đź’– If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
Half an hour later, on the banks of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Dugu Bo sighed and anxiously paced back and forth, occasionally glancing at the red and blue interwoven lake beside him, his face filled with worry. "Oh, my Young Miss," he suddenly complained to Xiao Ruier, who was standing nearby. "How could you be at ease letting him go down there alone?"
He pointed at the surging lake water. "Do you know? Even I can't withstand this lake water if I go down! He... he... sigh..." his voice was filled with lingering fear.
Hearing this, Xiao Ruier pursed her lips, looking a little confused, but the Red King patiently explained, "Don't worry, that kid consumed immortal-grade medicinal herbs from your place, and the spring water in the lake won't harm him."
Dugu Bo still wasn't reassured. "But didn't you say there were other things down there?" he asked. "What if he goes down and can't come back up? I even offended Tang Hao for him..." A hint of resentment flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes. If Tang Chen truly died down there, his investment would be a complete failure, and he would have also offended many powerhouses.
The Red King was getting annoyed. "Old man, can you stop nagging?" he said unhappily. "My Young Miss even gave him the golden dragon spear. What could possibly happen to him after he goes down? If you keep nagging, I'll hit you!"
Dugu Bo's beard trembled with anger, but he dared not say anything more.
However, just then, a loud splash was heard. The water of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well suddenly splashed several feet high, and a blue-gold figure shot out from it, landing steadily on the bank.
"Finally got the Dragon Core and came out," Tang Chen muttered, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with a smile.
"Kid, are you alright?" After seeing Tang Chen, Dugu Bo's eyes lit up. He instantly flashed in front of Tang Chen and anxiously scrutinized him.
"I'm fine," Tang Chean shook his head, flicking the water droplets from his hair. Immediately after, he turned his gaze to Xiao Ruier, who was not far away, and nodded slightly. "Rui'er, thank you. Everything went smoothly; I've already obtained the Dragon Core."
As he spoke, he lightly tossed the golden dragon spear in his hand. It drew a golden arc in the air and landed precisely in Xiao Ruier's hand.
Xiao Ruier also nodded slightly and said softly, "It's good that everything went smoothly."
Stretching, Tang Chen scanned the surroundings again and noticed someone was missing. He frowned slightly, asking in confusion, "Where's Ling Ling?"
Dugu Bo patiently explained, "Don't you remember? Before refining medicinal pills for me, you already gave her the medicinal pill used to evolve her Nine Heart Begonia Spirit. She's currently still in my cave absorbing the energy from the medicinal pill.
After all, that girl's spirit power is only around Level 40, and her physical quality is far inferior to mine, a Titled Douluo, so naturally, her absorption is slower." He suddenly looked up at the sky. "However, she should be almost done absorbing it."
A profound look flashed in Tang Chen's eyes as he surveyed the surrounding Secret Realm that had nurtured countless immortal-grade treasures. His voice was decisive. "Since that's the case, let's quickly pack up. Once Ling Ling finishes absorbing, we'll dig up all the ripe immortal-grade medicinal herbs here and take them with us."
Tang Chen explained, "Tang San has already discovered this place; who knows when he might sneak in again. And we can't guard this place all the time." His gaze swept over the exotic flowers and plants radiating various colored halos.
He then walked to an immortal-grade medicinal herb and gently pulled it from the soil. "The immortal-grade medicinal herbs here take at least ten thousand years to mature. Once we dig them up and take them away, even if Tang San comes back, he won't get a single hair."
Dugu Bo was slightly stunned by these words, a pained expression appearing on his face, but it quickly turned into helplessness as he nodded and said, "Alright... no matter what, we can't let that kid Tang San benefit from it."
...A few hours later, everyone successfully returned to Heaven Dou City.
A majestic building stood before them, its grandeur astonishing. The towering courtyard walls were made of white jade, gleaming with a warm luster in the sunlight. Above the wide arched entrance hung a gilded plaque covered in red cloth, and on either side of the entrance stood more than ten carved stone pillars, each engraved with different Spirit patterns.
