The Seizure

"The Inner Academy will issue you Fire Crystal Cards shortly. They contain Fire Energy, an essential resource for your cultivation in the Inner Academy."

"As for their specific use, you'll find out once you pass through this forest and reach the Inner Academy."

"But I must remind you that the old students of the Inner Academy will come to seize the Fire Energy in your possession. Although the rules allow you to keep two days' worth of Fire Energy on your Fire Crystal Cards, that won't accomplish much."

"Of course, you can also seize the old students' Fire Energy. There are no restrictions on that..."

Hu Gan's gaze swept across the students before finally settling on Nalan Chenfeng.

This Fire Energy Hunting Tournament would be very different from previous years. Jia Nan Academy's Outer Academy had never produced such a monstrous genius before.

A fourteen-year-old Five-Star Dou Ling—what that level of talent and strength meant went without saying.

"Yo, why did old man Hu arrive earlier than us this time?"

Just as Hu Gan finished speaking, several elderly men with Dou Qi wings manifested behind their backs flew over from the Heavenly Palace.

At the same time, startled magical beasts and birds burst out from all over the forest, as though quite a few people had entered it.

"There's a good show to watch today, so naturally I came early."

"Come, let me introduce them. These are the top five from the Outer Academy this time..."

Hu Gan stroked his short beard and laughed heartily, then pointed at Nalan Chenfeng and the other four.

"Hmm... a Dou Ling..."

"How old is this little fellow? Is this the genius you told the Grand Elder about?"

Among the Inner Academy elders, the gaunt old man at the forefront swept his gaze over Nalan Chenfeng and the others. His eyes were filled with astonishment and disbelief.

"This year's students are far more outstanding than those of previous years. There are even two Seven-Star Da Dou Shi."

"This little girl isn't bad either. She's so beautiful—such girls are rare in the Inner Academy."

"..."

The other Inner Academy elders offered their own assessments as well.

"All right, hurry up and hand out the Fire Crystal Cards. It's time for these little fellows entering the Inner Academy to learn how formidable the Outer Academy is..."

Hu Gan urged them on with a broad smile, anticipation shining in his old eyes.

The Outer Academy was originally a place that trained students for the Inner Academy. Its students were fundamentally no match for Inner Academy students, but with Nalan Chenfeng here, this one-sided suppression in reverse was bound to happen.

In just a few days, Nalan Chenfeng's strength had risen another star.

Even if switching to the Library Pavilion's cultivation method had raised his rank, without sufficient talent, it would have been impossible to achieve such a breakthrough in so short a time.

"These are Black Fire Crystal Cards. Each of you starts with five days of Fire Energy..."

"..."

Within a lush, dense forest, scattered sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, casting speckled patches of light over the ground carpeted with dead leaves and lending the woods a slightly dreamlike air.

The once-silent forest was suddenly filled with footsteps approaching from afar.

"Why should you, an Eight-Star Dou Shi, be the captain? I'm an Eight-Star too!"

"Because I'm ranked higher than you. The four of you have to listen to me."

"You're fucking talking nonsense..."

"..."

Five figures slowly emerged. The five seemed to be a small team, yet they kept arguing with one another, their sharp insults echoing through the forest.

"Tsk, tsk, not bad. You still have time to argue during the Fire Energy Hunting Tournament?"

A faintly mocking voice suddenly rang out from the woods. The five people hurling insults at one another all stiffened. They hurriedly looked up and saw five young men standing at varying heights on the branches above them.

Each of these young men wore a badge on his chest bearing a pattern resembling a tower.

At that moment, the five youths looked down at them with mocking smiles, their expressions brimming with excitement, like cats spotting mice.

"Are you here to seize our Fire Energy?"

Among the five below, a tall young man trembled as he asked.

They could tell that these people were stronger than them. They were clearly an old-student team.

"Not completely stupid."

On the branch, a sinister-looking young man smiled and snapped his fingers, narrowing his eyes.

