'I wonder if Su Chen managed to draw out Qi Chuan's people.'
Having returned to the academy, Jiang He saw Su Chen leaving with Bai Fengxi.
She had learned about the appearance of the ruins from her father long ago. This city patrol had only lasted a day or two, so Qi Chuan's people probably hadn't made their move yet.
'Or maybe they have. I'll find a chance to ask him.'
"Perfect..." Jiang He licked her lips.
"A Cyan Scale Lion Group, and their leader was a Tier Two Mutant Species! Have you ever seen anything like it? At the most dangerous moment, it was only half a meter away from me..."
"You guys have no idea how dangerous the situation was. It was all thanks to my Brother Su, who turned the tide..."
Jiang He stopped in her tracks. Her gaze fell upon a small group that had just gathered in the distance, where someone was talking up a storm, spittle flying.
'Liu Liang...' Jiang He recognized him as one of the students who had also been on the patrol outside the city.
"Who's Brother Su?" someone asked, confused.
"You don't even know Brother Su?" Liu Liang's eyes widened. "Su Chen!"
"Oh, Teacher Jiang's toy boy!" someone else realized.
"What 'toy boy'? Show some respect when you speak!" Liu Liang snapped angrily. "My Brother Su, all by himself, just *bam, bam, bam*, took down the entire Cyan Scale Lion Group, except for the leader, in under ten minutes."
"What? For real?"
"He's that strong?"
Gasps of shock rose one after another. Jiang He's pupils constricted. 'He took down the Cyan Scale Lion Group?'
'That kid... he's actually that powerful.'
"And that's not all..." Liu Liang said with a mysterious expression. "You all know about the theft at our school a while back, right?"
The crowd nodded like chickens pecking at rice.
"My Brother Su solved that too!" Liu Liang declared proudly. "Brother Su is a student of Vice Principal Yuan! He was secretly embedded in the patrol team and found the stolen items in one fell swoop. Even the City Lord praised him profusely."
Jiang He stiffly turned her head. 'Yuan Chenyang's student? Secretly embedded? What on earth is he talking about?'
"Hey..." Liu Liang's eyes focused. He saw Jiang He standing at the edge of the crowd and couldn't help but shout excitedly, "Sister-in-law!"
'Sister-in-law?' Jiang He's face darkened, and she hurried away.
It wasn't that no one had ever called her "sister-in-law," but no one had ever done it from Su Chen's side. She had her pride to think of.
The crowd reluctantly tore their eyes away from Jiang He's graceful receding figure. Someone suddenly said, "So, you're saying Su Chen isn't Teacher Jiang's toy boy?"
"Bullshit!" Liu Liang retorted furiously. "My Brother Su is a dashing rogue! He and Teacher Jiang are thick as thieves... no, I mean, they're madly in love! How could he be a toy boy?"
"From now on, if anyone calls my Brother Su a toy boy again, they'll have to answer to me!"
...
Yuan Chenyang's home was a detached villa deep within Southwind City. With no mistress of the house, it was empty, spacious, and had many rooms.
"Old Bai..." Su Chen called out. After learning Bai Fengxi's true status, he didn't mind addressing her by her senior title, but she couldn't seem to accept it and had him call her Old Bai instead.
"We're all family here, so I won't be a stranger. Do you have a powerful Spiritual Meditation Technique?"
'Give him an inch and he'll take a mile...' Bai Fengxi complained silently to herself, then mused, "You want to cultivate both Body Refining and Spirit professions at the same time?"
"Isn't that standard for a genius?"
'Where does he get these ideas?' Bai Fengxi shook her head. "We should check your Spirit Talent first. If it's not good enough, it's better not to waste your time."
Su Chen was quite curious. "This Talent, are there any standards for classifying it?"
His predecessor had no memories of this, and it was rarely mentioned at Southwind Academy. He only knew that the concept of Talent existed.
"Standard Talents are generally classified by tiers like Brass, Canyin, and Red Gold..." Bai Fengxi explained. "The quality of your Talent primarily determines the speed at which you can practice a Training Technique and also affects the development progress of your profession."
"There are also some special Talents..." She paused for a moment before continuing, "For example, some are exceptionally compatible with certain specific professions, but those are very rare."
The two of them discussed it for a while. Before long, the door opened.
But it wasn't Yuan Chenyang who had returned. It was...
"Brother Su Chen?" Xiao Gezi ran over excitedly, then stopped short in front of him. "What are you doing here?"
Su Chen grinned and pinched Xiao Gezi's cheek. "Just checking on how you're doing. Living in a big house like this must be nice."
Xiao Gezi swatted his hand away, annoyed. Bai Fengxi said gently, "He'll be living here from now on."
"Huh?" Xiao Gezi was startled. She looked suspiciously between the two of them and frowned. "Brother Su Chen, what did you go and do with your body this time?"
Bai Fengxi's fair cheeks visibly stiffened. Su Chen said irritably, "Kids shouldn't talk nonsense."
"You didn't think I was a kid when you made me carry bricks, telling me to carry a couple more," Xiao Gezi sniffed.
"More bricks, more money."
"Miss, sir, will you be staying for dinner?" asked the maid who had come back with Xiao Gezi.
Bai Fengxi came back to her senses. "Are you having Nutrient Liquid too, or should we only prepare Xiao Gezi's portion?"
Su Chen closed the mouth he had just opened. He had been planning to ask for the same thing.
The three of them chattered for a long time, though it was mostly Xiao Gezi doing the talking.
After they ate, Yuan Chenyang still hadn't returned. Bai Fengxi led him to a prepared room.
"Do you have any Body Refining Potion?" Su Chen called out to her.
Bai Fengxi shot him a look. "Wait here."
A short while later, she returned with a bottle of Blood Circulation Potion.
"Blood Circulation, huh..." Su Chen was slightly disappointed, but still said, "Thanks."
Bai Fengxi left, speechless.
The room wasn't small. Su Chen gave it a quick look, then assumed his stance. He downed the Blood Circulation Potion, and the familiar surging sensation echoed through his body.
For four or five days straight, Su Chen stayed there. For some reason, Yuan Chenyang never came back.
He had drunk seven or eight doses of Blood Circulation Potion from Bai Fengxi, to the point that her face would darken every time she saw him knocking at her door.
On this day, Su Chen sat cross-legged on the floor. His skin had turned crimson, and lava-like patterns had almost spread across his entire body. He clenched his jaw tightly. Sweat had barely beaded on his skin before it turned to steam and vanished.
Suddenly, Su Chen's movements froze. He felt a sharp pain all over as the lava patterns on his skin finally covered his whole body. Then, it felt as if his entire being was submerged in a hot spring.
[Molten Stone Refining Technique -- Master]
[Ability Gained -- Molten Stone Power: Body of rolling magma, skin as tough as stone.]
Once the [Molten Stone Refining Technique] reached Master Level, the ability it granted had an immediate effect. Su Chen felt an intense tingling in his skin, as if ants were crawling inside his muscles. The sensation lasted for quite a while before it finally subsided.
"'Tough as stone...'" Su Chen murmured, touching his skin. He could clearly feel the hardening of his epidermis.
He casually picked up a dagger and tested it on his skin. It only left a white scratch mark.
'Even a Tier One Profession known for its defense is probably only at this level,' Su Chen couldn't help but think, his gaze on his status panel growing even more fervent.
He had already figured out that it was indeed possible for other Training Techniques to produce unique abilities.
But they all required a huge amount of time to research, and there was no guarantee they would produce one, making it a matter of great chance.
But all he had to do was raise a technique to Master Level, and an ability would naturally be born. This was an unparalleled advantage.