"Hey, heard that a new team of freshmen is turning the tables on the senior students from the inner courtyard!" "Really? How bold are they? They've actually managed to beat those guys?" "Haha, who else could it be? Of course, it's the strongest new team!" "The one with Xiao Yan and his teammates?" "Seriously! Look, we've been treated terribly by those jerks these past few days. Now it's time for them to taste what it's like to be taken by surprise—solid work! Absolutely satisfying!" "Haha, hurry up and go—maybe you'll even run into Xiao Yan and his team in the forest. As long as you follow them, you won't have to worry about the senior students anymore!" Throughout the forest, various rumors began spreading. By now, the news of Xiao Yan's team launching a hunt against the senior students had reached nearly every corner. Both the senior and the freshman teams were left stunned by this remarkable development. Shortly after the rumors were spread, while some still remained skeptical, four teams of senior inner-courtyard students—faces dark with resentment and anger—proceeded without a word, steadily heading toward the forest's far end. Though they occasionally encountered fresh teams along the way, they made no effort to engage, merely maintaining their sullen demeanor and exiting the forest. The younger students might have been puzzled by their actions, but the seniors themselves were fully aware: according to the rules, if a senior team's "fire energy" dropped below ten during the forest journey, they would lose their eligibility to continue participating in the hunting competition and were required to leave automatically. Clearly, these four teams had now reached the point where their "fire energy" had fallen to ten or below, forcing them to depart with deep embarrassment and reluctance. Within the forest, a series of eyes watched as the four teams departed, then gradually fell silent. After a while, the lingering doubts in those eyes began to fade, replaced by a growing sense of solemnity and a quiet, undercurrent of anger. As senior students from the inner courtyard, it had been rare in recent years for any of them to be overtaken by freshmen—yet now, this occurrence within the forest struck them like a firm, resounding slap, one that was both unexpected and deeply felt. "The ambitious freshmen will have to pay for their arrogance... "All the seniors turned their gaze back from the forest's edge, silently muttering this under their breath, then suddenly, figures began to dart forth from within the forest. Some of the more self-assured teams had already begun actively seeking out Xiao Yan's group. Every year, the freshmen being overshadowed by the seniors had become a well-established tradition—thus, they were determined not to have it broken by any new wave of freshmen. Now, they were determined to completely erase the freshmen team's sense of confidence and pride. Thus, the entire forest came alive with the movements of several veteran squads, yet after nearly a full day of searching, they found not a single trace of Xiao Yan and his companions. Just when they believed that Xiao Yan's group had fled far away, intimidated and shaken, the once-assertive young squad unexpectedly reappeared. A young man clearly a senior from the inner courtyard raised his eyes. His hair reached just past his shoulders, giving him a delicate, gentle air. Now, he was gazing at the five freshmen stubbornly resisting, smiling faintly. "What's the point of making small talk? Just go ahead and take what you want—whether it means I get beaten up or not, I'll bite back at you." The five freshmen encircled by him were equally resolute. Wiping away blood from their lips, one spat out a stream of blood and shouted angrily. "Hah! Truly hard-nosed fellows," the long-haired youth chuckled, clapping his hands lightly. "Well, since you're not cooperating, we'll have to knock you down first—then we'll take what we need ourselves." "Pah! What's all that 'modern' flair? Don't think because you're seniors you'll get off easy. When you meet Xiao Yan's seniors, you'll find yourselves bowing down and handing over your 'Fire Power'—hah! Who says freshmen don't have the strength to resist?" "A fresh-faced newcomer laughed, his voice laced with unmistakable scorn. "Xiao Yan?" The young man with long hair raised an eyebrow slightly, his smile dimming a bit as he coldly remarked, "It seems you all have placed your hopes on them. Unfortunately, however, over the past couple of days, that entire team has vanished completely—no one knows where they've gone. When they reappear, their fate will likely not be much better than yours. So, stop dreaming and simply hand over your 'Fire Power'—otherwise, expect some bodily discomfort." With a wave of his hand, the four companions surrounding the newcomer stepped forward steadily, their powerful ki rising from within them, surging out and lifting countless dry leaves from the ground. "Haha, Senior, are you speaking directly to us?" "Just as the senior team from the inner courtyard was about to decisively defeat the freshman squad, a sudden, light laughter echoed through the vast, open forest. The ripple of ki that had been surging across the ground momentarily paused, and everyone's gaze instantly shifted toward the direction of the sound, finally settling on a tree trunk outside the clearing. There, five young people—three men and two women—had appeared without anyone noticing, standing calmly with smiles. Leading them was a young man in a black robe, his large black ruler extending behind him, clearly revealing their identities. 