For the next half month, Lin Xiao completely became a "transparent man."
He strictly adhered to a three-point routine: in the morning, he went to the dilapidated courtyard of Yellow Class Nine to check in and deal with Elder Sun's listless "roll call"; then he plunged headfirst into the Library Pavilion, "wandering" amid the vast sea of books for the entire day; in the evening, he returned to the single dormitory assigned by the academy in the most remote corner, where he digested and integrated the enormous amount of knowledge he had "scanned" during the day.
To outsiders, this dull yet regular life looked like a sign of giving up on himself.
"Look, Lin Xiao is going to the Library Pavilion again." "What a waste. He was so fierce during the talent assessment, but now he spends every day on the first floor reading those low-grade trash cultivation methods." "He probably couldn't bear the blow of being assigned to Yellow Class Nine and decided to smash the jar after it cracked." "Heh, a dark horse is still just a dark horse. Without a foundation, he was nothing but a flash in the pan."
All kinds of rumors quietly spread among the new students. In everyone's eyes, Lin Xiao gradually changed from an unfathomable super dark horse into a cautionary tale in the mold of "the wounded prodigy."
Even Shi Lei and Su Yue, who occasionally ran into him on the road, were deeply worried about him.
"Lin Xiao, this won't do!" One evening, Shi Lei deliberately waited at the entrance of the Library Pavilion and said anxiously, "What's the point of reading these basic cultivation methods every day? Earth Class Three has already started learning Human-Tier Mid-Grade Martial Skills, while Su Yue from Heaven Class has even come into contact with fragments of a Profound-Tier Cultivation Method! If this keeps up, we'll leave you farther and farther behind!"
Su Yue also walked over from nearby, worry written all over her beautiful face. "That's right, Lin Xiao. I know you must feel bad, but you can't just give up like this. My father said the academy holds a grand competition every year. As long as you achieve outstanding results in it, you'll have a chance to have your class reassigned. You..."
Seeing the two friends sincerely concerned for him, a trace of warmth flowed through Lin Xiao's heart.
He knew they could not understand his method of cultivation. But he likewise could not explain the existence of the "system."
"I haven't given up." Lin Xiao looked at them, his gaze calm and confident. "I'm merely cultivating in my own way. Don't worry. I won't be left behind by anyone."
His words carried an unquestionable force.
Shi Lei and Su Yue exchanged a glance. Though they were still confused, seeing Lin Xiao's resolute eyes eased half the worry in their hearts. They chose to trust this companion who always created miracles.
"Alright, then be careful." Su Yue took out a small Storage Bag from her robe and handed it over. "Oh, right, our inner armor is finished! Master Ouye's craftsmanship truly lives up to its reputation. All three sets of inner armor have reached Human-Tier High-Grade! Try yours on quickly."
Lin Xiao accepted the Storage Bag and sent his divine sense inside. Three sets of inner armor, thin as cicada wings, dark green in color, and icy to the touch, lay quietly within. A faint trace of the Swamp Giant Crocodile's Demonic Energy still lingered upon them, making their defensive power self-evident.
"Excellent!" Lin Xiao's eyes lit up as well.
"Master Ouye said the material for this leather armor is exceptionally good. If we can find higher-grade materials in the future and incorporate them into it, it may even have a chance to advance into Profound-Tier Armor!" Su Yue said excitedly.
The three of them immediately changed into their inner armor. It felt as light as nothing when worn, yet gave them an immense sense of security.
After parting with the two of them, Lin Xiao returned to his dormitory. He knew he could not continue keeping such a "low profile." Half a month of accumulation had already brought about some qualitative changes. It was time to display part of his strength, dispel his friends' doubts, and make those waiting to laugh at him shut their mouths.
More importantly, he had encountered a bottleneck.
Every cultivation method, Martial Skill, miscellaneous record, and illustrated guide on the first floor of the Library Pavilion had been completely "scanned" into the system database.
