Taking Leave from the Academy, the Desert City!

"Zi Yan, pack your things and say goodbye to Great Elder Su Qian. It's time we left!"

Lin Chen stood up, stretched both arms toward the sky, and loosened his limbs, feeling utterly refreshed. The exhilaration of advancing in cultivation was impossible to put into words.

It was as though a warm current surged throughout his body, constantly nourishing and strengthening it, carrying it toward a higher level.

"Will old man Su Qian agree?"

Just then, a little head poked in from outside the quiet chamber, revealing a pair of large, dark eyes filled with unease and a trace of hesitation.

Now that the moment had come, this little chubby dragon actually wanted to back out?

How could he allow that!

Lin Chen's expression turned solemn, and he said rather sternly, "Don't worry. I'll persuade Great Elder Su Qian. We're only going out for some training. You're already a Mid-Rank Dou Wang, and with the spatial power you've mastered, even a High-Rank Dou Wang might not be able to do anything to you."

"Besides, you've got me. What are you afraid of? The strongest people in the Jia Ma Empire are only Dou Huang experts. Would they offend a peak fifth-grade alchemist for no reason?"

After hearing Lin Chen's words, Zi Yan looked thoughtful, then said in sudden realization, "Oh, right! I've got you around. Ordinary people definitely wouldn't dare provoke you. If we really offend someone powerful, they'll just grab you and make you refine pills. They definitely won't capture me."

Lin Chen's face darkened. He stepped forward, picked Zi Yan up by the scruff of her neck, and headed toward the Great Elder's residence in the distance.

"You sure have a lot to say. If something really happens, you'll be the first thing I sell off, you little glutton!"

Not long afterward,

Inside a quiet study in the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy.

Great Elder Su Qian wore a loose black robe and took a light sip of tea, a faint smile on his aged face.

Beside him sat Hu Gan, who glared at the newly arrived Lin Chen with displeasure written all over his face.

It was as though he were saying, What are you doing here, brat?

Lin Chen coughed lightly, ignored Hu Gan's gaze, and cupped his hands in a respectful bow to Su Qian before saying, "Great Elder, I've come to request leave..."

"Here's the situation. As you know, a greenhouse can't nurture hardy flowers. Without weathering wind and rain, how can one grow? In my humble opinion, as the foremost academy on the Northwest Continent, Jia Nan Academy should organize regular training expeditions..."

"As an outstanding student of our academy's current cohort, student Zi Yan should lead by example. Thus, she has voluntarily applied to go out for training..."

"As an elder of the academy, I wholeheartedly support student Zi Yan's initiative. I am willing to accompany her on this training expedition and safeguard her healthy development in both body and mind. As the saying goes..."

"You want to take little Zi Yan outside?"

Before he could finish, Hu Gan raised an eyebrow and interrupted Lin Chen's rambling, asking with a slight frown.

"Indeed. That's precisely it."

Seeing that his intentions had been exposed, Lin Chen put on a solemn expression and declared with righteous conviction, "Rest assured, Deputy Headmaster. I won't keep this glory all to myself. Once I bring Zi Yan back from her training, I'll make sure she delivers a three-thousand-word reflection on her experiences, bringing honor to the academy and adding a bold, brilliant stroke to your record!"

What a load of nonsense. All this brat ever did was spout rubbish...

Hu Gan looked utterly speechless, then turned toward Great Elder Su Qian beside him.

Su Qian was still smiling, his hands folded inside his sleeves, as he said, "I'll approve this request. But leave promptly and return promptly. Don't go too far. If you cause trouble outside, make absolutely sure you don't mention my name."

"One look at you tells me you're a troublemaker. If you really stir up trouble, let that old fellow Hu Gan clean up your mess."

"I won't take responsibility."

With that, Su Qian swept his sleeve. An invisible breeze passed through, and the study doors flew open with a crash, making his intention to see them out unmistakable.

"I haven't agreed yet!"

Hu Gan's eyes widened, his face full of exasperation. Having looked after Lin Chen for seven years, how could he not know what this brat was like?

He dared to sell pills and bribe instructors right here in the academy. What would he get up to outside?

"Thank you for granting my request, Great Elder. I'll leave right away and bring you some local specialties from our Jia Ma Empire when I return."

At those words, Lin Chen's eyes lit up. He immediately shot out of the study with the speed of lightning, too swift for anyone to react.

Before leaving, he grabbed Zi Yan, who had been eavesdropping by the door, scooped her up, and streaked straight into the sky in a dazzling flash of deep blue light!

After the two had left,

Inside the study, Hu Gan helplessly watched the direction in which they had departed, then turned to Su Qian and asked, "Great Elder, why did you agree?"

"Letting them out-isn't that just inviting them to ruin Jia Nan Academy's reputation? I haven't lived long enough yet."

"Heh, the children have grown up. We can't keep them in the academy for their entire lives. That child Lin Chen was right. A greenhouse can't nurture prodigies. Let them go out and see the world."

"But just in case, you should follow them. Those two are Jia Nan Academy's precious treasures. We can't afford to lose either one. You've just broken through to Dou Zong, too, so go out and get some practice."

Su Qian spoke with a chuckle, then took a light sip of tea. A nostalgic gleam flashed through his eyes as he murmured, "Thinking back to those days, you and I were just as spirited..."

At those words, nostalgia also surfaced in Hu Gan's eyes. He sighed softly, nodded, and said, "In that case, I'll follow them on this trip."

"That little bastard. If he really kicks up a huge fuss, I'll still be the one cleaning up his mess!"

A month and a half later,

At the border of the Jia Ma Empire stood a massive stone city adjoining the Tagor Desert. Its towering walls were mottled with scars left by energy attacks. Built from countless yellow-brown rocks, they were majestic and solid, steeped in the feeling of having weathered countless years.

High overhead, the blazing sun hung in the sky. Sunlight spilled across the ground, illuminating a golden ocean of desert sand.

Dense fire-attribute energy vaguely rose in countless streams, making the entire city shimmer in and out of sight within the desert. Only the two enormous blood-red characters above its gate remained conspicuous.

"Mo City!"

At that moment, two figures, one tall and one small, were standing in line at the city gate. Both wore black robes and broad-brimmed hats to shade them from the sun, looking rather furtive.

The smaller figure's robe, however, seemed terribly ill-fitting. Its long hem drooped all the way to her feet, making her look rather comical.

"Lin Chen, hurry up and give me a pill! If you don't let me take one, I'm going to die of heat!"

"Here, here. All you ever think about is eating. You're a proper Dou Wang. Don't tell me the Tagor Desert's sun can actually burn you?"

The taller figure shook his head helplessly. With slender fingers, he took a Pill Bottle from inside his robe, drew out an Ice-Blue Pill, and handed it to the smaller figure beside him.

The smaller figure accepted the pill and swallowed it in one gulp. An icy coolness radiated throughout her body, and faint wisps of cold seeped out of her. They hissed as they met the scorching air outside, causing the temperature at the surface of her body to drop considerably.

"That feels so good..."

The smaller figure revealed a delicate face as exquisitely carved as pink jade. Her large, dark eyes narrowed, and her little face brimmed with comfort, making her look quite adorable.

It was none other than Zi Yan.

"Come on, little madam. With an appetite like yours, who could afford to feed you in the future...?"

Beside her, Lin Chen sighed helplessly. Seeing the blissful expression on Zi Yan's face, he took her little hand and continued toward the city gate.