286: This meat is delicious.

Sure enough, not long after, steady footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard.

Qin Xiao immediately focused his mind to sense the presence, a habit of his as a powerful expert.

However, this sensing caused his brows to furrow slightly.

There were two people approaching.

One of the auras was familiar to him—vast and slightly volatile. It belonged to Lei Lie, the large man who often followed Mu Chen. His strength was at Peak Dou Ling, which was decent, but not something he, a newly advanced Dou Wang, paid much attention to.

But the other aura made Qin Xiao's heart skip a beat!

This aura was extremely strange!

It seemed both present and absent, ethereal and impossible to gauge.

He tried hard to probe its depth, but felt his soul perception sink into an endless fog, unable to grasp any substantial Dou Qi fluctuations.

It was neither faintly weak and distinct like a weakling's, nor profound and imposing with self-evident pressure like a powerful expert's.

This was a feeling he had never encountered before, one he simply could not pin down!

"They're here."

Mu Chen raised his head, a smile appearing on his face.

Just as he finished speaking, Lei Lie's sturdy figure appeared first at the courtyard entrance. Seeing Qin Xiao sitting there, a hint of surprise flashed in his large, bell-like eyes, and he spoke in a booming voice.

"Huh? Qin Xiao? You came out of seclusion? And you broke through to Dou Wang? Not bad!"

But Lei Lie only mentioned it casually; clearly, the news of Mu Chen breaking through to Dou Zong had made him somewhat immune to the shock of breakthroughs.

He immediately stepped aside and warmly introduced the person behind him.

"Brother Jiang, look, this is the guy I mentioned to you before—the fighting maniac who is the first on the strong ranking of our Inner Academy, the thunder fire asura, Qin Xiao! I didn't expect this kid to have broken through too!"

At this moment, the figure following behind Lei Lie finally stepped leisurely into the courtyard.

Qin Xiao's gaze instantly focused on him!

The newcomer wore simple azure robes, his posture was tall and straight, and while his face wasn't exceptionally handsome, it was remarkably refined and pleasant to look at.

Especially his eyes—they were dark and profound, containing galaxies within. Just looking at him calmly gave one the illusion that he could see through everything.

A faint, refreshing smile played on his lips, and his entire demeanor was gentle as jade. Yet, beneath this gentleness, Qin Xiao keenly sensed a hidden danger, profound as an abyss!

It was none other than the legendary New Students—Jiang Donghua!

Jiang Donghua's gaze also fell upon Qin Xiao, lingering for a moment on the residual energy of the Thunder Fire Wings that had not yet completely dissipated behind him. A hint of perfectly measured appreciation flashed in his eyes as he spoke with a smile.

"I have long admired the name of the thunder fire asura, and seeing him today, I find the reputation truly warranted."

Jiang Donghua's voice was gentle and clear, immediately inspiring goodwill. But his next sentence caused Qin Xiao's pupils to contract, and battle intent involuntarily surged through his body!

Jiang Donghua's smile remained unchanged, but a pure, blazing, and undisguised light of aggression suddenly erupted in his eyes. Like a fierce beast spotting its prey, he continued.

"As expected of the first on the strong ranking of the Inner Academy, you have actually broken through to Dou Wang! This is truly cause for celebration!"

"I have no other hobbies; I just enjoy exchanging pointers with powerful experts. Senior Qin Xiao, if you have time, why don't we find a moment to have a match?"

Although the words carried a tone of consultation, the blatant challenge and the fierce battle intent burning in Jiang Donghua's eyes instantly made the air in the entire courtyard feel scorching and taut!

Lei Lie grinned from the side, wearing an expression that said, 'Just as expected.'

Mu Chen, however, shook his head helplessly and continued processing the demonic beast meat in his hands, long accustomed to this kind of scene.

Feeling Jiang Donghua's unwavering gaze, which even held a hint of excitement and anticipation, Qin Xiao's heart suddenly began to pound faster.

The competitive spirit that had been somewhat dampened by Mu Chen's stimulation was now completely ignited by Jiang Donghua's direct challenge!

This Jiang Donghua was truly extraordinary!

Just the sheer guts to directly challenge him, the veteran first on the strong ranking (even if he was a newly advanced Dou Wang), and this pure battle intent, proved he was far beyond ordinary New Students!

