Deep in the Forest
In a small valley, a choke point for the Fire Energy Hunt, two groups unexpectedly crossed paths.
"Lin Yan?! I didn't expect you to join this Fire Energy Hunt!" A tall, resolute man in coarse cloth, with thick brows and a domineering aura, carried a massive spear on his back. His deep, resonant voice addressed the leader of the Black Team.
"I'm a lone wolf, dirt poor. The Black and White Teams' mission offers Fire Energy, so I'm here to earn some hard cash. What's so strange about that?" The speaker, dressed in black, appeared lean but exuded a fiery intensity beneath his clothes. His brows, sharp as inverted blades, tilted upward, carrying a hint of menace. "But you, Liu Qing, with your big family and gang leadership—chasing after these scraps? That's what I didn't expect!"
Despite the teasing words, Liu Qing's expression remained as still as an ancient well. "It seems this year's freshmen have some skill if the academy sent us to lead the Black and White Teams," he said calmly.
"Maybe." Lin Yan shrugged lazily, seeming indifferent, but the faint gravity in his bright eyes betrayed his inner concern.
"Cousin!" A surprised, joyful cry came from the valley's entrance.
The group turned to see a pretty young woman in a fox-fur skirt waving excitedly. She jogged over, followed by two young men.
"Fei'er," Liu Qing acknowledged with a nod, unsurprised by her presence. When he'd entered the Inner Court, Liu Fei had just arrived at Jia Nan Academy as a freshman. Two years had passed since then.
"Cousin, I didn't know you were leading the White Team!" Liu Fei stood obediently before him, her excitement palpable, ignoring everyone else as her eyes fixed on the imposing man.
"Mm. I was asked by an elder to come," Liu Qing said with a slight nod, pausing before adding, "You're a freshman. Tell me about this year's batch."
Liu Fei's eyes gleamed with pride at hearing her cousin was summoned by an elder. As expected, my cousin's always been exceptional! But when he asked about the freshmen's strength, her face paled, a flash of fear in her eyes. "Cousin, we need to leave—now!" she urged.
"Why?" Liu Qing's brows furrowed. He knew his cousin's temperament—arrogant, perhaps, but not one to show such fear. Who could rattle her like this?
Before Liu Fei could answer, several disheveled figures stumbled into the valley, collapsing to the ground.
"Luo Men, that… that demon didn't follow us, right?" one student gasped, glancing nervously back the way they'd come.
"No, he just glanced at our hiding spot. Didn't seem to care," the man called Luo Men replied, panting heavily.
"Terrifying. Zhu En and the others—five of them—taken out in one move!" Another shivered, recalling their classmates'惨状.
"Who's to blame? Those idiots thought we were exaggerating, called us cowards, and ignored our warnings. Not only did they try to rob the demon's Fire Energy, they even flirted with the two girls beside him. Now look—Fire Energy gone, and they're beaten half to death!"
"Serves them right! They nearly got us all dragged into their mess!"
As they bickered, over a dozen more figures emerged from the forest in all directions—freshmen and seniors alike. The air grew tense as they eyed each other warily.
The freshmen, terrified at seeing so many seniors, hadn't expected to stumble into a den of them despite their efforts to avoid them. Oddly, the seniors didn't seem intent on robbing them; they looked just as panicked as the freshmen.
"Excuse me, could you tell me about this 'demon' you mentioned?" A lazy voice cut through the murmurs, drawing everyone's attention.
"Huh? Senior Lin Yan! And Gang Leader Liu Qing! You're leading the Black and White Teams?" The crowd noticed the others in the valley, their faces lighting up. "Perfect! Now we don't have to keep running!"
"Gang Leader Liu, Senior Lin, here's the deal," one student began. "This year, there's a freakishly strong freshman. His cultivation's unclear, but he's arrogant, ruthless, and robs everyone he meets. If you don't hand over your Fire Energy, he beats you. If you do, he complains it's too little. He's practically a demon!"
"Exactly! And he's despicable—using freshmen as bait to lure us in like fish! If the first ones he robbed hadn't warned us, we'd have fallen for it!"
