The Dean of the Tiger Institute nodded. "Dongfang Ren and Marquis Longyin are already trying to talk the Fake Lu Chao down. No need to hesitate. Just agree."

The Dean of the Wolf Institute raised both hands in full support...

"That’s right. The Fake Lu Chao jumped out on impulse."

"We can’t let him be talked into backing down. Dragon Flame Academy drew number thirty. We have to worry he’ll get scared and forfeit when the time comes."

"We don’t just want Dragon Flame Academy eliminated. We want this Fake Lu Chao... dead!"

With the unanimous support of the Beast Flame Academy’s upper echelon, Zeng Quan made his final decision.

His voice boomed across the entire venue. "Fake Lu Chao, since you wish to join Liyan Academy, we will grant your request."

Li Wumian added, "Fake Lu Chao, it’s too late for regrets."

Dongfang Ren and Marquis Longyin snapped their heads up and stared at Lu Chao...

But Lu Chao replied without hesitation, "Of course I won’t have any regrets. But on one condition: after I fight the first match, I can still be expelled from Liyan Academy and be free to join another academy, including returning to Dragon Flame Academy."

He had to make the terms crystal clear from the start, of course.

He couldn’t have Zeng Quan going back on his word later and claiming he could no longer be a Dragon Flame Academy student.

Zeng Quan’s brow furrowed.

He couldn’t fathom where Lu Chao found such confidence. ’Could the Fake Lu Chao truly be that certain of victory?’

So, Zeng Quan asked, "What if he actually wins? What then?"

He suddenly recalled how utterly ferocious Lu Chao had been during the second trial.

But the Dean of the Tiger Institute just smiled faintly. "Remember what I said last night? I have the legendary strongest Innate warrior on hand, and he has yet to make an appearance. If the Fake Lu Chao actually wins the first match, we’ll just move on to the second."

At this, the Dean of the Wolf Institute’s eyes widened as a thought struck him. "The legendary strongest Innate... you don’t mean..."

"The very same." The Dean of the Tiger Institute’s voice dropped to a low, chilling whisper. "A man who attempted to assassinate the real Lu Chao while at the Innate Ninth Layer, was discovered, and still managed to escape with his life."

The eyes of the Beast Flame higher-ups widened, and then, one by one, they began to laugh.

But Zeng Quan, Li Wumian, and their group were from the Dragon Flame Kingdom; they weren’t very familiar with the war between the Six Great Flame Countries and the Great Wu Empire.

They quickly asked just what kind of person could be called the strongest Innate warrior.

"Chang Yuan," the Dean of the Fox Institute replied. "The strongest genius of the Tiger Flame Kingdom—or perhaps all the Hundred Countries—from over a decade ago."

Zeng Quan froze for a moment. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he immediately realized who they were talking about.

He then turned to Lu Chao, all hesitation gone, and replied coolly, "Of course. You can join any academy you wish, provided you survive... And now, I announce that for the third trial, killing is permitted."

The words, laced with terrifying killing intent, crashed down upon the martial arts arena.

In an instant, the hair on the necks of countless spectators stood on end. The students of Liyan Academy’s legs trembled uncontrollably.

In the martial arts arena...

The seven so-called students from the seven institutes licked their lips sinisterly. All seven of them stared fixedly at Lu Chao before their gazes shifted to the Liyan Academy students, their eyes glinting with bloodlust.

It was as if they were saying they loved to kill.

Marquis Longyin’s heart skipped a beat. He turned to Lu Chao and said, "Young brother..."

Before he could finish, Lu Chao shook his head. "Don’t worry, Marquis Longyin. The fact that killing is allowed just makes it more exciting. I can finally let loose."

An unusual, intense light glinted in his eyes, as if he too had grown excited.

Lu Chao didn’t enjoy killing, nor was he bloodthirsty. But he did enjoy killing his enemies, especially those who were courting death.

