Battle Through the Heavens: Beauties Abound Starting with Yunlan and Her Disciples

296: Section 296”Xue Ni, you are currently an older student of the Inner Academy, and you must be more familiar with this forest than any of us. So, next, you shall lead us and take us for a good walk through these woods.”

”By the way,” he changed the subject, a fox-like smile flashing in his deep eyes, ”

If we are fortunate enough to encounter other older students who are also hunting along the way, you point them out to us.”

We would just like to have a good exchange with them and, while we’re at it, ’borrow’ a bit of the Fire Energy from their cards to use.”

”Ah? Oh, oh! Okay! No problem!”

Hearing this, Xue Ni was slightly stunned at first, but she immediately understood Yun Xiancheng’s meaning.

She nodded vigorously, and a brilliant smile filled with excitement and anticipation instantly bloomed on her pretty face, which still bore traces of tears!

She carefully pulled an exquisite, compass-like tool from her bosom.

”Young Master Yun... and sisters!” Her voice regained its vitality and confidence. After a year of being exploited, she didn’t feel the slightest bit of shame calling her juniors ’sisters’.

”This is a basic search device that all of us older students are equipped with; it can be used to search for the locations of others in this forest. Look, the red dots on here represent us older students, while those blue dots represent new students like you.”

”Please... everyone, follow me!”

She held the compass high, her face filled with the excited expression of finally being able to avenge her grievances. ”I will take you now to find those ’lovely’ older students!”

306 Harvest

With Xue Ni, a ’little traitor’ who could precisely locate the ’prey’, leading the way,

Xiao Yan’s group, who had originally intended to take a leisurely stroll and wait for prey to come to them, instantly transformed into a pack of hungry leopards that had caught the scent of blood. Their hunting became incredibly efficient and proactive from then on.

They no longer advanced along the straight path but, under the guidance of Xue Ni’s magical compass,

traversed the dense forest like the most experienced hunters. They proactively and precisely sought out the teams of older students scattered throughout the forest, launching one suspense-free, textbook-style ’encirclement hunt’ after another.

These so-called ’older students’ who chose to target their juniors during the New Student Hunting Competition were mostly considered the bottom-tier ’tail-enders’ who couldn’t make a name for themselves within the Inner Academy.

However, how could anyone who stood out among the tens of thousands of students in the Outer Academy and successfully entered the Inner Academy be a true mediocre talent?

The vast majority of them possessed the formidable strength of a low-to-mid-tier Great Dou Master. This level would already be considered the absolute top tier among the Outer Academy’s new students.

Yet, such a group of ’experts’ who could walk tall in the Outer Academy appeared so fragile and vulnerable when facing the ’monster rookie’ team around Yun Xiancheng, which was ’luxurious’ to the point of being unreasonable.

Setting everything else aside, there were the three genuine peak Great Dou Masters: Xiao Yan, Nalan Yanran, and Xiao Xun’er, plus the three mid-tier Great Dou Masters whose strength far exceeded those of the same rank: Xiao Yu, Xiao Mei, and Hu Jia...

Against such a terrifying team, those older students held absolutely no advantage even in terms of star level.

Not to mention that in terms of actual combat power, the difference was a desperate, gaping chasm!

Consequently, in this cruel forest where it was supposed to be ’older students hunting new students’, an incredibly comical and surreal ’reverse hunt’ played out. Initially, over a dozen teams of older students who were patrolling or straying alone on the periphery

were ransacked and swept clean with thunderous momentum by this group of ’calamity stars’ who had suddenly descended from the sky. The remaining older students

finally realized the gravity of the situation.

They stopped acting individually and, in great panic, gathered around the ’Black Fiend Team’, which was relatively the strongest among the ’tail-ender’ older students.

They formed a loose but populous alliance, fighting and retreating, attempting to use their numerical advantage to withstand the unstoppable and terrifying offensive of these ’monster rookies’.

However, all of this was in vain.

They even fought and retreated all the way from the depths of the forest, fleeing miserably to the final destination of this journey.

This was an open exit plain at the end of the forest, the very place where several academy leaders and Elders were currently leisurely watching the battle.

They even summoned another team of no less strength from another direction, the ’White Fiend Team’, which was the leader of their ’tail-ender’ group,

attempting a pincer attack for a final gamble.

The final result, naturally, held no suspense. Under the joint efforts of The Three Xiao Sisters and the Cloud Mist fellow Disciples,

the so-called ’Black and White Fiends’ and the ’Older Student Alliance’ couldn’t even last the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before being completely routed and defeated.

Although the ’Black and White Fiend Teams’ did indeed show some of the experience and resilience expected of older students during the battle, causing the Young ladies some minor trouble,

those minor setbacks were merely that, and were not even worth describing in detail here. ”Hehe... well? Everyone?”

Atop the high platform, Vice President Hu Qian stroked his neatly groomed beard with satisfaction while addressing the other department leaders and Elders who were also supervising the exam.

