Mo Que'er did not even bother wiping the sweat from her brow before rushing outside. From afar, she could already see the massive Hongwu Warship dominating the sky.
A warship? Was that really a warship? It was outrageously grand.
In her former Immortal Realm, immortals crossing the void rode spirit vessels barely larger than small riverboats. They could squeeze in only a few people, all seated cross-legged, and a single spatial jump required half a day of cooldown. The last time she had seen Mo Xuan's transport vessel, she had already been astonished by its spacious interior. But this—this was on an entirely different level. One glance told her it far surpassed the previous ship.
Her longing to cultivate in the Qingyuan Minor Immortal Realm deepened instantly.
As she ran forward, her vision blurred. Mo Xuan descended lightly before her.
Unable to stop in time, she collided straight into his arms, dampening his spotless robe with the sweat from her forehead.
Mo Xuan shot her a reproachful look. "Didn't I tell you not to overwork yourself? What if you exhaust yourself?"
He took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from her face.
Her cheeks flushed bright red, her large eyes sparkling.
"Great-Grandfather… did everything go smoothly?" she asked hesitantly.
Mo Xuan grinned. "What? You don't have faith in me?"
"That's not it!" she protested softly—yet from his expression, she had already guessed the answer. Joy blossomed across her face. "I knew Great-Grandfather is the most amazing!"
Smiling, Mo Xuan took her hand and led her swiftly back to the Mo family courtyard.
Soon, all the core members of the Mo family had gathered, staring at him expectantly.
Without further suspense, Mo Xuan carefully produced three talisman slips and handed them solemnly to his grandfather, Mo Shi.
The slips bore nothing but a bold, flowing signature.
"What is this?" Mo Shi frowned.
The others leaned closer, equally puzzled. Yet from Mo Xuan's grave demeanor, they knew these slips were extraordinary.
Mo Xuan cleared his throat.
"I discovered an exceptional meteorite in the void. I originally planned to save it for establishing my Immortal Garden. But right now, Que'er's cultivation is our family's top priority. So I submitted it."
They listened, not fully understanding.
He continued, "In return, the three Dao Lords granted rewards. These three talismans… are three cultivation quotas."
Silence.
Then—shock.
The elders felt as though lightning had struck them. Three cultivation quotas? Something countless mortals only dared dream about?
They pinched their thighs—once, twice—until pain confirmed this was real.
Mo Que'er herself felt as though she were floating in the clouds. Tears welled in her eyes.
She could finally cultivate.
She understood more clearly than anyone else: to receive three quotas meant the meteorite had been an extraordinary treasure. And yet her great-grandfather had traded it for her sake.
Her heart trembled.
Mo Xuan then explained their worth—each quota equivalent to one million merit points.
The elders were stunned again. So the path of cultivation could be bought?
Mo Xuan gently added, "The other two quotas will remain unused for now. We'll focus on nurturing Que'er first."
No one objected. Gratitude outweighed greed.
He wrote the character "Mo" on all three slips, then added "Que'er" to one.
"Bite your finger and press your mark," he instructed.
She obeyed.
The talisman ignited, transforming into a breeze that circled her before ascending as light into the sky. Moments later, a crimson beam tinged with faint violet descended from above, enveloping her.
In this realm, unauthorized cultivation was forbidden. The Dao Lords represented the will of heaven itself. To absorb spiritual energy without permission invited annihilation.
But now, sanctioned light bathed her.
Within her soul, the long-dormant spark of Phoenix fire stirred. Nourished by abundant spiritual energy, that tiny ember expanded—
A spark became a blaze.
Her temperament transformed completely. The gentle girl next door now radiated sacred brilliance. A faint red flame flickered at her brow.
The elders stared in awe.
So this was cultivation.
As the light faded, she knelt and kowtowed three times to Mo Xuan.
He accepted on behalf of the family, then quickly helped her up. "We're family. No need for such ceremony."
She smiled sweetly, eyes shining brighter than before.
Mo Xuan coughed lightly. "The quotas came from Dao Lord Guxin. Dao Lord Taiyi also granted me a Hongwu Warship—the one outside. And Dao Lord Qianzao granted me an entire spirit island."
If the earlier news had shaken them, this shattered them entirely.
A warship.
A spirit island.
Their world spun.
Mo Que'er, however, was overwhelmed by something else—the realization of how much her great-grandfather had sacrificed. Tears glistened again.
Mo Xuan gently patted her head. "I didn't know its true value at the time. If I had, I'd have exchanged it sooner."
She laughed through her tears.
He then instructed, "From now on, cultivate no more than half an hour a day. Wait until the academy term begins before formally enrolling."
She nodded.
"Should I still take this year's Grand Examination?" she asked.
Mo Xuan checked via his jade disk. The reply: it was optional. Her quota was directly authorized by a Dao Lord.
He shrugged. "Up to you."
After careful thought, she chose to take it anyway. If she had already entered through the back door, she would at least prove her worth openly.
Soon another message arrived:
Would Mo Xuan be willing to serve as examiner for this year's Grand Examination?
He calculated the timeline—three months remained. That would align well with developing the island.
He agreed.
Thus, the matter was settled.
A single spark had taken root.
And now, it would ignite the prairie.