After returning to his small courtyard, Lin Yuan took out the scroll, a satisfied expression appearing on his face.
"Hidden Abyss Art… Rather than contending at the summit, it is better to hide beneath the abyss. I like this concept."
Three days later, inside Lin Yuan's courtyard.
As Lin Yuan completed the hand seals in his grasp, his aura began to slide down from a two-star Dou Grandmaster, continuing to fall until it reached the level of a two-star Dou Master. At that moment, the hand seal changed, and his aura stopped declining, stabilizing completely.
Sensing his current cultivation and aura, a faint smile of satisfaction appeared on Lin Yuan's face.
"It's done. The Hidden Abyss Art is simpler than I expected. For now, I'll display the strength of a two-star Dou Master to the outside world."
"Next…" Lin Yuan glanced at his storage ring, then turned and walked toward the Law Enforcement Department. After selecting an assignment to be carried out outside the academy, he left Jia Nan Academy.
Half a day later, Lin Yuan arrived at a remote valley in the Black Corner Region. This was an uninhabited valley he had discovered earlier while training with the Law Enforcement Team in the Black Corner Region. There were no precious natural treasures here—it was an extremely secluded place.
After fully scanning the surroundings with his Soul Power, Lin Yuan finally relaxed. He found a hidden spot, sat down cross-legged, adjusted his breathing for a moment, then took out the Life-Devouring Pill.
"Life-Devouring Pill… you will become the wings on my path of rise."
Lin Yuan stared at the exceptionally well-refined pill in his hand for a moment. His eyes sharpened, and he swallowed it in one gulp.
As soon as the pill entered his mouth, it transformed into a blood-red light mass, radiating a pulse like that of a living being, as if resonating with his heart. It began to extract Lin Yuan's vitality while simultaneously releasing unimaginable energy. That energy surged wildly into the Dou Crystal within Lin Yuan's body, rapidly filling it completely and forcing the crystal to undergo successive transformations, quickly reaching the limit of a Dou Grandmaster.
At the same time, a powerful stream of energy flowed out of the pill, repeatedly bursting and repairing Lin Yuan's physical body, making it increasingly solid and formidable.
After some time, the green diamond-shaped Dou Crystal emitted a burst of light. Under the infusion of energy, the previously irregular crystal gradually became smooth and round, resembling a pearl.
However, as the main body of the crystal rounded out, sharp diamond-like protrusions emerged around it, making the Dou Crystal resemble a sea urchin covered in long spikes—this was the Sea Urchin Dou Crystal of a Dou Spirit.
As if sensing the formation of the Sea Urchin Dou Crystal, even greater energy surged out of the Life-Devouring Pill and poured into it. As the energy continued to flow in, the nine "energy spikes" of the Sea Urchin Dou Crystal began retracting one by one into the crystal. After some time, all nine spikes had fully retracted, and Lin Yuan advanced to the peak of the Dou Spirit realm.
As the Sea Urchin Dou Crystal transformed into a sphere, it emitted a rhythmic pulse. The energy that had previously been destroying and repairing Lin Yuan's body seemed to respond to this rhythm, vibrating in resonance. At a certain moment, the crystal abruptly dissolved into a mass of viscous liquid, which rapidly flowed to every part of Lin Yuan's body.
Whenever this liquid energy came into contact with his meridians, bones, and flesh, it fused with the energy that had been repairing his body earlier, slowly merging completely into his physique.
As the liquid energy fused into him, Lin Yuan's body continuously transformed, becoming increasingly filled with overwhelming power.
At a certain instant, a tyrannical aura erupted from Lin Yuan's body an aura far beyond that of a Dou Spirit—startling countless birds in the surrounding area into flight.
As Lin Yuan broke through to Dou King, the energy of the Life-Devouring Pill was consumed at an even faster rate. At the same time, Lin Yuan's aura continued to grow stronger. After half a quarter-hour, the pill's energy was fully exhausted, and Lin Yuan's cultivation stabilized at the level of a two-star Dou King.
Only then did Lin Yuan, who had been observing his body internally with closed eyes, open them. He raised his sleeve and wiped the crimson from the corner of his mouth, a thoughtful look flashing through his eyes as he praised softly:
"So this is the process of breaking through to Dou King with the Life-Devouring Pill… What an incredible pill. Truly worthy of being a peak seventh-tier pill."
