Chapter 56 Slightly Superior

Having watched the elimination matches of the first day, Chen Xiao felt utterly calm within.

Only when he drew a bye in the final round did he let out a soft chuckle, feeling that his luck was quite good.

On the second day of the elimination matches, including Chen Xiao, two hundred and one participants competed across a total of one hundred matches.

Following yesterday's initial round of eliminations, the quality of today's battles noticeably improved. One of the most fiercely contested matches even consumed over ten minutes before a victor was finally decided.

Although in the eyes of the strong, it still resembled children playing house, by the end of the day, at least instances of being defeated by a single move had become rare.

And Chen Xiao still did not get to fight today!

"The final one..."

"Class Nine of the Earth Tier, Chen Xiao, bye!"

Hearing the referee's announcement upon the stage, an uproar broke out among the crowd below.

Drawing a bye once could be explained away by luck, but consecutively drawing byes easily sparked wild imaginations.

"Could this Chen Xiao be the offspring of some elder? This luck is truly enviable."

"Shh, brother, don't be sarcastic here. I specifically went and asked around after returning yesterday. Guess what?"

"Spit it out or keep it to yourself."

"Alright, telling you won't hurt. According to the information I gathered, this Chen Xiao is a freshman who just enrolled this year. At only twelve years old, he is already a Three-Star Dou Ling. Do you still think there is something wrong with the draw now?"

"Ah?"

Similar conversations were taking place in every corner of the plaza.

Soon, those students who had initially doubted the draw results came to terms with it.

They guessed that the draw was most likely orchestrated intentionally by the academy, but they held no objections to it whatsoever—only support.

After all, for a Dou Ling expert to compete against students whose highest cultivation was merely that of a Da Dou Shi was simply too bullying.

Therefore, this little trick was brilliantly played!

In a sense, how was this not a form of fairness?

On the high platform, Deputy Headmaster Hu Gan, alongside two veteran elders of the outer academy and the head of the Department of Alchemy, sat together. Taking in everything happening in the plaza, identical smiles of lottery officials hung on their faces.

"These little fellows are still over there doubting. If not for the fear that they might suffer too heavy a blow, why would this old man need to resort to such a desperate measure? I even had to deliberately send a few people to explain it to them."

"Indeed, a twelve-year-old Dou Ling—if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes on the day of the entrance ceremony, I wouldn't have believed it either."

"What surprises me the most is that this kid is a native born and raised in the Northwest Mainland."

"What a pity, he possesses the Ice Attribute. The inner academy's benefits are greatest for those with the Fire Attribute."

Just like that, Chen Xiao's name spread throughout the outer academy in a way he had never anticipated, stirring up the anticipation of many students.

On the third day, the third round of elimination matches.

Unsurprisingly, Chen Xiao drew a bye yet again!

Simultaneously, it was also on this day that the fifty-one slots for entering the inner academy were preliminarily finalized.

"The fifty victors of today, along with Chen Xiao who drew a bye, please take the stage."

As the referee's voice faded, rustling sounds echoed. Students who had emerged victorious through three rounds of competition squeezed out of the crowd and leaped onto the fighting stage.

Chen Xiao was also among the crowd. He nodded slightly toward Instructor Xi Wen and immediately stepped onto the stage.

The moment he stood upon the platform, Chen Xiao sensed that the densely packed crowd below, the fifty individuals on the stage, and even the academy's upper echelon seated on high were all casting their gazes toward him.

Some were filled with curiosity, some wore expressions of appreciation, and certain female students even had eyes sparkling with excitement...

At this very moment, twelve-year-old Chen Xiao finally experienced the feeling of being the center of attention!

One had to admit that this sensation easily made one feel lightheaded. No wonder Xiao Yan, before becoming a "good-for-nothing," had developed such a flamboyant personality.

"Now, the fifty-one students who have earned the qualification to enter the inner academy are upon the stage. Any participant from the past few days who feels confident they can defeat any one of them may step forward to issue a challenge."

Following the referee's words, a tall, slender youth who had engaged in a battle lasting over ten minutes against his opponent in the second round and was regrettably eliminated instantly leaped up.

"Fei Kai of Earth Tier Class Three, I challenge Bian Lingfei of Human Tier Class Nine!"

Hearing the youth's words, the referee nodded slightly.

At a wave of his hand indicating permission, Chen Xiao and the others retreated to the side, leaving only the singled-out youth standing in the center with a bitter expression.

He possessed only the strength of a Five-Star Dou Shi, making him one of the weakest individuals on the stage. Passing through three rounds of elimination matches had involved a heavy component of luck.

Regrettably, under the academy's rules, all luck was rendered futile, and the challenge phase inevitably revealed one's true colors.

