In Xiao Ning's eyes, Lu Mu was a brat who needed a good beating. Lu Mu didn't even know about the Xiao Clan's current situation.
Lu Mu ignored Xiao Ning's twitching eyes, showed a bright smile, and cupped his hands to give Xiao Ning the highest form of courtesy.
Xiao Ning felt helpless after he saw this.
...
Many students and instructors straightened their posture in the viewing gallery after hearing Xiao Ning's name. After all, Xiao Ning and Xiao Yan were famous for taking a leave for two years after joining the academy.
Even so, few showed goodwill to Xiao Ning; instead, they cheered for Lu Mu. The root cause behind it was Gu Xun Er and her unusual relationship with Xiao Yan.
Only the Dou Emperors and the Dou Kings in the viewing gallery had a slightly serious face. Xiao Ning's realm wasn't from them. A peak Dou Spirit student could rank first in the inner academy, let alone in the outer academy.
They couldn't help but shake their heads and smile helplessly after hearing Lu Mu's provocation.
...
"Brother Xiao Ning, don't worry, I won't embarrass you," Lu Mu said with a warm smile. He saw Xiao Ning standing still and assumed the latter was nervous.
In response, Xiao Ning looked at him with weird eyes. He decided in his mind to help Lu Mu temper his thick skin.
"Begin," The judge spoke, and the stadium was filled with loud cheers for Lu Mu; no one was optimistic about Xiao Ning.
The moment his voice fell, Lu Mu's momentum began to rise, and a red flame-like dou qi erupted from his body and enveloped him. The dou qi surrounding his body shrunk and expanded as he breathed. Lu Mu fully revealed a dou grandmaster's demeanor. If it weren't for his loose mouth; with his decent appearance, Lu Mu would have wooed many girls.
Xiao Ning's calm eyes stared at Lu Mu as he also released a momentum comparable to Lu Mu's. A golden dou qi erupted and enveloped Xiao Ning's body.
In an instant, the air in the arena was divided into two, with Xiao Ning and Lu Mu's dou qi occupying half of it.
Two stood still as the golden and red dou qi clashed against each other. The cheers in the stadium lowered as they witnessed the clash between the two.
With each passing second, Lu Mu's facial expressions began to change. He lost his initial warm smile and looked at Xiao Ning solemnly. At first, he wanted to use his dou qi to put pressure on Xiao Ning, but it didn't turn out as he had expected.
Xiao Ning matched his momentum and continued to release dou qi, slowly overpowering him. It was visible to the naked eye, and everyone present also noticed it.
Xiao Ning's golden dou qi gained the upper hand in the confrontation against Lu Mu's red dou qi and suppressed it. It occupied most of the area within the arena and forced Lu Mu into a corner.
Many instructors and students gasped as they saw this. Only the truly powerful beings present shook their heads; they could see that Xiao Ning was playing with Lu Mu.
"He has exceeded my expectations," Instructor Rou Ling looked astonished. She didn't expect Xiao Ning to give her such a big surprise.
...
"How are you doing, senior Lu Mu? Don't worry, I will go easy on you." Xiao Ning spoke calmly.
Lu Mu's face reddened after hearing Xiao Ning's words. Not long ago, he said the same thing. He madly circulated his dou qi and leaped forward. At the same time, a long slender red sword appeared in his hand.
Xiao Ning smiled faintly and remained still. His unexpected action caught everyone by surprise. Even Lu Mu was no exception. Still, he raised his sword and attacked.
As Lu Mu approached Xiao Ning, the golden dou qi in the surroundings began to contract and condense. Within the blink of an eye, Xiao Ning's dou qi solidified and formed a life-like golden serpent.
The sudden appearance of the serpent caused a stir in the crowd. Lu Mu, who actually faced it, had a frightened expression; he thrust his sword downwards and pierced through the ground.
Lu Mu used his sword as a support and jumped back, increasing the distance between him and Xiao Ning.
Xiao Ning stood with crossed arms, "Smart, but it won't help." The golden serpent sliced through the air and opened its mouth to engulf Lu Mu.
The searing heat emitted by the serpent raised the surrounding temperature, which caused the crowd to exclaim.
Lu Mu, who prided himself on controlling a beast flame, had an ashen face. The ferocious fire serpent had scared him; no one but him could feel the power contained within it.
It was as if death itself was staring at him. Lu Mu's mind went blank, and he stood frozen; he closed his eyes, surrendering to his fate.
'Boom!' The next second, the fire serpent exploded, and flames covered the entire arena except for the spot on which Xiao Ning stood.
The explosion shocked everyone present, and the professors in the crowd stood up anxiously. They were worried about Lu Mu's safety. There was no way the latter could survive an attack of this magnitude.
As the flames disappeared and the scorched arena appeared before them, only then did their hanging hearts feel relieved.
The entire arena was scorched black except for two spots. Xiao Ning calmly looked at the elder standing in front of Lu Mu. It was evident that the latter had protected Lu Mu.
Not to mention, Xiao Ning had already known that someone would take action to protect Lu Mu. The academy wouldn't let an alchemist like him have an accident.
It was because Xiao Ning knew beforehand that he let go of his restraints and attacked freely.
The old man protecting Lu Mu was the Deputy Headmaster of the outer academy, Hu Gan, a peak Dou Emperor rank expert.
Hu Gan glanced at Lu Mu from the corner of his eyes, looked back at Xiao Ning, and shook his head.
"You are the most talented student I have ever seen," He praised Xiao Ning. Hu Gan's words did not conceal his appreciation for Xiao Ning.