The number of Human-Tier Low-Grade cultivation methods and Martial Skills in his mind had already reached a shocking thousand-plus!
But to enter the higher-level second floor, he needed to meet one hard requirement—one hundred merit points!
And the one thousand merit points he had received upon entering the academy had long been mostly spent during his secluded cultivation at the inn, buying meat and medicinal herbs to assist his cultivation.
He urgently needed merit points now!
The next day, Lin Xiao did not go to the Library Pavilion again.
He went to the academy's Mission Hall.
This was one of the busiest places in the entire outer academy. The enormous hall buzzed with voices, while all kinds of missions scrolled across huge light screens.
"Recruiting teammates to hunt the Ironback Cang Wolves of the Black Wind Mountain Range. Body Refinement Fourth Level and above required. Reward: eighty merit points!" "Alchemy Hall urgently hiring herb-processing assistants to handle Level One Medicinal Herbs. Ten merit points per day. Requires care and patience." "Urgently seeking a Clear Spirit Grass to neutralize Pill Toxin. Willing to pay fifty merit points!"
The academy's merit points were a harder currency than gold coins. Here, merit points could be exchanged for pills, weapons, cultivation methods, and even private tutoring time with instructors.
Lin Xiao's gaze rapidly swept over the mission screens.
Missions to hunt demonic beasts offered the highest rewards, but most required a team and took a long time. The odd-job missions, meanwhile, wasted too much time.
In the end, his gaze settled on a special light screen in a corner of the hall that few people paid attention to.
"The Combat Stage accepts challenges from anyone. Win one match to obtain the merit points wagered by the loser. Only three challenges per day."
This was the fastest way to make money!
A confident curve lifted at the corner of Lin Xiao's mouth.
He walked to the registration desk for the Combat Stage and said to the senior student in charge of registration, "Lin Xiao of Yellow Class Nine. I wish to initiate a match."
The senior student lazily raised his eyelids. When he saw the words "Yellow Class Nine" on Lin Xiao's jade token, an undisguised trace of contempt flashed through his eyes.
"Someone from Yellow Class dares come to the Combat Stage? Kid, have you gone mad from wanting merit points? The minimum wager here is fifty merit points. Do you have that much?"
Lin Xiao said nothing and merely handed over his jade token.
The senior student took the jade token and swiped it over a magical artifact. When he saw that only a little over thirty merit points remained inside, the mockery on his face deepened. "Insufficient merit points. You can't initiate a match. Next."
At that moment, an arrogant voice came from the side.
"I'll cover his merit points for him!"
Lin Xiao turned around and saw Wang Chen and Li Mo approaching with several lackeys, sinister grins plastered across their faces.
"Wang Chen? Li Mo?" The senior student in charge of registration immediately became respectful upon seeing them.
"I heard that if both sides agree, the challenger can set the wager?" Wang Chen asked maliciously.
"Y-yes, there is such a rule."
"Very good." Wang Chen glanced at Lin Xiao smugly, as if he were looking at prey already caught in a trap. "I, Wang Chen of Earth Class Three, challenge Lin Xiao of Yellow Class Nine! The wager... one hundred merit points!"
He wanted to use this method to ruthlessly humiliate Lin Xiao in front of everyone and recover all the face he had lost during the assessment!
"Whoa—"
The moment those words fell, the surrounding crowd erupted in an uproar.
"Wang Chen is challenging Lin Xiao? Now this will be entertaining!" "Wang Chen is a Body Refinement Third Level cultivator. I heard he's about to break through to the Fourth Level recently. Lin Xiao may have performed well during the assessment, but after being assigned to Yellow Class, he definitely hasn't improved much these past two weeks. He's probably about to get crushed." "One hundred merit points! What a lavish move!"
Amid the crowd's heated discussion, Lin Xiao's expression remained frighteningly calm.
He looked at Wang Chen and said blandly, "One hundred points? Too little."
