Sharpen

"Beyond the Fusion Realm? Extreme Realm? It can't be the Explorer Realm, right?" Lu Yin was astonished.

Xiaopao shook his head. "Explorer Realm is impossible. Once someone reaches the Explorer Realm, they can apply for graduation, and those people cannot fight indiscriminately. But there won't be a lack of Extreme Realm experts. Don't think of them as ordinary Extreme Realm experts; they've transitioned from the Fusion Realm, participated in the Battle for the Worlds, and even the Three Realms and Six Paths Trials. Challenging higher levels is possible for them. You're still in the Fusion Realm; fighting those people will be difficult. Better hide."

Lu Yin pondered. His cultivation had just gotten on track, and comprehending battle qi meant he could go further in the Battle for the Worlds. A hundred victories were within reach, and the next step was the Three Realms and Six Paths. He didn't want to leave, and Xiyue had mentioned that the best way to strengthen battle qi was through combat. Since she had attracted so many strong opponents, he might as well fight!

"Senior, please take care of things. I don't want to leave. I'll be cultivating in Wangchuan Desert. If anyone comes looking for trouble, they can find me there. I won't hide," Lu Yin said resolutely.

Cannon's eyes brightened, and he patted Lu Yin's shoulder. "That's the spirit. Honestly, I don't agree with you hiding. Our Tenth Academy isn't afraid of trouble. If we can't get through this, how can we compete in the Three Realms and Six Paths? Go ahead and cultivate."

Xiaopao also nodded, recognizing his junior brother for the first time. This incident might not be a bad thing; it depended on how far Lu Yin could go.

At that moment, Cannon's personal terminal received a notification, and his expression changed. "So soon?"

Lu Yin and Xiaopao looked at him.

He said solemnly, "The troublemaker has arrived, a strong expert from the Eighth Academy, Lanuke."

"Who?" Lu Yin asked, puzzled.

Cannon replied seriously, "An expert in the Fusion Realm from the Eighth Academy, not inferior to Xiyue. He's also the second on the Fire Region's Refinement List, second only to the top-ranked Gar."

"Fire Region?" Lu Yin's expression darkened. This was not his first encounter with people from the Fire Region. During the Tenth Academy's assessment, a strong expert from the Fire Region blocked their way, but Lulu dealt with it. This time, he wanted to try out the so-called second on the Refinement List.

"Go to Wangchuan Desert. If there's real trouble, we'll direct him to you," Xiaopao said.

Lu Yin nodded and entered the teleportation device, heading straight to Wangchuan Desert.

At the Tenth Academy's space station, the spaceship door opened, and a group of Fire Region disciples disembarked. Lanuke stepped off the ship, surveying the surroundings. It wouldn't be long before this place belonged to the Fire Region.

Xiaopao arrived at the space station to face Lanuke directly.

Lanuke looked at Xiaopao. "Are you a student of the Tenth Academy? Where's Lu Yin? Tell him to get out here."

Xiaopao frowned, thought for a moment, then raised his hand, using star energy to carve words into the tall wall: 'Lu Yin is in Wangchuan Desert.' He then glanced disdainfully at Lanuke and left without a word.

Lanuke was furious at the disrespect. "Wangchuan Desert, huh? Alright. As long as it's a spar between students, I hope the Tenth Academy mentors won't interfere."

Xiaopao walked away slowly.

Lanuke snorted and headed towards the teleportation device. The Fire Region disciples wanted to follow but were stopped by Lanuke. Students could enter and leave, but non-students couldn't.

The ten branches of the Starry Sky Academy are all part of the same institution, collectively called the Starry Sky Academy. Due to the vastness of the universe, it couldn't be contained in one place, hence the division into ten branches. Lanuke was officially a student of the Eighth Academy but was also considered a student of the Tenth Academy.

Even though he looked down on the Tenth Academy, it was still one of the ten branches. Fire Region disciples couldn't enter without permission, as it would be a blatant disregard for the entire Starry Sky Academy, which was a grave matter.

Entering the teleportation device, Lanuke's eyes were deep. He had been told to bring back one of Lu Yin's hands to prevent him from cultivating. So, he decided to break all his limbs first. But before that, he needed to ensure the Tenth Academy mentors wouldn't interfere.

In the desert, Lu Yin was contemplating. With Xiyue's status, she could attract many strong opponents. If it was just fighting, it would be a waste of time. Strangely, he remembered what happened during the trial on Earth and smiled. This wasn't so bad either.

Lanuke looked at the vast desert before him. This was the Tenth Academy's Wangchuan Desert, famous throughout the universe. It was once a holy land for battle qi cultivation, but due to the academy head's madness, the desert underwent drastic changes, and the holy land disappeared.

"Lanuke, student of the Eighth Academy, requests an audience with the Tenth Academy's desert mentor," Lanuke shouted.

Lu Yin looked up and saw a figure in the distance. Finally, someone had arrived.

"What is it? Speak," the mentor's voice echoed in the desert.

Lanuke spoke solemnly, "I wish to spar with your student, Lu Yin. I hope the desert mentor will allow it."

"I won't interfere."

Lanuke's mouth curved into a smile. "I hope the mentor won't interfere until one side concedes."

"I said I won't interfere. Stop talking nonsense or get lost," the mentor's temper was far worse than the observer mentor. Lanuke wasn't angry at being scolded; he was pleased. He got what he wanted. As long as he disabled Lu Yin before he could concede, no one could blame him.

