"If he can pass this test, then Lin Chen will meet the requirements."

For Murong Yan, she wanted to find a true genius for herself. Although Lin Chen’s performance up to now was decent, it had not yet reached the level she desired.

If she disregards Lin Chen now, he might risk having his Spirit Platform crack, losing his current potential even if he enters the grade in the future.

To give up on Lin Chen...

Or to choose him now.

Murong Yan hesitated for a moment, then lifted her pants leg. Her lotus-like small foot stepped onto the bed, looking at Lin Chen curled up in the corner. Her fingertips slowly stretched out, pausing slightly an inch away from Lin Chen’s brow.

Thinking of the scene that would unfold next, she couldn’t help but blush deeply.

"Lucky you."

Murmuring lightly, Murong Yan sat cross-legged in front of Lin Chen, her fingertip finally landing on Lin Chen’s brow.

Misty clouds floated, enchanting music surrounded them.

Above the clouds, two lotus platforms floated quietly.

Murong Yan stood on the left lotus platform, clad in a black dress, a vermillion mark on her brow as vivid as crying blood. Her lips were pale, her teeth red, her skin fair as snow, resembling a spirit dancing in the night.

At this moment, Murong Yan’s bare feet stepped forward, walking towards the opposite lotus platform, the golden bells on her ankles chiming softly with her lotus steps.

Fairy music, nothing more.

The playful and lively steps, the grace under the black dress faintly visible, enough to ignite a fire in every man’s heart.

"My dear, are you not coming out?"

Arriving at the lotus platform tightly closed like a flower bud, Murong Yan pressed her exquisite face against it, her breath like orchids, every syllable carrying a lazy tail.

The petals of the lotus platform gradually opened, revealing the true appearance of the young man inside.

"My dear."

As Murong Yan’s carmine lips slightly parted, the thin veil of her black dress fluttered without wind, lightly wafting onto the young man like a breeze...

Her delicate fingers hooked the young man’s chin, her flawless face pressed onto him, her brows lightly blinking, then she gracefully turned, her soft, boneless figure nestled into the young man’s embrace.

"My dear..."

...

...

Lin Chen had a dream!

In the first half of the dream, he was walking in the desert, desperately thirsty. Just as he couldn’t endure the heat and dryness any longer, collapsing onto the sand, awaiting death’s arrival, a moist sensation appeared on his face.

From the sky, rain began to fall.

Lin Chen greedily absorbed the nectar, his cracked lips from the heat madly sucking the rainwater, eventually stripping off all his clothes, bathing his entire body in the rain.

Sweet relief after long drought!

The comfort of it could not be described to others.

...

... 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

An hour later.

Murong Yan withdrew her finger, her face like a peach blossom, looking at Lin Chen, whose face had returned to calm. Her face instantly turned crimson, feeling an unbearable heat and hurriedly got off the bed, tidying her clothes.

As soon as Murong Yan sorted her clothes, Lin Chen also opened his eyes on the bed. As their eyes met, Murong Yan’s just-calm face blushed again.

"Ahem!"

Lin Chen coughed twice, unable to recall the details of the dream, but as the pain receded and his consciousness returned, all he had experienced earlier resurfaced in his mind.

He didn’t know how to describe this experience. Spiritual fusion, perhaps?

"Brother Lin..."

Before Lin Chen could speak, Murong Yan quickly interjected: "I came to inform you about something. There is currently a great battle underway at the Martial Arts Arena of Lingxiao Academy."

This man... still appeared to relish the memory.

What was there to relish in this matter?

Murong Yan felt a bit embarrassed. This was a secret technique of the Murong Clan, possessed only by women.

The royal families of various countries marry into the Murong Clan not only because of their remarkable beauty but also because of this secret technique.

This secret technique greatly benefits martial artists in breaking through tiers.

"A great battle?"

Lin Chen was also drawn by Murong Yan’s words, no wonder he didn’t encounter any disciples from the academy on his way back.

"Could it be the academy’s end-of-year duel?"

"The end-of-year duels ended long ago."

Murong Yan was a bit speechless: "Brother Lin, do you not know how long you’ve been staying at Lingxiao Academy?"

"More than a month, I suppose."

"Two months and sixteen days."

Lin Chen’s pupils shrank. Two months and sixteen days, meaning he had missed the year’s end.

