That day, after class.
As the sun sank in the west, Lu Lin sat cross-legged on his dorm bed, lost in thought as he held a pale blue porcelain bottle.
The Mysterious Water Pill was a top-tier cultivation resource that was practically impossible to buy.
It was worth a fortune.
Just the ingredients for refining a Mysterious Water Pill included the essence blood of more than a dozen water-attributed Soul Beasts and dozens of water-attributed natural treasures.
Once refined, the Mysterious Water Pill had mild medicinal properties and could raise a Soul Master's Soul Power Level without any side effects.
It also had the effect of Muscle-Tendon Cleansing Marrow-Washing, removing impurities from a Soul Master's body and nourishing their meridians.
Most importantly, it could raise a Soul Master's Innate Soul Power—in other words, their cultivation aptitude.
Lu Lin remembered that Huo Yuhao had taken a Mysterious Water Pill while he was still a Soul Master, raising his Soul Power Level by almost two whole levels.
The Muscle-Tendon Cleansing Marrow-Washing had also succeeded, further improving his cultivation aptitude.
Of course, the pill's effect on Huo Yuhao had been almost unprecedented because he had Tian Meng within him, and his second martial soul was Ice. Those factors had all combined to produce an exceptional result.
The moment he received the Mysterious Water Pill, Lu Lin's feelings had turned complicated.
The Blacksmith Association had made a substantial investment in him.
He truly wasn't used to owing people favors.
Especially when it came to something as precious as the Mysterious Water Pill.
Lu Lin knew better than anyone why the Blacksmith Association valued him so highly.
The problem was, he had no intention of pursuing a career as a blacksmith.
After weighing it over, Lu Lin finally decided to take the pill.
The fact that it could improve his Innate Soul Power was simply too important to him.
Having made up his mind, Lu Lin's eyes flashed. He took the dark blue Mysterious Water Pill, about the size of a cherry, from the bottle and swallowed it.
As soon as the pill entered his stomach, he felt a gentle medicinal force surge through his limbs and body.
At the same time, a faint veil of water vapor appeared around him, enveloping his entire body.
~~~~~
After the time it took an incense stick to burn, Lu Lin slowly opened his eyes.
The Mysterious Water Pill had worked about as he'd expected.
His Soul Power Level had risen from eighteen to the peak of level nineteen, bringing him close to level twenty.
It had saved him months of hard work.
His Innate Soul Power had also increased by one level, reaching level five at last—just enough to give him average talent.
Feeling the changes in his body, Lu Lin nodded with satisfaction.
At this rate, he should reach the second ring before the class tournament in three months.
And now was the time to explore the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes in Sunset Forest...
Wait, what was that smell?
Lu Lin was still planning out his future when a foul stench suddenly reached his nose.
Coming to his senses, he realized his body was sticky and reeked. Only then did he remember that the impurities expelled by Muscle-Tendon Cleansing Marrow-Washing had caused it.
His composure shattered in an instant. He hurriedly jumped out of bed and rushed to the washroom.
Just as Lu Lin entered the washroom, Long Chenyu walked in from outside.
The moment he stepped through the door, Long Chenyu caught a faint whiff of something foul. He frowned slightly, realizing it was coming from Lu Lin's bed.
Huh, could this be... the Mysterious Water Pill?
Lu Lin had no idea that Long Chenyu had deduced he'd taken a Mysterious Water Pill from a few lingering traces of its odor.
When he came out after washing up, he found Long Chenyu reclining on his bed, reading a storybook or something. His posture was elegant, almost aristocratic.
After exchanging a few words, Lu Lin climbed back onto his bed. The odor had mostly dissipated, which eased his mind.
He sat cross-legged and prepared to enter a state of cultivation again.
Long Chenyu caught sight of Lu Lin's movements from the corner of his eye, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
Cultivating again? Why did he have to room with such a workaholic?
"Um, Lu Lin, sorry to interrupt,"
Long Chenyu finally couldn't hold back and asked,
"Besides cultivating... is there really nothing else you want to do?"
Lu Lin hadn't expected Long Chenyu to ask him such a sudden question.
They were roommates, but they weren't even in the same class.
