Below the stage, Xiao Yi Xian turned to Xiao Xun'er, her voice low. "Xun'er, is Xiao Bai alright? It looks like he's arguing with those elders." A flicker of worry crossed her delicate eyes. She couldn't hear their conversation, but she saw Elder Huo trying to pull Xiao Bai away while he stood firm, saying something urgently that made the elders frown.
"He's fine, Xian'er, don't worry," Xiao Xun'er said, patting her head with a reassuring smile. "You heard that elder just now, didn't you? Brother Xiao Bai disagreed, insisting on joining the next round of matches."
Relieved, Xiao Yi Xian felt Xiao Xun'er's playful gesture and reached out, gently pinching her cheek. "Xun'er, treating me like a kid, huh?"
"Who can resist when you look so fragile and worried, just begging to be comforted?" Xiao Xun'er giggled, grasping her hand.
"You…" Xiao Yi Xian smiled warmly, her heart filled with a cozy glow. She knew the usually aloof Xiao Xun'er only showed this playful side to those she truly considered family. This charming demeanor was likely reserved for Xiao Bai alone otherwise.
Their interaction drew sidelong glances from nearby male students. The sight of two radiant girls—one pure as a lotus, the other ethereal as a fairy—smiling so brightly stirred heated gazes.
"Hm? Brother Xiao Bai's calling us!" Xiao Xun'er caught Xiao Bai waving from the stage, his eyes meeting hers as he beckoned them over.
Though puzzled, the two girls rose and headed toward the platform.
"Come, come, Xun'er, Xian'er, this is Vice Dean Hu Qian and the esteemed elders of Jia Nan Academy!" Xiao Bai said, taking each by the hand and introducing them with a smile once they reached his side.
"Xiao Xun'er (Xiao Yi Xian), greetings to the Vice Dean and esteemed elders!" The two girls offered a respectful salute.
"No need for formalities, students," Hu Qian said, marveling inwardly at Xiao Bai's knack for surrounding himself with such remarkable girls.
"Vice Dean, elders, this is why I must join the second round of the selection tournament—I'm bringing them into the top five!" Xiao Bai declared openly, citing a rule-permitted goal.
"Tch, impressive! Xiao Yi Xian, when we met in the Magical Beast Forest, you were a five-star Dou Shi, weren't you? It's only been a month, and you're already a Da Dou Shi!" Elder Huo exclaimed, astonished by her progress.
"What? A month ago, you said you met them, and she went from five-star Dou Shi to Da Dou Shi?" The other elders turned to the white-robed girl, their eyes wide with shock.
"Elder Huo flatters me," Xiao Yi Xian said with a smile, her gaze softening as it landed on Xiao Bai. "It's all thanks to him. Without his help, I couldn't have broken through so quickly."
Xiao Bai had instructed her to deflect any questions about her cultivation to him, letting him handle the explanations.
"Heh, my Xun'er and Xian'er are just that talented. Jealous?" Xiao Bai grinned at the elders' curious looks, tossing out an irrefutable excuse that silenced their follow-up questions.
"…" The elders stared at the black-robed youth's smug, slightly shameless expression, momentarily speechless.
Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian, catching the elders' reactions, curved their lips slightly. Their eyes, fixed on Xiao Bai, shimmered with an enchanting smile. They'd never seen him like this—almost as if he were showing off to others!
"Alright, enough!" Hu Qian chuckled, waving his hand. "Since they're both Da Dou Shi, let's settle them in the top five. They've got the strength for the top twenty, maybe even top ten, so entering the Inner Academy is a given. With this lad in the second round, no contestant this year, even combined, could match him. Let's skip the formalities. Any objections?"
"None from us," the elders said, shaking their heads. They'd initially worried Xiao Bai's teammates might be Dou Zhe or low-tier Dou Shi, unable to crack the top fifty, which would've complicated things. Learning the girls' true cultivation eased their concerns—it was all within the rules, just bypassing some steps.
"Then it's settled!" Hu Qian resolved the matter in a few words, signaling the referee's bench. He informed an approaching referee that the top three were decided, then turned to the group. "If there's more to discuss, take it to the stands. Don't delay the tournament."
