Inner Academy.
New Student Accommodation Area.
As soon as Chen Xiao returned, he saw Mu Boshan sparring with Cao Hui in front of the pavilion.
To be precise, it was a spar.
After more than half a year in the Inner Academy, the top five new students from back then had developed and progressed differently.
Chen Xiao had originally thought that the first person to move out of the small pavilion would be the only girl, Fu Tong, but he hadn't expected Ji Ruiyang to be the first. This person had joined the largest gang force in the Inner Academy, Blood Cry, and had left the pavilion early.
However, excluding Chen Xiao, the one with the greatest progress among the other four was undoubtedly the fire-attributed Cao Hui.
This guy's talent was originally good, and with the help of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, he had already gone from a beginner Da Dou Shi to the peak of a three-star Da Dou Shi. His rapid improvement was enviable.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he caught up to the others, or even surpassed them.
Of course, it hadn't reached that point yet.
"No more, no more, I can't break through your turtle shell at all, it's boring."
After making a fuss for a long time and failing to break through the opponent's defense, Cao Hui decisively chose to stop.
Back in the Library Pavilion, everyone, including Chen Xiao, had chosen things that greatly improved their strength. Only Cao Hui had chosen a pill formula. Coupled with the fact that his current realm hadn't caught up to the outwardly honest Mu Boshan, it was natural that he was at a disadvantage when sparring.
"Hehe, you still need to practice if you want to break through my defense."
Listening to this straightforward remark, Cao Hui rolled his eyes at the other party, put away his long staff, and then saw the young man standing by and watching.
"Chen Xiao, this is rare. You actually came back in less than ten days this time. I heard people say this morning when I went to the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower that the Strong Ranking Tournament will be in a little over a month. Brother, do you have any thoughts about participating? We'll all go cheer you on."
Living under the same roof, as long as things were normal, the relationship wouldn't be bad.
Although Chen Xiao had spent most of the past six months in the Black-Corner Region, he had quite a bit of interaction with these few people. Besides Zi Yan, they were the people Chen Xiao interacted with the most in the Inner Academy now.
"Not only will I participate, but I've also booked a spot in the top three." Chen Xiao chuckled lightly, not hiding his next plan.
With the subsequent completion of the Three Thousand Lightning Movement prepaid, the Heaven Jade Fruit, which had a cycle of at most two months, could also be prepaid and used.
The Heaven Jade Fruit had powerful effects, and directly consuming it could improve strength for anyone below the Dou Wang level.
Chen Xiao initially estimated that with the help of one Heaven Jade Fruit, even with the worst luck, he could reach an eight-star Dou Ling. If he was a bit luckier, it was possible to reach a nine-star Dou Ling.
With such strength, he was already among the top ten in the current Inner Academy, not to mention the boost from the Three Thousand Lightning Movement.
If he couldn't even get into the top three with this, then he could only say he was a good-for-nothing.
Listening to Chen Xiao's confident words, the few people in front of the pavilion were slightly taken aback.
The current Chen Xiao seemed to have some indescribable changes compared to six months ago, becoming more confident and flamboyant, more sharp and prominent.
"You want to get into the top three?"
Hearing that someone was challenging her, Zi Yan suddenly appeared like a ghost, still holding half a piece of leftover medicinal ingredient in her hand, making people wonder if this little dragon person was just wandering around the academy all day with nothing to do.
"Why are you gnawing on it directly again? Didn't that person from the Medicine Gang refine medicine for you today?"
"Her skill is average, and many medicinal ingredients take a long time to refine. For difficult ones like this, I can only gnaw on them myself, so as not to delay her cultivation too much."
Zi Yan pouted slightly.
She was mischievous, but her heart wasn't bad.
When she saw the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk before, although this girl was very greedy, she still left a little bit for the Snow Demon Sky Ape, which showed that.
Although since tasting delicious pills, it was becoming increasingly difficult to swallow medicinal ingredients directly.
