As he heard the thunder-like cheers that sounded from the surrounding viewing gallery, Xiao Yan smiled as he cupped his hands together and said to the bitter looking Lu Mu, “Thank you Senior Lu Mu for going easy on me.”

“What going easy, a loss is a loss. There is nothing to give in. My open mindedness is not something that most people can compare with.” Lu Mu rolled his eyes and immediately said with a bitter smile, “But little fellow, I did not expect that you were actually hiding your strength so deeply. You might really be able to enter the top five. I will come seek your advice should there be a chance in the future.”

Once he said that, Lu Mu cupped his hands at Xiao Yan, turned his body toward the exit of the stadium, and walked over in an extremely decisive manner.

“This person is also quite honest and is much better when compared to that Bai Shan. I can befriend him if there is an opportunity.” Xiao Yan eyed that back, and smiled faintly. He lifted his head, and glanced in the direction where Bai Shan was seated, coincidentally coming into contact with the coldness in the other party’s eyes. At that instant, the dislike and caution Xiao Yan had toward this person became much denser.

Xiao Yan inserted the Heavy Xuan Ruler onto his back, turned around and descended from the competition stage. After which, he entered the area where the Huang Class - Second Class was seated, under countless number of heated gazes, only to find that a group of young ladies, whom he had only seen once yesterday, had appeared there. When these lively young ladies saw Xiao Yan return, their eyes immediately became starry as they went forward to surround him. Their chattering voices caused Xiao Yan, who had just had a big fight, to feel a little giddy.

“Alright, alright, all of you quiet down.” Seeing Xiao Yan being surrounded by this group of pretty and lovely young ladies, Instructor Ruo Ling helplessly shook her head. She could only speak and pull the minds of these young ladies with worshipful looks back.

“Ha ha, no wonder Xun Er jie-jie never paid attention to any other man during these two years in the academy. You actually had such an outstanding person in your heart.” A young lady leaped to Xun Er side, and teased with a lovely laugh.

TL: jie-jie - older sister/ older female friend

As she heard this, an alluring blush surfaced on Xun Er’s exquisite face. The instant, charming style of hers caused even Instructor Ruo Ling, who stood beside her, to feel her heart move, let alone those male students around them whose eyes had suddenly straightened.

Xiao Yan smiled and took two steps forward to sit beside Xun Er. He sniffed the body fragrance transmitted from the young lady beside him and sensed the jealous envious gazes shot from around him, causing him to be unable to help but suddenly feel slightly absent minded. Back then, during the period of time in Wu Tan City,when he was a useless person, the surrounding gazes were always filled with ridicule and superciliousness when he walked with Xun Er. At that time, it was likely that those people were thinking in their eyes: Did this toad not feel ashamed by walking next to a beautiful swan?

Now, after two years of tough training, there was no longer anyone who used the look back then to look at him when he walked beside Xun Er again. This was because the talent and strength that Xiao Yan had currently displayed completely gave him the qualification to be comparable to Xun Er, this girl favored by the heavens.

This was the difference between having ability, and not having it!

Back then, he had always said at every single moment that he was working hard for the three year agreement. However, deep within his heart, he was also thinking of working hard and raising his own strength, so that there would no longer be anyone who would use that kind of expression to look down at him when he was together with Xun Er in the future.

Three years had already passed since the time that he had been a useless person. During these three years, Xiao Yan relied on his own effort to fulfill his desire to successfully defeat Nalan Yanran, and allowed himself to possess the qualification to be together with Xun Er!

Xiao Yan let out a long breath. He tilted his head to eye Xun Er, whose gaze was staring at the competition within the arena. Being shone under the faint sunlight, the current Xun Er was almost completely wrapped in a circular golden light, appearing quiet and gentle, much like a beautiful picture. This caused an intoxication, which rose from his heart, to flash across Xiao Yan’s eyes. The two years of lonely training had allowed Xiao Yan to understand that the girl in front of him was the one was possessed the deepest imprint within his heart!

This imprint was firmly imprinted when he was young. Actually, Xun Er had always said that if it were not for the ignorant Xiao Yan charging into her room when they were children, and using his Dou Qi, which he was totally unskilled in, to warm her seemingly weak body and persisting to do so for a couple of years, how would she have completely placed Xiao Yan deep within her heart? However, she had also maintained the same warmth and respect toward Xiao Yan when he was in his most despondent moments, causing that inner heart of Xiao Yan, which far exceeded those of his age, to completely open up toward this girl who only displayed her kindness and cuteness to him.

Xiao Yan’s hand slowly moved along under the table and extended over. He finally grabbed Xun Er’s seemingly boneless, small hands and felt the delicate and smooth palm. The inner heart of Xiao Yan gently trembled.

Xun Er’s lovely body gently shook when Xiao Yan suddenly grasped her small hand. She used her gaze and appeared somewhat guilty as she looked at Instructor Ruo Ling, Xiao Yu, and the others nearby. She only sighed in relief when she saw that none of them had discovered Xiao Yan’s action. Turning her head toward Xiao Yan, she said in a soft, annoyed manner, “Xiao Yan ge-ge.”