He had stayed in Lingxiao Hall for such an extended period.

"If it isn’t the end-of-year duel, then what battle is this?"

"Half a month ago, the younger generation of the Nansha Three Islands entered Liang and declared their challenge to Liang’s young generation."

Nansha Three Islands?

Lin Chen frowned slightly. By now, he wasn’t completely unfamiliar with Liang’s territory.

The Nansha Three Islands were inhabited by remnants of the former dynasty. Due to the demon race eyeing the north covetously and Zheng and Xiang Kingdoms scheming at the borders, Liang had never been in a hurry to reclaim the Nansha Three Islands.

"Is this the first time the Nansha Three Islands have done this?"

"Of course not. Every ten years, the Nansha Three Islands send disciples to challenge the Liang. The Nansha Three Islands have always wanted to establish a country, but because of Liang’s presence, they dare not proclaim a national title. However, if the talents from the Nansha Three Islands defeat those from Liang, they would then have an excuse in discourse."

Hearing this, Lin Chen nodded in understanding.

Liang intends to reclaim the Nansha Three Islands, but if the younger generation can’t surpass them, the Nansha Three Islands would of course mock and ridicule to the fullest extent.

"Has Liang ever lost before?"

"No," Murong Yan shook her head, "they have never lost a single one."

"Hm."

Lin Chen was not surprised. After all, when it comes to talent, Nansha, just an island, cannot compare to Liang.

"But the situation is different this time. The Nansha Three Islands have sent the Three Boys. The Three Boys’ minds are interconnected and they excel in combined attack techniques. This time, the Nansha Three Islands proposed a three-man duel from each side."

"Of course, Liang can send out just one person if they wish, as the Three Boys from Nansha will fight together anyway. There will be three matches in total. However, whether Liang’s martial academy chooses one, two, or three individuals for the matches is up to them."

Three Boys?

Triplets?

Lin Chen furrowed his brow: "So Liang agreed, and decided to host this battle in Lingxiao Academy?"

"Yes, Liang never refuses challenges from the Nansha Three Islands. This time, one person each from Qingyun Academy, the Capital Academy, and Lingxiao Academy is participating."

"No one from Canglan Academy?"

In Lin Chen’s view, it doesn’t matter whether it is Junior Brother Xiao or Junior Brother Fang, their strength is no less than these three.

Murong Yan seemed to know what Lin Chen was thinking and explained: "The three from Nansha Three Islands have achieved great success in viscera cultivation."

Lin Chen suddenly understood. Before his cohort, Canglan Academy was somewhat lacking compared to the three other academies, especially regarding student resources, so the strongest from the previous cohort were all in these three academies.

"If that’s the case, I’ll head over to the Martial Arts Arena and take a look."

"Your body has recovered?"

Murong Yan glanced at Lin Chen, who smiled and said, "I’m fine now."

The side effect of his ’Medicine Jar Ill Body’ is the pain sensation being returned twofold, not something that actually affects the body, but a pain sensed within the divine soul.

Otherwise, considering the pain of meridian rupture he suffered when refining the Flood Dragon’s true blood, if it were truly doubled back, his body’s meridians would have completely ruptured, leaving him a cripple.

"By the way, why aren’t you going to watch?"

Lin Chen was a bit curious. By rights, with such a significant battle, Murong Yan should be at the Martial Arts Arena. Why was she staying in the courtyard?

Even if she was waiting for him specifically, she’d still have to calculate that he would come out of Lingxiao Hall today.

"I don’t want to see a certain someone."

Murong Yan didn’t tell Lin Chen one thing: many martial artists from the Nine Kingdoms came to watch this time, among them some she loathed to see.

In the past, Murong Yan wouldn’t have told Lin Chen these things, but maybe due to some reason, she blurted it out. Only after saying it did she realize, her charming face turning slightly red again.

Seeing Murong Yan’s blushing cheeks, Lin Chen also guessed something, coughed lightly: "So, are you planning to continue staying in the courtyard now?"

"What do you think?"

Murong Yan’s bright eyes glanced sideways: "Don’t worry, Senior Sister Jiang isn’t here, and I’m in men’s attire, so I won’t cause you any trouble."

"Cough, that’s not what I meant."

Lin Chen felt a bit awkward, deciding not to explain: "In that case, let’s go together and see the excitement."