"Hey, really, a new student who's taken leave for two years straight—just like that..." In the spacious room, Hode held a file in his hands, featuring a portrait of Xiao Yan. Though the image was drawn three years prior, still somewhat fresh and youthful, the overall outline matched Xiao Yan quite well. With the file now closed, a genuine smile broke across Hode's face. He gently patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and said with a thoughtful tone, "You're quite something, kid. The file notes that two years ago, you were only a four-star warrior. But now—well, I'd say you're probably at least a warrior rank, if not higher." Hearing this, the enforcement officers in the room exchanged a moment of surprise, then turned their attention to Xiao Yan. Advancing from a four-star warrior to a warrior in just two years was no small feat. Xiao Yan smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying. "Are you planning to head to the academy now?" Hode asked, smiling. "Hmm." Xiao Yan nodded. "With this, you'll be able to enter the academy." Hode retrieved a blue insignia from his storage amulet and handed it to Xiao Yan. Then, as though remembering something suddenly, he turned to the enforcement officers in the room and smiled, asking, "By the way... isn't tomorrow the day of the internal academy selection tournament?" "Yes, that's right, Captain Hode." One of the officers quickly replied. "You're lucky to be able to witness such an event right from the start. I remember, however, that you were named for last year's internal tournament—though it was only because Master Ruolin insisted on including you despite the opposition. Unfortunately, you didn't show up then, which really upset Master Ruolin. So I think this year she won't be nominating you again. After all, this tournament is crucial to her advancement to a Xu-level instructor." Hode said with a warm smile. "Hmm..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, recalling the pale, strained expression on the gentle woman's face from his memory, and then chuckled softly, saying, "Indeed, I had something urgent that prevented me from making it on time." "Ha ha, that's entirely your affair—you go explain it to her yourself," Horde said with a pleased, almost relieved smile. Glancing out at the gradually darkening sky, he mused, "It's now getting quite dark. But since you're so eager to head to the academy, I won't keep you any longer. However, outside the academy, there's a vast stretch of primeval forest where many high-tier beasts dwell. Nighttime travel there is quite hazardous. I can arrange for someone to ride a lion-eagle and escort you directly to the city of Cana. How does that sound?" "Then thank you very much, Master Horde." "Heated by these words, Xiao Yan expressed his gratitude. The map provided by Doma only covered the scope of the Black Angular Region. As for which direction to fly after entering the Peace Town, he had been somewhat confused. Now that someone was guiding him, he was truly delighted." "Never mind," Hoed smiled. Now, his warmth was a stark contrast to the cold demeanor he had displayed earlier at the town's entrance. He waved his hand, summoning two enforcement officers, then gave them a brief instruction before sending them out to prepare. "Xiao Yan, before you go, I'd like to remind you something. Though you haven't officially entered the academy yet, you're already facing quite a few potential rivals among the students at Cana College. I'm sure you already know why... The girls like Xun'er—so outstanding and admirable—have such a strong appeal to the top-tier students that even in just over two years, her reputation has caught up with that persistent little demon girl. So your romantic rivals aren't exactly ordinary. Still, I'd suggest you cultivate a bit of patience—this might help.," said Hode, approaching Xiao Yan with a kindly tone. "Thank you, Master Hode, for the reminder. I'll make sure to remember this." Smiling at Hode and bowing slightly, Xiang Yan didn't linger further when he heard the low roar of the griffon outside. He turned and quickly stepped out of the room. As he reached the massive griffon standing on the street outside, a man and a woman on the bird were smiling warmly at him. "Xiang Yan, come up—we'll escort you to the Cangnan City." "Thank you both." With a smile, Xiang Yan lightly tapped the ground with his foot, leaping gracefully onto the griffon's back. Then, his feet seemed to stick firmly to the bird's body, remaining perfectly still without any tremor. Seeing Xiao Yan's perfectly still figure, the two people on the lion-jay's back exchanged a look of astonishment. After all, the lion-jay's feathers possessed a peculiar moisture, and many first-time riders had to sit in specially designed positions to maintain their balance—yet Xiao Yan managed to stay perfectly steady solely through his own efforts. This level of composure was something neither of them could have achieved so effortlessly. "Indeed, as the deputy captain said—Xiao Yan truly has some talent," they murmured to themselves, then waved to the group of people