14: Chapter 14 Separate

"Xiao Yan, great Genius, what else is there?" Ruo Lin was only a Great Dou Master herself, and she dared not put on airs before this youth who would likely catch up to her before long.

"There is an important matter that I must attend to; I am afraid I cannot go to Jia Nan Academy with you all."

"Asking for leave? According to the rules, aside from specific holidays, there are no other leaves. However, how many days do you want to take?" Instructor Ruo Lin frowned, but upon thinking of Xiao Yan's such exaggerated talent, she relaxed.

"This matter is very important and must be done, and I am afraid it will take a year..." Xiao Yan said helplessly.

Once these words were spoken, gazes of astonishment turned towards him. A year? Since the founding of Jia Nan Academy, no one had likely ever requested such a long leave, right? And to ask for leave just as school was about to start.

"Are you joking with me?" Instructor Ruo Lin blinked, feeling somewhat between laughter and tears. A year—that was nearly one-third of the total time spent at Jia Nan Academy.

"This leave is truly too long. Even I cannot make that decision. You should ask for less."

Xiao Yan shook his head and smiled bitterly: "I also do not wish to ask for such a long leave, but there is indeed a reason for it."

Upon hearing this, Xun'er's expression dimmed slightly.

Instructor Ruo Lin calculated in her heart: a sixteen-year-old three-star Dou Master. If he could arrive at Jia Nan Academy next year, he would likely be close to becoming a Great Dou Master. If she missed out this time, there would not be another chance! After all, in the entire Jia Nan Academy, she had never heard of anyone with such outrageous talent for Cultivate!

However, the formalities still had to be observed, Instructor Ruo Lin thought to herself, and then said: "It is not impossible to request leave, but you need to prove yourself. How about this: if you can hold out for ten moves against me, I will approve your one-year leave!"

"It is a deal!"

"Very well, this place is too narrow. Let us go outside."

The evening sun had already shed its scorching intensity. Gusts of cool breeze blew across the sparse crowd in the plaza, bringing a long-awaited coolness.

Numerous students followed Instructor Ruo Lin and Xiao Yan to the plaza outside.

Instructor Ruo Lin's storage ring flashed, and a long, azure whip appeared before them. The whip was embedded with a magic crystal, emitting a blue luster; clearly, this was a magic core weapon.

"The item you are carrying on your back is your weapon, right?" Instructor Ruo Lin said with a smile at the corner of her mouth.

"Yes, Instructor Ruo Lin."

"Very well, then let us begin."

Instructor Ruo Lin casually flicked the long whip in her hand, and the water vapor energy contained within it instantly left a puddle of water on the floor.

Instructor Ruo Lin looked at Xiao Yan before her with a faint smile, shook the long whip in her hand, and lashed it towards Xiao Yan's head and face.

Xiao Yan dodged to the side, easily evading the attack. What followed was a continuous, sky-filling shadow of whips. The blue, water-attribute magic core weapon made the air in the entire plaza become humid.

Every time the long whip was about to strike Xiao Yan, he was always able to dodge it within a hair's breadth, as if these attacks were merely child's play.

In reality, this was Xiao Yan's extreme control over distance; his powerful Soul perception always allowed him to detect it before the long whip could strike him.

"Xiao Yan, is your forte merely dodging?" Instructor Ruo Lin's tone remained unchanged, still speaking with a smile, but the implication was hard not to interpret as mockery.

"Then I am coming, Instructor Ruo Lin." Xiao Yan smiled faintly, kicked off the ground, and shot forward.

"Snap!" Dodging a whip coming head-on, Xiao Yan threw a punch, aiming straight for Ruo Lin's chest.

A water vortex of energy appeared on Instructor Ruo Lin's palm, and she raised her hand to collide with Xiao Yan's fist.

"Bang!"

A violent sound spread throughout the entire plaza. Xiao Yan's expression remained unchanged, but Instructor Ruo Lin stepped back.

"Great Genius, it seems you are not as honest as I imagined." Instructor Ruo Lin's face was flushed, her chest heaving violently, as she spoke softly.

Seeming to be somewhat angry, Instructor Ruo Lin flicked her long whip, and deep blue Dou Qi violently poured into it, immediately erupting outward.

