The Days Spent with Zi Yan

Half a month later.

On the mountain where Lin Yuan practiced alchemy, after blue and white figures crossed, Lin Yuan, calm and composed, flicked the panting Zi Yan on the forehead and chuckled, "Zi Yan, that makes seven times now, right?"

When Zi Yan heard that, she flopped straight down onto the grass. After resting for a while, she looked at Lin Yuan in some frustration and muttered, "How are you so strong? And you keep getting stronger. In terms of cultivation, I should clearly be a little stronger than you."

"Cultivation isn't the only factor that determines victory or defeat in battle. Environment and tactics are both important factors. Your way of fighting is too direct. You just rely on your cultivation and physical body to charge in recklessly. That's fine against people with slightly lower cultivation than you, but against someone with higher cultivation than yours, or someone whose gap with you isn't large but who is very skilled in combat, it becomes very dangerous," Lin Yuan commented.

Over this half a month, Lin Yuan had spent his days practicing alchemy, helping Zi Yan refine medicinal pills and snacks, and sparring with her.

Zi Yan had been somewhat unconvinced after losing to Lin Yuan in their first exchange. She clearly felt that Lin Yuan's cultivation was not as high as hers, and believed she had only lost because she had been careless. Wanting to win it back, she kept challenging Lin Yuan. Over this half a month, the two had fought several times, and every time, Zi Yan had been easily defeated by Lin Yuan. This was already the seventh time.

"Then what should I do?" Zi Yan was somewhat confused.

"Two methods. First, raise your realm and suppress others with absolute strength. If the gap in strength is large enough, you don't need to care about these things. Second, learn a few Dou Skills suited to you and first perfect your combat style. As for you, for now, raising your realm is still the priority!"

"So basically, I should eat more medicinal pills and advance as quickly as possible, right? I get it! Brother Lin Yuan, I've finished my medicinal pills. Hurry and refine some more for me. I need to eat more and rank up faster." When Zi Yan heard this, she got up as if suddenly enlightened and spoke to Lin Yuan, a sly smile added a bit more to her face.

"Normally it's Lin Yuan, this guy, but when you want food, it becomes Brother Lin, Brother Lin Yuan. You little girl! I really can't do anything with you." Lin Yuan helplessly rubbed his forehead, then fiercely ruffled Zi Yan's little head several times with his hand. Though he complained with his mouth, his body was very honest as he walked toward the medicinal cauldron, preparing to refine medicinal pills for Zi Yan.

Zi Yan looked at Lin Yuan's back as he refined pills. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help curving into a lovely arc.

Ten days later.

"Completed." As the last furnace of pills came out, Lin Yuan under the starlight could not help sighing in relief. Among the alchemy tasks Elder Huo had entrusted to him, all pills of fourth grade and below had already been completed. All the pills that needed to be handed over to the academy had been completed, and there were even a little more than the amount required by the task. At the same time, because Lin Yuan's success rate in alchemy was too high, there were still quite a few medicinal ingredients remaining. Naturally, these medicinal ingredients belonged to Lin Yuan.

Originally, Lin Yuan had decided to use two to three months to complete this alchemy task. After all, the quantity to be refined truly was not small. But later, thanks to Lin Yuan optimizing his techniques and improving his experience—by the later stage, Lin Yuan could already directly use the Azure Spirit Flame to refine dozens of medicinal ingredients at the same time, and also produce multiple pills in one furnace—his alchemy efficiency rose rapidly, allowing Lin Yuan to complete this alchemy goal ahead of schedule.

After putting away the pills, Lin Yuan pondered, After this batch of pills is handed in, it should be enough to make the higher-ups believe in my alchemy ability. After all, the pill formation rate is so high, and the quality is also very good. When I take the ingredients for fifth-grade pills next, it will be only natural.

Suddenly, Lin Yuan's expression moved. He sensed the bottleneck in his body loosening. Immediately, he sat down cross-legged, circulated his Qi Method, and began charging at the bottleneck.

The next day, just as the sun rose, a powerful Dou Qi burst out from Lin Yuan's body. The seated Lin Yuan opened his eyes, and a trace of satisfaction appeared in them.

"Three-Star Dou Wang. Done."

To the side, Zi Yan, who had been woken by Lin Yuan's breakthrough, yawned and looked at Lin Yuan with sleepy eyes. "So early. What are you doing?"

