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  Xiao Yan sat to the side and shook his head helplessly. With deep regret, he said, "Thank you all for aowledging the beauty of my Xun Er. I also uand that many of you still harbor some fantasies and misceptions, mistakenly treating Xun Er as the unattainable goddess of your hearts."

  "I know it's my responsibility to shatter your illusions, but as, I don't get to y oppos, they're assigned by the academy."

  Xiao Yan shook his head again, feeling a bit regretful that he couldn't satisfy these people's masochistic desires all at once.

  The Little Witch was stunned for a moment before slowly asking, "You don't know?"

  "Hmm? Is there something I should know?" Xiao Yan asked back, a puzzled expression on his face.

  The Little Witch flicked her hair and said, "Today's petition isn't one-ohey're using a grand melee mode to determihe top five out of fifty people. The five people remaining on stage will be the top five and will qualify to ehe Book Colle Hall to select their rewards."

  ! ! ! !

  Xiao Yan blinked a couple of times. Before he could finish processing this informatioy Headmaster Hu Gan's voice rang out.

  A resonant voice spiraled into the sky above the pza like muffled thunder. Deputy Headmaster Hu Gan announced, "Yesterday, the Inner Academy Qualifying petitioed the final fifty partits. They all have the qualifications to ehe Inner Academy for cultivation. However, within the Inner Academy, there are clear distins in rank. If you wish to obtaier cultivation ditions in the Inner Academy, you must strive to achieve the best possible results in this final round of petition. Every improvement in rank will bring you immense bes. So, give it your all to secure better cultivation ditions!"

  Hu Gan's gaze swept over to Xiao Yan, who was staring at him in astonishment, and smiled. "In previous years, the Qualifying petition used round-based matches. But this year, after discussion in the academy meeting, we've slightly altered the format for this final round."

  "This year, we're not having round-after-round matches. Instead, we're holding an exhirating and passionate grand melee elimination battle. The longer you persist in this elimination match, the higher your ranking will be, and vice versa." Watg as the numerous partits ehe field oer another, Hu Gan tinued with a smile, "Within this pza, no matter what methods you use, even if you join hands with others to form teams, that's fine. As long as you preserve yourself in the chaotic battle, you will have achieved victory."

  Murmurs arose within the pza as soon as Hu Gan finished speaking. Clearly, this format that differed from previous years' petitions had caught them off guard.

  Aside from a few students like Hu Jia, who had some es within the academy, others—even Xun Er and Instructor Ruo Ling—had no idea that the rules had ged this year!

  With a loud 'smack,' Xiao Yan spped a thigh and stood up excitedly.

  "Ah! Why are you spping my thigh?!" Xiao Yu covered her slightly reddened jade-like thigh and gred at Xiao Yan. If you're excited ao sp a thigh, sp your own! Why are you spping mine?!

  "Got a bit too excited. I'll be gentler ime." Xiao Yan grinned sheepishly.

  Xiao Yu was dumbfounded. There's a ime?

  Xiao Yan slowly looked over at the Little Witd the others. This was truly a case of wishing for something and having it delivered! A grand melee? Then who gets to be iop five today is up to me, Xiao Yan, to decide!

  No more pretending. Time to y it all out. I'm a Dou Spirit; all of you are trash.

  Xiao Yan licked his lips, his gaze sweeping over the fifty people oage—no, forty-three people—like a predator eyeing its prey. He was already calg how to take them all out in one fell swoop without causing the match to be halted!

  Wouldn't that meaop five would all be his own people?!

  What Xiao Yan didn't know was that the Deputy Headmaster and the her-ups had ged the rules precisely to allow the Outer Academy students to join forces against him, to see the extent of his true strength. That's why they came up with this grand melee.

  "Do you all uand the petition rules?" When everyone had ehe pza, Hu Gan's gaze swept over the battle stage as he asked loudly.

  "Uood!" The partits in the pza immediately responded in unison.

  "Good. Since you all uand, then I hereby announce..." Hu Gan slowly raised his palm. Finally, uhe gazes of tless eyes, he brought it down forcefully and decred, "The final elimination match of the Inner Academy Qualifying petition begins now!"

  The positions on the pza shifted dramatically as soon as the Deputy Headmaster's words fell.

  Xiao Yan stood in front of Xun Er and the others, fag the remaining forty-three people.

  "Xiao Yan, are you looking down on us, pnning to fight us all alone?" Bai Shan deliberately provoked the emotions of the people oage, trying to put a hat on Xiao Yan.

  "Bai Shan, there's no need for such b tricks. Not only do I look down on you, but also on you, and you. None of you are up to par." Xiao Yan poi the Little Witd Wu Hao, wagging his finger.