He then stood up, preparing to leave immediately to avoid attracting anyone who might sense the breakthrough aura and come investigating. As he rose, Lin Yuan felt a brief wave of dizziness and caught sight of a few strands of gray-white hair hanging beside his ears.
"So my lifespan was taken by the Life-Devouring Pill? Hah."
Not paying much attention to the lost vitality, Lin Yuan circulated his Dou Qi. An unprecedented sense of power filled his entire body.
"The power of a Dou King truly differs from that of a Dou Grandmaster by heaven and earth."
Circulating his Soul Power, Lin Yuan discovered that his Soul Strength had also advanced significantly alongside his cultivation breakthrough. This realization caused even the usually composed Lin Yuan to reveal a genuine smile.
"My Soul Power has improved this much as well. This was worth it!"
Activating the Hidden Abyss Art, Lin Yuan swiftly concealed his aura and left the area at high speed.
At the same time, far away in the Xiao Clan of Wutan City within the Jia Ma Empire, a shout filled with youthful fury and determination rang out from the mouth of a boy whose engagement had been annulled.
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—do not bully the young because he is poor!"
Half a month later, in a secluded valley within the Black Corner Region, a streak of green light swiftly danced across the sky like a green ribbon being swept through the heavens. It was Lin Yuan, consolidating his cultivation and practicing Dou Techniques.
After a while, the green streak descended to the ground. As the green flame wings retracted, Lin Yuan—dressed in green robes—revealed a satisfied smile.
"Half a month. I can finally use the power of a two-star Dou King proficiently. The Soaring Dragon Step is mastered as well. The target of this mission has been dealt with. Now I'll fish for a few more before heading back."
After some thought, Lin Yuan used the Hidden Abyss Art to suppress his cultivation to a three-star Great Grandmaster. He skillfully took out a thin, human-skin-like mask and put it on, transforming his handsome youthful face into that of a man in his early twenties. He changed into a set of luxurious robes, took out three storage rings and wore them, then curved his lips into an arrogant smile, adopting an expression of ignorant arrogance.
He now looked like someone with high cultivation, a powerful background, and plenty of money—a typical young aristocratic genius who had tasted early success and didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, exactly the type most beloved by the many opportunists of the Black Corner Region.
This was one of Lin Yuan's newly created identities, used for fishing—the wealthy young master of the Golden Goose Empire, Jin Shaoyu.
With that disguise in place, Lin Yuan left the valley and headed toward several auction houses in the Black Corner Region, preparing to cast his bait.
"Hopefully I can hook a few fat fish this time."
Disguised as the wealthy young master of the Golden Goose Empire, Lin Yuan first attended a mid-to-low-tier auction in the Black Corner Region. After confirming with his powerful Soul Power that there were no experts above the Dou King level present, he brazenly outbid several Dou Spirit experts for certain items, deliberately provoking greed and killing intent.
He even loudly declared his identity as a wealthy young master of the Golden Goose Empire at the auction, reinforcing the image of an arrogant, inexperienced rich young aristocrat ripe for slaughter.
As Lin Yuan walked out of the auction hall, he did not miss the trace of mockery and pity in the eyes of the auction staff.
"Very good. Looks like the performance was convincing. The fishing should succeed."
After the auction ended, Lin Yuan immediately set off toward Peace Town, leaving others little time to think or plan, further stimulating the greed of those who intended to rob him.
Finally, those unable to restrain their avarice stopped Lin Yuan, intending to kill him and seize his wealth.
"Kid, hand over your storage rings and I'll spare your life."
A male six-star Dou Spirit erupted with powerful Dou Qi and spoke coldly to Lin Yuan.
At that moment, another six-star Dou Spirit joined in, sneering.
"This prey belongs to me as well."
He looked at Lin Yuan mockingly and said, "Kid, this is the Black Corner Region. Little young master of the Golden Goose Empire—your family means nothing here. Having money to buy things doesn't mean you'll live long enough to use them. Killing arrogant geniuses like you gives me the greatest pleasure. Hahaha!"
Soon, two more groups joined in. One was a five-star Dou Spirit, while the other consisted of a three-star Dou Spirit and a four-star Dou Spirit. They were precisely the two groups whose items Lin Yuan had snatched at the auction. Both groups stated that they only wanted to take back the items Lin Yuan had stolen from them at the auction.