"Since you know why we're here, there's no need for nonsense. Hand over your Fire Energy, and I won't beat you up."

"Hand it over!"

The sinister young man cracked his knuckles and spoke lightly.

When he had entered the Inner Academy from the Outer Academy, he had suffered plenty of humiliation. Now, he could finally get some of it back and experience the joy of the Fire Energy Hunting Tournament.

Hearing this, the expressions of the five new students, who had just been cursing at each other, changed slightly.

Before long, they made their decision. Thinking that a wise man did not fight when the odds were against him, they took out their black Fire Crystal Cards.

Taking the five Fire Crystal Cards, the young man laughed loudly and waved his hand, tossing the other four to his four companions.

Then he flipped his palm, and a pale blue card appeared in his hand. A closer look revealed a fiery red number fifty-three written on its mirror-like surface.

Holding the black card in one hand and the pale blue card in the other, he pressed them tightly together and rubbed them hard.

The next instant, the two cards flashed. The number on the pale blue card changed to fifty-six, while the number on the black card changed from five to two.

"I really don't understand why we have to leave these new students with two days of Fire Energy!"

Another of the five youths also finished transferring the Fire Energy from his Fire Crystal Card and curled his lips in dissatisfaction.

It was not easy to earn Fire Energy in the Inner Academy, and there was only one chance a year to seize Fire Energy from new students.

Many people could not get a spot in the Fire Energy Hunting Tournament even if they fought for one.

"All right, let's hurry and find other teams. Don't waste this opportunity."

The sinister young man put away his Fire Crystal Card, then tossed the black Fire Crystal Card in his hand back to the new student.

Seeing this, the four beside him followed suit.

Just as they were about to turn and leave, a streak of purple light shot through the sky.

"Dou Qi Transformation Wings... a Dou Wang..."

The sinister young man's pupils abruptly contracted, and the Fire Crystal Card in his hand nearly flew out of his grasp.

His four companions also shuddered, staring in disbelief at the purple streak flying in from the sky.

The purple wings gleamed with a cold sheen beneath the sunlight. Their span was nearly half a zhang wide, and from afar, they looked no different from the Dou Qi Transformation Wings of a Dou Wang expert.

The next moment.

A figure clad in moon-white robes drifted lightly down before them.

The youth was tall and slender, with sharply defined features and a pair of black eyes as calm as still water.

"Nalan Chenfeng..."

The new students who had just been robbed also recognized Nalan Chenfeng. Their voices stammered with excitement.

They had never imagined that Nalan Chenfeng was already a Dou Wang expert.

Dou Qi Transformation Wings were the mark of a Dou Wang expert.

"Nalan Chenfeng, you... which new student are you?"

The sinister young man's mouth opened slightly, his face filled with terror. None of his earlier arrogance remained.

He had heard the name Nalan Chenfeng back when he was still in the Outer Academy.

Yet with his strength, he could not sense Nalan Chenfeng's exact cultivation. There was only one explanation: the gap between them was substantial.

And he could manifest Dou Qi Transformation Wings, the mark of a Dou Wang expert.

But how old was he? A Dou Wang in his teens?

"My time is limited. Hand over your Fire Crystal Cards."

Nalan Chenfeng wasted no words. He extended his hand, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

The reason he had used the Purple Cloud Wings was to increase his speed and plunder these old-student teams.

Besides, for someone about to enter the Inner Academy, such a flying Dou technique could hardly be considered a trump card.

He was confident that he could advance to Dou Wang within a year. By then, Dou Qi Transformation Wings would be commonplace, and Purple Cloud Wings, which merely granted flight, would naturally be nothing special.

Hearing this, the sinister young man's expression turned bitter, and the hand gripping his Fire Crystal Card trembled slightly.

They had just robbed the new students, and before they had even warmed the cards in their hands, they had to give them to someone else. They had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it.

"Gods, how could there be a new student with this kind of strength..."