Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Reaping a Bountiful Harvest
Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Reaping a Bountiful Harvest
Word Count: 3,374 Words
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"You truly are a good cousin."
Just as Bai Feng finished speaking, a voice suddenly echoed from the edge of the forest.
All ten members of the Black White Evil Stopper turned their gazes toward the source of the voice. Shortly after, the branches within the forest began to shake rapidly. Then, one by one, figures swiftly darted out from the dense woods and landed on one knee under the sunlight. There were many figures-upon careful counting, there were actually no fewer than eighty people. Even Luo Hou and Bai Feng's expressions changed slightly when they saw such a number.
"How did they arrive so quickly?"
"Are those people behind them the senior students who entered the forest to hunt?"
"And those are freshmen? Why are they together?"
The ten members of the Black White Evil Stopper exchanged puzzled glances, not understanding what could have caused such a scene.
"Cousin! Save me!!"
Bai Feng's eyes narrowed as he looked at Bai Shan standing in front of Xiao Yan. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. "So, you are the 2-star Dou Spirit named Xiao Yan that Bai Shan mentioned?"
"I didn't expect you to have gathered all the freshmen together. But even so, today, you have nowhere to escape."
Bai Feng was not surprised that last year's top fifty senior students were defeated by Xiao Yan. After all, those students were ranked near the bottom and hadn't entered the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower many times during their year in the Inner Academy, as most of their Fire Energy had been exploited by other senior students.
Xiao Yan, carrying the Heavy Xuan Ruler that was almost as tall as himself, raised his head slightly. His gaze swept across the field and finally rested on the ten black- and white-clothed youths standing on the tree branches. A hint of greed flashed in his eyes as he smiled, "You seniors must be the Black White Evil Stopper of this year's Fire Energy Hunting Competition, right?"
"White Demon Group, Captain, Luo Hou." The fair-skinned youth's gaze swept over Xiao Yan, paused for a moment on Xun Er and Hu Jia, then locked tightly onto Xiao Yan in the center, and spoke slowly.
In a deep voice, Bai Feng said, "Release my cousin."
Xiao Yan smiled slightly and, mimicking Bai Feng's tone, said in a deep voice, "Of course. Your cousin Bai Shan is truly a good person. He really helped me lure out a big fish like you."
?!
Bai Feng frowned tightly. He didn't understand what Xiao Yan meant.
"Luo Hou, Bai Feng, be careful! This guy is very strong! He plans to rob you of your Fire Energy!" a senior student from the Inner Academy shouted.
Luo Hou froze instantly. The purpose of the Black White Evil Stopper was to teach a lesson to the unruly freshmen. They didn't covet the freshmen's Fire Energy because they looked down on those mere three points.
They had task rewards in the form of Fire Energy, initially, they wouldn't enter the forest to hunt freshmen.
Over the years, the Black White Evil Stopper would knock down the top five freshmen who received rewards, beating them until they surrendered and lost their temper. Only then would they clear the path and deliver that classic line: In the Inner Academy, if you're a dragon, you must coil; if you're a tiger, you must crouch.
Then they would allow them to pass and enter the Inner Academy.
After all, freshmen who obtained rewards from the Book Collection Hall were indeed prone to arrogance.
They had even forgotten that the Black White Evil Stopper was also considered a team hunting for Fire Energy and could be counter-robbed!
"Hmph, as expected of an unruly freshman. If you think that just because you've cultivated quickly and reached the Dou Spirit realm, you can run rampant in the Inner Academy, then you are gravely mistaken. You should know that geniuses often die young."
The cold air around Bai Feng's body grew even denser. A powerful aura rose from within him, enveloping the surrounding piles of rocks and trees. Some of the weaker freshmen couldn't help but change their expressions under the oppressive force of this aura, which was even stronger than iron sand.
A hint of seriousness appeared on Xiao Yan's face as he felt the cold oppressive aura surrounding him. His eyes narrowed slightly. As expected, this guy was a genuine Dou Spirit, and his cultivation was even a bit higher than his own.
With this thought, Xiao Yan took a step forward. Immediately, a majestic aura surged out from within his body. The Dou Qi generated by the Flame Mantra not only blocked the cold oppressive aura surrounding him but even pushed it back.
Luo Hou's expression changed upon seeing this scene. He stood beside Bai Feng, and only under their combined auras could they resist the overwhelming scorching aura emitted by
Xiao Yan.
"So strong!"
"It actually takes two Dou Spirit experts joining forces to resist Xiao Yan's aura!"
The freshmen were all stunned. Everyone was a freshman-why was he so powerful?
In this initial confrontation, Xiao Yan had actually gained the upper hand over the two
captains.
