nothing we can do about it. The students in our class have only been cultivating in the academy for a year. The best ones haven't even reached the Dou Shi level yet. They're far behind the people participating in the selection competition, so naturally we don't have any helpers," Xiao Yan said with a smile.

Just then, a handsome young man in white robes slowly stepped out of his group's territory, looked at Xiao Yan and the other two, and said with a warm smile, "Without experiencing the trials of the Black-Corner Region, even if you cultivate for another ten years, you'll just be a hothouse flower."

"Xun'er, prepare for battle." Xiao Yan said in a deep voice, his eyes gleaming with a cold white light.

Xiao Xun'er nodded slightly, and a dazzling golden light emanated from her petite body, making it impossible for anyone to look directly at her.

"Don't worry, no one will lay a hand on Xun'er Sister Xun'er." The white-robed youth chuckled, his body erupting with astonishing lightning, and like a startled swan, he suddenly rushed towards Xiao Yan.

At the same time, some people who had been hesitant to make a move could no longer contain themselves. They glared fiercely at Xiao Yan, their Dou Qi surging within them.

Xiao Yan did not miss the fighting Dou Qi surging within each person's body. Although the Dou Qi attributes of each person were different, their body temperature would change after the Dou Qi began to circulate.

Looking at the young man who was leading the charge, Xiao Yan flicked his finger, and a sound of air being torn apart suddenly rang out.

"Using hidden weapons barehanded? You think you can scare a fool?" The white-robed youth's eyebrows shot up, and with a sharp shout, his eerie body trembled and he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

In an instant, the once energetic young man in the white robe was covered in sweat.

For some reason, his Dou Qi suddenly stopped circulating!

If Dou Qi cannot circulate, then Dou Technique cannot be used. Relying solely on physical strength, even if one possesses the level of Da Dou Shi, one cannot defeat Dou Shi who can use Dou Qi.

After flicking at the young man, Xiao Yan's ten fingers flew like they were plucking flowers and leaves, flicking one after another at the students rushing towards him.

Those he targeted were all stunned, as if struck by lightning.

This startled the person who had attacked Xiao Yan, and they looked at Xiao Yan with a pale face.

Although they are exceptionally talented and possess extraordinary abilities, the unknown is truly frightening.

Even Xiao Xun'er was quite surprised. She was standing right next to Xiao Yan and hadn't sensed any particularly strong Dou Qi fluctuations. What was going on with those people?

Xiao Yan didn't use any powerful Dou Technique, but instead saw through the trajectory of the Dou Qi within these people's bodies with his eyes.

Then, using the Bone Spirit Cold Flame to condense a thin layer of ice, he used the Lava Heaven-Breaking Force technique to strike the seemingly intangible ice shards at the key acupoints where these people's Dou Qi was circulating.

As a result, the circulation of these people's Dou Qi naturally encountered major problems.

However, this attack is not fatal. It can be restored to normal simply by using Dou Qi to disperse the thin sheet of Bone Spirit Cold Flame.

However, the Bone Spirit Cold Flame ranks eleventh on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. Even a tiny dose, once it reaches a weak meridian, cannot be eliminated in a short time.

Moreover, everyone has different attributes, and some of them are exactly countered by the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, making it even more difficult to neutralize it.

In the center of the square, Hu Gan's old eyes narrowed, and he discerned something amiss. He chuckled and muttered, "Xiao Yan always manages to come up with something new."