Dao Ling's face froze, his mouth agape as if he could swallow a goose egg, his expression filled with sheer incredulity.
Inside his body, a pagoda floated—crystal-clear and ancient in appearance. *Isn't this the small pagoda from the tenth floor?*
"How did this small pagoda end up inside me?!" Dao Ling's Adam's apple bobbed, and he finally exclaimed in shock.
He had thought this treasure had flown away, feeling a twinge of regret at the time. The tenth floor of the Tongling Pagoda had only a pool and this very pagoda.
While the golden energy was indeed terrifying, he sensed that this small pagoda must have an extraordinary origin—likely a supreme treasure!
But the fact that it had entered his body was beyond comprehension. Moreover, the异变 (anomaly) in the Tongling Pagoda was likely caused by the small pagoda.
Dao Ling tried to urge the pagoda, but it emanated a sense of死寂, impossible to activate its divine might.
Frowning, he observed the pagoda closely. When golden runes began to emerge, the pagoda transformed, emitting profound waves. It seemed to become a great dao rune, hazy and exuding terrifying fluctuations.
"Could this treasure contain a magical power?" Dao Ling was astonished. As he studied the pagoda, he found the runes unfathomable, difficult to comprehend fully.
The runes in his eyes multiplied—one became two, two became three, until countless golden runes filled heaven and earth, their aura making the world tremble.
Dao Ling's head buzzed as if about to explode. His mind quaked, and he quickly cut off his focus, daring not to observe further.
His face pale, he marveled, "These runes are terrifying! I can't even look at them. Could the runes emanating from the Tongling Pagoda be from this small pagoda? Or is this their origin?"
His eyes lit up with avarice. Countless powerhouses had been studying these golden runes, hoping to master and perfect them. Now, he held what might be their source, meaning the small pagoda was at least a terrifying magical power in itself!
"What is the small pagoda's origin, and how did it break in the first place?" Dao Ling rubbed his chin, confused. Logically, if the pagoda could turn the Tongling Pagoda into a cultivation圣地 (sacred place), why couldn't it do so now? If it truly had that ability, wouldn't he be able to grow stronger without cultivation?
After pondering, Dao Ling shook his head helplessly, realizing he was overthinking. There was no such thing as a free lunch in the world.
"I wonder if having the small pagoda in my body is good or bad. It should be a treasure, but maybe my strength is too weak to unleash its power, hence why I can't activate it."
Dao Ling knew there were terrifying treasures in the world that couldn't be wielded without sufficient strength. Perhaps the small pagoda was such a treasure, and he would only be able to summon it once his cultivation reached the required level.
After deep thought, he stood and walked out, intending to buy the medicinal herbs needed for Soul-Strengthening Pills. His first attempt at alchemy excited him, though he wondered about the difficulty and hoped he wouldn't fail.
The academy's trading area bustled with activity, filled with stalls. Medicinal herbs were rare, as they were precious by nature.
"Maybe I should check Jubao Pavilion. I have a供奉令牌 (offering token), so maybe I can get a discount." After wandering around, Dao Ling was about to leave when his余光 (corner of the eye) fell on a luxurious shop.
*This...* Dao Ling was speechless. He hadn't expected Jubao Pavilion to exist even in Star Academy, proving its influence was far greater than he'd imagined.
This Jubao Pavilion dwarfed the one in Qingshan City in scale. As he scanned the crowd, his gaze fixed on a approaching maiden, and his heart chilled.
Wang Ya prepared to receive the guest, but upon seeing the youth, her expression shifted wildly. She hadn't expected Dao Ling to be here.
*A bunch of废物,* she snorted inwardly. Wang Junyi had said Dao Ling wouldn't live long, yet here he was, alive and well—a thought that ignited her anger.
"What are you doing here?" Wang Ya approached, her face stern. *Did he come to flatter me?*
"Since when do I need to report my whereabouts to you?" Dao Ling looked at her coldly, sneering.
Wang Ya's face darkened as she狞笑道 (grinned viciously), "Funny you should ask. You're not welcome here. Leave now. Some places aren't for you."
"Strange. Are you the owner? Who gave you the right to turn me away? What a big mouth." Dao Ling mocked, inwardly wondering why she was here.
"Insolent wretch! How dare you talk back?" Wang Ya's face contorted. *Did he think Jubao Pavilion was a trivial place?* She was here only because of Wang Junyi's recommendation—Jubao Pavilion wasn't accessible to just anyone.