"Xun Er, you take Xiao Yu and Xiao Ning to help me hold off those other eight people. After I deal with these two, I'll come to assist you," Xiao Yan said softly.
"Don't worry, Xiao Yan ge-ge." Xun Er smiled gracefully and nodded.
Although the other eight people didn't have Dou Spirit experts, they were all advanced Dou Grandmasters, and their strength was evident.
As Xiao Yan locked onto Luo Hou and Bai Feng, Xun Er and the others beside him also began rapidly circulating their Dou Qi. Waves of powerful aura continuously rose, and their energies locked onto the other eight people nearby.
"Hey, Xiao Yan, don't say I owe you a favor. I can help you hold off one of them." Hu Jia stepped forward and stood beside Xun Er.
"I'm repaying your favor." Wu Hao's eyes were cold as he also stepped forward, intending to lend Xiao Yan a hand.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Xiao Yan nodded and felt more at ease. Although Xun Er's strength was extraordinary, it was naturally best to avoid using Secret Techniques if possible.
"Alright, you can each have one of the Fire Energy Cards we seize."
Naturally, robbery was not allowed in the Inner Academy. Therefore, this Fire Energy Hunting Competition was Xiao Yan's only chance to obtain a large amount of Fire Energy at once.
When Xiao Yan learned about this Fire Energy Hunting Competition, he understood that it was paving the way for him to obtain the Fallen Heart Flame.
"Do you think that Bai Feng and Luo Hou can defeat that 'Great Demon' Xiao Yan?" On a hillside, Elder Su smiled as he looked down at the two opposing sides below and couldn't help but ask Elder Qing beside him in a low voice.
"Regardless, they have some chance of winning. As for the rest, I can't say for sure. After all, the Black White Evil Stopper has both individual strength and overall power. Moreover, with Bai Feng actively joining this year, their overall strength has increased quite a bit." "But although that kid Xiao Yan is fighting one against two, and his cultivation is inferior to Bai Feng's, he has cultivated a Di Class Dou Technique. Even though he has already used it once, I believe he can at least use it one more time. If the two of them can't withstand Xiao Yan's burst, they might be defeated by him." Elder Qing shook his head; he was also uncertain
about the outcome.
If it were one-on-one, they believed that Xiao Yan, possessing a Di Class Dou Technique, could defeat Bai Feng. But in a one-against-two situation, it was hard to say.
Elder Su could only smile helplessly at Elder Qing's ambiguous answer. He turned his gaze back to the rocky forest below, where sharp auras were clashing.
Whether they were freshmen or senior students, all eyes were on Xiao Yan.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Everyone's expressions gradually became serious. The Dou Qi glows on their bodies flickered, mirroring their unsettled moods.
With a 'crack' sound, a gentle breeze blew by. A piece of gravel atop a rocky hill suddenly rolled down, heavily hitting another rock and instantly shattering into pieces.
The sudden crisp sound was like throwing a huge stone into a calm lake. Instantly, huge waves
surged as more than a dozen strands of Dou Qi of different colors erupted from the piles of rocks, creating a colorful and brilliant display. The wild surge of Dou Qi directly caused the oppressive force in the area to increase dramatically. Some tall grasses were bent over by the
force generated by these Dou Qi.
"Attack!"
Amidst the surging momentum, two identical shouts almost simultaneously came from Bai Feng and Luo Hou. As these two voices fell, the tense atmosphere suddenly shattered!
As figures flashed, low roars filled with fiery battle intent echoed endlessly in the forest.
The moment the shouts fell, Xiao Yan's palm tightened suddenly on the handle of his Heavy Xuan Ruler. His foot stomped heavily on the ground, and Dou Qi energy exploded beneath him. The surging energy created a propulsive force that turned him into a black shadow as he shot straight toward Luo Hou and Bai Feng.
As soon as he moved, Xun Er and the others behind him simultaneously sprang into action. They charged toward the remaining eight members of the Black White Evil Stopper, and prevented them from attacking him.
Golden light radiated from Xun Er's hands. With a wave, she instantly enveloped the three strongest opponents within her attack range.
Xun Er planned to take on three by herself!
Xiao Yan's eyes were fixed on Luo Hou and Bai Feng. He gripped the Heavy Xuan Ruler tightly and slashed down forcefully. Instantly, a scorching gust shot out from the tip of the ruler.
This time, he didn't intend to use Soul Skills, Heavenly Flames, or the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change. He wanted to test his own Dou Qi cultivation.
Xiao Yan's cultivation was somewhat unbalanced. His Dou Qi level was actually his weakest aspect. His mastery of Dou Techniques and alchemy far surpassed his Dou Qi level.
