Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

Half a year passes quickly in this wasteland, like sand slipping through your fingers.

The changes in Li Xingyuan are visible to the naked eye.

The original stronghold, which consisted of five interconnected courtyards, has now expanded outwards by another ring.

The earthen wall was raised to three meters, and the wooden spikes stuck on top of the wall were replaced with iron caltrops that had been quenched with the blood of corrupted beasts, which gleamed with a cold light under the dark red sky.

Above the gate, the three characters "Li Xing Yuan" have been re-engraved, with vigorous strokes and bold, powerful lines.

The children in the courtyard have changed even more.

The thirteen men are now as fierce as wolves, with sharp eyes and a murderous aura honed on the battlefield in every movement and posture.

The most shocking thing was Li Yao.

A month ago, this boy, who had just turned sixteen, awakened his bloodline and stepped into the Condensation Stage under the personal protection of Ian!

On the day of the breakthrough, the courtyard was filled with silver light, and a blurry starry sky phantom could be seen flashing behind Li Yao.

Although it only lasted for a brief moment, it shook the entire outer city three times.

"That little killer from Li Xingyuan... he's materialized too?!"

"A sixteen-year-old in physical form?! What kind of monster bloodline is this?!"

"Li Xing himself broke through to the Nascent Soul stage in a month, and now his younger brother has done it too... Is the Li family bloodline going to defy the heavens?"

Rumors spread like wildfire in the outer city and even reached the inner city.

But Li Yao himself was more composed than he had been six months ago.

Early morning, in the practice room.

Li Yao stood shirtless in the center of the room, holding an ordinary iron sword in his hand.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing was long and steady.

Suddenly, the sword moved.

There are no fancy starting moves, just a simple straight thrust.

But the moment the sword tip pierced through the air, a slight tearing sound rang out, as if cloth were being torn apart.

A faint silver halo swirled around the sword, a sign of the manifesting power of the Condensed Formation stage bloodline.

One sword, two swords, three swords...

Every sword strike was clean and swift, each strike carrying an indomitable and ruthless force.

"Brother Yao's sword is getting more and more terrifying."

Ah Ku squatted in the corner and whispered to Ah Shu next to him.

"I sparred with him yesterday, and I couldn't block three of his sword strikes."

Ashu nodded silently, touching a scar on his chest that hadn't fully healed.

That was ten days ago, when they were out hunting in the city and were ambushed by a "Corrupted Shadow Panther" that had reached the late stage of awakening.

At that time, the Shadow Leopard's claws had already torn through A-Shu's leather armor. It was Li Yao who slashed horizontally with his sword, cutting the Shadow Leopard in half at the waist and saving his life.

"Brother Yao said that the swordsmanship his teacher taught him could be summed up in one word: 'Kill'."

Xiao Zhou hugged his knees, his eyes filled with admiration. "There were no unnecessary movements; every sword strike was meant to take a life."

Just then, the door to the practice room was pushed open.

Ian walked in.

Today he was dressed in a simple gray cloth robe, with the iron sword, stained with the blood of countless corrupted beasts, hanging at his waist. His aura was restrained, and he looked like an ordinary resident of the inner city.

But the boys in the room immediately stood up straight and bowed respectfully.

"teacher!"

Ian nodded, his gaze falling on Li Yao.

"how?"

"It feels...good, it's on a completely different level from my previous awakening."

Li Yao sheathed his sword, his voice calm, but a hint of barely suppressed excitement flickered in his eyes.

Ian nodded slightly. The difference in strength between the two was indeed quite large, much like the difference between a wizard apprentice and a full-fledged wizard.

"No sword practice today."

Ian walked to the center of the room, took out a simple map from his pocket, and spread it on the floor.

The map was drawn on parchment, and the edges were worn, but the markings in the central area were exceptionally clear.

This is an abandoned mine pit area, located about 30 miles northwest of Blue Hole Mountain.

"Here, there is a 'Star Pulse Node'."

Ian pointed to the red circle, his voice not loud, but it invigorated all the boys.

Star Pulse Node!

Over the past six months, they had heard bits and pieces of information about the Star Pulse and the truth about the world from Ian.

They knew that it was the condensation of stellar power deep within the earth, a precious resource for purifying corruption and tempering bloodlines.

"According to historical records, this node is very small and has weak energy, so no one has paid much attention to it."

Ian paused, his eyes turning cold.

"But recently, traces of Dark Star Society activity have been frequently spotted in that area."

The air in the room froze instantly.

Dark Star Society.

These three words are now taboo and a source of hatred in Lixing Academy.

Two months ago, on the outskirts of the outer city, they cleared out a Dark Star Society hideout and rescued more than a dozen civilians who had been kidnapped and were to be sacrificed.

Among them was an eight-year-old girl who, when rescued, already had corrupting runes etched on her neck; she was just one step away from becoming a sacrifice.

Li Yao personally beheaded the leader of that stronghold.

"They want to contaminate the node?" Li Yao asked, his voice tinged with coldness.

"Or... to seize the 'Star Pulse Crystal' that might be condensing deep within the node," Ian said.

