This is a clearing filled with scattered rocks. The forest's spread stops where it encounters the rocks, allowing the sunlight to stream down unimpeded, warming the ground and making one feel cozy and comfortable.
Not far beyond the rocky area, there was a raised hillside, dotted with irregularly shaped rocks. On these rocks and nearby, a number of people were gathered, some sitting, some standing. These people were not very old, around twenty-four or twenty-five years old. Although their robes differed, they all wore the same tower-shaped badge on their chests. Clearly, these students were senior students from the inner courtyard.
On another part of the hillside, there was a platform made of huge stones. Two elderly men sat on this platform; these were Elder Su and Elder Qing, whom Xiao Yan and the others had seen when they entered the forest. Around them sat several middle-aged men with composed auras; clearly, they were likely managers of the inner courtyard.
"Hehe, I heard this year's freshmen are pretty arrogant? They even dared to steal the 'fire energy' from the upperclassmen?"
On the hillside, gazes turned towards the shadowy end of the forest, and laughter echoed among the trees.
"Yes, according to the senior teams that came out of there, there's a team led by Xiao Ping among this year's freshmen that seems to be very strong. They've already defeated several senior teams in a row."
"Tch, they're just making excuses for their defeat. They've been cultivating in the inner courtyard for over a year, yet they're defeated by freshmen. Tsk tsk."
"Hopefully. I heard that Sha Tie from the Black Fiend Team also led a group into the forest this time. I wonder if they ran into those new students?"
"Oh? Sha Tie from the Black Fiend Team actually went in too? Then these freshmen are doomed, after all, Sha Tie is a powerhouse who is about to enter the Great Dou Master level."
"Yes, their good luck has come to an end."
Amidst the whispers that filled the air, several figures among the rubble below stirred slightly, then slowly opened their eyes, their indifferent gazes sweeping across the dark forest.
The five figures sat cross-legged on the rocks, their breathing long and steady, unaffected by the whispers around them. All five were dressed in white, reflecting their aloof and icy demeanor.
Of the five, the strongest aura came from the fair-skinned youth in the center. This youth remained with his eyes closed, sitting cross-legged on the rock, his body like an ice sculpture. A faint chill swirled around him, even causing frost to settle on some of the grass among the rocks.
Time flowed slowly by as the sun shone overhead. Just when the trainees on the hillside thought they would be waiting in vain again, footsteps suddenly echoed from the dark forest. Instantly, everyone's spirits lifted, and their gazes turned in unison towards the forest's exit. The previously noisy whispers abruptly fell silent.
On the stone platform on the hillside, Elder Su and Elder Qing slightly raised their heads, narrowing their eyes as they turned their gaze toward the source of the footsteps.
As the atmosphere grew quieter, the footsteps echoing from the dark forest grew increasingly muffled. After a long while, a pair of feet stepped out from the dark forest exit, followed by twenty figures slowly emerging. Leading them were Sha Tie, Su Xiao, and others.
"Huh? It's Sha Tie and his group."
Their gazes lingered on the twenty figures emerging from the forest. The people on the hillside were startled and asked in astonishment.
"Has the problem of the new students already been resolved?"
A sense of doubt crossed everyone's minds, and all eyes were fixed on Sha Tie and the others who emerged from the forest.
Sha Tie and his twenty men slowly approached the pile of rocks. At this moment, the fair-skinned youth slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Sha Tie and the others. After a moment, his expression changed slightly, and a hint of solemnity appeared in his indifferent voice.
"You all lost?"
His voice, though soft, was like a thunderclap in a clear sky, instantly stunning the inner court students on the hillside. Their faces were blank. Twenty powerful senior students, if they were to fight head-on, would be able to sweep away all the freshmen. However, according to the pale-faced youth, they had all been defeated by the freshmen team.
Although they were extremely shocked, the inner court students didn't doubt the words of the fair-skinned young man too much. With his skills and eyesight, it didn't seem difficult for him to see through these things.
Therefore, at this moment, all the students couldn't help but feel a little dazed. The new students had become so strong.
Sha Tie wasn't too surprised that the fair-skinned young man had seen through his disguise at a glance. He shrugged and said helplessly, "That guy named Xiao Ping is very strong; his strength is far beyond what we senior students can compare to."
Sha Tie's words once again caused a series of swallowing sounds to rise from the hillside. Some senior students could hardly contain their shock and took a deep breath. Even the Black Fiend Team had been defeated by those freshmen. Were the freshmen this year really that abnormal?
"Leave the rest to us. Let me see what makes Xiao Ping, this freshman who has almost alarmed the entire inner academy, so extraordinary?"
