Chapter 97

Walking down the path, Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly as he looked at the family that had suddenly become much emptier. The recruitment team from the Jia Nan Academy was arriving in Utan City today, and most of the people in the family had rushed off to watch, so the city gates of Utan City were probably already completely blocked by the crowd.

"Hmph, will watching them let you pass easily?" Shaking his head and muttering, Xiao Yan leisurely made his way to the back mountain. This was the time he practiced his combat techniques every day, a routine that never changed.

... Although the recruitment team was staying in Utan City, their area of responsibility included several other cities near Utan City. So, when Xiao Yan and the others arrived at the designated square the next day, they were dumbfounded by the sea of people that seemed to stretch endlessly.

On the vast square, a cacophony of noise rose to the sky, with countless young people desperately trying to squeeze into the square. If it weren't for the army dispatched by the city lord to maintain order at the edges of the square, these excited people would have already rushed in without a second thought.

Staring at the sea of people, Xiao Yan sighed lightly and shook his head in frustration. Given the situation, there was no way they could smoothly pass the test today.

"Hmph, out of options, huh?" Seeing Xiao Yan's frustrated look, Xiao Yu, who was talking with Xun Er and Xiao Mei, immediately let out a smug hum.

Rolling his eyes, Xiao Yan ignored her.

"Does Cousin Xiao Yu have a way?" Xiao Mei, noticing the two about to bicker, quickly changed the subject with a smile.

"The person in charge of the recruitment in Utan City is my mentor. As her top student, I naturally have a way." Xiao Yu lifted her nose and said with a smile, then waved her hand: "Follow me."

Watching Xiao Yu lift her long, shapely legs and walk to the other side of the square, Xiao Yan shrugged helplessly at Xun Er: "Forget it, I won't argue with her."

Xun Er smiled and nodded, then followed Xiao Yan.

The group followed Xiao Yu around the vast square, finally stopping at the western side. This was already at the back of the square, where the fully armed army had formed two or three layers, their weapons gleaming in the sunlight.

Scanning the strict defense, Xiao Yu gave a brief instruction to Xiao Yan and the others, then walked forward alone. She took out a green badge from her chest and had a brief conversation with a soldier who looked like an officer. She then waved to Xiao Yan and the others, signaling them to come over.

The middle-aged officer's stern gaze swept over Xiao Yan and the others. After a moment, he waved his hand and shouted: "Let them through!"

Hearing the officer's command, the tightly packed wall of armored soldiers made a clear path with the sound of clashing armor, just wide enough for people to pass through.

Xiao Yu smiled gratefully at the middle-aged officer, put away the green badge, and proudly lifted her chin at Xiao Yan and the others before walking in first with the officer.

Following Xiao Yu, Xiao Yan and the others stepped into the path. As soon as they entered, they felt a chill on their skin. The expressionless soldiers around them emitted a faint, bloody smell, making Xiao Yan and the others, who had never seen such a scene, feel a suffocating pressure.

"Are these the warriors who have survived the battlefield?" Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan's exceptional composure allowed him to gradually dispel the oppressive feeling. Licking his lips, his slightly weak legs became steady and strong again. No matter what, with his current strength as a four-star fighter, he was already stronger than most of the soldiers here. Although he couldn't match their bloody aura, at least he wouldn't embarrass himself.

The short distance of less than ten meters felt like hundreds of meters to the group. When they finally took the last step, they found their palms were drenched in cold sweat.

Xiao Yu's face was slightly pale as she smiled bitterly at the middle-aged officer: "Brother Ke, you're deliberately tormenting us, aren't you?"

"Ha ha, this is what Mentor Ruo Lin ordered. If you want to take a shortcut, you have to endure some tests. You did well; my subordinates are all men who have slept with corpses. If your composure was a bit weaker, you would have been scared stiff halfway through." The middle-aged officer's wooden face showed a smile as his gaze swept over Xiao Yu and the others, finally stopping on Xun Er and Xiao Yan, his eyes filled with admiration: "It seems Mentor Ruo Lin might get some good students this time."

Waving her hand irritably at the middle-aged officer, Xiao Yu pulled Xiao Mei and Xiao Ning, whose legs were already weak, and quickly walked into the square.

Reaching the center of the square, a large green cloak came into view. Here, Xiao Yan and the others could already see the sea of people outside. In a few passages, occasionally, young men and women who had passed the test walked in with excited faces.

