BTTH: Auto Cultivation System

Seven figures garbed in azure swiftly emerged from the treetops, their movements as nimble as monkeys as they propelled themselves off the sturdy trunks. Without a word, they continued to leap from branch to branch, their expressions betraying a growing impatience.

“Tch! Where are our juniors?” The young man leading the group, his demeanor commanding, clicked his tongue in frustration. His sharp gaze swept over his companions, who seemed equally vexed.

“It seems our juniors are adept at hiding,” one of his companions remarked, his voice calm as he scanned the dense forest for any signs of their quarry. “They’ve concealed their tracks well, perhaps even laying false trails to mislead us.”

“The elders were right—these juniors aren’t as weak or naive as we thought,” another companion sighed, though there was a note of respect in his voice.

The leader’s irritation began to ebb as he considered their words. His expression softened slightly. “If we can’t find them, it’s likely the others are having just as much trouble. But what of the Black Demon Group and the White Demon Group? Any word from them?”

“No,” the third companion responded with a shake of his head. “The Black Demon Group has been searching tirelessly but found nothing. The White Demon Group, fearing the juniors might head straight for the academy’s entrance, decided to station themselves there, blocking any attempt to enter.”

“So, the White Demon Group remains at the entrance, making it unlikely our juniors are headed that way. But where could they be?” The leader muttered, rubbing his chin in deep thought.

Just as he pondered their next move, seven shadows descended silently from above. The eyes of the senior group narrowed in alarm as they quickly gathered Dou Qi in their fists and launched a powerful attack at the intruders.

However, the black shadows moved with astonishing speed. A sharp force rent the air with a muffled sonic boom, their counterattack landing with lightning speed and overwhelming strength. The seniors were forced back several steps, their faces paling in shock.

“What do the elders mean by ‘not that weak’? These juniors are terrifyingly strong!” the leader exclaimed, his voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and fear. He looked up to see two young men, three young women, and two children standing before them, their gazes cold and unyielding.

“It seems we’ve kicked an iron plate this time... The elders must have severely underestimated their strength!” one of the companions muttered, a frown creasing his brow as he lamented their poor fortune in this competition.

“Their strength... around five-star Dou Grandmaster, and their leader is a six-star,” Xiao Hua murmured, glancing at his hand, which had just clashed with the senior’s strike. He was taken aback by the power of the group they had randomly encountered. He couldn’t help but wonder if luck had truly abandoned him, facing opponents with such high cultivation bases.

From the initial clash, the leader quickly grasped the vast difference in their strength. He wanted to order a retreat, but before he could utter a word, the seven opponents vanished, reappearing as black shadows streaking toward them. Realizing escape was impossible, the senior group braced themselves and clashed head-on with the advancing juniors.

The leader clenched his fists, surging his Dou Qi before meeting Xiao Hua’s strike. Each time their fists collided, a powerful shockwave rippled through the air, sending withered leaves spiraling into the sky. Despite his efforts, the leader was forced to take a step back with every impact, Xiao Hua’s overwhelming strength coursing through his arm, leaving it numb and trembling. He attempted to call for assistance, only to find that his companions were struggling just as much as he was.

Finally, Xiao Hua’s body flickered as he struck the leader’s chest. The leader’s body shuddered as a dark, golden-colored Dou Qi surged out, forming a protective gold-colored Dou Qi Armor around him. Confident in his affinity's powerful offensive and defensive capabilities, the leader was stunned when Xiao Hua’s strike shattered his Dou Qi Armor like fragile glass.

The force of Xiao Hua’s blow exploded within the leader’s body, causing him to spit out a mouthful of fresh, bright red blood as he was sent flying backward, crashing into a tree trunk with bone-rattling force. Another mouthful of blood spewed from his mouth as he slumped to the ground, clutching his chest in pain.

Kneeling on the ground, the leader glanced at his teammates, only to see their dark and grim expressions, each of them struggling against their opponents. As Xiao Hua approached, showing no sign of fatigue, the leader knew they were destined to be eliminated from the competition.

