Withdrawing his gaze from the White Mountain on the opposite side, Xiao Yan’s eyes once again swept across the square. In the central position of the stands, there was a seat with the best view, and only four elderly men, all with white hair and beards, were seated there. Although these four old men had an aura that was almost indistinguishable from ordinary elders, Xiao Yan’s gaze first fell upon them. Others might not sense anything, but with his exceptional soul perception, he could faintly detect the occasional spatial ripples emanating from the four elders. Such spatial fluctuations could only occur when the Dou Qi within a person’s body reached an extremely high level, creating resonance with the external space. Among the strong individuals Xiao Yan knew, even Hai Bodong had not reached such a level. Only someone like Galle Bi, who had already entered the peak of the Battle Emperor realm, or perhaps someone stronger like Yun Shan, could possibly achieve this. As Xiao Yan observed the four simply dressed elders, the four seemed to sense something, and their originally lazy eyes lifted, their cloudy gazes directly meeting Xiao Yan’s. Upon the gaze locking, Xiao Yan felt a slight pain in his eyes. His Dou Qi circulated, and a wisp of azure flame suddenly flashed through his dark pupils, gradually dissipating the pain. Surprised, he quickly averted his gaze.
“Ah?” When a wisp of azure flame quietly flashed in Xiao Yan’s eyes, the four elders on the seats simultaneously emitted a low exclamation. Three of them exchanged glances and said, “What strange Dou Qi, it’s as hot and nimble as a flame.”
“This kind of Dou Qi, used for refining medicinal pills, is the best fuel. If this Xiao Yan is not an alchemist, it would truly be a great loss,” said the elder sitting on the far left, his eyes flickering with surprise, speaking slowly.
“Hehe, Old Fire, I heard that this Xiao Yan once won the title of champion in the Alchemist Competition of the Jia Ma Empire. His talent in alchemy is extraordinarily strong. If he could enter your Alchemy Department, his future achievements would be astonishing,” said the gray-robed elder in the middle with a smile.
“Indeed, achieving such a feat at eighteen years old, his potential is truly extraordinary. He is a good seedling. But I think he should have his own teacher; otherwise, it would be impossible for him to reach such a level at this age with just his own talent,” said the elder known as Old Fire, nodding first before continuing.
“Even if he has a teacher, there’s no conflict with you. The academy and private teachers don’t have much contradiction. Moreover, our Alchemy Department has existed for many years, and if he can enter to study, it will be very beneficial to him. After all, no matter how knowledgeable his teacher is, it’s hard to compare with the long-standing inheritance of our Alchemy Department,” the gray-robed elder shook his head and laughed.
“The Alchemy Department is independent of both the Outer and Inner Courts, so there’s no major conflict. If this Xiao Yan is interested in the Alchemy Department, I wouldn’t mind having another excellent student,” Old Fire glanced at Xiao Yan in the distance and spoke blandly.
“Of those four, the three on the left are the vice-principals of the Outer Court and two highly respected elders. They have a significant say in the Outer Court, and their strength is at the peak Battle Emperor level.” Seeing Xiao Yan’s gaze, Mentor Ruo Lin explained softly, “The silent elder on the far right is the head of the Alchemy Department, overseeing a large number of alchemists. Because of the special status of alchemists on the continent, the Alchemy Department is independent of both the Outer and Inner Courts, and no one, not even the vice-principals, can interfere with their affairs.”
“Alchemy Department?” Hearing the name, Xiao Yan’s heart stirred. This Alchemy Department must be something akin to an Alchemist Guild, right?
“The distribution of power in the Outer Court is quite chaotic. Although I know your hidden strength is considerable, you need to be careful of two forces. One is the academy’s Law Enforcement Team, which is full of powerful people and has the authority to arrest anyone they please. Offending them is very troublesome. Back then, during the bloody battle between the Canaan Academy and the Black Corner Region, and the terrifying Corpse Demon Tree, it was their doing. The other force is the Alchemy Department. Regardless, wherever they are, alchemists always have a unique status,” sighed Mentor Ruo Lin, her tone slightly envious. The treatment of even a second-rank alchemist in the Alchemy Department far exceeded that of a Yellow Rank mentor like her.
“Mm.” Xiao Yan nodded slightly, firmly memorizing these forces in the academy.
“Also, for this Inner Court Selection, although I originally only wanted you to enter the top fifty yesterday, I think with your true strength, you might be able to challenge the top five…” Mentor Ruo Lin smiled as she looked at Xiao Yan, not deliberately concealing what she accidentally overheard last night.
