BTTH: Transmigrated with the Devouring Ancestral Symbol

Chapter 111: Lu Bu: Xiao Yan, Don't Worry, I'll Take Good Care of Them for You!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Lu Bu swung his arm with practiced ease smashing to the left, then the right, and once more to the front and back.

"Hahaha… Xiao Yan, you're truly blessed! This is a technique only gods get to experience!"

The world spun and twisted, turning upside down, as Xiao Yan's battered mind turned to mush from the relentless beating. His face was repeatedly smashed into the ground in intimate, unending contact.

"Xiao Yan! / Brother Xiao Yan!"

Nalan Yanran and Xiao Xun'er both cried out in alarm, activating their movement techniques to charge toward Lu Bu. However, with a flick of his wrist, Lu Bu casually hurled Xiao Yan away, sending him crashing outside the arena.

With this move, the top five contestants were officially decided: Lu Bu, Wu Hao, Hu Jia, Xiao Xun'er, and Nalan Yanran.

As for Bai Shan and Xiao Yan? Unfortunately, they were out.

Seeing Xiao Xun'er and Nalan Yanran charging forward with fiery determination, Lu Bu leaped gracefully off the platform, forfeiting his spot. He became the first of the top five to voluntarily concede.

In the audience below, Xiao Yan lay sprawled on the ground, his face a pitiful sight. Half his mouth was sunken in where his teeth had been knocked out, blood dripped from his broken nose, and his forehead bore a gash that left him drenched in blood.

He looked miserable, though… not irreparably so. As an alchemist, it wouldn't take him more than a few days to recover completely.

Yet, seeing him in such a wretched state, Xiao Xun'er and Nalan Yanran's faces flushed with anger, their teeth clenched tightly in fury. They glared daggers at Lu Bu, their beautiful faces seething with hatred.

Unfortunately, with Lu Bu stepping off the stage, they could no longer take action against him private duels were strictly prohibited in the Jia Nan Academy!

If anyone had a grievance, they could settle it on the competition platform. But… good luck trying to drag Lu Bu back up there.

Watching Xiao Xun'er and Nalan Yanran fuss over and tend to Xiao Yan, Hu Jia and Wu Hao exchanged glances. Had they really just clinched first and second place by doing absolutely nothing?

It seemed they had.

…

With the Inner Academy Selection Tournament over, the once tense atmosphere around the academy lightened significantly. Students gathered in groups of threes and fours, some joking around, others reflecting on their performance, while many continued their diligent training.

Five days passed quickly. Under the guidance of an instructor, Lu Bu, Hu Jia, Wu Hao, Xiao Xun'er, and Nalan Yanran met at the appointed place. It was time to head to the famed Book Pavilion.

"Ah, the Book Pavilion," Lu Bu sighed with mock reverence. "They say there are plenty of treasures in there."

Nearby, Xiao Yan's face darkened. With his strength, he could've eliminated Hu Jia or Wu Hao, though it wouldn't have been easy. Still, it was within the realm of possibility.

But… he had wanted both: to defeat Lu Bu and to gain access to the Book Pavilion. Unfortunately, his greed for both had left him with neither.

"Brother Xiao Yan, if there's something you need, I'll help retrieve it for you," Xiao Xun'er said with a gentle smile, her voice as soft as a spring breeze.

"Xiao Yan, is there anything you want? Let me know, and I'll bring it back for you," Nalan Yanran added, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she smiled warmly.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but grin widely, his face lighting up with joy. For a moment, he considered flaunting his luck in front of Lu Bu. But then his gaze shifted, and he noticed Lu Bu's darkened expression.

A shiver ran down his spine. Xiao Yan immediately straightened up, wiping the smug look off his face. He dared not show any sign of pride.

Lu Bu's provocations in the past had already soured Xiao Xun'er and Nalan Yanran's views of him. Now, every time the three were left alone together, Xiao Yan found himself reduced to a servant pouring tea, fetching water, and meekly following their commands. It was a truly pitiful sight.

His recent injuries had temporarily earned him their sympathy, but if Lu Bu stirred the pot again, things could spiral out of control. Xiao Yan had no desire to ruin what little goodwill he'd regained.

He wasn't overly resentful of Lu Bu for injuring him during the match. While Xiao Yan and Lu Bu often found themselves at odds, they had a common enemy: the Hall of Souls.

Until that enemy was defeated, Xiao Yan had no intention of making Lu Bu a true adversary. Besides, he had been the one to challenge Lu Bu first. Losing was a possibility he had already accounted for.

Wu Hao, on the other hand, watched Xiao Yan with envy. Xiao Xun'er treated everyone else with cool indifference, keeping them at arm's length.

Hu Jia, meanwhile, scoffed disdainfully. She sneered at Xiao Xun'er and Nalan Yanran's choice in men, calling them blind for fawning over such a "stinking guy." Sure, he had some muscles, but so what? She had extra curves and didn't see anyone lining up for her!

…

Their visit to the Book Pavilion went largely without incident. Lu Bu used the opportunity to request an herb called "Blood Lingzhi," the monarch ingredient for refining a sixth tier pill known as the "Breakthrough King Pill." It was similar in effect to the "Breakthrough Sect Pill," serving as an aid for ascending to the next level of cultivation.