A fierce wind carrying condensed Dou Qi flew toward the two of them. Solidified Dou Qi-this was the hallmark attack method of a Dou Spirit, essentially a cultivator's long-range attack. A Dou Grandmaster could transform Dou Qi into armor, while a Dou Spirit could condense Dou Qi into tangible forms. This was why, when people saw Xiao Yan condensing real flames, they thought he was a Dou Spirit.
The powerful Dou Qi gust was formidable. A ray of energy sliced through the air, bringing with it an oppressive force as it violently blasted toward Luo Hou and Bai Feng.
Luo Hou's palm trembled slightly, and a cold iron staff nearly three meters long, seemingly
forged entirely from ice, materialized. Gripping the staff tightly with both hands, he thrust the tip forward in a violent stab.
With a resounding boom, Luo Hou's staff collided with the energy beam unleashed by Xiao Yan's Heavy Xuan Ruler. The terrifying force continuously pushed Luo Hou backward. "Ah!" Luo Hou let out a loud shout, swinging his staff repeatedly and thrusting several times. Each strike solidly smashed into Xiao Yan's energy beam. After several repetitions, the beam was forcibly dispersed by him. Such strength was truly astonishing. The Dou Spirits of the Inner Academy were indeed incomparable to those weak and frail Dou Spirits outside.
Whoosh!
Bai Feng seemed to transform into a gust of wind. To Xiao Yan's surprise, Bai Feng was actually fighting bare-handed; he was a cultivator who excelled in speed and close combat. Wind-attribute Dou Qi rapidly condensed with a twist of his elbow. He then smashed down fiercely toward Xiao Yan. The force contained at the tip of his elbow tore through the air as an
invisible energy blast surged forward.
'Octane Blast-Elbow Strike!' Xiao Yan shouted in his heart. His body spun, and his elbow met
Bai Feng's in a fierce clash!
Boom!
The eightfold hidden force erupted. Bai Feng's eyes narrowed; executing an agility-type Dou
Technique, his body rapidly retreated. Although the impact from the hidden force sent him flying back dozens of meters, he skillfully dissipated most of it.
Xiao Yan sighed inwardly, 'Ah, as expected, Xuan Class Dou Techniques become much less
effective after reaching the Dou Spirit realm.'
There was a time when cultivating the Octane Blast to perfection had power comparable to an
entry-level Di Class Dou Technique. The eightfold hidden force could directly defeat
opponents.
But now, a mere intermediate-star Dou Spirit could rely on agility techniques to dissolve
most of its power.
Generally speaking, Dou Spirits and Dou Kings used Xuan Class Dou Techniques, while Dou Emperors and Dou Ancestors competed using Di Class Dou Techniques. If a Dou Spirit possessed a Di Class Dou Technique, they would naturally be much stronger than their peers,
and vice versa.
However, the Octane Blast was somewhat special. Its power was related to one's physical strength. Without activating the Ten Thousand Beast Flame, Xiao Yan's physical strength only reached the peak of a Rank 3 magical beast, which was inferior to his Dou Qi level.
In other words, his Dou Qi cultivation had already far surpassed his physical strength. 'Looks like I need to find some heavenly treasures to further enhance my physical strength. Even with the enhancement of the Ten Thousand Beast Flame, it only reaches the strength of
a Rank 4 magical beast. Facing some powerful experts, my physical body might become a burden.'
As Xiao Yan pondered, he continued to engage in combat with Bai Feng and Luo Hou.
He wasn't in a hurry to defeat them but was using this opportunity to assess his own strength.
He knew that in the Inner Academy, there was a so-called 'Strong Ranking' of the top ten experts. Even the weakest, ranked tenth, had the cultivation of a peak Dou Spirit. Since he had entered the Inner Academy, Xiao Yan planned to properly temper his Dou Qi cultivation, aiming to raise it to match his Spiritual Strength.
"This guy is indeed very strong. Bai Feng is someone qualified to rank within the top hundred
of the Strong Ranking." Some senior students couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Only after witnessing Xiao Yan in action did they realize that this 2-star Dou Spirit wasn't someone who
had rushed his cultivation.
He was genuinely strong. "Whirling Cold Spinning Staff!"
As Luo Hou's shout fell, the mist-like cold air swirling around the cold iron staff surged
upward. The iron staff spun in a profound arc, sending a crescent-shaped blast of cold energy
flying toward Xiao Yan.
"Wind Blade Cross Slash!"
From front and back, Bai Feng clasped his hands together, and a cyan-colored gale appeared
in his palms. In the air, he slashed out a cross-shaped attack toward Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan immediately erupted with blood energy, activating the Mad Lion Chant, forming a
blood-red protective layer around his body.