  Xiao Yan had been back for four months. Even when he occasionally strolled through Jia Nan City with Xuhere were people who dared to run up to Xun Er oreet and fess their love.

  The thing he heard most was that he wasn't good enough for Xuhat so-and-so was a better match for her.

  He indeed o find an opportunity to decre his snty.

  The Little Witch, who had been boung around, darkened her face when she saw Xiao Yan pointing at her and saying she's not up to par. As for Wu Hao, who had been pursuing Xun Er all along, there was o mention his rea.

  He was naturally aloof and lived solely for the sake of sughter. It wasn't easy for him to meet a girl he fancied. He wao see what kind of man had earned Xun Er's favor.

  "Sihe Deputy Headmaster has given me such a good opportunity, let's settle this ond for all. Whether you secretly admire Xun Er or just 't stand the sight of me, Xiao Yan, e at me all together. Save me the annoyance of hearing people chirping in my ear even after entering the Inner Academy." Xiao Yan pced one hand behind his bad beed with a finger, exuding the air of Ip Man ready to take on ten oppos ba the day.

  "Xiao Yan ge-ge, I help you deal with some of them." Gng at the already clearly divided stage, Xuilted her head and smiled sweetly.

  A pair of beautiful, well-shaped, slender jade-like legs stepped out. Xiao Yu snorted coldly and said, "Hmph, even if you're really strong, don't think too little of us. You take care of those three; we handle some of the others."

  "Exactly! Little Leader, we fight too!"

  In the spectator stands above, tless excited screams echoed through the sky as they saw the pza split into two distinct groups almost immediately. Many people shouted themselves hoarse, cheering for their favorite partits.

  "Hehe, it seems this Xiao Yan intends to fight against many alone." An elder in the tral seating area said with a smile as he observed the stage.

  "Well the's see if this Xiao Yan surpass the top students of our Jia Nan Academy after cultivating outside for over a year." The Deputy Headmaster stroked his beard and said.

  As tension filled the air, energy fluctuations rippled. In an instant, all the students oage simultaneously activated their Qi Methods, and their Dou Qi burst forth.

  "Xiao Ya me show you what a true genius is! You are not worthy of Xun Er!" Amidst the howling wind, Bai Shan was the first to make a move. A silver spear appeared in his palm.

  A sizzling sound filled the air as the spear transformed into a silver lightning spear. Electric arcs danced along the spear's body, apanied by the occasional cp of thuhe slightest movement of the spear released a terrifying energy that caused the surrounding space to ripple.

  "Die!"

  A sinister glint fshed in his eyes. Bai Shan gripped the spear tightly, his feet shifted to the side, and the spear was slowly raised above his head. An instant ter, apanied by the sound of thunder, it smashed heavily onto the hard floor. The ground shook violently as ah-shattering explosi out, drawing everyone's attention. When they saw Bai Shan glowing like a silver sun and sehe terrifying power tained within his spear, excmatioed throughout the stands.

  "Shaking Lightning Arc Bst!"

  A cold shout suddenly rang out from within the silver light. Then, under tless shocked gazes, a silver electric arearly te wide burst forth from where the spear touched the ground. Wherever the electric arc passed, the hard floor of the pza was utterly destroyed.

  The electric arc slithered like a winding silver serpent, moving so fast that it left people struggling to react. Outside the stage, spectators could only see a fsh of silver light followed by deep grooves etched into the ground. It looked like a field that had been plowed by an ox. Then came a deafening explosion. They hurriedly looked toward the source of the sound, only to see that the explosion had occurred right where Xiao Yan stood.

  Gazing at the massive ravi by the silver electric arc, tless people swallowed nervously. If such a terrifying attack hit a 7-star or even an 8-star Dou Grandmaster, they would probably be heavily injured on the spht?

  Xiao Yan swiftly twisted his body when he saw the lightning spear hurled at him. His right foot densed a mass of blood-red fme, and he kicked toward the lightning spear.

  With a thunderous boom, the electric arc exploded, but it was ied within a sed by the Ten Thousa Fme. The silver spear was directly kicked back by Xiao Yan.

  "It's not over yet!" Bai Sha wouldn't be that easy to defeat Xiao Yan. With a fsh of lightning, he transformed into a bolt of light, leaping into the air to catch the spear flying back.

  "Lightning Spear Fsh!" Bai Shan leaped high into the air. The spear in his right haed a lightning radiance as bright as daylight. With a thrust aimed at Xiao Yaransformed into a streaking bolt of lightning.

  tless lightning bolts engulfed Xiao Yan in an instant. The grouh him shattered, aric arcs crackled and danced across the surface.

