Chapter 29: Potential Value Ratings

After Ruolin's Mentor appeared, Xiao Yan's powerful Soul Force detected that some of the young students inside the Tent had quietly grown fiery gazes toward her, their eyes holding an inexplicable sentiment.

Xiao Yan couldn't help but shiver; younger people always fancied women more mature than themselves… uh, this was apparently called a "mature woman obsession."

Xiao Yu and several close friends hurried to the Mentor's side, chattering around her excitedly.

"Mentor Ruolin, hehe, Yu'er has missed you so much!" Xiao Yu giggled as she rushed forward and hugged the Mentor's waist.

Mentor Ruolin smiled gently, softly stroking Xiao Yu's long hair. "Hehe, Yu'er, how was your holiday?"

"Besides missing Mentor Ruolin every single day, everything else was fine."

"You, you little chatterbox."

After a few more words, Mentor Ruolin glanced at the sea of students below and fell silent, shaking her head. "You've made quite a racket—take the injured to the shade and summon a pharmacist to check on them."

"All of you, and the other New Students, come inside the Tent for your Potential Tester evaluation."

Hearing Mentor Ruolin's words, the New Students, baked like roast suckling pigs under the blazing sun, rushed into the Tent with faces lit up as if they'd seen a Bodhisattva.

Xiao Yan nodded to Xiao Ning and Xiao Mei, signaling them to follow inside.

"Let's go, Xun Er. We're going in too."

Mentor Ruolin looked at Xiao Yan—his refined, composed demeanor, his calm command—and felt not only that she'd found a treasure, but likely also a troublesome student.

Inside the Tent, Mentor Ruolin sat before the desk, flicked her finger, and a glow shimmered from the ring on her finger; a green parchment Scroll and an Ink Brush appeared in her hand.

Mentor Ruolin smiled lightly. "Dear students, congratulations—you've all passed the preliminary screening and now stand at the threshold of Jia Nan Academy. But since the Academy divides classes from Yellow Class to Profound Class, we must distinguish your Potential Values. So I need to know your exact cultivation level."

"Under twenty years old, Eight-Segment Dou Qi: F-Rank Potential. This is Jia Nan Academy's minimum standard. If under eighteen and reaching Seven-Segment Dou Qi, you qualify."

"Under twenty years old, Nine-Segment Dou Qi: E-Rank Potential."

"One-Star Dou Zhe: D-Rank. Two-Star Dou Zhe: C-Rank. And so on. The highest rank is S-Rank, Five-Star Dou Zhe. The younger you are, the higher your rating will be."

Mentor Ruolin gently explained the rating criteria—though Xiao Yu had already told Xiao Ning and the others. Those who followed Xiao Yu were all elites selected by the Xiao Clan.

"Hehe, in the past decade, Jia Nan Academy has encountered only one New Student with S-Rank Potential—that little Enchantress. She's quite formidable here."

As she spoke, Mentor Ruolin's gaze subtly swept over Xiao Yan and Xun Er; in her perception, their potential was the highest—but she didn't yet know exactly how high.

Xiao Yan curiously asked Xiao Yu beside him: "Who's the little Enchantress?"

"The little Enchantress is Hu Jia—the granddaughter of the Vice Dean of Jia Nan Academy's Outer Court. She has extraordinary talent and immense combat power, but she's into women." Xiao Yu shuddered as she spoke—this girl had a messed-up orientation!

"Uh… Xun Er, be careful." Xiao Yan warned seriously.

"Hehe, I think Brother Xiao Yan is the one who needs to be careful—not going around flirting with everyone."

While Xiao Yan and the others chatted, the evaluation had begun. On Mentor Ruolin's desk sat a Potential Tester, capable of measuring cultivation level and age.

Most students were exactly nineteen years old, with ratings mostly F and E; D-Rank was rare.

"Xiao Mei, just turned sixteen, Nine-Segment Dou Power."

Mentor Ruolin looked at the timid girl before her with surprise, satisfied. "Good. Potential Value: C."

