Chapter 168: Now That's Acting on Impulse!
Night fell. A silver moon hung high above, casting its pale light across the massive basin, bathing the entire Inner Academy in a cool lunar glow.
Inside a quiet room, Xiao Yuan sat cross-legged on his bed, hands forming cultivation seals. With each rhythmic breath, threads of visible energy drifted out of the air, drawn into his body in a steady stream.
Floating nearby, a small seven-colored serpent hovered in midair. Its tiny body twisted rhythmically, causing the surrounding space to ripple. Unlike Xiao Yuan's gentle absorption, massive torrents of energy surged into the serpent, ten times thicker than what Xiao Yuan drew in. Oddly, the snake devoured this energy silently, like stones dropped into a bottomless well—vanishing without a trace.
After nearly an hour of cultivation, the ambient energy began to thin. Xiao Yuan's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and then he opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed through his gaze.
"Finally… Nine-Star Da Dou Shi. Seems the past few days of battle weren't for nothing," he murmured. His eyes gleamed in the darkness like smooth warm jade—ethereal and strange.
Soon after, the rainbow-colored Heaven-Swallowing Python finished its own training. It slithered to Xiao Yuan's side, flicking its tongue.
Seeing this, Xiao Yuan sighed helplessly and pulled out a vial of Companion Amethyst Source from his storage ring. After flicking a few drops into the snake's mouth, it happily coiled up his arm and slid into his sleeve.
"This glutton…" Xiao Yuan muttered.
Since Queen Medusa evolved into the Heaven-Swallowing Python, she hadn't fought once, remaining unusually calm. So far, she showed no signs of unrest.
She was just… too greedy!
Half of the Companion Amethyst Source had already been consumed!
At this rate, Xiao Yuan estimated it would be depleted in another six months. He needed to find another resource to feed her soon.
As for when Queen Medusa would awaken again, he had no idea.
Not even his powerful spiritual sense could discern the dormant soul hidden deep within the serpent's body.
Aside from that, his next major goal was to break into the Dou Ling realm and begin learning alchemy.
But breaking through required at least a Tier 4 metal-attribute medicinal herb and a matching Tier 4 beast core.
Fortunately, with Xiao Yan the alchemy prodigy and Yao Lao the alchemy master on his side, Xiao Yuan didn't need to worry. They could easily refine a pill rich in metallic energy for him.
Stretching lazily, Xiao Yuan rose from bed, washed up, and left his room.
Downstairs, he found Xun'er and Xiao Yan watching two figures clash energetically in the main hall. Waves of Dou Qi pulsed through the air with every exchange.
Hearing footsteps, the two turned and smiled. Xiao Yan greeted him, "Morning, Brother."
"Mm." Xiao Yuan nodded back. Glancing at the hall, he asked, "What are those two up to?"
"Probably inspired by the Fire Energy Hunt," Xiao Yan replied with a chuckle. "Last night, Wu Hao and Senior Hu Jia both advanced to Seven-Star Da Dou Shi. This morning they woke up wanting to spar."
"Oh? They advanced?"
Xiao Yuan nodded. These two were top-tier Outer Academy talents. Given their potential, the intense battles of the past few days were a fast track to improvement.
"Here, Brother. This is a Tier 4 Golden Punishment Pill. It's usually used to accelerate metal-attribute Dou Ling training, but it should help you break through too."
Xiao Yan handed him a jade bottle and whispered softly.
Xiao Yuan accepted it and nodded gratefully.
"Where's Sister Xiao Yu?" he asked, glancing around.
"Eating!" came her voice from the kitchen.
"Wait, Sister Xiao Yu cooks? Since when?"
Xiao Yuan blurted without thinking.
"Xiao! Yuan!"
Her furious voice snapped back, full of rage.
She had learned to cook just for him!
The ungrateful jerk!
"Ah—Xiao Yu-jie, I'm coming!"
Xiao Yuan instantly dropped his confused expression and ran off with a grin.
—
In the dining area, the group was enjoying their breakfast when an urgent knock came at the door.
They looked up in surprise.
"I'll get it," Xiao Yu offered, but Xiao Yuan gently pushed her back down.
"No need."
With a flick of his finger, a stream of Dou Qi opened the door.
"Come on in," Xiao Yuan said casually. Though he spoke softly, his voice somehow rang clearly outside.
In the next instant, over a dozen students rushed in, crowding around Xiao Yuan, their faces flushed with anxiety.
