Chapter 161: Headmaster Mang Tianchi
"Tch, after all these years, finally a student worth a damn."
An aged voice filled with mild disappointment echoed as the phantom of an old man in black robes appeared before Xiao Yuan.
Seeing the mysterious elder, Xiao Yuan instinctively took a step back, his entire body on guard.
He had just realized he was no longer inside the chamber with the energy barriers—instead, he was standing in a boundless sea of thunder and lightning.
"What's this, kid? See me and don't even greet me?"
The old man scowled, stepping closer, stroking his beard and glaring.
"Uh… and you are?"
Xiao Yuan genuinely had no idea who this man was, though he figured he must be a senior of some kind. So he respectfully bowed and asked.
"Are you kidding me? If you got your hands on my technique, that means you're a student of Jia Nan Academy. And you don't even recognize your own headmaster?!"
The elder's face darkened further, practically shaking with anger.
"Uh… can't say I do. But in my defense, the academy doesn't have any portraits of you."
Xiao Yuan scratched his head awkwardly but couldn't help feeling a shiver run down his spine.
He had picked that lightning-type technique simply because of its quality—he figured it might help him in cultivating Three Thousand Lightning Movement. He hadn't expected it to be a legacy technique left behind by the headmaster himself!
"Damn it! I'll have Su Qian plaster my portraits all over campus! Listen up, kid! I'm Mang Tianchi—Jia Nan Academy's headmaster! Next time you don't recognize me, I'll throw you into the Thunder Pool to get zapped for a week!"
Mang Tianchi grumbled and scolded, but after scanning Xiao Yuan from top to bottom, he gave a subtle nod, clearly satisfied.
"Yin-Yang Dual Flame, Dou Ling… Wait, what's with this strange aura? You're hovering between Four-Star Da Dou Shi and Three-Star Dou Ling? Not bad… only eighteen? But hold on… Your main attribute is ice! What are you doing with my lightning technique?!"
Any shred of dignity Mang Tianchi had vanished entirely. He no longer spoke like a mighty headmaster—more like a cranky mountain bandit.
"Because it's awesome."
Xiao Yuan, seeing the elder didn't put on airs, relaxed and shrugged with a grin.
"Unbelievable. Fine. How about I swap it for a low-grade Earth-level ice technique instead? This one's wasted on you."
Mang Tianchi rolled his eyes.
"No way. I earned this with my own skills. Why should I trade it away? Isn't your technique high-grade Earth level? Tell you what, Headmaster—give me an ice-type high-grade Earth technique and matching Dou Skill, and I'll trade you back yours right now."
Xiao Yuan wasn't going to back down—time to bargain.
"Why don't you just rob me outright? Where the hell am I gonna get you an ice-type high-grade Earth technique? Oh wait—there's an old freak in the Black-Corner Region, the master of Demon Flame Valley. Maybe he has one. Want to go ask him?"
Mang Tianchi snorted, then teased.
"What's his strength?"
Xiao Yuan pretended to ask innocently.
"Eh… probably Five to Eight-Star Dou Zong? Who knows? His talent was always mediocre. Can't have gotten much stronger over the years."
Mang Tianchi shrugged.
"Headmaster… are you trying to get me killed?"
Xiao Yuan sighed and covered his face.
"Alright, alright, enough jokes. There's only a low-grade Earth technique and a mid-grade Earth Dou Skill for ice-type users in the academy. I'll authorize both for you. The Thunder Devil Codex really doesn't suit you. Better to swap it out. Shame though—you're such a promising student."
With a wave of his hand, two frost-covered scrolls appeared in Mang Tianchi's palm.
"Actually, Headmaster, I really can cultivate this technique."
Xiao Yuan flicked the scroll with a finger. A bolt of lightning entered his body and, under his control, settled into his Greenwood Qi Core.
Boom!
With the lightning as a catalyst, he began converting his Dou Qi. Under Mang Tianchi's curious gaze, a green lightning arc sparked from his fingertip.
"What the hell?!"
Mang Tianchi cried out. But the next moment, as lightning spread across Xiao Yuan's body and formed an armor of thunder-attributed Dou Qi, the elder's eyes widened in shock.
Impossible.
He actually had lightning-type Dou Qi too?! No wonder he could retrieve the Thunder Devil Codex!
Xiao Yuan smirked. He wasn't worried about Mang Tianchi coveting his dual-attribute Dou Qi physique. A man of his status wouldn't stoop that low.
Still, Mang Tianchi's reaction nearly made Xiao Yuan laugh aloud.
Seeing his own outburst, the headmaster coughed and straightened up, speaking righteously:
"Hmm, this was all a test! I sensed your lightning-type Dou Qi from the start. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to retrieve my codex or trigger the spiritual imprint I left inside. This technique is profound—and comes with a matching Dou Skill. It's one of the most treasured sets in Jia Nan Academy.
You better train well and not let me down. Now go."