The trembling freshmen exchanged glances, silently grateful they'd fled early. This "demon" from the Outer Court was even more ferocious than they'd feared—lucky they hadn't been caught as bait.
"Sounds like an interesting freshman. I'd like to meet him," Liu Qing said, a spark of battle lust in his eyes. He now understood why the elder had chosen him and Lin Yan, the "madman," to lead the teams. The academy wanted them to temper this freshman. A typical Dou Ling cultivator, as in past years, likely wouldn't suffice.
"Cousin, no—" Liu Fei's voice rose in panic, seeing his intent.
"Fei'er?" Liu Qing's gaze darkened, his tone firm, cutting her off.
Seeing his resolute expression, Liu Fei knew she couldn't sway him once his mind was set. Biting her lip, she blurted, "Cousin, he can fly!"
Silence fell over the valley, thick and heavy.
After a moment, a White Team senior stammered, "Fei'er, is it… that kind of flying?"
"Yes, the energy wings of a Dou Wang. Nearly every freshman in the Outer Court knows!" Liu Fei nodded. She'd abandoned her plan to have Liu Qing teach that boy a lesson after seeing Xiao Bai descend from the sky during the selection tournament.
The crowd glanced at the few freshmen standing quietly to the side, who nodded vigorously, confirming the truth. The seniors, who'd been thrilled to see Liu Qing and Lin Yan moments ago, now exchanged uneasy looks, their eyes flickering.
"Haha, Senior Lin, Gang Leader Liu, I just remembered I left my door unlocked. Gotta go!"
"Oh, right! My girlfriend asked me to pick her up from the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower today. Almost forgot—can't mess this up. See you all later!"
With a flurry of absurd excuses, the once-lively valley emptied out.
"Those bastards!" The Black and White Teams' seniors cursed under their breath, glaring at the crowd now lurking in the forest on the valley's far side, sneaking peeks back at them.
"Let it be. It's human nature," Liu Qing said, waving dismissively. "If any of you want to leave, go now."
"Gang Leader, who do you take us for?"
"Yeah, we're not like those cowards, scared off by some Dou Wang!"
"Good. Worthy of my Mountain-Splitting Gang!" A rare smile of approval crossed Liu Qing's stoic face. He turned to Lin Yan, curious. "You're not leaving?"
"I'm a broke nobody. Got no Fire Energy for him to take. Why would I run?" Lin Yan shrugged nonchalantly, shooting Liu Qing a sly glance. "You, though—you've got plenty of Fire Energy. Not afraid of losing it?"
"Haha, I've got a fair bit. If he's got the skill, he's welcome to try!" Liu Qing's hearty laugh echoed through the valley.
Suddenly, both men's expressions shifted, their gazes snapping to the same direction.
"I'll take that Fire Energy, then," a calm voice called from afar, rippling through the open forest. A fiery red streak, trailed by afterimages, flashed through the trees, each movement accompanied by a faint rumble like muffled thunder. In a few blinks, a figure appeared in the valley.
Clad in an ink-black robe, he was tall and upright, with ash-white hair and stern features. His dark eyes were sharp and profound, occasionally glinting with a spark of electricity. A silver rune on his forehead, intricate and otherworldly, seemed to evoke the vastness of the heavens.
"You two must be the leaders of the Black and White Teams," Xiao Bai said, his gaze sweeping over them. "One five-star Dou Ling, one four-star Dou Ling. The Black and White Teams are impressive indeed."
"Black Team, Captain, Lin Yan."
"White Team, Captain, Liu Qing."
Liu Qing and Lin Yan locked eyes with the composed young man, introducing themselves slowly.
Xiao Bai's face remained calm, but inwardly, he was surprised. I didn't expect the Black and White Teams' leaders to be these two. Both were among the top ten on the Strong List two years from now, with Liu Qing ranking just below Zi Yan and Lin Xiu Ya.
"Freshman, Xiao Bai," he said with a nod, studying the pair. Their eyes held wariness mixed with eager anticipation. He smiled faintly. "Are you two planning to face me alone, or will you bring them along?"
