As Xiao Bai finished speaking, he shook his head. A faint crimson lightning flickered across the two fingers pinching the spear tip. The bolt was slender, no thicker than a pinky, dancing at his fingertips, interwoven with fiery sparks—a mesmerizing sight.
Tu Shan's face paled at the sight of the crimson lightning. Far from finding it beautiful, he felt a primal dread, his instincts screaming: Danger!
The crimson bolt flickered briefly before surging along the spear toward him. Where it passed, the finely crafted steel spear—forged at great expense—shattered inch by inch. The fragments melted into glowing red molten iron, unable to withstand the intense heat. They evaporated into wisps of green smoke before even hitting the ground.
Tu Shan's pupils contracted, his face etched with horror. Without thinking, his hands recoiled from the spear handle as if bitten by a snake, and he leaped backward.
But how could he outrun lightning? The crimson bolt was blindingly fast. In an instant, the entire three-meter steel spear vanished as if it had never existed, leaving only curling smoke and a streak of crimson lightning in the air.
Having witnessed the lightning's power, Tu Shan's heart pounded as the bolt closed in. Terror filled his eyes—his body wasn't tougher than that spear. If it struck him, how could he survive?
The crowd in the stands snapped out of their shock at the spear's destruction. Seeing the slender crimson bolt, they shivered inexplicably. None mocked Tu Shan's fear; in his place, they'd likely fare worse.
On the central platform, the elders were stunned by the crimson lightning's might. The Vice Dean, seated at the center, rose, ready to intervene.
"No need to step in. Xiao Bai knows his limits," Elder Huo said, his eyes initially wide with shock at the lightning's fiery nature. Noticing the Vice Dean's movement, he stopped him.
The Vice Dean frowned, pausing as he glanced at the composed Elder Huo. He'd ignore anyone else, but Huo was different. Perhaps due to his alchemist's precision, where a single misstep could spell failure, he was strict about rules and harsh with students. Why was he so confident in Xiao Bai?
"Just watch. Xiao Bai won't kill the lad, but some injury is unavoidable," Elder Huo said, sensing the Vice Dean's doubt. After the forest incident, he knew Xiao Bai respected academy rules.
As if on cue, a gasp rose from below. On the stage, the crimson bolt aimed at Tu Shan split into two—one thick, one thin.
The thicker bolt veered aside, as if sentient, while the thinner one struck Tu Shan's Dou Qi armor.
Crack!
A shattering sound echoed. The bolt paused briefly on the fiery red armor before it disintegrated, scattering in all directions. Tu Shan's burly frame was flung backward, a spray of blood erupting from his mouth. He crashed onto the stage, sliding several meters before coming to a stop.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rocked the plaza near the stage, kicking up a cloud of dust.
As the dust settled, the crowd froze, faces paling at the sight. The stage, which had hosted countless tournaments over the years with only faint marks to show for it, now bore a charred pit about a meter wide. Spiderweb-like cracks radiated from its edges.
Countless eyes darted between Tu Shan's bloodied, fallen form, the smoking black pit, and the calm, black-robed youth at the stage's center, his gaze deep and serene. A chill ran through the crowd, and the plaza fell eerily silent. No one dared speak; even breathing was cautious, lest it draw the attention of that black-robed figure.
The tournament participants exchanged glances, silently resolving to concede immediately if matched against him, never giving him a chance to act. And we'll be polite to freshmen from now on—no more slip-ups like Tu Shan's. Who knows when you'll cross someone untouchable?
At that moment, a series of whooshing sounds broke the silence. A dozen elderly figures appeared on the stage, clustering around the blackened pit, examining it closely.
The Vice Dean and Elder Huo didn't join them; instead, they headed to check on Tu Shan. After a brief check, their tense expressions relaxed.
"See? I told you the lad has restraint," Elder Huo said, a relieved smile spreading as he noted the Vice Dean's reaction.
"Not bad at all. It's painful, but no serious injuries. A healing pill, and he'll be fine for the next matches," the Vice Dean said, stroking his beard with a nod of approval. He glanced at Xuan Class Two's mentor. "Take him for treatment."
"Yes!" The middle-aged mentor nodded quickly, summoning two students to carry Tu Shan away.
By the pit, the elders studied the residual thunder-fire energy, murmuring among themselves.
"Tch, this power reminds me of a Heavenly Flame!"
"Indeed. I thought it was some unique Dou Technique, but it's not. It's a peculiar type of lightning, rivaling some Heavenly Flames. Speaking of which, isn't there a Heavenly Flame with thunder attributes?"
"Right, number twelve on the Heavenly Flame List, the Nine-Dragon Thunder Flame, has thunder-fire properties. But it's silver, not crimson."
"So what is this lightning? A product of his cultivation method? But a Dou Ling, even with an extraordinary method, shouldn't produce such potent lightning Dou Qi."
"Instead of guessing, why not ask the student himself?"
"Good idea! Let's go!"
The elders swarmed around Xiao Bai, their eyes gleaming with curiosity as they studied the black-robed youth.
"Student Xiao Bai, what's this lightning of yours? We're quite curious. Care to share?" a gray-robed elder asked eagerly, avoiding casual terms like "lad." Xiao Bai's display had earned him respect.
