97: It's probably because I have too much internal heat.

"There's no need for an inspection."

A voice suddenly rang out from the crowd, and then a figure stepped onto the challenge stage.

"Who is this student?"

"I don't know. Does anyone recognize him?"

"I've seen him. He's the Prodigy freshman who beat up Feiqiu yesterday."

"So it's him. But what's he doing up there? He's not a Breeder. If he wants to play the hero and save the beauty, he should reconsider."

"I hope he can save the day. Seeing how flustered that girl is, I'm getting anxious for her."

Regardless of the reactions below the stage, the people on the stage reacted differently.

Little Leopard Zhao frowned, while Ruan Qiong looked puzzled. Only Mo Yu felt a wave of relief. She ran over in a few quick steps and shouted, "Master! You're finally here!"

The word 'Master' caused an uproar both on and off the stage. Everyone reacted differently, but all were shocked.

Xie Ning smiled and patted her head, saying, "Accidents can happen at any time during the evolution process. A Breeder is the first person who shouldn't panic. If you panic, what will the Demon Tamers Beast do? It can't exactly register itself for a doctor's appointment."

"I know I was wrong, I'll be careful next time. But Master, what should I do now?" Mo Yu stuck out her tongue and asked.

Xie Ning glanced at Little Leopard Zhao and narrowed his eyes. "I'll handle this. You do the subsequent evolution yourself."

"Student, are you also a Breeder?" Instructor Ruan Qiong stepped forward to ask.

Xie Ning didn't say anything. He handed his Breeder certificate to her and then walked toward the Dawn Fire Horse.

Ruan Qiong opened the booklet, her eyes widened in shock. Finally, she looked at Mo Yu; from the latter's expression, she could tell this was no joke.

"That Prodigy is actually your Master?" Ruan Qiong began to feel expectant, wanting to see how Xie Ning would resolve the issue with the Dawn Fire Horse.

Although she had several ways to force the parasites out on the spot if she were to do it, it was a good idea to take this opportunity to see the skills of the legendary youngest Intermediate Cultivator.

The students below the stage also watched Xie Ning curiously, wondering what he would do next.

Xie Ning stroked the Dawn Fire Horse's coat and said as if no one else were around, "There is a type of scorpion in this world called the Void-Walking Scorpion. It can hide in spatial layers, making it hard for ordinary people to see. This scorpion has incredible assassination skills, but its other abilities are quite average. Student Little Leopard Zhao, have you heard of this scorpion?"

Little Leopard Zhao's eyes flickered with panic, but he quickly suppressed it and replied, "Of course, I've seen it in the illustrated handbook before."

"Did the handbook tell you that it also has an ability called Irritable Bee?"

At Xie Ning's words, Little Leopard Zhao's expression stiffened. He forced a smile and said, "I've never heard of it. I'm sure the other students haven't heard of it either."

"It's not surprising, because this ability is too devious. Once an Irritable Bee parasitizes a Yao Beast, it initially only causes itching and discomfort. But soon, the itching turns into pain, then madness, until death. The whole process takes only a few hours. Moreover, this process is difficult to detect with instruments; even going to the Monster Taming Alliance wouldn't help."

The crowd below the stage looked at each other, while the owner of the Dawn Fire Horse was already panicking.

"This method is actually quite covert—a bloodless way to kill. Everyone who owns a Void-Walking Scorpion keeps quiet about this ability, so fewer and fewer people know about the Irritable Bee nowadays."

After Xie Ning finished speaking, Little Leopard Zhao frowned with an impatient look. "So what? Are you trying to say this Dawn Fire Horse is also infected with Irritable Bees?"

"Whether it is or not, we'll know soon. Since you haven't seen an Irritable Bee..." Xie Ning patted Little Leopard Zhao on the shoulder with a smile, "I'll let you see one today."

Bang~~~

A ripple spread through the air, and then a palm-sized scorpion was knocked out as if hit by something.

"Void-Walking Scorpion!" Mo Yu exclaimed.

Instructor Ruan Qiong's eyes also widened as she faintly understood something.

Xie Ning bent down, grabbed the unconscious Void-Walking Scorpion, held it high, and looked around with a sharp gaze:

"Whose Demon Tamers Beast is this?!"

The contract with a Demon Tamers Beast is a spiritual one and doesn't show on the surface. Therefore, no one can determine whose beast it is just by its appearance.

His voice carried far, but the people below the stage shook their heads in denial. Xie Ning turned his gaze back to Little Leopard Zhao. "Is it yours?"

"Of course not! I've only seen it in the illustrated handbook. You were the one who even told me about the Irritable Bee." Little Leopard Zhao shook his head in denial.

"Since it's ownerless, that's for the best. Everyone! Today, I'll show you what an Irritable Bee is!"

"What! Stop..."

Xie Ning's right hand suddenly exerted force. With a 'crack', the Black Iron Level 7 Void-Walking Scorpion was instantly crushed by him.

Pfft!

"Student Little Leopard Zhao, what's wrong with you?" Xie Ning looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Little Leopard Zhao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was swaying, staring intently at Xie Ning with a sinister look in his eyes.

"No... nothing..."

Before he could finish, there was a 'thud' as he collapsed to the ground.

At this moment, anyone with a reasonably normal brain knew what was going on.

Xie Ning looked on coldly.

In a mere academy public class, he was willing to kill another student's Demon Tamers Beast. Why be polite to such a person?

"Probably internal heat; his gums are bleeding so much," Xie Ning said nonchalantly. He stepped over the body, dug into the Void-Walking Scorpion with his left hand, and pulled out several small red insects covered in green liquid.

"Look, everyone, these are Irritable Bees! If you can't see clearly, look at that Dawn Fire Horse. Hasn't it recovered?"

Everyone looked at the Dawn Fire Horse. Sure enough, with the death of the Void-Walking Scorpion, it had calmed down and was no longer restless.

"Teacher, the course of events should be very clear now," Xie Ning said, looking toward Instructor Ruan Qiong.

Ruan Qiong nodded solemnly. "Yes, I will report this matter. Thank you, student, for helping us solve this problem. It truly makes me feel ashamed as a teacher."

"Haha~ As long as the Instructor doesn't blame me for acting recklessly." Xie Ning smiled and looked at Mo Yu again. "I'll leave the rest to you."

"Yes! Understood!" Mo Yu grinned brilliantly, no longer showing any signs of panic.

Xie Ning prepared to leave the stage. The people below instinctively made a path for him, each watching him with strange expressions.

It seemed like he had accidentally stolen the spotlight again?

Xie Ning quickly left along the path that had been opened for him.

After Xie Ning left, everyone's attention was once again drawn to the light of evolution on the stage.

But it was almost predictable that once these people left the Challenge Area, names like 'Xie Ning' and 'Prodigy freshman' would once again flood the Academy Forum like a depth charge, stunning schools of small fry.

On the stage, Instructor Ruan Qiong nodded in satisfaction as she saw Mo Yu methodically proceeding with the Dawn Fire Horse's evolution. However, her brow furrowed as she looked at the unconscious Little Leopard Zhao.

She didn't know that Xie Ning had already fought Tiger Zhao when he first entered the academy and had fought Zhao Long alongside the Mu Family after yesterday's duel. Right now, she was still worried about whether the Zhao Family would cause trouble for Xie Ning.

"Two students, please take Little Leopard Zhao to the Infirmary."

Now, she could only hope that Little Leopard Zhao's Mental Backlash wasn't too severe; otherwise, the Zhao Family likely wouldn't let it go. She was even considering whether to have her Family step in to protect Xie Ning.

An 18-year-old Intermediate Cultivator was worth protecting.