Qin Xiao took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. A smile of arrogance and confidence, characteristic of the thunder fire asura, appeared on his face. Meeting Jiang Donghua's gaze, he accepted the challenge decisively.

"Good! Why would I refuse? You pick the time and place!"

With the challenge accepted, the air between the two seemed to crackle with electric sparks.

The battle intent in Jiang Donghua's eyes intensified, and he nodded in satisfaction.

"Refreshing! Then it's settled. After we finish this meal, we'll head to the arena. It will be a good chance to stretch our muscles!"

He spoke with effortless ease, treating the upcoming event not as a fierce battle between dragons and tigers, but merely as post-meal exercise.

Hearing this, Qin Xiao let out a proud snort through his nose.

He knew perfectly well that if he were to fight the unfathomable Mu Chen, who was casually preparing the Sixth-Tier Demonic Beast meat nearby, he would be out of his mind and simply seeking abuse.

But his opponent was Jiang Donghua, who was also a Dou Wang (at least on the surface). His title, "thunder fire asura," was not earned for nothing!

The terrifying offensive power brought by the Dual Cultivation of Thunder and Fire gave him enough confidence to rampage unchallenged among those of the same rank!

"Fear? That word truly doesn't exist in my dictionary!"

A sense of heroism suddenly rose in Qin Xiao's heart, replacing the slight depression he had felt earlier with intense battle intent.

He was now immensely looking forward to using this battle to verify his own strength and to gauge the measure of this mysterious New Students.

Just then, an indescribably strange and savory aroma of meat suddenly drilled into his nostrils, several times richer than before. It instantly stirred the Dou Qi within his body, even causing his newly stabilized Dou Wang realm to show faint signs of activity.

He saw that Mu Chen had already started a bonfire, while Jiang Donghua took the fattest foreleg of the Earth Flame Rhinoceros. Producing a pile of bottles and jars from somewhere, he skillfully applied seasonings and began roasting it.

Under his control, the flames gently licked the meat. Fat dripped into the fire, producing a pleasant sizzling sound.

The meat quickly turned golden brown and crispy at a visible speed, yet the inside contained flowing magma, radiating an enticing luster and vast energy.

Even the proud and arrogant Qin Xiao couldn't help but swallow and feel his appetite surge upon smelling the aroma and seeing its appearance.

Soon, the meat was ready.

Jiang Donghua deftly portioned the meat. Mu Chen and Lei Lie each received a large piece, and then he cut a massive chunk and handed it to Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao didn't stand on ceremony, taking it and biting off a huge mouthful.

Instantly, an indescribably delicious flavor exploded in his mouth. The texture, just as Mu Chen had said, was incredibly tender and springy.

A pure and gentle fire-attribute energy slid down his throat into his stomach, immediately transforming into a warm current that surged through his limbs, nourishing his meridians and Qi vortex. The effect was even more pronounced than a full day of strenuous cultivation!

"Mmm, delicious!"

Qin Xiao couldn't help but praise it, then fiercely took another large bite. Feeling the active Dou Qi within him and looking at the priceless piece of Sixth-Tier Demonic Beast meat in his hand, he was filled with emotion and sighed.

"If we could regularly eat this level of demonic beast meat as a meal before, breaking through realms would truly be just around the corner!"

His words held a playful element but also spoke the truth.

For the vast majority of cultivators, resources like this were something they wouldn't dare dream of. Only a Dou Zong like Mu Chen could so casually treat it as daily ingredients.

Lei Lie, eating with oil running down his chin, chuckled.

"Heh heh, following Brother Jiang and Old Mu, I, Lei Lie, have certainly broken my fast on meat!"

Mu Chen smiled, shook his head, and chewed slowly.

Jiang Donghua ate unhurriedly, but his gaze occasionally swept over Qin Xiao, seemingly assessing his opponent's condition. The battle intent in his eyes did not fade due to the delicious food; instead, it grew even hotter.

Qin Xiao felt warm all over, his state adjusted to its peak. He suddenly stood up, looked at Jiang Donghua, and his Thunder Fire Dou Qi faintly roared within his body.

"Jiang Donghua, the meal is eaten, and the meat has been tasted. Isn't it time to go to the arena and stretch our muscles?"

Jiang Donghua elegantly wiped his mouth and stood up. His smile remained gentle, but the imposing aura around him slowly began to rise.

"Just as I wished. Please!"

The two figures, one following the other, turned into streaks of light and shot toward the Inner Academy arena.