How to be a bit quicker?  

The youthful student from the Department of Engineering walked straight up to Lin Xi, bowing deeply with an air of solemnity and gravity. 

"What is this?" Lin Xi looked at the student, puzzled by his earnest salutation, feeling that the boy seemed somewhat familiar but unable to place him. 

"I am Zhou Zhou. Thank you for saving me." 

Upon hearing this, Lin Xi finally realized that this was the student he had rescued from the fire. 

Seeing that Zhou Zhou had specifically sought him out in the Department of Peacekeeping, and was behaving so formally, Lin Xi felt a sudden rush of fluster and hurried to return the gesture, not anticipating that the movement would aggravate his injuries, causing his face to contort slightly. 

Zhou Zhou noticed the change in Lin Xi's expression immediately. 

Seeing the horrific burns on Lin Xi's hands, he bowed deeply once more and said, "I owe you my life." 

His solemnity rendered the entire cafeteria silent. 

"It's nothing; we are all students of Qingluan Academy…" Lin Xi replied, feeling somewhat embarrassed. 

"Perhaps it means little to you, but it is different for me." Zhou Zhou shook his head, interrupting Lin Xi. "You saved my life and made me realize my own weakness and cowardice. I had prided myself on my courage, yet I see now how far I truly am from it… I think that even if many students had discovered my plight, few would have rushed in like you did to save me. You not only kept me alive but also showed me what I need to do moving forward." 

The cafeteria remained enveloped in silence. 

Many students from the Department of Peacekeeping, who had initially regarded Lin Xi with scorn as he limped in, now felt a pang of shame, realizing that if they had found themselves in a similar situation, they might not have had the courage to charge in like the so-called "waste of talent" they had derided. 

"I owe you my life." 

Lin Xi opened his mouth, unsure of what to say, but Zhou Zhou merely looked at him again, repeating his words before turning to leave. 

"He is quite a proud person," Tang Ke remarked softly to Lin Xi, observing the Engineering student he had not known before. "People like him tend to speak with sincerity." 

"Hey, you were there too; why didn't you rush in first?" Hua Jiyue glanced at Tang Ke, whose back was slightly hunched even in the cafeteria, and asked. 

Tang Ke turned to Lin Xi and said, "Actually, I have a question. Lin Xi, we were with you at the time, so why didn't I hear Zhou Zhou's cries for help?" 

Bian Linghan frowned and added, "I didn't hear anything either." 

Lin Xi was momentarily taken aback, unsure how to explain. After contemplating, he could not find a suitable excuse and decided to feign ignorance, saying, "Didn't you notice the sounds inside? I distinctly heard something crashing." 

"The sound of something crashing could have just been wood falling," Hua Jiyue shot Lin Xi a cold glance. "Next time you decide to play the hero, think it through first. Don't rush in blindly." 

"I certainly knew he was there," Lin Xi muttered to himself, but having narrowly escaped the situation, he dared not voice this thought. Instead, he simply nodded, feeling a warmth in his heart as he focused on his meal, comforting his empty stomach. 

... 

... 

As Jiang Xiaoyi navigated through the wooded expanse of the New Student Trial Valley, a sense of agitation stirred within him. 

Since his defeat at the hands of the black-armored "Silver Fox" the day before, he had spent the last two days searching the valley, yet he had not encountered that elusive opponent again. 

Although the students from the Department of Peacekeeping were only required to enter the New Student Trial Valley a minimum of six times a month, nearly all new students took advantage of any free time to enter daily. They understood well that the brutally realistic combat scenarios were crucial for honing true combat skills, making it the most vital martial arts class. 

Students with weaker foundations needed to engage in more battles to bridge the growing gap in their abilities. 

In addition to seeking revenge, Jiang Xiaoyi was also filled with curiosity about the "Silver Fox." In fact, he had hidden in the shadows and witnessed the entire scene where the "Silver Fox" defeated Mu Shan Zi of the Purple Wolf Clan, even retrieving a golden five-pointed badge from Mu Shan Zi's possession. The stealthy assassination executed by the "Silver Fox" left him feeling both mystified and impressed, fueling his desire for another confrontation to see what surprises this opponent might bring beyond archery. 

However, he still had not encountered this rival! 

Amidst his growing frustration, he suddenly halted, gripping a black standard long sword, as a figure emerged silently ahead of him, wielding a battle axe and marked with the emblem of a green bear on his chest. 

As his pupils constricted slightly, Jiang Xiaoyi wasted no time and charged silently toward his opponent. 

