Upon entering the third level, Xiao Yan could clearly sense a sudden tranquility in his surroundings. Lifting his head, he observed the somewhat desolate passageway compared to the second level. It dawned on him that only a select few students in the Inner Academy had the qualifications to enter this level. If the students practicing in the first and second levels were considered the grassroots of the Inner Academy, then those in the third and fourth levels were undoubtedly the core strength. These students possessed enormous potential and could at any time ascend to the top tier. As for those who could practice in the fifth and sixth levels, they had already entered the apex of the Inner Academy, revered as the most formidable group of strong individuals.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Xiao Yan also set a standard for his own strength. He chuckled bitterly; indeed, the Inner Academy was a place where geniuses converged. Sighing inwardly, Xiao Yan scanned the area with his eyes and slowly proceeded along the passage.
The layout of the third level was not much different from the second, so Xiao Yan did not spend much effort searching for the high, medium, and low zones. Naturally, he disregarded the low zone and paused slightly as he passed by the intermediate practice rooms. Standing in front of an empty intermediate room, he hesitated for a moment. A ruthless look crossed his face, and instead of entering, he turned and walked straight towards the high-level practice rooms.
During his trials, what hardships and difficulties had Xiao Yan not faced? He had stood up against the Cloud Mist Sect, the dominant force in the Jia Ma Empire, and even killed one of their Grand Elders. How many of the Inner Academy’s favored sons could boast such achievements? Faced with a Battle Sect like Yun Shan, Xiao Yan had never shown any fear. Thus, he truly did not believe that he would be cowed by a group of peers within the Inner Academy.
Stepping into the high-level practice room area, he immediately felt numerous gazes filled with hidden hostility directed at him. Ignoring these, Xiao Yan’s cold gaze swept over the surroundings, and a slight tremor in his shoulders unleashed the full might of a Seven-Star Great Fighter, sweeping out like a tempest.
Sensing the powerful aura emanating from Xiao Yan, the faces of some of the students in the high zone changed. When they looked at him again, their eyes carried a new sense of gravity. In this Inner Academy where strength was paramount, showing timidity would only make others despise you. To earn their respect, one needed to display the strength worthy of that respect!
Xiao Yan’s expression remained indifferent as he slowly moved deeper into the high-level practice rooms, his gaze shifting from one room to another. There were more high-level practice rooms on the third level than on the second; Xiao Yan counted a total of thirty-eight. These rooms varied in size, capable of accommodating anywhere from twenty people to just one person.
As he glanced past the doors of these high-level practice rooms, he saw many marked as occupied. However, Xiao Yan was not in a hurry, and his steps continued to move further in. Just as his gaze was about to leave the last area, it finally stopped. Looking at a room marked as unoccupied, he sighed in relief and quickly approached it.
Standing at the door of the high-level practice room, Xiao Yan lightly touched the wooden door, but his eyebrows twitched. This seemingly ordinary wooden door gave off a faint chill. Tapping it lightly, a sharp metallic sound echoed. Clearly, this was not made of wood, but rather some kind of metal.
“Seems the Inner Academy has taken precautions to prevent anyone from abruptly barging in and disturbing the practitioner, causing them to go astray in their cultivation,” Xiao Yan thought, feeling relieved upon hearing the deep, resonant sound and sensing the door’s sturdiness. This way, he wouldn’t have to worry about being interrupted during crucial moments of his cultivation.
Gently pushing open the door, Xiao Yan entered the room and securely closed it behind him. At that moment, standing with his back to the door, he did not notice the shocked and amused expressions on the faces of some students loitering nearby, who had seen which room he chose.
Entering the room, Xiao Yan closed the door tightly and began to examine his surroundings. This room was clearly designed for individual use. In the center, there was a small black stone platform that could accommodate two people sitting cross-legged. Elsewhere, there were tables and chairs, and even a neatly made bed inside the room.
“Indeed, the treatment in the third level’s high-level practice rooms is better than the previous two levels,” Xiao Yan muttered, admiring the amenities. He walked to the black stone platform and sat down cross-legged.
Feeling the warm sensation from the black stone, Xiao Yan’s body felt relaxed. Flipping his palm, he summoned the blue fire crystal card and checked the number on it: “One hundred and three.” In less than seven days, the “fire energy” on the card had decreased by a third. Such a rate of consumption made Xiao Yan feel a bit anxious.
“At this rate, the remaining ‘fire energy’ won’t last long,” Xiao Yan sighed, shaking his head. He inserted the fire crystal card into the slot in front of him, and a faint light flashed, changing the number to exactly one hundred.
“As expected, every lower level requires more fire energy,” Xiao Yan sighed, seeing the reduced number. One day of cultivation on the third level required the equivalent of three days of fire energy. The Heavenly Flame Refining Tower truly was a bottomless pit.
“Since I’ve paid the price, I must get my money’s worth,” Xiao Yan shrugged, taking out two jade bottles from his storage ring and removing his black robe to reveal a lean but powerfully built upper body.
He picked up a jade bottle containing a dark red paste. Flipping his hand, a piece of jade appeared, and he used it to scoop out a clump of the red ointment.
“I wonder how itchy this Green Spirit Fire Ointment will be… Damn it, let’s do this,” Xiao Yan muttered, staring intently at the red ointment. After a while, he gritted his teeth and applied it to his bare chest, then spread it out with the jade piece until it covered his entire upper body.
As the Green Spirit Fire Ointment was applied, Xiao Yan felt a sudden jolt. He could clearly sense that his perception of the fiery energy in the room had become extremely acute. Even without using his soul perception and with his eyes closed, he could faintly see the faint red energy swirling around the room.
“Indeed, it works!” Xiao Yan felt a surge of joy, but before it could show on his face, his lips froze, and his jaw clenched. Beads of sweat instantly covered his forehead.
“This… this is the drawback of the Green Spirit Fire Ointment… It’s both numb and itchy!” Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, breathing out icy puffs of air. He could feel his skin crawling as if swarmed by ants. The itching sensation was so intense that he almost lost focus and fell out of his cultivation state.
Taking a few deep breaths, Xiao Yan clenched his teeth and set the Green Spirit Fire Ointment aside. He then grabbed another jade bottle and poured out a smooth, round pill. Popping it into his mouth, he closed his jaws firmly.
The Wind Essence Pill soon dissolved into a light, pure energy, rolling down his throat and infusing his body. The dou qi flowing through his meridians surged like a wild bull, rampaging through his body.
Feeling the rapidly surging dou qi, Xiao Yan formed the cultivation seals and closed his eyes. After a few minutes, he finally entered the state of cultivation.
As Xiao Yan entered his cultivation state, the energy in the room began to fluctuate. Streams of fire energy condensed out of thin air, forming tangible, faint red energy. This energy swirled above Xiao Yan’s head, and then, as if pulled by some invisible force, it collided fiercely with his bare upper body.
Despite the violent collision, Xiao Yan’s body did not flinch. Instead, the energy seemed to be sucked into a bottomless black hole, mysteriously absorbed by Xiao Yan.
With the first wave of energy, the countless streams swirling above Xiao Yan’s head began to bombard him continuously. The room was filled with an extraordinary sight. The sheer amount of energy flooding in enveloped Xiao Yan’s body in a halo of faint red energy.
Intense energy ripples spread like water waves, with Xiao Yan at the epicenter. At this moment, he was like a bottomless pit, drawing in all the fire energy in the room. Such a terrifying absorption, if seen by others, would likely leave them in shock.
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