who had just stepped out of the building. With a single哨sound, the lion-jay's wings unfolded, and its massive body spiraled upward, rising into the air. Gazing at the town, which was rapidly shrinking in size, Xiao Yan exhaled softly and lifted his eyes, gazing dreamily into the azure sky. A delicate and refined young woman's face slowly came to mind—her every expression and gesture stirred deep longing in the young man who had endured two years of hardship. "Xun'er, at last, I get to see you..." "This is indeed the city of Canaan..." Even from this height, he could not fully take in the entire city, revealing just how vast it truly was. "Heh, Xiao Yan, after this, we'll be parking the griffon at the city's aerial hangar. Then you'll need to go to the academy on your own. Our patrol unit will be on duty here for the next week, so we can't keep you away from Pinghe Town too long." The young officer turned to Xiao Yan and smiled. "Thank you both." Xiao Yan nodded and smiled in gratitude. "No need..." The officer waved his hand, then blew a whistle. Instantly, the griffon roared, flapped its wings, and dove downward toward the sprawling city. ... At the aerial hangar in Canaan, Xiao Yan looked up at the griffon taking off once more, exhaled slowly, and then turned to walk out into the open space. Beyond the flight stop, a broad street paved with smooth stone came into view. The steady flow of people on the street left Xiao Yan in silent awe—such a crowd was unmatched even in the capital of the Jiaema Empire. Indeed, as the birthplace of the continent's oldest academic institutions, the mere name of this place drew countless visitors. Walking steadily along the wide streets, savoring the ordinary urban atmosphere, Xiao Yan exhaled in relief—after all, it wasn't like Black Thorns Domain. As he passed another street, he could now make out the faint outline of the ancient academy in the distance. "Young man, if I don't drink the wine, then—bring him on! I don't need his life, but I do need blood!" As the cold laugh rang out, another voice, slightly irritated and embarrassed, rose. Immediately, a series of dull thuds echoed through the crowd as bodies collided. Facing away from the crowd, Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment, listening to the sounds of impact, then sighed softly and turned around. Among the crowd, a blue-robed youth of about eighteen or nineteen, his eyes blazing with fury, was exchanging fierce punches with several men around him. From the visible aura emanating from his body, he appeared to be at the Battle Seer level, yet the four men surrounding him were clearly no weaker in strength. Thus, the blue-robed youth remained on the defensive, occasionally receiving punches that caused blood to trickle from his lips. "Thud!" "Another fierce clash ensued. Suddenly, a man delivered a powerful kick to the blue-robed youth's abdomen, causing him to instantly curl up. Seeing that the youth had no strength to counter, the four men showed no signs of stopping. With precise, sharp, and ruthless movements, they launched a series of kicks targeting the youth's body. "Thud, thud, thud…" As the forceful kicks approached the blue-robed youth, a black silhouette suddenly darted in, intercepting each one and landing solidly on the four legs. Instantly, four cries of pain erupted—each man clutching his thigh, rolling helplessly on the ground in agony. After repelling the four attackers, the black silhouette solidified into a massive black ruler, firmly planted on the hard stone floor. The blue-robed youth, clutching his abdomen, struggled to rise, his face pale. He bowed slightly to the black-clad young man facing away from him, saying, "Thank you, sir." "Xiao Ning," the man said, "It's been two years since we last saw each other. You've lost much of your earlier vigor." The young man in black slowly turned, gazing at the blue-robed youth who had been staring at him in wide-eyed astonishment at his appearance. "Xiao Ning," he murmured, a soft smile playing on his lips. "This blue-robed youth—wasn't he the one who had a slight rivalry with me back at the Xiao family?" "Y-You... you're Xiao Yan?" The blue-robed youth stared at the face he hadn't seen in over two years, still stunned, and only after a moment did he find his voice, his disbelief lingering. "I thought you no longer recognized me," Xiao Yan chuckled. Though he had once harbored some resentment toward this persistent rival during his youth, he had grown far beyond that impetuous boy of old—those past grievances had long since faded. And in any case, there was a familial bond between them, something that could not be overlooked. "How could I possibly forget, Xiao Yan's younger brother..." With a wry smile, Xiao Ning gazed at Xiao Yan before him, his emotions deeply complex. After having been out in the world for over two years, he had grown no longer a child. It was only now, amidst this bustling, diverse world, that he realized the memories of his time within the family were truly the most precious—no matter how much he had changed, his relatives always held a special place. "Xiao