BTTH: Transmigrated with the Devouring Ancestral Symbol

Chapter 112: First Encounter with the Inner Academy

Nighttime, in a spacious pavilion!

Creak...

A wooden door slowly swung open, letting the soft moonlight stream in. Bathed in the gentle glow, an elder entered, followed by six young individuals.

"Lu Bu, this will be your residence from today onwards," the elder said with a smile. "Choose your rooms as you like. I must say, completing the Fire Energy Hunting Competition in just two days… you are the most talented batch of new students I've ever seen!"

"Thank you, Elder. But let's not talk about that," Hu Jia said, rolling her eyes, her face still weary and dust streaked from the journey. "It's all Lu Bu's fault! He kept forcing us to fight. If we didn't fight, he'd beat us up himself!"

The others, similarly exhausted, nodded in agreement. Even Xiao Yan and his group appeared drained, though Wu Hao's eyes gleamed with excitement despite his fatigue. The intense, sleepless battles of the past two days had brought back memories of the brutal fights he had once experienced in the Black Corner Region, leaving him exhilarated.

"Alright, rest well tonight. I'll explain the Inner Academy's rules tomorrow. Honestly, it's my first time welcoming new students this late at night," the elder said before turning and leaving.

Lu Bu chuckled as he played with a blue Fire Crystal Card in his hand. He couldn't help but find it amusing according to the original story, Xiao Yan and his group took five to six days to clear the trial. But this time, thanks to Lu Bu's relentless prodding, they had cleared it in just two days.

"I'm off to bed. You all do whatever you want," Hu Jia said, yawning as she chose a random room and entered.

The others followed suit, heading to their own rooms, completely drained from the grueling battles.

Lu Bu found a room on the second floor facing the dormitory area for new students. He collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep almost instantly. He, too, needed rest. Tomorrow, he planned to search for Zi Yan. The only issue was figuring out how to approach her without causing a scene.

Surely, draining her blood on their first meeting wasn't an option that would undoubtedly bring Elder Su Qian down on him.

As random thoughts swirled in his mind, Lu Bu drifted off into a deep sleep. It had been a long time since he'd last rested properly.

The next morning, Lu Bu indulged in a rare lazy lie in, unwilling to get out of bed.

Meanwhile, outside on the dormitory's grounds, a large crowd had gathered. Two groups were locked in a tense standoff: the new students, who had the numbers advantage, and a smaller group of veteran students who held the upper hand in terms of pressure.

The purpose of the older students' presence was straightforward they were there to demand tributes from the newcomers, both in manpower and Fire Energy. This practice was colloquially known as the "Newcomer Tribute Fee."

Although Lu Bu had pushed Xiao Yan's group to clear the Fire Energy Hunting Competition in record time, the rest of the new students weren't nearly as exhausted and had rushed over at the commotion. Even Xiao Yan and the others came out to check on the situation. They were merely fatigued, not injured, and a few hours of sleep had been enough to recover. As for Lu Bu… he was just enjoying a lie in for no particular reason.

After all, what's the point of college life if you don't sleep in?

"Xun'er, Hu Jia, why not join our White Gang? You won't find anything good sticking with these other newbies," Bai Shan suggested, addressing Xiao Xun'er, Hu Jia, and Nalan Yanran, who stood at the forefront.

The three women merely glanced at him with indifference, their disdain palpable.

None of them held even the slightest bit of affection for Bai Shan. His narrow mindedness and pitifully small ambitions made him a despicable figure in their eyes. Always relying on others for support, he would shamelessly flaunt his borrowed power, oblivious to the fact that his so called backers were insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Seeing the unreserved contempt on their faces, Bai Shan's forehead twitched with anger, but he could do nothing about it. Each of these three women was either his equal in strength or outright stronger than him.

"This is our business. You don't need to interfere!" Xiao Yan stepped forward from the crowd, speaking in a calm tone.

