33: Upgrade, Tier 3, Level 2

#Dragon Nation Freshman Grand Competition Concludes, Young King Lin Yan Crowned#

#One Week, First Rank Sixth Layer to Second Rank Seventh Layer, What Talent Does Dragon Nation's Strongest Freshman Possess?#

#Coming from Behind! Young King Lin Yan Shows You What a True Genius Is!#

#Lin Yan, Dragon Nation's Strongest Freshman? Blue Star's Strongest Freshman!#

#The year 889 of the New Calendar arrives. The quadrennial Global Youth Grand Competition will be held mid-year. How will this edition unfold?#

...Haotian University.

"Chief."

"Chief!"

"Chief, Happy New Year!"

Lin Yan smiled and nodded at the passing crowd.

"Happy New Year."

Although Haotian University didn't have an official title of 'Chief'.

Now, everyone tacitly accepted this form of address.

If not the Chief, then what is the strongest freshman?

"The Chief just came out of the Martial Arts Technique Building, right?"

"Probably."

The student crowd was carrying large and small bags.

"He just came back yesterday."

"And today he's already gone back to Cultivate."

"With that damn powerful talent plus hard work, no wonder he swept everyone to win the championship."

"Don't be envious."

"I actually think the Chief must be quite lonely."

"Everyone's gone home for the New Year holiday, but he has to stay at school."

"What the hell do you know."

"If I could have talent this strong, I'd go back right now and prove my Dao with a blade."

"Fuck! You're gonna filial piety your dad to death!"

Listening to these discussions.

Lin Yan shook his head with a wry smile.

Yes.

The holiday had begun.

Every year, after the Freshman Grand Competition, it's basically time for the New Year.

So this competition could also be considered a pre-New Year feast exclusive to the Dragon Nation.

Having nowhere else to go, after returning, he chose to first go to the Martial Arts Technique Building and spend 90% of his charge value to boost his strength once more.

[cultivation]: Second Rank Eighth Layer

[Martial Skills]: Basic: National Martial Art Unparalleled (Yellow-Tier High Grade Perfection); Basic: Halberd Technique Unparalleled (Yellow-Tier High Grade Major Achievement)

His cultivation had increased by more than one layer. He chose not to fuse the halberd technique to Yellow-Tier High Grade Perfection, mainly to keep 62% charge value for the Spirit Medicine reward from the competition.

"Knock knock knock..."

"Come in."

Lin Yan pushed open the headmaster's office door and walked in.

Duan Tiancheng looked up, a smile appearing on his face.

"You're here?"

He handed over a box on the desk.

"The competition reward has arrived."

He then continued.

"Any plans for the winter break?"

"If you've got nowhere to go, call Xue Cheng and Lian Chuan, come celebrate the New Year at this old man's place."

"I'm alone anyway."

Lin Yan took the box, feeling a warmth in his heart.

"Cultivate first."

"Then see how it goes."

Apart from the deceased orphanage director, Old Man Duan was the second elder he had met who would show concern for him.

Although he knew part of the reason was his strength and talent.

Duan Tiancheng smiled.

"Alright."

He pondered slightly.

"If you leave the campus, you must tell me."

"You're not the same person you were before. Many people will have their eyes on you now."

"You should understand what I mean."

Lin Yan's eyes narrowed slightly as he nodded seriously.

"Okay."

Duan Tiancheng patted his shoulder.

"Go on."

..."Absorbing sixth-Rank Spirit Medicine consumes 60% charge value. With Tyrant Body bonus, estimated cultivation will increase to Third Rank Second Layer."

"Without consuming charge value, estimated time required: over one month."

"Consume, absorb."

"Ding."

"Beginning absorption."

Instantly.

Inside the cultivation chamber at Prodigy Villa.

Spiritual energy erupted violently.

Lin Yan, sitting cross-legged, quickly turned red, with faint roars of a tiger echoing.

Second meridian, fully opened.

Third meridian, formed, elevated.

Boom——!

An invisible shockwave of Qi rippled outwards.

Lin Yan opened his eyes.

Third Rank Second Layer, achieved.

"Ding!"

"Host's cultivation detected to have reached Martial Artist Third Rank. heavenly emperor halberd evolving."

He instantly stood up and delivered a side kick to the Force Tester.

"Roar!"

A tiger's roar resounded.

Bang——!

Seven hundred sixty-seven tiger units.

