The Show Begins: Three Trials

"Elder, you can't blame me for this. I've devoted myself to learning alchemy and am no good at fighting." Qiu Yue felt wronged and shot Qiu Shuang a look of contempt. "It's all his fault. He actually lost to that Ye Qingzhou and brought shame on our Qiu Family. I don't even know how he passed the tower guard examination."

Hearing this, Qiu Shuang clenched his fists, veins bulging, but after taking a deep breath, he swallowed his emotions and said to Qiu Tian, "Elder, this Ye Qingzhou is no ordinary opponent. If my guess is correct, he should be a Dou Ling, and he has mastered a Low Earth Tier movement Dou Technique."

The Qiu Family was one of the Pill Tower's Five Great Families. Alchemy was prevalent in the family, and over time, a culture of revering alchemists had taken hold. Qiu Shuang was the eldest son of his branch, but he cultivated pure Lightning Attribute Dou Qi. Although he had considerable soul talent, he could not become an alchemist.

His mother disliked him because of this, no matter how hard he worked at cultivation. Once her younger son Qiu Yue was confirmed to have a talent for alchemy, she treated them even more unequally.

All their mother asked of Qiu Shuang was to protect Qiu Yue and devote himself to him. Only Qiu Yue had a future.

Qiu Shuang wanted to prove himself and cultivated with extraordinary diligence. He was a Lightning Attribute Dou Ling who excelled in speed and explosive power.

Yet in their exchange just now, he had been unable to keep up with Ye Qingzhou's speed. Even accounting for the latter's sneak attack, Ye Qingzhou's cultivation was certainly not weak.

"Do I need you to tell me that?" Qiu Tian said, making no attempt to hide his killing intent. "The family received word that this newly promoted seed disciple of the Ye Clan is sixteen, with talent outstanding enough to bring that old fellow Ye Zhong out in person. But we couldn't find out anything more about him."

"I brought you here this time and had Qiu Tao accompany us as a precaution. If the Ye Clan really has a genius, Qiu Tao will step in and suppress him."

"If the Ye Clan's genius intends to go to Jia Nan Academy, Qiu Tao will go too and kill him there."

"If the Ye Clan has no genius, Qiu Tao need not attend, even if he passes the Jia Nan Academy Inner Academy examination."

"I didn't expect Ye Qingzhou to have already broken through to Dou Ling at such a young age."

"A sixteen-year-old Dou Ling?" The expressions of the younger Qiu Family members present all changed.

Such talent would be remarkable even in the Qiu Family. Several of its seed disciples had not cultivated that quickly.

What was more, Ye Qingzhou came from a collateral branch and had only recently been promoted to seed disciple. Unlike him, most of the Qiu Family's seed disciples had been chosen shortly after they began cultivating and had received the family's full support.

"That really is surprising." Qiu Tao was a refined and scholarly-looking young master. He opened his folding fan and waved it. "To think the Ye Clan could still produce a genius like that. But in my opinion, he either can't practice alchemy or is a fool who spends his alchemy time cultivating and is only mediocre at it."

"I originally thought I was just coming to watch, but now it seems I'll have a chance to step in."

An hour had passed since the conflict between the Ye Clan and Qiu Family disciples.

A figure suddenly flew out of a tent in the central area of Jia Nan Academy, releasing his presence and drawing everyone's attention.

He was a middle-aged man with a thin face, half-closed eyes, and a restrained presence. He looked perfectly ordinary.

But the Dou Qi Wings formed behind him and the natural energy he drew upon with each breath showed that he was no ordinary man.

"Dou Emperor." Ye Qingzhou looked through the window and immediately came to a conclusion.

"Hm?" As if sensing something, the middle-aged man met Ye Qingzhou's gaze.

"Looks like we can recruit a promising seedling this year."

The middle-aged man withdrew his gaze and circulated his Dou Qi as he spoke, making himself heard throughout the square.

"I am Mu Feng, an elder of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy, and I am responsible for the Inner Academy's recruitment this time."

"Those who wish to enter the Inner Academy may register to my left. Anyone no older than twenty-five with cultivation at the Da Dou Shi level may pass."

"Those who wish to take the examination to obtain Fire Energy may line up to my right and take the examination."

"The examination begins now."

It had finally begun!

Young people intending to take the Inner Academy examination began coming forward.

At their head were naturally the people of the Ye Clan and Qiu Family. Besides them, there were children of some smaller families in Ye City, as well as young people from the surrounding subordinate factions and families in subordinate towns.

All these people put together only roughly equaled the number of disciples from the Ye Clan and Qiu Family.

Most of them went to register on the left.

"Qiu Yue, sixteen years old, Nine-Star Dou Shi." With Qiu Shuang guarding him, Qiu Yue led the way and was the first to register.

The teacher in charge of registration recorded the information and looked up, waiting for Qiu Yue to continue.

Judging by talent and cultivation alone, Qiu Yue would count as a genius even at Jia Nan Academy.

If he entered the Outer Academy to study, he would certainly pass the Inner Academy Selection Tournament three months later.

If he waited until the next time Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy came to recruit, he would be under twenty and at least a Da Dou Shi, making him eligible for special admission.

But for now, he had not broken through to Da Dou Shi. According to the rules, he could not enter the Inner Academy directly unless he had a special talent.

"I'm also a third-tier alchemist, and I've already refined fourth-tier Qi Gathering Powder." Qiu Yue raised his chin and continued with a smug expression, "Before long, I'll be a fourth-tier alchemist."

The teacher's eyes lit up. As expected of a student recruited from within the Pill Tower's sphere of influence, he had such outstanding alchemy skills at a young age.

The strongest alchemist in Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy was only fifth-tier.

Once Qiu Yue entered the Inner Academy, he would be in great demand among the students.

"Hmph."

After completing his registration, Qiu Yue shot Ye Qingzhou a haughty look.

Although his cultivation was inferior to Ye Qingzhou's, as an alchemist, he didn't need to act personally.

Once he reached Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy, he could use his alchemy to win a group of people over and make Ye Qingzhou pay.

"Idiot."

Ye Qingzhou couldn't be bothered with the fool. He stepped forward and cupped his fists in greeting to Mu Feng. "Elder, I'd like to take the examination."

No one was rushing to be first at the examination, presumably because they wanted to see how it worked and how difficult it was.

Ye Qingzhou was not in the habit of insisting on making the final entrance.

All he knew was that passing the examination would let him obtain Fire Energy ahead of time, so he couldn't miss the chance.

"Good!"

With a casual wave, Mu Feng took three jade tokens of different colors from his Storage Ring.

After he injected Dou Qi into them, the three jade tokens quickly grew larger and plunged heavily into the square like three sharp swords, without causing the slightest tremor.

"These three jade tokens were left by the head of Jia Nan Academy. They are known as the Mysterious Heaven Jade Tokens." Mu Feng introduced them to the crowd. "The white jade token is an illusion trial. The faster you awaken, the higher your score."

"The black jade token is a test of combat power. Those who take the test can enter the space within the token and have three chances to use their abilities to strike the stone stele inside. The stronger their combat power, the higher their score."

"The golden jade token can only be opened by those who receive an excellent score in both the white and black jade tokens."

"As for what this jade token tests, you'll have to experience that for yourselves."