Ning, elder brother," Xiao Yan replied, offering a sincere, apologetic smile, and gently patting his shoulder. "These people?" Xiao Yan glanced at the four who were rolling around on the ground. "It's all because of Xun. They know our relationship and have done everything they can to get Xun's news from me—so much trouble. But in the academy, they're too cautious to act. Today, when we went out to buy supplies, we just happened to run into them." "Xiao Ning sighed, saying that it seemed this had happened to him more than once. Hearing this, Xiao Yin could only shake his head and chuckle. Indeed, it was the beauty who caused trouble—now, the young girl must have truly shed her youthful freshness. "Hehe, Xun'er is no longer ordinary now. As the saying goes, 'a girl grows into a woman by eighteen,' and she's becoming more beautiful every day. In the past two years, countless people have fallen in love with her. I'm sure, even if you see her again, you'll be amazed," Xiao Ning chuckled. "What could a young girl possibly grow into?" Xiao Yin shook his head, smiling lightly. His mature tone, however, overlooked the fact that he himself was only eighteen. "You say this in the academy, and they'll beat you senseless..." Xiao Ning rolled his eyes, then suddenly remembered something, his face turning pale as he grabbed Xiao Yin's arm and rushed toward the academy gates, "Damn it! I completely forgot—today is the internal academy selection match. If Fu Lin, our mentor, can't withstand Xun'er's cooing and delays, and risks losing her chance to advance to a Xuanyuan-level mentor by submitting your name, then if you're still absent like last time, Fu Lin won't advance to a Xuanyuan-level mentor for the next three years." "Huh? You actually wrote my name down?" Xiao Yin looked utterly stunned. "Ah well, even if we make it in time, it probably won't make much difference. This internal selection isn't just any ordinary one—the participants are all top students of the academy. Without at least a Seven-Star Battle Technique level, you'd likely be eliminated the moment you step onto the field." His pace slowed slightly as he sighed. Xiao Yan was stunned, his mouth slightly open, still unable to speak when Xiao Ning suddenly added, "Well, well, coming is better than not coming at all. Even if they lose, Master Lin will only have this one advancement failure—next time, there's still hope." With that, Xiao Ning hurriedly pulled Xiao Yan toward the ancient academy, eager and urgent. Thus, although the hospital had already prepared the largest square in the campus as a backup, it was still completely crowded—thousands of students from the Canaan Academy surged forward, pressing shoulder to shoulder to secure seats on the stage. From the viewing stands, one could see a dense sea of heads, rising in a continuous roar of excited voices. The grand square was circular, with stone staircases extending upward around it, forming a shape reminiscent of an amphitheater. Viewers seated along the perimeter had a clear view of the entire square. At this moment, two figures—male and female—moved swiftly and interwove through each other, their hands meeting and releasing powerful bursts of martial energy that occasionally caused the audience on the stands to gasp in awe. Yet clearly, the majority of the spectators' attention was fixed upon the graceful figure in a light green robe, her slender form moving with elegant fluidity. Two figures narrowly brushed past each other once more, yet the pale azure figure suddenly halted, her palms blazing with golden light, sending a precise beam of radiance straight into the chest of the young man—so powerful was the force that it sent him reeling backward, forcing him out of the combat circle. "Senior, thank you!" As she repelled her opponent, the young girl with the green robe smiled gently and bowed to the handsome man with a graceful, impeccable gesture. "Xiong'er, you truly are the most promising student of this cohort—I've lost this time," said the handsome man, though he had been defeated. He smiled warmly, his gaze lingering deeply upon the green-clad girl, whose presence was as refreshing as a lotus blooming in the morning light, before he composed himself and stepped gracefully away. "This match is declared a victory for Xiong'er!" Upon hearing the announcer's call from the judges' platform, the green-clad girl turned and swiftly descended from the stage. "Xiong'er, truly excellent!" On the sidelines, a woman waved at her and smiled. "Dr. Ruolin." Ignoring the intense glares from around her, Xun ran into the specially arranged seating area, cheerfully called out, then turned her gaze toward a group of women standing beside the seats, smiling warmly, "Xiao Yu, elder sister." Xun'er glanced at Ruolin, the mentor who seemed relaxed on the surface but still subtly anxious in her expression, and asked softly. "Hmm." Hearing this, Xiao Yu sighed, then tightly grasped her jade hand, and scolded, "I have no idea what this person is up to. We agreed he would take only one year of leave, yet he's now delayed for over two years—missing every single