"Big Brother Xiao Yan, my potential is C!" Xiao Mei ran excitedly to Xiao Yan—her high potential was directly tied to him, for he'd given her two bottles of Foundation Building Spirit Liquid, enabling her to reach Nine-Segment Dou Power.

Xiao Yan smiled gently. "This is your own hard work—I only offered a little help."

"Xiao Ning, eighteen, One-Star Dou Zhe." Xiao Ning said solemnly.

"Good. You're also C-Rank Potential."

Xiao Ning clenched his fists, stepped respectfully to Xiao Yan, and bowed deeply. Xiao Yan merely waved his hand calmly. Xiao Ning had reached One-Star Dou Zhe entirely thanks to the Qi-Condensing Powder Xiao Yan had given him—without Xiao Yan, he would be nothing.

"Next, Xiao Xun'er."

Hearing her name, Xiao Yan gently stroked Xun Er's hair. "Go shock them."

Xun Er shrugged, imitating Xiao Yan's exasperated expression. "Sigh… still can't surpass Brother Xiao Yan in the end."

Xiao Yan chuckled. "What, are you jealous of me now?"

Xun Er pursed her lips, stepped to the desk, and whispered: "Xiao Xun'er, Seven-Star Dou Zhe, age sixteen."

*Clang! * Mentor Ruolin's wrist froze; the Ink Brush slipped from her fingers. She looked up, mouth slightly open, at the beautiful girl before her.

Are you kidding me???

The girl's light voice silenced the entire Tent. All eyes locked onto the green-clad girl in stunned stillness—even Mentor Ruolin couldn't immediately rate this talent.

This is off the charts!

Stronger than the Vice Dean's granddaughter! And she's sixteen?!

Xiao Yan internally sighed helplessly—this cultivation speed was insane. If not for the Burnt Scripture and Bone Spirit Cold Fire, he'd already been surpassed.

Mentor Ruolin took a deep breath and wrote "SS" on the Roster.

"I'll give you SS-Rank Potential. Though the rating chart doesn't have this level, you've clearly surpassed S-Rank. I'll inform the Dean." Mentor Ruolin broke protocol!

"Now that little Enchantress in the Academy finally has a real rival," Xiao Yu muttered under her breath.

Inside the Tent, all the New Students began whispering, speculating about Xun Er's origins, openly fantasizing about her.

But Xun Er remained as cold and aloof as ever, ignoring everyone and walking straight back to Xiao Yan's side.

When Mentor Ruolin glanced at the last name on the Roster Table, her expression turned peculiar as she looked at Xiao Yan. "Next, Xiao Yan."

Xiao Yan slowly stood, walked to the desk, and said: "Xiao Yan, sixteen, Eight-Star Dou Zhe."

*Pfft!!!! *

Luo Bu and Gela, who had just been revived in the corner and were about to drink water and take medicine, spat out every last drop. Their eyes held terror and shock—they nearly knelt down.

"Sixteen?!!"

"Impossible! How can an Eight-Star Dou Zhe have such power?!"

As soon as Xiao Yan spoke, a chorus of sharp intakes of breath filled the Tent. Shocked, even terrified gazes turned toward him, brimming with awe at this terrifying talent.

When they'd seen Xiao Yan easily defeat Luo Bu and the others, everyone assumed he was a Dou Shi, probably close to twenty—like Xiao Yu.

But Xiao Yan was only sixteen! And he hadn't even reached Dou Shi yet—yet he'd displayed Dou Shi-level combat power! That was even more terrifying than a Dou Shi!

"An Eight-Star Dou Zhe at sixteen… stronger than Xun Er, with incredible combat power! This is a genius!" Mentor Ruolin exhaled slowly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied the boy before her.

This talent and combat power is much stronger than the Little Enchantress's!

Xiao Yu's sisters had long been numb to it; Xue Ni asked, "Yu'er, what's wrong with your family? Each one is more monstrous than the last! Your cousin is too... too monstrous."

Xiao Yu's lips slowly curled upward, as if the praise were meant for herself; inside, she chuckled silently: "If they knew Xiao Yan was also an Alchemist, they'd faint from shock."