Lu Yin stood up, quietly watching the man approaching in the distance. This was Lanuke, second on the Fire Region's Refinement List.

Lanuke saw Lu Yin and his eyes flashed. His tone turned cold. "Lu Yin, I've heard a lot about you."

Lu Yin responded indifferently, "Looking for trouble?"

Lanuke chuckled, "Don't misunderstand. It's just a spar. As an elite student of the Tenth Academy, you wouldn't be afraid, would you?"

Lu Yin squinted. "No need to provoke me. I'll spar, but on one condition."

"Condition?" Lanuke was puzzled.

Lu Yin smiled faintly. "I'm in the middle of cultivation. You came to disturb me out of nowhere, calling it a spar. If you waste my time, there should be compensation."

Lanuke laughed disdainfully. "Fine, what do you want?"

Lu Yin raised two fingers. "Two thousand cubic meters of star energy crystals, and I'll spar with you."

Lanuke's expression changed. "Two thousand cubic meters? Are you insane? Do you know how much that is?"

"Don't you have it?" Lu Yin mocked.

Lanuke snorted. "I have it, but you're not worth that price."

"I can offer another choice. If you lose, give me your Convergence Ring. If you win, I won't take a penny. How about that?" Lu Yin proposed, his tone filled with temptation.

Lanuke grinned. "Alright, you have a deal."

Lu Yin's eyes lit up. "Refreshing, as expected of a Fire Region expert. You can make the first move."

Lanuke sneered. "Watch out. I don't hold back," he said, charging at Lu Yin. Star energy transformed into flames, creating intense heat that distorted the air as he struck at Lu Yin.

In the desert, it seemed like a blazing sun appeared, dazzling and scorching, enveloping Lu Yin with searing heat.

Lu Yin's expression changed. As expected of an elite student from the Eighth Academy, Lanuke's control of star energy was not inferior to that genius Da Lei he had encountered, and even slightly stronger. Simulating the power of flames with star energy, Lanuke's attack surpassed Archino's in the Tenth Academy's assessment. Archino relied on the sun's burning power, but Lanuke achieved this solely with his star energy. Truly deserving of being second on the Refinement List.

He recalled his battle with Gulbach, who needed a special lightning fruit to use his Thunder Arrow, far inferior to Lanuke. Lanuke's strength was comparable to Xiyue's musical combat techniques, though less threatening.

Thinking this, Lu Yin vanished with a flash, tearing through Lanuke's star energy barrier and appearing before him. He struck with a Ninefold Shockwave Palm.

Lanuke's pupils contracted, feeling the danger. He instinctively dodged, but the impact caused a violent explosion, scattering his star energy. He turned around, realizing Lu Yin wasn't an ordinary Fusion Realm cultivator. He had underestimated him. Lu Yin's harassment of Xiyue wasn't just a rumor. He didn't believe anyone in the Tenth Academy could match Xiyue, but now it seemed Lu Yin's terror exceeded his imagination.

Without hesitation, Lu Yin grabbed Lanuke. Lanuke shouted, donning his ring armor, and flames of star energy surged, ready to explode.

Lu Yin sneered, delivering another Ninefold Shockwave Palm. Lanuke spat blood, his ring armor shattered, and he was buried in the desert.

The Ninefold Ninefold Shockwave Palm could contend with Extreme Realm experts like Zhang Wuji, let alone Lanuke. Though Lanuke was strong, he was far less troublesome for Lu Yin than Xiyue. Xiyue's musical combat techniques, though soft, were internally strong and posed a greater threat to him.

Lu Yin grabbed Lanuke, who was already severely injured, and unceremoniously took his Convergence Ring, tossing Lanuke onto the sand.

"Stop, stop!" Lanuke shouted painfully, glaring at Lu Yin.

Lu Yin crouched down and looked at him coldly. "Are you trying to back out?"

Lanuke gritted his teeth. "There are Fire Region techniques in there. If you take them, you'll face endless pursuit from the Fire Region."

Lu Yin sneered. "I never intended to take your so-called Fire Region techniques, but if I don't take them now, it would make me look cowardly."

Lanuke's expression changed. "What do you want?"

Lu Yin emptied the contents of Lanuke's Convergence Ring. Most of it was star energy crystals, more than ten thousand cubic meters, along with some Mebius Bank crystal cards, medicines, a ring armor, even some thermal weapons, and many items he didn't recognize that emitted heat, likely related to Lanuke's techniques.

Lu Yin didn't bother to ask about each item. He took the star energy crystals and Mebius Bank crystal cards, extracted a vial of Lanuke's blood for genetic verification, and finally picked up a red crystal card with the Fire Region emblem, presumably containing the Fire Region techniques.

Lanuke's face turned pale as he stared intently at Lu Yin.

If Lu Yin learned the Fire Region techniques, even though he would be hunted by the Fire Region, Lanuke would also be held accountable.

"I'm not interested in your Fire Region techniques, but if I sell them, I could make a lot of money, right?" Lu Yin's lips curled into a smile.

Lanuke's voice dropped. "What do you want?"

Lu Yin's eyes were cold. "I want to know about the top experts of the Eighth Institute and the person you serve."

Lanuke secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This request wasn't unreasonable. "Alright, I'll tell you." After a pause, seeing Lu Yin staring at him intently, Lanuke gathered his thoughts and said in a solemn tone, "The Eighth Institute of the Starry Sky has one World Lord and three Domain Lords. The one I serve is one of the Domain Lords, the top of the Fire Region Ranking, Jial."