Something's Happened!

Yang Hui knew that hiring a Reinforcer came at a steep price.

By all rights, the going rate for a 7-to-8 upgrade should have been around 2.5 million.

So 15 million... was honestly a bit unexpected.

But this expense for his own son was like a feather landing on the sea compared to Yang Hui's treasury. It couldn't make even a ripple.

What truly shocked him was whether Lin Xia really was a Reinforcer.

If he was, wasn't he far too young?

But if he wasn't, how had he pinpointed the exact moment the reinforcement succeeded?

Could it be... Lin Xia had just guessed?

Yes, it had to be that. That was the only explanation!

Still, even if it had been a guess, the Card had succeeded, so Lin Xia had done a great job!

As the saying went, if the result was right, the process didn't matter!

So Yang Hui didn't feel the slightest bit of regret or reproach over his son giving Lin Xia five rare Material Cards. If anything, he thought it was too little!

After all, what Awakener didn't want to curry favor with a Reinforcer?

But then he remembered that Lin Xia wasn't a Reinforcer, so Yang Hui had no intention of increasing the reward.

By then, Lin Xia had already stored the Material Cards in his panel inventory. He didn't hurry to reinforce anything.

Instead, he smiled and nodded at Yang Ming, then immediately turned to leave.

Only, he deliberately slowed his pace, hoping that Young Master Yang, the vice guild president, would call him back.

After all, Lin Xia needed to maintain the image that he wasn't after the Material Cards in the pockets of the Yang father and son.

So he absolutely couldn't be the one to ask for their contact information.

And he certainly couldn't try to curry favor with them!

"Hey, wait a minute!"

Yang Ming was completely taken aback when Lin Xia turned and walked away. His voice even trembled with urgency. "Why are you leaving? I still have something to ask you!"

"What is it?"

A glint flashed in Lin Xia's eyes. He turned around and asked with feigned curiosity.

"Have you joined a guild? Actually, I'm with the Blue—"

Yang Ming had wanted to recruit Lin Xia, but just as he was about to reveal his identity, his father stopped him.

Yang Hui gave a slight shake of his head, warning him with his eyes not to do that.

After all, a guild couldn't just take on members at will.

The law stipulated that each guild could have no more than 150 members, including the guild president and other management staff.

Moreover, the Blue Eagle Guild ranked second among the Great Xia Empire's more than ten thousand guilds, so it was highly sought after. There was only one spot left!

Countless powerhouses wanted in but couldn't get a place!

Yang Hui had extremely high standards for the final spot. Even Sun Qi, the Reinforcer standing there, wasn't remotely qualified—let alone a "gambler" like Lin Xia, who couldn't get in just because he'd gotten lucky once.

Although Yang Hui's subtle expression toward Yang Ming was very discreet,

Lin Xia still caught it.

Looks like Guild President Yang doesn't want me joining the guild...

But that's understandable. In his eyes, I haven't fully proven myself yet.

Heh, but you didn't see this coming, did you? In this lifetime, I, Lin Xia, won't go anywhere except your Gold Guild!

My SSR Cards need Material Cards for reinforcement. I really can't do without you!

After thinking this to himself, Lin Xia calmly said:

"I'm not looking to join a guild for now. I just want to finish university."

Yang Ming, who was about the same age, blinked, seeming utterly baffled by that excuse.

"You might as well drop out now. There's no use in school!"

Yang Hui patted Yang Ming on the shoulder, then said gravely to Lin Xia, "School is just a waste of time. You'd be better off joining society as soon as possible."

Lin Xia politely nodded in response, but inside, a thousand alpacas were stampeding through his mind.

What kind of background did your son have?

And what kind did I have?

Your son had a father like you, endless Material Cards, and powerful connections.

And me?

I was an orphan. If I didn't go to university, I'd have no support. Who knew when the Zhang Family might assassinate me!

Huh!?

At that thought, Lin Xia suddenly remembered something.

So much time had passed. Why hadn't the Zhang Family made a move yet?

Could it be... they'd decided to let him go?

"Can I still come to you when I want to reinforce my Cards?"

Yang Ming asked with longing in his eyes.

To him, Lin Xia was a god!

"Sure."

Lin Xia nodded.

"Then let's exchange conta—"

"Exchange what? Get home, now! You snuck out to reinforce your Main Card this time... and I haven't even settled that with you yet!"

Yang Hui was very strong. He practically dragged Yang Ming away. He hadn't even wanted to pursue the matter anymore.

But then he'd heard his foolish son still wanted to associate with a gambler like Lin Xia... Did he really not care if all his rare Cards got blown up?

"Don't think you're off the hook just because the Card succeeded. Just wait until we get home. I'll show you!"

Yang Hui gave Yang Ming no chance to resist and forcibly took him away.

"Wait for me! I'll definitely contact you again!!"

Yang Ming couldn't match his father's strength, but his voice was exceptionally loud!

"Contact him again! Contact him again!"

Yang Hui ground his teeth and slapped his rebellious son twice, wearing an expression of exasperated disappointment.

Watching them recede into the distance and finally disappear from sight, Lin Xia let out a quiet sigh.

He hadn't expected Guild President Yang to be so wary of him...

At this point, all he could do was place his hopes in Yang Ming's promise: "Wait for me! I'll definitely contact you again!"

As for reinforcing Vegeta, Lin Xia planned to come back tomorrow, after the Eye of Insight's uses had refreshed.

After all, a 1-to-2 upgrade could fail too, so it was better to play it safe.

"Come on, let's see how powerful Thin Buu is at level two!"

Lin Xia yawned and left the reinforcement site, leaving the short-haired young man and his companion standing there in stunned silence.

And, of course, Sun Qi, who had suffered such a complete collapse of his worldview that he lay on the ground, convulsing and foaming at the mouth...

Lin Xia had already laid out his whole plan.

First, he'd go to a secret realm and test Thin Buu's strength.

Then, tomorrow afternoon, after the Eye of Insight's uses had refreshed, he'd come back to reinforce Vegeta to level two and see if he could gain a new form.

But just then, a message came through in Lin Xia's class group on his panel, summoning all the students to the sports field!

From Teacher Xiao Ya's tone, it sounded like something important—and "bad"—had happened.

So Lin Xia immediately changed his plans and headed back to school.

When he reached the school sports field, he found it already packed with people.

It looked as though every student in the entire school had gathered.

Just then, someone called his name.

Lin Xia looked toward the voice. It was that chubby Xu Jian, waving him over.

Only then did he realize that his class was lined up over there.

He obediently went to stand behind Xu Jian and quietly asked, "What's going on? Weren't we supposed to have the next couple of days off? Why has everyone been called in at the last minute?"

"Days off?" Xu Jian's face was pale. He blinked repeatedly and said anxiously, "Something's happened. The Imperial University might be knocked off its pedestal!"