Farewell Dinner

When Xiao Yan pushed open the dormitory door, he was surprised to see that all three of them were dressed neatly, as if they were about to attend to something important.

Before Xiao Yan could ask, Qian Mo teased, "Hey, Xiao Yan, you finally came back. Tsk, tsk, at this hour, did you go looking for your little girlfriend again?"

Xiao Yan was only a little more mature than others his age, but Qian Mo's teasing still made him blush. "What are you talking about, Brother Qian? She's just a childhood playmate. It's not like that..."

Qian Mo's voice grew even more sly. "I never said who I meant. How did you know I was talking about that girl and not Dean Hu's granddaughter? Hahahaha!"

Yan Hao gruffly "stopped" Qian Mo. "What do you know, Fat Qian? They're childhood sweethearts, so stop making fun of their feelings!"

"Brother Yan, you too..."

Seeing Xiao Yan's blush beginning to creep toward his ears, kind-hearted Lin Xiuya had to step in to smooth things over.

"Alright, alright. Now that everyone's here, let's go."

Xiao Yan hurriedly seized the chance to change the subject. "Where are we going, Brother Lin? And why are you all dressed so formally?"

Lin Xiuya smiled calmly. "Nothing much. We're just going to have a farewell dinner."

"What?!"

"You should've told me earlier! That farewell dinner came out of nowhere and scared me half to death!" Xiao Yan complained.

Only after hearing the three explain did Xiao Yan understand. After their first year, the academy arranged for outstanding students like them to move into individual lofts. The four of them would no longer share a dormitory, though they were all still in the academy, so it was not as if they would rarely see one another.

Then again, this was Xiao Yan. What Outer Academy student did not know about something like this?

The group chatted and laughed as they walked. Then, as they turned a corner, they came face-to-face with a burly student. Xiao Yan looked closely and realized it was none other than Liu Qing, who had exchanged blows with Lin Xiuya at the start of the school year.

Not just then, either. Although Xiao Yan rarely participated in class activities, he had still heard certain things: Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing were the two most outstanding students of their year, and the two had sparred many times without either gaining the upper hand...

In short, their relationship could hardly be called harmonious.

Now that they had recognized one another, the scene fell silent. Xiao Yan had thought a conflict would break out, but Liu Qing merely swept his gaze calmly over them. In the end, he exchanged an almost imperceptible nod with Lin Xiuya before striding away.

The atmosphere among the four of them did not recover for a while. Xiao Yan could not help asking Lin Xiuya, "Brother Lin, what was that about?"

Lin Xiuya motioned for everyone to keep walking as he explained, "That guy isn't easy to get along with, but he isn't a bad person either. What, did you think we were going to fight the moment we met?"

Xiao Yan smiled awkwardly. That was exactly what he had thought.

Seeing through Xiao Yan's thoughts, Lin Xiuya shook his head and continued, "Our strength is similar, so ordinary sparring cannot determine a winner. That's why we're both waiting for the competition when we enter the Inner Academy. With the academy elders present, that will be the time to truly settle it!"

Xiao Yan understood, but then he recalled something else. "Oh, Brother Lin, I heard that Outer Academy students can generally enter the Inner Academy once they reach a high-star Dou Master level. With your and Liu Qing's strength, you can enter this year, right?"

Although Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing were both Five-Star Dou Masters, their talent and foundations meant their combat strength was no weaker than that of ordinary Nine-Star Dou Masters. By the standards Hu Jia had mentioned while chatting with Xiao Yan, they should have been qualified to enter the Inner Academy.

Qian Mo took over again. "Hey! Xiao Yan, this is where you don't know the full story. Other than freshmen who have just entered, Inner Academy students at Canaan Academy are basically Great Dou Masters. Only Dou Spirits can be considered strong among them! If Old Lin went in now, he'd only be in for a beating. He might as well cultivate in the Outer Academy for another year, so he won't get bullied after entering!"

"Dou Spirits!"

Xiao Yan could not help being startled. In his understanding, people of that level should have been powerful figures with some standing. Who would have thought that students in that mysterious Inner Academy could actually be Dou Spirits, and apparently there were quite a few of them?

Xiao Yan immediately began letting his thoughts run wild.

If I become a Dou Spirit, taking control of Wutan City for my Xiao Clan will be effortless... Wait, no. I'm a man determined to become a Dou Sect. How could I suddenly be frightened by Dou Spirits...?

Lin Xiuya's helpless words interrupted Xiao Yan's fanciful thoughts.

"Xiao Yan, don't listen to Old Qian's nonsense. It isn't that I'm afraid of being bullied. The main reason I'm staying in the Outer Academy for another year is to earn the reward from the 'Library Pavilion.'"

"The Library Pavilion?" Upon hearing the word "reward," Xiao Yan once again turned into a relentless questioner.

"The Library Pavilion is where Canaan Academy keeps its true treasures and rare collections. For people like us, the simplest way to enter is to rank among the top five freshmen when entering the Inner Academy. Then, we can enter the Library Pavilion and choose a treasure."

"It is said that if your luck is good enough in the Library Pavilion, obtaining Earth Tier cultivation methods or Dou Techniques is not impossible!"

At the words Earth Tier, even the usually composed Lin Xiuya could not conceal the heat in his tone. After all, even the force behind him possessed few items of that grade.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan immediately threw his "ambition of becoming a Dou Sect" beyond the clouds! His mind was filled entirely with "Earth Tier," and he was practically drooling.

The atmosphere among the four became lively once more. Lin Xiuya got his emotions under control and said,

"So, we'll all enter the Inner Academy next year. You too, Xiao Yan. With your strength, you could enter this year, but it would be unlikely for you to place in the top five."

Xiao Yan nodded repeatedly. What a joke—how could he possibly pass up an opportunity to obtain Earth Tier cultivation methods or Dou Techniques?

Qian Mo beside him began sighing heavily. "Ah, but it's hard to say for me. Next year's top five will include you, Liu Qing, Old Yan, and Xiao Yan. That only leaves one spot. My hopes are slim..."

The cultivation method and weapon Qian Mo used were indeed unsuited for head-on challenge duels, so rankings based on one-on-one arena battles were very disadvantageous to him.

As for staying another year, that would not work either. Cultivation was a matter of striving ahead at every step; becoming too obsessed with external things and delaying cultivation would be putting the cart before the horse.

Moreover, aristocratic children like them who came to Canaan had their own unspoken rules. Entering the Inner Academy after two years was the standard. If someone truly stayed an extra year to compete for the next year's top five, losing face would be the least of it—affecting the interests of those who came after would be the real problem!

Fortunately, Qian Mo was someone who could let things go. After the other three comforted him a little, he perked up again, shouting and laughing as he dragged them into more horseplay.

A youth's emotions were like the surface of water. Whether a small stone or a large one was thrown in, ripples would arise; yet whether great or small, every ripple would eventually return to calm.

It was only a small farewell, but the four of them still ate until very late.