5: Canaan Trial

The grand gate of Canaan Academy was within sight, but Xiao Bing stopped.

“Detected barrier around the academy.”

“Recommend activating ‘Ice Mask’ to conceal Spiritual Thunder aura.”

Xiao Bing took out a translucent, ice-blue mask from his System space and gently placed it over his face.

The mask instantly melted, transforming into a layer of energy film that covered his entire body, barely discernible to the naked eye.

His originally striking frosty white hair gradually turned into ordinary black hair, and the occasional blue light in his eyes completely vanished.

“This should be enough to hide from Soul Hall’s eyes,” Xiao Bing murmured to himself, then stepped towards the academy gate.

A long queue snaked at the registration desk, and the middle-aged instructor in charge of registration didn’t even lift his head: “Name? Age? Strength Rank?”

“Xiao Bing, seventeen years old, Eight-Star Dou Zhe.” Xiao Bing deliberately reported his strength one major Rank lower—in reality, he had already advanced to Eight-Star Dou Shi under the nourishment of the Mist Lightning of Extreme Cold.

Only then did the instructor look up and size him up: “Ice attribute? Rare.

Go over there to test the purity.”

Standing before the testing crystal was a silver-haired woman, dressed in white like snow, exuding a faint chill.

She raised an eyebrow slightly when she saw Xiao Bing: “Another ice attribute?”

Xiao Bing nodded in greeting and placed his hand on the crystal.

Following the System’s guidance, he carefully controlled the output strength.

Blue light illuminated within the crystal, gradually rising to about seventy percent.

“Seventy-three percent purity, not bad.” The silver-haired woman’s tone softened somewhat, “I am Han Yue, the assistant instructor for the ice-element class.

Come find me after the test; I have some important things to tell you.”

Xiao Bing’s heart stirred—Han Yue, a Genius student from Canaan Academy in the original novel; he hadn’t expected to meet her so soon.

After the test, Xiao Bing followed the instructions to a secluded courtyard.

Han Yue was already waiting, with a red-haired girl standing beside her, idly kicking pebbles.

“This is Hu Jia, fire attribute,” Han Yue briefly introduced, “I called you here because the academy hasn’t been peaceful lately.”

Hu Jia interjected: “Some Soul Hall dogs are lurking nearby, specifically targeting students with both ice and lightning attributes.”

Xiao Bing’s heart tightened, but he showed no trace of it on his face: “Why?”

“Who knows,” Hu Jia shrugged, “Maybe it’s a personal vendetta of some Elder.”

Han Yue handed him a Jade Slip: “This is a basic ice-element Cultivation Technique that can help you disguise yourself as a pure ice attribute.

Don’t leave the academy alone lately, and if anything happens, find me or Hu Jia.”

Xiao Bing took the Jade Slip and sincerely thanked her.

As he left, the System suddenly popped up a notification:

“Detected a faint Mystic Ice Spiritual Lightning reaction within Han Yue’s body.”

“Possible clue: Core Lightning of the Earth’s Core.”

After settling down, Xiao Bing consciously began to gather information.

Through System scans, he discovered that there was indeed a special energy reaction similar to the fluctuation on Han Yue’s body deep beneath Canaan Academy.

A week later, at midnight, Xiao Bing was meditating in his dorm when a sound of something breaking through the air suddenly came from outside the window.

He instantly became alert, flipping onto the roof beam.

“Whoosh!” A poisoned dart embedded itself in the spot where he had just been sitting.

Three dark figures attacked from different directions!

Xiao Bing unhesitatingly activated his Mist Lightning of Extreme Cold armor, simultaneously throwing out three ice cones.

“Clang, clang, clang!” The ice cones were parried, but one of the attackers grunted—the cold Qi attached to the ice cone had already invaded his Meridians.

“Detected low-level Soul Hall assassin.”

“Recommend using new skill: Frostbound Eye.”

Blue light flared in Xiao Bing’s eyes as he stared directly at the enemy in front of him.

That person’s movements suddenly became sluggish, and frost rapidly condensed on his body.

