The storm stirred up by the Gravity Tower incident was far more violent than anyone had imagined.
In a single day, the name "Lin Xiao" had leaped from a freshman dark horse with a touch of legend to a monster-level figure capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with every established powerhouse in the outer academy!
Nine Times Gravity!
That number weighed on the hearts of every outer academy student like a heavy mountain. It represented not only an unreachable record, but also a gap called "despair."
From then on, Yellow Class Nine was no longer synonymous with a "dumping ground." Instead, it became the most eye-catching place in the entire academy. Countless people came by reputation, merely to catch a glimpse of the youth who had shattered a myth. Even Lin Xiao's previously remote dormitory was mockingly dubbed the "Hidden Dragon Abyss" by idle gossips.
Lin Xiao ignored the uproar outside entirely.
He shut himself in his dormitory and spent a full day adapting to and consolidating his explosively increased strength.
Body Refinement Sixth Level! Half a step into the Physical Body Extreme Realm!
It was an unprecedented sensation of power. He could clearly feel that every inch of flesh and every bone in his body contained explosive force. He did not even need to deliberately circulate Spiritual Energy—one punch or kick with his physical body alone was enough to easily defeat an ordinary Body Refinement Fifth Level cultivator!
"This is only half a step..." Lin Xiao clenched his fists, feeling the furnace-like vitality of his blood and qi within him. His eyes brimmed with longing for a higher realm. "If I truly step into the Physical Body Extreme Realm, what kind of sight would that be?"
Early the next morning, when he opened his door, Shi Lei and Su Yue were already waiting outside.
"Lin Xiao, you finally came out!" The moment Shi Lei saw him, he excitedly rushed forward. But just as he was about to give Lin Xiao a bear hug, he seemed to remember something. His body abruptly stiffened, and a trace of awe appeared on his face. "You... are you even human anymore?"
Su Yue's beautiful eyes also flickered as she curiously examined Lin Xiao. At that moment, Lin Xiao had restrained his aura and looked no different from an ordinary person, yet every movement he made exuded a unique charm of perfect harmony, as though he had melded with heaven and earth. Even she felt a faint pressure.
"Quit fooling around." Lin Xiao smiled and patted Shi Lei's shoulder. "Come on. Today, we're pulling off something big."
"Something big?" Shi Lei and Su Yue were both stunned.
"We're going shopping at the Merit Hall!" Lin Xiao's eyes shone with the grandeur of someone rich enough to burn money.
The Merit Hall exchange district.
This was the most money-burning place in the entire outer academy. Rare pills, powerful weapons, profound cultivation arts, life-saving talismans... so long as one had enough merit points, one could buy almost anything one wanted here.
The moment Lin Xiao and the other two walked in side by side, they immediately drew everyone's attention.
"It's Lin Xiao! He came to the Merit Hall!" "Heavens, he isn't planning to spend all fifteen thousand merit points, is he?" "Come on, come on, let's go take a look! You don't get to see a big spender like this every day!"
In an instant, the entire exchange district was thrown into an uproar. Countless students put down what they were doing and followed behind the three, eager to see what would happen.
Lin Xiao ignored those tagalongs and led the two directly to the area for exchanging cultivation arts and Martial Skills.
The manuals here differed from those in the Library Pavilion. Books in the Library Pavilion could only be read and could not be taken away, while the cultivation arts and Martial Skills here could be directly exchanged for copied editions with merit points and brought back for leisurely cultivation. Naturally, their prices were frighteningly high as well.
"Shi Lei, you possess Innate Divine Strength. Your path has always been one of fierce, domineering power. This Earth-Tier Low-Grade body-refining art, the Immovable Wisdom King Art, suits you best. It can maximize your physical body's potential. Once cultivated to great mastery, your body can withstand blades and swords, and your strength will be boundless." Lin Xiao pointed at a cultivation art on the light screen.
"An Earth... Earth-Tier cultivation art?!" Shi Lei's eyes went wide. But when he saw the price of "five thousand merit points" beneath it, he was so frightened that he repeatedly waved his hands. "No, no, no! It's too expensive! This is far too wasteful!"
"Take it." Lin Xiao gave him no room to refuse. He directly paid the merit points with his jade token, then stuffed the copied jade slip containing the cultivation art into Shi Lei's hands. "We're a team. Your strength is our strength. This investment is necessary."
