Blowing Up the Academy's Gold

The next morning.

The bed was a mess. Tang Wutong curled up in Xiao Yi's arms, clutching his arm. Faint tear tracks still marked her face, and a small smile curved her lips, as if she were having a sweet dream.

Xiao Yi slowly opened his eyes. Looking at the pink-and-blue-haired beauty in his arms, he gently brushed a hand over her hair.

Tang Wutong's sudden behavior last night had startled him. It was as if something had triggered her, and she'd desperately craved him. Even when he'd pushed her to the point of rolling her eyes back, she still hadn't stopped asking for more.

The girl in his arms slowly opened her eyes and met Xiao Yi's gaze. A blush spread across her pretty face. Though she'd acted on impulse last night, she didn't regret it.

"Xiao Yi, I really like you." She let go of his arm and instead wrapped her arms around him, gazing up at him expectantly.

"Mm, I feel the same, Xiao Qi." Xiao Yi rubbed her little head, his heart full of emotion. He'd even called Tang Wutong by the name she'd been hoping to hear.

This time, Xiao Yi didn't hesitate. He nodded without a moment's doubt. He'd long since felt the depth of Tang Wutong's love for him; traces of her proof were left all around them.

Tang Wutong smiled delightedly and leaned in.

Feeling the softness of the girl in his arms, Xiao Yi's heart stirred again. His sleeping little brother began to wake.

Tang Wutong felt that familiar tingling sensation spread through her body. Her delicate frame trembled, and she glanced at Xiao Yi shyly before beginning to learn the art of flying.

They said the day's work began at dawn. Didn't the reverse hold true as well?

In Class One, Huo Yutong saw Tang Wutong arrive late and went over to talk to her, puzzled.

"Wutong, why are you so late today?" Huo Yutong also felt that Tang Wutong seemed like a different person somehow, as if she'd acquired some indescribable quality.

Tang Wutong smiled awkwardly. She was still sore all over, and thinking of last night's wildness made her blush.

"It's nothing. I just overslept." Her tone remained cool and proud. That shy side of her was reserved for Xiao Yi alone; to everyone else, she was still the proud little princess of the Divine Realm.

Meanwhile, in the Sea God Pavilion.

Three old men stared in astonishment at the emerald-green pill, marveling at it.

One of them, a red-haired old man, was especially meticulous. He gently pinched off a tiny bit and carefully rubbed it between his fingers, as if inspecting it. Then he held it beneath his nose and sniffed before putting it in his mouth and closing his eyes to savor it. A wave of incredibly pure Soul Power flowed into his body.

The old man's eyes flew open, disbelief filling them.

"Such pure medicinal power, with almost no impurities at all—and its effects go far beyond a slight increase. Young friend Xiao Yi, this Soul Ascension Pill of yours..." The old man sounded astonished, and his gaze brimmed with admiration.

This was Elder Yao, who managed the academy's medicinal herbs and pill allotments. His Martial Soul was the Flame Lion. He no longer handled the academy's affairs, spending each day tending to the flowers and plants instead. He was also quite knowledgeable about Alchemy.

Most of the academy's Soul Ascension Pills were made by him and his disciples. He had also told Xiao Yi about the original version of the pill-condensing method he'd developed.

The admiration in Elder Yao's eyes only grew as he looked at Xiao Yi. When the young man had first come to see him, he'd assumed he was asking for a larger pill allotment. Instead, he'd come to learn the craft of Alchemy.

And in barely a month, the boy had actually managed to come up with something.

"Junior Brother, how does this pill compare with the original Soul Ascension Pill?" Yan Shaozhe asked urgently. He didn't know exactly what set it apart, but he knew that if Elder Yao approved of it, it had to be extraordinary.

Mu En watched his direct disciple with a smile, unable to hide his satisfaction.

"I've named this upgraded version the High-Grade Soul Ascension Pill. It reliably raises the Soul Power of anyone below Soul King by one level, with no side effects. However, taking two will cause resistance."

"What?!"

Both men cried out in shock. A look of disbelief flashed in Mu En's eyes, too. A pill that could raise someone's Soul Power by two levels during the Soul Ancestor stage without any side effects was beyond price to the academy.

"Xiao Yi, tell us everything. Don't keep us old men guessing." Mu En smiled as he spoke. He'd grown familiar with his disciple's temperament.

"Besides the High-Grade Soul Ascension Pill, there are also mid- and low-grade versions. They can each raise the Soul Power of someone below Soul Ancestor and Soul Elder, respectively, by one level. Taking two of each causes resistance, but the different grades don't interfere with one another. At the corresponding cultivation level, a person can take two of each." Xiao Yi cupped his hands and spoke calmly, but his words landed like a thunderclap.

The three pills used the same ingredients. Xiao Yi hadn't expected them to be taken together. But because the low-grade pill's medicinal power was weaker than that of the other two, it ended up helping the higher-grade pills work more effectively when taken beforehand.

Yan Shaozhe and Elder Yao both sucked in sharp breaths and cried out in amazement.

Two levels of Soul Power at each stage—that meant six whole levels, all gained without side effects. It was something that could turn the Soul Master World upside down.

"Xiao Yi, does anyone else know about this?" Mu En asked sternly. This was crucial. It concerned not only the academy but Xiao Yi's safety as well. Yan Shaozhe and Elder Yao had also recovered from their shock, and now both watched Xiao Yi with grave expressions.

"Other than you, I haven't told anyone." Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan only knew what Xiao Yi had been working on, not the details. Tang Wutong knew only that he was tinkering with Soul Ascension Pills; he hadn't told her anything else. Not that it would probably matter if he did. That girl had already skipped past the early stages of lovesickness and become completely love-struck. The way she looked at him was almost unhealthy.

"Good. Junior Brother, if anyone asks where these pills came from, just say they were developed by one of the academy's elders." Yan Shaozhe continued, "An elder of the future is still an elder. Besides, Xiao Yi's achievement alone is enough to earn him a place among the elders. If these things can be mass-produced, the results will be terrifying."

"Go on, Xiao Yi. What do you want this time? Just say the word. We can open up the academy's Soul Bone stores to you, or anything else you might need." Mu En stroked his beard and smiled.

Xiao Yi's eyes lit up at those words. That was exactly what he'd been waiting to hear, and the reason he'd taken the initiative to tell the academy about the Soul Ascension Pills.

He'd found countless precious records unavailable to the outside world in the Library Pavilion, but another floor above had caught his curiosity. The lower floors were already full of treasures—what on earth would be on the very top floor?

Besides, paying for ingredients and Alchemy research out of his own pocket wasn't a long-term solution. If he showed enough promise and potential profit, he believed the academy would give him the support he needed. The Soul Ascension Pills were bait he'd tossed out. They hadn't taken much effort to develop; they were merely an experiment, but their effects were astonishing.

Watching Xiao Yi rub his hands together, excitement plain on his face, the three old men could only laugh helplessly.