As for why he had chosen spirit crystals—
Given the resources Lu Chuan could currently access, spirit crystals offered the best value for money.
The other resources were either too expensive or provided too little cultivation. None could compare to spirit crystals.
On top of that, spirit crystals were easy to carry and sold in every shop. It was no surprise that Lu Chuan had chosen them.
After making his selections, Lu Chuan spent one thousand Academic Credits and bought a total of one hundred and ten spirit crystals.
Of those, one hundred were purchased normally, while the shop owner gave him an extra ten spirit crystals because Lu Chuan was such a major customer.
These spirit crystals were enough to support Lu Chuan's breakthrough to the Sixth Rank.
Having finished his shopping, Lu Chuan returned to his dormitory in high spirits, intending to see how the Proficient Level Sky Swallowing Art differed from the Beginner Level.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and picked up a spirit crystal.
Lu Chuan began circulating the Sky Swallowing Art.
At once, a terrifying suction force surged from Lu Chuan's palm and swiftly enveloped the spirit crystal.
Wisps of spiritual energy continuously transformed into Lu Chuan's cultivation.
Ten minutes later—
Lu Chuan opened his eyes and murmured, "From what I can tell so far, the Proficient Level Sky Swallowing Art devours resources much faster than the Beginner Level Sky Swallowing Art."
"Take spirit crystals, for example."
"The Beginner Level Sky Swallowing Art takes roughly an hour to devour one spirit crystal."
"But the Proficient Level Sky Swallowing Art only needs ten minutes."
"Other than that, I can't sense any differences for now."
"But even this difference is enough to bring earth-shattering changes."
The difference between refining one spirit crystal in an hour and refining one in ten minutes was obvious to anyone with eyes.
A sixfold gap!
Having confirmed the difference, Lu Chuan took out spirit crystal after spirit crystal, determined to raise his cultivation to the Sixth Rank!
While Lu Chuan secluded himself to cultivate—
Inside Lin Lei's manor.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Faced with Li Hong's request to transfer Lu Chuan to the Alchemy Faction, Lin Lei rejected it without a second thought.
What a joke. The Combat Department had finally produced a peerless genius with heaven-defying comprehension. How could he possibly let someone else snatch him away so easily?
"Lin Lei!"
Li Hong pleaded earnestly, "You already know Lu Chuan's talent in alchemy. Keeping him in the Combat Department will only waste him."
"Only by joining my Alchemy Faction can he avoid letting an uncut jade gather dust. Why can't you understand that?"
"So what?" Lin Lei snorted coldly. "You think a few words from you are enough to make me hand my disciple over?"
"Keep dreaming!"
"Let me tell you the truth: no matter what, I will not give Lu Chuan to your Alchemy Faction!"
"You boor!"
Li Hong's face reddened with fury. "Tell me honestly—are you an agent of the Ten Thousand Races?"
"Otherwise, why are you cutting off the future of our human race!"
Lin Lei's expression turned cold at those words, and a terrifying aura spread out, instantly shrouding Li Hong.
"You may eat carelessly, but you cannot speak carelessly!"
"Not giving Lu Chuan to you means I'm cutting off humanity's future?"
"I can't bear that enormous hat you are trying to pin on me!"
Seeing the two argue more and more fiercely, with faint signs that they might come to blows, Chu Liang hurriedly tried to smooth things over. "Gentlemen, calm down, calm down!"
Chu Liang first advised Li Hong, "Master, perhaps Teacher Lin simply does not understand Lu Chuan's aptitude. He did not refuse on purpose."
"Please calm your anger and let me negotiate."
After saying that, Chu Liang looked at Lin Lei again. "Teacher Lin, my master only spoke rashly out of concern. He did not mean to call you an agent of the Ten Thousand Races."
"Lu Chuan's aptitude truly far exceeds your imagination."
"I can say with certainty that Lu Chuan's future lies at the very least in becoming a Ninth Rank Pill Master. He may even become a legendary Pill Master."
"Do you still not understand how much help a Pill Master can bring to our human race?"
"A Pill Master?" Lin Lei frowned, somewhat unconvinced. "Is Lu Chuan's aptitude in alchemy truly that terrifying?"
It was not surprising that Lin Lei doubted it; Pill Masters were simply too rare.
Across the entire human race, Ninth Rank Pill Masters were not exactly everywhere, but there were still a few hundred of them.
Even Azure Dragon Academy had more than a dozen Ninth Rank Pill Masters.
But what about Pill Masters?
There were only enough in the entire human race to count on both hands.
And in the vast Azure Dragon Academy, there was only one!
This showed just how difficult it was to become a Pill Master.
Lu Chuan's talent in alchemy was indeed impressive, but was it really so monstrous?
Lin Lei did not believe it.
Seeing the doubt on Lin Lei's face, Chu Liang hurriedly said, "If Teacher Lin does not believe it, why don't we make a wager?"
"Wager on what?" Lin Lei asked.
"On how long it takes Lu Chuan to become a Fourth Rank Pill Master."
Chu Liang struck while the iron was hot. "Looking at the rise of those five Pill Masters, it is not hard to see that they all became Fourth Rank Pill Masters in about a year."
"Why don't we set one year as the limit? If Lu Chuan can become a Fourth Rank Pill Master within a year, that will prove he has a chance of becoming a Pill Master."
"When that time comes, Teacher Lin, you may no longer obstruct us."
"If he fails, we will not pester you any further. How does that sound?"
Chu Liang's words plunged Lin Lei into deep thought.
If Chu Liang was right, and Lu Chuan truly had the potential to become a Pill Master, then his obstruction would not only cut off humanity's future, but Lu Chuan's future as well.
One had to know that even the great master of the Combat Department—the previous head of the faction—could not compare to those five Pill Masters in status or standing.
Whether for public or private reasons, he would have no argument to make.
But if he handed Lu Chuan over to the Alchemy Faction, he could not help feeling reluctant.
After all, Lu Chuan's comprehension...
So be it. He would watch for one year first.
One year was a long time. Who knew what changes might arise during that period?
With that thought, Lin Lei looked at Chu Liang. "I can agree to your wager, but I have several conditions."
"Please, go ahead," Chu Liang said.
Lin Lei slowly said, "First, you must guide Lu Chuan free of charge."
"No problem." Li Hong agreed on Chu Liang's behalf.
Lin Lei nodded and continued, "Second, you must provide resources to cultivate Lu Chuan, no less than five thousand Academic Credits per year!"
"Third, if Lu Chuan displays talent in the Sky Swallowing Art that surpasses ordinary people, then this wager will be void."
"How about it?"
Chu Liang frowned. After pondering for a moment, he looked at Lin Lei.
"The second condition is not a problem, but this third one..."
"May I ask, Teacher Lin, what exactly counts as talent that surpasses ordinary people?"
"We need a standard, don't we?"
Lin Lei fell silent for a moment before saying, "I will give Lu Chuan the technique for the second part of the Sky Swallowing Art in advance."
"If Lu Chuan can cultivate the second part to Great Perfection within one year, that will prove he has a chance of condensing the Devouring Physique."
"At that point, this wager will be void."
"No problem." Li Hong nodded.
Li Hong also understood the difficulty of the Sky Swallowing Art.
The first part of the Sky Swallowing Art was the simplest. For an ordinary person to cultivate it to completion within ten years would already qualify them as a genius.
As for the second part, its difficulty was a hundred times greater than the first.
Even the previous head of the Combat Department faction had spent three years cultivating the second part to completion.
How could Lu Chuan possibly cultivate it to completion within a year!
The Combat Department was bound to lose this wager!
Before you continue