“The intelligence was wrong! He’s not an ordinary Dou Shi!” another person exclaimed.

Xiao Bing gave the opponents no time to react, his figure flickering like a ghost, his palm precisely striking the back of two people’s necks.

The cold Qi invaded, and the two assassins instantly froze into ice sculptures.

The last person, seeing the unfavorable situation, bit down on the poison sac in his mouth to commit suicide.

Xiao Bing frowned as he examined the body, finding a black flame emblem on the inner collar of the assassin’s clothes.

“Soul Hall mark confirmed.”

“Warning: Host has been targeted.”

The next morning, Xiao Bing reported the matter to Han Yue.

Her expression suddenly changed, and she immediately took him to see Vice Principal Hu Qian.

“They’ve come, as expected.” Vice Principal Hu Qian tapped his fingers lightly on the table after listening to the report, “Xiao Bing, you temporarily move to live near the Inner Academy.

Han Yue, notify all ice-attribute students to strengthen their vigilance.”

After leaving the office, Han Yue suddenly asked: “You concealed your strength, didn’t you?”

Xiao Bing was noncommittal.

“Those three last night were all Great Dou Master Rank,” Han Yue’s silver eyes were like lightning, “To be able to resolve them instantly, you are at least a Dou Ling.”

Xiao Bing knew he couldn’t hide it, so he simply admitted: “For some personal reasons.”

“I won’t press you,” Han Yue handed him a token, “But you must participate in the Inner Academy selection competition three months from now.

The academy needs combat power like yours.”

“New task: Obtain a top ten ranking in the Inner Academy selection competition.”

“Reward: Core Lightning of the Earth’s Core clue.”

In the following days, Xiao Bing attended classes normally during the day, while secretly exploring the academy’s underground at night.

With the System’s assistance, he drew a detailed topographic map, marking several energy nodes that might be related to the Core Lightning of the Earth’s Core.

One night, as he was stealthily approaching the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, he suddenly sensed a familiar aura—it was Xiao Yan!

In the shadows below the tower, Xiao Yan, under the alias “Yan Xiao,” was conversing with an old man.

Xiao Bing hid in the dark, hearing them discuss the Alchemist Grand Meeting.

“Teacher, rest assured, the championship will be mine,” Xiao Yan said confidently.

Yao Lao’s Soul body floated beside him: “Don’t be careless, I heard that the Outcloud Empire has also sent people this time.”

Xiao Bing did not reveal himself but silently noted Xiao Yan’s itinerary.

The next day, he obtained a spectator ticket for the Alchemist Grand Meeting through academy channels.

On the day of the meeting, Xiao Bing sat in a corner of the audience, witnessing Xiao Yan’s brilliant performance in overcoming all opponents.

When Yan Li secretly poisoned him, Xiao Bing quietly made his move, freezing the poisoned needle with a wisp of cold Qi.

“Hmm?” Xiao Yan seemed to sense something, turning his head to look at the audience, but only saw a departing back.

After the competition, Xiao Yan won the championship and also exposed his identity.

Xiao Bing monitored at least three Soul Hall forces secretly tracking him through the System.

“Time to clear the area for Flame Brother.” Xiao Bing put on his mask and disappeared into the night.

In the following week, a series of bizarre incidents occurred in Canaan City—several suspicious-looking Dou Zhe were found frozen in alleys, with no external injuries, but unconscious.

On the eve of the Inner Academy selection competition, Han Yue found Xiao Bing, who was Cultivating: “You dealt with those Soul Hall people?”

Xiao Bing finished his Cultivation and stood up: “They threatened someone important.”

Han Yue looked at him deeply: “Be careful in tomorrow’s competition; Bai Shan has already vowed to make you look bad.”

“Thanks for the reminder.” Xiao Bing smiled slightly, “But I’m more concerned about another question—Han Xuejie, have you heard of the ‘Core Lightning of the Earth’s Core’?”

Han Yue’s pupils constricted, and the teacup in her hand shattered with a “snap.”

“Who… exactly are you?”