To be honest, Lu Bu couldn't quite figure out why a pill meant for Dou Spirits was categorized as sixth tier. Then again, considering the "Qi Gathering Powder" for Dou Disciples was a fourth tier pill, he decided it wasn't worth dwelling on.

As for what the others obtained, Lu Bu neither noticed nor cared.

A few more days passed, and the academy gathered the fifty students who had qualified to enter the Inner Academy. It was finally time to head there.

On the plaza, the fifty students were divided into ten groups of five. Xiao Yan's face darkened as he looked at the first group Lu Bu, Xiao Xun'er, and Nalan Yanran were all in the same group.

To reach the Inner Academy, students needed to ride gryphons, one group per gryphon. Xiao Yan, to his dismay, was separated from Xiao Xun'er and Nalan Yanran, who ended up riding with Lu Bu.

"Hahaha, don't worry, Brother Xiao Yan. I'll take excellent care of them for you!" Lu Bu laughed heartily as he patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder. "I promise you better care than you could ever provide!"

Xiao Yan swatted Lu Bu's hand away with a sullen expression and boarded the gryphon assigned to his group, visibly unhappy.

It was just a short journey, and they were in full view of everyone. Nothing inappropriate could happen. Besides, the gryphons were massive large enough to stretch out, sleep, or even roll around on their backs. Xiao Yan really had nothing to worry about.

Lu Bu was clearly teasing him, simply for the fun of it. And yet, Xiao Yan couldn't help feeling annoyed.

He might appear to be surrounded by beauty, but in reality, he was miserable. Not only had he gained no real advantage, but he also ended up at the beck and call of both Xiao Xun'er and Nalan Yanran. His life was nothing short of unlucky.

Before long, Vice Principal Hu Gan gave the order, and the gryphons slowly took flight.

The ten gryphons, each carrying five students, soared over the dense expanse of the primordial forest, crossing into a protected zone hidden by a spatial formation. Eventually, the gryphons descended, landing gently.

There to welcome them were two elderly men, several middle aged warriors, and a group of twenty young students standing behind them.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries between Vice Principal Hu Gan and the two elders, the newcomers were introduced. Lu Bu's group of five was highlighted, and both Xiao Yan and Bai Shan were mentioned as well, given their strength and potential. It was simply unfortunate that their paths had crossed with Lu Bu's.

Through the introductions, the students learned that one elder was named Elder Su, while the other was Elder Qing. Under the watchful eyes of the two elders, the fifty new students gradually quieted down.

Seeing this, Elder Su nodded slightly and raised his voice, saying, "Alright, students. Congratulations on passing the Inner Academy Selection Tournament and earning the right to cultivate in the Inner Academy."

"However… this is only the beginning. To gain access to cultivation resources, you must prove your potential and strength. Therefore…"

With a wave of his hand, fifty black crystal tokens flew out, hovering in front of each of the fifty new students.

"These are Fire Crystal Cards. They're incredibly valuable in the Inner Academy, though explaining them in detail would take too long. Just remember this: your senior students are very interested in these cards, and they will do everything they can to seize them from you."

"Your task is simple: break through their blockade and reach the Inner Academy. We call this… the Fire Energy Hunting Competition!"

"And now… let the Fire Energy Hunting Competition begin!"

…

In the forest, Xiao Yan came running, catching up to Lu Bu's group of five. Bai Shan had also considered joining them after all, Xiao Xun'er seemed quite appealing to him.

But Xiao Yan had chased Bai Shan off. Lu Bu didn't object. Bai Shan was narrow minded and vengeful. While this attitude might be acceptable against enemies, it wasn't ideal when dealing with fellow students. No one thought having him around was a good idea.

"What's our plan from here?" Xiao Xun'er asked softly, her gaze sweeping over the other five in the group.

Lu Bu shrugged. "Do any of you know anything about the Inner Academy?"

"No idea. They keep it so mysterious…" Hu Jia muttered. Her grandfather had never told her anything about the Inner Academy, leaving her feeling completely unprepared.

"Then we'll gather information," Lu Bu said casually. "Catch someone and question them. That should answer all our questions."

"But the forest is so big. Where would we even find someone to catch?" Nalan Yanran frowned, glancing at the dense canopy of leaves above that blocked out the sunlight.

Xiao Xun'er's gaze fell on Lu Bu. As a seventh tier alchemist, his sensory abilities were unmatched.

"There's someone to the west. Follow me," Lu Bu said with a light smile as he sped off.

The others exchanged glances before quickly following him. In an unfamiliar environment like this, sticking with someone as strong as Lu Bu wasn't a bad idea.

Watching the group trailing behind him, Lu Bu smiled faintly. He wasn't particularly interested in the Fire Energy Hunting Competition, but the Fire Crystal Card did pique his curiosity. The card granted access to deeper levels of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower.

Of course, Lu Bu didn't urgently need it. But having something and not needing it was very different from needing it and not having it.

So, his goal was simple: clear the trial as quickly as possible. The Inner Academy was within reach, and so was Zi Yan.

He wasn't willing to wait any longer!

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