6: Inner Courtyard Storm

Morning mist enveloped the arena of Canaan Academy, where the stands were already packed with spectators.

Xiao Bing stood in the contestant rest area, quietly observing the other participants.

The System interface flickered at the edge of his vision:

【Current Task: Top Ten in the Inner Academy Selection Competition (Progress: 0/10)】

【Potential Threat Detected: Bai Shan (Three-Star Dou Shi), Wu Hao (Five-Star Dou Shi)】

“The draw results are out!” a staff member announced loudly, “First round, Xiao Bing versus Lu Mu!”

A chorus of jeers erupted from somewhere in the stands.

Xiao Bing looked up to see several students pointing and gesticulating at him, led by Bai Shan—the handsome young man with silver hair, whose eyes held undisguised hostility.

“Be careful,” Han Yue appeared beside him at some point, “Bai Shan has been getting very close to the Black Fiend Team recently.”

Xiao Bing nodded slightly and walked slowly onto the stage.

His opponent, Lu Mu, was a lean young man who wielded dual blades, and he immediately adopted an offensive stance upon stepping onto the stage.

“Match begins!”

Lu Mu moved like lightning, his dual blades carving out two arcs of Dou Qi.

Xiao Bing neither dodged nor retreated, merely raising his right hand slightly:

“Ice Condensing Palm: Frost Wall.”

A wall of ice materialized out of thin air, easily blocking the attack.

Lu Mu changed his move incredibly fast, executing a side roll to get behind Xiao Bing, his blade striking directly at the back of his heart!

“It’s over,” Xiao Bing murmured.

No one saw how he moved.

A blue light flashed, and Xiao Bing was already standing behind Lu Mu, his finger lightly touching the back of his neck.

A thin layer of ice instantly covered Lu Mu’s entire body, freezing him in place.

“Xiao Bing wins!” the referee announced loudly.

Scattered applause erupted in the stands, but more prevalent were murmurs of surprise.

Xiao Bing’s effortless performance did not resemble that of an ordinary Dou Shi at all.

In the subsequent rounds, Xiao Bing consistently maintained this state of ease.

He deliberately controlled his strength, using only basic ice-elemental Dou Techniques to cope, yet always managed to defeat his opponents perfectly.

“This guy is hiding his strength,” Hu Jia sat beside Han Yue, her red hair as dazzling as fire, “I bet he’s at least Five-Star Dou Shi level.”

Han Yue’s silver eyes narrowed slightly: “More than that.

Look at the control of his Dou Qi with each strike; it’s terrifyingly precise.”

On the fourth day of the competition, the highly anticipated battle finally arrived—Xiao Bing versus Bai Shan!

On the stage, Bai Shan held a silver spear, its tip gleaming with dangerous electric light: “I’ve finally waited for you, outsider.

Let me see what qualifications you have to make Senior Sister Han Yue look at you differently.”

Xiao Bing did not reply, merely adopting his starting stance.

A System prompt sounded in his mind:

【Opponent detected with lightning-attribute Dou Qi】

【Recommendation: Use the Mist Lightning Armor for defense, avoid exposing too much strength】

“Match begins!”

Bai Shan immediately unleashed a killing move: “Lightning Flash Break!”

His spear transformed into a bolt of lightning, thrusting directly at Xiao Bing’s throat.

Xiao Bing sidestepped to evade, while simultaneously condensing an ice blade in his right hand to parry.

The two exchanged more than ten blows in an instant, the sound of metal clashing incessantly.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Bai Shan sneered, suddenly changing his move, “Lightning Serpent Dance!”

Dozens of electric lights branched off his spear, striking at Xiao Bing from various angles like venomous snakes.

A gasp of surprise rose from the stands.

At this critical moment, a blue light flashed in Xiao Bing’s eyes:

“Frost-Bound Pupils.”

A strange scene unfolded—all the electric lights suddenly decelerated within a foot of Xiao Bing, and fine ice crystals condensed on their surfaces.

Xiao Bing seized this fleeting opportunity and slammed a palm onto Bai Shan’s chest.

“Bang!”

Bai Shan flew backward, his spear slipping from his grasp.

He adjusted his posture in mid-air and barely managed to land, a trace of fresh blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

“You… what kind of Dou Technique is this?” Bai Shan asked in disbelief.

Xiao Bing did not answer, slowly approaching.

Bai Shan gritted his teeth, then suddenly pulled out a purple Medicinal Pill from his bosom and swallowed it!

“Violent Lightning Pill?!” the referee exclaimed in shock, “The use of amplification Medicinal Pills is forbidden in the competition!”

But it was already too late.

Dazzling lightning erupted from Bai Shan’s body, his strength instantly rising to the Six-Star Dou Shi level.

He cackled as he punched the ground:

“Lightning Storm Earth Surge!”

The entire stage vibrated violently, and countless lightning pillars burst forth from underground.

Xiao Bing had nowhere to evade and finally stopped holding back:

“Mist Lightning Armor, full power!”

Silver-blue lightning intertwined to form armor covering his entire body, and all incoming lightning pillars were easily neutralized.

The stands erupted in an uproar—this was clearly a lightning-attribute Dou Technique, but Xiao Bing was clearly ice-attribute!

Bai Shan was dumbfounded: “Impossible! How could you…”

Xiao Bing didn’t give him a chance to finish, his figure flashed and appeared in front of Bai Shan, his palm lightly pressing against his abdomen:

“Ice Burst.”

“Boom!”

Bai Shan was directly blasted off the stage by this strike, colliding with the protective barrier and falling unconscious.

The medical team at the side immediately rushed forward to administer aid.

The referee paused for a few seconds before announcing: “Xiao… Xiao Bing wins!”

After the match, Xiao Bing was summoned to the Vice Principal’s office.

