Apprentice Second Order

Resak soon left as well, perhaps to report Qian Renxue's appearance just now.

The relationship between Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong was extremely delicate. Though they were mother and daughter, Bibi Dong regarded Qian Renxue as a disgrace.

Although the passage of time, along with Qian Daoliu's presence, had gradually extinguished Bibi Dong's desire to kill Qian Renxue, she had never shown her a kind face.

Qian Renxue, meanwhile, had remained confused and unaware. Because Bibi Dong was too ashamed to speak of it and Qian Daoliu had deliberately concealed it, she did not learn the truth that Bibi Dong had killed her father until the eve of accepting her final divine trial.

Before that, despite being hated by Bibi Dong and having her heart thoroughly broken, she had still wanted to achieve something and earn Bibi Dong's approval.

Perhaps that was partly why she had gone undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire.

Yet even after learning the truth, during her first divine battle with Tang San, who had inherited the position of Sea God, she had still stepped forward without hesitation to block Tang San's desperate final strike for Bibi Dong.

Yan silently recalled the plot of his previous life, withdrew his gaze, and grew curious as to why Qian Renxue had appeared.

She had brought Blood Thorn Douluo with her, yet she had not attacked immediately. That meant she had never intended to kill him and Xie Yue.

But it did not seem like a mere test either. Remembering Qian Renxue's gaze, Yan raised an eyebrow. Could she be trying to recruit him?

Not everyone could remain indifferent like Bibi Dong when faced with a Soul Master who possessed Innate Full Soul Power and a thousand-year first Soul Ring.

Given Qian Renxue's personality, along with her practical need for helpers while infiltrating the Heaven Dou Empire, recruiting someone who could assist her did not seem impossible.

When she had been Xue Qinghe in the original story, had she not been determined to recruit Tang San after his outstanding talent had become apparent?

At that thought, Yan could not help but shudder. He already kept his distance from Hu Liena; if it were Qian Renxue, whose condition was even worse, Yan felt he might simply explode.

Shaking his head, he hurriedly dismissed that terrifying thought and returned to their residence with Xie Yue.

As the sky gradually darkened, Yan ate something simple, washed up, and returned to his room.

Yan did not sleep. Instead, he circulated the Yan God Clan Cultivation Method and began absorbing the Cosmic Origin Energy drifting between heaven and earth.

Having broken through to Apprentice First Order as a Martial Artist and obtained his first Soul Ring, Yan's strength had already improved further.

He could feel his Martial Artist cultivation stirring restlessly, as though he might break through again at any moment.

Naturally, Yan could not miss such an opportunity, so he seized the time and began cultivating.

The moment he activated the Yan God Clan Cultivation Method, Yan immediately sensed changes in his cultivation.

Most noticeably, his absorption speed of Cosmic Origin Energy increased once more, and his perception of the fire elements drifting through the air became clearer as well.

Within his spiritual world, he could even sense crimson specks of light orbiting his body.

Yan drew all the Flame Origin Energy into his body, continuously refining and purifying it through his meridians before it finally settled in his dantian.

After reaching Apprentice Rank, some of the mysteries of the Yan God Clan Cultivation Method gradually revealed themselves to Yan.

His dantian, transformed by the Yan God Body Refining Technique and the Flame Emperor's inherited power, seemed to contain an invisible furnace.

The fire elements that had already been refined and purified once in his meridians would undergo a second tempering and refinement within his dantian, undergoing another purification into Flame Origin Energy.

Through this process, the Cosmic Origin Energy Yan ultimately obtained would become incomparably pure and abundant. Moreover, because the Cosmic Origin Energy was refined and purified twice within his body—

The dense fire elements would also burn away and refine the impurities emerging within him, eventually transforming them into gray sweat that was expelled from his body, completing an incidental round of body tempering and detoxification.

Flame Origin Energy not only enhanced Yan's Martial Artist cultivation and physical strength, but a portion of it was also absorbed by his Martial Soul, the Flame Overlord, strengthening its fire power and pushing its fire-element attribute further toward Ultimate Fire.

One cultivation session produced three cultivation benefits. This was the dimensional superiority of the Yan God Clan Cultivation Method over the cultivation methods of the Douluo system.

Immersed in cultivation, Yan passed the night without incident.

At dawn the next day, before the sun had risen, Yan awoke from his cultivation.

When his eyes opened, a flicker of fire seemed to flash through them before they returned to normal.

He opened his mouth and exhaled a breath of foul air. As he stood and stretched, his joints crackled sharply.

Clenching his fist and feeling the abundant power within his body, a flash of delight passed through Yan's eyes. Apprentice Second Order—he had made it!

The feedback Yan received from improving his Martial Artist cultivation felt far more satisfying and exhilarating than an increase in Soul Power.

This was the overwhelming advantage brought by the difference between cultivation systems.

After cultivating through the night, impurities from within his body had been expelled in sweat and clung to his skin. Once Yan had stretched his limbs, he went to the bathroom and washed himself clean.

However, Yan did not go for breakfast immediately. Instead, he went to the cultivation room and began practicing the Yan God Body Refining Technique, cultivating while waiting for Xie Yue to wake so they could eat breakfast together.

Perhaps Yan's cultivation had disturbed Xie Yue, because Xie Yue had risen exceptionally early today as well.

While Yan was cultivating the Yan God Body Refining Technique in the training room, a rhythmic knock sounded outside, followed by a quiet voice. "Yan?"

Yan's ears twitched slightly. His spiritual power had long since surpassed Hu Liena's, so he naturally heard the sound outside the training room.

He slowly ended his cultivation, steadied himself, then reached the training room door in just a few strides and opened it.

Outside stood Xie Yue, with silver hair, crimson eyes, and a handsome face.

"Yan, it really is you. You're so diligent."

When Yan opened the door, a smile appeared on Xie Yue's face. "You're already so talented, yet you work this hard. If I don't want you to leave me behind, I really need to work hard and follow your example from now on."

Xie Yue spoke jokingly, his smile warm, with no trace of jealousy on his face.

Of the Golden Generation in the original story, Hu Liena had been lovestruck and Yan had been a simp. Xie Yue really was the only normal one.

Aside from being somewhat overprotective of his sister, as the captain of the Spirit Hall Academy Team at the time, not only was his cultivation the strongest among the three, but he was also responsible and possessed the bearing of a captain. Calling him the leading figure of Spirit Hall's younger generation would not have been an exaggeration.

"So it's Xie Yue." Yan smiled as well.

"Come on, let's eat together." Xie Yue pointed outside.

"Let me wash my face first."

Yan's face was covered in sweat.

"Alright, I'll wait for you."

With that, Xie Yue turned around first and walked outside.

After washing his face, Yan went to find Xie Yue.

"Why are you up so early today?"

As they walked, Xie Yue started a conversation.

"I was a little excited after getting my Soul Ring. I couldn't fall asleep in bed no matter what, so I simply got up early."

Yan casually made up an excuse and did not mention that he had cultivated all night.

"I was excited last night too, though not because of getting a Soul Ring. Teacher Resak said we're going to Spirit Hall Academy to cultivate today."