The person sparring with Xiao Ling was none other than Lin Xiuya, the second-ranked student on the Strong Ranking of the Jia Nan Inner Academy in the original story.
He hadn’t entered the Inner Academy yet.
Now seventeen, his cultivation was at 4-Star Great Battle Master, which already allowed him to challenge one of the current patriarchs of the Eight Ancient Clans.
Currently, the people Xiao Ling knew in the Outer Academy were Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, Lin Yan, and Han Yue.
With his outstanding talent and a set of unique alchemy skills, Xiao Ling’s relationship with them was very close.
Furthermore, the four of them had discussed teaming up in the “Fire Energy Hunting Competition” in half a year to counter-rob the senior students’ fire energy.
That way, they wouldn’t have to worry about cultivation resources upon entering the Inner Academy.
Xiao Ling remembered that in the original story’s finale, these three men all reached the Half-Saint level.
Although it was with Xiao Yan’s help, they couldn’t have achieved that without talent.
As for having a good relationship with Han Yue, one could only say…
black silk sisters, cough.
Helping Lin Xiuya up, the two walked toward the exit of the arena.
Suddenly, a black monster flew out of the tunnel and stopped in front of Xiao Ling, affectionately rubbing its cheek against his and circling him.
Looking closely, the monster had a long, slender body, mostly black.
There were several golden ring patterns on its back, and it had red-edged fins on its shoulders and lower body.
The tip of its tail had a fin-like structure.
There were two long, flat horn structures on its head, with two smaller horns below them.
The tip of its upper snout had two clear fangs.
It had yellow eyes with black pupils in the middle.
It had two arms, each with three sharp claws that glinted coldly, making one know they were extremely sharp at a glance.
It circled and danced in the air, looking very nimble.
This was the Rayquaza egg Xiao Ling had extracted earlier.
After nearly a year of incubation, it hatched on Xiao Ling’s ninth birthday.
He thought it would be an ordinary Rayquaza, but he hadn’t expected it to be shiny; one could only say it was indeed very cool.
Rubbing the Rayquaza’s head, Xiao Ling said to it: “Xiao Kong, get into my sleeve.
I’ll refine some candy for you later.”
Hearing this, Rayquaza nodded, licked Xiao Ling’s face, and then shrank its body to crawl into his sleeve.
He spoke sourly: “This thing is too cool.
I want to raise one too.”
Xiao Ling just gave a mysterious smile.
There was only one Rayquaza in the Battle Qi Continent; it couldn’t be tamed by anyone else.
The potential of this Rayquaza was terrifying.
It was already a Tier 3 monster.
As long as it ate medicinal materials, it could absorb energy and refine it to improve its strength.
It just ate a lot—about three times the resources needed for a person’s cultivation.
Xiao Ling couldn’t afford it right now; he was still using the resources provided by the academy.
So why did its cultivation improve so fast?
Naturally, it was because it found a good ‘mother,’ the first rich woman of the Battle Qi Continent, Xiao Xun’er.
She gave it medicinal materials as if they cost nothing, making its cultivation skyrocket.
Its meals were mostly provided by her; Xiao Ling only occasionally refined some pills for it.
That’s right, Xiao Xun’er had also come to Jia Nan Academy.
When Xiao Ling was nine, she came with a cultivation of 8th Stage of Battle Qi at the age of eight.
Of course, no one knew her true cultivation.
Based on Xiao Ling’s guess, she wouldn’t be weaker than him.
In the original story, she didn’t even practice properly to save face for Xiao Yan.
In the later stages, even with Xiao Yan’s invincible cheats and absorbing the Purifying Lotus Demonic Flame and parts of the Gold Emperor Sky Flickering Flame, he only just surpassed her.
One could only say: “Divine Grade bloodline, so terrifying.” Now that Xiao Ling’s cultivation was rising so fast, she might not be using her full effort, but she certainly wouldn’t waste her talent.
Walking out of the tunnel, they saw a girl standing gracefully in front of them, giving a charming smile to Xiao Ling.
At this moment, her charm made the surroundings seem to lose their color, as if the whole world were focused on this girl.
Xiao Ling was dazed, Lin Xiuya was dazed, and everyone else who noticed them was dazed.
Coming back to his senses and sensing the gazes focused on them—envy, worship, jealousy—Xiao Ling couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed about being dazed.
Releasing Rayquaza from his sleeve, Xiao Ling circulated his Battle Qi and landed steadily on its back.
Hearing this, Xiao Xun’er nodded happily.
Although she often rode Rayquaza herself, since Xiao Ling’s daily cultivation was tight, he hadn’t accompanied her on a ride.
She placed her soft, fair hand in Xiao Ling’s large hand, circulated her Battle Qi, and with a light jump, sat in front of him.
Xiao Ling naturally wrapped his left arm around her slender waist, pulling her a bit closer into his embrace.
Feeling this small person in his arms, soft and fragrant, Xiao Ling felt refreshed.
Following Xiao Ling’s command, Rayquaza, who was already in sync with his mind, immediately understood.
It let out a long cry and dove toward the sky, vanishing from the sight of the crowd.
Lin Xiuya, left behind, watched the two disappear, his mouth twitching.
Unbelievable.
Shoving dog food down my throat right in front of me.
Where is the justice?
Where is the law?
Lin Xiuya hadn’t fallen for Xiao Xun’er yet.
Perhaps because he was an adult and she was a nine-year-old girl, almost half his age.
Perhaps because she had a childhood friend like Xiao Ling, so he had no plans to compete.
If Xiao Ling knew this, he would only shake his head in disdain.
He was following the ‘genius’ start, not the ‘waste counter-attack’ start like Xiao Yan.
He couldn’t be bothered with things like face-slapping and showing off.
With Rayquaza’s amazing speed, it only took a quarter of an hour to break through the clouds and fly into the stratosphere.
At this time, the sun was setting, the sea of clouds was rolling, and the setting sun shone on the clouds as if they were in an orange-red world, beautiful and spectacular.
Of course, the two didn’t come to see the scenery; the important thing was the person.
With mutual feelings, riding the same mount, even if they just wandered through the streets and alleys of the city, they would be satisfied.
As for the scenery, it was just a little decoration.
Under Rayquaza’s flight, the wind blew against their faces, blowing their hair around.
The blue-silver and black hair intertwined, looking very peaceful and beautiful.