The hoarse, indifferent voice of Wu Hao gathered all the attention on the black-robed young man. These gazes were filled with schadenfreude, anticipation, and a myriad of other emotions. Regardless, Wu Hao’s words once again placed Xiao Yan in the spotlight. Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the blood-robed figure in the arena. Under the watchful eyes of countless spectators, he slowly rose to his feet, showing no fear despite the overwhelming strength of his opponent.
Their eyes met in mid-air, and a faint, robust battle aura simultaneously surged from their bodies. Tiny energy ripples spread from their surfaces, a result of the rapid flow of battle aura within them. Seeing the two begin to confront each other, the students on the stands became excited. If these two were to fight, it would surely be an epic battle!
Beside Xiao Yan, Xun’er furrowed her brows slightly, opening her mouth as if to dissuade him, but hesitated. She was worried that if she spoke, the students might think Xiao Yan only knew how to hide behind a woman. Thus, she held back her words.
“Hehe, go ahead and fight. Best if you both get injured; it’ll save me some effort,” said Baisan, smirking from the other side of the stands.
“If they really fight, it’ll be fun! Pity, that old man will definitely not let it happen,” said the red-clad girl, her arms on the railing, her gaze sweeping over Xiao Yan and Wu Hao with a hint of regret.
As if echoing her thoughts, just as the tension between Xiao Yan and Wu Hao was escalating, a deep, resonant voice suddenly boomed out, shattering the atmosphere they had built up: “You two, settle down. This is a selection match, not a place for private challenges!”
The built-up pressure was forcibly broken, causing Xiao Yan and Wu Hao to tremble, each taking a step back. They looked up to see the elder in the center, his hair and beard white, a tinge of anger on his face.
“That’s Vice Dean Hu Gan. Apart from the headmaster, he has the most power in the outer academy. Don’t provoke him; leaving a bad impression is never good,” Xun’er whispered in Xiao Yan’s ear.
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Wu Hao for a moment before he lowered his head and sat back down.
“Wu Hao, you step down too. Tomorrow is the final day of the selection matches. There will be plenty of time for you to fight then!” Seeing Xiao Yan retreat, Hu Gan turned his gaze to the blood-robed figure and shouted.
Hearing Hu Gan’s command, Wu Hao’s brows furrowed slightly, but his eyes remained fixed on Xiao Yan on the stands. Xiao Yan, in turn, looked back at him without flinching.
After a moment of silent staring, Wu Hao waved his hand, storing the heavy blood sword into his storage ring. His hoarse voice followed, “I hope you don’t disappoint me tomorrow. I don’t want the person Xun’er has been waiting for to be a waste.”
Xiao Yan smiled faintly, offering no reply. After those words, Wu Hao turned and left the arena without further delay.
Seeing the impending battle interrupted by the vice dean, the students on the stands shook their heads in disappointment.
“Alright, the competition continues,” Hu Gan declared, waving his hand after dismissing the two.
With his command, the list of names was read aloud once more. In the following dozen matches, Xiao Yan finally saw Xun’er in action. However, after watching for a while, he shook his head helplessly. The girl clearly held back, only showing a portion of her strength. Even so, she predictably won after a dozen rounds.
Watching Xun’er, with a playful smile, return to the stands, Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. Her actions foiled his plan to analyze her true strength.
Shortly after Xun’er’s match, Baisan and the red-clad girl also appeared. Both lived up to Rulin’s warning. Their opponents were a six-star and a seven-star fighter, respectively. The six-star fighter against Baisan conceded after a dozen rounds, walking off unharmed.
The seven-star fighter, however, fared much worse. The moment the referee announced the start, the red-clad girl appeared before her opponent, delivering a light slap that sent the fighter, protected by a Dou Qi armor, flying out of the arena. The fighter rolled several meters on the ground, ending in a heap.
Xiao Yan, watching from the stands, was astounded by the girl’s formidable display.
After Baisan and the red-clad girl’s appearances, the subsequent matches were unremarkable. After a few more, Xiao Yan and Xun’er left the noisy square, walking together through the academy, savoring this long-awaited moment of solitude.
