Go to the Alchemist Department!

With a thunderous boom, a cloud of dust erupted across the entire arena.

As the sound of coughing rose from the crowd, Xiao Yan knew the battle must have ended. The bitter training he had endured during this period had allowed him to master the Eight Extremities Collapse to its absolute limit.

In terms of raw power, even a Tier 4 Magical Beast would not dare to take this punch head-on!

Just as Xiao Yan prepared to step down, he suddenly noticed a figure still standing within the haze.

"Xiao Yan! I never expected you to make such massive progress in just a few short months; you truly live up to being someone the academy values so highly. If it were the old me, your punch might have defeated me instantly." As Lin Yan spoke, the smoke slowly dissipated.

Lin Yan's figure appeared on the arena. Although he was staggering slightly, he had not sustained any major injuries.

It was just that his large axe now bore a faint fist mark.

"I underestimated you. I didn't think you could actually withstand that punch of mine." Xiao Yan nodded, then slowly drew the Mysterious Heavy Ruler from his storage ring.

The onlookers exclaimed in shock: "Xiao Yan has brought out the Mysterious Heavy Ruler!"

Lin Yan gave a self-deprecating laugh: "I never imagined that the gap in our cultivation levels could be so easily bridged by your Dou Technique."

Xiao Yan looked at his own fist and said, "I have put in no less effort than anyone else, so I don't believe you can defeat me!"

Xiao Yan raised the Mysterious Heavy Ruler, recalling the scene from seven months ago when he had just participated in the Fire Energy Hunting Competition.

Lin Yan stroked his axe, his gaze fixed firmly on Xiao Yan.

"Xiao Yan! I have waited for this day for a long time! Mountain Splitting Axe!"

A technique even more powerful than before, imbued within Lin Yan's axe, was swung down fiercely.

"Very well. The last time I defeated you, it was with the aid of medicinal pills. This time, I will defeat you fair and square! I will make all those gossiping voices shut up!" Xiao Yan held the ruler horizontally across his chest, and a massive red light enveloped the weapon.

"Flame Splitting Wave-Devouring Ruler!"

Three days later.

Xiao Yan lay in the courtyard while Xun Er peeled fruit for him.

"I'm telling you, Lin Yan! Is it really necessary to act like this just because you lost to me once?" Xiao Yan asked helplessly.

Lin Yan turned his head away and said, "Don't put on an act here. You beat me! Your strength is greater than mine, and your talent is higher; I admire you."

Ever since they had fought twice, Xiao Yan and Lin Yan had become friends, and Xiao Yan couldn't help but laugh at Lin Yan's temperament.

Xiao Yan smiled and said, "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. I heard that Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing have both come out of seclusion?"

Lin Yan nodded and continued, "Both of them seem to have broken through; they are now both Seven-Star Dou Ling. I estimate that it won't be long before their strength is enough to challenge the top ten of the Strong Ranking."

A piece of fruit appeared in Xiao Yan's mouth. As he chewed, he said, "Is that so? I've been thinking about going to the Inner Academy's Alchemist Department to diligently improve my alchemy skills."

Lin Yan looked at Xiao Yan's expression, speechless.

Then he asked, "Hmm, what rank of alchemist are you?"

Xiao Yan smiled and said, "Third Grade, I suppose. This time, I want to reach the Fourth Grade!"

Lin Yan snorted and said, "Do you think alchemy is that simple? Do you think you can just become a Fourth Grade alchemist whenever you want?"

Xiao Yan did not reply; he simply used 1,500 Summoning Points to upgrade himself to a Fourth Grade Alchemist.