session..." "He should be coming soon," Xun'er said, lightly biting her red lips. "I hope so... But today is the selection match. If he misses again, the mentor will..." Xiao Yu chuckled sadly. As the two continued their quiet conversation, another three waves of battles passed on the square. During the fourth wave, a man leapt into the arena, his long spear striking the ground with force, his intense, fiery gaze sweeping directly toward Xun'er's direction without hesitation. "Xuan-level Class Three, Xue Bing, versus Huang-level Class Two... Xiao Yan!" As the voice from the judges' bench fell, the bustling square instantly grew quiet. Countless eyes turned toward the area where Huang Stage Class Two was located. Over the past two years, the name Xiao Yan had long been firmly etched in the memories of students and even faculty at Cangnan Academy—indeed, it was the first time since the academy's founding that such a persistent, demanding student had taken leave for two full years. Of course, the primary reason was the single name that had been absent during the last internal competition. Thus, whenever the name Xiao Yan was mentioned again, everyone's gaze naturally shifted to Xun'er and her group. Xun'er's outstanding performance in the academy had attracted numerous admirers, yet over the past two years, none had managed to win her heart. The only name she consistently mentioned with the most warmth and familiarity was that of her "brother," Xiao Yan—this close, affectionate reference naturally made the student who had never appeared on the scene the focal point of everyone's attention. Faced with the countless glances pouring in, Master Ruilin found a few beads of sweat forming on the smooth expanse of her forehead, her hands tightening as she scanned the surroundings, hoping that the figure she had held in such high regard two years ago would once again emerge like a savior. The now quiet plaza also sent a wave of tension through Xun'er and Xiao Yu, who exchanged glances and both read anxiety in each other's eyes. "Xiao Yan... a timid man who never dares to step forward—asking a girl to endure unnecessary criticism? This one simply won't do," said a young man in a white robe, shaking his head gently from a well-positioned balcony. "He doesn't measure up to Xun'er at all." The young man in white was precisely the one who had met Xun'er at the foot of the mountain the previous day—known as Bai Shan, a rising star among the younger cohort of Cana College, no less dynamic than Xun'er herself. "Hmph. This is the very man Xun'er has been complaining about all these years?" Is he a turtle? Following men like this—why not follow me instead? What's so great about these guys? They're all male thinkers, relying entirely on their lower bodies. At another excellent spot on the stands, a young girl dressed in red, her arms crossed over her chest and leaning against a steel pipe, her graceful curves accentuated by the straight pipe, glanced at the square where no one had come to face off. She couldn't help but purse her lips, offering a cold, dismissive laugh. "Little lady, sit down! To behave so openly in front of everyone—what kind of decorum is that?" the elderly man, whose hair and beard were white, remarked, visibly irritated by her posture and independent manner. The red-clad girl gave him a sharp look, a cold snort escaping her. "You're the deputy director of the outer campus, aren't you? If it were me, I'd have kicked that Xiao Yan out long ago. Two years' leave—what a stiff attitude!" "Well, Xun'er simply won't let go of that boy," the elder shook his head helplessly, then pondered, "But if he still fails to show up this time, then we truly have no choice—Canaan Academy's rules cannot be broken..." "Can you really expect that Xiao Yan to appear in the final few minutes?" the red-robed girl glanced at the elder. "I'd actually hope so," the elder sighed, slowly closing his eyes, waiting for the drama to conclude. "If Lin gently patted Xun'er's hand and smiled warmly, offering reassurance, 'It's fine. We can always wait another three years...'" "Look at that shadow rushing forward," the young man named Xue Bing, holding his spear, coldly commanded. Xin'er fixed her gaze firmly on the area veiled in dust, her cheeks glowing with unmistakable excitement: "He's here!" Hearing Xin'er's words, Master Ruolin and the others, including Xiao Yu, all felt their bodies tremble, quickly turning their eyes toward the spot on the field. Under the weight of countless gazes, a faint sound of footsteps emerged from within the dust—on this otherwise silent plaza, the steps resonated as though stepping directly upon the hearts of the audience, making each heartbeat surge. "Drip, drip..." the sound grew steadily louder. Then, gradually emerging from the dust, a young man in a black robe, bearing a massive black measuring rod, finally came into full view before everyone's eyes! "Class Two, Yellow Rank—Xiao Yan!" The black-robed youth stepped forward, slightly raised his head, and with a calm voice, his words thundered through the plaza, echoing clearly in the ears of every person present.