Since Lin Xiu returned from Black Mark City, Zi Yan would visit him every now and then.
Sometimes when he wasn't around, Zi Yan would search for him in the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
Lin Xiu greeted her and told Zi Yan that these were old friends from the outer courtyard who had entered the inner courtyard today.
"Alright, Lin Xiu, what are we eating today?"
Zi Yan wasn't concerned about those things. These days, Lin Xiu had been busy with the Fire Energy Hunting Competition and she hadn't eaten anything good. She was feeling a bit greedy.
"Grilled meat, the kind we had the first time we met." Lin Xiu saw Zi Yan's eyes light up and couldn't help but chuckle.
In the kitchen, when they saw someone coming in, they were all taken aback, especially Lin Dun and the others, wondering how there could be a child in the inner courtyard.
"Do you know her, Senior Brother Du? How did Lin Xiu end up with a child?" Han Pu asked.
"What a cute girl. Could she be the child of that friend Junior Lin Xiu mentioned?" Qin Zhi's gaze was firmly fixed on Zi Yan.
"No, she might be the friend Lin Xiu was referring to," Du Chaoping shook his head.
He had actually seen Zi Yan twice before, but he hadn't paid much attention at the time.
But now, combining Lin Xiu's words just now, he suddenly remembered a rumor in the inner courtyard.
On the Strong Ranking of the inner courtyard, the rankings from second to ninth had always been changing, but the first place had never been disputed.
However, everyone didn't know much about this first place, only that it was a child.
"The first on the Strong Ranking? Our junior has only been in the inner courtyard for a year, and he's already connected to the first on the Strong Ranking?" Lin Dun and the others looked at each other, feeling like it was too surreal.
During the Fire Energy Hunting Competition, when they encountered seniors, they always spoke about the Strong Ranking with a tone of admiration.
"Alright, stop daydreaming. Let's first take care of the tasks our junior assigned," Du Chaoping reminded.
When they were almost done with their tasks, another beautiful woman approached.
Han Yue, having finished her day's cultivation, learned that Lin Xiu had once again suppressed the new students and came over to congratulate him.
"Han Yue, let's eat together," Lin Xiu invited. Han Yue didn't refuse. She seemed to have something to discuss with Lin Xiu, but it wasn't convenient with others around.
The group ate for over an hour.
During that time, they talked about things in the inner courtyard. Han Yue wasn't aloof; she voluntarily answered Lin Dun and the others' questions.
After Zi Yan left, Han Yue stopped Lin Xiu alone. "Junior Brother, do you have some free time recently?"
Lin Xiu nodded. "Yeah, I do."
"In a while, I have something planned and I want you to come along. It's related to the Core Quenching Body Milk. Don't mention this to anyone else," Han Yue lowered her voice.
Not long ago, she discovered a cave where Core Quenching Body Milk was present. However, it was guarded by a Fifth Rank Magic Beast, and one person alone wouldn't be enough to take it.
For this reason, she had already contacted several friends with good connections, all of them highly ranked on the Strong Ranking.
Because Lin Xiu had saved her before, she decided to invite him as well. She didn't expect him to do much, mainly wanting to share some benefits with him.
"Okay," Lin Xiu was slightly surprised but nodded in agreement.
"Okay? Junior Brother, did you hear about this? Why aren't you surprised at all?"
Han Yue was taken aback.
Normally, when people hear about Core Quenching Body Milk, they would at least show some excitement.
It was a natural treasure that could cleanse the muscles and marrow, improve one's constitution, and be helpful for future advancement to Dou King.
But the way Lin Xiu reacted gave her the impression that he already knew about this news.
"Surprised, I'm very surprised, Senior Sister. I just tend to have a laid-back reaction. When you're ready to leave, just let me know," Lin Xiu scratched his head, showing a bit of surprise.
He hadn't expected Han Yue to invite him to this event.
Following the normal course of events, Han Yue had gathered Lin Xiu Ya and Yan Hao, but they were no match for the Fifth Rank Magic Beast in its berserk state, so they had to retreat.
Later on, Xiao Yan used the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python to seize the Core Quenching Body Milk opportunistically.