"Get ready, Zi Yan. We're preparing to return to the academy!" Lin Yuan turned his head to look at Zi Yan and said.

After hearing this, Zi Yan immediately became clear-headed and hurriedly said, "Why do we have to go back? Isn't it pretty good here?"

Her recent days had been extremely comfortable. Lin Yuan refined all kinds of tasty medicinal pills in various flavors for her. After eating her fill, she only had to lie down and digest them, and she did not need to sneak around everywhere looking for medicinal ingredients. Once she finished eating, she just had to cling to Lin Yuan and act spoiled. When she was bored, she could even spar with Lin Yuan. Lin Yuan spoiled her quite a lot.

"It's not that this place is pretty good. It's that your days of eating and sleeping, then sleeping and eating, are pretty good, right? If this continues, I'll become a pauper. I won't be able to afford supporting you." Lin Yuan pinched Zi Yan's little face and said irritably. A small half of the surplus from helping the academy refine medicine had turned into Zi Yan's snacks.

When Zi Yan heard this, she scratched the back of her head and smiled shamelessly.

Over these days, the relationship between the two had improved greatly, and the way they got along increasingly resembled a pair of siblings with a very good relationship.

"Let's go!" After Lin Yuan finished speaking, he unfurled his azure fire wings, shot up into the sky, and flew toward the Inner Academy. Zi Yan also unfurled her purple wings and followed.

After returning to the Inner Academy, Lin Yuan went straight to the Great Elder's office. Just as they reached the outside of the building, Zi Yan, who had been following close behind Lin Yuan, reacted. Her expression changed, and she turned around to run.

Space twisted, and a figure appeared strangely in front of Zi Yan, blocking her path. In a flustered and exasperated voice, he said, "You girl, you've been running wild outside for so long, and the moment you come back, you want to run? Are you trying to anger this old man to death?" The newcomer was precisely the Inner Academy's Great Elder, Su Qian.

Seeing that the Great Elder had blocked her, Zi Yan bounced and hid behind Lin Yuan. Then she stuck her tongue out at Su Qian and said, "It's exactly because I knew you'd scold me after seeing me that I wanted to run! Hmph."

The Great Elder seemed to choke on Zi Yan's words. His face began turning red. Then he took several deep breaths to calm himself down.

Lin Yuan watched from the side with great interest, feeling that the interaction between the two was quite amusing. The two were exactly like a mischievous granddaughter and a grandfather who loved to lecture. Although there was some temper in their exchange, the closeness hidden deep within their words was real. Perhaps only Zi Yan could make the always steady Great Elder reveal such an expression.

After calming himself, Su Qian looked toward Lin Yuan and asked, "Lin Yuan, is there something you came here for? Also, how did you two get mixed up together?"

Hearing this, Lin Yuan replied, "I came this time because, among the pills Elder Huo assigned this student to refine, I have already completed all the pills below fifth grade and am preparing to hand them over to the Great Elder. The pills are inside this storage ring." Having said that, he handed a storage ring to Su Qian.

Su Qian took the storage ring and checked it. He discovered that inside the storage ring were a large number of third- and fourth-grade medicinal pills with excellent color and luster. Even though he was not an alchemist, he could tell at a glance that the quality of these pills was extremely good. He praised somewhat, "Although I heard from Elder Huo about your talent in alchemy, I didn't expect you to refine so many high-quality pills in two months. It seems fifth-grade pills are also no problem for the current you. A formidable younger generation indeed!"

"Great Elder overpraises me. It is all thanks to the academy's cultivation!" Lin Yuan nodded humbly, then continued, "As for Zi Yan and me, the details are like this..."

Afterward, Lin Yuan told Su Qian about what had happened between him and Zi Yan over these days. The main point he expressed was that he liked this little girl Zi Yan very much and had always wanted a younger sister like her.

After hearing this, Su Qian did not doubt him. After all, Lin Yuan, who had not been in the Inner Academy for long, did not have the possibility or motive to scheme against Zi Yan. Moreover, saying that he liked this little girl Zi Yan also struck right at his own thoughts. After all, although he liked to nag Zi Yan a little, in his heart, he actually doted quite a lot on this clever and eccentric little girl Zi Yan.

Looking at Zi Yan, who had a bored expression and was kicking the ground with her foot, Su Qian could not help putting on a stern face and lecturing her again. "You troublesome girl, didn't I teach you not to casually take other people's things? Fortunately, it was Lin Yuan this time. What if it had been someone else with a bad temper, someone stronger than you, and they had attacked you heavily?"

