In the woods, Xiao Fan clapped his hands and nodded in satisfaction at the five Inner Academy students trussed up like rice dumplings before him. "All right, this should keep our whereabouts hidden for now. Thank you for opening your purses so generously, seniors, and donating a little Fire Energy to your juniors."
Seeing Xiao Yan and the others still standing there in a daze, with Hu Jia even snickering, Xiao Fan dragged them over and made them thank the Inner Academy students too. Only then did they disappear into the depths of the forest under the five students' conflicted gazes.
More than half an hour later, a team passed through the area and stared in astonishment at the five people bound together.
"There are signs that someone camped here." Xiao Fan crouched before a small pit, studying the faint traces around it as he spoke to the others behind him. "Looks like they only just left. Keep an eye on our surroundings."
Xiao Yan nodded, and the others began carefully checking the area.
"Wait." Xiao Fan stopped and closed his eyes to sense his surroundings. With his exceptionally powerful soul, he detected faint energy fluctuations to their left. "Someone's on the left." He glanced at the others, then led them in that direction.
Before long, Xiao Yan, Hu Jia, and the others also sensed the fighting up ahead.
Drawing closer, they saw two groups locked in combat. One consisted of Inner Academy students, while the other had only three people. Xiao Fan recognized one of them: Yue Yao, whom he had faced in the earlier competition.
The three were in poor shape. Yue Yao's two teammates appeared to be injured and could barely contribute. Yue Yao alone was holding the line now, and she did not look as though