In a tone full of showing off, he said triumphantly,

”These are the top-tier talents of this year’s intake that I’ve been telling you about! Not bad, right?” The other leaders and Elders, who for various reasons had been unable to personally attend and watch the previous Outer Academy promotion competition,

now witnessed the battle below, which could be described as a ’dimensional strike’. One by one, they couldn’t help but nod repeatedly, their eyes filled with undisguised shock and praise.

”Not bad! It’s more than just ’not bad’! This... this is simply a group of monsters!”

An Elder in charge of the academy’s Law Enforcement Team, who seemed to have a rather fiery temper, couldn’t help but swear,

”Especially that little girl playing with fire and the one using wind! My goodness! That combat power—even if they were placed on our Inner Academy’s strong ranking list, they could probably... compete for a spot in the top fifty!”

”Indeed, indeed! The overall level of this year’s new students far exceeds that of previous years!”

After the battle ended, the only ones left on the exit plain were Yun Xiancheng’s team and the ’pitiful’ older students lying all over the ground with bruised faces, having had ninety percent of their Fire Energy plundered.

The Young ladies gathered together, chirping excitedly as they counted their Fire Energy harvest, which could be described as incredibly ’bountiful’. When they pooled all the Fire Energy ’borrowed’ from the older students and distributed it equally,

they were pleasantly surprised to find that the small number on their crystal cards, which had originally been a mere ’fifty’ points of initial Fire Energy, had turned into a massive number—’three hundred and sixty’.

”Wow! Three hundred and sixty points! On average, each of us gets three hundred and sixty points of Fire Energy!” Xiao Mei looked at the large number on her card, so excited she nearly jumped on the spot.

”Senior Xue Ni! Senior Xue Ni, look! What level is this number in the Inner Academy? Is it very impressive?”

Xue Ni, who had been called upon, was currently staring blankly at her own Fire Energy Card, which also displayed the number ’360’. She was in a dazed, sleepwalking state.

Three hundred and sixty points?

She felt she must be hallucinating.

”I... I have never... never seen so much Fire Energy...”

She could hardly believe her eyes and even reached out with trembling fingers to rub them vigorously.

Only then, upon hearing the Young ladies’ inquiry, did she finally snap back from the immense sense of unreality. She hurriedly and excitedly explained to this group of juniors who, to her, were like ’saviors’:

”Im... impressive! It’s more than just impressive!”

Her voice even became a bit shaky from excessive excitement. ”Juniors! You have no idea! This little Fire Energy Card is the only voucher that allows us to enter the most miraculous ’Heavenly Flame Training Pagoda’ in the Inner Academy to cultivate!”

”In the Training Pagoda, a single point of Fire Energy allows you to cultivate peacefully for an entire day! Moreover, cultivating within it not only...”

...greatly accelerates the speed at which we absorb worldly energy, but it even has the miraculous effect of refining Dou Qi and cleansing the soul!”

”Three hundred and sixty points is almost enough for us to cultivate for a whole year. You know, for us bottom-tier seniors, our total cultivation time in the Training Pagoda hasn’t even exceeded a month. If I could cultivate for a full year, even I could reach the level of a Dou Ling!”

Xue Ni spoke with immense longing, as if she could already see her bright future. After her excited introduction, she seemed to suddenly remember something.

She saw Young Master Yun calmly drinking tea over there, along with the two girls by his side whose auras were equally unfathomable—one with white hair and a petite one with purple hair. It seemed that from beginning to end, they had not participated in this distribution of Fire Energy.

Her heart stirred, and she immediately took the initiative to walk to Young Master Yun’s side, speaking in a voice filled with gratitude and reverence.

She held up the Fire Energy Card—which was as precious to her as her own life—with both hands and spoke with utmost sincerity.

”Young Master Yun! Thank you and the other sisters so much this time! If it weren’t for you, I’m afraid I would never have seen so much Fire Energy in my life! I know that you and those two sisters didn’t participate in the distribution. So, I want to give nine-tenths of the three hundred and sixty points I received to you;”

”No! All of it! I’ll give it all to you! Consider it a small token of my gratitude!”

”That won’t be necessary.”

However, Yun Xiancheng reached out and gently caught the girl’s wrist, which was trembling slightly from nervousness, stopping her. He looked into her eyes, which were filled with sincerity and gratitude, and spoke softly.

To fully convince the girl and put her mind at ease about accepting this ’reward’ that belonged to her.

He flipped his palm, and the special card that Vice President Hu Qian had specifically prepared for him—entirely a noble golden color—flashed into existence in his hand.

Unlike the others’ cards, which required careful inspection to see the tiny numbers, the number representing the value on this golden card was a massive, horizontal ’8’!

Or, more accurately, it wasn’t a number at all. It was a symbol representing ’infinity’.

”Look,” he said, waving the golden card in front of Xue Ni’s eyes, ”I have plenty of Fire Energy.”

Looking at the golden card in Yun Xiancheng’s hand, which radiated an aura of ’inhumane wealth,’ Xue Ni’s mouth hung slightly open as she stood there completely petrified.

A... golden... card? How is this possible?!

