Liu Qing's recruitment offer, another simulation!

"You recognize this?"

"I picked it in the forest outside, and some big guy chased me for ages. I was going to have it for dinner tonight, but since I ate your pill, you can have it as compensation."

An apologetic look crossed Zi Yan's face, and she handed the Ice Spirit Flame Grass to Lin Chen.

Seeing this, Lin Chen's eyes flickered with indecision.

Originally, he had planned to use the Vajra Bodhi as a foot in the door to secure access to the Sixth-Floor No. 1 Training Room. He had never intended to take Zi Yan's medicinal ingredients.

After all, as far as he knew, the Sixth-Floor No. 1 Training Room was specially made. Cultivating there was two or three times faster than in the other training rooms, yet it cost only thirty Fire Energy points a day.

Calculated according to its effectiveness, it could save him roughly ten to thirty Fire Energy points each day.

Over a long period of cultivation, that would undoubtedly amount to a considerable sum.

However, a stalk of Ice Spirit Flame Grass that could be used to refine a Blood Lotus Pill was far more precious than Vajra Bodhi. It was a main ingredient in a pill that helped refine Heavenly Flames. Everyone knew that on the Dou Qi Continent, anything connected to Heavenly Flames would skyrocket in value.

Take the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Fragment Map at the Space Trade Fair—a tiny piece actually commanded an Eighth-Tier Nine-Colored Pill! If the Ice Emperor knew about that, he would surely cut the fragment in his possession into tens of thousands of pieces overnight!

Lin Chen weighed it up inwardly, but ultimately shook his head and refused. "No! Lady Zi Yan, since I gave it to you, it's yours. It was meant to be a treat. I'd like to be your friend, so please don't stand on ceremony!"

Seeing that Lin Chen remained unmoved, Zi Yan felt rather touched. He had offered her such a delicious pill, and all he wanted was to be her friend.

She immediately patted her chest and promised, "Don't worry! From now on, you're one of mine. I've got your back. If anyone in the Inner Academy bullies you, tell me, and I'll beat them up for you!"

A grateful look appeared on Lin Chen's face. After a moment's hesitation, he stammered, "Lady Zi Yan, to tell you the truth, since joining the Inner Academy, I really have run into something that's difficult to talk about. It's just..."

"Just what?"

Zi Yan looked at him curiously. Though her cultivation was currently only at Three-Star Dou Wang, her senses as a top-tier magical beast were far from weak. She could still detect Lin Chen's Peak Dou Ling cultivation.

That level of cultivation placed him among the best in the entire Inner Academy. Only those in the Top Ten of the Strong Ranking could possibly cause him trouble. Had he offended one of them?

"Actually, I only recently joined the Inner Academy. The main reason I've reached my current cultivation is that I took huge quantities of pills. While that makes cultivation incredibly fast, the drawbacks are also quite obvious. I..."

With a troubled expression, Lin Chen poured out his embarrassing predicament to Zi Yan, describing the suffering caused by taking pills, Vice President Hu Gan's bitter disappointment, his own profound awakening and remorse, and the miraculous effects of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower...

A short while later,

Having finished, Lin Chen looked at her expectantly and asked, brimming with hope, "Lady Zi Yan, what do you think?"

Zi Yan's delicate brows furrowed. Her little head ached, and she simply could not think of a good solution.

Then she looked up at Lin Chen, slapped her forehead, and exclaimed in realization, "I've got it! Since you think the training rooms help, I'll let you use mine. I also have a Blue Fire Crystal Card. That old man Su Qian shoved all this stuff onto me, so you can have that too."

With that, Zi Yan took out a Blue Fire Crystal Card and handed it to Lin Chen.

Excitement filled Lin Chen's face. He instinctively accepted the card and glanced at it.

Holy shit, how much?

Three thousand?

Great Elder Su Qian really lives up to his title. No wonder that old man Hu Gan has been stuck in the Outer Academy all these years. If you won't generously throw some money around, who's going to follow you?

When it's time to choose Jia Nan Academy's next leader, I'm definitely voting for Great Elder Su Qian!

Perfect. With these three thousand Fire Energy points, why bother refining pills? After a few months in seclusion, I'll be a Dou Wang expert too!

Lin Chen's heart surged with excitement. Feeding her that Vajra Bodhi had truly been worth it. Not only had he gained Zi Yan's friendship, but he had also secured access to the No. 1 Training Room, plus three thousand Fire Energy points.

Three birds with one stone!

Having accepted the Fire Energy Card, Lin Chen was just about to lavish praise on Zi Yan's generosity.

Knock, knock!