Although maids held low status, few in Star Academy dared to cause trouble here!
"This is ridiculous. I came to buy things. Since when does Jubao Pavilion refuse customers?" Dao Ling sneered at her. "What right do you have to drive me away? Preposterous!"
Their argument drew attention, and onlookers gathered, pointing and whispering. A youth said, "Who is this guy, yelling in Jubao Pavilion? Does he think this is a marketplace?"
"I know that maiden. She's reportedly a relative of Wang Junyi. This kid is in trouble—how dare he offend Wang Junyi's kin?"
"Ah, Wang Junyi's relative? He's the grandson of a Wang family elder. Their influence is terrifying, and the Wangs are a top clan in the Daqian Dynasty!"
The crowd's expressions changed. Wang Junyi was renowned in Star Academy. Though not the strongest, his status was untouchable, and even Jubao Pavilion's deacons showed him respect.
This chatter emboldened Wang Ya. She looked down on Dao Ling with contempt, jeering, "You want to buy things here? You must be dreaming. I warn you—leave now, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"I'd like to see just how ruthless you can be," Dao Ling retorted sarcastically.
His calm demeanor stunned onlookers, who thought, *This should be interesting—arrogant people often get thrown out of here.*
"Everyone, see? It's not my fault. He asked for it, causing trouble here. Does he think Jubao Pavilion is a marketplace?!" Wang Ya fluttered her charming eyes at the crowd, smiling gently.
"Haha, we'll bear witness. He's the one causing trouble. Teach him a lesson so he knows where he is!"
"Right! Don't think being in Star Academy makes you special. Kid, apologize now, or you'll regret it."
The crowd jeered. Wang Ya crossed her arms, glaring at Dao Ling, waiting for his apology.
Two patrolling guards were drawn by the commotion. A youth smiled obsequiously, "Miss Wang Ya, what's the matter? Trouble?"
Wang Ya preened under his attention, pointing at Dao Ling with a sneer: "This ignorant fool is causing a disturbance. Need I tell you what to do?"
"Of course not! Offending Miss Wang Ya is a death sentence!" The guard's face darkened, glaring at Dao Ling. "Kid, consider this a warning: apologize and get out, or you'll suffer!"
"What if I don't apologize?" Dao Ling's eyes chilled as he looked at the youth.
The youth冷笑 (chuckled coldly), stepping forward with a menacing aura. "You're provoking me. By Jubao Pavilion's rules, I can throw you out right now!"
He clenched his fist, unleashing a powerful wave as he punched Dao Ling's chest.
"Yes! Beat him!" Wang Ya's eyes lit up. The situation was perfect. If she could also seize Dao Ling's blue crystal... She hardly dared imagine it.
"How overbearing." Dao Ling's lips curled. His dark eyes fixed on the incoming fist, and he extended a slender hand from his sleeve, grabbing the youth's fist.
"I'll give you a warning too: don't push your luck!" A flash of sternness crossed his eyes. With a sudden exertion, a *crack* sounded— the youth's arm snapped.
The youth's face扭曲 (twisted) in agony, his body collapsing as cold sweat poured down. It felt like his entire arm had been dislocated, and he howled in excruciating pain.
The crowd stood stunned—not by Dao Ling's strength, but by his audacity. *He actually dared to fight here? He's dead.*
"Perfect! This is perfect!" Wang Ya burst into laughter. *He's seeking death! Attacking a Jubao Pavilion guard—no one can save him now!*
"Dammit! Die, boy!" The other guard, silent until now, roared, unsheathing a sword that unleashed a beam of light as he charged.
"Scram!" Dao Ling shouted, extending his palm. A golden rune surged forth like a great wave, crashing into the sword and nearly shattering it.
He flicked his sleeve, and a gale of astral wind sliced across the guard's chest, sending him flying.
"What a terrifying character." Someone gasped. Both guards were in the Yunling Realm, yet this youth had defeated them effortlessly.
"You're dead!" Wang Ya looked at the writhing guards and grinned viciously, crushing a black rune in her hand. The entire Jubao Pavilion erupted with ferocious energy.
"Brazen!" Several shadows descended from the second floor. A green-robed man, seeing the scene, bellowed and charged, his fist unleashing a shockwave that made the world tremble.
Wang Ya laughed triumphantly. This green-robed man was a Fourth Layer Yunling expert—more than enough to deal with Dao Ling. She could even use this "crime" to have him killed!