Every month, Qinghe Spirit Academy distributed cultivation resources.
Spirit stones.
Low-grade pills.
Occasionally, temporary access to training facilities.
For outer-court disciples, this was the single most important day.
Chen Yuan stood in line outside the Allocation Hall, expression calm, hands folded within his sleeves. The hall itself was built from pale stone, its entrance guarded by two inner-court attendants whose cultivation alone could suppress half the students present.
Above the doors, a jade plaque shimmered.
"Resources Are Granted According to Merit."
Everyone knew that was only half true.
Merit mattered.
Background mattered more.
When Chen Yuan's turn came, an attendant glanced at his identity token.
"Outer Court. Seventh Layer," the man said indifferently. "Lower-middle foundation."
He waved his hand.
"Two low-grade spirit stones. One Body Tempering Pill."
That was… acceptable.
Not generous.
But fair.
Chen Yuan reached out—
"Wait."
The voice came from the side.
Zhao Ming stepped forward, robes immaculate, expression faintly amused. Behind him stood an elder—Elder Zhao, his uncle—hands clasped behind his back.
The attendant immediately stiffened.
"Elder Zhao."
Zhao Ming smiled. "Uncle, I was just reminding you. This disciple had… disciplinary issues recently."
Elder Zhao's eyes swept over Chen Yuan.
Cold. Assessing.
"Is that so?" he asked.
The attendant hesitated. "There was a sparring loss recorded for Wei Liang—"
"A disturbance," Elder Zhao interrupted calmly. "Outer-court harmony must be preserved."
He turned to Chen Yuan.
"Young man, talent is not merely cultivation level. Temperament matters."
With a flick of his sleeve, one of the spirit stones vanished from Chen Yuan's allocation.
"One stone is enough," Elder Zhao said. "Consider this a lesson."
The hall was silent.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
Chen Yuan accepted the reduced resources without visible reaction and stepped aside.
But as he did, the system stirred.
Unfair Allocation Detected
Host Response: Composed
Hidden Opportunity Generated
Chen Yuan's gaze sharpened slightly.
That evening, as he walked back toward the dormitories, a notice board caught his eye.
Most students ignored it.
Chen Yuan stopped.
A new mission slip had been posted, glowing faintly blue.
"Temporary Assignment: Spirit Mist Valley"
Duration: 3 days
Requirement: Body Tempering Seventh Layer
Risk Level: Moderate
Reward: Unknown
Unknown rewards were rare.
They were also avoided.
Because "unknown" usually meant dangerous.
Students preferred certainty.
Chen Yuan reached out and took the slip.
At once, the system interface expanded.
Optional System Task Available
Enter Spirit Mist Valley
Survive for 72 hours
Reward: Enhanced Foundation or Equivalent
Below that, in smaller text:
Warning:
Physical endurance and mental focus will be tested.
Retreat is permitted but forfeits reward.
Chen Yuan closed his eyes briefly.
One spirit stone and a pill would not change his fate.
This might.
"I accept," he said quietly.
Spirit Mist Valley lay beyond the academy's main grounds, sealed by formation barriers and supervised only loosely. Mist clung to the terrain day and night, rich with diluted spiritual energy—and unpredictable spirit beasts.
The moment Chen Yuan stepped inside, moisture coated his skin, and visibility dropped to a few meters.
He began circulating his breathing technique.
The mist responded.
Slowly.
Subtly.
Environmental Synergy Detected
Cultivation Speed: +40%
Chen Yuan's eyes widened—just slightly.
This was already better than expected.
But the valley did not give without taking.
By the second night, exhaustion crept into his limbs. Strange whispers echoed through the fog, testing his focus. At one point, a low-grade mist wolf lunged from the haze, forcing him into a clumsy but successful fight.
His arm bled.
His breathing faltered.
But he did not retreat.
Mental Endurance Check: Passed
Body Limit Approaching
On the third day, as he sat cross-legged atop a damp stone, his cultivation surged.
Not violently.
Naturally.
Breakthrough Detected
Body Tempering: Seventh → Eighth Layer
At the same moment, a secondary message appeared.
Bonus Reward Granted
Trait Unlocked: Stable Foundation
Future breakthroughs will be smoother.
Chen Yuan opened his eyes.
The mist parted around him.
For the first time since entering Qinghe Academy, he felt something firm beneath his feet.
Not arrogance.
Confidence.
When he returned, his cultivation aura could no longer be ignored.
Students stared.
Instructors frowned thoughtfully.
And when Zhao Ming heard the news, he crushed a porcelain cup in his hand.
"Eighth Layer?" he muttered. "Impossible."
But deep down, he knew.
This was no longer coincidence.
And the gap—once comfortable—was beginning to close.