Extraction

Chapter 29: Extraction

As the five of them left, the vortex-like energy barriers surrounding the enormous room began to slowly shrink.

A moment later, the energy barriers condensed into a tiny point and vanished completely with a faint crack.

The vast room was now empty. No one would have imagined that it had previously been filled with countless treasures capable of causing a sensation in the outside world.

Hearing the door open, a Gray-robed Man's sleeve suddenly stirred slightly. Xiao Ling and the others immediately sensed a vast, majestic invisible energy sweep across their bodies. Its strength filled them with shock.

The invisible energy seemed to serve only as a scan, so after merely ten or so seconds, it receded like a tide until it vanished completely.

"Time is up. Leave now. Remember, you must not reveal a single word of what happened here today, including anything about the interior of the Library Pavilion." The hoarse, aged voice slowly echoed from the doorway.

At those words, everyone nodded, indicating that they would obey the rules.

Seeing that everyone had emerged from the Library Pavilion, Hu Gan approached with a kindly smile and said calmly, "Did you all choose treasures you were satisfied with? No one came back empty-handed, right?"

Xiao Ling had no intention of hiding anything. He directly took out the porcelain bottle containing the Seventh-grade Illusion Gold Fire and joked, "The academy must have bled heavily this time. Two Earth-grade Intermediate Dou Techniques, two Earth-grade Intermediate cultivation techniques, and a seventh-grade Beast Fire. The academy is really rich. Back in our Jia Ma Empire, not even the imperial family has Earth-tier Dou Techniques or cultivation techniques." The combined value of their items was worth tens of millions of gold coins, and some things could not be bought with gold at all—they had to be traded for with other items.

Hearing this, Hu Gan's mouth twitched. He said helplessly, "The rewards this time are indeed far more valuable than before, but you earned them. Don't worry, to the Headmaster, this amount is no more than a little that leaked from under his fingernail."

Xiao Ling nodded without commenting. Mang Tianchi was an elder of the Thunder Clan, one of the Eight Ancient Clans, and his strength had already reached the Half-Saint level. His wealth was certainly immense, so these items were nothing to him. Yet the Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan, also one of the Eight Ancient Clans, could only use a Xuan Tier Intermediate cultivation technique. Why was the gap between people so enormous?

Hu Gan swept his gaze across the five of them. Only after seeing that none had suffered any injuries did he clasp his hands toward the two Gray-robed Men again, turn around, and head toward the invisible doorframe that had been torn open by an unseen giant hand.

"Stay close to me. Don't touch those spatial creases, or even I won't be able to save you." Just as he was about to pass through the invisible doorframe, Hu Gan turned his head to warn them. Then, keeping his upper body still, he stepped forward and placed one foot through the doorway. Xiao Ling and the others cautiously followed behind him, not daring to make the slightest unnecessary move.

As Xiao Ling and the others disappeared, the small valley hidden in an unknown location finally returned to its former tranquility. It would not open again until the following year's Inner Academy Selection Tournament had ended.

After returning to that room, Hu Gan carefully shut the door he had opened earlier. He looked at the five who had just emerged, stroked his beard, and said with a smile, "Now that you've collected your rewards, it's time to head to the Inner Academy to cultivate. Once you get there, you'll be worrying about not having enough Fire Energy. You must work together, or you may end up being bullied."

Everyone nodded and said they understood. Xiao Ling did not care about that at all. He would first snatch a haul during the Fire Energy Hunt Competition, then rely on his alchemy skills. His Fire Energy would basically be impossible to use up. As for being bullied, Xiao Ling had never even considered it. If someone really pushed him too far, he would simply send Rayquaza into battle.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, go back. Come report here in two days, and I'll take you into the Inner Academy then." Seeing that everyone understood, Hu Gan did not keep them any longer.

After giving a slight bow, they left the study one after another. They chatted briefly along the way before returning to their own courtyards to cultivate.

Back in his room, Xiao Ling shifted his thoughts and summoned the system panel.

"System, open my personal panel."

