"Heh." Elder Liu smiled at Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan, who still showed no signs of movement, then turned to Han Yue standing nearby. "Little Yue, if you're eager to cultivate, go on down. I can handle things here."
"It's all right. I want to see how long this new student who's made a name for himself in the Inner Academy can last." Han Yue shook her head, declining Elder Liu's suggestion. She was in no particular hurry anyway; she could cultivate anytime.
Han Yue was curious about this mysterious new student who had shattered previous records in the Fire Energy Hunting Competition and led the newcomers in resisting the senior students.
After hearing that Xiao Fan had caused this reaction, the surrounding students stayed as well. Most chose to remain and see what would happen next.
As time slipped by, fourteen minutes had passed.
"Not bad at all." Elder Liu stroked his long beard, smiling as he watched the two young men persist despite their flushed faces.
By the seventeenth minute, even the surrounding spectators began to grow restless as the two continued to hold on.
"Seventeen minutes! It's been seventeen minutes!"
"You know, the highest record was only twenty-one minutes!"
"I wonder if they can break it!"
Just as the time approached eighteen minutes, everyone saw Xiao Yan's body give an almost imperceptible tremble.
"Has he reached his limit?" Elder Liu sighed, sounding somewhat disappointed. "I suppose I set my expectations a little too high. Let's see how the other little fellow does."
Under everyone's gaze, Elder Liu walked up to Xiao Yan. A ball of milky-white flame floated out, and with a sweep of his hand, the swirling flame flew toward Xiao Yan's heart.
"Come out!"
At Elder Liu's quiet command, the flame vortex spun violently, attempting