Chapter 228: Grab It All! (Ten Thousand Characters Completed)

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Hun Lao Gui's eyes slightly relaxed, as if he were growing sleepy.

"As long as you can pay the price," Hun Lao Gui said slowly, his voice sounding weak and listless.

Xiao Yan smiled and said, "I still have twenty thousand Soul Points in my Soul Token; if needed, I can sell some Five-Grade Elixirs—I have a few Emperor-Breaking Pills and King-Breaking Pills."

"Moreover, I have a scroll of an Arcane-Rank High-Level sound Dou Technique—Lion-Tiger Shatter Gold Roar—I haven't read it yet, so it should fetch some Soul Points too."

Xiao Yan pulled out two Pill Bottles and the Lion-Tiger Shatter Gold Roar scroll he had just taken from the Library Pavilion; like Pill Formulas, Dou Techniques were imprinted with Soul Force—read more, and the soul mark grew fainter.

Xiao Yan had no intention of cultivating the Lion-Tiger Shatter Gold Roar, so he might as well sell it.

Watching the elixirs and Dou Technique spread on the table, Hun Lao Gui no longer mocked Xiao Yan's items as trash, but his gaze still held no particular respect.

After all, the Earth-Rank Low-Level Dou Technique Xiao Yan wanted was nothing special.

"Even weak Earth-Rank Low-Level Dou Techniques are worth over sixty thousand Soul Points; what you have here adds up to barely one or two ten thousand." Hun Lao Gui glanced at Xiao Yan and shook his head.

Sound-based Dou Techniques are rare, especially Earth-Rank ones—only a Dou Emperor Family might possibly possess one.

Xiao Yan chuckled awkwardly, scratching his cheek with a finger. "Uh, can I get credit here? Or maybe a discount?"

Hun Lao Gui seemed amused by Xiao Yan, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth as he grinned. "Soul Sacrifice Old Shop never extends credit."

"But I do have one scroll that's relatively cheap—should suit you," Hun Lao Gui said, his withered right hand slowly rising and reaching into the shelf behind him.

That withered hand actually passed through the shelf and vanished inside!

Soon, Hun Lao Gui pulled out a purple scroll, as if pulling it from a fourth-dimensional pocket.

The moment the scroll appeared, the faint Dragon Qi Xiao Yan had gained from the Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Elixir trembled, shrinking as if frightened by something terrible.

Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed as he stared at the scroll on the table—its Spiritual Pressure alone was formidable; how could this thing possibly be cheap!!

"What kind of Dou Technique is this?" Xiao Yan asked in a low voice.

"Hehehe, this isn't a Dou Technique—it's a Beast Technique." Hun Lao Gui grinned.

"Beast Technique?!" Xiao Yan frowned; he had heard of Beast Techniques before—when Yun Yun demanded Purple Crystal from the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, she offered it a Dou Technique usable by beasts.

Dou Techniques used by beasts were called Beast Techniques—naturally, only beasts could cultivate them, so they were far cheaper than regular Dou Techniques.

"You swallowed the Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Elixir and now harbor a trace of Dragon Qi," Hun Lao Gui said slowly, flicking his finger to send the scroll flying toward Xiao Yan.

As Xiao Yan took the scroll, he immediately frowned—it felt strangely like beast hide.

Xiao Yan unrolled it and silently read: "Earth-Rank Low-Level Beast Technique, Ancient Dragon Roar. Modeled after the roar of the Grand Void Ancient Dragon; when perfected, it echoes like the Grand Void Ancient Dragon's bellow—sound waves travel a thousand li, Dragon Might surges, shattering gold and stone, numbing Spiritual Souls, even rupturing Space and annihilating Spiritual Souls."

"Note: This Beast Technique mimics the roar of the Grand Void Ancient Dragon. Cultivation requires Dragon Clan bloodline and the presence of Dragon Qi."

Xiao Yan's heart jolted—this Beast Technique merely mimicked the Grand Void Ancient Dragon's roar!

"The Grand Void Ancient Dragon is this powerful?!" Xiao Yan had read about powerful beasts in ancient texts from his space ring.

Legendary Grand Void Ancient Dragons were born with mastery over Space Power, capable of traversing Space; their strength was immense, the undisputed strongest beast race.

Simply mimicking the roar of the Grand Void Ancient Dragon Clan was enough to form an Earth-Rank Beast Technique!

No wonder Hun Lao Gui recommended this Beast Technique—humans usually couldn't cultivate Beast Techniques because they failed to meet the requirements.

Who else had Dragon Qi? Xiao Yan wasn't a human-dragon hybrid. But thanks to the elixir's miracle, he now carried a trace of Dragon Qi.

Xiao Yan frowned in confusion. "You're sure a human like me can cultivate this? This isn't a Dou Technique—and how am I supposed to mimic the Grand Void Ancient Dragon?"

Hun Lao Gui shook his head. "No one's ever tried—but this is the cheapest Earth-Rank sound technique you can get. Everything else is beyond your means."

Xiao Yan thought rapidly: "If I only had a trace of Dragon Qi, it might not work—but I still have the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame. Its special ability lets me beast-form; combined with the Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Elixir's Dragon Qi, maybe I can cultivate it."