The power standard for Third Rank Seventh Layer to Third Rank Eighth Layer.

The corner of Lin Yan's mouth lifted.

Not bad.

This was why he had spent charge value to improve his Martial Skills.

Using the evolved heavenly emperor halberd plus his halberd technique, he definitely had the strength of Third Rank Eighth or even Ninth Layer now.

He walked out of the cultivation chamber while stroking his chin.

charge value was used up, and the holiday had started.

What should he do?

The Intermediate kings road where he could stir up trouble required Fourth Rank cultivation to unlock, which was still far off.

Right now, those from the competition were surely also cultivating and preparing for the New Year.

Sit around idly for over a month?

Direct PASS.

If that were the case, why would he have used charge value to absorb the Spirit Medicine?

Lin Yan turned on the TV.

"...our nation's strongest freshman, Lin Yan..."

Change channel.

"Behind me here is where our nation's strongest freshman, Lin Yan, lived as a child..."

Change again.

He changed over a dozen channels in a row.

Hmm?

He sat up slightly straighter.

"Latest news."

"A profound extreme Mutant Beast Secret Realm has appeared at the border between our nation's Liu Prefecture and Jiang Prefecture."

"Regarding this, the official authorities of both prefectures and the Beast Hunting Alliance acted swiftly."

"They completed the suppression in just five days, preventing any Mutant Beast landings from harming civilians."

A smile appeared on Lin Yan's face.

There it was.

He immediately swiped on his Wristband, opened the Secret Realm column, and scanned a row of large characters.

Heavenly-Tier, profound extreme, Earth-Tier, Yellow-Tier.

Four Ranks of Mutant Beast Secret Realms, corresponding to different danger levels and Martial Artist restrictions.

It was clear from the names.

Apart from the Heavenly-Tier Secret Realm corresponding to Heavenly-Tier and King Rank Martial Artists.

The remaining three corresponded exactly to Martial Artists from the first to the ninth Rank.

And this was also the origin of the Martial Skill Rank names.

Yellow-Tier, Magic City.

Lin Yan tapped his finger rapidly.

With his current strength.

The most numerous Yellow-Tier Secret Realms were perfect for him to venture into alone.

Get more Spirit Medicine for cultivation.

Instantly.

Several pieces of information were projected.

He immediately marked them all with a star first.

Then took a screenshot, swiped his Wristband, and sent it.

"Old Man Duan."

"I'm planning to go out and find a Secret Realm for training."

After doing this, he got up directly from the sofa, grabbed his gear, and left the villa... Thanks to this kid.

Next year's admissions will surely be packed.

Duan Tiancheng took a sip of tea while turning on the TV.

He could finally relax for a while.

Although this kid's talent was monstrous, sixth-Rank Spirit Medicine wasn't that easy to absorb.

At the very least, it wouldn't be possible during this winter break.

As for telling him to inform him before leaving, that was just a precaution.

"Ding-dong."

A message notification sound came.

He casually glanced at his Wristband and swiped to open it.

"Old Man Duan."

"I'm planning to go out and find a Secret Realm for training."

"Pfft!"

Duan Tiancheng spat out his tea and shot up from the sofa.

What the hell is this kid up to now?

"Didn't you say you were going to Cultivate?"

"Ding-dong."

"Finished cultivating."

Duan Tiancheng: ???.

Are you kidding?!

Your cultivation starts in the morning and ends in the afternoon, is that it?

He immediately opened the screenshot Lin Yan had sent.

Yellow-Tier Mutant Beast Secret Realm, around Magic City.

What's this kid's cultivation level now? How dare he go find a Secret Realm to enter alone.

He hesitated for a moment, then enlarged the thought.

"Second Rank Ninth Layer?"

"Ding-dong."

"A bit higher."

Duan Tiancheng choked.

A bit higher?

He took a sip of tea to catch his breath.

"You know the common knowledge about Secret Realms."

"Even with Third Rank First Layer cultivation, you still need to be careful."

After sending the message.

He immediately opened an encrypted communication.

"That kid ran off campus."

Soon.

A young voice came through.

"I see it."

"Was just about to find a nightclub to have some fun. This kid really gives me extra work."

At the same time.

"Ding-dong."

"Okay."

"Also, who said I was Third Rank First Layer?"

Duan Tiancheng: ???

His eyes held a look of existential doubt.

What does that mean?

Not Third Rank First Layer, could it be Second Layer?

Are you fucking for real?