Wang Chen froze. "Then how much do you want?"
"Five hundred points." Lin Xiao raised five fingers. "Do you dare?"
Five hundred points!
A wave of sharp inhalations swept through the crowd. For a new student, this was practically their entire fortune!
Wang Chen's face turned alternately green and white. But when he looked at Lin Xiao's calm eyes and thought of his cultivation, which was about to break through, fury and pride surged into his heart.
"Fine! Five hundred it is! I'd like to see how you'll continue surviving in the academy after this trash loses all his merit points!" He gritted his teeth and agreed.
"Words alone prove nothing. Put the merit points on the line first," Lin Xiao said.
Wang Chen snorted coldly, took out his jade token, and viciously swiped it at the registration desk. The light screen immediately displayed the information that he had wagered five hundred merit points.
"Now it's your turn." Wang Chen looked at Lin Xiao provocatively.
Lin Xiao shook his head. "I have no money."
"You're playing me?!" Wang Chen flew into a rage.
"I never said I would put any up." Lin Xiao's gaze shifted toward Li Mo and the lackeys behind Wang Chen. "My wager is all of you. If I win, every one of you must pay me five hundred merit points. If I lose, you can deal with me however you wish."
"One against six!"
His words were like a massive boulder crashing into the crowd and stirring a thousand towering waves!
Everyone was stunned by Lin Xiao's insane gamble!
Even Li Mo had not expected Lin Xiao to dare play so big!
"Brother Mo, this kid is too arrogant! Get him!" "Exactly! There are so many of us. Are we supposed to fear him alone?"
Li Mo's expression flickered uncertainly. Looking at Lin Xiao, he felt that something was off. But with everyone watching, he was already riding a tiger and unable to get down. If he refused, would that not mean admitting he feared Lin Xiao?
"Fine! I'll bet with you!" Li Mo finally gritted his teeth and agreed.
A massive gamble with total stakes of three thousand merit points was thus established!
The entire Mission Hall was ignited by this sudden duel. Countless students surged toward the Combat Stage area.
On the Combat Stage, Lin Xiao and Wang Chen stood facing each other.
Below the stage was a sea of people.
"Wang Chen! Cripple him!" "Let him see how formidable Earth Class is!"
Wang Chen's supporters let out earth-shaking cheers.
Listening to the encouragement ringing in his ears and feeling the thrill of being watched by everyone, Wang Chen was practically floating with pride. He looked at the expressionless Lin Xiao opposite him and sneered. "Kid, are you ready to die? I'll let you know that trash will always be trash!"
As his words fell, the Spiritual Energy within him erupted with a boom, fully revealing the aura of the Body Refinement Third Level!
Tidal Wave Palm!
He let out a low roar and charged forward. Green light shimmered over his palms as layers upon layers of force crashed ruthlessly toward Lin Xiao's face!
Yet in the face of this seemingly ferocious strike, Lin Xiao did not even raise an eyelid.
At the instant Wang Chen's palm wind was about to reach him, he moved.
He neither dodged nor blocked.
He merely raised his right hand and extended one finger forward.
That finger appeared utterly ordinary, even somewhat slow.
Yet this one finger seemed to contain some profound principle of heaven and earth. It moved after yet arrived first, striking with incomparable precision at the center of Wang Chen's overlapping palm shadows—the sole flaw where all his force converged!
Pop.
A soft sound rang out, like a bubble being pricked.
Wang Chen's unstoppable Tidal Wave Palm force instantly dispersed into nothingness like a deflated ball.
Immediately afterward, an incomparable, supremely condensed finger force erupted through his palm!
Crack!
The sound of breaking bones rang out.
"Aah—!"
Wang Chen let out a miserable scream. Like a kite with its string cut, he flew backward and crashed heavily beneath the stage, clutching his already mangled right hand as he rolled around in agony.
One finger.
Only one finger.
The victor had been decided.
The entire venue fell deathly silent.
Before you continue