With a final wave, he fired a black lightning bolt into Xiao Yuan's brow—it formed a thunder imprint—and the surrounding illusion began to fade.
BOOM!
Back in the real world, a silver thunderstorm raged as black lightning arcs erupted, radiating devastating energy. Even Wu Hao and Hu Jia, watching from afar, felt their lives flash before their eyes.
Despite having witnessed Xiao Yuan's incredible strength before, they couldn't help but worry.
Then, unexpectedly, the storm began to weaken—like its core had been drained.
At the center of the thunder vortex, an inverted whirlpool formed, and a cracked ice coffin slowly emerged.
Crack!
The ice shattered into pieces and scattered to the ground.
Inside stood Xiao Yuan, lightning flashing in his eyes, holding a silver scroll etched with black arcs, deep in thought.
"Xiao Yuan!"
Xiao Yu rushed over, inspecting him for injuries.
"I'm fine."
He returned to his senses, slipped the scroll into his storage ring, and reassured her with a smile.
"Brother."
Xiao Yan and Xun'er joined them, clearly relieved.
"Let's go. I got what I came for."
Xiao Yuan nodded, satisfaction gleaming in his expression, and pulled Xiao Yu along.
The others followed. Though Wu Hao and Hu Jia didn't know exactly what Xiao Yuan had obtained, they could tell it was something rare and powerful.
As the six exited, the swirling energy barriers began to shrink. Within moments, the room emptied—once filled with treasures that could spark chaos in the outside world, now silent and bare.
Creak—
The ancient door opened. Warm sunlight spilled in, casting a glowing path down the dark corridor.
One by one, the group stepped out, breathing deeply as they looked at the vibrant valley. The oppressive air inside the pavilion was finally gone.
"This place is massive. That chamber was probably just one corner of the whole building. This pavilion… it's full of mysteries."
Xiao Yuan's gaze drifted toward the two meditating gray-robed guardians.
As if sensing the door's opening, one of them stirred slightly. A moment later, a vast, formless energy scanned over the six of them—so powerful that they were stunned into silence.
After about ten seconds, the energy faded like a tide.
"Time's up. Leave now. Remember—everything you saw today, especially within the Tome Pavilion, must not be revealed to anyone."
The raspy voice swirled around them.
The group quickly bowed in acknowledgment.
"Heh, all done?"
Hu Qian smiled. "Looks like none of you came out empty-handed?"
The six nodded.
"Good. Whether what you found suits you or not, at least you gained something," he said with a smile. He bowed slightly toward the two guardians. "Since they've come out, I won't disturb you any longer."
The gray-robed men gave no response, as expected.
Hu Qian turned to Xiao Yuan's group and waved. "Come with me."
The six bowed respectfully to the guardians before following him down the stone steps, turning back only after leaving the platform.
After confirming that everyone was unharmed, Hu Qian finally gave the two elders one last respectful salute, then led them toward the invisible space gate through which they had entered.
"Stay close to me. Don't touch any spatial distortions. If you do, even I won't be able to save you."
As they approached the invisible space portal, Hu Qian offered a final reminder. He kept his upper body steady as he stepped forward, passing through the spatial rift. Xiao Yuan and the others followed carefully, not daring to make a single misstep.
After safely passing through, a subtle energy ripple spread behind them. Xiao Yuan turned around to see the torn portal slowly disappearing. In its place, a tightly sealed wall of warped space reformed, once again shielding the Tome Pavilion from view.
As he glanced past the nearly invisible spatial distortions and back toward the pavilion, Xiao Yuan was momentarily stunned. The two gray-robed guardians were watching him with clear admiration.
Is this because of the headmaster? he wondered.
Bowing slightly again, Xiao Yuan quickly caught up with Hu Qian and the others, re-entering the same mountain tunnel they had used before.
As soon as he left, the two gray-robed elders vanished as if they had never been there—but their voices echoed faintly across the valley.
"That boy… He actually earned the headmaster's favor. Looks like we missed something."
"Hehe, that's the first time in years that old man voluntarily passed us a message. Must be nice being a hands-off leader for so long."
"Well, he is the headmaster. Even the two of us together might not be his match."
"Let Su Qian deal with it. Not our headache."
"Hehehe."
"Hehehe…"
Back in the academy's large study hall, Hu Qian turned to the six students now standing before him and smiled. "Alright, you've all received your rewards. This afternoon, you'll be sent to the Inner Academy. You'll suffer a bit there, I'm sure. Hopefully you've rested well these past few days."
Xiao Yuan rolled his eyes. Rested? He'd been running all over the place for days.
"One more thing," Hu Qian added. "Newcomers in the Inner Academy will inevitably be targeted—unless your fists are stronger than theirs. The students already there are no pushovers. They were once Outer Academy elites, and the Inner Academy's special training methods have made them even stronger. Catching up to them won't be easy."
His gaze swept over the six of them.
"My advice? Work together. Don't go solo. If you do, you'll regret it."