Xiao Hua, sensing the leader’s weakened state, stepped closer, intending to ask about the number of senior participants and their strength. However, before he could speak, the leader interrupted, his voice tinged with bitterness. “There are seventy of us, split into ten groups of seven. In terms of strength, most are on par with us. But there are two groups of older students, close to graduation—the Black Demon Group and the White Demon Group. The strongest in the Black Demon Group is a three-star Dou Spirit, while the White Demon Group has a six-star Dou Spirit. Satisfied, boy?”

Xiao Hua was momentarily taken aback by the leader’s sudden willingness to divulge information. Yet, the leader’s eyes reflected a resigned acceptance of defeat. He had likely experienced the ‘Fire Energy Hunting Competition’ in his own time and knew precisely the questions swirling in Xiao Hua’s mind.

However, something about the leader's words nagged at Xiao Hua. Narrowing his eyes, he questioned, "A three-star Dou Spirit and a six-star Dou Spirit? Why are those two so powerful? Did the elders forget that we're only at the peak of Dou Grandmasters?"

"You can only blame yourself for that," the leader replied with a weary shake of his head. He lifted his gaze to meet Xiao Hua's. "Even we were caught off guard by this turn of events. The elders mentioned that this challenge was specially arranged because you juniors aren’t as weak as they initially thought. But in our arrogance, and tempted by the promise of ‘Fire Energy,’ we didn’t question anything and simply followed orders."

"Fire Energy, huh?" Xiao Hua's eyes fell on the leader’s black crystal card. He reached down and asked about it.

"The Fire Energy is the most vital resource in the Inner Academy," the leader explained. "It directly correlates with how quickly new students can improve their strength after entering the Inner Academy for training." Seeing Xiao Hua remain silent, the leader continued. "There is a tower buried deep underground called the ‘Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.’ Training within this tower allows you to gain strength rapidly, far more efficiently than normal. And the deeper you train within the tower, the faster your progress."

"That means the cost to enter the tower must be outrageously high," a voice cut into the explanation. Xiao Hua turned to see Li Mei approaching. Glancing around, he noticed that the others had tied up the senior group with special ropes that absorbed Dou Qi, making them unbreakable.

"Does that mean the ‘Fire Energy’ is the currency within the Inner Academy, senior?" Xiao Xun Er asked softly, her gaze steady on the leader.

"Indeed," the leader replied without hesitation. He elaborated further, "The ‘Fire Energy’ determines how many days you can spend in the tower. The Fire Crystal Card in your hand can cover twenty days of training in the tower. After those twenty days, you'll need to earn more Fire Energy yourself, or you’ll receive a living allowance of seven days' worth of Fire Energy on the first day of each month from the Inner Academy."

Although he was already aware of some of this information, Xiao Hua listened closely to the leader’s explanation. He felt a growing respect for the leader. Initially, Xiao Hua had suspected that the leader was stalling for time, hoping reinforcements would arrive. But as the moments passed and no one came, Xiao Hua realized that the leader had accepted his defeat with dignity, without any resentment. There was even a hint of satisfaction in the leader’s expression, as if he had fulfilled some unspoken duty.

Meanwhile, Li Mei and the others absorbed the information, understanding the allure of Fire Energy. The training methods of the Inner Academy were far more peculiar and wondrous than they had anticipated. The fact that one needed to pay a fee in Fire Energy to train in the so-called ‘Sky Flame Qi Training Tower’ was both unexpected and intriguing.

This realization caused them to exchange bitter smiles. Li Mei furrowed her brows and glanced at the leader, her voice soft yet firm, “But what if we use up all the ‘Fire Energy’ on the card? How do we get more? Don’t tell me we can only wait until next month’s distribution?”