The fair-skinned youth slowly rose from the rock, his tall figure emanating a sudden chill. He spoke calmly, and unlike the others, only he noticed the change in Sha Tie's wording. He didn't mention the group of freshmen, but only referred to Xiao Ping's name. Knowing Sha Tie as he did, he was certain the other wouldn't speak without reason.
His gaze, tinged with a strange light, fixed on the chilling aura emanating from the fair-skinned youth. A smug smirk suddenly appeared on Sha Tie's lips. While this guy's ice-attribute battle qi was indeed highly refined, under absolute power, any proficiency was merely empty talk.
Just as the fair-skinned young man finished speaking, a swift whooshing sound suddenly rang out from the dark forest!
With a whooshing sound, the gazes that had been fixed on Sha Tie and his companions shifted back to the forest exit. Shortly after their attention turned, the branches of the trees trembled violently, and a figure darted out of the dense forest, instantly kicking a large tree, easily two meters thick, into a blast.
The owner of this figure was none other than this year's Rookie of the Year—Xiao Ping. Shortly after he landed, four other figures swiftly emerged from the woods and stood steadily behind Xiao Ping; these were Liang Zihua and his three companions.
"No wonder he's a little guy who's been chosen by Old Man Hu!"
On the stone platform, Elder Su looked at Xiao Ping's powerful entrance and couldn't help but exclaim, "No wonder Old Man Hu said that this little guy messed up all the rankings in the outer courtyard competition. It turns out he has such formidable strength!"
Elders Su and Qing were well aware of the entire Fire Energy Hunting Competition. Initially, they had some doubts about Hu Qian's judgment, but after Xiao Ping's powerful comeback, they couldn't sit still any longer.
Xiao Ping, who was leading the group, raised his head slightly, looked around the entire area, and finally stopped at the five white-clad youths in the pile of rocks. He clasped his hands and smiled, "Seniors, you must be the last team in this year's 'Fire Energy Hunting Competition,' the White Fiend Team, right?"
"White Fiend Squad, Captain: Luo Hou"
The fair-skinned young man's gaze swept over the five people, lingering for a moment on Liang Zihua and the others before fixing his gaze on Xiao Ping, who stood at the front, and slowly said...
"Xiao Ping, captain of the first team, is a new student."
Xiao Yan smiled slightly and, mimicking Luo Hou's tone, said softly.
Luo Hou nodded, but the chill emanating from his body intensified. A powerful aura rose from within him, enveloping the entire pile of rocks. Some of the weaker senior students couldn't help but change color under the oppressive force of this aura, which was even stronger than iron sand. After all, Luo Hou was a genuine Great Dou Shi expert.
Regarding the chilling aura emanating from Luo Hou, Xiao Ping, standing at the forefront, shrugged and lightly tapped the ground with his toes. Instantly, an even more powerful aura rose up, directly protecting Liang Zihua and the other three behind him.
Seeing their captain's defeat, the four other members of the White Fiend Team hurriedly released their auras as well. However, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't break through the battle aura barrier released by Xiao Ping. Behind Xiao Ping, Liang Zihua and the others began pointing and laughing at the senior students, completely disregarding them. With Xiao Ping around, they had nothing to worry about.
Taking a step forward, Xiao Ping fixed his gaze on Luo Hou, clasped his hands in a fist and said loudly, "Senior Luo Hou, I wonder if you could help us pass this final hurdle?"
Xiao Ping's voice echoed powerfully through the pile of rocks, silencing the entire hillside.
Luo Hou's face was indifferent, his eyes fixed on Xiao Ping. After a long while, he slightly moved his lips and uttered two cold words.
"cannot!"
At that moment, the atmosphere suddenly froze, and tensions rose sharply.
"Then I'll beat you until you agree!"
Suddenly, an extremely cold voice rang out from the pile of stones. Before the five senior members of the White Fiend Team could react, a tremendous suction force slammed into them, instantly pulling them down the hillside. The speed was so fast that they didn't even have time to circulate their battle qi before they crashed heavily onto the pile of stones. In an instant, the five men felt a tightness in their chests and coughed up blood.
Even Luo Hou, whose cultivation had reached the Great Dou Master level, had his summoned Dou Qi armor, along with the hard rock beneath him, completely shattered under this heavy blow.
However, before they could even catch their breath, they were violently pushed back by a completely opposite force, crashing directly into the trees behind them. The force was so great that it snapped several towering trees in two before their flying figures finally came to a stop. Of course, during this process, the five of them coughed up countless mouthfuls of blood.
"well..."
"Forget it, Xiao Ping."
Just as Xiao Ping was about to take another breath, an aged voice slowly came from mid-air, "You freshmen have won this year's Fire Energy Hunting Competition!"
An elderly man in a long robe, flapping his battle aura wings, slowly descended. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Elder Su. There was no other way; if he didn't intervene, the five members of the Luo Hou group would likely suffer serious damage to their foundations.
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