Easy Domination

Yao Sheng took a deep breath and strode toward the fighting arena.

Nalan Chenfeng stepped onto the stage at the same time. The two stopped several yards apart.

"Make your move."

Nalan Chenfeng stood with his hands behind his back, his voice calm and direct.

Yao Sheng's One-Star Da Dou Shi strength ranked among the top ten in the Outer Academy, but to Nalan Chenfeng, such strength posed no threat at all. There was no need to waste time.

Being looked down upon by Nalan Chenfeng stirred a flare of anger within Yao Sheng. His small eyes narrowed.

"Then please instruct me!"

Yao Sheng shouted low. A pair of short daggers appeared in his hands, and slightly black Dou Qi suddenly erupted from his body. He transformed into a blurred shadow and lunged at Nalan Chenfeng like lightning.

"Yao Sheng is so fast..."

In the stands, Han Yue's cool eyes flickered slightly as she watched every movement of the two.

Yao Sheng was certainly no match for Nalan Chenfeng, but he could still cause her considerable trouble.

Today's tournament would let her gauge the others' strength. Tomorrow, she would do her best in the finals. If she failed, she would give up this chance to enter the Inner Academy and wait until next year.

"I wonder what method he was talking about that day. Tomorrow is already the finals..."

"..."

"Yao Sheng is currently among the top ten in the Outer Academy. I wonder how Nalan Chenfeng will deal with him, and just how strong he is."

"..."

Within a few breaths, beneath everyone's watchful eyes, Nalan Chenfeng remained motionless in the face of Yao Sheng's rapid assault.

"Arrogant!"

Seeing that Nalan Chenfeng had no intention of defending himself, Yao Sheng drove his short daggers straight toward Nalan Chenfeng's shoulder and arm.

A Da Dou Shi could condense Dou Qi armor. He refused to believe Nalan Chenfeng would simply endure his attack.

The dagger wind was fierce, carrying a sharp whistle through the air as it traced an arc.

In the stands, many new students held their breath.

It was obvious from Yao Sheng's daggers that he specialized in close combat. Yet Nalan Chenfeng was being so overconfident that he did not even summon Dou Qi armor. No matter how one looked at it, it was foolish.

"Without using Dou Qi armor, even a Dou Ling would have a hard time taking a Da Dou Shi's attack."

Liu Qing folded his arms before his chest, his tiger-like eyes narrowing as they fixed tightly on Nalan Chenfeng.

"If Yao Sheng really hurts Nalan Chenfeng, Brother, you have to teach him a lesson for me."

Beside Liu Qing, Liu Fei also stared intently at the fight, her voice carrying obvious bias.

On another section of the stands, Lin Xiuya's gaze froze, and a trace of gravity appeared on his handsome face.

He desperately wanted to know what method Nalan Chenfeng would use.

"You no longer have a chance to use a Dou Technique."

On the fighting arena, Nalan Chenfeng still did not move. Only when Yao Sheng's short dagger was less than a foot from his shoulder did he raise his right hand, clench his five fingers into a fist, and throw a punch.

It was simple and straightforward.

Golden Dou Qi burst from his fist like a blazing sun descending, its scorching aura instantly sweeping across the entire fighting arena.

Before Yao Sheng's short dagger could touch Nalan Chenfeng's robes, he felt an irresistible wave of scorching Dou Qi rushing toward him.

Bang!

A dull collision rang out, and a wave of air spread in all directions, lifting every speck of dust from the fighting arena.

"This kind of power..."

Yao Sheng's eyes widened, filled with disbelief.

That power was far too terrifying. That seemingly simple punch was not something a Da Dou Shi like him could withstand.

Boom!

A black afterimage streaked across the fighting arena as Yao Sheng was violently sent flying backward, crashing hard into a stone pillar at the edge of the arena with a thunderous sound.

The stone pillar trembled, and cracks spread from the point of impact.

"Dou... Dou Ling..."

Yao Sheng slid down the pillar and dropped to his knees. His face was pale, his chest heaving violently, while his right arm hung at his side and trembled faintly.

One punch. Just one punch.

Yao Sheng's full-force attack had been casually sent flying by a single punch from Nalan Chenfeng.

A deathly silence fell around the plaza.

Everyone stared with their eyes wide and mouths agape, speechless for a moment.

"Dou Ling..."

A voice from somewhere broke the silence inside and outside the plaza, setting off an uproar.

"He sent Yao Sheng, a Da Dou Shi, flying with one punch. Nalan Chenfeng is simply monstrous."

"Yao Sheng is a One-Star Da Dou Shi..."

"..."

"Yeah, a fourteen-year-old Dou Ling... That talent is far too terrifying..."

