Gao Wu: Oh no! Young Master Zhen is a cultivator!

It took only two hours to absorb all thirty-six crystal cores, three times faster than usual.

"As expected, it can match the absorption speed of a fourth-order crystal core." Lin Ran's lips curled up slightly.

However, when he saw the remaining crystal cores, his expression fell again.

Of the remaining eleven third-tier crystal cores, nine can be used to set up a very simple spirit-gathering array.

As for the more than two hundred first-order crystal cores, even if they were arranged into an array, it might not be as efficient as absorbing a third-order crystal core individually.

Fortunately, with the support of the formation, efficiency was improved nonetheless.

After repeating this process twice more, Lin Ran still failed to break through the seventh level of Qi Refining.

The array, composed of nine third-order crystal cores, is 50% more efficient than absorbing crystals individually.

The array formed by 207 first-order crystal cores is far superior to absorbing a single first-order crystal core, barely reaching the standard of a third-order crystal core.

However, setting up the formation also took a lot of time, and overall, it was only slightly better than directly absorbing a second-tier crystal core.

Looking at the two third-tier crystal cores and two first-tier crystal cores remaining in his hand, Lin Ran shook his head helplessly.

He has reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, just one step away from the later stage of Qi Refining.

It seems I'll have to find some time to go hunting in the sea again tonight, hoping to break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining in one fell swoop.

It's impossible to wait until next weekend; that would be too much of a delay.

At this moment, the sky outside the window was already turning white.

He got up, washed up, changed into his school uniform, and went downstairs.

Eat, go to school.

Lin Ran sat down in the classroom. The bell rang, and Zhou Zhengping walked in and knocked on the podium.

"Next Monday at 8:00 AM, all senior students will take the final mock exam before the martial arts exam. The virtual scenario is tentatively set as a medium-sized island, and all candidates will be randomly distributed."

「依旧是积分制，一阶10-50分，二阶100-300分，三阶1000-2000分。」

"However, this mock exam adopts a brand-new points-based competition system, where candidates can compete for points with each other, and the final winner is determined by the last one standing."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire class: "Therefore, in this assessment, you can't trust anyone but yourselves!"

The whole class buzzed with excitement.

"They can steal from each other? Wouldn't that mean we have to be wary of everyone?"

What if someone intercepts your attack halfway through?

"Are martial arts exams really that brutal now?"

"When has the martial arts exam ever stopped being brutal?"

Zhou Jianping was not surprised by the students' reaction.

He raised his hand to smother the flames and continued, "If nothing unexpected happens, the martial arts exam will also use the same system, so don't take any chances. Everyone needs to take this seriously!"

After saying that, the class began.

Throughout the morning, the students in the class seemed somewhat distracted.

At lunchtime, Zhao Meng immediately came over.

"Brother Ran, which academy do you want to go to?"

Lin Ran looked up at him and asked, "Do I really have to go to the academy?"

"Where else would you go if not to the academy?" Zhao Meng scratched his head. "Ran-ge, do you want to go to the Special Affairs Bureau?"

In most cases, the Secret Service recruits from various colleges and universities.

Because the students in these martial arts academies have experienced more trials, their temperaments are relatively more stable.

Of course, there are exceptions. For example, someone who performs exceptionally well in the martial arts college entrance examination, with both temperament and strength far surpassing their peers, may be exceptionally recruited by the Special Affairs Bureau.

Zhao Meng believed that Lin Ran had a chance to directly enter the Special Affairs Bureau, which clearly showed that he highly recognized Lin Ran's abilities.

"Actually, I don't want to go anywhere." Lin Ran said calmly.

Zhao Meng leaned back slightly, looking puzzled. "Why?"

"Because I don't have time." Lin Ran shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Zhao Meng's expression shifted from confusion to sudden realization: "You're going home to inherit the family business?"

It's not surprising that he has this guess, after all, the Lin family does have a large business.

Unfortunately, Lin Ran was not prepared to inherit the position.

"You're overthinking it." Lin Ran leaned back and continued, "I'm busy cultivating, I don't have time to go to the academy or the Special Affairs Bureau."