  A sinister smile appeared at the er of Bai Shan's mouth. Although he was only a 5-star Dou Grandmaster, relying on several High Xuan Css Dou Teiques he obtained in the Bck-er Region, he had once heavily injured an unprepared Dou Spirit expert and taken their head.

  Even if Xiao Yan's strength was on par with his own, he would definitely not have an easy time.

  "Lightning-attribute Dou Qi should be tyrannical and powerful. Why are you like a sissy, weak and powerless? Are you really a genius student of Jia Nan Academy?"

  Amidst the lightning, Xiao Yaire body was enveloped in the blood-red Ten Thousa Fme. He casually caught Bai Shan's spear with one hand. The lightning attaot only failed to harm him but couldn't everate the Ten Thousa Fme and were all ied.

  Frankly speaking, Xiao Yan was somewhat disappointed. He had thought that the genius students cultivated by Jia Nan Academy, the number one academy on the Dou Qi ti, should be strohan the disciples cultivated by the Misty Cloud Sect.

  However, after exging just a couple of moves, Xiao Yan was certain that this Bai Shan was far inferior to Nan Yanran.

  If Nan Yanran was a '1,' then this Bai Shan was at most 0.3 of a Nan Yanran.

  With a whooshing sound, and under Bai Shan's stunned expression, Xiao Yan shed out with a whip-like kick to his side. In an instant, the Dou Qi Armor that Bai Shan had densed shattered.

  Xiao Yan's body enhanced by the Ten Thousa Fme was like that of a magical beast. The terrifying force sent Bai Shan flying; he couldn't even hold onto his spear. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he was bsted backward.

  Casually tossing aside the silver spear, Xiao Yan sensed a whip shadow desding from above, apanied by a crack of thunder. Hu Jia gripped her long whip and shed out.

  "Dragon S Whip!" Hu Jia circuted her Dou Qi, and the long whip in her hand shed toward Xiao Yan like a raging dragon.

  "Your dragon isn't that impressive." Xiao Yan's left hand formed into a cw. With a dragon-catg motion, his five fingers firmly grasped the long whip, like a Golden-Winged Roc seizing a dragon.

  Just as Xiao Yaralized Hu Jia's attack, a blood-colored shadow suddenly appeared behind him.

  Sensing the surging bloody aura from his right, Xiao Yan turned his head to see Wu Hao, his entire body exuding blood energy like a malevolent spirit, striking toward him with a palm. The bloody stench from his palm was so thick it seemed almost tangible.

  "Blo Demon Palm!"

  Fag that palm strike filled with murderous i, Xiao Yan's expression remained indifferent. His right hand ched into a fist, densing the Ten Thousa Fme, and he punched out.

  "Oe Bst."

  Although both were High Xuan Css Dou Teiques, Xiao Yan's strength far surpassed Wu Hao's. Not to mention that Xiao Yan was also using a Heavenly Fme.

  The eight yers of hidden force erupted. Feeling the terror of the Ten Thousa Fme and the hidden force, Wu Hao's expression ged drastically. The hidden force transmitted into his body and exploded. With eight booming sounds, even Wu Hao's Dou Qi Armor couldn't withstand it; his armor shattered pletely as he staggered back eight steps, each step causing the floor of the pza to crack.

  Wu Haled to lift his head, a trace of fresh blood seeping from the er of his mouth.

  Xiao Yan g Hu Jia, who was straining to pull back her long whip. With a flick of his fihe Ten Thousa Fme exploded with a thunderous boom. Only then did Hu Jia uand why the two oppos who had faced Xiao Yan before couldn't withstand his seemingly casual flick.

  The explosion of the Ten Thousa Fme was difficult to resist with ordinary Dou Teiques. Even Dou Qi Armor could only provide a minimal defense.

  As the fmes receded, Hu Jia's body was burned aed. She k on one knee, gasping for breath.

  Wu Hao and Hu Jia looked at Xiao Yan in the ter of the arena with shod apprehension. How could he be s?!

  Are you really only een years old?!

  The spectators iands had long been dumbfounded. Not to mentioudent audience, even several elders ay Headmaster Hu Gan were stupefied.

  Fag the joint attack of three Outer Academy geniuses, he defeated all three in just one exge?!!

  "W-what's his cultivation level? He actually defeated the Little Witch Hu Jia, Blood Asura Wu Hao, and Lightning Spear Bai Shan so easily!!"

  "I don't know, but that Xiao Yan is incredibly strong!"

  Deputy Headmaster Hu Gan furrowed his brows and said, "Elder Huo, that Xiao Yan's strength isn't just because he possesses a Heavenly Fme, right?"

  Eve-tempered Elder Huo could only smile wryly and shake his head. Looking at Xiao Yan, who stood quietly amid the crowd with no one daring to approach him, he said, "He's formidable not just in Dou Qi cultivation; even his physical body is unbelievably strong. The Dou Teique he just used to make it blood with one punch relied solely on physical strength."

