That night, in a secluded courtyard at Jia Ma Academy, a young man in a gray-blue robe sat cross-legged, his eyes lightly closed. He formed hand seals as his Dou Qi flowed through his body, and his pale green Dou Qi gauze danced around him.
Suddenly,
"Grand Master, break!"
With a soft shout, a powerful aura erupted from the young man. The energy rippled through the dancing Dou Qi gauze, which slowly stopped. An instant later, a cyan light flashed, then rapidly merged and solidified. Moments later, the cyan light transformed into condensed, form-fitting cyan flame-patterned armor that draped over the young man.
Then, he released his hand seals, opened his gently closed eyes, and examined his Dou Qi armor with a hint of satisfaction.
"One-star Grand Master, accomplished!"
Suddenly, his eyes flickered. He stood up, turned, and bowed slightly toward the distance, clasping his fists in a salute.
"I'm sorry to disturb the dean. Lin Yuan is sorry. Thank you for your care. I am truly grateful!"
As the words fell, a figure in gray appeared in front of him. It was Hu Qian, the vice dean of the outer courtyard of Jia Ma Academy.
Hu Qian said in surprise, "Although I didn't hide it on purpose, you were able to detect it. It seems what old man Huo said is true—you really are gifted in the soul."
He glanced at Lin Yuan a few times, smiled with satisfaction, and said, "Good, very good. A fifteen-year-old one-star Grand Fighter with such a solid foundation—indeed, you are worthy of being the genius of Jia Ma Academy."
Then, Hu Qian took a token from his ring and tossed it to Lin Yuan. "Take this."
He continued, "Tomorrow, you will go to the Cultivation Technique Pavilion and select a high-level Xuan-grade technique and a high-level Xuan-grade fighting technique. For the next few days, you won't need to report to the Law Enforcement Team. Familiarize yourself with the power of a Grand Fighter. I will inform Elder Wu."
Lin Yuan took the token and replied, excitement barely contained, "Thank you, Dean! I will follow your instructions!"
He thought to himself, "Breaking through to the Grand Fighter realm grants me a high-level Xuan-grade technique and a high-level Xuan-grade fighting technique. As expected of Jia Ma Academy—they really are generous to their own people."
He chuckled softly.
"It's less a reward and more an investment in a talented protégé. Coming to Jia Ma Academy was definitely the right choice!"
Hu Qian smiled. "Don't be polite. We are all family. Train well, and go encourage that little girl, Hu Jia. You're the same age, yet you are already a one-star Grand Fighter, while she hasn't even broken through to the Douzhe realm. She's so disengaged in her cultivation… No, I'll have to lecture her myself."
With that, his figure vanished.
A moment after Hu Qian disappeared, Lin Yuan straightened and placed the token in his low-level storage ring.
He thought again, "Breaking through to the Grand Fighter realm grants me a high-level Xuan-grade technique and a high-level Xuan-grade fighting technique. Jia Ma Academy really is generous to their own people."
Looking up at the bright moonlight, Lin Yuan felt a surge of excitement. He returned to his house, took out a pot of wine, and sat at the stone table in the courtyard. His figure looked particularly clear and lonely under the moonlight. Holding an exquisite wine glass, he drank leisurely, facing the bright moon.
The moonlight was like water, quietly sprinkling over his body, covering him in a silver-white veil. Lost in thought, his face looked a little hazy in the moonlight, yet the light in his eyes grew stronger and more determined.
"I have spent fifteen years in this world, and I have finally reached this stage!"
Lin Yuan was a time traveler, born fifteen years ago into an ordinary family in the familiar yet unfamiliar world of the Dou Qi Continent. His father was a mercenary, a seven-star Dou Zhe, and his mother was a minor pharmacist who had not yet reached the Dou Zhe level. His family was modest but happy.
However, Lin Yuan's family life was short-lived. When he was nine, his father was killed in a simple battle by a monster during a mission. His mother, driven mad by grief, died after accidentally touching a poisonous weed, leaving him orphaned once again.
The deaths of his parents made Lin Yuan keenly aware of the Dou Qi Continent's cruelty. Without power, life and death could change in the blink of an eye. From then on, he resolved to become a powerful warrior, step by step.
Fortunately, despite lacking a special background or the unseen gold finger common to time travelers, Lin Yuan possessed remarkable spiritual and soul talent.
His talent afforded him the chance to become a powerful figure. Combined with his mature mindset, he cultivated diligently from a young age. At ten, he passed the mainland-wide entrance exam for Jia Ma Academy with ninth-level Dou Qi. Despite setbacks, he successfully became a student.
During the five years since arriving at Jia Ma Academy, Lin Yuan showcased his exceptional talent, hoping to secure further support.
He understood that when intelligence alone could not translate into resources, exceptional talent was his greatest asset. Demonstrating his worth and attracting the right investors was the best way to overcome his initial weakness. Jia Ma Academy was the ideal place.
Indeed, as he anticipated, his orphan status and exceptional talent earned him recognition from the academy, allowing him to become a direct descendant.
Lin Yuan initially assumed he would become a disciple of one of the academy's elders. Later, he learned that Jia Ma Academy had a hidden rule, likely a tacit understanding: once an orphan with a clean background and exceptional talent became a direct descendant, the academy's leadership would train him on behalf of the academy as a whole, preventing any single individual's influence from expanding and harming the organizational structure.
Lin Yuan was part of the "Forging Elites Project," a program designed by Jia Ma Academy leadership to cultivate future direct descendant elders. He was considered one of the most gifted, earning him the title of "elder reserve" of Jia Ma Academy. As a result, he received considerable attention, becoming acquainted with Hu Jia, granddaughter of Hu Qian, and Wu Hao, adopted son of Wu Tianlang, an elder in the Law Enforcement Team.
During his five years at the academy, Lin Yuan spent most of his time in rigorous self-cultivation: honing his Dou Qi, participating in field training with the Law Enforcement Team, and learning the intricacies of alchemy in the Alchemy Department. His life was fulfilling.
Lin Yuan's powerful soul gave him exceptional talent in alchemy. His knowledge of medicinal materials and his ability to control fire were remarkable. He was highly regarded by the Alchemy Department's Fire Elder, who even gifted him a seed of the fifth-rank beastfire, the Blue Spirit Flame, after he achieved third-grade alchemy.
Under the moonlight, Lin Yuan recalled those crucial five years at Jia Ma Academy—five years that laid a solid foundation for his future. He contemplated the Dou Qi Continent's future and the plans he had drawn.
As the wine jug emptied, Lin Yuan's reflection ended. He raised his glass, offering a distant salute to heaven and earth, and drank his final draught.
"I do not know why I have come to the Dou Qi Continent, but if any noble being has noticed me, let them witness my deeds in this life and see if they become extraordinary."
"Dou Qi Continent… I, Lin Yuan, have arrived to face the world."
Lin Yuan put down his glass and sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion in the courtyard. The flow of Dou Qi dispelled his drunkenness, and he returned to his daily practice.