"What, they'll break our limbs or kill us?" Hu Jia rolled her eyes. Everyone except Xiao Yu looked unimpressed. After all, anyone who made it into the top five had real skill.
"No, no one will cripple or kill you," Hu Qian chuckled. "But being overpowered and humiliated isn't fun either. And all of you are quite prideful, aren't you?"
"Thanks for the warning, Vice Headmaster. We'll be careful," Xiao Yuan said sincerely, bowing before leading his group out. Hu Jia and Wu Hao followed shortly after.
"Ah, these kids," Hu Qian said as he sat back down. "They'll understand once they're inside. The Inner Academy has never lacked geniuses…"
At that same moment, in a distant realm, within a vast sea of thunder, the old man muttered to himself.
"Almost embarrassed myself. That brat… next time I see him, I'll give him a proper lesson. Doesn't even know how to show respect to his headmaster! …Dual-attribute Dou Qi, huh… Feels like I've seen that somewhere before…"
As thunder rumbled, his voice faded into the storm.
That afternoon, when Xiao Yuan and the others returned to Hu Qian's office, they found the open courtyard outside packed with students. The crowd was broken into groups, with Wu Hao and Hu Jia naturally attracting the largest circles.
But the moment Xiao Yuan's group of four appeared, all chatter ceased. Every eye turned to Xiao Yuan with awe.
He had dominated the selection tournament, defeated more than ten opponents—including Hu Jia and Wu Hao—without breaking a sweat. His power had earned him universal respect.
Xiao Yuan and his friends walked calmly to the front. He exchanged nods with Wu Hao and Hu Jia—polite, if not overly friendly.
The two responded in kind. With the Inner Academy looming, Hu Qian's warnings had clearly resonated. No one wanted unnecessary trouble in such a dangerous new environment. Pride was one thing, but they weren't stupid.
Around the courtyard, many Outer Academy students had gathered to watch. To be accepted into the Inner Academy was a great honor. It was what most students worked toward from day one. Every year, crowds came to witness the top students' departure.
Ten minutes after their arrival, the study door finally opened. Vice Headmaster Hu Qian and several elders emerged. The courtyard immediately fell silent.
After an impassioned speech from Hu Qian, the students buzzed with anticipation for their new life.
"The Inner Academy is Jia Nan's true core," he said. "Because of its secrecy, most of you—including instructors—don't know its location. So we'll be taking you there directly."
He looked skyward.
From the distant blue horizon, ten black silhouettes approached rapidly. Soon, the shapes became clear—ten massive griffin beasts.
They cast huge shadows as they descended, flapping their wings with such force that students below staggered.
Hu Qian waved, signaling them to land. As they descended, the students saw two people seated atop each griffin.
"Alright, time's up. Everyone board. Five to a griffin," Hu Qian instructed.
Immediately, the students surged forward like a swarm of bees, leaping onto the griffins' wide backs. But the slick feathers proved difficult—many slipped and fell with a thud.
"Ha! Don't show off! The griffins have saddles—only Da Dou Shi can stand freely on their backs!"
Hu Qian laughed, then turned to Xiao Yuan's group. "Top five—well, six—you're on the same griffin."
Xiao Yuan wasn't surprised. Grabbing Xiao Yu, he leapt up, landing steadily on the griffin's slippery back without wavering. Those who had slipped earlier stared in awe.
Soon, Xiao Yan, Xun'er, Hu Jia, and Wu Hao followed.
Hu Qian and the elders surveyed the field. Once everyone was mounted, they exchanged nods and took to the sky.
With a shimmer of Dou Qi, radiant wings unfurled from their backs—marking them as Dou Huang-level experts. They floated in mid-air like gods, drawing countless envious gazes.
To fly freely with Dou Qi wings—every cultivator's dream.
"We'll be escorting you personally," Hu Qian announced. Then, with a whistle, the griffin riders stirred their mounts.
The griffins flapped their wings hard. With a roar of wind, they lifted into the air.
"Yu'er! Xun'er! Xiao Yuan! Xiao Yan! Do your best! If you excel, you'll earn a holiday!"
From below, a familiar voice called out.
Looking down, they saw Instructor Ruo Lin waving. Beside her stood Xiao Ning, Xiao Mei, and Qingning, all waving with smiles.
As the griffins climbed higher, the people below shrank until they looked like ants. From the sky, the entire Jia Nan Academy spread out beneath them.
Over the endless mountains behind the academy, ten griffins soared, wings spread wide. Around them, Hu Qian and the three elders formed a protective diamond, their powerful Dou Qi shielding the group from any turbulence.
Dou Huang experts…
Xiao Yuan looked at them with envy. The power Medusa had infused into him was nearly exhausted.
Borrowing someone else's strength will never be enough. Power… must be my own.
(END CHAPTER)
Get 30% off on my Patreon and enjoy early access to new chapters.
You can also purchase the next 100 chapters of the novel directly from my Patreon page.
Hurry up! The promotion ends on February 2, 2026.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1