Wu Hao wasn't present he was in the middle of breaking through to the seventh star of the Dou Master level. The intense battles had provided him with the perfect opportunity to advance.

"Hahahaha! Bai Shan, why waste your breath?" A hearty laugh interrupted them. A burly young man standing beside Bai Shan grinned broadly, cutting him off mid sentence.

Inside his room, Lu Bu frowned at the sound of the loud laughter. Half asleep, he grumbled as he rolled over, "What the hell… If they keep yelling, I'm gonna break their jaws…"

"Such feisty little girls and such arrogant newcomers!" Fu Ao roared with laughter. "Xun'er, you've caught my eye. Here's the deal: I'll spare you the Fire Energy tribute if you hand over five newcomers. Of course, you'll have to be one of them."

The booming laughter made Lu Bu's eyelid twitch. Half conscious, he pulled his blanket over his head, mumbling irritably, "Shut up already… So noisy…"

He despised noise, but he also didn't want to get out of bed.

Downstairs, as the standoff between the White Gang and the new students intensified, the veteran students watching from the sidelines crossed their arms, amused.

They, too, had gone through similar situations in the past. Once the White Gang was done, it would be their turn to step in and demand their share.

"No one here will go with you!" Xiao Yan said coldly, stepping forward.

"Hahahaha! Did I hear that right?" Fu Ao laughed as though Xiao Yan had just told the funniest joke in the world. "These newcomers sure are full of themselves this year!"

"Seems like I'll need to teach you the difference between newcomers and seniors "

"WHO THE HELL IS MAKING SO MUCH NOISE? CAN'T A GUY SLEEP IN PEACE?"

A furious roar erupted from the second floor, cutting Fu Ao off mid sentence. All eyes instinctively turned toward the source of the voice.

Xiao Yan's lips twitched involuntarily he recognized that voice. It was Lu Bu's.

Among the crowd, a silver haired woman's eyes gleamed with amusement. Her lips curved into a smile. "This junior… he's quite interesting."

Before either Xiao Yan or Fu Ao could respond, a loud clang echoed through the air. Something massive and black came crashing through the second floor wall, hurtling downward.

The heavy object emitted a sharp whistling sound as it descended, its weight evident from the air pressure alone. Everyone instinctively stepped back to avoid it.

Boom!

The black object hit the ground with a thunderous crash, kicking up a cloud of dust. As the dust settled, everyone stared in shock it was a massive, half human sized, crimson cauldron.

Lu Bu's heaviest and largest cauldron, the Flaming Cauldron, was the first thing he grabbed in his half asleep stupor, and he had thrown it without a second thought.

"Who the hell just tosses something so expensive around like that?" someone muttered.

From the hole in the wall on the second floor, Lu Bu jumped down, his expression thunderous.

Boom!

His landing left cracks spiderwebbing across the solid stone floor as smoke and dust swirled around him. When the air cleared, his angry yet strikingly handsome face was visible to all.

The silver haired woman's smile widened. This junior was truly entertaining.

"Who's the idiot cackling like a dying goose just now? Screeching like a eunuch can't a guy sleep?" Lu Bu growled, his fierce gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Caught off guard, Xiao Yan, Hu Jia, and the others averted their eyes, pretending not to notice anything. They whistled innocently, clearly unwilling to provoke Lu Bu's infamous bad mood upon waking.

"Hahahaha! What arrogance! Bai Shan, your batch of newcomers is really something!" Fu Ao laughed heartily, oblivious to the looming danger.

Lu Bu's sharp gaze landed on him, and his expression darkened further. "Oh, it was you?"

Fu Ao's laughter abruptly stopped. Something about Lu Bu's look sent a chill down his spine. But soon, his anger flared how dare he feel intimidated by a mere newcomer?

"Kid, I'm part of the White Gang "

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHO YOU ARE!" Lu Bu roared, rolling up his sleeves as he strode forward with a menacing grin. "I'M GONNA BEAT YOU INTO THE GROUND!"