"Gentlemen," Lu Chao said, "you’ve seen it for yourselves. Zeng Quan and his cronies will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. The placement tournament is supposed to be a serious, formal affair, yet they agreed to a condition as ridiculous as mine."

"A Beast Flame Academy like this is utterly laughable."

"After this tournament, I think the Dragon Flame King ought to find a way to build a *real* Beast Flame Academy."

As he spoke, Lu Chao strode toward the center of the arena, his battle intent flaring up little by little.

Dongfang Ren and Marquis Longyin fell silent.

Marquis Longyin took a deep breath. "Perhaps Zeng Quan did once want this to be serious and formal, but only as long as that formality guaranteed his own interests. It was you, Lu Chao, who single-handedly ripped Beast Flame’s facade of legitimacy to shreds."

Without Lu Chao, the farce of the first, second, and now third trials would never have happened.

All the academies would have followed the rules devised by Zeng Quan’s faction, competed in the placement tournament, and the final spots in the Outer Courtyard would have naturally gone to the twenty University Institutes that Zeng Quan and his allies wanted to see.

However, Lu Chao’s sudden appearance shattered all of that.

Zeng Quan and the Beast Flame higher-ups, desperate to get rid of him, have resorted to any means necessary. In the end, they even dropped the pretense.

Dongfang Ren spoke quietly. "I don’t care about all that. If young brother Lu Chao is in danger, I will save him."

With that said, he vanished from the arena.

Watching Dongfang Ren disappear, Marquis Longyin instantly felt a great sense of relief. As long as Lu Chao’s survival was guaranteed, winning or losing no longer mattered.

With Beast Flame Academy in this state, his royal brother would surely intervene with thunderous fury...

With the departure of Marquis Longyin and Dongfang Ren, the first battle of the farcical third trial was about to begin!

Back with the group from Dragon Flame Academy, Sun Shijin said, "Lu Chao... wasn’t that a bit too impulsive?"

He had just rushed out without discussing it with any of them.

Cheng Yunsu shook her head, her expression cool. "It’s time for this farcical tournament to end. Lu Chao will win."

At the same time, Fan Jinhua added gravely, "Don’t worry. All you have to do now is sit back and enjoy young brother Lu Chao’s performance."

Still, only they knew that this Lu Chao was not a fake.

Over with the twenty University Institutes...

A group of higher-ups addressed their variously injured students, "The Fake Lu Chao is a dead man. The most important thing for you all now is to quickly study the Azure Flame Seven Walls. Everyone, share what you’ve learned to ensure a flawless victory in the revival match."

If Marquis Longyin had been able to hear them, he would have been utterly dumbfounded.

The revival match... really was about the Azure Flame Seven Walls...

The injured students nodded, but they had little mind for studying. Instead, all their attention was on the upcoming battle.

Outside the martial arts arena...

Zheng Zhuhe approached, supporting a veiled woman. He said with concern, "Yiyi, it’s all my fault. I should have stormed Dragon Flame Academy right away. It’s because I didn’t that you were beaten."

The veiled woman was none other than Wu Yiyi, rescued by Zheng Zhuhe.

Lu Chao had said last night that he would release her before the start of the third trial, but this morning, he had simply ignored Wu Yiyi and had not let her go.

So, Zheng Zhuhe had naturally stormed the courtyard where Dragon Flame Academy was staying and rescued Wu Yiyi himself.

The reason she was veiled was that the five-fingered handprint from Cheng Yunsu’s slap had yet to fade from her face.

Wu Yiyi’s face was filled with resentment, but her voice was demure. "You mustn’t say that. It was General Dean Zeng who told you not to make a scene."

’At the mention of Zeng Quan, Wu Yiyi silently cursed his eighteen generations of ancestors. He’d nearly gotten her killed last night.’

"The Fake Lu Chao and his wife... they both must die."

Seeing Wu Yiyi being so seemingly understanding, Zheng Zhuhe said, almost driven mad with rage...

The words had barely left his mouth when someone rushed over. "Young Master, the show’s starting in the arena! The Fake Lu Chao is taking the stage!"