Library Pavilion!

As Liu Qing passed out, Xiao Yan struggled to sit up. Hu Gan finally announced Xiao Yan's victory!

Afterward, Hu Gan arranged for the two of them to be taken away for treatment. His eyes were full of gratification as he watched Xiao Yan. Talent was only one aspect; the courage to fight and dare to fight was the most precious spirit for one who cultivated Dou Qi.

As Xiao Yan was carried past Hu Gan on a stretcher, he hurriedly asked in a low voice, "Headmaster, my test reward..."

Hu Gan found it both irritating and amusing. This kid really wouldn't act without seeing the benefit first!

"You won't lose it. Go treat your injuries first!"

Having received that assurance, Xiao Yan finally relaxed. He closed his eyes and fell asleep as well.

Meanwhile, ever since Liu Qing had suddenly collapsed, the clamor among the crowd had not stopped.

"What happened? Liu Qing suddenly passed out? Xiao Yan won!?"

"Could he have suffered internal injuries? They might not show on the outside, but perhaps Liu Qing was actually hurt worse?"

No one understood, not even Yan Hao and Lin Xiuya.

After Hu Gan sent Xiao Yan away, the students could not help firing off questions one after another:

"Headmaster, why did Liu Qing pass out at the end?"

"Yeah, did Xiao Yan use some underhanded trick?"

"Could it have been some strange, sinister cultivation technique?"

Seeing the speculation grow more outrageous, Hu Gan spoke up to suppress the crowd:

"Do not speak nonsense. What knocked Liu Qing down at the end was Xiao Yan's soul power. Besides being a Three-Star Dou Master, Xiao Yan is also a second-tier alchemist."

After saying that, he ignored the discussion his words had stirred below the stage and began announcing the next pair of students to fight...

Lin Xiuya and Yan Hao, standing below, immediately understood upon hearing the explanation. They knew Xiao Yan was an alchemist; they simply had not considered that possibility earlier.

"So he used soul power. Liu Qing took a hit like that at the time—talk about bad luck."

Lin Xiuya smiled at Yan Hao's remark. "In the end, it was Xiao Yan's own ability. If he hadn't forced Liu Qing into that position, the soul power of a second-tier alchemist alone would not have been enough."

Yan Hao nodded. After thinking for a moment, Lin Xiuya said with a smile, "Still, it's not wrong to say Liu Qing was unlucky. If I'd gone up there today instead, I wouldn't have ended much better than him."

Yan Hao imagined Lin Xiuya in Liu Qing's place and could not help laughing out loud:

After all, Liu Qing had always had the image of a tough man. Though his tattered clothes and bloodied head made him look miserable today, it had not been too awful. But if it were Lin Xiuya, the elegant young gentleman in the hearts of countless young men and women at Canaan Academy, and he were beaten into that state...

The image was too beautiful to behold!

A few days later, Xiao Yan, now fully recovered, walked along the road. In theory, the first academic year had ended after the end-of-term tests, and there was now more than a month of vacation. Yet aside from students from the Black-Corner Region, almost no one had left.

Even Xiao Yan was only considering whether to return home with Canaan Academy's recruitment team this year. But he feared it would delay his cultivation. After all, the other students had no classes, while his own schedule remained fixed without fail.

"Speaking of classes, Fire Elder has been acting a little strangely lately. It feels like he's different from before..."

Just as Xiao Yan muttered to himself, Hu Gan's voice suddenly rang out beside his ear:

"Come to my office immediately!"

Xiao Yan hurriedly looked around, but found nothing. Though he was startled and yearned for such power, he did not dare delay and rushed straight toward Hu Gan's office.

"Headmaster Hu Gan summoned me. Could my end-of-term test reward have arrived?" At that thought, Xiao Yan quickened his pace.

When he arrived, Xiao Yan straightened his clothes before knocking on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Come in."

To Xiao Yan's surprise, the voice that answered was similarly old, but it was not Hu Gan's.

Pushing open the door in confusion, Xiao Yan saw an elderly man in the academy elder's robes sitting in Hu Gan's seat, smiling at him.

Xiao Yan naturally did not neglect proper etiquette. He bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Elder. Headmaster Hu Gan called this student here. If Elder has business, this student can return later."

