As for Xiao Chenyu, the novice, after learning Hungry Wolf Fist and cultivation techniques from Dean Xin during this period, he had made some progress under Bell's sparring and could now practice individually, compensating for his shortcomings with diligence.
To help him progress faster, Dean Xin had already sent Xiao Chenyu back to Soto City's Hear of Fire Academy with his personal letter and a cherrry blossom token to find Dugu Bo.
The letter contained recommendations for medicinal bath combinations suitable for Xiao Chenyu's practice, as well as superior rare flower and herb body refinement. After completing this stage, he would be able to hunt for his second spirit ring.
Xiao Chenyu's apprenticeship began much later than Bell's, and his first spirit ring was merely a white ten-year spirit ring, making it very difficult to directly elevate his second spirit ring to a thousand years.
Therefore, Dean Xin set Xiao Chenyu's second spirit ring's age limit to match the optimal spirit ring configuration, aiming for a second spirit ring of around 700 years. This would give him a chance to absorb a spirit ring of two thousand years or more for his third spirit ring, just like Rongrong and the others.
...
"Congratulations, Dean Xin. The students of Hear of Fire Academy have truly performed astonishingly in this competition, which fully demonstrates that Dean Xin's guidance is truly unparalleled on the continent."
Just as the advanced rounds were in their preparatory stage, an elegant figure approached with a young man in a cyan-gold robe and greeted Dean Xin.
Seeing Ning Fengzhi show such respect to this young man wearing a mask, a fleeting look of surprise crossed the eyes of the young man in the cyan robe.
It seemed that the Hear of Fire Academy team's achievement of first place in the preliminary rounds was closely related to this teacher from Hear of Fire Academy.
"Qinghe, this is the Dean of Hear of Fire Academy — Xin."
"Dean Xin, this is the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe."
"Hear of Fire Academy's outstanding performance in the preliminary rounds, especially when your academy's students displayed an almost entirely fourth ten-thousand-year spirit ring configuration, had already prompted His Majesty to ask me to introduce you. I know Dean Xin has a detached nature and was also in the midst of the competition, so I never dared to bring it up."
"With the preliminary rounds over, Qinghe urged me to come and meet the students of Hear of Fire Academy, which is why we've come to bother you. Also, to see Rongrong. I'm sure that girl has given Dean Xin plenty to worry about, hasn't she?"
Ning Fengzhi introduced the young man's background to Dean Xin.
Dean Xin merely glanced at Xue Qinghe indifferently, gave a slight nod, and said nothing more.
But a system identification had already flashed through Dean Xin's eyes, a bit surprised, yet also within expectation.
This Crown Prince's innate talent and aptitude had actually reached the highest level seen so far.