Chapter 241: Stirring Up the Inner Academy
Under Huo De's arrangement, Mo Yu didn't head directly to the Inner Academy but first arrived at the city of Jia Nan, where the Outer Academy was located.
"So, this is Jia Nan City," Mo Yu murmured softly as he stood atop the griffin, looking down at the vast city below, which still couldn't be fully taken in with a single glance.
"Mo Yu, Junior Brother, we'll drop you off at the Outer Academy, where Vice Principal Hu Qian will make arrangements for your assessment to enter the Inner Academy," said the young Enforcement Team member, turning to Mo Yu with a smile.
"Thank you, Senior Brothers," Mo Yu nodded and smiled gratefully.
"No need, no need," the young man quickly waved his hand. In his eyes, regardless of whether Mo Yu could pass the assessment to enter the Inner Academy, just having the courage to try was already commendable.
The young man gave Mo Yu a complex look before whistling. The griffin let out a low roar and swooped down toward the sprawling city below...
In a quiet conference room filled with bookshelves in Jia Nan City, seven or eight elderly men sat around a round table. From their aura, it was clear they were powerful and held significant positions. Ordinary elders wouldn't have the privilege of sitting in this room, where the academy's important matters were decided.
Opposite them, Mo Yu stood straight and calm, his expression serene as he faced the seven or eight high-ranking officials who decided everything in the Outer Academy.
"It's your first time at Jia Nan Academy, so you probably don't know us. I am Hu Qian, the Vice Principal of the Outer Academy. I've read Huo De's letter. Besides participating in the Inner Academy's selection tournament, there is indeed another way to enter the Inner Academy, which is to challenge one of the Inner Academy's Strong Ranking members. However, since the founding of Jia Nan Academy, no new student has ever successfully challenged a Strong Ranking member. Are you sure you want to choose this assessment?" asked an elderly man with white hair and a white beard among the seven or eight elders.
"Yes," Mo Yu replied calmly.
The response left the elders exchanging glances, momentarily stunned before they all smiled wryly.
Usually, they were the ones being cold and distant to the students. When had a student ever been so indifferent to them?
Hu Qian, the elderly man, looked at Mo Yu with cloudy eyes that flashed with a hint of surprise. He then shook his head and said, "I've reviewed your file. You're from Wu Tan City in the Jia Ma Empire, and Xiao Yan, who recently reported in, is your cousin, right? He has considerable talent and strength. In just a few days at the academy, he took first place in the Inner Academy selection tournament and broke the academy's record in the Fire Energy Hunt. But even he probably wouldn't be able to defeat a Strong Ranking member. You're new here and may not fully understand the academy's situation. The weakest Strong Ranking members are at least Dou Ling (Battle Spirit) level. I'll give you a chance to reconsider."
"No need. Please proceed with the assessment," Mo Yu shook his head, declining the offer.
Seeing Mo Yu's determination, one of the grey-robed elders below laughed heartily and said to Vice Principal Hu Qian, "Just grant this young man's request. It's been a while since the Inner Academy had such excitement. Who knows, maybe he'll actually succeed."
As the grey-robed elder finished speaking, Hu Qian suddenly recalled some details about Mo Yu and Xiao Yan. According to the information Jia Nan Academy had gathered, the two had been involved in a battle between the Xiao Clan and the Yun Lan Sect, where the Yun Lan Sect suffered heavy losses. The main culprits were none other than Mo Yu and Xiao Yan, who had just made a splash in the Outer Academy.
Thinking of this, Vice Principal Hu Qian's cloudy eyes flashed with an unreadable expression as he looked at Mo Yu and said, "Very well, I'll notify the Inner Academy's higher-ups to organize the assessment. However, it's getting late, so tomorrow, I'll personally take you to the Inner Academy. For tonight, you can stay with your mentor."
"Thank you, Vice Principal," Mo Yu bowed slightly to the elder.
With that, the elder waved his hand, and Mo Yu tactfully exited the room.
As soon as he stepped out the door, a graceful and mature woman with a voluptuous figure appeared before him.
"Mentor Ruo Lin, hello," Mo Yu said with a slight smile as he looked at the woman.
"You still remember I'm your mentor?" the gentle woman glanced at Mo Yu, feigning annoyance.
"Haha, it seems my cousin Xiao Yan hasn't apologized to you yet. That kid, when I see him, I'll make sure he properly makes amends," Mo Yu chuckled.
