Li Hong and Lin Lei's Bet

As for why Spirit Crystals were chosen.

Given the resources Li Chuan could currently access, Spirit Crystals were the most cost-effective.

Other resources were either too expensive or offered too little cultivation, neither comparing to Spirit Crystals.

Coupled with the advantages of Spirit Crystals being convenient to carry and sold in any store, Li Chuan's choice of them was not surprising.

After some deliberation, Li Chuan spent one thousand Academic Credits and bought a total of one hundred and ten Spirit Crystals.

Of these, one hundred were purchased normally, and ten were given to Li Chuan by the shop owner as an extra, considering Li Chuan to be a significant customer.

These Spirit Crystals were enough to support Li Chuan's breakthrough to Sixth-Rank.

With his shopping complete, Li Chuan returned to his dormitory content, intending to test the Proficient-level Sky Swallowing Art and see how it differed from the Beginner-level.

He sat cross-legged on the ground and picked up a Spirit Crystal.

Li Chuan began to circulate the Sky Swallowing Art.

Instantly, a terrifying suction force emanated from Li Chuan's palm, quickly enveloping the Spirit Crystal.

Drop by drop, spiritual energy was converted into Li Chuan's cultivation.

After ten minutes of this.

Li Chuan opened his eyes and murmured, "From what I can see now, the Proficient-level Sky Swallowing Art is significantly faster at devouring resources than the Beginner-level."

"Taking Spirit Crystals as an example."

"The Beginner-level Sky Swallowing Art takes about an hour to devour one Spirit Crystal."

"However, the Proficient-level Sky Swallowing Art only requires ten minutes."

"Other than this, I can't feel any difference yet."

"But this difference alone is enough to cause earth-shattering changes."

Refining one Spirit Crystal per hour versus refining one Spirit Crystal every ten minutes – anyone could see the difference.

A six-fold difference!

After verifying the difference, Li Chuan took out Spirit Crystal after Spirit Crystal, determined to raise his cultivation to the Sixth-Rank realm!

Meanwhile, while Li Chuan was in secluded cultivation.

Inside Lin Lei's manor.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Lin Lei rejected Li Hong's request to transfer Li Chuan to the Alchemy Faction without a second thought.

It was a joke; how could they casually let someone snatch away a genius with heaven-defying comprehension that the Combat Department had finally produced?

"Lin Lei!"

Li Hong pleaded earnestly, "You already know about Li Chuan's alchemy talent. In the Combat Department, it will only be a waste of Li Chuan."

"Only by entering my Alchemy Faction will his raw talent not be obscured; why can't you understand this?"

"And so?" Lin Lei retorted with a cold snort. "Are you expecting me to hand over my disciple to you based on just a few words?"

"Dream on!"

"To be honest, I will never let this Li Chuan go to your Alchemy Faction, no matter what!"

"You brute!"

Li Hong's face flushed with anger. "Tell me honestly, are you a spy for the Myriad Races!"

"Otherwise, why would you be cutting off the future of our human race!"

Hearing this, Lin Lei's expression turned cold, and a terrifying aura permeated the air, instantly engulfing Li Hong.

"You can eat anything, but you can't say anything!"

"By not handing Li Chuan over to you, I'm cutting off the future of our human race?"

"I can't bear such a heavy accusation!"

Seeing the argument escalating and the two seemingly on the verge of fighting, Chu Liang quickly intervened to mediate, "Gentlemen, calm down, calm down!"

Chu Liang first advised Li Hong, "Master, Teacher Lin might simply be unaware of Li Chuan's potential and isn't refusing out of malice."

"Please calm your anger, and allow me to negotiate."

With that said, Chu Liang turned to Lin Lei, "Teacher Lin, my master is just overly concerned and didn't mean to call you a spy for the Myriad Races."

"Li Chuan's talent truly surpasses your imagination."

"I can confirm that Li Chuan's future will be at least a Ninth-Rank Alchemist; it's even possible he could become a legendary Pill Master."

"You must know how much help a Pill Master can be to our human race."

"A Pill Master?" Lin Lei frowned, sounding somewhat disbelieving. "Is Li Chuan's alchemy talent truly that terrifying?"

It wasn't that Lin Lei was being overly suspicious, but rather that Pill Masters were exceedingly rare.

Throughout the entire human race, while Ninth-Rank Alchemists weren't found on every street corner, there were still over a hundred of them.

Even Azure Dragon Academy has over a dozen Ninth Rank Alchemists.

But Pill Masters?

The entire human race barely has a handful.

The grand Azure Dragon Academy has only one!

This shows just how difficult it is to become a Pill Master.

Lu Chuan's talent in alchemy is good, but is he really that monstrous?

Lin Lei didn't believe it.

Seeing Lin Lei's doubtful expression, Chu Liang quickly said, "If Teacher Lin doesn't believe me, why don't we make a bet?"

"Bet on what?" Lin Lei asked.

"Let's bet on how long it takes Lu Chuan to become a Fourth-Rank Alchemist."

Chu Liang struck while the iron was hot. "From the rise of the five Pill Masters, we can see that the time it took them to become Fourth-Rank Alchemists was around one year."

"Why don't we set a one-year deadline? If Lu Chuan can become a Fourth-Rank Alchemist within a year, it means he has the potential to become a Pill Master."

"At that time, Teacher Lin, you can no longer obstruct him."

"If he fails, we won't pester you anymore. How about it?"

Chu Liang's words caused Lin Lei to fall into thought.

If it were as Chu Liang said, and Lu Chuan had the potential to be a Pill Master, then his obstruction would not only be cutting off the future of the human race but also Lu Chuan's future.

After all, even the greatest master of the Combat Department—the previous faction leader—could not compare in status to those five Pill Masters.

Whether for public or personal reasons, it made no sense to stand in his way.

But if he were to give Lu Chuan up to the Alchemy Faction, he felt a pang of reluctance.

After all, Lu Chuan's comprehension...

Fine, he would observe for the next year.

A year is a long time, and who knew what changes might occur during that period.

With that thought, Lin Lei looked at Chu Liang. "I can agree to your bet, but I have a few conditions."

"Please state them," Chu Liang said.

Lin Lei slowly said, "First, you must guide Lu Chuan without compensation."

"No problem," Li Hong agreed on Chu Liang's behalf.

Lin Lei nodded and continued, "Second, you must provide resources to cultivate Lu Chuan, not less than five thousand Academic Credits annually!"

"Third, if Lu Chuan shows extraordinary talent in the Sky Swallowing Art, then this bet will be void."

"What do you say?"

Chu Liang frowned. After a moment of thought, he looked at Lin Lei.

"The second point is not an issue, but this third point..."

"May I ask, Teacher Lin, what is considered extraordinary talent?"

"We need a standard, right?"

Lin Lei was silent for a moment, then said, "I will give Lu Chuan the second part of the Sky Swallowing Art technique in advance."

"If Lu Chuan can cultivate the second part of the technique to Grand Perfection within a year, it will mean he has the potential to condense the Devouring Physique."

"At that time, this bet will be void."

"No problem," Li Hong nodded.

Li Hong was also aware of the difficulty of the Sky Swallowing Art.

The first part of the Sky Swallowing Art technique was the simplest. For a normal person to cultivate it to completion within ten years was already considered being a prodigy.

As for the second part, its difficulty compared to the first part was a hundredfold increase.

Even the previous leader of the Combat Department spent three years to cultivate the second part to completion.

There was no way Lu Chuan could cultivate it to completion within a year!

The Combat Department was bound to lose this bet!