He then turned to Su Yue. "Su Yue, your advantage lies in your nimble movement, but that Human-Tier High-Grade soft sword can no longer keep up with your strength. This Firefly Soft Sword is Earth-Tier Low-Grade. Its blade was forged from extraterrestrial meteorite iron mixed with star sand. It is as light as nothing, yet incomparably sharp, making it perfect for you. And this movement Martial Skill, the Phantom Tracing Steps, can also bring your speed advantage to its utmost limit."
"The Firefly Soft Sword costs six thousand merit points. The Phantom Tracing Steps costs four thousand merit points."
Lin Xiao waved his hand grandly once more, and another full ten thousand merit points were spent!
The surrounding students had long since been struck dumb. Gasps rose and fell one after another.
He spent money like dirt!
This was no longer the extravagance of a wealthy man. This was practically the extravagance of gods and devils!
Shi Lei and Su Yue held the jade slips and treasured sword radiating powerful auras, their eyes reddening with emotion. They knew the value of these things could no longer be measured in merit points. This was Lin Xiao's unreserved trust and support for them!
"Lin Xiao..."
"Say no more." Lin Xiao smiled and interrupted them. "We're partners, aren't we?"
After equipping his companions, Lin Xiao began choosing items for himself.
He did not choose those powerful offensive Martial Skills. Instead, he turned his gaze toward support-type manuals, even some rather obscure ones.
"Detailed Explanation of Basic Formations, one thousand merit points."
"Compendium of Hundred Herbs: Addendum, eight hundred merit points."
"Introduction to Artifact Refining: Materials, one thousand two hundred merit points."
"Introduction to Ancient Runes, one thousand five hundred merit points."
He exchanged for four vast and all-encompassing manuals unrelated to direct combat in one go, leaving the surrounding people utterly baffled.
"What is Lin Xiao doing? He has so many merit points, yet instead of exchanging for an Earth-Tier Martial Skill, he's looking at this miscellaneous knowledge?" "I really can't understand him. Does he want to become some kind of lifestyle profession player?"
Only Lin Xiao himself knew the deeper meaning behind this.
His system allowed him to instantly learn any cultivation art or Martial Skill. But learning did not mean creating. If he wanted to truly integrate those thousand-plus cultivation arts and Martial Skills and carve out a path of his own, he had to grasp this most fundamental knowledge.
Formations, pills, artifact refining, runes... these were the cornerstones that formed a world's power system!
After doing all this, only a few hundred points remained of his fifteen thousand merit points.
Just as he was preparing to leave, a special exchange option caught his attention.
Martial Arts Pavilion.
"Senior, may I ask what kind of place this Martial Arts Pavilion is?" Lin Xiao asked the mentor in charge of exchanges.
The mentor glanced at Lin Xiao, his eyes carrying a hint of appreciation, and explained, "The Martial Arts Pavilion is the true core of our academy. What it contains are neither cultivation arts nor Martial Skills, but the 'Martial Dao Imprints' left behind by the top powerhouses who emerged from Cloud Creek Academy throughout the generations."
"Martial Dao Imprints?"
"That's right. When those senior powerhouses broke through to higher realms, or gained heaven-shaking insights into the Martial Dao, they sealed the spiritual imprint of that instant within special crystals. Later students can enter the Martial Arts Pavilion by spending merit points and personally comprehend those imprints. If they are lucky enough to resonate with a certain senior's imprint, they may directly obtain part of that senior's inheritance, or even a trace of True Meaning of Martial Dao! That is ten thousand times more precious than any cultivation art or Martial Skill!"
Lin Xiao's heart instantly grew blazing hot.
True Meaning of Martial Dao! This was the supreme treasure that pointed directly to the source!
"What are the requirements for entering the Martial Arts Pavilion?"
"Two conditions. First, your cultivation must have reached at least Body Refinement Seventh Level. Second, every entry requires ten thousand merit points!"
Those harsh conditions extinguished more than half of the fire that had just risen in Lin Xiao's heart.
He currently had neither Body Refinement Seventh Level cultivation nor ten thousand merit points.
"However..." The mentor changed his tone and said with a smile, "There are exceptions to everything. You broke the Gravity Tower's historical record and won honor for the academy. By the rules, the dean has specially approved that you may ignore the cultivation requirement and enter the Martial Arts Pavilion once for free. We had planned to notify you of this reward in a few days, but since you asked today, I'll tell you now."
One free entry!
Happiness had come this suddenly!
Lin Xiao's heart pounded wildly despite itself.
"Thank you for your guidance, Mentor!"
He gave the mentor a deep bow, then, beneath the gazes of everyone filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment, strode resolutely toward the mysterious and legendary Martial Arts Pavilion deep within the Merit Hall!
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