the next day.
After a night of intense Qi cultivation, Lin Yuan withdrew his hand seals, calmed the Qi flowing within his body, stretched, and sat down on a stone bench. He took out a volume from the *Pharmacopoeia* borrowed from the Cultivation Techniques Pavilion from his storage ring and began to study and memorize it carefully.
Although the Alchemy Department of Canaan Academy wasn't considered to have a high ceiling, its foundation was extremely solid, and its collection of books was abundant. Lin Yuan knew the importance of becoming an alchemist for his future, so he devoted himself to learning alchemy, spending a significant amount of time on it over the past few years.
Lin Yuan understood that without a "portable grandpa," he could only rely on his own learning to make up for his shortcomings in knowledge and foundation, minimizing the possibility of missing out on future opportunities.
After a while, Lin Yuan considered that it would be time for the Outer Courtyard Cultivation Techniques Pavilion to open. He put the *Pharmacopoeia* back into his storage ring and walked towards the pavilion.
Before the Martial Arts Pavilion, a fiery red figure came into view, arms crossed, waiting patiently. It was Hu Jia, the vice-dean's granddaughter, nicknamed the "Little Demoness."
As the vice-dean's granddaughter, Hu Jia was quite famous in the outer academy. She had a good background, outstanding looks, a straightforward personality, and excellent talent, but she wasn't particularly dedicated to cultivation. Today, she wore a vibrant red outfit, exuding energy that perfectly complemented her personality.
"Lin Yuan, what a coincidence! You busy man, what brings you here today?" Seeing Lin Yuan, Hu Jia quickly approached, teasingly.
Lin Yuan shook his head helplessly, replying with a slightly teasing smile, "What a coincidence! Our little firecracker, who usually avoids the Cultivation Techniques Pavilion, is here so early."
Hu Jia blinked, then suddenly leaned closer, asking mysteriously, "I heard you broke through to the Great Dou Master level? Really?"
Lin Yuan smiled slightly, replying mysteriously, "Guess?"
"Oh, stop being so mysterious, tell me already!" Hu Jia exclaimed, reaching out to tug at Lin Yuan's sleeve.
"That's right, I did break through," Lin Yuan nodded with a smile.
"Wow, you're amazing!" Hu Jia exclaimed somewhat exaggeratedly, then changed the subject, complaining, "No wonder my grandpa keeps nagging me about you, how hard you work, how talented you are. He's clearly using you to motivate me! Honestly, it puts so much pressure on me."
Lin Yuan, understanding, said, "Old people always like to compare us. But don't be discouraged. I believe that if you work hard, you might have a tiny chance of surpassing me." His tone became slightly teasing towards the end. "Hmph, what do you mean by a tiny chance? Surpassing you is only a matter of time!" Hu Jia raised her head proudly, then said seriously, "But you're right, I really should work harder. I've decided, starting today, I'll cultivate seriously and can't slack off anymore!"
Lin Yuan looked at Hu Jia's earnest expression and felt a sense of relief. He knew that although Hu Jia seemed carefree usually, she was actually very competitive. He reached out and patted Hu Jia on the shoulder: "Good luck, girl."
Hu Jia was a little embarrassed by Lin Yuan's sudden encouragement. She glared at him: "Don't take advantage of me!"
Lin Yuan smiled, walked past Hu Jia towards the entrance of the Cultivation Techniques Pavilion, waved, and left with an encouraging message: "I hope you won't live up to your reputation as a little demoness when we meet again."
After handing the token to Elder Xu, who guarded the Cultivation Techniques Pavilion, Lin Yuan entered the top floor of the Canaan Academy's Cultivation Techniques Pavilion. The number of cultivation techniques and combat skills on the top floor was much less than on the lower floors. He knew he had to choose carefully, as the choice of cultivation techniques and combat skills would directly affect his future cultivation path. He dug a small hole, and after digging down a few meters, a low-grade storage ring appeared at the bottom.
Lin Yuan channeled his fighting spirit, and a gust of wind swept the ring into his hand, then quickly put it away, filling the small hole and putting the stone table back in its place.
Lin Yuan then entered the house and took out a jade bottle from the storage ring he had unearthed. Inside the bottle was a blood-red pill, about the size of a longan. This pill looked extremely strange; at first glance, it resembled a transparent bead filled with blood. In the center of the pill, a dark red, crimson light shone, faintly resembling a tiny eye, giving the whole thing an eerie feel.
Looking at this pill, Lin Yuan remained expressionless, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
"It's time to begin the next step of the plan."
"Life-Devouring Pill."
(End of Chapter)