As the sky darkened, Xiao Yan and Xun’er returned to Rulin’s elegant pavilion. Upon entering, they encountered a familiar face, one that had left a deep impression on Xiao Yan.
In the room, a tall, graceful girl stood, dressed in a light purple outfit and a short skirt, exuding a lively and vibrant aura. Her face, once a blend of allure and innocence, now carried a captivating charm, with large, expressive eyes.
From her smile, it seemed she was doing well in the academy. Of course, her beauty attracted many admirers. Yet, this normally calm girl tensely stood up when she saw Xiao Yan, timidly calling him “Cousin Yan.”
Xun’er stood for a moment, looking at the even more beautiful and alluring face. Xiao Yan smiled faintly, nodding without much warmth. The past, when she distanced herself from him after he became a waste, still hurt. Though the years had softened his resistance, Xiao Yan didn’t show much warmth. After chatting for a while, he found an excuse to return to his room.
The girl sat in the soft sofa, biting her lip, her eyes filled with regret. Some mistakes can’t be undone. Before Xiao Yan became a waste, her relationship with him could rival Xun’er’s. But after his fall, she chose a different path, one far more practical, drawing a line that still exists, a wound that can’t be healed.
Xun’er, seeing the girl’s somber expression, remained silent. She understood Xiao Yan’s high pride. Whether intentional or not, Xiao Yan wouldn’t easily accept her, just as he wouldn’t Nalan Yanran.
When Xiao Mei and Nalan Yanran made their choices, Xun’er had warned, “I hope you don’t regret this…” And now, both did, but it was too late. The proud man wouldn’t touch what he had discarded.
Thinking of this, Xun’er sighed in relief, glad for her own choices. If not, no matter how outstanding she was, she wouldn’t have entered his heart.
In the quiet room, faint moonlight filtered through the window. Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on the bed, the space around him rippling slightly as energy flowed into his body, converting into Dou Qi and storing in the Dou Crystal.
After two hours, Xiao Yan opened his eyes, a flicker of green flame passing through his dark pupils before quickly vanishing.
“The Dou Qi in the crystal is increasing. At this rate, I should reach six-star in ten days,” he muttered, clenching his fists.
“Still, my strength is far from enough…” Frowning, Xiao Yan summoned a rustic jade slip, which contained a glowing dot symbolizing his father’s life. The brighter the glow, the better his father’s condition.
Holding the jade, Xiao Yan felt a pang of nostalgia and sadness. No matter if he was a genius or a waste, his father never looked at him differently, always supporting him. When Xiao Yan, still a boy, was hurt, his father would pat him on the shoulder, telling him to be strong, that tears and despair wouldn’t make him a warrior.
These memories made Xiao Yan, with a mature soul, value his father deeply. “Father, I will find you.” Clenching the jade, Xiao Yan’s eyes grew colder. Whoever took his father would pay.
As his emotions fluctuated, a green flame flickered on his hand. Surprised, Xiao Yan noticed the jade withstood the intense heat of the Lotus Heart Flame.
“This…?” Curious, Xiao Yan examined the jade, said to be passed down in the family, with only the clan leader having the right to hold it. In the moonlight, he noticed intricate patterns on the jade, making him dizzy.
Shaking off the feeling, Xiao Yan wondered about the jade’s origin. He decided to ask the elders when he returned to the clan. Carefully, he stored the jade.
Soon, a black ring on his finger glowed, and the Pharmacist Elder’s ghostly form appeared. “I didn’t sense any Ancestral Flame in the academy.”
“Really?” Xiao Yan frowned. “Didn’t you say we’d find the Fallen Heart Flame here?”
“I did sense it, but now it’s gone. I can faintly detect its presence within a thousand miles, but I can’t pinpoint it,” the elder explained.
“A thousand miles… how will we find it?” Xiao Yan asked.
“I think the inner academy has something to do with it. If you can get in, you might learn more,” the elder suggested.
“Alright, I’ll try,” Xiao Yan sighed, deciding not to leave empty-handed.
“I’ll appear less often. With a strong presence near your girlfriend, it’s risky. I’ll go now,” the elder said, vanishing into the ring.
Xiao Yan frowned, looking at the moon. “The inner academy… does it really have the Fallen Heart Flame? I hope it doesn’t disappoint.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage