"You want to go to the library right now?"
Su Qian stopped speaking and looked at Xiao Ting with a suspicious expression.
"Yes, I want to go today." Xiao Ting stared straight at Su Qian. "I have an innate intuition that can always sense danger or opportunity in advance. If I go to the library today, I'm sure something good will happen."
These words were novel and completely unexpected to Su Qian. He was also surprised by the seriousness in Xiao Ting's tone.
As for whether he could agree, Su Qian did not hesitate.
"If you want to go, I can agree, but I need to explain the possible losses you might face."
The Scripture Pavilion of Jia Nan Academy, guarded by hundreds of elders, was probably the safest place in the entire academy. Even if Xiao Ting was a two-star Dou King, he could cause no trouble there.
"Please, Elder." Xiao Ting smiled.
Su Qian stood with his hands behind his back, calmly looking at him. "You killed a Dou King elder from the Demon Flame Valley. According to the academy's reward system, you are qualified to choose one item from the library. You can also exchange merit points here for cultivation techniques, spiritual treasures, and the like."
"Furthermore, according to Jia Nan Academy's rules, every year fifty external students participate in the Inner Academy selection test to enter the Inner Academy. The top five are given the opportunity to enter the library and choose prizes."
"You are a two-star Dou King. If you enter the Inner Court directly through talent and strength alone, you will lose the opportunity to participate in the assessment test and enter the library. However, the Inner Court has no intention of causing you loss. On the contrary, it will strengthen your training."
"I plan to consult with several responsible elders and arrange for you to have the opportunity to choose two books from the library, but this must be decided after a meeting."
"If you go now, the only chance I can guarantee you is once."
What Su Qian meant was the possible loss Xiao Ting might face—namely, losing the chance to freely choose books in the library.
"I see." Xiao Ting nodded in understanding. "If I go to the library now, it will be difficult for the Great Elder to persuade the other elders to give me another chance. After all, the academy has its rules, and I understand that."
"Hmm." Su Qian nodded lightly, feeling that Xiao Ting was a promising youth. "The meeting won't take long. I can give you an answer tomorrow. If there's an opportunity for you in the library, even if you go a day late, that opportunity won't be lost."
No—if you go a day late, you'll miss the opportunity. This chance can only be obtained at a specific time.
"Elder, I intend to go right now." Xiao Ting clasped his hands in salute.
Su Qian: ?
Have I just said something foolish?
"However, I also want the opportunity to choose items twice." Xiao Ting raised his hand and summoned the Purple Beast Flame, smiling. "If my strength and cultivation talent as a two-star Dou King are insufficient, then is my current status as a fourth-rank alchemist enough?"
"What?!" Su Qian's pupils shrank and his voice trembled. "What rank alchemist are you exactly?"
"Fourth rank." Xiao Ting took out the badge representing a fourth-rank alchemist and smiled. "Before coming to Jia Nan Academy, I asked Fa Ma, the president of the Alchemist Guild in the Jia Ma Sacred City, to evaluate me and confirm my qualification."
Whoosh!
A storm raged in Su Qian's heart.
A fourth-rank alchemist—was that excellent? Of course it was.
But Su Qian, as a three-star Dou Ancestor with the backing of Mang Tian Chi, a Dou Ancestor expert and Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Court, could even befriend a seventh-rank alchemist.
Of course, having someone help was one thing, but even a sixth- or fifth-rank alchemist was worthy of respectful treatment.
The problem was that Xiao Ting was not yet sixteen years old, possessed extraordinary strength, yet his alchemy skill was only fourth rank.
The strongest alchemist in Jia Nan Academy was Elder Huo, a fifth-rank alchemist and head of the Alchemy Department—only one person.
With Xiao Ting's talent, he would surpass Elder Huo before the age of twenty.
This was far more terrifying than simply nurturing talent.
"Xiao Ting, you are underestimating yourself." Su Qian's voice trembled. "Two times is not enough. I will take you to the library right now and let you choose three items. As for the achievement of defeating the Blood Skull Elder, you may choose one, or keep it and exchange it with me for other benefits."
The Xiao Ting he was looking at now was four or five times more valuable than the Xiao Ting he had known before.
Originally, he had merely been a promising youth with excellent nurturing potential for making connection.
But now he had become someone with outstanding future alchemy talent and a powerful alchemist connection.
"Thank you very much, Elder," Xiao Ting accepted the gift without hesitation, then asked, "Elder, in a few days my maid will return. May she stay in the Inner Court?"
"You are the first student in Jia Nan Academy to hire a maid." Su Qian's mouth twitched slightly.
He had thought Xiao Ting and Xun Er were joking, but he had not expected them to be serious.
However, he immediately nodded. "No problem. When the time comes, tell Hu Gan and have him greet her in Peace Town."
With everything settled, Su Qian immediately changed direction and led Xiao Ting toward the mountain range.
During the flight, Xiao Ting not forget to take Journal, conveying what he wanted to say to those who could read the Journal.
[The Plane's Blessing I received today is neither a cultivation technique, battle technique, nor alchemy enhancement, nor an improvement in soul power. Rather, it is a secret art that can only be obtained at a specific time, in a specific way, and under specific conditions.]
[This secret art was left behind by the founder of Jia Nan Academy. In the novel Battle Through the Heavens, Jia Nan Academy is said to have been founded by Mang Tian Chi. However, it was later stated that the library existed hundreds of years before Mang Tian Chi was born. Mang Tian Chi and Yao Chen were contemporaries.]
…
The women said, "So, what does Heavenly Silkworm Potato know about Battle Through the Heavens? His words are incomprehensible."
…
[Jia Nan Academy has at least several hundred years of history, while Mang Tian Chi has only been dean for a few decades. He is not the founder of Jia Nan Academy—the true founder is easy to imagine.]
[Mang Tian Chi is a member of the Lei Clan, one of the eight great ancient clans. When he was a high-level Dou Ancestor, the Lei Clan sent him to serve as dean of Jia Nan Academy. After obtaining the opportunity to advance to Dou Venerate, he began traveling the continent.]
[Judging from the timeline, he should now have reached the peak of nine-star Dou Venerate, the same level Yao Lao was at before his death.]
[It will take him at least five years, at most ten, to reach the semi-Saint level and become an elder of the Lei Clan.]
[Therefore, the founder of Jia Nan Academy was a member of the Lei Clan.]
[However, it was undoubtedly Mang Tian Chi who discovered the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower and the Fallen Heart Flame and left them to Jia Nan Academy.]
[The Hun Clan supports the Hall of Souls, the ancient merchant guild of the Ye Clan supports the eastern part of the Central Plains, the Lei Clan supports Jia Nan Academy, and the Xiao Clan once dominated the Northwestern Continent, secretly supporting the Burning Flame Valley. Which forces support the other clans is unknown—this is worth investigating and recording in the future.]
…
Xiao Ting stopped writing at this point.
However, the women holding copies of the Journal began discussing enthusiastically.
…