They got along well enough, but that was all. They weren't close.
Lu Lin pondered briefly, then looked over at Long Chenyu's bed and answered honestly,
"I can't think of anything else I particularly want to do. Heh, I'm not very talented, so I have to make up for it with hard work."
"..."
Long Chenyu was at a loss for words.
All he could do was give Lu Lin a thumbs-up.
Lu Lin smiled, then closed his eyes and focused, beginning to cultivate.
The night passed without incident.
~~~~
After taking the Mysterious Water Pill, Lu Lin broke through to level nineteen faster than he'd expected.
For Soul Masters, every tenth level was a major threshold.
This was the point that truly tested a Soul Master's foundation. The energy needed to break through was far beyond what was required for the previous levels.
It was perfectly normal for some Soul Masters to be stuck at this stage for months.
But Lu Lin didn't have that problem at all.
Just ten days later.
Level twenty!
Success!
At that point, Lu Lin had been at Shrek Academy for less than a month.
In a little over half a month, he had jumped three levels. It was a cultivation speed he'd never even dared to imagine before.
Of course, he owed it all to the Mysterious Water Pill from the Blacksmith Association.
He owed them a considerable favor.
The next morning, just after dawn.
Lu Lin headed straight to Xiao Jin's office. After knocking and entering, he stated his purpose directly:
"Teacher Xiao, my Soul Power has reached level twenty. I'm here to request leave so I can go out and obtain my Second Soul Ring."
Xiao Jin was slightly taken aback.
At the start of the school year, during the class monitor election, Lu Lin had quietly pulled off a major surprise.
Naturally, Xiao Jin had been left with a strong impression of him.
But hadn't the boy only been level seventeen then?
How had he reached level twenty so quickly?
He knew the kid was obsessed with cultivation, but even so, wasn't this too fast?
Still, judging by the fluctuations of Soul Power coming from Lu Lin, Xiao Jin was certain he really had reached level twenty.
And his aura was even more solid and pure than before.
How had this kid cultivated?
But everyone had their secrets. Though Xiao Jin was curious, he wasn't about to grill Lu Lin for answers.
After confirming Lu Lin had reached level twenty, Xiao Jin nodded slightly:
"I can approve that. But if you're planning to obtain your Second Soul Ring alone, the risk is still considerable."
"I suggest asking an experienced upperclassman to accompany you to the Soul Hunting Forest."
"Teacher Xiao, I've already found a Soul Master to accompany me."
Seeing that Lu Lin had already made arrangements, Xiao Jin didn't say anything more.
He only gave him a long look and a few more instructions, then quickly wrote out a leave slip and handed it to Lu Lin.
After leaving Xiao Jin's office,
Lu Lin went to see Xiao He and explained the situation.
Then he left Shrek Academy directly. With a Storage Soul Tool, he naturally had nothing he needed to pack.
The goal of this trip was simple and clear: Sunset Forest and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Heaven Dou Empire, in a Soul Hunting Forest.
Several bodies lay sprawled across the ground. Only one Soul Master, around thirty years old, remained alive, desperately crawling along, as if cursing his parents for not giving him more legs and feet.
His trousers were already soaked, but how could he spare a thought for that now?
He had only one thought: to survive.
He was already regretting it with every fiber of his being.
Damn it, it was all that bitch's fault. Why had she gone and provoked this Killing God?
Even an Evil Soul Master wasn't this terrifying.
A slender figure appeared behind him.
The newcomer had a cold expression and wore black from head to toe.
The unusual thing was that three Soul Rings were now pulsing around him.
Two Purple Soul Rings and one black one!
This person was none other than Lu Lin's first clone, Ji Ming.
Lu Lin's Mental Power far surpassed that of Soul Masters at the same level. He'd naturally known there was still a stray survivor here; he'd simply not had time to deal with him earlier.
At the sight of Lu Lin,
the man's face filled with despair. He was about to beg for mercy, but Lu Lin couldn't be bothered to listen. The first Purple Soul Ring on his body lit up, and he ended the man's life swiftly.
Right, it was time for him to set out for Sunset Forest as well!
Before you continue