"Yu'er!" As they approached the large green cloak, a woman's laughter reached Xiao Yan and the others' ears. A red figure quickly rushed over, laughing and hugging Xiao Yu, her hand touching Xiao Yu's waist playfully: "Let me feel, have you gained weight?"

"Yin Nu, get lost." Laughing and pushing the woman away, Xiao Yu turned to introduce her to Xiao Yan and the others: "This is my good friend from Jia Nan Academy, her name is Xue Ni. She's a four-star fighter."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan and the others looked at the red-clad woman. Her slightly pretty face was filled with a radiant smile, her brown hair casually tied in a ponytail. Her chest was full and luxurious, her waist slender, and her buttocks round and plump. Although her appearance was slightly inferior to Xiao Yu's, her extremely attractive figure was very alluring to men. In the short time of the introduction, Xiao Yan had already noticed that many of the young men who had passed the test were secretly glancing at her chest.

Xiao Yu affectionately held Xue Ni, and the expression on her face showed that the two were very close.

"They are all my clansmen. This is Xun Er, hehe, isn't she beautiful? But don't even think about her, she won't be interested in you. This is Xiao Mei, she's also very nice. This is my younger brother Xiao Ning, and this..." When her gaze fell on the lazy-looking Xiao Yan, Xiao Yu leaned over and whispered in Xue Ni's ear: "This is the Xiao Yan I told you about before."

Xue Ni's eyes first scanned Xun Er and Xiao Mei, then her eyes lit up in surprise: "Wow, you have so many beauties in your family. If they enter Jia Nan Academy, they'll surely drive the male students crazy."

"Eh? Xiao Yan?" After her exclamation, Xue Ni suddenly paused, looking at Xiao Yan in surprise: "Is this the cousin you said was stuck at the third level of combat energy? He's quite handsome."

"Ah?" Xiao Yu's mouth twitched, and she pinched the woman beside her hard. Seeing Xiao Yan's somewhat unhappy expression, she explained awkwardly: "I didn't spread your story; it was just that I talked in my sleep once, and this sharp-eared woman heard it."

Raising an eyebrow, Xiao Yan smirked, touching his face: "You were dreaming about me? When did we become so close? Back then, it seemed like you just touched..."

"Shut up." Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Xiao Yu's face flushed with embarrassment, and she kicked Xiao Yan with her shapely legs.

Casually dodging, Xiao Yan shrugged, not teasing her anymore.

"What did you touch? You didn't touch Yu'er, did you?" Xue Ni, full of curiosity, was about to ask more but was pinched hard by Xiao Yu.

"Yu'er, you're so cruel, to hurt your old lover like this..." Holding her red wrist, Xue Ni looked at Xiao Yu with teary eyes.

"Stop playing around, I still have to take them to the test." Pushing away this troublemaker, Xiao Yu scolded with a smile.

"Hehe, let's go, follow me, I'll take you." Xue Ni's eyes suddenly lost their tears, and she was about to turn when she paused and said: "Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you, Lu Bo is also part of the recruitment team, and on the way here, I heard he has advanced to a four-star fighter."

Hearing this, Xiao Yu's smiling face immediately turned serious, and she said impatiently: "Why did that annoying guy come?"

"Isn't it to see our beautiful Xiao Yu? He's been thinking about you day and night." Xue Ni teased.

Biting her lip, Xiao Yu's face changed for a moment before she suddenly turned to stare at Xiao Yan.

"What are you looking at? Don't even think about pretending to be related to me in front of anyone. I'm not interested in you, and I don't want to pretend." Seeing Xiao Yu's gaze, Xiao Yan, with his sharp mind, immediately knew what she was up to. He laughed coldly and, ignoring her angry look, walked towards the tent.

"Eh... Yu'er, your charm seems to have decreased... This kind of opportunity, many people in the academy would fight for, but this little guy doesn't even care about you?" Looking at Xiao Yan's back, Xue Ni seemed somewhat incredulous.

Biting her lip in anger, Xiao Yu said resentfully: "That guy is a freak. How can you judge him by normal standards? Apart from the perverted girl in the academy, who else has seen someone advance from the third level of combat energy to a three-star fighter in a year?"

"..."

Hearing this, Xue Ni's mouth opened in shock. Her playful smile was replaced by astonishment. She hadn't expected that this seemingly ordinary young man possessed such terrifying talent. Was this the family waste Xiao Yu had mentioned?

(Regarding the issue of book reviews disappearing, no one has deleted them. It's mainly because the起点 book review section has been updated recently, and with the new support feature, many reviews get brushed away. Except for severe insults, I rarely delete reviews.)

(To be continued)