In Martial Universe, Signed in at the Start with Yao Lao's Ring

At this moment, after sensing the powerful Mental Energy radiating from Lin Yan and Lin Dong, even Master Yan couldn't hide his astonishment.

After all, while others might not fully grasp the significance of what they were witnessing, Master Yan knew very well.

He was fully aware that Lin Yan and Lin Dong had only begun cultivating Mental Energy a few months ago.

Yet, in just a few short months, they had already reached this level... an absolutely monstrous feat.

Even Master Yan himself knew that he could never achieve such speed.

Moreover, there was also another detail; one tied to a plan he had devised earlier.

His original intention was to take Lin Yan and Lin Dong as his disciples. However, after careful observation, Master Yan had realized that persuading them to accept such an offer would be difficult.

Thus, as part of his strategy, he had deliberately gifted them the first three layers of the Spiritual Movement Chapter.

His reasoning was simple. By giving them the initial layers, they would experience the wonders of Mental Energy firsthand.

Once they had tasted its benefits, they would inevitably seek further breakthroughs. However, without guidance on how to condense their Natal Symbols, they would eventually have to come back to him.

At that point, Master Yan would be able to take them as disciples without any resistance.

There was no malice in this plan, it was merely a calculated move on his part.

However, what he had not expected was…

In just a few months, not only had Lin Yan and Lin Dong completely mastered the first three layers of the Spiritual Movement Chapter, but they had even successfully condensed their Natal Symbols!

Master Yan had just conducted a quick scan and confirmed that both of them had fully stepped into the One-Seal Symbol Master level. In fact, they were already on the verge of breaking into the Two-Seal Symbol Master realm.

They hadn't reached that breakthrough yet, but from Master Yan's perspective, it was only a matter of time.

This meant that his entire plan had completely failed.

Staring at Lin Yan and Lin Dong in a daze, Master Yan could only let out a helpless chuckle.

"Little friends, your cultivation speed is simply absurd…"

Lin Yan smiled at Master Yan and responded modestly, "Perhaps it's just good luck."

Master Yan shook his head with a knowing smile.

He didn't believe in luck. This level of speed was far beyond what mere luck could explain.

This was pure, overwhelming talent.

"You're being too humble, little friend," Master Yan said, shaking his head. "If what you've achieved is just 'luck,' then what about the rest of us? We would need miracles to catch up."

Xuan Su and the cold-tempered young woman, Xia Zhilan, were both visibly intrigued.

However, they weren't particularly shocked by Lin Yan and Lin Dong's strength.

After all, while a One-Seal Symbol Master was impressive, it wasn't exactly a rare existence.

What truly surprised them was Master Yan's attitude toward Lin Yan and Lin Dong.

Despite his current warm demeanor, Master Yan was not someone who easily showed respect. With his status and position, he rarely treated others with such friendliness.

For those he did not recognize, let alone conversing with them, even exchanging a single word was nearly impossible.

Thus, Xuan Su and Xia Zhilan were both slightly confused. Seeing how engaged Master Yan was in conversation with Lin Yan, Xuan Su's eyes gleamed with curiosity as she stepped forward with a smile.

"Master Yan, do you know them?"

Master Yan responded with a faint smile.

"We've met once before."

"A few months ago, I encountered these two young friends at the treasure pavilion. At the time, I found that Lin Yan's temperament aligned well with mine, so I gifted him a cultivation technique for refining mental energy."

"I never expected that in just a few months, they would progress so quickly. Even I feel somewhat ashamed."

Since they were all on the same side, Master Yan didn't hide the details from Xuan Su.

Moreover, by openly revealing his connection with Lin Yan, he was deliberately signaling to Xuan Su: Lin Yan was someone worth recruiting.

Xuan Su immediately understood the hint.

After learning about this, both she and Xia Zhilan couldn't hide their astonishment.

Indeed, as they had thought earlier, a One-Seal Symbol Master wasn't anything extraordinary within Yan City.

However, when considering the fact that Lin Yan had achieved this in just a few months, it was a completely different story.

Reaching such a level in such a short time meant that Lin Yan and Lin Dong possessed unparalleled talent in Mental Energy cultivation.

As a result, Xuan Su's perception of them rose significantly.