"What an arrogant freshman!" Fu Ao sneered, stomping heavily on the ground. A dull rumble erupted as azure Dou Qi instantly enveloped his body, surging like rolling waves around him.

"Kid, I'll show you what it means to respect your seniors!" Fu Ao sneered coldly. Azure Dou Qi coalesced in his hands, forming a trident. With a fierce step forward, he charged toward Lu Bu.

The ability to manifest Dou Qi into physical weapons was a hallmark of the Dou Spirit level, just as Dou Kings and Dou Emperors could manifest Dou Qi wings, and Dou Ancestors could manipulate spatial forces.

"Fu Ao advanced to three star Dou Spirit about a month ago, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. He's one of the three Dou Spirits in the White Gang."

"Heh... this freshman's in trouble now."

"Three star Dou Spirit while not enough to make the top ranks, he should still be around the 70th spot. This freshman's probably going to have a tough time!"

Amidst the buzzing discussions, a silver haired woman silently observed, her gaze unwavering. Though the crowd seemed convinced of the outcome, something felt off to her.

As Fu Ao barreled toward him, Lu Bu smirked coldly. Raising his hand, he swung a slap plain, unremarkable, the kind of slap a parent might use to discipline a child.

Fury flashed in Fu Ao's eyes. To be so blatantly underestimated "You brat, you're looking for death "

BANG!

Before he could finish his sentence, Fu Ao's charging figure abruptly twisted in mid air, sent flying sideways. Several white teeth, smeared with traces of blood, spun through the air as they were knocked out.

Hissss!

"One slap and it's over?"

The onlooking senior students collectively gasped, sucking in a breath of cold air. This batch of freshmen was too terrifying that was a three star Dou Spirit! Ranked in the top 70 of the Inner Academy!

Bai Shan's face twitched, and he instinctively covered the right side of his face. Though he wasn't in pain, he could still feel the sting of the humiliation.

Xiao Yan, watching from the crowd, also felt his eyelid twitch. He made a mental note to move to another dorm room later what if Lu Bu woke up in a bad mood and decided to beat him too?

The silver haired woman's eyes gleamed with a trace of surprise. As expected, this junior was no ordinary freshman.

"Xiao Yan, Hu Jia, tie up all these White Gang members. Make their leader pay in Fire Energy to redeem them!" Lu Bu ordered with a cold snort.

Xiao Yan and the others exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, and then decisively started tying people up. Better to deal a strong blow now than to let this escalate later. Letting Bai Shan go scot free today would undoubtedly lead to bigger problems down the line.

"Um… Junior…" the silver haired woman stepped forward with a smile, gently reminding him, "The leader of the White Gang is Bai Cheng. He's a six star Dou Spirit and ranks 34th on the Strong List."

Lu Bu raised an eyebrow not at her words, but at her appearance. Silver hair and strikingly beautiful features… If he wasn't mistaken, this must be Han Yue.

"Thanks for the reminder, Senior," Lu Bu said, stroking his chin. With a flick of his finger, a strand of the Green Lotus Core Flame ignited within the nearby medicinal cauldron. With a flash of light from his storage ring, several medicinal ingredients, each emitting faint white mist, flew into the cauldron.

The senior students, who had been planning to retreat after realizing they couldn't handle Lu Bu, paused and turned back to watch. Was he… refining pills?

Even Han Yue, who had been about to leave, stayed to observe. She was curious about what this junior was up to.

Before long, a rich white medicinal fragrance began to waft through the air. The surrounding seniors were stunned not because fourth tier pills released colored fragrances, but because the scent carried a cooling sensation. Just one whiff felt like it was purging the fire poison from their bodies.

Han Yue also sensed the extraordinary quality of this batch of pills and decided to wait patiently.

An hour later, Lu Bu slapped the cauldron lid, and a thick, icy blue medicinal liquid flew out, landing perfectly in a jade bottle.