"No need to fight. I admit defeat. I watched the entire match yesterday; among the fifty-one slots, you rightfully deserve a place."

Sighing softly, Bian Lingfei shook his head.

With that, he directly leaped down from the stage.

Seeing this, some felt he lacked backbone, lacking even the courage to fight a single match, while others believed he possessed self-awareness.

Human hearts varied, and they could never be unified.

The challenge phase continued.

In his leisure, Chen Xiao swept his gaze over this group of people on the stage.

Aside from him, there were a total of six individuals above the level of Da Dou Shi.

One Four-Star, one Three-Star, three Two-Stars, and one One-Star.

The rest were all Dou Shi of Five-Stars and above.

By now, it could be seen that unless there were monsters capable of challenging opponents across greater realms, the remaining four spots for the top five would undoubtedly be produced from among the six Da Dou Shi.

Judging from Chen Xiao's observations over the past few days, among this batch of geniuses, quite a few were capable of fighting across minor realms, but none possessed the monstrous ability to ignore major realms.

The challenge phase lasted for about an hour before concluding. The people standing on the stage had consequently changed by six or seven, and no more Five-Star Dou Shi held onto their slots.

After waiting for a long while and seeing that no one else was stepping up to challenge, the referee nodded slightly.

"It seems the current fifty-one are well-deserved. Next, they will bring everyone a unique and extraordinary grand melee right here upon the stage."

"Team-ups are not permitted in this battle, nor will it affect the quota for entering the inner academy. Its sole purpose is to determine the top five! Anyone who falls to the ground or is knocked off the stage is considered defeated, continuing until only the final five remain upon the stage!"

As the announcement fell, a rare, gloating smile appeared on the stern-faced referee's visage.

During every inner academy selection tournament, these elders and the upper echelons of the outer academy loved this segment the most.

The students below also burst into waves of cheers, similarly filled with anticipation.

In contrast, upon the fighting stage, the fifty-one individuals who had previously clustered together immediately distanced themselves from those beside them, sweeping their gazes left and right as they felt enemies surrounded them on all sides!

Among them, Chen Xiao's location was the most prominent. Within a radius of one zhang around him, it was completely empty; no one wanted to be targeted by a Dou Ling expert right from the start.

Especially those six Da Dou Shi—they were formidable contenders for the top five. If they were knocked off the stage by Chen Xiao, it would be utterly tragic.

Therefore, these six distanced themselves even further from him.

Seeing this, Chen Xiao laughed in amusement.

He occasionally had a somewhat mischievous streak, but he couldn't be bothered to do things that brought him no extra benefits.

Immediately, Chen Xiao gave his right hand a slight flick, and a gorgeous, ice-blue frost spear materialized, proving without a doubt that he was indeed a Dou Ling.

Following that, Chen Xiao did not make the first move. He simply stood aside holding the long spear, resembling a grand boss waiting for challengers.

Noticing this scene, the remaining fifty individuals felt a collective weight lift from their chests.

Instantly, a grand melee officially erupted after an Eight-Star Dou Shi was backstabbed.

"Damn it! You're already a Da Dou Shi and you still ambushed me!"

"Brothers, let's take down these Da Dou Shi first!"
"The referee said team-ups aren't allowed."
"Did we team up? This is called great minds thinking alike!"

A group of Dou Shi students loudly conspired. However, the six Da Dou Shi moved even faster, erupting into action simultaneously. By the time the rest reacted, over a dozen people had already been blasted off the stage.

Those remaining were undoubtedly scattered stragglers with no remaining climate.

After less than ten minutes of elimination, all the Dou Shi were knocked off the stage without exception.

Next came the struggle among the six Da Dou Shi.

Nearly ninety percent of the people assumed that the One-Star Da Dou Shi would fall first, but the result was unexpected. Relying on a long staff in his hands, this ordinary-looking youth actually defeated two Two-Star Da Dou Shi in succession, becoming one of the final five remaining on the stage!

Thus, the top five of the selection tournament were finalized.

With the slots confirmed, under Chen Xiao's watchful gaze, these four unfamiliar individuals exchanged glances and made a very tacit decision.

"Hehe, offense meant, but opportunities to fight a Dou Ling expert without any risk don't come often. We want to see the gap between a Dou Ling and a Da Dou Shi!"

The most robust among them, a Four-Star Da Dou Shi youth, let out a hearty laugh and immediately took the lead, charging toward Chen Xiao.

The other three followed closely behind.

Chen Xiao grinned, taking no offense. He swept his ice spear horizontally, kicking up a brilliant radiance.

With just a single strike, the four incoming individuals simultaneously flew backward through the air.

"Apologies, I win by... a rather large margin."