She felt as if all the experience and common sense she had painstakingly accumulated over a year of hard work in the Inner Academy were being ruthlessly and completely overturned at this moment!

307 Leadership Rewards

”Weren’t Fire Crystal Cards always divided into only five colors from low to high: black, blue, green, red, and purple? There’s actually... a golden card?! You are too incredible!”

The young lady felt as if the hardships and suffering she had endured over the past year were simply a huge joke. Unconsciously, her body followed its instincts.

She involuntarily pressed herself close to Yun Xiancheng’s body, which emitted a faint, fresh fragrance. She couldn’t help but voice heartfelt praises filled with admiration and affection.

Then, she seemed to finally notice her scandalous behavior, which could be described as ’throwing herself into his arms’.

Her pretty face, already flushed from excitement, instantly turned as red as a ripe apple with a ’whoosh’.

She let out a short gasp and hurriedly retreated two large steps as if she had received an electric shock, putting distance between them while her face burned.

Then, she lowered her head and spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, filled with extreme shyness:

”I... I’m sorry! Young Master Yun! I... I didn’t mean to! I... I shouldn’t have approached you so casually.”

Yun Xiancheng looked at her flustered, dazed, and cute appearance and gave a gentle smile. He reached out, patted her head softly, and said warmly:

”It’s alright, it’s just a small matter, no need to worry about it.” ”Ahem!”

Just then, Vice President Hu Qian, who was standing to the side, really couldn’t watch any longer.

He coughed twice, stepped forward, and spoke loudly to the group of Young ladies who were still excited over their ’huge fortune’: ”Alright, alright, everyone quiet down! Listen to me!”

”Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun’er, Xiao Yu, Xiao Mei, Hu Jia, Nalan Yanran! You six performed exceptionally well in this Fire Energy Hunting Competition and displayed extraordinary strength!”

”Therefore, after consulting with First Elder Su Qian, we have decided! We will specially approve the free upgrade of your ordinary Fire Crystal Cards to the higher-level Green Crystal Cards!”

”Furthermore, as an additional final reward for this competition, each of you will be granted an extra fifty points of Fire Energy!”

Hu Qian’s words were, on one hand, carrying out First Elder Su Qian’s instructions to provide extra resources to these exceptionally talented Young ladies to show the academy’s regard.

On the other hand... his own daughter, Hu Jia, was destined to become Yun Xiancheng’s wife in the future.

As the future father-in-law, helping out this son-in-law with a limitless future in advance and without drawing attention was also a bit of his own small selfishness.

The other surrounding Elders didn’t say anything about this.

Their Jia Nan Academy had never hesitated to invest in true geniuses. ”Um... Student Xiao Yan, wait a moment!”

Just then, the leader of the Alchemy Department, who had already shown great interest in Xiao Yan back at the assessment grounds, walked quickly to her with a very kind, even somewhat ’fawning’ smile on his face.

He carefully pulled out a crystal card from his robes, handed it to Xiao Yan, and said:

”Student Xiao Yan, this is one hundred points of Fire Energy. Consider it a special private subsidy from our Alchemy Department. Please don’t think it’s too little!”

Then, he took out another special card that was emerald green and bore an exquisite Medicine Cauldron mark.

”And this card is an Exclusive Medicinal Ingredient Card that only internal members of our Alchemy Department can possess. With this card, you can receive a certain amount of precious medicinal materials as a subsidy from the department’s storehouse every month!”

”Student Xiao Yan, I’ve checked some records. You once defeated all rivals and took the final championship at the Alchemist Convention held in the Jia Ma Empire, right? You have a talent for alchemy;”

”you mustn’t let it go to waste.”

The Alchemy Department Leader’s eyes were glowing.

”You are a natural-born seed for us Alchemists! I hope that after you enter the Inner Academy, you won’t neglect your peerless talent in alchemy because of your cultivation!”

”Hmph! Naturally! Look whose Disciple she is!”

In Yun Xiancheng’s mind, Yao Chan’s crisp voice, filled with pride and arrogance, rang out at the perfect time.

”This girl, Xiao Yan, is the most precious Disciple of my life, Yao Chan! What does a mere championship from the Jia Ma Empire matter? She is destined to be the champion of the Central Plains’ Pill Tower!”

”I understand. Thank you for your kindness, Senior.”

Xiao Yan respectfully cupped her fists and bowed to the enthusiastic Alchemy Department Leader. Then, she gracefully accepted the two special cards representing the Alchemy Department’s goodwill.

”Alright, since the rewards have all been distributed, that will be all.”

Hu Qian looked at the ’good seeds’ before him, becoming more satisfied the more he looked, and a gratified smile appeared on his face.

”Rest here for a while. Once the other new students who are still lost in the forest arrive, you will all officially...”

”...become glorious members of our Jia Nan Academy’s Inner Academy!”

Hu Qian’s voice had just faded.

At this point, the new students who had been cautiously hiding and dodging in the forest for a long time finally began to arrive in groups of twos and threes, long overdue.

When they finally reached the destination plain that symbolized safety, they saw the ’pitiful’ seniors lying all over the ground in various states, groaning as they rested.