Chapter 71: Beaten Up!
"Something's up ahead!"
Xiao Ze's voice rang out, immediately alerting the three girls.
"No need to worry, it's just the group of new students," Xiao Ze explained, reassuring them.
They had encountered the new students briefly during this time, most of whom seemed disheartened.
The pride and vigor they had upon successfully entering the inner courtyard through the selection competition had been extinguished by this small Fire Energy Hunting competition!
However, Xiao Ze sensed something different about this group of new students.
As they entered the clearing in the woods, five new students were huddled against tree trunks, recuperating.
Sensing someone's arrival, the new students quickly grabbed their weapons, feeling on edge.
Seeing familiar faces, one of the new students exclaimed, "Classmate Xiao Ze!"
"What happened to you all? Did you encounter magical beasts? You look so miserable!" Xiao Ze frowned slightly.
The Fire Energy Hunting competition was ultimately just a trial between students and wouldn't normally be this severe.
Upon hearing Xiao Ze's inquiry, one of the new students immediately showed a look of indignation.
"Classmate Xiao Ze, you must be careful. The group of seniors up ahead is ambushing the new students!"
"It seems to be the guy who had five points of fire energy deducted by the elder at the entrance earlier. He harbored resentment and specifically ambushed the new students at critical points!"
"They not only attack ruthlessly but also insult us verbally!" Another new student couldn't help but speak out, his eyes full of anger.
After listening, Xiao Ze glanced at their miserable injuries.
"It seems this senior is quite unscrupulous, completely disregarding us as fellow members of the same academy."
"Since that's the case, I won't hold back either. Rest assured! I will definitely repay him double for the injuries he caused you!"
Xiao Ze bent down and gently patted the excited new student, comforting him.
"You guys rest here for now. The Fire Energy Hunting competition lasts for seven days, so there's still some time. Don't rush."
After Xiao Ze finished speaking, he beckoned to the three girls.
Amidst the admiring and grateful gazes of the five new students, the four of them disappeared into the woods.
In another part of the forest, five seniors were happily counting the fire energy on the crystal cards.
"It seems that ambushing here is indeed effective. Those new students were weak to begin with, and with our ambush, the results are remarkable."
"Haha, we've harvested quite a bit in this Fire Energy Hunting competition!"
"But, Old Mei, you should watch your mouth. Your foul language makes me want to hit you."
"That's right. Those new students aren't always weak. Once they adapt to the inner courtyard, they might come looking for trouble."
The persuaded youth shrugged indifferently, looking arrogant.
"They've been lagging behind me for two years already. The gap between us isn't that easy to bridge."
"If they dare to come looking for trouble again, I won't mind teaching them another lesson, so they'll know the power of the seniors."
Suddenly, there was movement in the bushes, and Old Mei immediately looked over with a greedy glint in his eyes.
"More prey has arrived! Bring in a couple more teams to make up for the five points of fire energy deducted by the elder!"
"I have to say, the elder deducting your fire energy was truly deserved punishment."
A light, mocking voice drifted through the forest, full of sarcasm.
Old Mei's eyes widened when he saw the four figures appear in the woods, a smirk playing on his lips.
"So it's you guys who caused me to lose five points of fire energy. Finally, you've fallen into my hands!"
Old Mei drew out his whip, his expression sinister.
"Tsk! It's all because of your foul mouth," Xiao Ze shook his head, looking contemptuous.
Few people could make him feel so disgusted, not only lacking in strength but also having such a foul mouth.
"You little brat, I'll make you cry at my feet soon enough!"
Old Mei said as he whipped out his whip, and the four seniors behind him stepped forward.
This time, Xiao Ze didn't use his Poisonous Fury, but instead, his figure flickered, instantly breaking through the defense of the whip.
Xiao Ze's figure closed in on Lao Mei, landing a slap on his cheek.
As his face violently shook, several bloody teeth flew out of his mouth.
Immediately, like lightning, Xiao Ze struck backhanded, knocking out more of Lao Mei's teeth.
Before he could react, Xiao Ze kicked him in the abdomen, sending him flying into a tree, where he spat out a mouthful of blood.
In the blink of an eye, the confrontation ended, leaving the four seniors staring at Lao Mei's miserable state.
They quietly stepped back.
Seeing Xiao Ze's gaze on them, the four seniors trembled.
"Junior, speak calmly, don't get agitated!"
"That's right, we're all students of the inner courtyard, no need for violence, right?"
"Is that so? You didn't seem to think so before."
Xiao Ze chuckled lightly, showing no favor to these four opportunists.
"Hand over your fire energy cards obediently. If you don't want to get beaten up, beat him up just like I did!"
Xiao Ze said coldly.
"This..."
The four hesitated, but Xiao Ze didn't give them a chance to choose. In the next moment, he kicked another senior in the abdomen, causing him to double over in pain and kneel on the ground.
"I didn't give you a choice. I expect you to comply!"
The other three seniors dropped their crystal cards and crawled over to Lao Mei.
Lao Mei's mouth was swollen, unable to speak.
In his terrified gaze, the three seniors mercilessly punched and kicked him, showing no mercy.
The senior who was lying on the ground saw Xiao Ze looking over and quickly dropped a crystal card, crawling over to Lao Mei to deliver a couple more kicks.
He dared not hesitate any longer; Xiao Ze seemed deceptively friendly, but that kick just now made him wonder if his internal organs were ruptured.
Amidst Lao Mei's cries of pain, Xiao Ze transferred the fire energy from the crystal cards to his own.
"Don't forget to take that guy's fire energy card when you're done beating him up."
Xiao Ze shouted towards the chaotic battlefield.
The other four seniors quickly echoed, fearing another beating from Xiao Ze if they remained silent.
Only when Lao Mei's screams stopped did Xiao Ze instruct them to stop beating him.
Sure enough, he had lost consciousness.
Taking the blood-stained crystal cards, Xiao Ze didn't hesitate to transfer the fire energy onto his own card before returning them to the seniors.
"Don't always think about bullying the new students. If you really want to, I can play with you guys too, after all, I'm a new student as well."
Xiao Ze said in a warm tone.
This made the four seniors quickly shake their heads, saying, "We dare not, we dare not!"
After Xiao Ze and the others left, the previous group of new students appeared in the clearing.
Seeing Lao Mei's miserable state, worse than their own injuries, they couldn't believe it until the four seniors informed them that the unrecognizable figure lying on the ground was indeed Lao Mei.
The new students were relieved to see the fear in the seniors' eyes, feeling grateful, all thanks to Xiao Ze!
Seeing them in such a sorry state, the new students abandoned any thoughts of revenge and continued on towards the end of the forest!