After waiting a moment, seeing that the people in front of him had already begun arguing over how to divide him—their "spoils of war" and that no more individuals were joining, Lin Yuan thought to himself.
'That should be everyone. Looks like this is the full harvest for this round. Time to reel in the net.'
The instant Lin Yuan decided to close the net, his Dou Qi erupted violently. As the aura of a Dou King burst forth, the few individuals were struck with shock at the completely unexpected pressure.
In that fleeting moment of astonishment, relying on his exquisite control over Dou Qi, Lin Yuan simultaneously executed the Black-class High-Tier movement technique Soaring Dragon Step and the Black-class low-tier movement technique Instant Step. At the same time, a spiral Dou Qi force instantly condensed in his right hand, allowing him to complete a surprise attack on one of the six-star Dou Spirit in a single instant. That six-star Dou Spirit died on the spot.
The moment the ambush was completed, Lin Yuan condensed several Flame Bullets in his left hand and fired them rapidly at the remaining four people, forcing them to hastily activate Dou Qi defenses.
While firing the Flame Bullets, Lin Yuan surged forward at extreme speed toward the other six-star Dou Spirit. The latter's hastily formed Dou Qi defense instantly collapsed under the overwhelming, premeditated combination of Flame Bullets and Spiral Force. Lin Yuan's hand blade, infused with spiral energy, pierced straight through his body, killing him instantly.
Using the Soaring Dragon Step to unload force, Lin Yuan spun his body and condensed more Flame Bullets, releasing them toward the remaining three opponents, forcing them to barely maintain their fragile, hastily assembled defenses.
However, the chasm between a Dou Spirit and a Dou King was something most people could never cross—especially when facing Lin Yuan, who excelled in combat.
While struggling to maintain their weak defenses, the remaining three were swiftly slain by Lin Yuan through the penetrating power of Spiral Force and the terrifying speed of the Soaring Dragon Step.
From the moment Lin Yuan made his move to the moment all five were dead, less than twenty breaths had passed.
After killing the five men, Lin Yuan condensed five Fire Cones and precisely controlled them to pierce through the brains and hearts of the corpses once more. Only then did he skillfully begin collecting the spoils.
Once the loot was gathered, Lin Yuan used Dou Qi flames to rapidly incinerate the five corpses, then quickly left the scene, flying straight back toward Jia Nan Academy.
Upon returning to Jia Nan Academy, Lin Yuan once again concealed his aura to the level of a three-star Dou Grandmaster. He submitted the mission at the Law Enforcement Team, returned Spirit Flame Art and Soaring Dragon Step to the Technique Pavilion, and only reached his small courtyard late at night.
Inside his room, Lin Yuan took out the spoils from this trip—seven storage rings in total. After removing and counting the contents of all seven rings, he could not help but feel satisfied with the harvest.
After tallying everything, the total gains amounted to roughly two million gold coins, more than ten Black-class cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques, seven fourth-tier magic cores, fifteen third-tier magic cores, and a large quantity of medicinal ingredients. Among them, the most valuable was a spirit fruit required for refining a Dou Spirit Pill.
"The main objective of this trip has been completed. I also conveniently harvested the wealth of seven Dou Spirit through fishing. After digesting the spoils and exchanging them for the cultivation resources I need, my resources for the near future will be more than sufficient."
"Black-on-black resource accumulation really is fast."
After calming his emotions, Lin Yuan walked into the courtyard. At this moment, a gentle breeze brushed against his face. He raised his head to look at the boundless starry sky above. All the thoughts, schemes, and calculations weighing on his heart seemed to empty out in that instant, and the depth in his eyes faded, becoming clear.
He spread his arms and closed his eyes, savoring the breeze on his face and the vastness of the night sky. His mind gradually emptied, and the maturity that did not match his age seemed to fade from his handsome brows. He gently lay down on the grass in the courtyard, quietly enjoying this rare moment of leisure and peace.
A quarter of an hour later, Lin Yuan opened his eyes once more. The clarity in his gaze once again became deep and profound, and the mature calm returned to his brows.
He sat cross-legged where he was, continuing his day-after-day cultivation while contemplating his next move.
"It's time to head to the Inner Academy. But before that…"