The massive blue energy tumbled in mid-air, and after a moment, it actually formed a giant water snake nearly five or six meters long. The giant snake roared silently, and the huge water droplets falling from its body soaked the floor with a 'snap'.

"Profound Rank Intermediate Dou Technique: Water Mandala!" The onlookers exclaimed in surprise.

Xiao Yu looked at the five-or-six-meter-long water snake in the air and covered her mouth, exclaiming softly. It seemed Instructor Ruo Lin was getting serious.

However, she had seen Instructor Ruo Lin perform the Water Mandala in the academy before, and that time the water snake was a full seven or eight meters long. Looking at it this way, Instructor Ruo Lin still had not used her true strength.

Xiao Yan glanced indifferently at the giant water snake in the air and drew the xuan heavy ruler from his back. Even though his Physical Body was incomparably powerful, he did not want to directly clash head-on with a Profound Rank Intermediate Dou Technique.

The giant water snake suddenly attacked Xiao Yan from the air. Xiao Yan did not want to dodge; he wanted to test if his full-powered strike could shatter this water snake.

"Boom!"

The giant ruler collided with the water snake, emitting a deafening sound. But unfortunately, the giant snake did not last long before the giant ruler and was directly shattered!

The giant water snake transformed into water vapor and countless water droplets, filling the entire plaza and obscuring the extremely astonished gazes of the crowd.

A look of surprise appeared on Instructor Ruo Lin's face once again. Today, this youth had brought her too many surprises. She had thought about how Xiao Yan might dodge this attack, or how he might miserably endure this strike, but she truly had not expected him to shatter the Water Mandala in such a simple and direct manner.

"Great Genius, since you have met my requirements, I will grant you that one-year leave..." Instructor Ruo Lin smiled bitterly. She did not know how many times this sentence would cause her trouble in the future, but being able to retain this great Genius was worth it.

"Many thanks, Instructor Ruo Lin, and sorry for the trouble." Xiao Yan said apologetically.

Instructor Ruo Lin looked at the apologetic Xiao Yan, feeling somewhat gratified in her heart, and chided: "At least you know."

"Hehe, I see that Instructor Ruo Lin is alone in Wutan City and it is quite dull, so why not stay at the Xiao Family for these few days? It would be Xiao Yan fulfilling the duties of a host." Xiao Yan smiled slightly and said.

Xiao Yu also hurriedly stepped forward, pulling on Instructor Ruo Lin, and coquettishly said: "Yu'er has never seen that great Genius actively invite anyone to visit the Xiao Family before. Yu'er also wants to live with Instructor Ruo Lin."

"Alright, alright, as you wish." Instructor Ruo Lin said helplessly.

Several days after Instructor Ruo Lin came to stay at the Xiao Family, at the Mittel Auction House, Xiao Yan was sitting with Ya Fei in a VIP room.

"Young Miss Ya Fei, please help prepare the supplies on this list. Just deduct the required money from the card..." Xiao Yan took a pale gold card from his bosom and handed it to Ya Fei.

"Are you leaving? It is good that you are leaving; the small Wutan City cannot nurture a great Genius like you." Ya Fei took the card, her voice that made one's bones go numb reaching Xiao Yan's ears.

Xiao Yan nodded with a smile and did not respond.

"What a mysterious yet boring man, Xiao Yan..." Ya Fei thought to herself as she looked at Xiao Yan, who had remained indifferent towards her since they first met.

After coming out of the auction house, Xiao Yan walked alone on the crowded street, holding a pale gold card in his hand. Inside, there were still hundreds of thousands of gold coins; he figured it should be enough to spend for a while.

"Yan'er, if you have the chance, go to Stone Desert City at the border of the Jia Ma Empire and take a look. Your two brothers have established a mercenary group there named 'Mo Tie'..."

"Brother Xiao Yan, take care on your journey. Xun'er will wait for you at Jia Nan Academy..."

Recalling the voices and faces of his father and Xun'er from the morning in his mind, he could not help but chuckle softly. Twirling his fingers, he slowly put the card away, and Xiao Yan took steps, disappearing into the crowd...