Xiao Bai meant to leave, but Elder Huo's insistent grip held him back, dragging him to the stands. With no choice, Xiao Bai brought Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian along, following the elders.
In the Yellow Class Two section, Mentor Ruo Lin noticed a certain emotion in Xiao Yu's eyes as Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian were called away. Sighing softly, she said, "Yu'er, don't think about it. He's not someone you can hold onto."
A faint blush colored Xiao Yu's cheeks, but she quickly composed herself, smiling lightly. "What're you thinking, Mentor Ruo Lin?"
Having spent so much time with her, Ruo Lin knew her student well. In a tone almost like a soliloquy, she said, "When you're young and meet someone too exceptional, it's fine if it leads somewhere. But if it doesn't, don't let yourself fall too deep. It could affect your life moving forward."
Xiao Yu's lips curved into a bitter smile, her gaze distant as she murmured, "Fall too deep? I'd need the chance for that. Mentor, you don't know him. Growing up, Xiao Bai… how do I put it?"
"His parents passed early, but even as a kid, he was mature, decisive. Handsome, talented—almost every girl in the Xiao Clan our age had a crush on him, to some degree. But he seemed to only have eyes for Xun'er, treating everyone else with the same attitude: kind, but distant."
"We all thought he'd only ever be that way with Xun'er. But today, I realized it's not true. The way he is with Xiao Yi Xian—it's different from how he is with the rest of us."
Ruo Lin blinked, caught off guard. When she'd visited the Xiao Clan, she'd only inquired about Xiao Bai's cultivation, not his personal life. Hearing Xiao Yu now, she felt a growing respect for him.
Though their time together was brief, she'd seen how he treated Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian—utterly devoted to the girls he cared for. For others, if he had no intention of commitment, he kept a clear boundary, never leading them on.
Seeing Xiao Yu's downcast expression, Ruo Lin wasn't sure what to say, settling for a comforting pat on her shoulder.
___
On the central platform, Hu Qian returned with the group, his eyes subtly tracking the bored red-clad girl nearby.
As the group settled, her gaze swept over them, and her peach-blossom eyes suddenly lit up, a hint of eagerness stirring.
Hu Qian's heart leaped—his granddaughter wasn't what he'd feared! She'd just never met a youth who caught her eye. Relief washed over him.
Following her gaze, his expression froze, then darkened. She wasn't looking at Xiao Bai but at the two charming girls!
Hu Qian cursed himself for getting his hopes up. He knew his granddaughter had issues!
How he wished her eager glance had been for Xiao Bai, not those two girls!
"You little vixen, stand properly if you're standing, sit properly if you're sitting! Acting so unruly in public—what kind of behavior is this?" Hu Qian snapped, glaring at his granddaughter, suddenly finding fault with her every move.
Xiao Bai glanced over, spotting a girl in a red dress leaning lazily against an iron railing, arms crossed, her alluring curves strikingly pronounced.
"Tch!" The red-clad girl, Hu Jia, pursed her lips. Alone with her grandfather, she'd have no fear of his scolding. But with all the elders present, she gave him some face, stepping away from the railing and striding toward Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian, who were whispering together.
"Hey, big sisters, hi! I'm Hu Jia, the granddaughter of that grumpy old man!" Hu Jia greeted them with a beaming smile.
Xiao Bai and Hu Qian's eyes twitched in unison. Hu Qian's face darkened, while Xiao Bai's expression turned odd—someone was brazenly trying to steal his girls!
"Xiao Bai, come, sit by me. Let's talk," Elder Huo said, guiding Xiao Bai to two empty chairs. "How much do you know about alchemists?"
"Well, let's just say I've dabbled a bit in pill refining," Xiao Bai replied, glancing at the elders watching closely, his tone hesitant.
"You've got some foundation? Haha, excellent!" Elder Huo said, surprised and delighted.
Being an alchemist required more than talent—it demanded passion. Refining pills was time-consuming, and with Xiao Bai's cultivation talent, Elder Huo had worried he'd find it a waste of time. If he was already interested, his potential as an alchemist was even greater.
