In the dense forest, scattered sunlight filters through the leaf gaps, casting star-like spots upon the ground covered in fallen leaves, lending the entire glade a dreamy atmosphere. Suddenly, amidst the quiet, footsteps emerge—distant at first, then growing closer. A moment later, five figures appear slowly, forming what seems to be a small team, yet they are constantly arguing, their sharp voices echoing through the forest. "Oh, what a peaceful group—arguing at this very moment?" A light, teasing tone breaks the stillness. The five moving figures freeze mid-step, quickly turning to look up. There, perched on the branches above, stand five young people, each wearing a badge shaped like a tower on their chests. Now, these six young people gaze down at the five below with a look of amused superiority—much like cats watching mice. "Are you here to seize what they call the 'thermal energy'?" The tall young man among the five scoffed. Having earned a spot among the top fifty of the Gan-Can Academy's outer division, his strength was undeniable, so he didn't feel particularly intimidated by the younger competitors. "Smart," remarked the young man on the branch, whose face bore a serpentine scar. With a crisp clap of his fingers, he added, "Since you all know our intentions, there's no point in further delay. Simply hand over the 'thermal energy,' or face some bodily discomfort, shall we?" "Dreaming? A slender young man gave a slight撇 of his mouth, yet as soon as he finished speaking, a figure suddenly darted past him, materializing right in front of him. A gust of wind tore through the air, then like a lightning bolt, a powerful kick landed squarely on the slender youth's abdomen. Instantly, the youth was hurled backward, crashing into a tree trunk, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He struggled for a moment, but could not rise. "Brother, remember—no matter how well you've done in the outer halls before, when you first arrive here in the inner halls, even if you're a dragon, you have to curl up; even if you're a tiger, you have to crouch. These are experiences we've learned through countless bodily pains, and today, we're giving them to you free of charge." A smile suddenly rang out at the young man's ears, followed by a swift shadow rushing forward—then a pot-sized fist crashed into his face, sending him sprawling, bleeding profusely from his mouth. "If you don't want to keep getting hit, then take out the Fire Crystal Card yourself." The young man with a serpent-like scar on his face gently twisted his fist and said. Upon hearing this, the five freshmen who had just arrived exchanged slightly worried expressions, but within a moment, all of them managed to bite down on their teeth, thinking it best to uphold their dignity and retrieve the so-called Fire Crystal Card. Receiving the cards from the five, the young man's face flared with warmth as he kissed them passionately, then waved his hand, tossing the remaining four cards to his four companions. He flipped his hand, and a pale blue card appeared in his grasp. Upon closer inspection, a bright red digit "47" shimmered on the reflective surface of the card. "Come on, Lin Ge. We still need to hurry and find other teams. It was quite a feat to secure this qualification for the 'Fire Energy Hunt' competition—should we fail to recover six days' worth of Fire Energy, we’ll be in serious trouble." The other young man folded his fire crystal card and handed the dark crystal card back to the unfortunate freshman, then turned to the scar-faced youth. "Alright, let's go," Lin Ge nodded, smiling at the five freshmen on the ground. "Poor guys—this is what happens when you don't understand teamwork. From now on, you'll have to remember that. Next year, you can all come and take the Fire Energy from new students just like we do. Don't hold a grudge—this is part of every new student's journey into the Inner Courtyard, after all. Ha ha!" He laughed heartily, then waved his hand. The five instantly leapt onto the branches and took off toward the deep forest, leaving the five freshmen looking defeated and pale. As the group of seniors departed, the several freshmen, having lingered listlessly for a while, finally rose with gloomy expressions, exchanged stern glances with one another, and then scattered in different directions. Deep within a dense thicket some fifty meters away, five figures concealed themselves, their gaze fixed squarely on the spot where the five freshmen had gone—clearly, they had witnessed firsthand the earlier encounter of the freshmen. "It seems the 