Vice Principal Hu Qian sat behind a large desk, his fingers rhythmically tapping on the surface.

“Ice and lightning dual attributes,” the old man’s gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s, “and not just ordinary lightning, but some kind of mutated ice-lightning, right?”

Xiao Bing remained silent.

“Don’t worry, the Academy will not delve into a student’s secrets,” Vice Principal Hu Qian waved his hand, “I called you here for something else—has Han Yue mentioned the Core Lightning of the Earth's Core to you?”

Xiao Bing’s heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm: “I’ve heard a little.”

“The top ten in the Inner Academy Selection Competition can gain the qualification to Cultivate on the bottom floor of the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower,” Vice Principal Hu Qian said meaningfully, “There are some… interesting things there.”

【Task Update: Enter the bottom floor of the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower】

【Warning: Potential connection between Han Yue’s Family and the Soul Hall detected】

Leaving the office, Xiao Bing encountered Han Yue, who had been waiting for a long time in the corridor.

Her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, shimmering faintly under the moonlight.

“What did the Vice Principal talk to you about?” she asked directly.

Xiao Bing did not answer directly: “I heard that Senior Sister Han’s Family has Cultivated ice-elemental Cultivation Techniques for generations?”

A flicker of vigilance crossed Han Yue’s eyes: “Are you investigating me?”

“Just curious,” Xiao Bing said softly, “For example… why there’s a trace of the Core Lightning of the Earth's Core in your body.”

Han Yue’s face changed drastically, and she grabbed Xiao Bing’s wrist, pulling him to a secluded spot: “How much do you know exactly?”

“Enough,” Xiao Bing looked directly into her eyes, “For instance, the Core Lightning of the Earth's Core that your Han Family has guarded for generations has recently shown unusual activity; for instance, the Soul Hall has already set its sights on it; and for instance… a traitor has appeared within your Family.”

Han Yue’s hand trembled slightly: “These matters shouldn’t be known by outsiders…”

“I am not an enemy,” Xiao Bing softened his voice, “On the contrary, I can help.”

Footsteps approached from a distance, and Han Yue quickly released her grip, resuming her calm expression: “After the finals tomorrow, come to my residence to discuss in detail.”

With that, she hurried away.

Xiao Bing watched her retreating figure, and a System prompt flickered in his vision:

【Han Yue’s Favorability increased to “Trust” level】

【New Clue Unlocked: Han Family traitor is suspected of colluding with Black-Corner Region forces】

On the day of the finals, Xiao Bing was pitted against another popular contestant, Wu Hao.

This battle maniac’s eyes turned red with excitement as soon as he stepped onto the stage:

“Finally, I can have a good fight!”

After the match began, Wu Hao’s offensive was like a violent storm.

Xiao Bing, to avoid exposing too much strength, deliberately engaged him for over a hundred moves before narrowly winning.

Ultimately, he secured his qualification to enter the Inner Academy by placing third in the selection competition.

After the awards ceremony, Xiao Bing arrived at Han Yue’s detached courtyard as promised.

The moment he pushed open the door, he keenly sensed another person inside—Hu Jia.

“I knew you’d come,” the red-haired girl sat cross-legged on the windowsill, “Yue’er told me everything.”

Han Yue poured a cup of tea and pushed it towards Xiao Bing: “First, how did you know about the Core Lightning of the Earth's Core?”

Xiao Bing was prepared: “My Cultivation Technique is very sensitive to special ice-lightning energy.

I detected the anomaly in your body the first time we met.”

“That makes sense,” Han Yue mused for a moment, “The situation is very complicated.

The Core Lightning of the Earth's Core was originally guarded by our Han Family for generations, but three months ago, the Seal at the bottom of the tower suddenly loosened…”

Hu Jia interjected: “What’s worse, Han Yue’s uncle, Han Feng, suddenly returned, saying he wanted to ‘inspect the Seal’.”

“Han Feng?” Xiao Bing’s heart jolted—wasn’t this the traitorous disciple of Yao Lao?

【Key Information Linked: Han Feng is connected to Mu Gu】

【Alert: Soul Hall may have acquired some Spiritual Thunder intelligence】

Han Yue didn’t notice Xiao Bing’s unusual reaction and continued: “I suspect my uncle is colluding with people from the Black-Corner Region, but Father doesn’t believe it.

Now the Seal of the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower is getting weaker and weaker, and the Core Lightning of the Earth's Core could erupt at any time.”

Xiao Bing put down his teacup: “Take me to see it.”

“Now?” Hu Jia’s eyes widened, “There are Elders guarding it!”

Han Yue, however, stood up: “I have permission.

But only you can go.”

Late at night, the two quietly arrived at the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower.

With Han Yue’s identity, they smoothly passed inspection and descended all the way to the lowest floor.

As they passed through a long passage, the temperature grew colder and colder.

Finally, they stopped before a bronze door inscribed with runes.

“Are you ready?” Han Yue took a deep breath, “The sight inside… is quite shocking.”

Xiao Bing nodded.

As the door slowly opened, his pupils suddenly contracted—

In the vast underground space, a deep blue lightning bolt moved like a giant Dragon within a transparent barrier.

Wherever it passed, the air condensed countless ice crystals, only to be shattered by the lightning the next second.

This was the Core Lightning of the Earth's Core, one of the Nine Mystic Ice Spiritual Lightning!

【Target Discovered: Core Lightning of the Earth's Core (Immature State)】

【Warning: Abnormal energy fluctuations detected】

Xiao Bing suddenly pulled Han Yue back: “Someone has been here!”

No sooner had he spoken than the barrier suddenly vibrated violently, and a dark shadow lunged out from the darkness, striking directly at Han Yue’s throat!