Beneath the dim light.
A diamond-shaped magic core, still stained with blood, glittered.
Even though Lin Dong knew nothing about refining medicine, he could sense an incredibly violent energy within the magic core!
It was the condensed power of an entire magical beast!
And the most valuable part of one!
Lin Dong had never imagined that Xiao Zhan would slip three tier-two magic cores into the bag of pills he gave him.
It seemed that although Xiao Zhan could say nothing openly, he still cared deeply for Xiao Yan in private.
Otherwise, he would never have offered three tier-two magic cores as a thank-you gift.
With these three tier-two magic cores, Lin Dong certainly wouldn't have to worry about his loan.
But he wasn't foolish enough to take them straight off to repay it.
It was a federally subsidized loan.
As long as he got into university, he would have four years to pay it back slowly.
There was no need to rush.
What Lin Dong needed to do now was use this seed money to strengthen himself as quickly as possible!
The university entrance exam was fast approaching!
Only by getting into university could he gain access to better resources!
With that thought, Lin Dong looked at his status panel:
[Awakened: Lin Dong] [Level: 1 (0/10)] [Stamina: 5] [Spirit: 15] [Strength: 5] [Speed: 5] [Learning points: 3] [Skills: None] [Linked world: Battle Through the Heavens] [Items owned: Tiger Demon Strength Pill, Breath Concealment Art, tier-two magic core ×3!]
He had lived two lives.
Aside from his comparatively powerful spiritual strength, Lin Dong was no different from an ordinary person.
So he had to grow stronger!
[Ding! Skill book detected!] [Ding! Target skill book: "Breath Concealment Art"!] [Ding! Would you like to spend learning points to learn it?]
Looking at his few remaining learning points, Lin Dong chose to learn it without the slightest hesitation!
[Ding! You spent 1 learning point to raise "Breath Concealment Art" to: beginner!] [Ding! You spent 1 learning point to raise "Breath Concealment Art" to: elementary Shadow Concealment!] [Ding! You spent 1 learning point to raise "Breath Concealment Art" to: advanced Shadow Concealment!] [Ding! Insufficient learning points. Unable to continue learning!]
The learning points went fast.
Almost in the blink of an eye, Lin Dong's remaining learning points were exhausted.
But in their place, a skill had lit up!
[Breath Concealment Art!] [Stage: Advanced Shadow Concealment!] [Effect: Conceals your figure in the shadows, increasing concealment by 100% and rendering you invisible to the naked eye! Duration: five minutes while moving! Ten hours while stationary!]
Reading the system's description, Lin Dong finally realized that the Breath Concealment Art actually had three stages:
Shadow Concealment, Qi Concealment, and Breath Concealment!
Shadow Concealment hid his figure in darkness, concealing his form so that the naked eye couldn't detect him.
Qi Concealment hid his scent, making him undetectable even to animals with keen noses.
Breath Concealment was the art's highest stage. Besides his figure and scent, it could conceal even the sounds of his movements, allowing him to blend completely into his surroundings and become utterly silent!
Hearing, touch, smell, taste, and sight!
Of an animal's five senses, a single Dou Technique from Elder Ling could evade three. It was truly astonishing!
No wonder it was said that no one below Dou Wang could detect its user!
With three senses thwarted and no spiritual power, how could anyone find him using taste and touch alone?!
Excitement filled Lin Dong as he activated the Breath Concealment Art!
The next second!
A miracle happened!
Lin Dong remained where he stood, but his figure gradually began to blur. His shadow seemed to merge into the darkness, concealing him completely!
Not only was he invisible to the naked eye!
Even machines couldn't capture Lin Dong's image!
Lin Dong was clearly standing right there, yet the surveillance feed showed nothing at all in that spot. It looked utterly eerie!
"No wonder even Xun'er couldn't stop praising this lifesaving skill!"
Lin Dong could clearly sense the change in himself. As he felt himself become one with his surroundings, he couldn't help praising it over and over!
Just what he would expect from the Gu Clan!
A true masterpiece!
"Holy shit! That's amazing!"
"No wonder he's Young Master Ye! He got a gift from Tang San so quickly!"
"What is that? It looks seriously impressive!"
Hearing a noisy crowd outside his door, Lin Dong looked toward the voices.
Ye Haonan, a boy from his class, was surrounded by a group of people, proudly showing something off.
"Hmm? Is that...?"
Surprise crossed Lin Dong's face when he saw what Ye Haonan was holding. Without deactivating the Breath Concealment Art, he quietly pushed open the door and stepped outside.
"This is the Silent Sleeve Arrow!"
Ye Haonan raised the object high and smiled smugly. "It's a lifesaving item Tang San gave me!"
"This hidden weapon is silent and leaves no trace. It's incredibly powerful!"
"A single arrow can kill without leaving a trace!"
The other students looked on enviously, not forgetting to take a few digs at Lin Dong.
"Our teacher was right. Tang San really is a loyal friend who respects his teachers and values their teachings. If you're going to make friends, make friends with Tang San!"
"Exactly! Young Master Ye only spent a measly eight million, and Tang San gave him such a generous gift! Meanwhile, Lin Dong played along with a piece of trash for three whole years and didn't get so much as a hair!"
"Isn't that obvious? Tang San is a genuine genius. What is Xiao Yan but a piece of trash?!"
Everyone burst into laughter again!
Lin Dong stood among them, yet no one noticed his presence, so he laughed along!
First, because Shadow Concealment was unbeatable!
Second, because Third Brother was a cheapskate!
What Ye Haonan held was indeed a Silent Sleeve Arrow, but with a body almost as thick as a calf, what about it looked silent?
Lin Dong clearly remembered that the Silent Sleeve Arrow was small and delicate, hidden beneath the arm and difficult to notice no matter how dramatically its wearer moved!
But Ye Haonan's?
Anyone who didn't know better would have thought it was a heavy sniper rifle!
It was clearly visible from far away. How was that stealthy?
This was plainly a crudely made version of the Sleeve Arrow!
It might not even have been made by Tang San himself.
Yet Ye Haonan treasured it!
Apparently, in Third Brother's eyes, a five-percent favorability rating made someone little different from a stranger.
No, that wasn't quite right.
A little better than a stranger.
If it were a stranger, Third Brother probably wouldn't spare them a glance. He would go straight to, "You've already given me a reason to kill you!"
At that thought, Lin Dong left the crowd with a smile.
From beginning to end, not a single student present noticed Lin Dong was there.
The Academic Affairs Office.
The teaching supplies management counter.
A school employee carefully placed the bloodstained magic core on a tray, then looked at Lin Dong and said:
"Appraisal complete. Perfect condition, with no damage. One grade-two wind attribute magic core, valued at two million!"
"Would you like cash, or would you like to exchange it for supplies?"
"You can exchange it for any supplies below grade three in the Academic Affairs Office."
"Pfft!"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Lin Dong, who had been drinking water, nearly sprayed it into the employee's face. After several dry coughs, he finally asked in shock, "How much?!"
Before you continue