"Don't worry. As long as you're passionate, with your aptitude, becoming a ranked alchemist will be simple," Elder Huo reassured, mistaking Xiao Bai's hesitation for embarrassment over a rudimentary background.
Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian, chatting with Hu Jia nearby, overheard and exchanged odd looks. Xiao Bai sighed inwardly. Better clear this up now, or I'll offend someone.
"Actually, I'm already an alchemist," he said.
"What? You're already ranked? Have you been assessed by the Alchemist Guild?" Elder Huo's eyes widened. Their investigation of Wu Tan City showed no Alchemist Guild presence, not even a first-tier alchemist. He'd assumed Xiao Bai had no exposure to the craft, yet here he was, claiming to be one!
"I haven't been to the Alchemist Guild," Xiao Bai said, shaking his head. He saw no need to travel for a mere badge, which was just a formality with little practical value.
The guild offered discounts on materials, but that held little appeal. The Jia Ma Empire lacked the high-grade materials he needed.
"Then how do you know you're an alchemist? It's not as simple as burning herbs into a pill-like shape!" Elder Huo frowned, skeptical. Xiao Bai seemed steady and methodical—surely he wasn't so unreliable.
"Easy. Let Xiao Bai refine something on the spot. A first-tier pill takes no time, and we'll know if he's genuine," a gray-robed elder said, growing impatient with Elder Huo's probing. His suggestion earned nods from the group.
Xiao Bai was about to speak but paused at the gray-robed elder's words. Recognizing him as the helpful elder from the stage, he thought, What a guy!
"That's a solid idea. Treat it as his ranking assessment," Elder Huo said, not offended but intrigued. He turned to Xiao Bai. "What do you think? Want to give it a try?"
"Sure, but first-tier pills are too easy—no challenge," Xiao Bai said, pausing under the elders' skeptical gazes. "Let's go with a fifth-tier pill."
The platform fell silent, all eyes on Xiao Bai, stunned, as if staring at a madman.
"What did you say? You have no respect for the alchemist profession!" Elder Huo's shock turned to fury, his already ruddy face darkening with rage. He glared at Xiao Bai as if he could devour him.
Xiao Bai, whom he'd thought so promising, now seemed arrogantly ignorant. A fifth-tier alchemist at eighteen? Unthinkable! That he'd even say it sparked as much anger as Elder Huo had once felt admiration.
He'd seen Xiao Bai as a rare talent, his strong soul force a perfect fit for alchemy. Elder Huo, limited by his own weaker soul force, had been stuck at fifth-tier for years, never finding the key to sixth-tier. He'd hoped to pass his knowledge to Xiao Bai, envisioning him surpassing all limits. To think he was this kind of person!
"Xiao Bai, are you serious?" Hu Qian, who'd been glowering at Hu Jia, now turned to Xiao Bai, his expression grave. If true, this would be a boon for Jia Nan Academy.
"Xiao Bai, don't aim too high. We believe you could reach fifth-tier someday, but for now, refine a first-tier pill," the gray-robed elder said, shooting him a subtle look to give him an out.
Xiao Bai gave the elder a grateful smile. His pills below fourth-tier were unusual, carrying energy fluctuations typical of fourth-tier pills. Refining one would require explanations he'd rather avoid. If he had a fourth-tier or higher pill on hand, he'd have just shown it.
"Try it, and we'll see. Vice Dean, what do you think?" Xiao Bai said with a calm smile.
"Alright! Name what you need, and I'll prepare it!" Hu Qian, seeing Xiao Bai's composed confidence, felt a surge of excitement and stood, ready to act.
"Medicinal ingredients, a pill furnace, a pill formula."
"No need for you to fetch them—I've got everything!" Elder Huo, though still doubtful, saw Xiao Bai's seriousness and tempered his anger. As Hu Qian moved to gather supplies, Huo pulled a black pill furnace from his storage ring, set out various ingredients on the table, and handed Xiao Bai a scroll. "Fifth-tier pill, Dragon Strength Pill. Take a look. If you succeed, all this is yours, and I'll apologize for my earlier words."
____
If you want to support me and read advanced 20+ chapters and other stories join: patreon.com/Caluem