A narrow victory

The two surges of energy, one ice and one fire, swept forward with unstoppable force, burning everything in their path to ashes.

Their collision with the towering waves instantly unleashed a thunderous crash.

Once the sound faded and the smoke and dust scattered, Xiao Ning and the others focused their gazes ahead.

They saw that most of Xiao Mo's and Xiao Yan's clothes had been destroyed, and both looked far worse than before.

Several students from Jia Nan Academy saw this and did not forget to mock them. "Ruo Lin is an instructor at the academy, a water-attribute Three-Star Da Dou Shi!"

"These two think they're geniuses, yet they actually dreamed of taking three attacks from Instructor Ruo Lin. How laughable!"

Seeing that both had suffered serious injuries, Ruo Lin advised them, "If you give up now, I'll consider you to have passed the assessment. You can still become students at the academy!"

"Of course, the three-year leave you mentioned earlier will be canceled!"

But when Xiao Mo and Xiao Yan heard this, they shook their heads. "No, we'll fight!"

Seeing their persistence, Ruo Lin sighed and stopped trying to dissuade them.

Then she lashed her long whip against the ground ahead, releasing all the water-attribute Dou Qi in her body.

In the blink of an eye, several towering waves formed, flooding more than half the training ground.

This power clearly surpassed the level of a Dou Zhe.

Yet Xiao Mo showed not the slightest fear.

He let out a fierce shout, and ice attribute Dou Qi surged wildly from him. In an instant, the ground beneath them froze solid.

He lunged up to the towering waves, his fists carrying all his Dou Qi, then unleashed a storm of punches.

Xiao Yan attacked alongside him, gathering all the Dou Qi in his body into his palms. "Fire-Blowing Palm!"

The flames became a volcano, blasting into the towering waves with unrestrained force.

With several explosive bangs, the ground inside the training field burst apart, sending fragments of brick flying through the air.

Countless clouds of smoke and dust billowed up.

Shortly afterward, Ruo Lin withdrew her Dou Qi, certain that this attack must have defeated Xiao Mo and Xiao Yan.

Then the smoke and dust over the ground dispersed, revealing Xiao Mo and Xiao Yan standing in the center of the training ground, seemingly unharmed, their expressions calm.

In other words, her attack just now had inflicted no real damage on either of them.

As for what had actually happened, Xiao Mo knew perfectly well.

At that moment of life and death, Yao Lao had blocked Instructor Ruo Lin's lethal strike for them.

The academy students stared at the sight in disbelief, their eyes wide.

"They actually withstood three attacks from Instructor Ruo Lin! She's a Da Dou Shi! How did they do it?!"

Ruo Lin was also astonished, but she quickly composed herself.

Although she had vaguely noticed that some unknown force had canceled out her attack just now.

Still, the two young men before her were indeed genuine talents.

What should I do? Should I agree to their earlier request and grant them three years of leave?

Three years of leave... I'm only an instructor at the academy. Surely I don't have that kind of authority?!

Ruo Lin pondered this inwardly.

Just as she was at a loss over what to do, Xiao Mo stepped forward and looked at her.

With barely concealed delight on his face, he said, "Instructor Ruo Lin, you can't go back on your word!"

"We withstood three attacks from you. That means Xiao Yan and I don't have to report to the academy for now!"

"Once the three years are up, we'll report to the academy ourselves!"

Hearing this, Ruo Lin sighed helplessly. "All right. After all, I did promise you two little fellows!"

Having received a satisfactory answer, Xiao Yan secretly rejoiced. Over these three years, he would train hard and defeat Nalan Yanran, then go to Jia Nan Academy to cultivate.

At the same time, the system's voice rang out in Xiao Mo's mind.

"Congratulations to the host for completing the random mission: help Xiao Yan obtain permission for leave from Jia Nan Academy, allowing him to train hard in the outside world for a time!"

"Rewards: lower earth-tier Dou Technique, Ice and Snow Freeze the Sky, and the third-tier pill, Yang-Restoring Pill. When taken at a moment of life and death, it can temporarily eliminate the host's bodily injuries!"

At this moment, Xiao Mo was so excited that he nearly laughed aloud.

An earth-tier Dou Technique! He finally had a Dou Technique worth showing off.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ning, Xiao Yu, and the others, eager to join Jia Nan Academy,

also challenged the academy students. Rather than fight and kill in the outside world, they wanted to begin studying at Jia Nan Academy sooner.

Of course, Xiao Mo did not particularly care whether they could pass the assessment and enter Jia Nan Academy.

After receiving his permission slip for leave, he left the training ground with Xiao Yan. The two planned to return to their rooms to rest first.

They were also preparing to leave the Xiao Clan.

The next morning, at the Xiao Clan's Back Mountain.

Xiao Mo and Xiao Yan were training hard, sitting cross-legged on a cliff at the summit as they cultivated their respective Dou Qi.

Before long, noon arrived.

After cultivating for half the day, Xiao Mo's face was covered in sweat, and his clothes were soaked through.

Just then, Xiao Xun'er arrived at the summit of the Back Mountain and told Xiao Yan that she had also passed Instructor Ruo Lin's assessment and would soon depart for Jia Nan Academy.

"Brother Xiao Yan, did you arrange three years of leave with Instructor Ruo Lin because of Nalan Yanran?!"

Xiao Xun'er asked Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan looked at her and did not hide anything.

"For the Three-Year Agreement, I must go to the Misty Cloud Sect!"

"I'm doing this for the Xiao Clan. Don't worry, Xun'er. Once I've settled things with Nalan Yanran, I'll go to Jia Nan Academy to find you!"

After saying this, Xiao Yan took her hand.

Watching from beside them, Xiao Mo felt irritation flare inside him. Finally, he could stand it no longer.

He hurriedly jumped out and looked at Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er. "Hey, you two! Can't you go somewhere else to flaunt your affection? There's someone else here!"

Seeing Xiao Mo, Xiao Yan gave an awkward laugh.

"Sorry, senior brother!"

At this, Xiao Mo said, "Out of sight, out of mind. I'll find somewhere else to cultivate. I don't want to be your third wheel. Just standing here watching is painful!"

As he spoke, he left the Back Mountain and returned to the Xiao Clan.

Inside his room, Xiao Mo took out his top-grade Alchemy Furnace and prepared to begin refining pills.

Since he and Xiao Yan were leaving anyway, he might as well use this time to refine some high-quality pills for the Xiao Clan.

On the one hand, it would hone his pill-refining skills; on the other, it would improve the Xiao Clan's overall finances.

He got straight to work.

He placed the Alchemy Furnace in his room, then took out a large quantity of medicinal ingredients and began with the most basic Blood Recovery Pill.

Xiao Mo spread his palm, using his soul power to control the ingredients as he opened the Alchemy Furnace.

Then he summoned his soul flame to burn the ingredients. As the flames steadily grew stronger, the ingredients' outer skins quickly peeled away and burned to ash.

Only a few glistening drops of green medicinal liquid remained, floating in midair.

Seeing this, Xiao Mo immediately used his soul power to place all the medicinal liquid into the Alchemy Furnace.