The complex stretched for several miles, with teaching buildings, training grounds, and dormitories visible in a well-arranged manner. Glazed tiles shimmered with colorful light on the eaves, and Spirit Guiding Lamps were neatly arranged along the long corridors. Most striking was the hundred-meter-tall clock tower in the center, its sundial slowly rotating at the top, precisely casting the shadows of time.
The entire Academy was not only grand in scale but also exuded a solemn academic atmosphere, with every detail showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship and prestige of imperial architecture.
"I didn't expect it; the Academy was built so quickly. The imperial family really works fast," Dugu Bo said, stroking his beard with a hint of emotion as he looked at the impressive building.
Hearing this, Tang Chen nodded, saying seriously, "That's natural. Moreover, this Academy is open to all commoners of the Heaven Dou Empire. They pay so many taxes to the country every year, so now it's considered taking from the people and using it for the people."
Dugu Bo asked curiously, "By the way, what's the name of the Academy?"
After a moment of contemplation, Tang Chen's expression subtly darkened. He looked at the people beside him and said quite seriously, "As the saying goes, 'As Heaven maintains vigor through movements, a gentleman should unremittingly practice self-improvement.' I hope every student here can be self-reliant, do what they can do now, and fulfill the responsibilities they can fulfill now."
After speaking, he gently waved his palm, and a soft gust of wind swept out. The red cloth fluttered down, revealing four powerful characters that shone brightly in the sunlight: "Tianxing Academy!"
Seeing this, everyone clapped and praised, "Good! Tianxing Academy, that's a good name! Let's go, everyone, let's go in and take a look."
"Good!"
Amidst a chorus of praise, everyone entered the Academy together.
But as they walked, Xiao Ruier suddenly leaned close to Tang Chen's ear and whispered, "Come here for a moment; I have something to tell you."
Tang Chen frowned slightly, feeling a little confused, but still followed her to the side. A moment later, the two arrived at a secluded corner of the corridor.
"Didn't you already get the Dragon Core? Show it to me quickly." After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Ruier suddenly turned around and said to Tang Chen in a deep voice.
Nodding slightly, Tang Chen didn't hesitate at all. A golden light flashed in his hand, and two Dragon Cores, one red and one blue, instantly appeared in his palm. These two Dragon Cores were only the size of a pigeon's egg, yet they emitted a heart-palpitating energy fluctuation. The red Dragon Core flowed with a scorching radiance like lava, while the blue Dragon Core seemed to be condensed from ice, its surface covered with a layer of biting frost.
Carefully sensing the aura emitted by the Dragon Cores, Xiao Ruier's eyes trembled slightly, and she said with a rare solemnity in her voice, "Do you know how to use these two Dragon Cores? Or rather, do you know what their purpose is?"
"I know a little, but not much," Tang Chen stroked his chin and said faintly.
Xiao Ruier smiled. "The so-called Dragon Core is the core of a Dragon," she said.
Hearing this, Tang Chen looked at her with a speechless expression.
"I didn't say anything wrong, why are you looking at me like that?" Seeing Tang Chen's speechless expression, Xiao Ruier couldn't help but smile and continued. "Listen to me first. A Dragon Core is an energy body that gradually condenses within a giant Dragon after it reaches adulthood. It possesses the Dragon's Bloodline and Origin power, and it's specifically used by giant Dragons to temper their spiritual consciousness."
"Its greatest function is to help you purify your body and improve the quality of your Bloodline and bones. Simply put, once you consume a Dragon Core, your body's strength will continuously evolve, and in the future, you can completely reach the same level as a giant Dragon. Moreover, this thing has another function..."
"That is, to condense something that you human Spirit Masters don't know about yet: Spirit Core!"
As the two conversed, a middle-aged man in black stood silently on the glazed tile roof not far away. He looked to be in his thirties, with a very handsome face and sword-like eyebrows that slanted into his temples. Most striking were his brilliant golden eyes. A gentle breeze ruffled a few strands of golden hair on his forehead, and the dark patterns on his black robe were faintly visible.