Lin Yun and Liu Yunyan both stood at the deck of the ship. Their elegance wasn't inferior to each other. As they casually chatted, their relationship gradually improved. A long time later, Lin Yun said, “Miss Liu, you still haven’t told me why being a core disciple is so important to you.”

He could tell that Liu Yunyan had a story from the yearning in her eyes back at the Indigocloud Lake.

Liu Yunyan fell into a brief dilemna before she apologized, “Let’s talk about this next time. Being a core disciple has a special meaning for me. I’ll remember the favor you’ve done this time.”

Since Liu Yunyan didn’t want to talk about it, Lin Yun wouldn’t pry. When night descended, the both of them bade their farewell. Lin Yun sat on the bed with both his hands holding a third grade spiritual jade.

As he circulated the Iris Sword Sutra, the boundless spiritual energy surged into his violet palace in his dantian. The liquified sword energy was a lot stronger than the sword energy he had when he was in the quasi-Violet Palace Realm.

At the center of his dantian was a silver Iris Flower. Additionally, his Primordial Chaotic Beasts were looking at the violet palace coldly. If Lin Yun were to look carefully, he would realize that most of the refined spiritual energy was devoured by the two Primordial Chaotic Beasts, especially the Aurora Dragon. Its eyes gradually lit up as it absorbed more spiritual energy.

Qiongqi didn’t have many changes, but it wasn’t any weaker than the Aurora Dragon. This was also the reason why Lin Yun required so much resources in his cultivation. This gave him an even bigger headache. He couldn’t satisfy the Iris Sword Sutra alone, not to mention the two Primordial Chaotic Beasts.

Five days later, Lin Yun could sense the bustling on the lake as the ship sailed into a narrow path.

“The prefectural city is up ahead,” said Liu Yunyan with joy as she looked at the outline of the city. Lin Yun could tell that Liu Yunyan was desperate to return to the academy.

“Liu Yunyan!”

“It’s really her! She’s so beautiful. She’s really worthy of her title as the Heavenly Province Academy’s bella. But she’s a little too cold. I heard that she went out for the Indigoflame Goldlotuses.I wonder how did it go.”

“I’m afraid it wasn’t easy. Practically all the other quasi-overlord forces went as well.”

“The youth beside her doesn’t look familiar. Who is he? They look rather familiar with each other.”

Liu Yunyan was naturally recognized because of her fame in the prefectural city. So, the crowd began to discuss among themselves. When Lin Yun looked at Liu Yunyan, he could see her maintaining her composure. Clearly, she was used to this treatment.

It didn’t take long for a majestic city to appear within their sights. The Ancient Southern Domain had tens of thousands of sects and empires. The nine prefectures have existed since ancient times. Even the Great Qin Empire was only located at the border of the prefecture.

Each prefecture had a prefectural city and the Nether Prefectural City was just up ahead. Looking from afar, the towering city wall looked like a coiling dragon as it brimmed with majesty.

Lin Yun looked at the city as he fell into deep thought. He had heard long ago that the nine prefectural cities were blessed with the dragon vein. The prefectural cities were also seen as Draconic Cities. Specifically, the nine Draconic Cities of the Ancient Southern Domain. Just the city alone was a lot larger than the entire Heavenly Qin County.

Passing through the gate, the ship looked like a small raft between the majestic city walls. The moment the ship drove into the city, Lin Yun began to look around in the city. The streets were all filled with cultivators in the Xiantian Realm. The Profound Martial Realm elites in the Great Qin Empire were insignificant here based on how many Violet Palace Realm cultivators that could be seen on the streets.

Lin Yun could even sense many terrifying existences in the city, some of which had the aura of Heavenly Soul Realm cultivators. This had greatly widened Lin Yun’s vision. The Nether Prefectural City was truly a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

“Lin Yun, let’s go.” Liu Yunyan called out before she leaped down from the ship with the other academy’s disciples following behind her.

Lin Yun retracted his gaze and he gently tapped his foot on the ship to jump down. The Heavenly Province Academy was known as one of the five quasi-overlord forces. They might not be comparable to the Profound Yang Palace, but they were still famous.

