A Beauty's Invitation Must Be Answered!

Looking at the blazing gaze on her gentle face, Xiao Dongchen could not help but smack his lips in astonishment. Just what earthshaking thing had he done for news of it to reach Jia Nan Academy, a thousand miles away?

"Let me count..."

Seemingly noticing the young man's surprise, Ruo Lin's lovely eyes shimmered. She raised her fair, delicate fingers and began counting with a light laugh, as though it were perfectly serious. "A Dou Zhe at eight, a Dou Master at eleven. Not long ago, you defeated Ge Ye, a Dou Ling of the Misty Cloud Sect, with one punch, and declared that you would challenge the old sect master Yun Shan within three years. That was all you, right?"

Hearing that those were the only exploits known, Xiao Dongchen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Jia Nan Academy did not yet know that he possessed Heavenly Flames and a Heaven Rank Dou Technique. Otherwise, they would probably go mad trying to drag him into the academy!

"Yes, yes, that was me."

He nodded and admitted it with a smile.

After confirming his identity, the smile on Ruo Lin's face deepened. Raising her brows, she fixed her watery eyes on the young man's and asked gently, "Then there truly is no need for a test. But can you tell your teacher what realm you have reached now?"

"Uh..."

Seeing that he still could not avoid this, Xiao Dongchen could only shrug and reply calmly, "My realm? A little stronger than Xun'er's."

Gasp...

The moment he finished speaking, sharp breaths rang out one after another throughout the enormous tent. Countless eyes turned toward his composed figure, filled with intense shock.

Stronger than a Nine-Star Da Dou Shi—did that not make him a Dou Ling?!

This unremarkable young man looked about the same age as Xiao Yan, yet his strength was simply outrageous!

Forget the outer academy—even the prodigies on the Heaven Ranking of the inner academy were only at this level, weren't they?

At the same age, Jia Nan Academy had not produced a Dou Ling-level freshman in hundreds of years. What was more, this one did not even look like an adult yet!

Terrifying! Truly terrifying!

Even though she had been mentally prepared, Ruo Lin's delicate body still trembled slightly. Narrowing her eyes, she let out a soft breath before slowly opening them again. "So you are indeed the greatest prodigy in the Xiao Household! It seems Elder Long's arrival was truly necessary."

"No, no, it's only an undeserved reputation."

Xiao Dongchen rubbed his nose and smiled sheepishly. Then, with a turn of his dark eyes, he shamelessly added, "Well, although I've been admitted, I still have some matters to handle. I'm afraid I won't be able to go to Jia Nan Academy anytime soon."

"What do you mean? You want to take leave?"

Ruo Lin paused before finally understanding. Her delicate brows furrowed as she said with some difficulty, "Elder Long has personally come, and you've seen the sincerity our academy has shown you. What exactly is it? Tell me, and I can help you apply to see whether it can be resolved."

"This matter is very important. Only I can handle it personally. Sorry for the trouble."

Xiao Dongchen tilted his head and spread his hands, making it clear that taking leave was unavoidable.

"This..."

At his words, Ruo Lin's brows knitted even tighter. Pressing her red lips together, she fell into thought.

A moment later, her eyes shifted, and her tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. She slightly raised her pretty face and looked at the young man with a half-smile as she slowly spoke.

"Oh? Who said you passed?"

The moment those words came out, not only Xiao Dongchen, but also the students were stunned.

What kind of joke was this? A Dou Ling powerhouse could not pass the academy's freshman assessment?

Was this deliberately making things difficult for him?!

"What do you mean?"

Xiao Dongchen shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Ruo Lin rubbed her smooth forehead with one hand, while the light in her eyes grew brighter and brighter. The corner of her mouth curled into a teasing smile. "Special circumstances call for special treatment. If you want leave, it's actually very simple. Just pass Elder Long's test!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present widened their eyes and exchanged looks, all feeling that this was far too absurd!

A Dou Wang powerhouse?

Using that to test me?

What a narrow-minded arrangement!

Looking at Ruo Lin's expression as though she had him completely in hand, Xiao Dongchen merely curled his lips faintly. Then his eyes shifted, and he nodded.

"That won't be a problem, but I want to add a condition."

"If I pass the test, Xiao Yan and I will both take leave for half a year to one year. That should be acceptable, right?"

The young man shrugged, confidence blooming in his eyes.

Just a Dou Wang. Then I'll suppress myself to the Da Dou Shi realm. Otherwise, I might not control my strength properly, and things would become troublesome if something happened.

After all, he had coveted the Tou She Ancient God's Treasure beneath Jia Nan Academy for a long time!

Faced with the young man's carefree reply, Ruo Lin was instead stunned. Her long eyelashes fluttered gently, and a trace of confusion first flashed through her eyes, followed immediately by a surge of confidence.

Trying to bluff, are you?

That won't work on me!

Elder Long is a dignified Three-Star Dou Wang. There's no way we can lose!

The students who heard this seemed to turn to stone on the spot. This young man was truly ruthless. He even dared accept a challenge from a Dou Wang powerhouse, and he was only in his teens. Tsk, tsk!

There was nothing else to say.

Amazing! Truly amazing!

"Very well, it's settled!"

Ruo Lin smiled at the young man before her and nodded in agreement. Then, using her slender fingers to tuck the hair by her ear behind it, a competitive glint flashed through her lovely eyes as she said softly, "But before that, I want to test just how capable you are, little fellow. Dare to compete with me?"

Looking at the gentle beauty's slight pride and the tranquil, orchid-like aura she inadvertently exuded, Xiao Dongchen's heart raced a few times. He nearly became entranced. After secretly swallowing, he flicked his sleeve and nodded lightly.

A beauty had extended an invitation; naturally, he had to accept!

"Alright, let's go outside. This isn't a good place to fight."

Ruo Lin gave Xiao Dongchen a gentle smile before taking the lead out of the tent. Her curvaceous figure, wrapped in green robes, radiated a unique charm.

Xiao Dongchen gave an embarrassed smile and shook his head helplessly, then followed after her with easy strides.

The students in the tent, along with the members of the Xiao Household, hesitated only briefly before eagerly following along to watch.

It was already nearing dusk, and the sun was no longer so scorching. The crowd lining up outside for testing was not as dense as it had been in the morning.

On the flagstone-paved clearing, a graceful figure stood quietly. The breeze brushed against her green robes and stirred the strands of hair by her ear. From afar, she looked like an unmatched celestial maiden.

Under everyone's gaze, Xiao Dongchen walked up to Ruo Lin and stood facing her.

"Let's stop at the right point. Ladies first—I'll give you three moves."

With a sweep of his sleeve, the young man looked every bit the refined gentleman.

"Alright, you said it!"

Ruo Lin blinked her lovely eyes, a gentle smile appearing at the corner of her lips. Her Storage Ring flashed, and a jade-green bamboo flute appeared in her fair hand, looking quite extraordinary.

The bamboo flute seemed to have been carved from green jade, radiating faint glimmers of light. A long white-jade tassel was tied to it, while a green magic core was embedded at its lower end. Faint dark-green Dou Qi inscriptions were etched along its body, and gentle energy quietly surged within it.

A mid-grade Xuan Rank Dou Weapon—the Blue Sea Tide-Rising Flute!