32 The Jiao Venerable Awakens
Playing the fool? Shan Ben’s eyes widened in disbelief. Yan Zhen continued, “That’s not quite right either. With your level, you’re not worthy of being called a ‘tiger.’ A ‘bull’ at most. Since I’m a champion of pure love, I naturally cut down two-timers. It’s just a simple predator-prey relationship.”
Shan Ben gritted his teeth. “I’ll admit defeat this time, but next time, it won’t be so easy.”
“Next time? In your dreams!” Yan Zhen channeled his Mystic Power into the accelerator. “Enjoy your extra year in the Outer Academy.”
Fear finally appeared on Shan Ben’s face. “Wait, Yan Zhen, let’s talk this over!”
“Two-timers must die!”
Yan Zhen steered his boat, ramming it into Shan Ben’s boat, sending both him and the boat flying. The boat capsized, and Shan Ben fell into the water.
The proctor announced Shan Ben’s elimination, and another instructor rescued him from the river.
Yan Zhen turned his boat and continued forward. The nearby examinees quickly distanced themselves from him.
He had defeated the West District’s representative in just two moves. Whether he cheated or not, it was terrifying.
At the Outer Academy ferry, Bai Yue watched Shan Ben’s swift defeat and cursed him under his breath.
“All brawn and no brains. I shouldn’t have placed my hopes on him… It seems I need to utilize my connections in the Inner Academy.”
Yan Zhen was now at the back of the pack, while Huangfu Wenqing, Qi Yuxuan, and Chu Nan were in the lead, over a hundred zhang ahead. With the turbulent river, it would be difficult to catch up.
However, Yan Zhen remembered from Instructor Yu Xuan that the top ten examinees would be rewarded with an academy card containing points.
“Points” were essential for cultivation in the Inner Academy, used to access training facilities and for transactions. Without points, life in the Inner Academy would be difficult.
Therefore, Yan Zhen was determined to be first.
He channeled his Mystic Power into the boat, making it shoot forward like an arrow. However, a group of examinees blocked his path. Going around them would take too long, and jumping over them would leave him vulnerable to attacks when he landed. Ramming into them might capsize his own boat.
In this “desperate” situation, Yan Zhen used the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Fire, its sinister aura and dragon’s might momentarily intimidating one of the examinees, causing him to slow down and creating an opening.
Yan Zhen surged forward, passing through the gap.
“What the hell?! He can do that?”
“You tricked me!”
“Bastard, don’t run!”
The examinees were enraged, but Yan Zhen ignored them, skillfully navigating his boat through the choppy waters, using the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Fire to disrupt anyone who blocked his path, quickly closing in on the leading group.
The leading group had already passed the center of the river. Qi Yuxuan and Chu Nan were neck and neck, with Huangfu Wenqing slightly behind. Sensing Yan Zhen catching up, she even slowed down to join him.
“Did you finish them off?”
“Completely destroyed.”
“Then let’s aim for first place.”
“Yes, let’s go!”
Yan Zhen’s eyes turned into gray vertical slits, and the usually clear spiritual flame on his forehead became tainted with grayish-black, a sinister aura and dragon’s might emanating from him. Qi Yuxuan and Chu Nan felt a chill down their spines, their minds momentarily dazed, as if they were under the gaze of a terrifying dragon, waiting for death.
Taking advantage of their momentary lapse, Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing surged forward, taking the lead.
Qi Yuxuan and Chu Nan quickly recovered, enraged, and desperately tried to catch up, dodging the waves.
The leading group could now see the other side, an identical ferry terminal crowded with Inner Academy students and several instructors, led by Grand Elder Yu Yan, the eldest of the three Yu sisters.
She looked quite similar to Dean Yu Qing, but with narrow, slanted eyes and a gentle smile. Her figure was also quite voluptuous, exuding the mature charm of an older woman. Watching the four in the leading group competing fiercely, Grand Elder Yu Yan nodded to herself, then her gaze settled on Yan Zhen.
His appearance was pleasing, and he seemed quite talented, but his character… his philandering nature was unacceptable.
—It’s a shame Xuan’er finally found someone she likes. Sigh~
“Oh, so that’s the boy Xuan’er likes. He’s quite cute.”
Behind Grand Elder Yu Yan, a beautiful woman with short hair, wearing the Inner Academy uniform, leaned against the railing, her eyes shining as she observed the scene from afar.
This was Instructor Yu Xuan’s cousin, Yu Die, ranked fourth on the Inner Academy’s Rising Star List.
“He seems quite capable too. It looks like he’ll be in the top four for sure.”
“It’s too early to say that before they reach the finish line.” Beside her, a cheerful young man in the Inner Academy uniform chuckled. “If they wake up the Jiao Venerable, all these juniors will fall into the water. That would be a good show.”
He clearly enjoyed watching the drama unfold.
Ling Fei, ranked third on the Rising Star List.
Yu Die rolled her eyes at his jinxing words. “If it wakes up, are you going to deal with its morning grumpiness?”
Beside Ling Fei stood a tall, cold, and handsome young man, Wen Canglan, ranked second on the Rising Star List. He pushed his glasses up his nose and said indifferently, “The Jiao Venerable woke up during last year’s Dragon Gate Selection. It won’t wake up again so soon. Besides, with the Grand Elder here, nothing will happen.”
“I was just joking, trying to lighten the mood. Why are you so serious?” Ling Fei shrugged. “I’ve been so bored lately. There’s no entertainment at all.”
“If you’re bored, then challenge Gu Tiange.”
“Come on, I’m looking for entertainment, not self-torture.”
As they spoke, a chilling aura suddenly entered their perception.
Their expressions changed, and they instinctively channeled their Mystic Power, becoming wary.
“What’s going on?”
“This aura… could it be that the Jiao Venerable really woke up?”
“It feels like it.”
Not just them, but all the students and instructors sensed something amiss, becoming restless.
Because the waves on the river were getting bigger and bigger.
“Grand Elder…”
“Quiet.”
Grand Elder Yu Yan opened her narrow eyes, her gaze fixed on the water’s surface, her brows slightly furrowed. She didn’t understand why the Jiao Venerable would wake up, but then she had a sudden realization, remembering what her younger sister had said about Yan Zhen refining the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Fire.
“It must be the dragon’s might that stimulated the Jiao Venerable! This is bad!”
The river suddenly became turbulent, the waves surging like towering walls, blocking the path of the leading group. The waves crashed down, pushing all the examinees back over a hundred zhang, almost half of them capsizing and falling into the water.
Then, a whirlpool appeared on the river’s surface, growing larger and larger, a terrifying aura emanating from it, making the examinees’ hearts tremble. They slowed down, then stopped, not daring to approach the expanding whirlpool.
“There’s something beneath the surface.”
Huangfu Wenqing, wary, placed her hand on the sword at her waist.
—Is it coming?
Yan Zhen stared at the center of the whirlpool, then a massive dragon head, the size of a house, emerged from the water.
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