"I lost."
As the three words were uttered slowly, all the students present were instantly stunned. No one could have imagined that the outcome would be so unpredictable, and they certainly didn't expect that Shui Miao, the number one student of the North Sea Academy, would actually lose.
Looking back on the entire battle, it seemed simple and monotonous, almost entirely Shui Miao launching attacks with fierce and domineering momentum, leaving the onlookers dazzled.
Such an offensive would be extremely difficult for an ordinary person to withstand, let alone defeat. However, Xiao Yan remained calm throughout the entire process, and his ghostly movements amazed everyone present. What shocked them the most was the scene from earlier.
Faced with Shui Miao's Raging Sea Whale Wyrm, everyone present believed that they had no chance of escaping, but Xiao Yan easily resolved the crisis by using the power of the Great Dao of the Void.
The avatar made everyone present believe it was real, but what no one expected was that Xiao Yan's real body appeared and instantly caused Shui Miao to admit defeat. One can imagine the difference in strength between the two.
Imagine if Xiao Yan had gone all out from the very beginning, would Shui Miao have had the chance to persevere until now?
At this moment, the students in the arena became worried about Shui Miao, completely forgetting the disdain and mockery they had shown when they first met Xiao Yan.
In the void beyond the crowd, several academy elders breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Shui Miao unharmed. Not only was Shui Miao the most outstanding student in the North Sea Academy in nearly a hundred years, but his identity was also extremely special. If Xiao Yan had used that needle, it would not only have brought trouble to the academy, but Xiao Yan himself would probably have been in mortal danger.
However, putting all that aside, the strength that Xiao Yan displayed once again shocked these old guys from the academy. They thought that Shui Miao had already become a prodigy by achieving the Great Dao Form Condensation, but Xiao Yan's appearance made them truly realize that this wild boy of unknown origin was even more heaven-defying!
"This kid, is he really a disciple of the dean's old friend? That's truly terrifying. When this little guy grows up, he'll probably become another giant in this world!"
The elders exchanged glances, all seeing deep shock in each other's eyes. At the same time, Xiao Yan, standing on the plaza, also withdrew the jet-black steel needle that had been hovering between Shui Miao's eyebrows.
Looking at the ghostly figure that appeared before him, Shui Miao was still in shock. Only when he saw Xiao Yan take back the steel needle did he feel the terrifying aura that had been pressing down on his heart gradually dissipate.
Meanwhile, at the top of the statue, the black-robed elder and Hai Mochen each let out a soft sigh.
"This little guy is really unexpected. So far, it seems he hasn't really used his trump card yet, tsk tsk tsk..."
The old man in black robes couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement, and Hai Mochen, standing beside him, also showed a look of satisfaction. The strength that Xiao Yan had displayed gave him some confidence in the latter.
"Little guy, you're very good, but you must never let Gu You Gu You..."
"You... you're from that family?"
Although he still couldn't believe it, Shui Miao couldn't help but ask. He couldn't believe that on this continent, besides that family, who else with the surname Xiao could cultivate such a genius?
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise, then shook his head with a smile and said:
"Family? Sorry, I don't belong to any family."
Seeing the genuine expression on Xiao Yan's face, Shui Miao was slightly taken aback, then withdrew her thoughts and gave a self-deprecating smile. After all, he had placed too much importance on the family's power. Even without a strong foundation, with enough talent, one could still become a powerful figure.
Such examples are not uncommon in the history of mainland China.
" Shui Miao, if I'm not mistaken, Hai Mochen should be at the top of this stone statue. In this academy, the only place where he can observe our battle without being easily discovered is there."
Xiao Yan smiled slightly, a hint of cunning in his smile.
He wasn't usually that certain, but Shui Miao's deliberate actions to distract him had convinced him of it, and his questioning now was merely to confirm it again.
"You guessed correctly, but... there's one thing I need to correct..."
Nodding, Shui Miao then whispered to Xiao Yan in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"My name isn't Shui Miao, it's Chen. I believe we'll meet again someday, and when we do, I'll face you with even greater power and I'll definitely defeat you!"
Raising an eyebrow, Xiao Yan was surprised that this guy was still using an alias. Although he didn't know why, he still remembered his real name.
"Chen..."
"Furthermore, although you defeated me, it doesn't guarantee you'll be able to see the Dean."
As she spoke, Shui Miao turned around and looked at the stone platforms surrounding the statue that was floating outside the battle circle. A sharp glint appeared in her eyes once again.
"If you want to see the Dean, you must climb these hundred stone steps. Once you reach the top, you will naturally be able to see him. But if you cannot, you will probably have to come back another day."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan turned his gaze and looked over as well. After a careful examination, he realized that those stone platforms were the key to whether he could see Hai Mochen.
With a leap, Xiao Yan appeared in front of the stone statue. As for the energy shield that had enveloped the entire battle area, it naturally dissipated the moment Shui Miao announced her defeat.
Behind him, Shui Miao quickly caught up, which surprised Xiao Yan slightly. The latter grinned and said:
"The reason I was personally favored by the Dean is because a few years ago, I reached the fifty-fourth floor of this stone platform with the cultivation of Five-Star Dou Di. Now, several years later, my cultivation is no longer comparable to what it was back then, and I want to see how many floors I can reach now."
Upon hearing the latter's words, Xiao Yan nodded in sudden realization. No wonder this guy was personally favored by Hai Mochen; it turned out there was a reason for it. But that was fine too; the competition between the two of them had piqued his interest even more.
Turning his gaze back, Xiao Yan looked at the interconnected stone platforms in the sky, and couldn't help but recall the events before he first encountered Gu You.
At that time, he encountered the same situation, but the difference was that the person he had to face was no longer Gu You.
" Hai Mochen..."
"I am coming!"