[Scholar] Advancement! Blood-Activating Potion

Su Chen assumed a peculiar posture in his room and followed the method described in the book.

Gradually, he felt his heart pounding faster and faster, while a sound like crashing waves echoed in his ears.

His blood flowed faster, his body temperature rose, his skin gradually turned crimson, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down his skin.

The first time he practiced it, Su Chen lasted only half an hour before his throat began to burn painfully. He gulped water from the pipe for more than three minutes before the discomfort finally eased.

"Whew..."

He gasped for breath and sensed the changes in his body, unable to hide his amazement. "This half hour of training was more efficient than four or five hours of my previous workouts..."

If he had gotten this training method earlier, he would not have needed to pant through several hours of exercise every day just to reach his physical limit.

At the same time, the panel popped up.

[Molten Stone Training Method—Beginner: 1%]

[Scholar has discovered new secret knowledge and felt joy. Remaining time reduced by: one year]

Huh? Su Chen's mind trembled slightly. It had directly reduced by one year?

It seemed that all the requirements for advancement had been fulfilled.

When he looked down, just as expected, two large golden words appeared after [Scholar]—Advance.

Anticipation inevitably rose within Su Chen. He took a deep breath and decisively advanced.

In an instant, Su Chen's pupils contracted sharply, and his thoughts became more active than ever before.

It was as though fireworks had exploded deep within his mind. Things buried deep in his memories, long forgotten, surged back to the surface, and his thinking seemed to become quicker.

[Scholar has advanced]

[Class ability acquired—Scholar's Stance]

[Scholar's Stance: Proficiency gain efficiency +50%]

Su Chen's heart thumped hard as he silently clenched his fists.

Good. Very good. Scholar truly lived up to its name.

It directly increased the rate at which proficiency accumulated—simple and straightforward. He liked it very much.

Of course, that was only the ability displayed on the panel. He could also feel that the activity of his mind and his powers of observation had improved to varying degrees.

After waiting for his stamina to slowly recover, he began mental training. The results were indeed outstanding. He felt that the speed at which he outlined the Candle Flame had increased considerably.

He continued until the latter half of the night, when his mind was exhausted to the extreme, before he reluctantly stopped.

[Candlefire Mental Training Method—Proficient: 40%]

"It really has improved quite a bit. Before, mental training could only raise it by 5% to 7% at most before I got exhausted..." Su Chen thought as he drifted into a heavy sleep.

Early the next morning, he was startled awake by a relentless knock at the door. It seemed that as long as he did not open it, the person outside would not stop.

After casually throwing on some clothes, Su Chen opened the door. Three people stood outside in matching blue-and-white uniforms. The leader wore an expressionless face. "Southern Academy Inspection Department. Room inspection..."

"Room inspection?" Su Chen narrowed his eyes, one arm braced against the doorframe. "As I recall, the school rules state that private dorm rooms are not subject to inspection, don't they?"

The other man's expression changed slightly, clearly surprised. Before he could speak, someone beside him said, "What's with all the nonsense? It's a temporary spot check. Private dorm rooms are included too."

As he spoke, he stepped forward and tried to push Su Chen's arm aside, only to find that his palm felt as though it were pressing against an iron bar.

"You..." His expression shifted. He quietly exerted more force, but Su Chen remained completely unmoved.

"Are you sure you want to involve yourselves in this?" Su Chen asked pointedly.

The leader's cheek twitched. Seeing his companion's face redden as he used both hands, while Su Chen still stood there with even breathing, his throat bobbed.

Isn't this guy a freshman?

My friend is practically ready to advance to [Blacksmith]. His strength is astonishing.

"Uh... I suddenly remembered that there does seem to be such a rule. Sorry for disturbing you." He pulled his companion back and forced out a smile in explanation.

"It's fine. Just remember it next time." Su Chen was very forgiving. He watched them walk to the end of the corridor, then suddenly called out, "Tell Zhou Zong to stop playing such childish tricks."

The three of them stiffened, and their footsteps quickened.

"So it really was him..." Su Chen muttered inwardly. There were not many people who had a grudge against him. Qi Chuan probably would not use such a lowly method, while Jiang He was still his collaborator.