With a radiant smile, she turned to Lin Yan.

"I see. No wonder Master Yan holds you both in such high regard. You truly are rare young talents."

Then, she curiously asked, "Mr. Lin Yan, if I may ask… where are you from?"

Lin Yan smiled and replied, "The Lin family of Qingyang Town."

Xuan Su pondered for a moment before responding with a smile.

"The Lin family of Qingyang Town… I've heard of them before. But I never imagined that within the Lin family, such exceptional talents would emerge."

After a brief pause, Xuan Su continued, "By the way, Mr. Lin Yan, the batch of pills you sold yesterday… did you refine them yourself?"

Lin Yan smiled and nodded without hesitation.

"That's correct."

Xuan Su's interest in Lin Yan instantly deepened.

Having such monstrous talent in cultivation was already terrifying. But on top of that, he also possessed extraordinary Alchemy skills.

This immediately made Lin Yan an extremely valuable asset in her eyes.

Upon learning this information, Xuan Su immediately made up her mind: She had to recruit Lin Yan!

Without hesitation, Xuan Su took out a token and, with a warm smile, handed it to Lin Yan.

"Mr. Lin Yan, I would like to establish a friendship with you. If you do not mind, please accept this token. With it, you will be recognized as a friend of the Thousand Gold Auction House."

"Not only will you have unrestricted access to our auction house, but you will also receive a fifty percent reduction in commission fees for consigned items."

Lin Yan accepted it without hesitation.

"In that case, I shall gladly accept."

Forming a connection with Xuan Su was nothing but beneficial for him. Moreover, for the future expansion of the Lin family, this could prove invaluable. He had no reason to refuse.

After receiving the token, Lin Yan and Lin Dong sat down to drink tea.

During their conversation, Lin Yan spoke with remarkable confidence. His broad knowledge left even Xuan Su and Master Yan somewhat surprised.

After all, Lin Yan was still quite young. At his age, most young men were either short-sighted or timid, struggling to articulate themselves properly.

As a result, the way they looked at Lin Yan changed slightly... with even greater admiration.

"By the way, Manager Xuan, didn't you mention last time that the Celestial Dan Pool still had one vacant spot?"

As their conversation continued, Master Yan suddenly shifted the topic and turned toward Xuan Su.

Xuan Su raised an eyebrow at the question but still nodded in response.

"Yes, there is still one slot open. Initially, I planned to give it to Song Qing, but Zhilan absolutely refuses to cooperate with him."

As she spoke, Xuan Su turned toward Xia Zhilan with a helpless expression.

Master Yan chuckled at her response.

"Manager Xuan, what do you think about Lin Yan? If you don't want Song Qing, then I believe Lin Yan would be a far better candidate."

Xuan Su remained silent for a moment.

Meanwhile, Xia Zhilan couldn't help but interject.

"Master Yan, the battle for the Celestial Dan Pool is extremely important."

"I mean no offense to Mr. Lin Yan. His talent in Mental Energy is incredible, and his Alchemy skills are truly remarkable."

"But… he only recently started cultivating Mental Energy. He is still just a One-Seal Symbol Master."

"Wouldn't giving him a slot be… a bit risky?"

Master Yan simply gave her a knowing smile.

"Little girl, your judgment is still far behind mine. Lin Yan is far more capable than he appears on the surface."

Xia Zhilan was momentarily stunned.

She didn't even need to think. If Master Yan had this attitude, then it was obvious that Lin Yan had hidden abilities.

However, she already knew that Lin Yan was both a Symbol Master and an Alchemist. The only thing she didn't know was his martial cultivation level.

"Could it be… is Mr. Lin Yan actually at the Heavenly Yuan Stage?" Xia Zhilan couldn't help but speculate internally.

She wasn't trying to underestimate Lin Yan. It was just that…

Lin Yan was already a One-Seal Symbol Master and a highly skilled Alchemist. If he also had a powerful martial cultivation, then that would be far too monstrous to believe.

"Master Yan is right. Don't underestimate others so easily, Zhilan. A genius like Mr. Lin Yan possesses strength beyond your imagination."

Xuan Su added at the right moment.

She then turned to Lin Yan and said, "Mr. Lin Yan, please don't take offense. Zhilan has always been straightforward, but she means no harm."