As he spoke, he could not help becoming worried. He knew this little girl's ability to cause trouble. In the Inner Academy, it was still fine; he could generally cover for her. But what about outside? After thinking for a moment, he looked at Lin Yuan before him and thought of how Zi Yan was obsessed with the medicinal pills Lin Yuan refined. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. Having made up his mind, he took out a scroll from his storage ring and handed it toward Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan accepted the scroll and looked at Su Qian doubtfully. Su Qian coughed lightly twice and explained, "This old man has something I'd like to ask your help with. I hear that you are very skilled at studying Dou Skills, and this is a movement Dou Skill scroll this old man has collected. I hope you can help teach Zi Yan this Dou Skill. Doesn't this girl like eating the medicinal pills you refine? If she doesn't train seriously, then don't help her refine medicinal pills. Let's see whether she studies seriously or not."

"Old man, don't meddle in other people's business. I don't want to learn any Dou Skills. They're annoying to death. Lin Yuan, don't listen to him." When Zi Yan heard this, she became somewhat anxious. Her beautiful large eyes glared at Su Qian, this old man who wanted to take away her delicacies.

"You're so good at causing trouble. If you don't learn Dou Skills, when you cause trouble in the future, you won't even be able to run! The moment I tell you to practice Dou Skills, you get impatient. Let's see what you do this time." Su Qian glared back at Zi Yan. Then he looked toward Lin Yuan and said earnestly, "Lin Yuan, you are very sensible, and you also understand this girl Zi Yan very well. You should know what to do for Zi Yan's own good!"

"Great Elder, rest assured. This student will take this matter on." Lin Yuan nodded and accepted the Great Elder's commission. When Zi Yan heard that Lin Yuan had agreed to Su Qian, her entire person instantly revealed an expression of utter despair.

"Very good. Then thank you. Is there anything you need help with?" Seeing the little girl's wilted expression, Su Qian knew that this time, he had gotten a hold on Zi Yan. In a very good mood, he asked Lin Yuan.

Hearing this, Lin Yuan thought for a moment, then cupped his hands toward Su Qian and asked, "Great Elder, could you help keep an eye out for secret techniques that can temporarily improve one's strength and high-level body refining Dou Skills?"

"Oh? Secret techniques that temporarily improve strength and Di Tier body refining Dou Skills. This old man will help keep an eye out for this matter." Su Qian stroked his beard, thought for a while, and agreed to Lin Yuan. Then he looked at Zi Yan. "Zi Yan, study properly. In the future, you'll understand that this is all for your own good! This old man will go busy himself first." Having said that, without waiting for Zi Yan's reaction, his figure strangely scattered away.

"Dou Zong?" Lin Yuan looked at the dissipating figure before him and thought inwardly. He looked at the scroll in his hand and probed it with Soul Perception. "Mysterious Tier High Level movement Dou Skill, Cloud Dragon Dance."

Looking at the depressed Zi Yan beside him, Lin Yuan rubbed her head. "Let's go, Zi Yan."

"I don't want to go anywhere!" Zi Yan lowered her head, kicked the ground with her foot, and replied gloomily.

Looking at Zi Yan before him, who seemed to be sulking, Lin Yuan laughed despite himself and thought, She really is a child. Immediately, he said playfully, "Don't you want to eat something even tastier, with even more energy and better flavor? Then I'll leave first."

"I want to eat!" Zi Yan answered instantly. In the blink of an eye, her expression changed, becoming full of expectation. Looking at Zi Yan, whose face changed as quickly as flipping a book, Lin Yuan could not help suddenly understanding. He had been set up by this little brat.

"Let's go! We're going to the magic beast habitat in the back mountains." As Lin Yuan spoke to Zi Yan, he spread his fire wings.

"What are we going there for? Didn't you say you'd make me food?" Zi Yan was somewhat doubtful as she also spread her Dou Qi Wings.

"Of course we're going to 'borrow' something from the magic beasts in the back mountains. After all, making you something delicious also requires some high-quality ingredients." Lin Yuan chuckled. With a flap of his fire wings, he shot out, and Zi Yan also flapped her wings and followed.

One azure and one purple streak of light tore across the sky, flying toward the magic beast area in the Inner Academy's back mountains.

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