"Alright, Young Master Xiao, put away your aura now!"
Instructor Ruo Lin slowly recovered from her shock as she looked at the silver-haired young man before her. Even now, she still found it hard to believe. However, the overwhelming pressure she had just felt was undeniable. With a wry smile, she waved her delicate hand.
Back at the Xiao Clan, she had heard some things about him. Xiao Bai had started cultivating at the age of five, reaching Ninth Stage of Dou Zhi Qi by ten, and then… he had seemingly remained stuck at that level ever since.
As far as she knew, no one in the Xiao Clan was aware of his true strength. He had kept an extremely low profile, and whenever anyone mentioned Xiao Bai, the first thing that came to mind was Ninth Stage of Dou Zhi Qi.
However, the incident during the last enrollment had made her realize that this little guy was far stronger than just Ninth Stage of Dou Zhi Qi.
She had suspected that he was hiding his strength, and considering his age and his background in Wu Tan City, she had assumed he was at most on par with the two girls beside him. That was also why she had specifically called the three of them over.
But she had never expected that he had been concealing himself so deeply. A Dou Ling, pretending to be Ninth Stage of Dou Zhi Qi—what on earth was he thinking?
No wonder Luo Bu and Ge Ci had collapsed before him so effortlessly during enrollment. At the time, no one had been able to figure out how he had done it.
Once Xiao Bai withdrew his aura and returned to appearing like an ordinary person, without the slightest ripple of energy, Instructor Ruo Lin finally lowered the jade-like hand that had been covering her lips and exhaled slowly. Her beautiful eyes remained locked onto him, filled with complex emotions. With a soft voice, she murmured,
"I once thought that Xiao Yan, that little fellow, managing to last twenty moves against me was already an incredible talent. But now, I realize… you're the truly terrifying one!"
"Instructor Ruo Lin, surprised?" Xiao Bai winked playfully at the gentle and elegant instructor, teasing her with a smile.
A strange glimmer flashed through Instructor Ruo Lin's eyes, and for the first time, even she felt a little speechless. Despite her usual gentle temperament, she couldn't help but reply in a slightly exasperated tone,
"Surprised? You brat… you gave me the shock of a lifetime!"
"Shock? Finding a student like me—shouldn't that be a pleasant surprise?" Xiao Bai smiled as he looked at her.
"...!" Instructor Ruo Lin rubbed her smooth forehead with her delicate hand. A pleasant surprise? Well, yes… but having a student like this made her feel completely useless!
She was only a Five-Star Da Dou Shi—how was she supposed to teach a Dou Ling? What could she possibly teach him?
And he was only eighteen. Eighteen! She was almost thirty and still stuck at the Da Dou Shi level. This was simply unbearable!
The Xiao Clan was truly full of freaks. First, there was Xiao Yan, who had taken a year off from school and had already given her a headache. And now, there was Xiao Bai, who had just arrived at Jia Nan Academy and was already thinking about heading straight to the Inner Academy—before classes had even started!
"The Inner Academy Selection Tournament is in about two months!" Now that she knew Xiao Bai's strength, Instructor Ruo Lin didn't even bother trying to dissuade him. With his Dou Ling strength, he would already be a powerhouse even inside the Inner Academy, where monstrous geniuses roamed. There was no point in wasting time in the Outer Academy.
"Two months, huh…" Xiao Bai muttered to himself in thought.
"If you're in a hurry, I can ask the Vice Dean for permission to let you in early," Instructor Ruo Lin offered, assuming he wouldn't want to wait that long.
"No need," Xiao Bai shook his head and declined.
"Why not? With your talent, your cultivation must come from more than just innate skill—it must also be due to sheer dedication. Are you really willing to waste two months in the Outer Academy?"
Instructor Ruo Lin was puzzled. From what she knew, the truly strong cultivators in the Inner Academy were all training maniacs who treasured every second. For Xiao Bai to have reached this level at such a young age, he must be the same. That was why she had offered to request special permission for him.
"Because I want to bring them with me," Xiao Bai said softly, his gaze turning warm as he looked at the two girls beside him.
He wasn't just going to enter Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy—he wanted to bring Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian with him. Two months wasn't a long time, and he could use it to help them grow stronger.
Xun'er was fine—her training was progressing steadily. But Xiao Yi Xian was different. She possessed the Calamity Poison Body, and by changing the course of events and bringing her here, he was uncertain whether the strong cultivators of Jia Nan Academy would recognize her physique.
If they did, how would they react? Unlike in the original timeline, where she had gone to the Chu Yun Empire and grown stronger on her own, here, her strength was still nowhere near that of the Dou Zong powerhouse she eventually became.
In the Chu Yun Empire, Poison Masters were everywhere, and her talent would have been accepted without prejudice. But here, things were different.