"Let's focus on you for now. Don't try to change the subject," Mentor Ruo Lin said with a playful squint.
"Come with me," Ruo Lin sighed as she led the way, walking through several shaded paths before finally arriving at a quaint and elegant pavilion.
Once inside, Mentor Ruo Lin poured a cup of water for Mo Yu. As she looked at the young man's now more mature and handsome face, she suddenly sighed, "It seems granting you and Xiao Yan a two-year leave was indeed the right choice. Back then, your strength was slightly above Xiao Yan's. Now that he's entered the Inner Academy as the top of the Outer Academy, I imagine your strength isn't lacking either. But do you really have the confidence to defeat a Strong Ranking member?"
Mo Yu didn't say anything. He just smiled slightly and nodded.
Seeing Mo Yu's calm and confident demeanor, Ruo Lin couldn't help but feel a bit more reassured.
"Alright then. You can rest here tonight. This is my place. Xun Er and Xiao Yu used to stay here too, but Xiao Yu's strength improved rapidly after returning from her clan, and she entered the Inner Academy within a year," Ruo Lin explained.
As she spoke, Mentor Ruo Lin glanced at Mo Yu. Xiao Yu's rapid improvement two years ago couldn't have been solely due to the Xiao Clan or Jia Nan Academy. The driving force behind it was likely her fiancé, Mo Yu.
Upon hearing this, Mo Yu feigned ignorance and said, "In that case, I should definitely visit the Inner Academy to see my fiancée."
"You should rest well tonight," Ruo Lin said with a slight frown, realizing she hadn't gotten any useful information from him.
Mo Yu smiled and nodded.
The night passed uneventfully. The next morning, Mo Yu woke up early and found Vice Principal Hu Qian waiting at the door.
"You're awake. The Inner Academy has already arranged the assessment for you. If you're ready, we can head out," Hu Qian said.
"Thank you, Vice Principal," Mo Yu nodded.
Hu Qian waved toward the sky, and soon a massive griffin descended with a gust of wind, landing not far from them.
"The Inner Academy is quite far from here. Since you haven't yet mastered Dou Qi Wings, you'll need to ride this griffin," the Vice Principal explained.
"Understood."
With a swift movement, Mo Yu appeared atop the griffin, standing steadily on its smooth feathers like an immovable pillar.
Seeing his steady posture, Hu Qian nodded in approval before leaping into the air. His shoulder shook, and four magnificent Dou Qi wings extended from his back, lightly flapping.
As they set off, the Inner Academy quickly became abuzz with excitement.
"Have you heard? There's a new student in the Outer Academy who missed the selection tournament and wants to enter the Inner Academy by challenging a Strong Ranking expert," exclaimed a tall student.
"What? I remember the academy has a rule that Outer Academy students can challenge a Strong Ranking expert if they miss the selection tournament, but I don't think anyone has done that in the last ten years. And no one has ever succeeded," replied a dark-faced student.
"Who is this person? How could he be so bold?"
"I think his name is Mo Yu, a student who took a two-year leave."
"Mo Yu... that name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?"
"Don't you remember? Bai Cheng, the leader of the Bai Gang, set his sights on a woman named Xiao Yu. Mo Yu is Xiao Yu's fiancé. I heard that Bai Cheng has been planning to deal with Mo Yu for a while. Although Bai Cheng, with his rank on the Strong Ranking, probably won't fight himself, the Bai Gang has plenty of other Strong Ranking experts who could teach Mo Yu a lesson."
As the students discussed, the news spread quickly, creating a stir throughout the entire Inner Academy.
In the Inner Academy, at Pan Gate...
Although Pan Gate was a newly established faction, it had already gained some prominence within the Inner Academy.
Inside the Pan Gate hall, a young man and woman stood. The man wore a black robe and had a handsome face, with eyes that gleamed like bright stars in the night. The woman was incredibly beautiful, dressed in a light green robe that highlighted her graceful figure. A purple belt around her slim waist accentuated her curves, making her look exceptionally alluring.
"Brother Xiao Yan, did you hear? Cousin Mo Yu is coming," the young woman's clear, melodious voice suddenly broke the silence in the hall.
"What? Cousin Mo Yu is coming?" The black-robed youth, who had been dozing off, immediately perked up, his face lighting up with joy.
"To avoid the influence of the Soul Hall, Cousin Mo Yu and I decided to enter Jia Nan Academy separately. Unfortunately, all this time, I hadn't heard any news about him. Finally, he's coming to the academy today."