The leader shook his head and addressed Mei Ling’s concern. "The Inner Academy offers various methods to earn 'Fire Energy.' Some students perform menial tasks like sweeping the tower or copying scrolls. Others, typically the stronger ones, hunt magical beasts and exchange their Monster Cores for Fire Energy. Another method is to compete in the Inner Academy Arena, where the victor claims Fire Energy deducted from the loser. There are many ways to obtain Fire Energy, but all require one crucial element: strength. Without it, you risk losing everything."

The leader paused, deep in thought, before continuing with a sigh. "There is one more way to earn Fire Energy: ascending to the top of the ‘Strong Ranking’ in the Inner Academy. As the name suggests, it’s the most prestigious ranking, with only fifty positions available. Securing a place on this list earns you a monthly reward from the Inner Academy. The higher your rank, the greater the reward. Those who achieve a high rank often spend their time training in the ‘Sky Flame Qi Training Tower’ without worrying about running out of Fire Energy."

Mei Ling sighed and turned to her companions. "The competition for the Strong Ranking must be fierce. I’m not surprised that someone who made it to the ranking on their first try was pulled down the very next day by a desperate challenger."

"I thought there was no difference between the Outer and Inner Academies, but it seems I was wrong. It’s like stepping into a completely new world," Ming Cheng said, crossing his arms. "So, what’s the plan now? Are we still going after the seniors?"

"Of course, Brother Ming Cheng," Wei Jie said with a broad smile. "He’s mentioned two other groups, and they each have a Dou Spirit among them. If I were them, I’d split my forces."

"One group would focus on hunting, while the other guards the entrance to the Inner Academy..." Mei Ling’s eyes narrowed as she considered the situation. She turned to the leader and asked, "Is that correct?"

"Yes, that’s exactly right," the leader confirmed with a nod.

Xiao Hua then asked the leader about transferring the 'Fire Energy' from his black crystal card. The leader, though resigned, showed him how to do it. As the numbers on the card gradually decreased, the leader felt no regret or pain, only a curious satisfaction. He murmured softly, barely audible, "How ironic that seeing my Fire Energy decrease eases the burden on my heart. I guess I was so fixated on it that I overlooked everything else..."

After transferring the leader's Fire Energy to his own card, Xiao Hua saw the displayed number increase to 40.

"Since we can’t retreat, how about we continue our hunt?" Xiao Hua suggested with a smile. Though he had the Heavenly Lightning Bloodline and the A-C System, which allowed him to upgrade his cultivation base with relative ease, he understood that this was crucial for Li Mei and the others. Unlike Xiao Xun Er and himself, they lacked such advantages and needed to accelerate their cultivation speed. "And remember, we need to share the spoils fairly."

The others nodded in agreement and moved to the tied-up seniors, retrieving their black crystal cards and transferring the Fire Energy to their own.

The seniors watched as their Fire Energy dwindled to just seven units, letting out regretful sighs. They were undoubtedly unlucky to have participated in this year’s special ‘Fire Energy Hunting Competition’ orchestrated by the elders.

The rules of the competition mandated that both seniors and juniors leave a minimum amount of Fire Energy behind and prevented them from taking all of it. Additionally, seniors were required to withdraw from the forest once their Fire Energy was reduced to seven, marking the end of their participation in this year’s event.

----

Xin Yu gazed deeply at the disappearing back figure of the senior group before turning her attention back to the group. She said, "First, since most seniors at high level Dou Grandmasters, we might as well try to preserve our energy and instead focused on sneak attack the seniors. We have to deal with this matter swiftly before the seniors could get a wind of it happening. That means we deal with them by today!"

Everyone agreed with a nod. Even if they managed to defeat one group, the possibility of the seniors uniting against them was a real threat. Thus, the strategy of conserving energy while still ensuring victory seemed the most prudent approach.

Li Mei stepped forward, addressing the group. "Since we know about the Black Demon Group and understand that the White Demon Group is stationed at the entrance to prevent our exit, let’s focus on how to handle the Black Demon Group."