"No wonder he is the number one talent Jia Nan Academy has seen since its founding!"

"..."

Discussion surged like a tide, and the stands erupted into chaos.

"This guy has already broken through to Dou Ling. That aura just now could not have been mistaken..."

Liu Qing lowered his arms from his chest. His square, bronze-colored face was filled with shock, and a trace of bitterness flashed through his tiger-like eyes.

He had thought Nalan Chenfeng would use some special method. He had never expected such an outcome.

Before absolute strength, the attacks of the weak were utterly laughable.

The gap between a Da Dou Shi and a Dou Ling was not impossible to overcome, but a One-Star Da Dou Shi like Yao Sheng did not even qualify to make Nalan Chenfeng fight seriously.

"This guy... really is a monster."

Lin Xiuya let out a deep breath, and a wry smile appeared on his handsome face.

When he was fourteen, he had only just broken through to Dou Shi. Based on age alone, he had already lost.

And with his current strength as a Six-Star Da Dou Shi, he could not possibly be Nalan Chenfeng's opponent.

The champion of this Inner Academy Selection Tournament was no longer in doubt.

"When tomorrow comes, these little fellows will probably suffer even more."

Seated on the central platform, Hu Gan stroked his beard, his eyes full of amusement.

With Nalan Chenfeng's strength as a Four-Star Dou Ling, he alone could crush the students of this year's class. That was exactly the effect Hu Gan wanted.

If Jia Nan Academy could nurture such a genius, its reputation would grow even greater and attract more outstanding people to join.

"He really is impressive..."

A moving smile appeared on Han Yue's icy, beautiful face as her crystal-like eyes remained fixed on Nalan Chenfeng atop the stage.

Naturally, she was happy that Nalan Chenfeng was so outstanding.

"When there is a chance, I should bring him back to the Han Family to meet Father."

"..."

On the fighting arena, Nalan Chenfeng withdrew his fist and calmly looked at Yao Sheng, who was collapsed beside the stone pillar.

"Do you still want to continue?"

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached Yao Sheng's ears.

"Cough, cough..."

"I concede!"

Yao Sheng coughed, spat out a mouthful of blood, then struggled to rise from the ground. He cupped his fists toward Nalan Chenfeng before turning and walking down from the fighting arena.

If he had used a Dou Technique from the beginning, perhaps he would not have lost so miserably. But using a One-Star Da Dou Shi's probing attack against a Dou Ling was truly laughable.

He had not expected Nalan Chenfeng to be this powerful. A Dou Ling—someone even Liu Qing and Lin Xiuya could not compare to. If he still refused to concede, he would only be humiliating himself.

"Xuan Tier Class Two, Nalan Chenfeng wins!"

As the middle-aged referee's excited voice rang out, the match quickly came to an end.

Nalan Chenfeng turned and walked down from the fighting arena, his steps still unhurried, steady, and resolute.

In the stands, countless girls followed that moon-white figure with their eyes, their gazes filled with admiration.

"Nalan Chenfeng! Nalan Chenfeng!"

The fanatical cheers shot into the sky and echoed above Jia Nan Academy for a long time.

"..."

The tournament continued. As highly ranked Outer Academy geniuses such as Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing took the stage, the following matches had no shortage of excitement.

However, with Nalan Chenfeng's performance setting such a high standard, the later matches always seemed to lack something.

It was not until the sun set behind the western mountains that the preliminary rounds of the Inner Academy Selection Tournament finally ended.

In the end, one hundred and fifty-five students, including Nalan Chenfeng, Han Yue, Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, and Lin Yan, successfully advanced to tomorrow's final round.

The next morning, at dawn.

The rising sun had only just emerged from the edge of the earth when the plaza was already packed with people.

Compared to yesterday, there were clearly far more people today. The stands were densely packed with heads.

Today was the final round. It would determine the final fifty places for entry into the Inner Academy, as well as the top five who would enter Jia Nan Academy's Library Pavilion.

For Jia Nan Academy students, the Inner Academy was a sacred ground for cultivation. It had the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, richer cultivation resources, and stronger opponents.

Entering the Inner Academy meant taking one's path of cultivation to a new level.

Those students who stood out in the Inner Academy Selection Tournament would also receive an opportunity to enter the Library Pavilion and choose one treasure.

Earth Tier or higher cultivation methods and Dou Techniques were things countless people dreamed of obtaining.

"Students, today is the final round."

On the central platform, Hu Gan rose to his feet. His imposing eyes swept across the crowd as the pressure of a Dou Emperor spread out, instantly quieting the plaza.

"However, this year's final-round rules differ from previous years. It will not use a round-based format, but a free-for-all format."