Evan Lin returned to his room, grabbed a bag, and put the now-withered divine medicine and the Soul-Sacrifice Beauty Scroll inside. As he stepped out the door, he found Sisi Shao blocking his way.
"Are you really Evan Lin?" Sisi Shao looked up, her eyes still full of disbelief.
The boy in front of her, judging by his features, was definitely Evan Lin, but somehow he now gave off an incredibly sharp vibe.
And Sisi Shao kept feeling that Evan Lin seemed to have grown taller in just a few short hours.
"Do you need something?" Evan Lin frowned, his voice carrying a deep, magnetic tone—but the cold indifference in it made Sisi Shao’s heart involuntarily tighten.
"No..." Sisi Shao shook her head. After packing her things, she’d somehow ended up running to Evan Lin’s door, almost as if possessed.
She couldn’t stop thinking about the Evan Lin she’d just seen downstairs—wanting to confirm it was him, yet also wishing the person she’d seen wasn’t Evan Lin at all.
In Sisi Shao’s mind, Evan Lin had always been that bumpkin from the countryside—someone you could tell at a glance. Now, though, she found it hard to accept how much he’d changed; he was becoming more and more unfathomable, and she couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of awe toward him!
"Then step aside."
Evan Lin slung his bag over his shoulder and walked past Sisi Shao. Watching his back, Sisi Shao froze for a moment.
Old Man Liu spoke quietly, "Even though I believe in your ability, make sure you stay careful and meticulous when tackling the problems." His tone was calm, not at all the lofty attitude teachers usually have—if anything, he sounded balanced and sincere.
A simple question and answer, and then they both fell silent.
Meanwhile, Howard Huang glanced at Evan Lin in surprise. He noticed Old Man Liu seemed unusually invested in this student named Evan Lin.
Could he really be No. 2 High's hidden dark horse?
That just didn’t add up.
Before the competition, Howard Huang had even gone to No. 2 High to investigate. Aside from Rachel Liu, whose math scores were always stable and top-ranked, the next best was Thomas Zhao.
He’d also heard of a student named Mia Chen, but for some reason, she wasn’t participating in this year’s Math Olympiad.
“We’re here. This is the place.”
While Howard Huang was still deep in thought, they arrived. He hurried to greet everyone, went to the front desk, picked up the room cards, and handed them out one by one.
The hotel was called Valedictorian Inn—a name with a nice ring to it. Every year during major exams, the rooms would be booked out months in advance.
The hotel was clearly a notch above the last one.
"Once you've got your room card, go rest. Don't wander around tonight. If anything happens, just shout for help," Howard Huang reminded everyone again.
With their room cards in hand, the students all headed to their rooms.
Evan Lin's room was on the sixth floor, facing the street. From his window, he could see the endless stream of city traffic below.
Compared to Brightsea, River City's roads and bustling scenery were clearly on another level.
Evan Lin had originally wanted to study that pitch-black spiritual herb again, but when he held it, nothing happened.
Most likely, the spiritual qi in his left hand had been completely drained.
Looks like I need to find a way to gather more spiritual qi. Both Lily Zhong and Lynn Chen have spiritual qi fluctuations—why is that? Evan Lin wondered, maybe it’s their special constitutions?
Some people are born with unusual abilities—some are spirit bodies, meaning they can sense spiritual qi easily. On the Immortal Martial Continent, those people are prime candidates for cultivation.
Besides spirit bodies, there are fire bodies, wood bodies, water bodies, earth bodies, and plenty of others.
At the center of the park was a small hill, covered in trees and lush greenery.
Early the next morning.
After waking up, Evan Lin sat cross-legged and began breathing exercises.
With every inhale, if someone were present, they would see visible currents of air moving at Evan Lin's nostrils.
With every exhale, one could faintly hear the wind howling past.
After thirty-six cycles of breathing and running three full great cycles of the Grand Dao Qi-Refining Art, Evan Lin opened his eyes, which flashed with sharp light.
My strength is solid enough now. Although I haven't reached Foundation Building, I can try that technique.
Evan Lin's eyes glinted. After getting up, he opened his room door and left the hotel.
Next to River City First High, there was a park.
The park was huge, with an artificial pebble path around the edge. In the morning, old men and women could be seen strolling everywhere.
Inside the park was a small hill, planted with many trees and greenery.
Evan Lin found a relatively secluded spot and took a deep breath.
Beyond divine wind lies immortal earth; between yin and yang, a clenched finger becomes a blade!
Evan Lin silently recited the incantation. True qi boiled inside his body, and within a ten-meter radius, wind rose around him.
The swirling wind wrapped around Evan Lin's fingertips, finally condensing into a three-foot sword.
The sword was transparent, its edge gleaming like starlight.
My strength is solid enough now. Although I haven't reached Foundation Building, I can try that technique.
Evan Lin's eyes glinted. After getting up, he opened his room door and left the hotel.
Next to River City First High, there was a park.
The park was huge, with an artificial pebble path around the edge. In the morning, old men and women could be seen strolling everywhere.
Inside the park was a small hill, planted with many trees and greenery.
Evan Lin found a relatively secluded spot and took a deep breath.
Beyond divine wind lies immortal earth; between yin and yang, a clenched finger becomes a blade!
Evan Lin silently recited the incantation. True qi boiled inside his body, and within a ten-meter radius, wind rose around him.
The swirling wind wrapped around Evan Lin's fingertips, finally condensing into a three-foot sword.
The sword was transparent, its edge gleaming like starlight.