  Xiao Ya her joy nor pride at this moment. He calmly looked at Hu Jia and Wu Hao and ented, "You two are a bit better than that Bai Shan."

  He turo the Little Witch Hu Jia and said, "Although you're not as good as the guy reeking of blood over there, you're younger. Probably around 0.4."

  "You're also at 0.4. If you work a bit harder, you might reach 0.5," Xiao Yan looked at Wu Hao and said slowly.

  Wu Hao and Hu Jia were pletely baffled upon hearing this. What 0.4 and 0.5? What is he talking about?

  Only Xiao Yan uood what he meant. It was a battle power unit! Anyone weaker than Nan Yanran was a weakling.

  Furrowing his brows, Xiao Yan thought to himself, 'Could it be that Nan Yanran is actually quite strong? Is her talent truly high?'

  He began to doubt himself. He had thought that Nan Yanran's strength wasn't sidered very high in the North-Western Region or Jia Nan Academy and that she could only throw her weight around in the Jia Ma Empire.

  But now, seeing that this Little Witch was hailed as a on-a-tury genius yet was the same age as him and only a 5-Star Dou Grandmaster at een...

  Wu Hao, known as the Blood Asura of the Law Enfort Unit, had sughtered many in the Bck-er Region, even killing several Dou Spirits. Yet his cultivation was only that of a 6-Star Dou Grandmaster, and his strength was still inferior to Nan Yanran, who had received Yun Po Tian's iance.

  After all, the only battle Xiao Yan could truly sider fighting against his peers was against Nan Yanran alone. Naturally, she had bee his 'battle power unit' when paring strength with his peers!

  It was rare for Xiao Yan to fight against people his own age. After battling old monsters for so long, he had almost fotten he was only een.

  Precisely because of this, he suddenly realized that Nan Yanran's talent and battle power were actually quite high.

  "Hu Jia, Wu Hao, let's join forces." At this time, Bai Shan, who had bee flying by Xiao Yan, had already stood up. He retrieved the silver spear that Xiao Yan had tossed aside with a wave of his hand.

  Bai Shan gritted his teeth a out a cold shout. Silver Dou Qi suddenly enveloped his body. With a shake of his silver spear, Dou Qi like electric serpents flickered and danced rapidly at the spear tip. As the spear tip trembled violently, the silver Dou Qi began to dehere, emitting a slight sizzling sound. From the looks of it, he was clearly preparing a powerful Dou Teique, intending to go all out.

  To the side, Wu Hao and Hu Jia hesitated slightly, but the Dou Qi within their bodies also began te rapidly. With their reputations in Jia Nan Academy, their pride made them extremely relut to join forces against an oppo.

  But at this point, Xiao Yan's overwhelming strength had already forced the three of them to join forces, and naturally, they could no longer choose to hold back.

  Moreover, it was Xiao Yan—their romantic rival!

  Dark green and blood-red Dou Qi began te wildly from Hu Jia and Wu Hao's bodies. On their whip and heavy sword, ferocious offensive Dou Teiques were rapidly brewing. After their earlier defeat, they were now preparing to fight back desperately!

  Xiao Yan smiled slightly when he saw the three of them preparing for a desperate struggle. Out of respect for them, he took out the Heavy Xuan Ruler and said after gng around, "The rest of you forty-three people join in as well. Hmm, seems there aren't forty-three people anymore."

  Xun Er and the others had just defeated several people; now, there were only a bit over thirty people left oage.

  The silent atmosphere in the arena sted less than a minute before it tly shattered!

  "Glorious Thunder!"

  "Quiet Woods Poisonous Snake Vine!"

  "Blood Splitting Chop!"

  In the ter of the stage, the eyes of Bai Shan and the other two suddenly widehe tyrannical Dou Teiques in their hands had finally been brewed to the limit. Their ons shook violently, and in an instant, three inparably ferocious energies—one silver, one green, and one red—burst forth. Wherever the three energies passed, the hard floor pletely crumbled. Dazzling cracks extended all the way to the edges of the pza before stopping.

  Fag these three perfected High Xuan Css Dou Teique attacks, Xiao Yan no longer held back. Dou Qi surged throughout his body as he removed his Spiritual Strength shielding, fully revealing his cultivation level.

  "Holy shit! This kid is a 2-star Dou Spirit?!!!" Several high-ranking academy officials suddenly stood up, their worldviews seemingly shattered. een years old and a 2-star Dou Spirit?! Are you kidding me?!

  But their astonishment wasn't over yet, because they sehe energy of the world surging.

  "Fme Splitting Tsunami!"