What Jiang Xiaoyi did not know was that at that very moment, the opponent he sought was seated calmly in the pharmacy of An Ke Yi, the youngest female associate professor in the history of the Pharmacy Department. 

Before Lin Xi lay a small red clay stove, and beside him rested a booklet inscribed with elegant handwriting. His task was to brew several types of herbs into concentrated extracts according to the timings noted in the booklet and carefully transfer them into porcelain vials, labeling them appropriately. 

His body still bore over twenty bruises, and pressing on them would elicit sharp pain. 

Yet despite this, he had no intention of backing down. 

Whether it was Jiang Xiaoyi wielding the black flower spear or the direct spear formations in the stone hall, he had come to understand the essence of the words left by the middle-aged man: even if they possessed extraordinary abilities, there remained countless unknowns in this world—too many formidable opponents and unseen dangers. No one could claim invincibility in this realm. 

In the chaos of true battle, even facing dozens of ordinary soldiers armed with long spears, returning to ten minutes prior would be of no use; he would still be vulnerable to assassination. Given his current strength, if he were to become ensnared in a formation, he would be utterly incapable of contending with a multitude of ordinary soldiers wielding long spears. 

Only through diligent training could he cultivate the ability to protect himself in this seemingly tranquil yet perilous empire and truly live a vibrant life. 

He indeed wished to enter the Trial Valley daily for training, but his body had not yet recovered over the past two days. The academy's unique black armor did not alleviate pain; rather, it was designed to simulate the real-life impacts of battle on movement, so if he were to enter the Trial Valley in his current state, he could only anticipate the inevitable outcome: first, he would become a target for others, losing all his golden five-pointed badges, and then he would suffer even worse injuries in that stone hall from a barrage of spears. 

Thus, in the coming days, Lin Xi simply focused on completing the medical and toxicology courses, as well as the special training for Windwalkers, which had been delayed by a day due to a fire. 

This marked his first time assisting in An Ke Yi's pharmacy. 

Although An Ke Yi, who was immersed in books and herbs, directly informed him that her research was classified at level five within the academy, accessible only to professors, Lin Xi refrained from probing further, unaware of the specific direction of her research. However, he felt a sense of pride in being her competent assistant today, as calculating the brewing times was something he excelled at. 

Since arriving in this world and discovering his unique ability to rewind time by ten minutes, he had meticulously calculated time countless times; thus, his grasp of timing was likely more precise than any hourglass used for measuring time. 

This allowed him to perfectly control the boiling times of each herbal concoction without needing to constantly monitor the row of hourglasses beside him. 

"You did well," An Ke Yi remarked after completing the preparation of several vials of herbal liquid and testing their potency. She tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear and tossed Lin Xi a piece of parchment made from sheepskin, adorned with illustrations and annotations of various herbs. "There are some herbs in the Trial Valley that can be used for healing and pain relief. I cannot provide you with the academy's resources without permission, but you may collect some while you're in the valley. The parchment contains simple usage instructions." 

"Thank you, Teacher An." 

Lin Xi gratefully accepted the sheepskin scroll from An Ke Yi's fair fingers, feeling that this information was far more straightforward and useful than the peculiar postures taught by Luo Houyuan. Over the past two days, he had occasionally practiced those awkward positions, but each time he felt a significant strain in his wrists and elbows, uncertain of their practical benefits. 

It was truly perplexing… just thinking about the direct spear formations made Lin Xi feel troubled. 

"Teacher An," seizing the opportunity after finishing his chores, Lin Xi looked at the engrossed associate professor and asked, "Teacher An… you must be aware of the direct spear formations in the Trial Valley, right? You mentioned that aside from quickly determining the direction to dodge, one should never pause their movement, and the long knife should only strike at the most accessible spears, ensuring each blow avoids being pierced. Beyond ensuring that each strike does not interfere with the next movement… are there any additional tips that could help me endure longer and progress more swiftly?" 

"Regarding the direct spear formations…" The gentle-natured associate professor did not raise her head, her brow furrowed in thought as she spoke slowly, maintaining her habitual scholarly tone. "You've already considered many aspects… If I were to add anything, it would be that your reflexes and physical conditioning are currently limited, so you can't move any faster. However, if you could increase the speed of your strikes while advancing, you might be able to cleave through a few more incoming spears, thus improving your chances of passing more quickly." 

Lin Xi was taken aback, and the scene of the seemingly harmless associate professor wielding a sapphire-blue long knife wrapped around her jade-like arm flashed through his mind. 

"Teacher, could you teach me how to draw my knife faster?" He took a deep breath, looking earnestly and expectantly at An Ke Yi as he asked.