Xiao Yan looked skeptically at Hun Lao Gui. "I won't give you the Lion-Tiger Shatter Gold Roar. I still have over twenty thousand Soul Points in my token—plus these elixirs—for this Ancient Dragon Roar."

"Agreed," Hun Lao Gui waved his hand, sweeping away Xiao Yan's crafted elixirs and draining all Soul Points from his token.

Xiao Yan froze—so easily?! He felt cheated—this Beast Technique must have been unsellable, which is why it was offered to him!

I got scammed!

After returning to Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Yan didn't immediately cultivate Ancient Dragon Roar; instead, he used Soul Force to read the Soul Information within the Three Thousand Thunder and Ancient Dragon Roar scrolls, slowly digesting and meditating on them.

Xiao Yan had experience cultivating Earth-Rank Dou Techniques—he'd trained Flame-Splitting Devouring Wave Ruler for years.

Without a teacher, Xiao Yan needed more time to ponder the technique's principles to cultivate it successfully.

Each time he cultivated a Dou Technique, he spent time meditating, simulating it internally.

Sunlight slowly streamed through the window into the room; Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes—he had meditated unconsciously for a full day and night.

Xiao Yan had just brushed his teeth and washed his face when a knock came at the door.

"Come in."

"Brother Xiao Yan, two days have passed—today we enter the Inner Court. Are you ready?" Xun Er entered wearing a light green robe, her delicate, refined face smiling gently as she watched Xiao Yan washing his face.

Xiao Yan smiled and nodded, hanging the towel on the rack, then putting on the school uniform Xun Er handed him. "Inner Court? I'm looking forward to today's Fire Energy contest—I hope Bai Shan doesn't disappoint me. Let him give me even more Fire Energy."

Xiao Yan had long asked others from the Xiao Clan to gather information on the Inner Court—he knew today's "Newcomer Banquet" was happening.

He had waited a long time for this banquet, hoping Bai Shan wouldn't let him down and would follow his plan.

When Xiao Yan arrived with the others from the Xiao Clan before Vice Dean Hu Qian's study, he saw the open ground already filled with people—divided into many small and large groups, whispering and laughing among themselves; the largest circles centered on Bai Shan, Wu Hao, and Hu Jia.

Of course, once Xiao Yan arrived, his seven-member group became the largest faction.

Xiao Yan's appearance caused the lively courtyard to quiet slightly; except for a few, most eyes turned toward him with awe—or even fear.

A few days ago, in the selection trials, Xiao Yan, with his Dou Spirit strength, slaughtered the so-called geniuses of the Outer Court, single-handedly forcing the academy to revise its rules and add five extra slots.

He silenced all dissenting voices; though he'd only been at the academy for months, his reputation had surpassed everyone in the Outer Court—even secretly, they called him the Great Demon, a being not to be provoked.

Xiao Yan and Xun Er walked straight through the crowd to the front of the open ground; when Xiao Yan saw Bai Shan's hidden hatred and faint smugness, he knew he wouldn't be disappointed.

Hu Jia and Wu Hao nodded at him—his attitude toward Xiao Yan had noticeably improved since the past two days; clearly, Xiao Yan's humiliation of Bai Shan had not been without effect.

Though proud, they weren't foolish—unnecessary suffering was best avoided.

Hu Qian's gaze slowly swept over the fifty students on the ground; seeing no one was absent, he nodded in satisfaction, stepped forward, and announced loudly: "Students, today is the day you enter the Inner Court. I congratulate you—your long efforts have finally been rewarded. I believe you may find the cultivation methods there unfamiliar, but I am certain: there, you will maximize your potential."

"Heh, I'm not exaggerating—if you stay in the Inner Court for just one year, you'll undergo a transformation as profound as rebirth. Some of you may know students from the Inner Court—they occasionally return on leave—so you know how vastly different they are after leaving compared to before entering."

Hearing Hu Qian's words, a few students nodded slightly—they must have interacted with Inner Court students before; most others, however, wore eager, excited expressions.

"In a moment, we'll send you to a certain place, then into the Inner Court," Hu Qian smiled, gazing up at the distant blue sky, where five dark shadows were streaking toward them. Moments later, the shadows grew larger—revealing five massive Lion Griffins.

Hearing the Vice Dean mention this mysterious place, some who had already inquired about the Inner Court felt their hearts sink—it was the Inner Court's exclusive "Welcome Ceremony."

"Alright, time's up. Everyone, get on—ten per group," Hu Qian said, pointing with a hand as the Lion Griffins landed.

Above the blue sky, ten massive Lion Griffins beat their wings as they soared over the endless, sprawling back mountains of the academy. Outside the formation, Hu Qian and three elders formed a square, encircling the entire Lion Griffin squad. Powerful Battle Qi surged around their bodies, unmoved by the raging winds.

"Hey, Xiao Yan, I heard you once entered the Inner Court. Any juicy gossip to spill?" Hu Jia, seated beside Xiao Yan on the same Lion Griffin, asked curiously.