Lin Yan chuckled and shook his head. "Of course not. In fact, I admire Miss Zhilan's honesty. In a world like ours, staying true to oneself is no easy feat."

Xia Zhilan was taken aback and looked at Lin Yan, a hint of gratitude flickering in her eyes.

Xuan Su, on the other hand, directly asked, "Mr. Lin Yan, have you ever heard of the Celestial Dan Pool?"

Lin Yan simply shook his head and replied truthfully, "I have heard of it, but I do not recall its exact purpose."

He vaguely remembered the Celestial Dan Pool, but he had forgotten the details. So instead of pretending, he chose to answer honestly.

"In that case, allow me to explain."

Xuan Su didn't mind at all. With a slight smile on her face, she turned to Lin Yan and explained, "The so-called Celestial Dan Pool is actually an extremely rare natural phenomenon. Within this pool, an exceptionally pure concentration of Yin and Yang energy exists."

"If one can absorb this energy, they can not only advance rapidly into the Yuan Dan Stage, but even the quality of the Yuan Dan they condense will be at least six-star or higher."

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow.

He now had a general understanding of the Celestial Dan Pool's effects. However, it was useless to him, as he had already condensed his Supreme-Grade Yuan Dan, which was unique and far superior to ordinary Yuan Dans.

That being said, it would be highly beneficial for Lin Dong, as he had yet to reach the Yuan Dan Stage.

Moreover, Lin Yan had a strong feeling that this place was one of those special locations. Logically speaking, he should be able to sign-in at the Celestial Dan Pool once he got there.

He remained silent and continued listening to Xuan Su's explanation.

Xuan Su then continued, "In a deep mountain to the east of Yan City, our Thousand Gold Auction House discovered a Celestial Dan Pool. However, we weren't the only ones. The Blood Wolf Gang also found it at the same time."

"For martial artists who have already formed their Yuan Dan, the pool's effects are limited. However, for those still in the Heavenly Yuan Stage, this pool is an absolute treasure. Because of this, both our factions have set our sights on it."

"However, the pool does not have enough energy for both sides to share. After negotiations, our Thousand Gold Auction House and the Blood Wolf Gang came to an agreement. A battle will determine ownership."

"Each side is given three slots, and only young elites are allowed to participate."

"The winner gets to claim the pool's energy for this opening. As for the next opening, another battle will determine the rights once again."

"Of course, the Celestial Dan Pool only opens once every three years. If we lose this time, we'll have to wait another three years for another chance."

Xuan Su explained patiently.

After hearing all this, Lin Yan quickly understood Xuan Su and Master Yan's intentions.

He raised an eyebrow and asked, "So, what you're asking is for me to take one of the slots and help win the Celestial Dan Pool Contest?"

Xuan Su and Master Yan both nodded.

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Yan responded, "I have no problem with that."

"However, I do have a small request. If, in the end, I don't need to intervene, then I won't accept any rewards from you."

"But if I do have to step in to secure victory… Then I want one slot in the Celestial Dan Pool… for him."

As he spoke, Lin Yan gestured toward Lin Dong.

Lin Dong was momentarily stunned.

He hadn't expected that, even in a situation like this, his brother was still thinking about securing benefits for him. His heart was filled with gratitude.

Xuan Su and Master Yan had no objections. After all, Lin Yan's request was completely reasonable.

If he didn't need to fight, he wouldn't take anything. But if he had to fight, giving him one slot in return was only fair.

Thus, after exchanging a brief glance, both of them agreed immediately.

However, at that moment, Xia Zhilan suddenly spoke up.

"Mr. Lin Yan, if you don't mind me asking. What is your martial cultivation level?"

"It's not that we doubt you, but this contest is extremely important. I hope you understand."

Xia Zhilan asked cautiously.

Lin Yan didn't take offense. Instead, he chuckled lightly.

Then, without hesitation, he unleashed his full Yuan Power, revealing his cultivation level without reservation.

"No problem. See for yourself!"

The moment he finished speaking, a powerful aura surged out from his body.

Both Xia Zhilan and Xuan Su were momentarily stunned.

A trace of shock surfaced in their eyes.

"You're already at the… Yuan Dan Stage?!"