Boom!
The two Dou Techniques struck his protective layer simultaneously.
'Sigh, although the Flame Mantra has reached the Di Class, and the quality of my Dou Qi has improved significantly, those monsters on the Inner Academy's Strong Ranking were probably all among the top five back then. They likely also have some Di Class Dou Techniques or Qi Methods.'
As long as one could get into the top five, they could try their luck in the Book Collection Hall.
It wasn't hard to deduce that those who could enter the top ten of the Strong Ranking would likely possess Di Class Qi Methods.
If that were the case, then fighting those peak Dou Spirits with Di Class Qi Methods would be much more difficult than facing a Dou King like Elder Qing.
It seems that running rampant in the Inner Academy wouldn't be easy.
The foundation of this Jia Nan Academy was not weak.
'Forget it, no need to drag this out. I'll use the Heavenly Flame,' Xiao Yan thought to himself
after testing and understanding his own strength.
Relying solely on Dou Qi without using the power of the Heavenly Flame, he couldn't easily defeat the two Dou Spirits. Moreover, he felt he couldn't always depend on his Spiritual Strength. If he were to clash with people from the Hun Clan in the future, how could his soul cultivation possibly be stronger than theirs?
'During my time at Jia Nan Academy, I must quickly improve my Dou Qi cultivation; otherwise, it'll be troublesome if I encounter people from the Dou God Clans in the Central
Plains.'
'Let's end this.'
Ten Thousand Beast Flame-Beast Transformation!!
Xiao Yan shouted in his heart.
A roar erupted from his throat. Transformed like a magical beast, he unleashed terrifying
physical strength and turned into a red blur charging toward Bai Feng.
Elder Su frowned deeply, his eyes unblinking as he stared at the beast-transformed Xiao Yan.
"How did he turn into a form resembling a magical beast?"
"I don't know, but this might be his hidden strength. I heard from Hu Gan that he possesses a kind of Heavenly Flame," Elder Qing replied.
"He's truly a fortunate fellow. Just watch; after today, the power dynamics in the Inner Academy might undergo some changes," Elder Su said softly, without any change in his gaze.
The result was no surprise. Using the Ten Thousand Beast Flame to enhance his body, Xiao Yan's physical strength reached the terrifying level of a Rank 4 magical beast. Boom! With a single stomp, Xiao Yan sent Bai Feng crashing into the ground, announcing the
end of this Fire Energy Hunting Competition.
At this moment, two green-colored Fire Crystal Cards had appeared in his hands. Each card
had over three hundred Fire Energy points!
"Tsk tsk tsk, as expected of Dou Spirits. You guys are indeed wealthy." Xiao Yan didn't hold
back. Since they participated in this Fire Energy Hunting Competition, he didn't care which team they were from; he would rob them all!
In the Inner Academy, only with Fire Energy could one have everything. "You eight, what's it going to be? Will you obediently hand over your Fire Crystal Cards, or do
you want to end up like these two, beaten up by me before I take them myself?" Xiao Yan said with a grin.
Moments later, looking at nearly three thousand Fire Energy points on his card, even Xiao Yan couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.
When he learned how precious this Fire Energy was, he knew he absolutely couldn't miss any
chance to obtain it.
"You little brat, you've even robbed the Black White Evil Stopper. If word of this spreads in
the Inner Academy, you might provoke public outrage and face a boycott," Elder Su and Elder Qing flew over from afar.
"Esteemed Elders, this student has just entered the Inner Academy and is penniless. Moreover, this Fire Energy Hunting Competition is hosted by the academy. I'm merely following the rules," Xiao Yan spread his hands innocently. Asking him to return the Fire
Energy was absolutely impossible!
"Very well, this is something you've earned with your strength. As the victors of this year's Fire Energy Hunting Competition, all the freshmen present can each receive twenty days' worth of Fire Energy. As for you, Xiao Yan, Xun Er, Xiao Yu, Xiao Ning, Hu Jia, and Wu Hao- you six performed outstandingly and will be rewarded with green Fire Crystal Cards and an
additional thirty days of Fire Energy." "Green Fire Crystal Card?"
"Hehe, in the Inner Academy, Fire Crystal Cards are ranked from lowest to highest in five
colors: black, blue, green, red, and purple. The black Fire Crystal Cards in your hands are the lowest grade. This kind of Fire Crystal Card only grants qualification to cultivate on the first and second floors of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. Blue Fire Crystal Cards correspond to the third and fourth floors, and so on. The lower the floor, the greater the benefits."