Liu Qing and Lin Yan exchanged a glance, seemingly reaching a decision. Liu Qing spoke first. "We know you're strong, but backing down without a fight isn't our style. How about this: we'll both take you on. Win or lose, we'll hand over our Fire Energy. Deal?"
"Straightforward!" Xiao Bai clapped, grinning. "I accept."
Liu Qing and Lin Yan smiled, but their expressions soon turned grave. They'd thought the rumors about this freshman were exaggerated, but meeting Xiao Bai in person dispelled that notion. They couldn't read him, and a faint, dangerous aura emanated from him.
Liu Qing stood tall, his black spear gleaming coldly in the sunlight. A domineering, forceful aura rose from him, intimidating enough to freeze weaker opponents in fear.
On the other side, Lin Yan radiated a scorching heat, calm on the surface but brimming with a wild, frenzied energy beneath.
___
High Above the Valley
On a raised platform, Elder Su and Elder Han watched the scene below in silence.
"How long do you think those two can last?" Elder Han asked softly, his cloudy eyes fixed on the three figures facing off.
"If Xiao Bai doesn't use his soul force, it's hard to say who'll win," Elder Su replied, shaking his head. They'd both experienced Xiao Bai's freakish soul power firsthand.
"True. No wonder the Grand Elder suddenly insisted on picking strong students for the Black and White Teams this year—it was for Xiao Bai. But I bet even he didn't expect Xiao Bai's soul force to be this strong. Even that little monster wouldn't stand a chance against him."
"Exactly. That girl's got a monstrous physique, but raw strength is easily countered by soul force. She'd have no shot either."
As they spoke, the air rippled faintly, and an elderly figure appeared soundlessly beside them.
"Greetings, Grand Elder!" Elders Su and Han started, bowing hastily.
"No need for formalities," the old figure said, waving them off. His gaze settled on the trio below, lingering on Xiao Bai. "This kid keeps surprising me," he murmured.
In the Valley
Feeling the dual pressures of Liu Qing and Lin Yan's auras, Xiao Bai smiled lightly. A crimson glow flickered around him, accompanied by the faint crackle of thunder.
"Dou Ling? Six-star?!"
Their auras faltered, both men staring in disbelief at the youth dubbed a demon. They glanced back at Liu Fei. Didn't she say he was a Dou Wang? What's with this Dou Ling?
"Still fighting?" Xiao Bai asked, noting their disrupted momentum with a slight frown.
"Of course!" Liu Qing's eyes lost their earlier caution. Before, Xiao Bai was an enigma; now, he was just one star above him—nothing to fear! Had it not been for their prior agreement, he'd have taken Xiao Bai on alone.
Spreading his hands, Liu Qing's unusually large palms curled into claw-like shapes. With a swipe, invisible gusts of force sliced downward, leaving shallow marks on the stones below.
"Impressive physique," Xiao Bai remarked, his eyes flickering. He could tell no Dou Qi was involved—pure physical strength.
"Watch out!" Liu Qing's curled claws surged with pale gold light. His right claw shot forward, tracing a strange arc.
Great Rift Coffin-Splitting Claw!
Five claw beams tore toward Xiao Bai's face.
Xiao Bai's eyes narrowed at the oncoming attack. He extended a slender, pale hand, crimson lightning crackling across it.
Thunder Shock!
A burst of condensed lightning surged from his palm, forming a several-foot-wide thunder palm print that pushed forward.
Boom!
The claw beams and palm print collided, a deafening explosion echoing through the valley. An invisible shockwave rippled outward, slamming into the valley walls. The ground trembled slightly, and stone fragments rained down, thudding like muffled thunder.
Liu Qing's expression shifted. The palm print, after shattering his claw beams, didn't dissipate but charged toward him. Sensing the flickering lightning and growing heat, his eyes grew solemn. He drew his spear, channeling Dou Qi into it. A blinding golden light erupted from the spear's tip.
Great Rift Rock!
A ten-foot spear beam shot out, slashing downward with the momentum to cleave the earth, aiming to split the advancing thunder palm in two.
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