“You are mine. No matter how large the faction behind you is, I will definitely not give up!” The hand, which held that delicate small hand, slightly tightened. Xiao Yan used a voice that only the two of them could hear as he slowly spoke. Although his voice was calm, it was not difficult to hear an overbearingness and determination from within it.

Xun Er was initially startled when she heard Xiao Yan’s words. A blood redness, like that of dawn, immediately and suddenly rose up onto her snow-white exquisite face. She did not expect that Xiao Yan would actually say such words of love that contained a very rich, hidden meaning at this moment.

Even with Xun Er’s indifferentness, she also could not act as though nothing had happened under these sudden words of Xiao Yan’s. Her face was as red as an apple. For the first time in all these years, a wave that could not be hidden rose within her heart, which was rippleless, like an old well.

“Xun Er, is something wrong?” Xun Er’s unusual expression did not escape Instructor Ruo Ling’s gaze at the side. She was initially startled before her gaze immediately drifted downward and coincidentally saw Xiao Yan’s hand, which was hurriedly being pulled back. A sleek redness had also similarly swarmed up onto his face. She helplessly shook her head and appeared to talk to herself: “Young one, you should control yourself in public. Although I know your relationship with Xun Er is an intimate one, you should not provoke those male students who have intentions toward Xun Er in such a public place. If you do you will provoke a riot, I want to see if you can withstand a thousand people by yourself.

Xiao Yan smiled awkwardly, but did not dare to interrupt. He hurriedly threw his gaze toward the intense battle in the arena.

Beside him Xun Er also swiftly withdrew her rolling heart, as she guiltily glanced at Instructor Ruo Ling by her side. After which, she also threw her gaze back toward the arena, where a fight was taking place.

“Ah, this girl. She is able to be so indifferent when faced with an outsider, but in front of Xiao Yan, she is no different from a little girl in love. It really is one person surrendering to another. I really don’t know how this fellow Xiao Yan managed to hook away the heart of a girl like Xun Er.” Instructor Ruo Ling saw the remaining redness, that was still present on Xun Er’s face, and shook her head while bitterly smiling in her heart.

TL: one thing surrendering to another thing - everything in this world has a weakness

As the names sounded from the judge’s mouth, many human figures repeatedly flashed onto the arena. After undergoing an intense or boring fight, the victor would have an excited face, while the loser would withdraw from the arena in a dejected manner.

As one round after one round of competition passed, the originally one hundred and seventy plus people had gradually been eliminated until there were only sixty plus people left. If this continued for another few round, it was likely that the names of those who had the qualification to enter the Inner Academy would be born.

“The forty-first round: Xuan Class - First Class, Yan Cheng... Law Enforcement Unit, Wu Hao!”

When the names for the next fight in the arena were announced again, however, the stadium suddenly became a lot quieter. Under the pressure of a certain renown name, the students in the viewing gallery could not help but lower their voices.

“Law Enforcement Unit, Wu Hao...” Xiao Yan slowly repeated this name. He turned his head toward Instructor Ruo Ling and said, “I think that this should be that person whom Instructor mentioned the other day?”

“Ah.” Instructor Ruo Ling’s face became a little more grave. She softly said, “This Wu Hao has quite a great reputation in the Law Enforcement Unit. The number of people from the ‘Black-Corner Region’ who died to his hands during these past two years is at least over a hundred. His strength is quite frightening.”

Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Looks like this would indeed be a difficult rival.

“Additionally, I shall tell you something that will give you headache. This Wu Hao once wooed Xun Er, and even directly voiced his intentions in public. However, he was later rejected by Xun Er. Nevertheless, this fellow does not seem to have given up.” Instructor Ruo Ling teased, “Before you have arrived at the academy, this Wu Hao was viewed by Bai Shan as his strongest love rival. Unfortunately, these two people, who were thought of by a countless number of people in the academy as the ones most likely to woo Xun Er, failed because of your appearance.”

“Beautiful women are the root of trouble.” Xiao Yan laughed bitterly as he shook his head. His gaze was immediately thrown to the arena. At this moment, there was already a young man standing within it. With his outstanding eyesight, Xiao Yan was able to clearly see the bitterness on this young man’s face.

“He is able to cause his opponents to feel fear within their hearts before even appearing. This Wu Hao...” Xiao Yan muttered in his heart. His eyes, which were staring at the arena, shrunk. On the opposite side of the young man, there was a human figure, whose entire body was wrapped in a blood-red robe, standing on the originally empty rock surface. It appeared like he was a ghost which had suddenly appeared.

“What frightening speed. This person is very strong!” Xiao Yan’s eyes stared intently at the blood-red human figure, and a rare seriousness swept across his face.

The moment the blood-robed human figure appeared, the originally noisy stadium suddenly became quiet. A bloody scent slowly permeated the entire open ground.