He looked at the fourteen young and resolute faces before him.

"This time, we took the initiative."

"Clearing the dark stars in the node area will yield debris. Explore deeper into the node, and if you're lucky... you might obtain a Star Pulse Crystal."

The boys' eyes lit up simultaneously.

Star Pulse Crystallization!

That's a treasure that can directly accelerate bloodline awakening and improve cultivation!

Star Pulse Crystallization!

That's a treasure that can directly accelerate bloodline awakening and improve cultivation!

"When are we leaving?" Ah Ku clenched his fists, his voice filled with excitement.

"Now."

Ian put away the map and turned to walk outside.

"Travel light, Li Yao, you lead the team and proceed according to the third combined attack formation."

"yes!"

A quarter of an hour later, fifteen figures silently left Lixing Academy, passed through the noisy streets of the outer city, and disappeared into the wilderness to the northwest.

Thirty miles is nothing to these teenagers, who are at least in the awakening stage.

As the sun began to set, they had already arrived at the abandoned mine area.

What lay before me was an extremely desolate scene.

The enormous mine pit was bottomless, its walls lined with dark red rock layers that resembled congealed blood scabs.

The bottom of the pit was filled with the rusted remains of mining machinery and collapsed wooden supports, which had long since decayed into gray-black debris after years of wind and rain.

There was a faint smell of sulfur in the air, mixed with a deeper, unsettling stench of decay.

"This is it."

Ian stood at the edge of the mine, his [Starlight Perception] silently spreading out.

In my field of vision, the world once again lost its color, leaving only the pure flow of energy.

Deep underground, there was indeed an extremely faint yet exceptionally pure flow of silver energy, like a dormant stream, flowing slowly.

That is the remnant of the star vein.

But besides that...

Ian's eyes narrowed.

Deep in the mine, near the energy flow, he "saw" a dozen or so dark red, foul-smelling orbs of light, like festering sores, clinging tightly to the silver stream.

The Dark Star Society members have already gone inside.

Moreover, there were quite a few people; energy fluctuations indicated at least forty, among whom four orbs of light were particularly dazzling.

The Fallen Ones of the Condensed Rank.

"Forty people, four of whom have reached the Formation stage, and one of them... has very strong fluctuations, possibly at the peak of the Formation stage."

Ian whispered to Li Yao beside him.

Li Yao tightened his grip on the sword, but there was no fear in his eyes, only a cold fighting spirit.

"How do we fight?"

"You thirteen are responsible for clearing out the Awakened Fallen Ones on the outer perimeter."

Ian looked at Aku, Ashu, Shitou, Xiaozhou and the others.

"Remember, use a combined attack formation, don't charge in alone. The Dark Star Society is ruthless and skilled in using poison and corrosive energy. Protect your vital points."

"Yes!" the thirteen answered in unison, their voices low but filled with unwavering determination.

"Li Yao," Ian turned to his younger brother, "you come in with me to deal with those four Condensed Forms."

He paused, looking into Li Yao's eyes.

"Your opponent is one of the early-stage Condensation Realm cultivators. This is your first tough battle after your breakthrough. Don't let me down."

Li Yao took a deep breath and nodded emphatically.

"Brother, I won't lose."

"very good."

Ian said no more, and with a swift movement, he slid silently down the steep rock wall of the mine like a wisp of gray smoke.

The stench of decay in the air grew stronger, as if something was slowly rotting deep inside.

Ian's footsteps were so light that they made almost no sound as he stepped on the gravel.

Behind him, Li Yao followed closely, his breathing low, but his heart was pounding wildly in his chest.

It wasn't fear, but excitement—the exhilaration of about to fight a formidable foe.

Having evaded the surrounding vigilant Fallen Ones, they turned a corner around a collapsed mine tunnel, and suddenly the area ahead opened up.

It was a naturally formed cave, with countless dark red stalactites hanging from the ceiling, dripping murky liquid.

In the center of the cave, a pool of silvery-white water, about three meters in diameter, lies quietly, its surface rippling with tiny, star-like specks of light.

It is the "Star Pool" formed by the condensation of residual energy from the star vein nodes.

At this moment, more than twenty figures wearing black cloaks were densely packed around the Star Pool.

They formed an eerie circle, chanting incantations in a low voice.

His voice was hoarse and sticky, like a venomous snake crawling in the mud.

As the chanting continued, the pure silver light on the surface of the Star Pool was being eroded by traces of dark red filth, like ink being dripped into clear water.

"As expected, it's at the contamination point..."

Li Yao gritted his teeth, squeezing out the words through his clenched teeth.

Ian's eyes were cold, and he remained silent.

He had already thoroughly investigated the entire cave.

The four solidified stages are scattered in four directions, forming a protective formation.

The remaining awakened ones were gathered on the south side of the Star Pool, maintaining that filthy sacrificial array.

The one with the strongest aura, a peak-form cultivator, stood directly north of the Star Pool, with his back to them.

He held a dark red bone staff in his hand, with a constantly throbbing black tumor embedded in the head of the staff.

"As planned."

Ian's lips moved slightly, his voice condensing into a single line that reached Li Yao's ears.