'Xiao Yan, Senior!' After a moment of surprise, the five freshmen, who had been surrounded, were filled with joy and couldn't help but exclaim excitedly. In this forest where freshmen had always been the ones being oppressed, Xiao Yan's team stood as the lifeline of hope for all the newcomers—only they had ever successfully defeated the senior teams. 'You're Xiao Yan?' "Ah, so you must be the team that's been hunting down the elder 'Fire Energy' members everywhere?" Hearing the voice, the young man with long hair's face slightly tightened as his gaze remained locked firmly on the five of them, and he coldly remarked. "Well, I never expected you to have the courage to show up at all." Seeing Xiao Yan nod, the young man took a slow step forward, and a powerful aura surged forth from within him. With a hand gesture, four figures flashed in from behind and settled in a well-arranged formation around him—seeming casual in their positioning, yet remarkably strategic, allowing them to respond effectively to attacks coming from any direction. "Hand over the 'Fire Energy,' or shall we take matters into our own hands?" With the formation complete, the young man felt his confidence grow. He looked up at Xiao Yan and said calmly. "Could you possibly let me speak first?" Xiao Yan smiled gently, gazing at the dark-haired young man whose face had instantly darkened. A cold glint passed through his black eyes, and his figure trembled slightly, like a streak of black lightning, materializing two meters in front of the young man. He clenched his fists tightly, and a surge of azure qi rapidly rose, eventually solidifying into a layer of jade-like azure armor on the surface of his palms. With the formation of this energy layer, the power behind Xiao Yan's fists surged dramatically. "You arrogant one!" The dark-haired young man coldly observed Xiao Yan advancing alone. Without speaking, his four companions simultaneously launched forth, covering the short distance in a few strides and arriving instantly. Four pairs of fists and feet, each carrying a deep, resonant sonic boom as they sliced through the air, struck Xiao Yan simultaneously. Together, they aimed to combine their coordinated efforts and deliver a single, powerful blow capable of shattering Xiao Yan. Four senior students, whose strength was no less than Xiao Yan's, launched their attacks simultaneously. The combined force was such that even Xiao Yan found it difficult to absorb it all without breaking. Yet, he paid no attention to their assaults, his eyes fixed firmly on the young man with long hair standing behind the flurry of punches. The jade qi on his fists grew increasingly dense and solid. The four senior students were momentarily blocked by the sudden appearance of Xun'er, Bai Shan, Wu Hao, and Hu Jia. The powerful qi flow caused their bodies to tremble, and soon, they could no longer withstand the rapidly intensifying force. Their faces turned red as they spat out a gush of blood, and their bodies fell back like leaves caught in autumn wind, shooting backward until they landed with a crash in a pile of dry leaves, their faces filled with shock and fear. At the very instant the four seniors were hurled backward, a shadow swiftly materialized, then materialized like a ghost before the pale young man, whose face had turned pale with shock. He offered a gentle smile, then shook his arm—his fist, wrapped in a shimmering green energy layer, surged forward with lightning speed, piercing through the young man's crossed arms and striking solidly against his shoulder. A powerful surge of force erupted, accompanied by a crisp crack. The young man was sent reeling backward, leaving long streaks of marks on the ground as his feet skidded, finally colliding with a tree trunk. He groaned, blood flowing from his lips. With his hand wiping away the blood, he stared at the ground, his pale face filled with disbelief. It wasn't said that although each member of this new team possessed strong individual prowess, their coordination and teamwork were notably lacking? Yet—how could this be? Just in two days, the level of synergy they now demonstrated had already reached such an impressive degree?