Chapter 266
After hearing Han Yue's exclamation, the other students froze for a moment before their faces lit up with astonishment and delight as they turned their eyes to Xiao Yan.
"Elder Yan Xiao? Could this be the legendary Elder Yan Xiao?"
Seeing Xiao Yan's youthful appearance, even Lin Xiuya and the other elite students couldn't help but feel momentarily dazed.
Although Xiao Yan looked only slightly older than them, his accomplishments were light years ahead of theirs.
What they didn't know was that Xiao Yan's current appearance had been slightly altered to look older. If they learned his actual age was even younger than theirs, who knew how shocked they would be?
Seeing the awe and admiration in their eyes, Xiao Yan felt a tinge of satisfaction in his heart.
"Now this... this is what a grand entrance is supposed to look like!"
Display of Strength
As the students continued staring, Xiao Yan raised his hand, and faint tendrils of dou qi began to dance at his fingertips.
These wisps looked fragile, almost insignificant, but the moment Xiao Yan flicked his fingers, the dou qi shot out like lightning.
"Pfft! Pfft!"
The sound of flesh being pierced echoed faintly, and before anyone could react, the Water Frost Wolves collapsed to the ground one after another.
Even the mighty Wolf King, with its intelligent eyes fixed on Xiao Yan, froze in confusion as a thin line of blood trickled from its forehead.
Moments later, it too crashed to the ground.
The sudden silence that fell over the battlefield was deafening.
Shock and Awe
"Gulp."
The sound of someone swallowing nervously broke the eerie quiet.
The students turned their eyes back to Xiao Yan, now filled with both awe and fear.
They were all too aware of how strong the Water Frost Wolves were. Even with their combined strength, facing this pack had been nearly suicidal.
But this man this Elder Yan Xiao had merely flicked his fingers, and the wolves had been slain effortlessly.
"Terrifying... his strength is simply terrifying!"
A Show of Magnanimity
Watching their expressions of reverence, Xiao Yan felt a burst of satisfaction.
"Perfect. This is exactly the reaction I was going for."
Feigning indifference, he said, "Why are you all just standing there? Go collect the magic cores from the beasts."
Lin Xiuya hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously, "Elder Yan Xiao, are you sure you don't need these magic cores yourself?"
Xiao Yan chuckled. "If you don't want to refine the Heart Flame Tempering Pill, then go ahead and offer them all to me."
Seeing his playful expression, the students exchanged nervous glances. Xiao Yan's calm demeanor only heightened their unease.
Finally, Xiao Yan waved his hand dismissively. "Don't overthink it. I have no need for these. Consider it my gift to you all as students."
Hearing this, Lin Xiuya and the others felt a mix of relief and embarrassment.
"Thank you, Elder Yan Xiao, for your generosity!" Lin Xiuya said, his tone filled with gratitude.
The group quickly got to work, dismantling the corpses of the Water Frost Wolves with surprising efficiency.
Despite their elegant appearances, the students proved to be as skilled as professional butchers, slicing and extracting the magic cores with practiced ease.
A Private Conversation
As the others busied themselves, Xiao Yan noticed Han Yue standing aside, her graceful figure untouched by the frenzy.
"You're not going to join them?" Xiao Yan's voice was calm as he addressed her.
Han Yue turned to find Xiao Yan smiling at her, his expression warm. A faint blush crept over her snow like complexion, but she quickly composed herself.
A soft smile appeared on her lips, as pure and stunning as a blossoming snow lotus.
"Thanks to the three opportunities you gave me, Elder Yan Xiao, I'm now one of the wealthiest students in the Inner Academy," she replied lightly. "I came along this time just to lend them a hand."
Mentioning the three Heart Flame Tempering opportunities, Han Yue felt a deep sense of gratitude for what had once been a mere act of kindness.
What she didn't realize was that her exceptional beauty had played a part in Xiao Yan's decision to reward her so generously. Had she been less dazzling, Xiao Yan might not have shown the same level of concern or care.
"So, you weren't hurt during this little adventure, were you?" Xiao Yan asked with a warm smile.
A Mischievous Thought
Seeing Han Yue's beauty up close, Xiao Yan couldn't help but marvel.
"Who could possibly resist a silver haired goddess like her? Not me."
And then he remembered Han Yue also had a younger sister.
"Heh... perhaps I'll get to meet her one day as well."
Han Yue, oblivious to Xiao Yan's thoughts, responded softly, "Thank you for your concern, Elder Yan Xiao. I wasn't injured."
"By the way," Xiao Yan continued, his tone casual, "what are your teammates' names?"
While his question was partly an attempt to appear friendly, Xiao Yan also recalled that these students were notable supporting characters in the original story.