[Ding, automatically opening the host's personal panel.]

Host: Xiao Ling

Gender: Male

Age: Ten and a half years old

Cultivation: Great Dou Master Four-star

Soul Power: Mortal Realm Mid-stage

Dou Qi Attribute: Fire (mixed with a trace of wood attribute)

Cultivation Technique: Fen Jue (Profound Grade Low-Level), Tai Yi Soul Sever

Dou Techniques: Xuan Tier Advanced Dou Technique Swallow Return Strike, Xuan Tier Advanced Movement Technique Wind Chasing Swift Steps, Xuan Tier Advanced Dou Technique Heaven Burning Palm, Xuan Tier Advanced Dou Technique Crimson Flame Fist, Earth Grade Low-Level Dou Technique Blazing Fire Meteor...

Flame: Fused Beast Flame

Items: Seventh-grade Illusion Gold Fire, Myriad Soul Banner, Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night, Dou Zun Ruins Map, Infinite Cola Bottle, Imperial Extreme Pill, Sect Breaking Pill, Worry-Free Pill x15, Youthful Appearance Pill x14...

Draws Remaining: 11

Seeing that he still had eleven drawing chances, Xiao Ling moved his thoughts and directly performed a ten-pull.

"System, use ten drawing chances!"

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained Air Jordan 1, one pair (Chicago colorway).]

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained Infinite Lighter Box.]

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained 300,000 gold coins.]

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained 400,000 gold coins.]

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained 500,000 gold coins.]

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained one pair of Suspenders.]

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained one Pure Heart Pill.]

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained one Life Returning Pill.]

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained a Sect-grade Pill Recipe.]

[Ding, system drawing... Congratulations, Host, you have obtained one Life Devouring Pill.]

Xiao Ling had no interest in the strange items, so he directly stored them in the System Space. There were quite a lot of gold coins, though, so he took them out and placed them in his Storage Ring. Money was still useful when traveling outside. He then took out the recipe and several pills and began examining them one by one.

[Pure Heart Pill: Seventh-grade intermediate pill. Taking it while refining pills helps stabilize the mind, thereby increasing the success rate of pill refinement.]

[Life Returning Pill: Seventh-grade high-level pill. As long as someone has not had their head cut off directly or their heart shattered outright, this pill can save their life.

[Life Devouring Pill: Allows someone at the Da Dou Shi level to rise to the level of a Dou Wang in an extremely short period of time, but leaves the user with only three years of life.]

Looking at the pills before him, Xiao Ling found them of little use for now. He would keep the Life Returning Pill for saving his life. The Pure Heart Pill could be taken in advance when he refined high-grade pills in the future. Although the Life Devouring Pill could let him directly reach the Dou Wang level, and he was confident he could reach Dou Emperor within three years, it was a pill that squeezed out one's potential and life force. For the sake of a smoother path toward becoming an emperor, it was better not to take it.

[Sect Extreme Pill Recipe: Records the refining method and required ingredients for the Seventh-grade high-level pill Sect Extreme Pill. After taking it, a Dou Zong can increase by one to two stars. It can only be taken once in a lifetime.]

After reading through the recipe, Xiao Ling was very satisfied. Although it was useless for now, refining it in the future could save a great deal of cultivation time. It could also be used to trade with others for certain items.

After storing all the items back in the storage space, Xiao Ling began absorbing the seventh-grade Beast Fire. His Dou Qi rose slightly, but the grade of Fen Jue remained at Profound Grade Low-Level. He could not help but sigh. "Before breaking through to the Profound Grade, Beast Fire could still provide a little help. After reaching the Profound Grade, it seems that without Heavenly Flames, it will be difficult for Fen Jue to rise in grade."

Shaking his head and no longer dwelling on it, Xiao Ling's life returned to cultivation, pill refinement, riding Rayquaza, and chatting with his cousin and Senior Student after absorbing the Beast Fire. His leisurely five-point routine continued, and two days passed in the blink of an eye.