X-Dragon Era

In the following week, the four of them stayed behind closed doors, immersed in cultivation. It is worth noting that Yi Luo Xiang had successfully broken through to the realm of Bronze Six Stars, while Xin Yun still remained at Bronze Five Stars, with some distance to go before making a breakthrough.

Cultivation is always easier in the early stages and becomes more difficult later on. The speed of advancement is very fast at first, but the higher one climbs, the harder it becomes to improve—not just at each level, but at each star within those levels as well.

The reason Xin Yun's speed of advancement had slowed down was twofold: for one, his talent, aptitude, and potential simply couldn't compare with Yi Luo Xiang's; on the other hand, he was using a 9.9-grade Dragon Creation Stone, which naturally made advancement much more difficult than for those using Ninth Grade stones.

One should not underestimate the impact of Dragon Creation Stones. Take Yan Qingying as an example: she used a Sixth Grade Dragon Creation Stone, so she was able to raise her strength to Silver Four Stars in just two years.

Yi Luo Xiang, who possessed talent, aptitude, and potential slightly higher than hers but used a Ninth Grade Dragon Creation Stone, could not achieve the same feat no matter what. In two years' time, she probably wouldn't have even reached the Silver rank, let alone Silver Four Stars.

Of course, talent and aptitude are extremely important as well. Take Ming Xuan as an example: although he used a First-grade Dragon-creation stone, which in theory should have allowed him to progress quickly, his talent and aptitude were only average.

So even after five years of cultivation, by the age of thirteen, he had only reached Silver Three Stars—less progress than the extent of Yan Qingying's advancement within two years.

The current situation was such that among the four of them, Xin Yun's talent, aptitude, and potential were the lowest, just barely making the grade. In addition, he was using the highest-grade 9.9-grade Dragon Creation Stone. When all factors were combined, Xin Yun's improvement would undoubtedly be the slowest.

But slower doesn't mean worse. Although his progress was a bit slow, it was precisely because of that slow pace that his foundation was more solid. Coupled with his understanding and experience from his previous life, the future was still a mystery; no one could be certain of the outcome.

If he really wanted to keep up, there actually was a way—he could use Dragon Crystals. But such a foolish approach was something Xin Yun would definitely not choose. He would rather progress more slowly and ensure a solid, stable foundation.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The week passed quickly. After Yi Luo Xiang successfully used her own experience to elevate her Purple Emperor Sword Dragon to First Order Three Stars, the opening day of school finally arrived.

Early in the morning, after eating the exquisite breakfast prepared by Mother Lan, the four of them left home. At the doorstep, after parting ways with Ming Xuan, Xin Yun led Yi Luo Xiang and Yan Qingying toward the Combat Dragon Academy.

By the time Xin Yun and the two girls arrived at the newcomer's reception of the main campus, the place was already crowded. Looking at the throng of people, Xin Yun frowned slightly and then led the two girls to sit down on a stone bench nearby.

If it were only Xin Yun himself, he wouldn't mind squeezing through the crowd. However, with Yi Luo Xiang and Yan Qingying by his side, Xin Yun would not foolishly take two girls to jostle among the throng. It would be too disadvantageous for them, even though they were just about ten years old.

Amidst the bustling crowd, new students kept arriving, while others who had completed all the procedures entered the school. Despite this, Xin Yun and the two girls were in no hurry, sitting on the stone bench and chatting amiably. Although Yan Qingying seldom spoke, it was clear she did not dislike the atmosphere; her occasional slight smile excited Xin Yun, lighting up his eyes.

Such an expression was very rare for Yan Qingying, both in this life and his previous one.

As time went by, the line of registrants eventually shortened, and the crowd thinned. Most new students had arrived and successfully enrolled, entering the academy, leaving only a few scattered individuals around the registration area.

Seeing this, Xin Yun ended the light conversation and, with the two girls, approached the registration desk to hand over their admission notices to the staff member.

Upon receiving the three notices from Xin Yun, the staff member quickly scanned them, revealing a look of surprise, and after searching quickly, picked up three pentagonal metal badges.

After scanning the faces of the three for a moment, the staff member asked gravely, "Which one of you is Yi Luo Xiang?"

Hearing her name called, Yi Luo Xiang hopped to the left side of Xin Yun with a smile and said, "I am."

After admiring Yi Luo Xiang's smiling face for a moment, the staff member handed over a metal badge and said, "Congratulations, you've been assigned to the colorful Class One. Here is your Academy Badge!"

"Colorful Class One?" Upon hearing the staff member's words, Xin Yun furrowed his brow, not understanding the secret behind it. Although he had lived one lifetime already, he had never attended Combat Dragon Academy in his previous life, so he was not very familiar with the rules here.

While pondering this, Yi Luo Xiang joyfully received the badge, continuously flipping it over to examine it. Meanwhile, the staff member continued, "Which one of you is Yan Qingying?"

Hearing the staff member's question, Yan Qingying approached Xin Yun's right side with an icy expression and said calmly, "I am."

After taking a few glances at Yan Qingying, the staff member praised her and said, "Congratulations to you as well, for you have also been placed in Colorful Class One. Here is your Academy Badge."

Yan Qingying nonchalantly received the pentagonal badge and, without a glance, tucked it into her bosom. Meanwhile, the staff member frowned slightly, and looking at Xin Yun, he said, "You must be Xin Yun, right?"