"Senior Xiao Yuan! We're all new here too. Please help us! The Inner Academy seniors are bullying us badly."
The speaker, a young man, looked especially agitated. Xiao Yuan vaguely remembered kicking him off the platform during the selection tournament. His name, if he recalled correctly, was Atai.
"What happened, Atai?" Xiao Yuan asked while calmly continuing his meal. But Xiao Yu noticed a sudden drop in the surrounding air pressure.
"This morning, some senior teams entered the freshman zone demanding 'tribute'—two days of Fire Energy per person. We figured it was best not to cause trouble, so we paid.
"But after they left, more senior teams showed up—three in total! By the third group, some of us only had one day's worth left… so they beat us."
Atai clenched his fists, visibly upset.
"Outrageous," Hu Jia snapped, slamming her hand on the table.
Xiao Yuan's eyes narrowed as he scanned the bruised and battered freshmen.
"Senior Xiao Yuan, we're not asking you to erase these problems for us. We understand that freshmen getting picked on is a tradition. I've even asked around—normally, tribute is only paid to two major factions.
"But this year… because of our success in the Fire Energy Hunt, some seniors are furious. That's why they're taking it out on us."
Atai sighed bitterly.
"We're not blaming you—on the contrary, you've become a legend among us freshmen. But our strength isn't enough. We've realized that unless you help, there's no way out of this. If we keep getting extorted, we won't even have enough to train in the Refining Tower."
He bowed deeply.
"If it comes to that, we'd rather give all our Fire Energy to you than to those bastards."
"Tribute to me?" Xiao Yuan chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't bring that up again. Since they're blocking the exits, I doubt we're exempt either. Gather the new students—we'll be there shortly."
"Thank you, Senior Xiao Yuan! From now on, you'll have our loyalty!"
Atai and the others beamed and bowed, then quickly left to follow his instructions.
—
"What do you all think?" Xiao Yuan turned to his team.
"You're our leader. But we're not sheep to be slaughtered," Hu Jia said. "If you do nothing, the freshmen will lose faith—and maybe even resent you."
"Elder Su said the Inner Academy is divided into factions," Xun'er added. "We're going to be here for a long time. This is a good opportunity to recruit."
"She's right," Xiao Yu agreed. "Building our own force is better than joining someone else's and being tied down."
"Exactly. Better to unify the freshmen than let them be absorbed by other factions," Wu Hao nodded.
"Yeah, Brother. This is the perfect chance," Xiao Yan said.
"Alright then. Let's go see what kind of 'welcome gift' the seniors have prepared."
Xiao Yuan smiled and led the team out.
—
The group traveled down a shaded avenue. Compared to their elegant pavilion, the other freshmen's housing looked rather simple—clearly not everyone got the same treatment.
The road was empty. All the other freshmen had gathered near the exit.
After four or five minutes of fast movement, they arrived.
They saw a massive crowd at the end of the path, filled with shouting and curses.
Xiao Yuan raised a hand, signaling silence, then approached with his group. The other freshmen beamed at them but held back their cheers, understanding the gesture.
They greeted the crowd with polite nods, then pushed forward.
At the entrance stood eight seniors with tower badges on their chests, blocking the path. Behind them was a crowd of curious onlookers—senior students relishing the moment.
Facing them was Atai, leading the freshman resistance, face grim.
"Enough talk," one of the seniors sneered. "This tribute is tradition. Two days' Fire Energy per person—it's a small price to live peacefully."
"Hmph. We're new, not ignorant. Yes, we pay tribute—but only to two factions. After that, others can go talk to them. That's how it's always been. You're the fifth group today—what Fire Energy do we even have left?!"
"Heh, but your class is special, aren't you? First time freshmen ever beat seniors in the Hunt. That kind of showboating deserves special treatment."
"Get lost! We won't pay another Fire Energy! Whether we have any or not, we'd rather fight than hand it over!"
The lead senior chuckled darkly. "You forget where you are. This isn't the Outer Academy. There are rules, sure—but there's always room for a little pain."
"Young man, don't be impulsive."
A cold voice suddenly interrupted.
BANG!
A white blur shot forward. A burst of Dou Qi exploded. The arrogant senior was launched backward, spitting blood as he crashed to the ground.
Xiao Yuan stood tall, foot just retracting, face calm.
And just like that, silence fell.
(END CHAPTER)
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