But things were different here. As far as he knew, outside the Chu Yun Empire, most countries harbored a certain aversion toward Poison Masters, let alone someone with a physique that stood at the pinnacle of this path.
Xiao Bai would never abandon her just for his own sake. At the very least, he needed to confirm Jia Nan Academy's stance on the Calamity Poison Body before he could feel at ease.
"Xiao Bai-gege!"
"Xiao Bai!"
Hearing his words and seeing the warmth in his eyes, the two young women felt touched. With perfect understanding, they stepped forward, one on each side, and took his hands.
Xun'er didn't actually care whether she entered the Inner Academy or not. What mattered to her was that Xiao Bai always considered her in everything he did.
The same was true for Xiao Yi Xian. She didn't care about coming to Jia Nan Academy either. The only reason she was here was because Xiao Bai was coming. As long as she was where he was, everything was fine.
"No wonder he has two such outstanding girls by his side. This guy really is capable—not only does he have an astonishing cultivation talent, but he also treats girls very well!" Instructor Ruo Lin watched the affectionate scene before her, a trace of envy flashing in her eyes. She envied their youthful love and also their incredible talent.
The path of cultivation was inherently lonely. To have someone by your side for support, especially someone with whom you shared such deep feelings since youth, was an incredibly rare thing.
As for the fact that there were three of them, Instructor Ruo Lin lin didn't mind at all. If they themselves had no objections, why should anyone else? Besides, in this world where strength reigned supreme, some powerful individuals didn't just have three or four wives—some even had entire harems. Male powerhouses were like this, and some female powerhouses were no different. Although she personally longed for a love that was devoted and exclusive, she didn't find such arrangements objectionable.
"Alright! You three, can you at least spare a thought for your instructor's feelings? Your instructor is still single, you know!" Instructor Ruo Lin sighed, looking at the three who seemed lost in their own world.
Upon hearing this, Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian's faces instantly flushed with embarrassment, and they shyly shrank behind Xiao Bai.
Seeing the two young women display such delicate, bashful expressions, Xiao Bai chuckled indulgently. His gaze then shifted to Instructor Ruo Lin, and he teased, "With a teacher as gentle and graceful as you, how could you possibly struggle to find a good partner?"
Instructor Ruo Lin rolled her beautiful eyes at him. This guy didn't treat her with the slightest formality befitting a teacher. But in a way, she preferred it this way. Ever since Xiao Bai revealed his true strength, she had felt a sense of unfamiliarity and distance.
After all, no matter how one looked at it, his cultivation far surpassed hers. But he was incredibly perceptive. The moment he noticed her slight discomfort, he immediately cracked a joke, asking if she was surprised, instantly dispelling that feeling.
"What a truly charming guy!" Instructor Ruo Lin sighed inwardly. If she had met someone like him when she was seventeen or eighteen, she probably would have fallen for him. Unfortunately, she never did.
"You really insist on bringing them with you? How about this—you go to the Inner Academy first, and let them stay here to train for another year. Don't worry, with me watching over them, they won't be lost!"
Instructor Ruo Lin glanced at the two girls behind him. While their talent was undeniable, making it into the Inner Academy in just two months seemed unlikely. If they had another year, it would be a sure thing.
But when she saw the unwavering determination in Xiao Bai's eyes despite the smile on his face, she knew this guy had already made up his mind.
"Fine! Since you're confident you can bring them in, I won't say anything more!" Instructor Ruo Lin relented helplessly. "However, since you're planning to take the entrance test in two months, why don't you stay at my place?"
Seeing Xiao Bai's slight confusion, she explained, "The dormitories for new students in the Outer Academy house eight people per courtyard. You probably don't want to be squeezed in with a bunch of other newcomers, right? Especially with Xun'er and Xian'er here. Don't worry, my place is quite large, and Yu'er also stays there."
This guy may be a new student, but he was already a Dou Ling powerhouse.
If he had to stay with ordinary freshmen, it would be understandable if no knew about his strength. But knowing and still making him do so? That wouldn't make sense.
"Then I'll trouble you, Instructor Ruo Lin!" Xiao Bai nodded and smiled without any hesitation.
Since there was a better place to stay, why would he bother with the freshman dorms? He wasn't that stubborn. Besides, the place was full of beauties. He didn't have any improper thoughts, but it was still pleasing to the eyes, wasn't it?
Following Instructor Ruo Lin, the three of them arrived at a relatively secluded part of the academy, where a spacious courtyard came into view.
"I like peace and quiet. This is the place I chose when I first became an instructor here. It's a bit remote, but it's tranquil, and the area is quite large."
After entering the courtyard, Instructor Ruo Lin assigned each of them a room before turning and leaving.
Once she was gone, Xiao Bai immediately pulled the two girls into his room.
