Battle Through the Heavens: Top Talent

Chapter 15, First Place

After seeing Xiao Yun finish the fight in one move, the entire arena fell silent for a moment, and then erupted in thunderous applause.

Cheers erupted from the seats of Class 4 of the Xuan Rank.

Xiao Yun put away his spear and slowly walked off the stage.

"Junior Brother Xiao Yun, thank you for showing mercy." Fang Wen, who was helped to stand up, called out to Xiao Yun's back.

"Of course, friendship comes first, competition second, right? You should go and heal your chest injury, otherwise it might affect your next battle." A calm voice came, and Xiao Yun waved his hand, indicating that Fang Wen didn't need to worry about it.

"Compassionate and humble, Old Man Huo, you've truly taken on a fine disciple."

On the elders' seat, an old man with white hair and beard, and a hint of envy on his face, congratulated Elder Huo.

The original intention of the Inner Academy Selection Competition was simply to select outstanding students to enter the Inner Academy for cultivation. As the leaders of the academy, they could tolerate students getting injured, but they did not want any students to die during this selection competition.

Xiao Yun's ability to stop at the last moment, merely using the aftershock of the explosion to push Fang Wen off the stage, is undoubtedly something the elders can appreciate.

"Hmph, stop bothering this old man. A disciple may be talented, but that depends on how well the master teaches him!" Elder Huo glanced disdainfully at the old man who had just spoken. "Old man Hu, aren't you just saying that Xiao Yun's achievements are solely due to his own talent and have nothing to do with me?"

"Hmm, not bad. If Xiao Yun could become my disciple, with my peak Dou Huang strength, I think he would be close to breaking through to Dou Ling by now, instead of being a Seven-Star Great Dou Master." Hu Qian was not angry after being rebuked by Elder Huo, and continued to express his opinion.

"Stop using your strength as an excuse. Teaching disciples has absolutely nothing to do with your own strength! Besides, it's true that I am a Dou Wang, but I am also a fifth-grade alchemist. Xiao Yun's alchemy talent is so outstanding. If he becomes your disciple, can you teach him the art of alchemy?"

"That's still better than you. At least you're not a Seven-Star Grand Dou Master right now."

"That was because I was distracted while teaching him alchemy. Xiao Yun is not even ten years old yet, and he is already a third-grade alchemist. He has a 20% chance of refining fourth-grade pills. Such an achievement is much better than breaking through to the Dou Ling realm!"

"That's also a Seven-Star Grandmaster."

"Hmph, you can only be envious. In any case, Xiao Yun is still my disciple."

"..."

Just as the two were bickering, Xiao Yun returned to the elders' seat. As soon as he arrived, he saw his teacher and Vice Dean Hu Qian arguing with each other, and a little girl next to them covering her ears with her hands, refusing to listen to what they were saying.

"Brother Xiao Yun, you're back!"

Upon seeing Xiao Yun return, the little girl immediately ran forward to greet him, her face beaming with joy.

"Brother Xiao Yun, you are really amazing. Even the senior students who are at the Great Dou Master level can't withstand a single move from you."

"Hu Jia, why aren't you cultivating properly? What are you doing here?"

The little girl, Hu Jia, is the granddaughter of Hu Qian, the vice dean, and can be considered the little princess of Canaan Academy.

A year ago, Elder Huo took Xiao Yun to visit Hu Qian. At that time, Hu Jia, who had just broken through to the sixth level of Dou Qi, wanted to challenge Xiao Yun, but was defeated by him in one move and ran to Hu Qian to complain. However, since then, Hu Jia seems to have become his little fangirl, wanting to play with him every day, which annoyed Xiao Yun.

Six- or seven-year-old children are at an age when they are annoying to everyone and even to dogs, and this is no exception in the Dou Qi Continent, which has extraordinary power.

"I want to see Brother Xiao Yun's battle, but I've been training hard today. I've already broken through to the seventh level of Dou Qi! It's just that I'm still far behind Brother Xiao Yun." Hearing Xiao Yun's words, Hu Jia quickly stated her cultivation level to prove that she hadn't been slacking off.

Nodding, Xiao Yun didn't say anything more, but walked towards Elder Huo. Hu Jia, who was beside him, was unhappy that Xiao Yun was ignoring her, but still followed Xiao Yun.

"Teacher, do I have another battle later?"

"That's all. We should be able to select the top fifty today, and then decide the top five tomorrow. Tomorrow it won't be an elimination round, and most of the participants will be at least Great Battle Masters. Go back and train hard to prepare for tomorrow's competition."

Just as Elder Huo was about to speak, Hu Qian interrupted him, telling Xiao Yun the upcoming schedule.

"Old Man Hu is right. Go back and get some rest, and come back tomorrow with first place to make me proud!"

"Okay, teacher, Dean Hu, I'll go back and rest now." Xiao Yun bowed. After all, Hu Qian was the vice dean of Canaan Academy and the first person in charge of the inner court selection competition. Since he said that he could go back, then he really could go back. Xiao Yun didn't need to worry about the competition later.

……

The following day, the inner court selection competition concluded...

The event lasted for three days. In the first two days, fifty students were selected to enter the inner academy, the weakest of whom were all seven-star Dou Shi.

On the last day, Hu Qian didn't organize any chaotic free-for-all. Instead, he adopted a turn-based competition. Whoever could win the most rounds and was the last one standing would win first place in the competition and enjoy better cultivation resources.

This was not difficult for Xiao Yun. With the magic core weapon that Elder Huo had specially forged for him, his rich combat experience from a year and a half of training in the enforcement team, and his own strength as a seven-star great Dou Master, he could even compete with Dou Ling experts, let alone a group of great Dou Masters.

Therefore, when Xiao Yun went on stage, he acted like a champion defending the ring, constantly defeating the contestants who came forward to challenge him.

As the match progressed, Xiao Yun swept away a Grand Dou Master contestant in front of him with a single shot. Looking around, this was the last person he had defeated. Apart from him, no one else could stand on the four arenas in the square.

"This selection competition has now concluded. The top five, after fierce battles, have been determined: Xiao Yun, Wang Hongjing, Gongsun Sibao, Ye Zhengfan, and Fang Wen!"

An elderly man with white hair and beard stood up, looked around the square, and then loudly announced the results of the competition.

As soon as his voice fell, a deafening roar of cheers erupted across the square. The entire square trembled in the tsunami-like sound, and countless people stood up from the stands, looking at the young man standing on the arena in the square with eyes full of envy and fear.

Because, above them, there will always be someone who, at less than ten years old, broke through the ranks of the most promising talents and won the championship, becoming someone people can only look up to and admire.

Xiao Yun stood in the center of the arena, his heart calm, but a victor's smile slowly appeared on his face. Under the gaze of countless eyes, he slowly walked out of the noisy square.

The grandest competition held once a year finally came to an end with Xiao Yun's departure.

(End of this chapter)