Lin Dongxue was incredibly familiar with the effects of the High Spirit Pill. She did not bother with polite refusals and accepted it directly.

Fang Xuan pulled the stopper from his vial and brought it to his nose. His expression shifted slightly. "Such pure Spiritual Qi!"

Hearing that, Wan Fei and Du Shu uncorked their own vials, imitating Fang Xuan. A wave of astonishment struck their hearts.

"The fragrance is rich, indicating its remarkable grade. The scent condenses without dispersing, which proves the refinement technique is highly masterful. This can indeed rival a Third Rank pill. We have taken advantage of Young Master Tang's generosity again," Wan Fei said with a smile.

The Beast Cores they held were usually meant to be sold. However, they were not particularly short of money, and Tang Yan's pills were easily worth as much as the cores. They carried out the trade without further hesitation.

"The medicinal effects are excellent and perfectly suited for your current needs. You can take them continuously without the efficacy diminishing," Tang Yan explained with a smile.

The group was visibly shaken. Continuous consumption without diminished effects meant the pill possessed high Spiritual Qi conversion and was easily absorbed by the dantian. If that was the case, the High Spirit Pill truly could stand on equal footing with a Third Rank pill. They had indeed gained an immense advantage.

After storing all seven White-Spotted Tiger Beast Cores, Tang Yan clapped his hands. "Everyone, gather around. There is a matter I wish to discuss with you."

"Brother Tang, feel free to speak your mind," Du Shu said with a laugh.

"This selection will last for an entire month. Right now is only the beginning, so the competition is not yet fierce. Even if you encounter a Fifth Rank Spirit Beast, you have the strength to put up a fight. However, my presence will only slow down the speed at which you acquire Star Value. Therefore, I intend to split up from the group for a period of time," Tang Yan stated plainly.

Fang Xuan and the others froze. They had not expected Tang Yan to make such a request on the very first day, and for a moment, they were at a loss for words.

"Tang Yan, do you feel that we are holding you back?" Lin Dongxue asked softly.

Tang Yan chuckled. "How could that be? Your strength is exceptional. The Spirit Beasts we encounter are well within your capability to handle, so having an extra person actually reduces our efficiency.

"Splitting up for now is for the best. That way, you can all earn more Star Value.

"The most brutal phase of this selection will undoubtedly be the final ten days. By then, those who have not reached the required Star Value threshold will resort to any means necessary to plunder and rob. The danger will multiply exponentially.

"Therefore, we shall regroup around the twentieth day."

Hearing his reasoning, the group understood that this arrangement was beneficial to everyone.

While having Tang Yan around provided a greater sense of security, his departure would undeniably allow their Star Values to rise at a much faster rate.

"Very well, we will follow Brother Tang's arrangement. But how shall we gather on that day?" Fang Xuan inquired.

"These are Signal Flares I crafted myself. Once you infuse them with True Qi and cast them skyward, they will release a brilliant, eye-catching light even in broad daylight. Furthermore, I have placed a thread of my spiritual sense within them. Even if I do not see the light, I will be able to sense it.

"Take one each. If you face absolute peril during this time, crush it immediately, and I will rush to your side at once." Tang Yan produced four dark, unassuming spheres and distributed them.

"There is no absolute fairness in this world. You must strive with all your might to raise your cultivation and constantly accumulate Star Value.

"In the end, the disciples with the highest Star Values will surely receive the focused cultivation of the academy.

"If you wish to enter the academy and claim superior resources, you must exert an effort that far surpasses ordinary people!" Tang Yan said, his tone turning serious.

His words jolted Fang Xuan and the rest. They had not yet looked that far into the future, but Tang Yan's guidance suddenly gave them a clear sense of direction.

"We will give it our all. When we meet again, Brother Tang, ensure your cultivation hasn't fallen below ours," Fang Xuan joked.

"Let us strive together." Tang Yan recalled something and added, "Right, I happen to require Beast Cores. Once you slay any Spirit Beasts, collect their cores. A single Third Rank Beast Core can be exchanged with me for one High Spirit Pill. A Fourth Rank Beast Core will fetch five High Spirit Pills."

The moment Tang Yan spoke, the eyes of Fang Xuan and the others lit up completely!

Though they only had a brief understanding of the High Spirit Pill, they well knew it was a valuable cultivation medicine. Being able to exchange for it in large quantities would offer immense benefits to their future cultivation. Moreover, given their strength, dealing with Third or Fourth Rank Spirit Beasts was hardly an arduous task.

Even though they possessed extraordinary backgrounds and deep clan heritages, a Second Rank High Grade pill still held massive appeal.

"Brother Tang, though we may not match you, that does not mean we are weak. We will certainly gather an abundance of cores. When the time comes and we return with several thousand Beast Cores, you had better have your pills ready!" Du Shu exaggerated wildly.

"Fie on you! Thousands? Do you think they are cabbages waiting to be picked?" Wan Fei rolled her eyes at Du Shu.

"I was merely jesting," Du Shu chuckled sheepishly.

"No matter how many Beast Cores you obtain, I will accept them all," Tang Yan stated with absolute seriousness.

Seeing his unwavering confidence, the group felt a tremor in their hearts. Since Tang Yan dared to make such a promise, it meant he had no shortage of High Spirit Pills. Just how deep were this man's reserves?

"Excellent, then we shall rely on Brother Tang to line our pockets," Fang Xuan said, cupping his fists with a smile.

"Then we shall part ways here. Until we meet again." Tang Yan cupped his fists to the group.

"You are leaving right now?" A trace of reluctance surfaced in Lin Dongxue's eyes.

"Yes, time is pressing. I hope to see your cultivation reach greater heights when we next meet!" A flash of gentleness passed through Tang Yan's eyes.

"Understood!" Lin Dongxue was incredibly sensible; despite her reluctance, she did not try to hold him back.

"If danger arises, crush the Signal Flare. Remember this well." Tang Yan waved to the group, then executed his Phantom Step, vanishing into the distance like a fleeting shadow.

"That fellow is truly a monstrous talent," Du Shu muttered as he watched Tang Yan disappear.

Fang Xuan smiled. "Let us all work hard. Hopefully, when we see Tang Yan again, the gap between us will not have widened too drastically!"

The others nodded in agreement, and a deep determination settled into Lin Dongxue's eyes. Tang Yan, when we meet again, I will surely be a far stronger Lin Dongxue!

After parting ways with the group, Tang Yan did not rush to hunt Spirit Beasts. Instead, he traversed the landscape in search of a suitable place to cultivate.

He had yet to master the Mountain-Shattering Wave-Treading Sword and the Divine Capture Art. It was best to learn these two martial techniques first to secure a few more trump cards for himself in the face of the impending, brutal competition.

During his search for a secluded area, he cross paths with two separate groups of cultivators. Although neither group made a move against him, Tang Yan still felt a surge of vigilance.

Had the mark on his forehead not been so faintly colored, those two groups would have undoubtedly attacked him.

After traveling for nearly half an hour, Tang Yan finally came to a halt inside a valley.

The area was flanked by steep, jagged cliffs of bare rock with minimal vegetation, save for a small, winding stream flowing downward. Neither Spirit Beasts nor cultivators would willingly linger in such a barren place.

Tang Yan's eyes lit up. This quiet, undisturbed valley was exactly what he needed!