"The strongest member of the Black Demon Group is a three-star Dou Spirit," Ming Cheng said, considering their previous encounters with Dou Spirit contenders. "We’ve dealt with several ordinary Dou Spirits, but this could be different, given that we’re facing seniors from Jia Nan Academy, not mere thugs from the Black-Corner Region."

"If it comes to that, I'll handle him," Xiao Hua declared, raising his hand with a confident tone. The others, except Xiao Xun Er, regarded him with a mixture of skepticism and hope.

Ming Cheng narrowed his eyes, his voice laced with concern. "Are you certain you can win?"

Xiao Hua nodded firmly. "I am."

The group fell silent, contemplating the situation. After some consideration, they exchanged looks of agreement. Xin Yu spoke up, "In that case, we’ll leave him to you. However, if we see you’re at a disadvantage, we will intervene, even if it means we risk losing to our own opponents."

Xiao Hua acknowledged their decision with a nod. With their plan settled, they stood and resumed their hunt for the senior groups. For a time, the forest echoed with the sounds of explosions and screams. Gradually, the noise faded, giving way to a somber silence as the group withdrew from the forest.

------

In the depths of the dense forest, two elderly men sat cross-legged, their eyes open and focused on the scene unfolding before them. They watched Xiao Hua and his six companions as they systematically hunted down their seniors. With a glance at each other, they released a long, helpless sigh, followed by soft laughter that reverberated through the air.

"When they first arrived, I expected some excitement, but I never imagined it would turn out like this..." one of the old men said wryly. His gaze followed the different flashes of light, each accompanied by the sounds of explosions or something crashing through countless trees and walls.

The other nodded, his tone laced with sympathy. “I thought that little fellow would be the only one the senior groups needed to be cautious of. But this year's batch… they’re filled with exceptional talents.”

"Even so, none of them compare to that little fellow, Old Hua's only disciple. The talent within that boy is something I haven't seen in all my years, not even among those from the Central Plains..." The first old man rubbed his beard as he watched Xiao Hua finish off another senior group and collect their 'Fire Energy.'

The other old man glanced at his companion, shaking his head in disbelief. “The boy has reached the peak of Dou Grandmaster and become a seventh-tier alchemist at just six years old. And he’s defeating these seniors without even relying on Dou Techniques—he’s using nothing but his physical strength. What on earth has Old Huo been feeding him to produce such a monstrous child?”

“I doubt Old Huo had much to do with it,” the first old man replied, shaking his head as well. His eyes lingered on the two dispirited senior groups, their spirits utterly crushed by Xiao Hua alone. “I’ve seen Old Huo baffled, watching Xiao Hua as if even he couldn’t believe the boy’s talent. It seems even he didn’t anticipate this…”

"Once, we all believed he was a rough gem, merely waiting for a little polish to shine," the elder sighed, his gaze distant as he recalled the days when they had vied for Xiao Hua upon discovering his extraordinary cultivation talent. "Who could have imagined that he was already a dragon soaring through the heavens..."

“We crafted this competition to gauge his strength, thinking it might be too much to let two Dou Spirit students participate,” the first old man said, stroking his beard as he glanced toward the entrance of the Inner Academy. “But now, I’m relieved we did. One of the participants is part of the Strong Ranking, after all.”

“Well, it looks like one of them is about to face him, though he’ll have his entire squad with him,” the other old man said, his eyes on the Black Demon Group, led by a strong young man.

"Zhou Tao, the leader of this year Black Demon Group. He is one-star Dou Spirit and one where the elders have paid attention to." The old man said deeply. He shake his head afterwards. "How unfortunate that he is heading towards Xiao Hua. If it was others, he might have a chance of defeating them..."

“Indeed… They’re clever, targeting the one who’s a bit further from the group, but against that little fellow, I can only feel pity for Zhou Tao. Now, the seniors will have to rely on Hu Wei, the leader of the White Demon Group, to halt the momentum of these seven new students,” the second old man concluded with a wry smile, pitying the fate of the Black Demon Group’s leader.