No matter how he thought about it, only Zhou Zong seemed likely to resort to such tactics within the academy.

"Tsk..." Su Chen turned back into his room, pulled the Shadow-Hiding Garment from his bed, put it on beneath his clothes, and followed the three downstairs from a distance.

After winding through the academy, they arrived at a secluded grove in the rear.

From afar, Su Chen saw that the three had already met with Zhou Zong. He could not make out what they were discussing, but Zhou Zong was loudly shouting, apparently furious.

The three opposite him merely listened helplessly. After a long while, they hurried away, leaving Zhou Zong alone.

"...Incredible strength?" Zhou Zong murmured. "Could his physical talent be exceptional? No wonder Jiang He arranged for him to enter the academy. There's a secret behind this..."

His eyes flickered with excitement. "But that's even better. If I subdue him, then perhaps..."

Bang!

A sharp pain exploded at the back of his head. Before Zhou Zong could react, his eyes rolled back and he fell stiffly to the ground.

Su Chen withdrew his hand beneath the Shadow-Hiding Garment. Amid the shadows of the grove, he was not conspicuous at all.

After scanning both sides, he quickly stripped the man's clothes off.

There was no need to kill him. Drawing the city lord's attention would only be troublesome. This was merely a lesson.

Not long after, a piercing scream rang through the grove.

Meanwhile, Su Chen had already returned to his dormitory. He held two small red glass tubes containing thick crimson liquid and examined them carefully. "This thing seems to be..."

These were items Zhou Zong had carried on him. That guy was clearly no ordinary person.

Su Chen thought carefully, and a flash of realization crossed his eyes. "Blood-Activating Potion!"

He remembered now. He had seen an introduction to it while skimming through books in the library.

He had long since forgotten about it, but after advancing to [Scholar], both his thinking and memory had improved considerably, allowing him to recall it.

"An F-rank potion that speeds up stamina recovery and physical training efficiency..." Su Chen pondered. "Zhou Zong chose a physical-type class too?"

"Good stuff..." Su Chen grinned and downed it in one gulp, then began the Molten Stone Training Method.

Whether because he had become more proficient or because of the potion's effect, he entered the state more quickly. A long, thin straw was clenched between his lips and inserted into the large water barrel beside him.

His training efficiency had indeed improved significantly. Su Chen trained until he lost all sense of time, for a full twelve hours.

He drank both Blood-Activating Potions, and even his remaining nutrient solution was nearly depleted.

The Strongman loan was finally paid off, and the black countdown behind his class disappeared as well, making Su Chen feel as though he had finally caught his breath.

[Strongman: 15%]

[Molten Stone Training Method—Beginner: 55%]

Su Chen could clearly feel the increase in strength within his body.

"The development efficiency really can't be compared..." Su Chen could not help saying. The combination of the training method and Blood-Activating Potion was nearly ten times faster than his previous grueling training.

"The importance of resources..." Su Chen sighed. He could not even find a place to buy something like Blood-Activating Potion, unlike Zhou Zong, who could carry two bottles around with him.

"I'm really envious..." Su Chen glanced at the nutrient solution. He had consumed too much today, leaving only one tube. He would have to buy more tomorrow.

"I didn't see anything... I just felt a pain in my head, and then I didn't know anything else..."

Inside the Academic Affairs Office, Zhou Zong's face was livid. He could not help saying, "Teacher... this wasn't a prank. It was robbery! The two bottles of Blood-Activating Potion I had on me were both stolen!"

"I brought those to prepare for my advancement!"

"Teacher!" Rage surged from Zhou Zong's heart as he shouted, "You have to uphold justice for me."

"Do you have anyone you suspect?" Several teachers in the Academic Affairs Office exchanged glances. Zhou Zong's father held considerable status, so they could not neglect the matter.

But that grove happened to be one of the few places in Southwind Academy without surveillance.

"I..." All kinds of figures flashed through Zhou Zong's mind. There were actually quite a few suspects.

Yet Zhou Zong said with near certainty, "Anyone who could knock me out with one blow must be a classholder. I suspect... Zhang Hengyu!"

"He must be afraid that I'll become a classholder and take his spot!"