"If it's inconvenient, don't say anything. These old fogies are getting nosier with age, prying into others' secrets!" Elder Huo strode over, shooting a scornful look at the group, his tone dripping with mockery.
The elders glared at him. This Huo guy's getting more insufferable. If he weren't a fifth-tier alchemist, we'd have shut him up by now! They weren't forcing Xiao Bai—just intrigued by the unprecedented lightning, with no ulterior motives.
Typical thunder cultivators produced silver Dou Qi, never other colors. Fire cultivators might have varied hues due to beast flames or Heavenly Flames, but other attributes usually stuck to one shade.
"Heh, it's no secret," Xiao Bai said, waving dismissively with a smile. "Years ago, by chance, I acquired the beast flame of a Crimson Fire Thunder Dragon and integrated it into my body. That's why my Dou Qi looks like this."
"An eighth-tier beast, the Crimson Fire Thunder Dragon?" a gray-robed elder exclaimed, steadying himself before addressing the puzzled looks around him. "The Crimson Fire Thunder Dragon is an eighth-tier magical beast, one of the continent's rare top-tier beasts, aside from those legendary pinnacle creatures. Its thunder and fire attributes, both explosive, make it a peak combatant among eighth-tier beasts. It's been centuries since we've heard of them—I thought they'd vanished into history. To think they still exist!"
"Its beast flame carries both thunder and fire properties, immensely powerful, and is one of the most coveted beast flames for fire cultivators, second only to Heavenly Flames!"
He paused, eyeing Xiao Bai thoughtfully. "You've got remarkable fortune, young friend. But I'm puzzled. Though this beast flame has thunder attributes, it's still a flame. Only fire cultivators should be able to absorb it, yet your records show you're a thunder cultivator."
Exactly! The other elders nodded, catching on. A beast flame, regardless of additional attributes, was fundamentally a flame, like a Heavenly Flame Only fire cultivators should be able to integrate it, but Xiao Bai was clearly thunder-attributed.
"Huh? Didn't I mention? I'm thunder, fire, and wood—triple-attributed," Xiao Bai said, blinking innocently, though a glint of amusement danced in his eyes. This gray-robed elder's a gem!
He'd used Little Bing today, not because the match required it, but to lay groundwork for his alchemist identity, planning to reveal it gradually. The gray-robed elder, like a master detective, had accelerated his plan perfectly.
With the Inner Academy approaching, an alchemist identity was the ideal bait to connect with a certain little dragon girl. It would make interactions smoother—she wasn't easy to approach otherwise. Exposing Little Bing was calculated, but its success was unexpectedly seamless.
"Thunder, fire, wood—triple attributes?" The elders stared in disbelief. Triple attributes, and cultivating this fast? Unheard of!
Unnoticed by most, one elder, initially just there for the spectacle, now had gleaming eyes, staring at Xiao Bai as if he were a rare treasure, his smile uncontainable.
As the elders regained their composure, ready to ask more, Elder Huo stepped in front of Xiao Bai, barking, "Question, question, question—what's with all the questions? Keep this up, and it'll be dark! Are we holding the tournament or not?"
Turning to Xiao Bai, he flashed a warm smile, patting his shoulder. "Lad, let's find a quiet spot to chat. What do you say?"
"Hey, Huo, that's not fair! We can't ask, but you get a private talk? What's wrong with talking in front of everyone?" The elders, reminded they were on the tournament stage, had been ready to drop it, but Huo's move irked them.
"He's probably trying to recruit Xiao Bai to the Alchemy Department," the gray-robed elder said wryly. "With fire and wood among his triple attributes, and his precise control splitting that lightning, his soul force must be strong. He's prime alchemist material—Huo can't wait to snag him."
"Damn, Huo, you're one lucky bastard!" The others groaned, realizing the Alchemy Department, independent of both Outer and Inner Academies, wouldn't conflict with Xiao Bai entering the Inner Academy.
"Haha, eat your jealousy! From today, Xiao Bai's part of the Alchemy Department!" Elder Huo crowed, unfazed. His peers' recruitment plans had failed, but he, with no initial agenda, had secured a genius for his department.
"Come on, Xiao Bai, follow me. I'll show you the Alchemy Department and explain the alchemist trade. With my guidance, you'll soon be a respected alchemist. Feeling like life's unpredictable and fortune's come too fast? Haha!" Elder Huo shot a smug glance at the others, ready to drag Xiao Bai off.
"But… I still have matches," Xiao Bai said, hesitating.
"Matches? You're the undisputed champion of this year's tournament. Ask these old fogies—who objects?" Elder Huo glared, pointing at the elders.
The others rolled their eyes. Fine, it's true, but do you have to point in our faces?
"Indeed, Xiao Bai, with your cultivation, competing further is a bit like bullying. You don't need to continue," the Vice Dean said, his voice carrying across the plaza. No one objected; the competitors breathed sighs of relief, spared from facing this terror.
"No way, I have to join the second round!" Xiao Bai protested urgently. Skip the matches? That won't do!
"Why?" The Vice Dean frowned, puzzled. The outcome was the same whether he competed or not—why insist? Bullying others? Xiao Bai didn't seem the type, despite their brief acquaintance.
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