"Xiao Bai-gege, don't you dare do anything inappropriate!" Xun'er pouted slightly, her face flushed as she chided him in a half-joking, half-shy tone.
"What are you thinking?" Xiao Bai tapped her small forehead lightly in annoyance. This girl was becoming increasingly distrustful of him. He continued, "I just wanted to discuss your training plans for the next two months!"
Hearing this, both girls blushed slightly, secretly blaming the mischievous guy. Ever since that incident on the giant eagle on the first day, he had been entertaining the idea of embracing both of them on the journey, which had led to their misunderstanding.
"Alright, let's convene the first family meeting of the Xiao Clan!" Xiao Bai sat down with the two girls, his gaze sweeping over their delicate faces as he spoke with a smile.
Xun Er's beautiful eyes flickered as she glanced at Xiao Bai, then at Xiao Yi Xian. A faint smile slowly appeared on her fair face.
Xiao Yi Xian gently pursed her rosy lips, her gaze twinkling with amusement as she looked at the two of them.
Seeing their expressions, Xiao Bai nodded in satisfaction and began the discussion.
The main topics of this meeting included reviewing and discussing Xiao Bai's plans for their future at Jia Nan Academy. It approved Xiao Bai's decision for the three of them to enter the Inner Academy within two months. At the same time, Xiao Bai provided a detailed explanation of the specific implementation measures.
Regarding Xun Er's current Eight-Star Dou Zhe cultivation, Xiao Bai gave important directives, emphasizing that during this critical period, she needed to be bold yet steady. The goal was to advance from Eight-Star Dou Zhe to Dou Shi, ensuring she could secure a top-five position in the selection tournament and gain access to the Book Collection Pavilion.
As for Xiao Yi Xian, Xiao Bai stressed the need to abandon outdated poison consumption methods and embrace innovation. She was to improve efficiency by using Alchemist techniques to refine poison pills, further developing her Calamity Poison Body. The goal was to advance from Nine-Star Dou Zhe to at least mid-stage Dou Shi within two months, striving for a top-five placement in the selection tournament to achieve their collective goal of entering the Book Collection Pavilion.
Both Xun Er and Xiao Yi Xian made statements during the meeting, affirming their commitment to following Xiao Bai's guidance and strengthening their training. They pledged to enhance their cultivation and strive for victory in the selection tournament, bringing honor to their family!
Additionally, they expressed concerns about Xiao Bai's past habits and criticized his flirtatious tendencies. Given his history, they issued a stern warning, forbidding him from engaging in romantic escapades during his time at Jia Nan Academy.
Finally, Xiao Bai summarized the meeting, expressing satisfaction with Xun Er and Xiao Yi Xian's dedication to their training. He promised to provide full logistical support for them and assured them that he would refrain from romantic entanglements at the academy. With that, the first family meeting of the Xiao Clan was successfully concluded.
---
Time passed swiftly, and several days flew by.
Inside a room lined with bookshelves, seven or eight elderly men sat around a round table. Their calm auras concealed their strength, yet their high status was evident—ordinary elders had no right to sit in this decision-making chamber.
At the head of the table, an elderly man slowly put down the document in his hand and scanned the room. He chuckled softly, "Tsk tsk... This Xiao Bai kid is really full of surprises!"
A few days ago, when Ruo Lin reported that they had recruited an extraordinary new student—an eighteen-year-old at the Dou Ling level—these old men were beyond astonished.
Jia Nan Academy's admission criteria were already considered high by outsiders: under twenty years old, with at least Eight Stage of Dou Zhi Qi. While potential was categorized, even the highest S-rank students usually entered at most as Five-Star Dou Zhe.
But this guy was already a Dou Ling while others were still at Dou Zhi Qi or Dou Zhe.
"His potential is indeed immense. At this level, he hardly has anything left to learn at our academy. Although Jia Nan Academy is renowned across the continent, even our best Inner Academy graduates usually only reach the Dou Wang realm." A gray-robed elder spoke softly.
"Exactly. That's why I had people investigate his background. But even with our extensive intelligence network, we found nothing suspicious. He truly is a prodigy—one with no powerful background!" The Vice Dean lightly tapped the table, his cloudy eyes flashing with amazement. To think that a monstrous talent like him had emerged from Wu Tan City, of all places.
Jia Nan Academy had spent countless years perfecting its training system and recruiting thousands of students, yet even in the Inner Academy, not everyone graduated with such impressive achievements.
"For now, let's observe him in secret. As long as he harbors no ill intentions toward Jia Nan Academy, we have no objections to nurturing such a promising student." The Vice Dean waved his hand, making his decision.
"Understood!" The other elders nodded in agreement. Seeing that the Vice Dean had no further remarks, they exchanged glances. Then, with a slight flicker, their figures vanished from the meeting room.
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