A wide, open stretch of rocky terrain lay ahead. The dense forest that had extended up to this point now abruptly ended, blocked by a chaotic field of jagged stones.
Not far beyond the rocky ground, a low hill rose gradually. Scattered across its slope were uneven rock formations, and atop those rocks lounged about fifty figures—some sitting, some standing—casually chatting with one another.
They all appeared young, most in their early twenties. Their outfits differed in style, but one detail remained consistent: every person wore a small, tower-shaped insignia on their chest.
It was obvious—these were the Inner Court students who had already been eliminated by Xiao Yun and his fellow "newbies."
"Yo, if it isn't my bro Wang! You too got jumped by the rookies?" someone teased from the hill.
"Spare me the sarcasm," the one called Wang grumbled. "As if you fared any better. Everyone here—aside from the Whiteshade Squad—got robbed blind, didn't they?"
"Heh, speak for yourself. I had twenty days' worth of Fire Energy, and they only managed to take thirteen. That's a win in my book."
"Pfft. You smug little…"
"Save the bragging. Didn't you hear? Yesterday, Lin Dong from the Blackshade Squad led a team in to hunt that kid down. Lin Dong's practically got one foot in the Spirit Combatant realm. Those freshmen's lucky streak ends now."
While whispers and laughter passed around the hill like ripples in a pond, one of the five figures sitting near the edge of the rocky terrain stirred slightly. Slowly, he opened his eyes, his gaze cold as it swept toward the shadowy forest before him.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Footsteps echoed from the darkness of the woods.
The idle chatter ceased at once. All eyes turned toward the forest's edge. The heavier the silence became, the more the approaching footsteps stood out—slow and deliberate.
Soon, five figures in matching black combat gear emerged from the trees. At the front of the group stood Lin Dong.
"They're back! Looks like Lin Dong handled that brat. Where is he? Didn't drag him back with them?"
Seeing the Blackshade Squad return, the students on the hill let out a collective sigh of relief and peered eagerly at the treeline, hoping to see Xiao Yun appear—ideally bruised and humbled.
But disappointment settled in quickly. The forest remained still and empty. Lin Dong and his squad were already halfway up the slope... with no Xiao Yun in sight.
A creeping sense of unease spread among the crowd. They looked at the Blackshade Squad, disbelief slowly blooming on their faces as an impossible idea took root.
"…Don't tell me you guys lost too?"
The first young man to wake—still seated near the rocks—narrowed his eyes at Lin Dong and company. His voice was soft, but to the gathered crowd, it might as well have been a thunderclap.
Lin Dong shrugged and gave a wry smile. "The top five this year are beasts. Especially that kid—his combat sense and tactics are on a whole different level than your typical freshman."
His words were met with solemn nods. Everyone here had been bested by Xiao Yun already. They knew exactly how terrifying he was.
"All right, enough talk. Leave this one to us," the seated young man interrupted coolly. He rose to his feet, dusted off his robe, and glanced toward the forest. "I'll see just how monstrous this freshman really is."
"Xu Feng," Lin Dong warned, his tone earnest, "don't underestimate him. That kid's strength and unpredictability are both insane. If it's a one-on-one fight… honestly, I wouldn't bet on you."
Xu Feng's gaze remained indifferent. Though he had just broken into the Dou Spirit realm, he shared Lin Dong's ice attribute and considered himself far more refined. Still, Lin Dong's words weren't without merit—Xiao Yun's strange purple flames had been anything but normal.
Even so, Xu Feng snorted and replied coldly, "Strong or not, he's still just a Dou Grandmaster. You're already eliminated, so go sit and watch. I'll show you how it's done."
"…Sure," Lin Dong said with a faint smirk. "Best of luck."
The Blackshade Squad joined the other eliminated students on the hillside, all of them now watching the forest in tense anticipation.
Time dragged on. The sun crept slowly across the sky. Some students began to wonder if Xiao Yun and his group would even show.
Then—whoosh!
Figures burst from the forest, cutting through the air with swift precision. Five people landed neatly on the rocky field.
The leader of the group was short—barely chest-high compared to the others. Yet every eye on the hillside locked onto him, and many of those gazes carried a flicker of fear.
It was Xiao Yun.
He swept his gaze over the assembled students, then focused on the five figures seated calmly ahead—still atop the rocks. A gentle smile played on his lips as he stepped forward and cupped his fists in greeting.
"I'm guessing you five are the final trial of this little Fire Energy Hunt. The legendary Whiteshade Squad, right?"
"You guess right," the leader replied, his voice as cold as his aura. "Whiteshade Squad. I'm the captain—Xu Feng."
Xu Feng's gaze slid across Xiao Yun's teammates, but quickly dismissed them. Only Xiao Yun gave him pause.
"Xiao Yun. Top scorer in this year's selection," Xiao Yun said with a grin, mimicking Xu Feng's tone.
"Hmph."
Xu Feng snorted, and an oppressive aura exploded from his body. A chilling frost crept outward, instantly plunging the rocky terrain into a deep freeze.
Xiao Yun's smile faded slightly as he felt the icy pressure. So, his guess had been right—Xu Feng truly was a genuine Dou Spirit.
But he wasn't about to be outdone.
With a flash of violet, a blaze erupted around Xiao Yun's body. The Violetcrystal Flame roared to life, its fierce heat shredding the surrounding frost and driving back the cold.
"If you won't step aside, then let's settle this the old-fashioned way," Xiao Yun said calmly.
At his signal, his teammates sprang into motion, spreading out. The four other members of the Whiteshade Squad followed suit, locking onto their chosen opponents.
Xu Feng's expression turned colder still. He tapped his storage ring, and with a flick of his wrist, a sleek silver-white spear materialized in his hand. It shimmered under the sun as he spun it lightly, sending a few spearflowers into the air.
He pointed the tip at Xiao Yun.
"Come. Show me what you've got."
"First Dou Spirit I've ever faced," Xiao Yun said with a wide grin. His white teeth glinted in the sunlight like a warning. "Let's see just how strong you really are."
Ever since quitting the Enforcement Squad, Xiao Yun hadn't gone all out against anyone. Not even Lin Dong at his peak had forced him to use his full strength.
Truth be told… Xiao Yun wasn't entirely sure what his limits were anymore.
And that made things exciting.