"Hehe, no matter. I was the one who had Hu Gan summon you. I am the academy's Grand Elder, Su Qian."

Xiao Yan was immediately somewhat shocked. From this elder's words, his status was above even Headmaster Hu Gan's. By the cultivation world's rule that the strong were revered, did that not mean this Grand Elder was even stronger than peak Dou Emperor Hu Gan!?

"Could he be... a Dou Sect expert!!"

Xiao Yan was deeply shaken and hurriedly bowed again:

"This student, Xiao Yan, greets the Grand Elder. May I ask what business the Grand Elder has with this student?"

Su Qian said kindly, "You passed both tests, and your evaluations were excellent as well. Naturally, the academy has a reward for you. Do you know of our Canaan Academy's Library Pavilion?"

"Library Pavilion?"

Xiao Yan cried out in surprise. He had only recently learned of this place from Lin Xiuya and the others, and had been thinking constantly about the Earth Tier cultivation methods and Dou Skills inside. Now that he heard of it again from the Grand Elder, could it be that he had a chance to enter?

Seeing Xiao Yan's eyes turn blazing hot in an instant, Su Qian paused briefly before understanding:

"That makes sense. You live with those children of great families, so it is not strange that you know about it. At least it saves me the trouble of explaining."

Without any visible movement from Su Qian, the wall behind him suddenly split open, revealing a dark and profound passage.

Then Xiao Yan's vision blurred. Su Qian vanished from sight, only to suddenly appear behind him and place a hand on his shoulder.

"Close your eyes. Do not move."

Xiao Yan had no time to marvel at the Grand Elder's strength. He instinctively obeyed, and after closing his eyes, it felt as though only a breath had passed before he heard Su Qian say, "You may open them."

Yet when he opened his eyes again, the study from before was nowhere in sight. He was standing in a valley, and what drew Xiao Yan's attention most was naturally the ancient pavilion not far ahead. Above its doors was a plaque bearing three bold, sweeping characters: Library Pavilion!

Xiao Yan could barely contain his excitement, but Su Qian suddenly spoke—not to Xiao Yan:

"Hundred Elder, Thousand Elder, please open the door!"

"So it's Little Su. Why have you come? Who is this child?"

Xiao Yan was startled by the voices. Only then did he realize there were actually two more people beside him! They seemed to have sat here without moving for years, and the heavy layer of dust on them had made Xiao Yan mistake them for statues.

Even with Su Qian's status, he remained extremely respectful. "Thousand Elder, this student has come to enter the Library Pavilion and collect a treasure."

At this moment, the other "statue," Hundred Elder, spoke in a rather unfriendly tone:

"Didn't this year's top five already come a few days ago? Why is there another one? Could he be of some noble birth, entering the Library Pavilion through favoritism and cheating?"

Su Qian did not appear angered and replied calmly, "Hundred Elder jests. I hold the position of Grand Elder only by good fortune; how would I dare show favoritism? This student is a freshman who has been enrolled for one year. His family was originally poor, but he has made fine progress in both Dou Qi and alchemy. After discussion among the elders, he meets the requirements to enter the Library Pavilion."

"Oh?" The two fell silent upon hearing this. Suddenly, Xiao Yan inexplicably felt a burst of pressure, which vanished just as quickly. Then Thousand Elder spoke:

"Twelve years old, Peak Three-Star Dou Master."

Hundred Elder added, "His soul power is naturally this strong. He should already be capable of refining third-tier pills. Indeed, not bad."

Hearing their praise, Xiao Yan felt no joy at all. Instead, he was filled with alarm:

He had sensed almost nothing, yet in an instant, every detail of his abilities had been seen through. Was this the power of the strong?

Su Qian had apparently expected this outcome long ago. Cupping his hands, he said, "Since the two of you have verified him, please open the door."

Hundred Elder and Thousand Elder said nothing more. They silently extended their hands and formed seals. Immediately afterward, ripples spread through this space, strong enough for even Xiao Yan to feel.

At last, the ripples ceased. The invisible shackles in the space vanished, and the mysterious Library Pavilion finally stood before Xiao Yan with no more obstacles!