C93 Enter Again
Lin Xuan nodded, his voice calm and detached:
"Let's leave the past in the past. I'm not one to dwell on it."
He had no intention of relinquishing the advantages he'd gained.
With 30,000 contribution points converted into spirit stones, he could sustain his cultivation for some time, significantly bolstering his strength.
He certainly wouldn't abandon such benefits over a minor grudge.
"Thank you."
Chen Xiao responded with a swift, grateful smile.
Relief washed over him.
The talent and potential Lin Xuan had shown were overwhelmingly formidable, almost beyond his wildest dreams.
He couldn't afford to cross Lin Xuan.
If their grievances could be settled amicably, all the better.
"Actually, there's a favor I need to ask of Senior Brother Chen and Deacon Zhang..."
After a brief exchange, Lin Xuan's tone grew serious.
His aim was clear: to trade his contribution points for spirit stones.
He could make the exchange at the Inner Sect's Clan Mission Hall, but the rate there was less favorable, ten to one.
Within the Drifting Cloud Sect, contribution points were in higher demand.
Privately, ten contribution points could fetch between 1.5 to 2 Substandard spirit stones.
The margin might seem negligible, but when scaled up to the thousands or tens of thousands, the difference was substantial.
His immediate goal was to enhance his strength as swiftly as possible.
He wouldn't overlook such an opportunity.
Hence, he sought to trade a portion of his contribution points for Substandard spirit stones at the more lucrative private rate.
He was confident that not even the deacons present could match him, and thus, they were unlikely to decline his proposal.
Just as Lin Xuan anticipated, the decision was not a difficult one.
Given Lin Xuan's recent surge in power, they had no grounds to refuse him.
So, the exchange was made.
Lin Xuan had amassed roughly 50,000 contribution points.
He exchanged 40,000 of these for 8,000 Substandard spirit stones.
For someone in the late period of the Condensation Spin Stage, 8,000 Substandard spirit stones represented a considerable sum.
Together, the other two deacons, Deacon Zhang, and Chen Xiao had just as many Substandard spirit stones at their disposal.
This was the highest private exchange rate within the Inner Sect, typically reserved for times of dire need.
Yet, the three deacons and Chen Xiao willingly accepted this rate, taking a slight loss.
Clearly, they recognized Lin Xuan's formidable potential and sought to forge a connection with him.
Lin Xuan, of course, had no intention of declining their overture.
After all, he could simply return the favor once he came into his own in the future.
This was hardly an issue.
"I must extend my thanks to Deacon Zhang, Deacon Sun, Deacon Lee, and Junior Chen this time," Lin Xuan said with a light chuckle.
"There's no need for thanks," they responded.
"It's nothing major."
"We have more Spirit Stones than we can use. Since you're in need, please, take them," they insisted, each replying with a warm smile.
After a brief exchange, Lin Xuan bowed his hands in farewell and departed.
He had lingered in the Fighting Arena longer than intended; it was time to visit the Martial Arts Pavilion.
Thankfully, his time in the arena had been profitable, so it was not time squandered.
Lin Xuan made his way out of the Martial Arts Practice Field with purpose.
Disciples stepped aside as he passed, clearing a path for him.
Their gazes, filled with reverence, followed Lin Xuan.
Gone were the sneers and disdain; Lin Xuan had earned their respect through his prowess.
They harbored no further doubts.
A hush fell over the arena.
All eyes remained fixed on Lin Xuan's retreating figure until he vanished from view.
No further words were exchanged.
After a shared glance, the crowd dispersed quietly.
The day's dramatic turn of events at the Fighting Arena had dampened their enthusiasm for further spectating or betting.
The impact of Lin Xuan's actions was still resonating within them.
Moreover, they were eager to spread the sensational news far and wide.
Before long, only a handful of deacons remained.
Chen Xiao, too, had promptly left with the majority.
The deacons exchanged wry smiles.
Never before had the Fighting Arena been so deserted.
They hadn't anticipated that Lin Xuan would be the cause of such a stir.
But with the crowd gone, there was no reason for them to linger any longer.
After deliberating, they decided to leave two of them on watch.
The others departed to inform the Sect Seniors about the day's extraordinary events at the Fighting Arena.
The occurrences at the arena today had shattered multiple sect records.
It was only a matter of time before the entire sect buzzed with the news, potentially even startling the Sect Seniors.
They opted to proactively report in, to preclude any reprimands from their superiors.
As the appointed deacons of the Fighting Arena, their accounts held considerable weight.
Unbeknownst to Lin Xuan, his actions had caused quite a stir at the arena.
He had since reached the Martial Arts Pavilion.
After scanning the surroundings, Lin Xuan resignedly shook his head.
Nothing caught his eye as worth duplicating.
He then entered the Pavilion.
With his Inner Sect disciple identity card, he effortlessly ascended to the second floor.
This level was far quieter than the first, with fewer than ten Inner Sect disciples perusing the manuals.
The bookshelves were sparser here as well.
A few Condensation Spin Stage deacons were busy sorting the secret manuals and advising disciples on finding the right ones.
Lin Xuan's gaze swept across the room, his eyes landing on each individual.
The attribute panels of everyone on the second floor materialized before him.
He observed them for a moment but soon looked away, a tinge of disappointment in his eyes.
The treasures held by the second-floor deacons paled in comparison to those of the Fighting Arena.
The Inner Sect disciples here were just that—ordinary.
Their attribute panels were nothing out of the ordinary.
He found no treasures of interest.
"Well, I might as well take a look around the second floor; I can't leave empty-handed," Lin Xuan muttered to himself, shaking his head with a sigh.
Dismissing further distractions, he focused on searching for secret techniques on the second floor.
In no time, more than ten minutes had passed.
Lin Xuan selected two secret manuals that appeared to be a good fit for him.
However, he realized that the Pavilion lacked certain specialized manuals not directly related to martial arts.
It seemed he would need to visit the appropriate hall to acquire such books.
Not wanting to linger unnecessarily, Lin Xuan prepared to take the two secret manuals and return to his seclusion for cultivation.
From his time at the Fighting Arena, he had amassed a considerable haul of eight thousand Substandard spirit stones.
These resources would sustain his cultivation for a while.
He was poised to advance to the Late Qi Transformation Stage, perhaps even to its pinnacle, in one fell swoop.
Yet, he knew he needed to bolster his strength without delay.
Other concerns would have to wait; his focus was singular.
Just then, an aged voice reached his ears.
"Have you not found the right secret manual? I have one here that would be perfect for you."