The academy was proficient in nurturing spiritualists. So they were more proficient in spiritual runes compared to other sects. Those who wanted to learn spiritual runes would naturally view the academy as their first pick.

Compared to the other quasi-overlord forces, the Heavenly Province Academy might be slightly weaker, but their foundation wasn't any inferior compared to the other quasi-overlord forces. The academy was proficient in creating arrays, refining artifacts, and refining pellets. They had a wide connection, so no one dared to casually offend the academy. After all, no one knew if they might provoke a gigantic existence upon them.

When the group reached the academy, the buildings were a lot different from what Lin Yun had imagined. The Sword Firmament Pavilion might be more majestic than the academy, but the academy looked more elegant. The academy looked simple, but anyone could sense the profundity of its architecture.

When Lin Yun probed the academy by reaching out with his aura over, he could sense a suffocating aura coming towards him. At the entrance of the academy was a stone tablet engraved with many spiritual runes that formed a painting. With Lin Yun’s attainment in spiritual runes, he could tell that they were all third grade spiritual runes.

This alone showed the academy’s confidence in spiritual runes. Most importantly, there was a faint spiritual rune at the tablet’s core that looked bizarre. This piqued Lin Yun’s interest even more as his eyes lit up. He knew that he didn’t come to the wrong place. Perhaps this place could aid him decipher the secrets in the rose painting. Now, he was determined to become a guest deacon.

“Yunyan, you’ve finally returned.” A group of disciples led by an elderly woman walked over.

“Elder Yu,” greeted Liu Yunyan as she cupped her hands together.

Nodding her head, Elder Yu smiled, “Have you completed your mission.”

“Yes. I have obtained three Indigoflame Goldlotuses as ordered.”

“It wasn’t easy for you. I heard that the Shattered Sword Pavilion, Bloodwing Pavilion, and Threesolute Manor all participated this time. Not to mention that there were many wandering cultivators as well.” Elder Yu had joy on her face. Liu Yunyan was a disciple she took pride in, so he was naturally proud that Liu Yunyan completed the mission.

“This youth looks rather unfamiliar. Who is he?” Elder Yu asked as he looked at Lin Yun.

“This is my friend, Lin Yun. He’s the reason why I was able to obtain the lotuses. I intend to recommend him as a guest elder after becoming a core disciple,” replied Liu Yunyan as Lin Yun took a step forward and cupped his hands together.

“Since you have received the importance of Yunyan, you must be extraordinary. Bai Yi, lead him to an empty residence,” smiled Elder Yu as she was briefly shocked.

“Okay,” smiled Bai Yi. But Lin Yun fell into deep thought because he could sense that something was unusual with Elder Yu’s reaction.

“Elder Yu, is there a problem with Lin Yun?” Liu Yunyan long discovered the abnormality in Elder Yu’s expression.

“Guest deacons of the academy are the same as inner disciples. The competition has always been intense. Normally when a core disciple makes a recommendation, we’ll just go through the formalities. But coincidentally, Mo Ling, that lass, has also recommended someone. It’s her elder cousin from her clan,” sighed Elder Yu.

“Senior Sister Mo Ling.” Liu Yunyan frowned her brows the moment this name was mentioned. Mo Ling was ranked at the forefront of the disciples, not to mention that she was also a direct descendant of the Mo Clan.

The Nether Prefectural City had many clans and the Mo Clan was a clan that wasn’t any inferior to the Heavenly Province Academy in terms of their foundation. So Mo Ling’s words naturally hdld a lot more weight than hers did.

“This will be difficult…” said Liu Yunyan.

“Let’s just forget it if it’s not possible. We can compensate him through other means,” probed Elder Yu.

“No way.” Liu Yunyan refused, “I can’t just ignore this matter. I’ll hand in my recommendation and I’ll leave it to the sect’s decision.”

Elder Yu smiled bitterly, but she didn’t say anything more. She naturally understood Liu Yunyan’s personality well and knew that she wouldn’t change her decision once she made up her mind. However, she was quite curious about Lin Yun’s origin since he could make her disciple go as far as offending Mo Ling.