But in order to grow up, Zi Yan had no other choice.
"Let's not talk about this, you just said you want to participate in the Strong Ranking Tournament?"
Chen Xiao nodded.
"You are currently a seven-star Dou Ling. Besides me, the others probably won't be much of a problem. Hehe, how about this, I won't participate then, and let you take first place. Afterwards, you help me talk to Old Man Su and ask him to agree to let me go to the Black-Corner Region, how about it?"
Zi Yan put away the medicinal ingredient and plotted slyly.
Even though she lowered her voice, Cao Hui and the others who were close by could still hear...
"The Grand Elder might not listen to me. You can participate normally, and I'll help you ask afterwards." Chen Xiao shook his head and replied.
Zi Yan's strength wasn't bad, and the Dou Wang level didn't pose much of a threat to her. Even if she encountered someone powerful that she couldn't defeat head-on, it would be easy for her to escape.
In the Black-Corner Region, the only people who could pose a threat to her were actually that small group of people above the Dou Huang level.
If he took her along to train, it wouldn't feel boring in the future, and he would also have an additional formidable combat power.
Of course, the premise was that they had to agree on three rules and make her obedient and not act on her own.
"Okay! I knew you were reliable!"
Getting the desired answer, Zi Yan beamed with joy, stood on her tiptoes, and patted Chen Xiao's shoulder. The action she thought was very cool was actually full of humor.
After chatting with a few people downstairs at the pavilion for a while, until Zi Yan left satisfied, Chen Xiao went upstairs first, preparing to prepay the Heaven Jade Fruit to improve his strength.
Looking at Chen Xiao's back, Fu Tong couldn't help but sigh.
"The Black-Corner Region seems to have helped him a lot. In another year or two, he might be able to graduate early."
"It's very likely that his talent is the best I've ever seen," Mu Boshan chimed in.
Fu Tong nodded in agreement.
Only Cao Hui, off to the side, remained relatively calm.
"I have seen someone even more monstrous. They are in no way inferior to Chen Xiao, and more importantly, that person possesses terrifying alchemy talent and is called a 'demoness' by others."
Hearing this, Fu Tong and Mu Boshan were astonished.
Without witnessing it themselves, it was hard for them to imagine what kind of monstrous talent that was.
However, everything is illusory, and everything is permissible.
The Dou Qi Continent is so vast that nothing is impossible.
Therefore, they did not doubt that Cao Hui was fabricating a story.
Not being able to imagine it simply meant their own experience was insufficient.
...
Second-floor room.
"Advance Heaven Jade Fruit!"
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Chen Xiao circulated his cultivation technique to bring himself to peak condition, then unhesitatingly used the newly refreshed advance opportunity.
A maximum cycle of two months was completely within his acceptable range.
As soon as the thought fell, a wooden box about a foot long appeared out of thin air in front of Chen Xiao.
"If it can't fit in my arms, it just appears directly in front of me?"
Looking at the wooden box before him, Chen Xiao smiled slightly.
Although this small detail was harmless, it made him quite satisfied.
At the very least, it proved that this advance function was quite intelligent and wouldn't just stuff anything into his arms.
Otherwise, if Chen Xiao were to advance dangerous items like Heavenly Flame in the future, he would have to think twice before acting.
Putting aside distracting thoughts, Chen Xiao opened the wooden box.
He then saw a medicinal herb, entirely like jadeite, lying quietly inside. At the top of this herb was a fist-sized, jade-like fruit, dripping with vibrant green.
After quietly admiring it for a moment, Chen Xiao plucked it.
Although this Heaven Jade Fruit, when utilized well by an Alchemist, could be of great use to a Dou Wang expert, for Chen Xiao, it was merely an aid to help him step towards the threshold of Dou Wang.
Once he reached the Dou Wang level, there would naturally be more pills and medicinal herbs that could enhance his strength.
Therefore, there was no need to feel it was a waste.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Xiao decisively put it into his mouth.
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