Name: Xiao Yan
Age: 16 years and 9 months
Strength: Two-Star Dou Ling
Alchemist Rank: Fourth Grade Alchemist
Cultivation Method: Burning Decision (Xuan-tier High-grade)
Dou Techniques: Eight Extremities Collapse (Xuan-tier High-grade), Mystic Divination Palm (Xuan-tier Low-grade), Heaven Collapsing Technique (Xuan-tier High-grade), Flame Splitting Wave-Devouring Ruler (Di-tier Low-grade), Flame Cloud Fist (Di-tier Low-grade)
Summoned Experts: Hai Bodong (Seven-Star Dou Huang), Eight-Winged Black Emperor Snake (Peak Dou Huang), Yun Potian (Six-Star Dou Wang)
Summoned Count: 3/5
Exotic Fire: Myriad Beast Spirit Fire, Green Lotus Core Flame
Items: Mysterious Heavy Ruler
Summoning Talismans: 3 Intermediate Summoning Talismans
Summoning Points: 5000 (Can be used to exchange for various items in the System Mall)

Xiao Yan did not upgrade his alchemist rank just to show off.

It was because when the time came to fulfill the Three-Year Agreement, Xiao Yan wanted to take the championship of the Alchemist Tournament along the way.

Although that was also showing off, it was not the kind of showing off they imagined.

"Fourth Grade medicinal pills—isn't that something you can just do with your hands?" Xiao Yan deliberately provoked Lin Yan with his words, and Lin Yan fell for it as expected.

"Fine, I'll go with you right now. I refuse to believe that someone can be such a genius at alchemy while being so formidable at fighting; there's no way such an incredible person exists in this world!" Lin Yan was convinced that Xiao Yan was just bragging.

It wasn't until the two of them actually arrived at the Alchemist Department that Lin Yan began to doubt whether Xiao Yan truly knew the art of alchemy.

All the student alchemists were staring at Xiao Yan and Lin Yan. Lin Yan was a veteran student, and there were quite a few people who recognized him.

Although Xiao Yan had been in the Inner Academy for some time, he had spent most of his time in seclusion, so very few people knew him.

A student from the Alchemist Department named Ye Xian walked over; he was the oldest and most powerful alchemist there.

"Lin Yan, what are you doing here? Is your fire poison acting up again?" Ye Xian teased.

Lin Yan clenched his fists in anger, but wary of Ye Xian's status, he ultimately didn't lash out.

It seemed that Ye Xian held a high position in the Alchemist Department. Xiao Yan looked at Ye Xian with an aggressive gaze, and Ye Xian glared right back without the slightest intention of backing down.

"I will be the one to clear his fire poison, so there's no need for you to trouble yourself." After saying this, Xiao Yan tossed a bottle of medicinal pills to Lin Yan.

Lin Yan hadn't expected Xiao Yan to be so attentive to his needs, having prepared the pills in advance.

Ye Xian said disdainfully, "Did you two come here just to be made into a joke?"

Xiao Yan looked at the four water ripples on Ye Xian's chest and said, "You're nothing more than a fourth-grade alchemist, so why do you always act like you're superior to everyone else?"

Ye Xian's expression soured instantly. Having spent so much time in the Inner Academy, no one had ever dared to speak to him like that, except for the elders.

Judging by Lin Yan's attitude, even those in the top ten of the Strong Ranking wouldn't dare to speak to Ye Xian in such a manner.

"Who is that? So arrogant! He actually dares to talk to Senior Ye Xian like that!"

"I think his name is Xiao Yan. I heard he's a genius!"

"This is the Inner Academy of Canaan Academy; who here isn't a genius?"

The crowd's discussion reached Ye Xian's ears. Ye Xian gave a cold, mirthless smile and said, "Xiao Yan, is it? I've never heard of you. You must be a freshman, right?"

"What does that have to do with you? It's none of your business whether I'm a freshman or not!" Xiao Yan snorted coldly.

Lin Yan hurriedly tugged on Xiao Yan's sleeve, but Xiao Yan shook him off.

Ye Xian repeated the word "good" three times before saying, "If you came to the Alchemist Department looking for trouble, then I want to tell you that you've come to the wrong place!"