Just then, knocking suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

"Are you here, Junior Lin Chen? I'm Liu Qing. I've come to pay you a visit."

Lin Chen and Zi Yan exchanged a glance, bewilderment flashing through both their eyes.

"He's here for you?"

Zi Yan blinked as she asked.

"I don't know. I don't even know him."

Lin Chen also looked surprised. Then his brows creased slightly, and he decided to open the gate and take a look.

After all, with his current cultivation, even if Liu Qing had come looking for trouble, he could handle him. And if all else failed, Zi Yan was there to back him up.

A moment later,

Lin Chen opened the courtyard gate and saw two figures standing outside.

One was exceptionally tall, dressed in a plain cloth tunic, with a resolute face and thick brows. A heavy, jet-black spear as long as he was tall was strapped to his back. A fierce, domineering aura radiated from him, like a spear holding up the heavens—overbearing beyond compare!

The other was a woman dressed in a fox-fur coat. She was none other than Liu Fei, who had entered the Outer Academy in the same year as him.

"I'm Liu Qing, third on the Strong Ranking. The juniors in the Inner Academy have kindly bestowed upon me the title of Overlord Spear. Fei'er told me your alchemy skills are exceptional, so I've come to extend an invitation!"

With a serious expression, Liu Qing got straight to the point.

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow and sized up his visitor. Sensing the other man's Peak Dou Ling cultivation, he understood, then turned to look at Liu Fei beside him.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed. She was not looking at him at all, instead gazing dreamily at Liu Qing with the air of a lovestruck fool.

That lovestruck fool must have sold information about me to curry favor with this Overlord Spear.

Lin Chen looked at Liu Qing helplessly, then shook his head and politely declined. "Senior Liu Qing, I'm used to cultivating alone and have no intention of joining a gang. I know the Mountain-Splitting Gang you founded is the Inner Academy's second-largest gang, but my current cultivation is enough to protect myself. I have no interest in getting involved in these conflicts."

With that, Lin Chen's body shuddered. He stopped concealing his aura and revealed it—Peak Dou Ling!

"This is..."

Liu Qing's expression changed slightly, and he backed away several steps. Even the infatuated Liu Fei beside him snapped out of her daze and stared at Lin Chen in shock.

"I'm a Peak Dou Ling. Who in the Inner Academy would dare lay a hand on me? Who could? Senior Liu Qing, please head back."

Lin Chen swept his sleeve and placed his hands behind his back. His expression held a coldness that kept others a thousand miles away as he spoke with imposing confidence.

"I've overstepped. I never knew the Inner Academy had a true dragon like you in its midst. I'll be sure to spread word of what happened today so those useless rats will back off. Another day, I must have a proper spar with you."

A blazing fighting spirit flashed through Liu Qing's eyes. The hot blood of a battle fanatic had been stirred, and he nearly could not stop himself from making a move.

But recalling why he had come today, he cupped his fist in salute, then turned and left.

"Cousin, wait for me..."

An anxious look appeared on Liu Fei's face as she hurried after him.

Lin Chen shook his head slightly, then turned toward Zi Yan, who had just come outside. His expression immediately changed, and he spoke in a rather fawning tone:

"Lady Zi Yan, why did you come out? I can handle little matters like this. All you need to do is eat and drink well, take care of yourself, and hurry up and grow!"

Zi Yan wrinkled her delicate nose and said unhappily, "You're under my protection, so naturally, only I get to lay a hand on you. If this Liu Qing dares bully you, I'll definitely step in!"

Lin Chen nodded repeatedly and gave Zi Yan a thumbs-up, praising her. "Lady Zi Yan, your kindness and loyalty are unmatched. This humble fellow is in awe!"

At his words, a smug smile appeared on Zi Yan's little face. She patted her chest and said, "Of course! I'm very loyal to my friends!"

Half a month later,

The Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, sixth floor, No. 1 Training Room.

A figure in blue robes sat cross-legged on a black stone platform. Thick, pale-red mist filled the space around him, so dense that it seemed almost solid, forming rings of rippling waves.

Hum!

In an instant, the mist inside the room scattered. The once-peaceful ripples began trembling violently like boiling water, turning into a chaotic cloud of mist before abruptly dissipating.

The next moment, as the mist cleared, the blue-robed figure slowly opened his eyes. He opened his mouth and exhaled a stream of murky, ocher-colored air. His aura had grown considerably more powerful.

"It's time."

With a thought from Lin Chen, a pale-blue screen appeared before his eyes.

[Ding! The cooldown for this simulation has ended. Simulation count refreshed: one.]

[Begin simulation?]