'fire energy' contained within the crystal card holds a crucial role in the inner courtyard; otherwise, these young people wouldn't have rushed so eagerly to secure it," said Xiao Yan, slowly drawing back his gaze, his eyes resting on the dark crystal card in his hands and the prominent digit "five" engraved upon it. "Agreed," nodded Xun'er and the others. The freshmen had shown a clear and focused intent—merely the "fire energy" inscribed on the card had been their objective. "Let's go. Those others have already left—why should we linger here? Su Elder mentioned that the earlier we arrive, the greater the reward. There's no point in wasting time." Bai Shan furrowed his brows, urging forward. "Wait." Xiao Yan waved his hand, blocking Bai Shan's advance. The latter frowned, his voice cold. "What now?" Xiao Yan glanced at him sideways, calmly stating, "I don't care about any disagreements we may have between us. As long as we're now part of the same team, I believe we should at least begin to understand what team spirit truly means. Otherwise, the group of new recruits we encountered earlier will serve as a cautionary tale." "Several of us nodded. From the way that group of seniors moved and worked together, it was clear they were a well-established unit—equally strong, if not stronger, than our own group. While we might prevail in one-on-one duels, in a team battle, their seamless coordination would likely make it difficult to break through our scattered and somewhat disjointed formation." "What do you mean?" Huojia's bright eyes fixed on Xiao Yan, her brow furrowed in inquiry. "Since we're a team, we need a leader—someone to coordinate and direct the efforts. My suggestion is that among us five, we must identify a commander. Without such a figure, if each of us acts independently, we'll be scattered and disorganized, and it will be hard to successfully navigate through their tight encirclement and emerge from the forest." Xiao Yan spoke slowly. Hugua and the others were momentarily stunned, then hesitated slightly before all nodding in agreement. Xiao Yan was right—teams under command always outperformed scattered individuals. "Then, who shall be the team leader?" Wu Hao, fully wrapped in a blood-red robe, after a moment of silence, posed the most pressing question. As soon as he spoke, Xiao Yan and the others fell into quiet contemplation. After a while, Xun stepped forward, moving to stand beside Xiao Yan—her action clearly signaling her choice. Watching Xun's gesture, Bai Shan and the others each showed subtle shifts in expression. Finally, Hugua, with her dark brows tightly furrowed, sighed and shook her head in resignation, saying, "Very well. Counting on your strength, then, for Xun's sake." With that, she too approached Xiao Yan and turned her gaze toward the remaining two. "Your strength... I admit it. For now, I'll follow your lead—no objections..." Wu Hao's deep voice rose slowly, and then he too moved toward Xiao Yan. Glancing at the three standing beside Xiao Yan, whose faces looked slightly displeased, Bai Shan's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "Bai Shan, if you're not willing, then perhaps we'll have to leave as a group of four," Xiao Yan said, his gaze steady on Bai Shan, speaking calmly. "You—!" Hearing this, Bai Shan's expression changed instantly, and he nodded reluctantly, stepping forward with a firm stride, saying coldly, "Very well. From now on, you're the captain of our team. But let me make it clear—don't think of using us as pawns to take the lead. We're not the kind of team that gets treated like mere tools." "These matters are shared responsibilities of our team. I certainly won't expect anyone to shoulder them alone." Xiao Yan glanced at the four of them. A sharp, intense gleam surged in his dark eyes. He spoke softly, "But now that I've become the team leader, I hope you won't let your passive resistance toward me cause any serious setbacks for us before we leave this forest. Otherwise, don't be surprised if I, Xiao Yan, take action—we've worked together before, and you should know my temperament well. Last time, I made you all stay in the medical room for seven days. This time, I'm sure I can do the same." Hugua pursed her lips, but remained silent. Wu Hao nodded in agreement. As for Bai Shan, his mouth twitched several times, and it took him a while to suppress the emotions welling up inside. Regardless of their individual reactions, at this point, Xiao Yan had secured formal command of the team. Now, it was time to truly begin the journey through the trials ahead!