Han Yue quickly rattled off the names of the group: "Lin Xiuya, Lin Yan."
Hearing these names, Xiao Yan's face lit up with a glimmer of recognition.
"Ah, so it's them. No wonder they seemed somewhat familiar."
As this thought crossed his mind, the group finished processing the magical beast carcasses. At the forefront, Lin Xiuya approached Xiao Yan with no hesitation, holding the magical core of the fifth tier Beast King in his hands.
"Elder Yan Xiao, your assistance today is something we can never repay. However, we can't, in good conscience, keep this fifth tier beast's magical core for ourselves. Please accept it as a token of our gratitude."
Seeing how thoughtful and respectful the students were, Xiao Yan smiled. Accepting the core, he turned to Han Yue and, to everyone's astonishment, handed it to her.
"This is for you." Xiao Yan smiled warmly.
Han Yue's cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked flustered. "Elder Yan Xiao, you've already been so generous to me. I can't possibly accept such a precious gift."
To Xiao Yan, a fifth tier magical core wasn't worth much, but to Han Yue, it was an extremely valuable treasure.
Noticing her hesitation, Xiao Yan decided not to insist, especially with all the students watching. Even though he didn't care about his reputation, he wanted to preserve Han Yue's.
Casually pocketing the core, Xiao Yan addressed the group:
"You've all shown promise. If you manage to gather the materials required for refining a Heart Flame Tempering Pill, come find me at the Pill Refining Department. I'll help you refine it."
This unexpected offer sent a wave of excitement through the group.
The Heart Flame Tempering Pill was Xiao Yan's own creation, and everyone knew it significantly increased one's chances of advancing to Dou Wang. Having it personally refined by Xiao Yan himself guaranteed the highest success rate and quality.
Their eyes lit up with gratitude and admiration.
"Elder Yan Xiao is truly a kind and noble soul!"
One by one, the students clasped their fists and bowed. "Thank you, Elder Yan Xiao!"
"Thank you, Elder Yan Xiao!"
A Personal Connection
Xiao Yan smiled and waved them off. "No need for formalities. I simply feel that we're... fated to meet."
As he spoke, his gaze lingered momentarily on Lin Xiuya and Lin Yan, then turned to Han Yue.
"If you ever encounter trouble in the academy, don't hesitate to come to me for help."
With those parting words, Xiao Yan gave a small wave, and his figure disappeared into thin air.
Aftermath
Once Xiao Yan left, Lin Xiuya let out a sigh of admiration.
"Elder Yan Xiao truly has a generous heart. To show such care and concern for us students…"
Meanwhile, among the female students, some began to tease Han Yue.
"Han Yue, what's going on here? Why is Elder Yan Xiao treating you so well? Could it be that he's taken a liking to you?"
Han Yue's normally composed face instantly turned crimson.
"Don't talk nonsense! If you're interested in Elder Yan Xiao, go flirt with him yourselves instead of teasing me!"
Her embarrassment only fueled their teasing.
"Oh, come on, Han Yue. You weren't this flustered when we teased you before. Looks like you do have a little crush on Elder Yan Xiao!"
"Enough of this!" Han Yue sent a playful burst of Dou Qi in their direction, though her cheeks remained rosy.
Back at the Inner Academy
While the group laughed and bantered, Xiao Yan had already returned to the Inner Academy.
However, he soon noticed something unusual about Zi Yan.
The usually lively little girl was now uncharacteristically quiet, her cheeks flushed red, and her body radiating intense heat, as though she were a walking furnace.
"You're back!" Zi Yan greeted him weakly, her large black eyes dim and lacking their usual spark.
Despite her sluggish demeanor, Xiao Yan wasn't worried. Instead, his lips curled into a knowing smile.
Zi Yan wasn't sick she was about to evolve.
The pills Xiao Yan had refined for her earlier were incredibly potent. If consumed by an ordinary magical beast, they could have easily propelled it to the sixth rank or even higher. Yet for Zi Yan, they had only brought her to the brink of a breakthrough.
This alone spoke volumes about the terrifying potential of her Ancient Void Dragon bloodline.
"As expected, the Ancient Void Dragon truly deserves its reputation as one of the most powerful magical beast bloodlines in existence."
Thinking this, Xiao Yan retrieved a small pill from his storage ring and handed it to Zi Yan.
"Here, take this. It'll help you break through to the sixth rank. Plus, you'll finally be able to assume a human form!"
Hearing his words, Zi Yan's eyes lit up for the first time, and excitement returned to her expression. She eagerly popped the Transformation Pill into her mouth.
(To be continued...)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/LightKira10