As the five figures materialized upon the tree trunk, everyone on the open ground immediately grew pale. The five figures were all clad in dark, streamlined garments, appearing as five indistinct shadows of black ink from a distance. At the very moment they appeared, a fierce aura radiated forth from their bodies, unmasked and overwhelming—projecting a palpable pressure that enveloped the entire open space, making the presence feel as though they were being watched by wild beasts in the forest. "Sha Ti? You all actually made it here!" said Leng Bai, who had been leaning against the trunk and recovering his breath, his face turning pale upon seeing the five figures—especially when his gaze settled on the towering, ape-like man standing at the center. "We encountered several newcomers along the way and then received the news." "Among the five figures, the tall man with a strong, imposing presence spoke softly, then glanced at the injured Su Xiao and his two companions, smiling, 'Hm, I never expected all three of you to have fallen to these new recruits. I wonder how you managed to thrive in the inner courtyard.' The man known as Sha Tie by Ling Bai caused a slight blush on the faces of Ling Bai's trio. After a moment, Ling Bai coldly scoffed, 'This year's new recruits aren't comparable to those of past years. Falling isn't anything unusual at all.' 'Alright, I won't waste time with you. I'll handle the rest from here. But don't expect me to return the 'Fire Energy' to you afterward—those were simply things you couldn't hold on to yourselves. It's not anyone else's fault.' With a wave of his hand, Sha Tie turned his gaze, finally settling on Xiao Yan, who was holding a heavy ruler in the center of the field. A spark of surprise flashed in his eyes as he said, 'You're Xiao Yan, aren't you?' "At this age, being able to defeat Su Xiao and the others, it's no surprise that he managed to gather all the new recruits." Sand Iron's voice was strong and resonant, and as he spoke, he directly sent several of the new students staggering, instinctively rubbing their ears. "You must be the so-called Black Shards—the Black Shards, I mean?" Xiang Yan locked eyes with Sand Iron, speaking in a steady tone. As he spoke, his gaze slowly swept over the five figures, and his heart gradually sank—he realized that nearly every one of them possessed strength comparable to Ling Bai. And Sand Iron himself, the sturdy man, was even more impressive. If Xiang Yan's sense of strength wasn't mistaken, this man was likely a top-tier Grand Combatant! "You can call us the Black Shards team. I'm the team leader, Sand Iron." "Sha Ti smiled, his white teeth gleaming with a wild, cold intensity. He fixed his gaze on Xiao Yan and said, 'Let me share a good news with you. The recent incidents of younger students being attacked by older ones have already reached the Inner Courtyard. Though you, Xiao Yan, haven't entered the Inner Courtyard yet, you've already gained a solid reputation there. Now, outside the forest, countless Inner Courtyard students have come to wait for you to emerge. If you can successfully carry a full 'Fire Energy' out of this forest, your class will truly become well-known within the Inner Courtyard.' Xiao Yan remained silent, not responding. 'Of course, as the final two teams in this year's 'Fire Energy Hunting Competition,' our mission is to defeat all the troublesome new students. So, if you wish to proceed smoothly, simply hand over your Fire Crystal Card—I promise not to be rough with you. How about that?' Sha Ti smiled warmly at Xiao Yan. 'Is there any other option?' Xiao Yan exhaled slowly, speaking calmly. "No, this is the only one." Sha Tie shook his head with a smile, scanning the group of new recruits below, and said, "If you can still gather forty new students with full combat capabilities right now, even my Black Shatter team would find it difficult to take you down. Unfortunately, after the earlier toll from Su Xiao and the others, your group of new recruits has lost most of its strength and threat. As long as we defeat just a few of you, the current 'Fire Power Hunt' tournament can be officially concluded." Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, gradually tightening his grip on the Xuanzhong Chi. At the same time, Xun'er, Huojia, and Wu Hao each took a step forward, closely following behind him. The scattered group of about a dozen new students, whose energies were slightly weak, hesitated for a moment before finally bracing themselves and moving toward Xiao Yan. In this moment, they could no longer retreat—they simply couldn’t believe that if Xiao Yan and his companions were defeated, the seemingly unyielding Sha Tie would allow them to lose their precious "Fire Energy." Just as Sha Tie was flexing his fists, a sudden voice rang out. His brows furrowed slightly as he turned toward the sound, and there, standing in a white robe, was a handsome young man. As his gaze swept over the young man's face, Sha Tie felt a faint sense of familiarity. "Sha Tie brother, do you remember me? Last time you and my brother Bai Feng went out on vacation, we met back then," said Bai Shan, holding his long spear and bowing slightly with a warm smile. "Bai Feng? You... are you Bai Shan?" Hearing the name, Sha Tie was momentarily startled, a hint of apprehension flashing through his eyes before his gaze settled on Bai Shan's face, and he finally recalled him, speaking with a touch of clarity. "Ah, yes, that's right," Bai Shan breathed a sigh of relief, smiling in reply. "You're also one of this year's freshmen?" Sha Tie glanced at Bai Shan's position, as if gaining a deeper understanding, and added with a subtle tone. "Yes." "Bai Shan smiled awkwardly and nodded, his eyes glinting as he said, 'Sandie, I wonder if you might be able to see my cousin's face...' 'On Bai Feng's behalf, you're certainly free to go. I have a certain rapport with him, so I won't lay a hand on you.' Before Bai Shan could finish, Sandie waved his hand and chuckled. 'Uh...' Interrupted mid-sentence, Bai Shan paused slightly. As he heard the rest of Sandie's words, he grew more hesitant, glancing briefly at Xiao Yan and the others. Just as he was about to add something, he caught a subtle coldness in Sandie's expression, and his heart instantly tightened. 'Bai Shan, just focus on yourself. Though I'm the captain of the Black Shad team, I still have responsibilities to my teammates. Having you leave is already a generous gesture on my part—consider yourself well-behaved, please,' Sandie said slowly, his tone brimming with caution. Upon hearing this, Bai Shan's face turned slightly pale, then quickly regained composure, and he gave a gentle nod. "Alright, leave at once. Don't bother with the rest." Sand Iron waved at Bai Shan. Hearing this, Bai Shan hesitated slightly. "Bai Shan, are you planning to abandon your post at the last minute?" Observing Bai Shan's hesitation, Huo Jia, who had been silently watching from the side, immediately frowned, her brows drawing together, and coldly demanded. "If I don't fight alongside you, am I really fleeing? Do you really think we're a team now? This has always been a transaction based on mutual needs—after all, the real winner of this deal is Xiao Yan. All the valuable things we've worked so hard to earn have ended up in his hands." Upon hearing Huo Jia's sharp rebuke, Bai Shan grew furious, unable to contain his resentment and jealousy anymore, and shouted passionately. "You—" Faced with Bai Shan's strong counterargument, Huo Jia was equally incensed: "Without Xiao Yan's leadership, how did you even get this far?" With just you, any seasoned team could easily defeat you. How could you possibly still hold onto those nearly a hundred "Fire Energies" like this? "No need to say more. Since he wishes to leave, let him go. This team was assembled on the spot and never had any formal constraints—freedom was always its hallmark. Without him, we won't necessarily fall short." Beside her, Xiao Yan gently held Hu Jia, speaking calmly. He had long known that Bai Shan held him in deep resentment, and by forcing himself to stay, he would eventually become a hindrance. Now that Bai Shan decided to leave on his own, Xiao Yan no longer had to worry about keeping a watchful eye on him. "Hmph." Hu Jia glanced coldly at Bai Shan, her mind filled with growing disdain. How had she never noticed this man before? She most despised those who, when a strong enemy approached, chose to abandon their companions out of fear. Compared to Bai Shan, Hu Jia suddenly found Xiao Yan much more appealing—after all, the latter would never abandon his companions at a critical moment. Wu Hao slightly raised his head, his gaze toward Bai Shan tinged with a touch of disdain. "Very well. You may follow him. As for me, I'm not staying." The disdain reflected in the eyes of the newcomers made Bai Shan's facial muscles twitch slightly. He glared fiercely at Xiao Yan before giving a sharp wave of his hand, leaping into the air, and then springing up onto a branch, vanishing into the forest. As for Sha Bai, although Xiao Yan knew the truth, he still remained firm. He smiled, his gaze steadily fixed on Sha Tie, and after a moment, his calm voice reignited the previously chilled hearts of the fresh recruits, filling them once again with fervor and determination. "Since I've gathered them, I naturally intend to lead them successfully through. No matter how strong the opponents, I, Xiao Yan, will not waver in the slightest. Therefore—" "Let us fight!"