"Ice Spirit Cleansing Elixir, a fourth tier concoction. Its effect… cleansing fire poison!" Lu Bu tossed the jade bottle lightly in his hand before turning to Han Yue with a smile. "Senior, would you mind helping to suppress the White Gang? As payment, I offer this Ice Spirit Cleansing Elixir with both hands."

Han Yue's eyes immediately lit up. So that was his plan all along. Without hesitation, she took the jade bottle from Lu Bu's hand. "Alright, Junior, I accept this deal!"

With that, she retrieved a jade token and flung it into the air. A streak of silver light flew off into the distance.

There was no way she could refuse. A fourth tier alchemist wasn't just a rare find in the Inner Academy even outside, such a figure would be treated as a guest of honor.

The surrounding senior students erupted in whispers. A fourth tier alchemist… Not even Lin Xiuya or Liu Qing would dare provoke someone like that!

The freshmen were instantly reassured.

Lu Bu smiled faintly. In the original story, Xiao Yan never capitalized on his status as an alchemist and always clashed head on with the White Gang. It wasn't until the financial strain on the Pan Gate forced him into a corner that he started leveraging his alchemy skills.

"Junior, care to take a walk with me? We can discuss future collaborations," Han Yue said with a smile. A fourth tier alchemist like Lu Bu was worth forming a good relationship with.

"Gladly!" Lu Bu replied with a grin. He had been meaning to explore the Inner Academy anyway. Turning to Hu Jia and Xiao Yan, he added, "Could you handle these White Gang members? Make sure Fu Ao fixes my room after he wakes up. As for the rest, don't worry someone else will deal with the White Gang."

Hu Jia scratched her head, a little dazed by the rapid turn of events. Had they really dealt with the White Gang so easily?

As expected of a fourth tier alchemist.

With that, Lu Bu followed Han Yue, the two of them chatting as they walked away.

Along the way, Han Yue introduced Lu Bu to the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower and explained the Inner Academy's Strong List and its most powerful students. She resembled a knowledgeable guide, but she didn't mind. After all, a fourth tier alchemist like Lu Bu deserved proper courtesy not even a Dou King would slight such a person.

Moreover, this junior was far less insufferable than Han Xian from the Medicinal Gang. Building a good relationship with him might even help her break the Medicinal Gang's monopoly within the Inner Academy.

"I see…" Lu Bu mused, intrigued. While he already knew some of this from the original story, hearing Han Yue's detailed explanations provided far greater clarity.

"So, while being a fourth tier alchemist commands respect, it doesn't mean you can act recklessly in the Inner Academy," Han Yue advised with a smile.

"Thank you for the advice, Senior. I'll remember that," Lu Bu replied with a grin.

Han Yue's eyes sparkled slightly how refreshing. He lacked the arrogance so common among alchemists.

Just then, Han Yue's expression shifted slightly as a petite figure in white suddenly appeared in her line of sight.

Lu Bu raised an eyebrow and followed her gaze. It was a young girl, no older than twelve or thirteen, dressed in white. Her long, light purple hair cascaded down to her waist, her features exquisitely doll like, and her overall appearance was incredibly adorable.

Lu Bu's brow arched higher. Zi Yan? Already?

However, something was off about her condition. Her silky purple hair was a tangled mess, resembling a bird's nest, and her white clothes were stained with patches of brown dirt. Even her aura seemed unstable.

"Damn it… I lost again!" Zi Yan muttered irritably, scratching her already messy hair, making it even worse.

Perhaps sensing Lu Bu and Han Yue's gazes, she looked up with her big, dark eyes, glancing between the two of them.

"Hey, silver haired lady! I know where a treasure is! Since I like you, I'll tell you it's over by the snowy…!" Zi Yan began, her adorable black eyes flickering with mischief.

But halfway through her sentence, her gaze locked onto Lu Bu. Her dark eyes sparkled brightly as she dashed toward him, sniffing him up and down with her little nose.

"You have something tasty on you!" she declared in her crisp, childlike voice.

Han Yue's expression stiffened. Oh no… is this girl going to steal my junior away?!

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