Chapter 156: Special Hobby

"What?! You guys..."

Long Kun was utterly bewildered, his expression almost completely distorted. He couldn't believe that these four students, in just one day, had achieved results that many others couldn't attain in half a year! Even less could he believe that such incredible disciples had come from under his tutelage!

"Am I dreaming? I, Long Kun, can actually mentor top students now!"

Xu Yang sympathetically patted Long Kun's shoulder. "Teacher," he said, "don't underestimate yourself. Have confidence; people always improve." Long Kun, docile like a student, nodded under Instructor Xu Yang's comforting words.

"I'll take the token. You've passed the first stage. Get ready, and gather here in five days to compete for five spots against my other troublesome students. The academy has issued a new notice for this competition: it's no longer individual combat. Instead, it will be a five-on-five team battle. Each of the three hundred stone towers will field a five-person team, fighting through six rounds. As long as you make it to the final round, you'll secure the second qualification, because the team battle points are higher than those from the previous individual matches."

Xu Yang and the other three exchanged smiles. With team battles, they could more perfectly distribute their combat power, conceal their formidable reserves, and more securely claim victory.

Late at night...

The three girls were cultivating in the spirit boat. Having nothing to do, Xu Yang decided to wander around the academy that night to see if he could find any special clues.

*Whoosh!*

A phantom-like shadow darted through the night sky. Countless stone towers, some brightly lit, others dim, hung suspended. Only by looking down from the clouds could one truly grasp the academy's vastness. As one of the Three Thousand Dao States' ten top academies, Saint Soul Academy's foundation was not to be underestimated. Even someone as strong as Xu Yang could sense that these stone towers, linked to one another, likely contained an ancient and powerful "Sky-Shielding Formation," which served as the core protective force of the entire academy.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss..." The little snake suddenly poked its head out. "Boss," it hissed, "I smell a unique scent—it should be the aura of an extremely powerful demonic beast!"

Xu Yang was surprised. "Really? I didn't even notice. How did you smell it?"

"Hehe, don't forget I have the bloodline of a Dragon Python. My innate sense of smell is top-tier among demonic beasts, let alone compared to humans. Of course, if you got serious, I wouldn't be your match either."

"Stop flattering me. Take me to see it, quickly!" Since arriving at the academy, Xu Yang hadn't detected any aura fluctuations from top-tier demonic beasts. He had a premonition that the little snake's discovery might lead to crucial clues.

Soon, guided by the little creature, Xu Yang arrived near a massive floating spiritual pond behind the academy. Misty immortal light shimmered around the pond, which held a remarkably dense reserve of spiritual energy. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was actually rearing three terrifying Azure Kui Cattle!

"What... it's an Azure Kui Cattle! A king-level demonic beast from the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, why would it be in the academy?"

"Roar!!!" The three massive beasts seemed to have noticed something too, letting out a heaven-shaking roar that drew the attention of many surrounding stone towers.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*

Soon, three powerful cultivators from the Cave Heaven realm landed by the spiritual pond, warily observing their surroundings. They then began to suppress the three Azure Kui Cattle using a special, hypnosis-like formation.

"Sigh, if it weren't for those old eccentrics in the academy constantly making these inexplicable demands, we wouldn't have to keep these things constantly on edge!"

"Tell me about it! One day it's Snow-feathered Heavenly Pigeons, the next it's Fire Domain Twin-headed Crocodiles, and then Azure Kui Cattle. They eat whatever rare demonic beast they can find. I really don't understand what's up with those people..."

"Alright, stop complaining. If those elusive old guys find out, we'll be in serious trouble."

Xu Yang frowned slightly. "So, after all that, these giant beasts are actually food for those mysterious powerful figures in the academy? It seems the academy's Library Tower is truly different from a conventional place of learning. The third stage will likely be the real test."

...

Although this trip didn't yield any major discoveries, it at least gave Xu Yang a general understanding.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the internal selection arrived. Xu Yang and the other three came to Long Kun's stone tower early, only to find that its area today seemed to have expanded many times over compared to usual! It turned out that each stone tower in the academy was actually a localized battlefield capable of changing its form, specifically designed for sparring and competitions.

Soon, seven or eight people flew in one after another. These individuals were strangely diverse and bizarre in appearance... There was a scrawny, immature youth barely 1.3 meters tall, a burly blacksmith over two meters tall, a wealthy young master dressed like a scholar, and even a leering street ruffian in very avant-garde clothing... In short, Long Kun's class truly consisted of all sorts of colorful characters.

"Oh! Long Kun, are these your new transfer students? No wonder they look so unfamiliar!"

"Heh, they look like four easy targets. Look at their frail physiques; I bet they wouldn't even withstand one swing of my hammer!"

Xu Yang and the other three looked disdainful, having already anticipated such a situation. In a place like the academy, mocking transfer students was perfectly normal, especially since they had never witnessed Xu Yang's group's true strength.

"Alright, alright, enough chatter. It's rare for all of us, teachers and students, to be gathered like this, so brace yourselves! For the duration of one incense stick, everyone will engage in a free-for-all. The last five remaining on the battle platform will be the team representing our class in this competition."

With a wave of his hand, Long Kun caused the battle platform to spontaneously form a magical array, delineating a boundary. If any student went outside this circle, any subsequent attacks would automatically be blocked, preventing excessive force from causing unnecessary harm due to inability to stop. Similarly, those who conceded could simply fly out of the formation.

A total of thirty-eight people gathered simultaneously in the center of the battle platform. With Long Kun's command, the free-for-all officially began.

"Hahaha, I love free-for-alls! I came to Dragon Soul Academy just for these brawls that happen every three months. It's so exciting!"

The over two-meter-tall blacksmith swung his massive hammer, smashing it fiercely towards the center of the battlefield.

"Boom!"

An incredibly powerful shockwave burst forth, instantly sending two young students flying out of bounds, signifying their elimination. In such a chaotic free-for-all, those with wide-range offensive techniques held an advantage, but they were often also the primary targets of the remaining participants. Xu Yang and the other three were smart; they mostly held back, wisely preserving their strength and watching the others fight. After all, though it was called a free-for-all, survival was the core objective of the test!