Chapter Three: The Soul of a Second-Tier Alchemist

As dawn approached, Lin An reappeared at his original spot, emerging from the system. He surveyed his surroundings; thanks to the terrifying soul-detecting abilities of the Yama System, Lin An could clearly sense the faint traces of soul energy lingering in the air.

“Could it be that even at this point, the people of the Soul Hall have already begun infiltrating the Cloudmist Sect?” he murmured softly, then quickly left the area.

Lin An didn’t know if the Soul Hall’s people would keep waiting for him to show up. The only thing he was certain of was that if any of them were lurking nearby, he would have sensed them.

Returning to his own courtyard, Lin An began to practice the martial art technique, Wind Wolf Seal.

Gathering battle energy in his palm, a lifelike azure wind wolf materialized above his hand, stirring up a wild gale. With a fierce crash, the wind wolf smashed down onto a massive boulder in the courtyard.

With a thunderous bang, the boulder shattered into countless pieces.

Such a tremendous noise naturally startled Zhao Lin.

Seeing Lin An up and practicing before dawn filled Zhao Lin with a sense of shame. If even a genius like Lin An was so diligent, how could someone of average talent like himself justify wasting time on sleep?

Having reached the sixth stage of Battle Qi, Lin An felt his power had grown considerably; even using a mid-tier Yellow Rank technique, he could unleash significant force.

“Lin An, are you really planning to get involved in this mess just for Senior Sister Nalan?” Zhao Lin asked. “I heard that some of the competitors have reached the ninth stage of Battle Qi, and one of them even has the strength to challenge a one-star Battle Practitioner. Plus, they’ve made ample preparations—no matter how hard you train in the time that’s left, you won’t stand a chance. If you go, you’ll only be humiliating yourself!”

Zhao Lin knew that if Lin An had joined the Cloudmist Sect six months or a year earlier, with his talent, he might have stood a chance against his peers. But now, Zhao Lin truly doubted his prospects.

“That’s right, I may be a new disciple, but there’s no rule from the Sect Leader saying I can’t participate in the disciple selection, is there?” Lin An replied with confidence.

“The Sect Leader never said that, but…” Zhao Lin wanted to say more, but Lin An cut him off.

Ten days to reach the ninth stage of Battle Qi wasn’t impossible. However, after the events of last night, Lin An decided not to act rashly for the next few days.

If he were to be targeted by the Soul Hall experts lurking in the Cloudmist Sect, it would be troublesome indeed.

Just as Lin An suspected, every day a mysterious figure appeared near the dungeon, as if searching for something. Unfortunately, after five days, they found nothing and could only leave disappointed.

Though Lin An didn’t go seeking souls directly, he wasted no time, devoting himself to rigorous cultivation and delving into the Yama System’s space each day.

His aura grew deeper and steadier. By his own estimation, he could easily defeat someone at the eighth stage of Battle Qi.

Even so, when Lin An went to register, he was quickly recognized by the new disciples, causing quite a stir.

All the new disciples longed to become the Sect Leader’s disciple and Nalan Yanran’s junior, but they were well aware of their own strength.

So when news of Lin An’s intentions spread, some mocked his overestimation, while others admired his courage.

But this was Lin An’s choice—it had nothing to do with them.

Some ill-tempered senior disciples, upon hearing that a newcomer dared to pursue Nalan Yanran, sneered coldly. Clearly, these fresh disciples didn’t understand their own place; soon, they would learn a lesson they’d never forget.

Lin An simply smiled and paid it no mind.

With only a day left until the disciple selection, Lin An decided to try his luck at the dungeon again that night.

In less than ten days, through his cultivation and the system’s soul points, Lin An had just barely broken through to the seventh stage of Battle Qi.

Still, he worried about unexpected variables. If he could reach the eighth or even ninth stage, he was certain he could secure first place and become Yun Yun’s second disciple.

Recently, another rumor had spread: the Sect Leader’s second disciple might one day become the next head of the Cloudmist Sect—and would likely marry Nalan Yanran.

Power and beauty combined—this prospect had caused a stir among all disciples below the Battle Practitioner level.

Even many above that rank, upon hearing the not-yet-confirmed rumor, beat their chests and stamped their feet—if only they were a few years younger, perhaps they too could compete for this opportunity.

As a result, even more eyes turned toward this coveted position.

For Lin An, it was a prize he was determined to claim.

He couldn’t afford to waste time here; only by elevating his status within the Cloudmist Sect could he access more resources, collect more souls, and strengthen both his abilities and his soul points.

On a dark, windy night in late autumn, the Cloudmist Sect was utterly silent, the air colder than ever. Lin An, clad in a black robe, melted into the shadows and hurried toward the dungeon.

Soon, Lin An noticed something unusual. Outside the dungeon, several elders of the Cloudmist Sect had gathered. Lin An recognized one of them as someone he’d seen upon joining the sect.

That elder’s expression was tense, as if something important had occurred.

“What happened?” Lin An wondered aloud.

“Alchemist Qian Feng, of the second grade, won’t make it. In the end, we never uncovered the secret he carried—what a pity,” the Fifth Elder said.

“He’s just a wicked alchemist expelled by the Alchemist Guild. Even if we don’t learn his secret, it won’t affect us. Since he’s about to die, let’s be decisive and send him on his way.”

With that, the other two elders left, leaving the Fifth Elder to handle the aftermath.

“A second-grade alchemist? It seems tonight wasn’t in vain,” Lin An thought, delighted by the prospect. If he could claim an alchemist’s soul, it would be a guaranteed profit.

Before long, the Fifth Elder entered the dungeon. Not much later, a sinister-looking soul drifted out nearby. Lin An immediately used the Spirit Lash to capture Qian Feng’s soul.

Having accomplished his task, Lin An left the scene at once and only relaxed once he’d returned to his room.

A second-grade alchemist—Lin An was filled with anticipation.