Zhao Meng was even more confused: "You need to cultivate to enter the academy and the Special Affairs Bureau? And it's the proper kind with teachers guiding you."

"You don't understand." Lin Ran gently shook his head.

Bai Ruolin, who was in the front row, turned around because she was drawn to their conversation.

"Although your F-level talent may stop at the Inner Breath Realm, it won't prevent you from joining the Special Affairs Bureau."

Her tone was confident: "Universities recruit based on talent, but the Secret Service only looks at ability. You have that ability."

Lin Ran shrugged: "You misunderstood, I'm not worried about these things."

Bai Ruolin glanced at him and continued, "If you want to join the Special Affairs Bureau, we can do it together."

Before Lin Ran could answer, Chu Xining immediately spoke up, "Brother Lin Ran, wherever you go, I'll go with you!"

She already considers Bai Ruolin a competitor and is constantly on guard against her.

Lin Ran shook his head: "I don't want to go anywhere."

As far as he knew, the work of the Secret Service was not easy.

Lin Zhixia is a perfect example. She leaves early and returns late every day, and often has to work overtime. She doesn't even have weekends off.

How can one cultivate in peace after entering a place like this?

As for the various martial arts academies, as Bai Ruolin said, each academy has its own admission standards.

Outstanding students are not only required to have outstanding performance in martial arts exams, but also to have at least a C-level talent.

As for students with talent below D rank, becoming monster hunters in the martial arts association or soldiers in the city defense forces is the conventional path.

Of course, this doesn't apply to families with inherited wealth.

Lin Ran needs to spend a lot of time cultivating, while also hunting mutated creatures.

Of these options, Monster Hunter seems to be the best fit for him.

Moreover, he doesn't need to join a martial arts team; he can be a lone hunter and has complete freedom to manage his time.

However, it's too early to think about these things now, since there's still more than a month until the martial arts exam.

The most urgent task is to gather resources and break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Chu Xining felt slightly disappointed after being rejected by Lin Ran.

She lowered her eyes, her lips slightly pouting, looking pitiful.

Sun Jinghuan, on the other side, suddenly spoke up: "Xi Ning, as an S-rank Awakened, you have a bright future ahead of you. How can you waste your time with him?"

"I'm happy to do it, what's it to you?" Chu Xining's already unpleasant mood worsened. "What makes you think that spending time with Lin Ran is a waste of my time?"

"You're my fiancée, of course I have to take care of you!" Sun Jinghuan said with an air of entitlement.

Chu Xining frowned, her attitude resolute: "I will absolutely not accept this marriage agreement. Forget about it!"

Actually, this wasn't the first time she had refused, but Sun Jinghuan just wouldn't give up.

"I don't want to make things difficult for you, but this is all an arrangement made by our elders..."

Before Sun Jinghuan could finish speaking, Chu Xining interrupted him directly: "Go back and tell your elders in the Sun family that I have already had intimate relations with Brother Lin Ran, and see if they are still willing to let you marry me!"

The moment these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.

Sun Jinghuan's mind went blank, and his face turned extremely ugly: "What did you say?"

"I said that I have already had physical intimacy with Brother Lin Ran!" Chu Xining repeated, her voice even louder than before.

Bai Ruolin frowned slightly, her gaze shifting between Lin Ran and Chu Xining.

Could it be that Chu Xining has already beaten her to it?

She felt a tightness in her chest and felt quite annoyed.

Zhao Meng's mouth dropped open, his expression as if he had discovered a new continent, his eyes brimming with undisguised excitement.

Lin Ran, who had originally planned to look at Chu Xining, finally couldn't help but speak up: "Why is this getting more and more outrageous?"

Seeing Lin Ran's reaction, Sun Jinghuan's face regained some color.

"You're lying to me, aren't you? Lin Ran won't admit it."

Chu Xining grabbed Lin Ran's arm: "Brother Lin Ran, tell him the truth, you've already slept with me!"

"Nonsense, how can you talk nonsense about something like this?" Lin Ran pulled his arm away from her.

Bai Ruolin secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself that it was just nonsense and she was not out of the game yet.

Pulling herself back to reality, she added, "Yes, Chu, you can't just say things like that. A girl's reputation is very important."