Han Yue stared at Lin Xiu for two seconds, feeling that his surprise didn't seem fake, but it was still a bit strange.
"Alright, then I'll take my leave. Junior Brother, make sure to focus on your cultivation during this time," without delving deeper, Han Yue stood up, adjusted her dress, and left the courtyard directly.
A few days later, Lin Xiu received a notice to meet with Elder Su.
In a gentle tone, Elder Su informed him that there might be a need for the Flame Soul Separation Technique at the Academy to solve a certain matter and advised him to focus on his cultivation.
If the issue was resolved smoothly, the Academy would reward him with two copies of Earth Rank Mid-Level Dou Techniques.
In addition, there would be pill compensation.
If Lin Xiu wished to become an Elder of the Academy, that would also be possible.
Lin Xiu guessed it was definitely related to the Fallen Heart Flame. Without hesitation, he agreed.
As part of the assistance conditions, the Academy would provide a strand of Fallen Heart Flame's fire every once in while to help Lin Xiu cultivate his Fire Spirit.
"The Academy is unaware that the Fallen Heart Flame has begun to accumulate power, nor do they know that Xiao Yan has set his sights on the Heavenly Flame and is actively assisting. This is something I couldn't ask for. However, with the regular and quantified provision, the Academy is also guarding against me. But it's okay; I can seize the opportunity from Xiao Yan."
Originally, Lin Xiu was worried that the Green Demon Flame was growing too slowly, but now with the Academy's assistance, he saved himself a lot of trouble.
After the conversation with Elder Su concluded, Lin Xiu immersed himself in cultivation once again.
Inside the Spatial Ring he obtained from Fan Ling, there was no shortage of Dou Techniques.
Although cultivation required Blood Sect Blood Qi, it was no problem for him at all.
A month later, Lin Xiu fused Thundering Palm and another Dou Technique using Attribute Points, obtaining a new Black Rank High-Level Dou Technique - Dragon Soars Four Oceans Break.
And the original Black Rank Mid-Level body technique, Light Cloud Wandering Dragon Steps, also transformed into a Black High-Level technique, Shadowless.
Compared to the existing Three Thousand Lightning Movements, Shadowless still lacks some profoundness, but it won't be wasted as it can be used for upgrading Three Thousand Lightning Movements in the future. Additionally, the Black Rank Low-Level Secret Technique Wind and Thunder Shattering Limits has successfully been upgraded to the Black Mid-Level Burning Vitality.
With Lin Xiu's current strength as a 2-Star Dou King, the original Wind and Thunder Shattering Limits could only provide a two-star enhancement, while Burning Vitality can offer four stars. Moreover, the side effects of Burning Vitality are smaller than those of Wind and Thunder Shattering Limits. With the chaotic nebula in his Dantian, Lin Xiu can sustain it for fifteen minutes.
Furthermore, Lin Xiu's body, refined by the Starlight Body Forging Technique, has experienced energy flowing through his meridians with almost no issues.
During this time, another thing that excited Lin Xiu was finally making progress in alchemy.
Alchemy is completely different from fishing and mining.
After unlocking it, it turned out to be a panel similar to a skill tree.
Lin Xiu used five Attribute Points to raise the Alchemist secondary profession to level five, but did not gain any experience similar to that of alchemy. Instead, he gained a lot of insights into the properties and identification of various medicines.
Each level on the skill tree corresponds to many small and large dots.
After careful examination, Lin Xiu discovered that those dots were all the pills he had taken before.
These dots could be upgraded. Each upgrade deepened his understanding of pills.
"It seems that each type of pill requires separate upgrades. Currently, it's still uncertain whether only the pills I've consumed can be upgraded or if I can unlock them by seeing the prescription."
Lin Xiu currently didn't need pills, so he hadn't delved deeply into this aspect.
In addition to cultivation, Lin Xiu also paid attention to Xiao Yan's side. Although he had stolen Xiao Yan's limelight in the Fire Energy Hunting Competition, everything was still progressing as usual.
Xiao Yan still established the Pan's Gate.
Four months later.
Lin Xiu interrupted his cultivation and walked out of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
"Junior Brother, it's time to set off," Han Yue said with a smile.
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