Xiao Yan pounded the table with his right hand, his face beaming with happiness as he burst into laughter.
The joy lingered for a while, but then Xiao Yan seemed to remember something, and his smile gradually faded, replaced by a slight frown.
"But the Inner Academy selection tournament has already passed, which means Cousin Mo Yu will have to stay in the Outer Academy for a year. That would make it difficult for us to see each other."
Hearing Xiao Yan mention the Soul Hall, Xun Er's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she quickly composed herself. She then playfully chided Xiao Yan, "Brother Xiao Yan, even though you founded Pan Gate, you're always neglecting it, leaving all the big and small matters for me to handle. Just now, some Pan Gate members brought news that Cousin Mo Yu has applied to challenge a Strong Ranking member to enter the Inner Academy. If he defeats the Strong Ranking member, he'll be able to enter the Inner Academy without having to wait for the next selection tournament."
"Challenge a Strong Ranking member?" Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned but soon nodded with a smile. "In that case, we'll be seeing Cousin Mo Yu very soon."
Seeing Xiao Yan so confident, Xun Er couldn't help but smile as well, her mind filling with the image of that handsome face. Indeed, Cousin Mo Yu had never let anyone down.
"By the way, where is Cousin Mo Yu's match?" Xiao Yan asked.
"It's at the Central Plaza. I heard that many people have gone to watch."
"Oh, we'd better hurry over then. If we're late, the fight might already be over."
"But... what about Pan Gate's affairs?"
"Leave them for now. Let's gather all the Pan Gate members to cheer for Cousin Mo Yu!"
"Uh... I think that's a good idea."
In the Inner Academy, at Moon Gate...
As one of the Inner Academy's strongest factions, with the most female members, Moon Gate naturally attracted a lot of attention.
Inside the Moon Gate hall stood a young woman in a silver robe. She was tall and had snow-white skin, her eyebrows delicately shaped like a painting. She had rare silver waist-length hair that matched her silver robe, giving her a cold and distant aura that made her seem unapproachable.
Opposite her stood another stunning woman. This woman wore a light purple academy uniform and had a tall, mature figure. As she moved, her long, shapely legs, wrapped in the fabric of her pants, exuded a captivating allure.
"Xiao Yu, congratulations on reaching the six-star Dou Practitioner level. In our Moon Gate, only a few elders surpass you in strength. And you've only been in the Inner Academy for a year. With such exceptional talent and beauty, it's no wonder you've attracted so much admiration from the male students," the silver-robed woman said with a faint smile, her voice as cool as ever.
"Thank you for your praise, Leader. Compared to your beauty, mine is nothing. As for my talent, if..." The woman with the long legs hesitated, her voice trailing off as a memory flashed through her eyes.
If it hadn't been for that person's help, she might still be stuck in the Outer Academy.
Seeing that the woman seemed lost in thought, the silver-robed woman frowned slightly and said meaningfully, "I originally had some good news to share with you, but since you seem so preoccupied, I'll just keep it to myself."
"Leader, you're teasing me. I'm not unhappy, just thinking about something," the long-legged woman quickly walked over to the silver-robed woman's side with a smile.
"Aren't you curious about my good news, Xiao Yu?" The usually cold and distant Moon Gate Leader looked at her with a playful glint in her eyes.
"What is it?" Xiao Yu asked, showing some interest.
"I just received news that your fiancé... has come to the Inner Academy."
"What!?"
Xiao Yu froze for a moment, then quickly realized what the leader meant. The face that had appeared in her dreams countless times gradually took shape in her mind. She covered her red lips with her delicate hand, her beautiful eyes welling up with tears...
As news of an Outer Academy student challenging a Strong Ranking member spread, various factions within the Inner Academy began to pay attention. Everyone was curious about this new student who dared to challenge a Strong Ranking member.
At the Central Plaza, the largest venue in the Inner Academy, the plaza was usually closed to the public, only opened for academy competitions. But today, it was buzzing with activity because the assessment for the Outer Academy student's challenge had been arranged there by the academy's upper echelons.
Even though the Central Plaza was enormous, today, it was packed with a sea of people. The bustling crowd, filled with excitement and chatter, created a deafening noise that reached up to the sky!
When Mo Yu arrived at the Central Plaza with Hu Qian and saw this scene, he was momentarily stunned. Then, a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Inner Academy, here I come..."
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