Xiao Yan shrugged and shook his head. "I only went in for a moment—how would I know so much? And you've been at Jia Nan Academy this long; I don't believe you haven't heard any rumors about the Inner Court."

Hu Jia blinked, her eyes glinting with cunning. Though no one knew where the Inner Court was, its rumors were never scarce—every kind of gossip and legend flew through the air.

Outer Court students cared most about Inner Court intelligence, so plenty of it inevitably leaked out.

About half an hour later, the Lion Griffins slowly descended into a forest.

"The Inner Court isn't easy to enter," Hu Qian said with a faint smile. Then, under everyone's gaze, he walked forward ten steps, halted, and waved his hand. A surge of energy shot from his palm, striking the empty space ahead. Suddenly, a strange sight appeared: as the energy passed through a certain stretch of air, it stirred ripples like water. The ripples surged rapidly, and then—a pale silver gate, seven or eight zhang tall, materialized out of thin air!

Under everyone's stares, the silver gate opened with a crisp sound. Beyond it lay dense forest—identical to the forest before them.

"Follow me," Hu Qian waved and stepped through the silver gate first. Dozens of students, eyes wide with curiosity, hurried after him.

As Xiao Yan stepped through the silver gate, he felt a momentary dizziness in his spirit, then his feet touched solid ground. He glanced ahead—and froze in shock. The scene before him was still the same forest. But now, at the forest's entrance, two elders had appeared out of nowhere. Behind them stood nearly twenty young people.

Xiao Yan's gaze swept over them and noticed each wore a Class Badge on their chest, engraved with a pattern resembling a tower.

Without doubt, those twenty young people were Inner Court students.

"Ah, you've arrived. How are this year's New Students?" One of the two elders, seeing the crowd enter, smiled warmly at Hu Qian.

"Very good. You've probably heard some news about this year—there's a guy with incredible strength," Hu Qian chuckled, stroking his beard. He couldn't help glancing at Xiao Yan, the oddball—he had a feeling things would get interesting soon.

"Oh?" The two Elders glanced at Xiao Yan with slight surprise. To their astonishment, they couldn't perceive his Cultivation Realm—blocked by a strange Soul Force!

"He really does seem unusual," they thought in unison.

"Wow, such a beautiful girl. Looks like the Inner Court's beauty rankings just gained another name," the young people behind them suddenly brightened, whistling.

"Shut up! Whoever speaks another word loses five days of Tower Cultivation time!" Elder Su spun around and barked. The young men instantly fell silent, their grins gone—clearly, losing Tower Cultivation time terrified them.

After silencing the young men, Elder Su turned slowly to the New Students. "You're all newcomers. I hope you adapt quickly—doing so will bring you great benefits. Look at these bastards. Last year, they barely scraped through the Outer Court selection, ranking at the very bottom. Yet now, after just one year, I guarantee you: their strength can already rank among the top ten among you."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled. Of course his Cultivation Realm rose fast—he was using the power of the Falling Heart Flame.

That was the so-called Cultivation Realm cheat.

"Enough talk," Elder Su smiled, raising his hand. A handful of pitch-black crystals appeared in his palm. He tossed them casually—the crystals shot out, then hovered before everyone like they had eyes of their own.

When Xiao Yan saw the cards, his eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a knowing smile.

Hu Jia, Bai Shan, Wu Hao, and others also carefully tucked away their Fire Energy Cards—they'd all heard of their function.

Seeing many still confused, Elder Su chuckled. "Explaining it would be tedious. You'll understand once you experience it firsthand. All I'll say is this: the numbers on these cards are extremely precious—they're the most valuable things in the Inner Court."

"Remember: the numbers on your crystals are a tremendous temptation to the people behind me. They'll use every means possible—except killing—to steal the Fire Energy from your cards."

"As long as you aren't caught and reach the Inner Court safely, you'll receive a final reward—the sooner you arrive, the richer the reward."

Elder Su's finger suddenly pointed to the dark forest behind him: "For this forest raid, our Inner Court calls it the 'Fire Energy Hunt.'"

"Now, I declare: this year's 'Fire Energy Hunt' officially begins! Students, start running..."

Before Elder Su could finish the word "running," a dark shadow shot past the two Elders like a polar aurora. The Inner Court student who had whistled at Xun Er hadn't even reacted when the shadow appeared before him.

BOOM!! A thunderous sound rang out. All Inner and Outer Court students, even the Vice Dean and the two Elders, were stunned. They turned their heads.

There, Xiao Yan had just crushed his foot down hard on the Inner Court student's face—his front teeth shattered completely.

Xiao Yan grinned brightly, turning to face the others. "Hand over all your Fire Energy Cards!"

"Don't even think about running. Anyone who tries to flee—I'll break their limbs and take the cards anyway!"

Everyone froze in shock. Even the two Elders were stunned.

What are you doing?!?!

"You—you!" The Inner Court students pointed at Xiao Yan, speechless.

Did you grab the wrong script?!

Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. From his storage ring, he drew the Xuan Heavy Ruler. His aura surged fully—Second-Star Battle Spirit.

"Yes. Robbery."

"And you two Elders—your Fire Energy Cards too."

????????

You're robbing Elders?!

(End of Chapter)