The atmosphere grew tense.
The food was unappetizing, and with Flender looking depressed, no one had much of an appetite. So after a quick and indifferent meal, they all returned home.
Back at the academy, Xiao Tianyang went straight to his room, took a shower, and reclined on his massage chair with his eyes closed, ready for a short nap.
"System, initiate five level-three draws." Despite the incident earlier, his mood remained unaffected.
As an insider, he actually agreed with Yu Xiaogang's judgment—not to join Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, but to use this opportunity to step into a broader world.
It was just like leveling up in a game. You start in the beginner's village, then move to the training grounds, and once you've grown strong enough, you advance to the main city for more challenging quests.
This was simply part of the process—if one wanted to progress, they had to take these steps.
Ding! Congratulations, Host Xiao Tianyang, for obtaining an exclusive attribute skill card!
Congratulations, Host Xiao Tianyang, for acquiring a set of Master Xuantian's defensive talismans [99 pieces]!
Congratulations, Host Xiao Tianyang, for obtaining the magical artifact 'Blue Sea Flowing Cloud Hairpin'!
Congratulations, Host Xiao Tianyang, for acquiring a one-time charm-enhancing item!
Congratulations, Host Xiao Tianyang, for receiving the ever-changing magic artifact!
The notifications rang out continuously, but there wasn't a particularly overwhelming reward this time. Xiao Tianyang opened his eyes to find five items floating before him.
"Why are you being so generous this time?" he muttered, shaking his head before reaching out for the skill card and using it immediately without even checking its details.
Ding! Congratulations, Host Xiao Tianyang, for obtaining the exclusive attribute [Physical Strengthening Master]!
As he lay back on the massage chair, a wave of warmth coursed through his body, making him almost groan in comfort.
It felt as though countless warm hands were massaging his bones, muscles, and meridians, kneading and stretching them gently. The sensation was indescribably soothing—those who hadn't experienced it would never understand.
After a long moment, Xiao Tianyang opened his eyes and carefully assessed his condition. "My physical strength should have increased by about 40%. Damn, that's terrifying."
This wasn't just a single attribute boost—his strength, speed, endurance, and overall physique had all improved significantly.
"A level-three lottery draw is neither a loss nor a major gain."
After thinking it over, Xiao Tianyang shook his head and turned his attention to the second reward.
Item: Set of Defensive Talismans [99 pieces]
Effect: Each talisman provides powerful defense.
Description: A set of talismans crafted by Master Xuantian in his prime. Even now, they remain among the top-ranked magical artifacts in existence.
Xiao Tianyang: "..."
He had drawn these talismans before, and many of the items he had previously discarded were made by this master.
"They were considered failures back then, but now they're masterpieces. Just how powerful was this guy in his prime?"
Shaking off these thoughts, he examined the two magical artifacts next.
Magical Artifact: Blue Sea Flowing Cloud Hairpin
Effect: Increases cultivation breakthrough success rate, nourishes the body and soul, and alleviates mental fatigue.
Restriction: Female users only.
Magical Artifact: Ever-Changing Mask
Effect: Can record and replicate the faces of any humanoid creature, making the user undetectable by all recognition abilities.
"Why do I always draw female-exclusive items?" Xiao Tianyang sighed in frustration.
The hairpin was an artifact that could aid breakthroughs during cultivation—a priceless treasure! But it was restricted to female users, making it completely useless to him.
With a sigh, he stored both the hairpin and the Ever-Changing Mask away. He couldn't use them now, but that didn't mean they wouldn't come in handy in the future.
Especially the mask—if he ever needed to assume a different identity, it would be extremely useful for... less honorable tasks.
"Wait, why am I always thinking about killing people now? No, no, no—I need to control myself. Otherwise, I'll end up getting beaten as a villain in the future."
Xiao Tianyang quickly pushed those thoughts aside. Of course, whether he could actually restrain himself was another matter.
The final item he received was a peculiar fruit with no description. But based on the system's earlier notification, it was likely the charm-enhancing item.
Lifting it to his nose, he caught a light, pleasant fragrance. "If I juice this and mix it with honey, it'd probably taste amazing..."
Before he could give it much thought, he unconsciously took a bite. Then another. Within moments, the entire fruit was gone—even the core.
Ding! Congratulations, Host Xiao Tianyang! Your latent charm has undergone a transformation. You have obtained the exclusive attribute [Graceful and Refined]!
"Oh ho! Now this is interesting!" Xiao Tianyang eagerly checked the details of his new attribute.
Exclusive Attribute: Graceful and Refined
Effect: Friendlier characters will find it harder to dislike you and easier to develop positive feelings. Neutral characters will be more inclined to favor you. Enemy characters now have a 200% increased probability of turning into allies.
"This is insane!" Xiao Tianyang took a deep breath.
He had never realized just how powerful charm could be. He had thought it only affected appearance, but this... this was something else entirely.
"This is practically a divine tool for winning people over—a cheat code for negotiations and persuasion!"
Grinning, he leaned back into the massage chair, basking in the joy of his newfound attributes.
Bubu, his pet, who had been sleeping nearby, trembled slightly at the sight of his master's eerie laughter.
'What's wrong with him? Did he lose his mind from hitting his head somewhere?'
But Xiao Tianyang, too overjoyed to notice, gradually drifted into a deep sleep with the help of his massage chair, completely forgetting about his rooftop training session.
…
In the following days, life returned to normal.
The third phase of Yu Xiaogang's training began, focusing on specialized soul power cultivation. The previous training had been broad and somewhat overwhelming—too much information crammed in at once wasn't efficient. They needed time to absorb and refine their skills.
Thus, this phase was dedicated to internalizing their training while honing their soul power simultaneously.
Following Yu Xiaogang's advice, they also started practicing in their designated mimicry environments, which proved beneficial. However, compared to the enhancements provided by Xiao Tianyang's cooking, the effect was lackluster.
After all, his method was a true shortcut.
Thanks to this, they were rapidly closing the gap between themselves and other young soul masters of their generation—such as the Emperor team they had encountered previously.
In terms of average soul power level, the Emperor team was still superior. But factoring in age, Tang San and the others were far ahead.
This was precisely why Dai Mubai and the others weren't particularly enthusiastic about training in the mimicry environment. To them, it felt like settling for minor gains while missing out on something far greater.
Frankly, if not for the upcoming Continental Young Soul Master Tournament, they would have sided with Flender without hesitation—because none of them had ever wanted to join Heaven Dou Imperial Academy in the first place.
After all, who would willingly trade freedom for unnecessary constraints?
…
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