“Isn’t it the same…?” Xiao Yan smiled and said.
“It’s different. If you can enter the top five in the selection, you will qualify to enter the Academy’s Library Tower,” Xun Er took over, smiling.
“Library Tower? Is what’s inside really that tempting?” Xiao Yan was taken aback and asked.
“I can only say that more than half of the participants in the selection are aiming to enter the ‘Library Tower.’ This includes Xun Er and Bai Shan, among others,” Xun Er said softly, sitting next to Xiao Yan, her breath like orchids, her gentle smile making the surrounding gazes suddenly burn with interest.
“The ‘Library Tower’ is a forbidden area in the Outer Court of the Canaan Academy, heavily guarded. Apart from a few who are allowed to enter, it is usually closed, only opening for a short period after the annual selection. Those who are lucky enough to enter will likely gain unimaginable benefits,” Xun Er said softly.
“Oh?” Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. Given Xun Er’s background, she still had some thoughts about the mysterious Library Tower, so the things inside should not be disappointing. Thinking this, he nodded slightly, a bit more interested, and said, “Since that’s the case, I’ll do my best. But let me make it clear beforehand, don’t expect too much from me. After all, there are many strong people in the Canaan Academy.”
“With your strength, it shouldn’t be a big problem. In this selection, you only need to pay attention to five people,” Mentor Ruo Lin said with a hint of admiration in her voice: “The first one is that little demoness. Her cultivation talent is no less than yours, and being by the side of the vice-principal for so many years, she has seen and learned far more than her peers. The techniques and skills she practices are beyond the reach of ordinary people. Plus, her personality is odd, unyielding to persuasion, and almost like a little demon. Fortunately, she doesn’t have much interest in men, so you don’t have to worry about her clinging to you. Of course, given your relationship with Xun Er, she might take it out on you.”
“The second is the Bai Shan you met last night. As the most eye-catching figure among the male students in the academy for the past two years, his strength is extremely formidable, and it’s not an exaggeration to call him a formidable opponent… The third, you haven’t met, but he belongs to the ‘Law Enforcement Team’ I mentioned earlier. He holds a high position in the team and is trusted by the current leader. Being an orphan, he might stay in the academy for a long time. So, in the future, he might have the opportunity to control the powerful Law Enforcement Team.”
“The fourth is named Lu Mu, a star student in the Alchemy Department. Not only is his alchemy skill outstanding, but his Dou Qi cultivation is also not weak. He is an opponent you cannot underestimate, and you should pay special attention to him. According to the order, your opponent today might be him,” Mentor Ruo Lin reminded.
“Oh?” Xiao Yan was taken aback and asked, “What level of strength does Lu Mu have?”
“About a three-star Great Dou Shi, but that guy is a real medicine addict, and his Dou Qi is unstable, nothing to be afraid of,” Xiao Yu suddenly snorted.
“Haha, Lu Mu is Xiao Yu’s number one suitor. When he first enrolled, he pretended to be a new student and wandered around the academy with Xiao Yu for a whole day. Later, when Xiao Yu found out, she kicked him into a pond. Who knew, after that kick, he became persistent, constantly sticking to Xiao Yu. It’s a pity he gets beaten up every time, and he’s lucky he’s an alchemist, or else he wouldn’t have enough healing potions,” Mentor Ruo Lin giggled.
Hearing Mentor Ruo Lin’s teasing, Xiao Yu’s face turned a little red, and she said helplessly, “Don’t mention that sticky taffy in front of me, it’s annoying.”
“Yah?” Hearing the two of them, Xiao Yan was taken aback and then looked at Xiao Yu with a surprised expression, teasingly, “Wow, I didn’t expect Cousin Xiao Yu to have such charm. But this time, it seems better than that guy two years ago, right?”
“Hmph, do you think everyone has your taste? I’m not someone no one wants…” Seeing Xiao Yan’s surprised expression, Xiao Yu huffed.
Xiao Yan smiled and turned back to Mentor Ruo Lin, asking, “Who is the last person?”
“Right in front of you,” Mentor Ruo Lin said slyly.
“Huh?” Slightly stunned, Xiao Yan turned his gaze to Xun Er beside him, and seeing her mischievous expression, he couldn’t help but laugh bitterly, “Indeed, a formidable opponent that cannot be ignored…”
Without a doubt, the last person Mentor Ruo Lin mentioned, who needed to be watched closely, was none other than the terrifyingly talented and mysteriously powerful Xun Er. As the group chatted in low voices, the stands around the square were once again filled with a sea of people, their noise reaching the clouds. The second day of the Inner Court Selection finally began.
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