Lin Shu walked back toward the merit board, the fortress gates still looming behind him. Though his legs were tired, his steps carried the same quiet weight that now made even other cultivators shift aside without being told. As he approached, the small group of students who had been whispering and glancing at the board slowly parted like smoke on the wind. No one wanted to be in his way—not after the news had spread.
He stood before the board, its golden inscriptions glowing faintly under the late afternoon light, and scanned the updated names:
1. Ling Kusha — 15,050 merit points
2. Gao Tiemeng — 14,300 merit points
3. Yi Xueying — 13,650 merit points
4. Kui Jingu — 9,560 merit points
5. Xian Leizha — 9,200 merit points
6. Gou Mingji — 7,850 merit points
7. Lin Shu — 6,065 merit points
8. Chao Heiyu — 5,925 merit points
9. Zhi Shibei — 5,600 merit points
10. Yun Qiu — 5,450 merit points
11. Wu Jian — 5,350 merit points
12. Ren Hao — 4,250 merit points
13. Yan Qing — 2,605 merit points
Lin Shu's gaze lingered on the seventh spot, his own name etched clearly now, brighter than ever. "So," he muttered to himself, lips barely moving, "with just this mission, I've jumped all the way to seventh… And yet—" his eyes narrowed slightly— "not a single other mid-stage cultivator is even close. The rest of the top twenty are all high-stage or above. Except me… Yan Qing… and Ren Hao."
His brow twitched involuntarily when he reached the names of those two. "If only I could carve those names off this board with my own blade," he thought bitterly. "But I can't afford to get caught—not yet. I'll have to shelve my pettiness for now."
Turning to the section of the wall dedicated to rewards, Lin Shu scanned through the trade options, where neatly carved plaques displayed the techniques available in exchange for merit points. Some students stood reading beside him, but their glances strayed toward him more than the techniques. None dared speak.
Rank 1 — Low Tier Techniques (Each for 2,500 merit points, except one)
1. Grass-Sway Step (Movement)
Lets the user glide aside like bending blades of grass—ideal for short dashes and reactive dodging.
2. Clear-Breath Method (Poison-Nullifying)
A slow-breathing technique that pushes minor toxins out from the lungs and meridians.
3. Sharp-Thorn Flick (Ranged)
Launches a needle-thin strand of Qi from the fingertip. Short-range, but sharp enough to pierce flesh and thin armor.
4. Shadow Slip (Movement)
A heartbeat-long blur that allows the user to sidestep almost like vanishing.
5. Sweeping-Palm Draft (Ranged)
Spreads a fan-like gust from the palm, pushing back targets within five paces if unguarded.
6. Bitter-Root Guard (Poison-Nullifying – 1,000 merit points)
Hardens internal organs and slows the spread of moderate poisons. Unlike the others, this technique is subsidized—priced low not due to weakness, but because the institute deems it vital for survival. A practical gift to prevent their investment in students from dying to common poisons.
Rank 1 — Mid Tier Techniques (Each for 5,000 merit points, except one)
7. Mist-Veil Steps (Movement)
Creates drifting after-images, confusing opponents and allowing for abrupt direction changes in motion.
8. Ironleaf Shot (Ranged)
Shapes Qi into sharp, spinning leaves that cut like blades and travel farther than a simple flick.
9. Pale-Lotus Flow (Poison-Nullifying – 3,000 merit points)
Cycles energy through the eight extraordinary channels, purging most poisons in minutes—but leaves the user drained and vulnerable. Its reduced cost reflects the need for better poison countermeasures in the current war.
10. Silent-Arc Bolt (Ranged)
Fires a curved, soundless bolt of Qi that veers gently toward moving targets. Excellent for ambushes.
11. Twisting-Root Footwork (Movement)
A close-quarters footwork technique that disrupts an opponent's sense of distance and rhythm, turning duels chaotic.
Rank 1 — High Tier Techniques (Prices vary)
12. Blink Step (Movement – 9,000 merit points)
Allows the user to "teleport" within their field of vision—but it's not true teleportation. Rather, it's an explosive burst of speed so sudden that the body seems to vanish. The cooldown isn't magical—it's the body itself failing momentarily under the strain.
13. Deep-Cleanse Pulse (Poison-Nullifying – 12,000 merit points)
A powerful surge of internal Qi that purges even the most virulent toxins. Expensive, rare, and exhausting to use. Unlike the more affordable poison techniques, the institute doesn't discount this one—its value is far too high, especially in the current war against venom-wielding cultivators.
14. Moonclaw Hands (Transformation / Close-Ranged Attack – 6,200 merit points)
Temporarily transforms both hands into clawed weapons resembling those of the Steelhide Moonwolf—a peak-stage beast known for tearing through steel. While the visual is intimidating, the transformation is partial and brief. Maintaining it requires heavy Qi consumption, and the benefits—slashing power and limited strength increase—fall short of the beast's true abilities. Lin Shu noted that while it technically qualified as a high-tier technique, its performance leaned more toward mid-tier, and the cost reflected that limitation.
Lin Shu's eyes lingered on Deep-Cleanse Pulse and Blink Step, quietly analyzing their strengths and whether he could afford them soon. But he made no decisions yet. With over 6,000 merit points to spend, his options had widened—but now was not the time to rush.
Lin Shu scanned the final column of the merit board—the one reserved for items and weapons. His eyes moved quickly, but his expression remained still. Most of the items were mid-tier: basic talismans, common-grade healing pills, low-to-mid effectiveness poisons, and spiritual cloths used to muffle one's Qi. A few weapon-grade tools caught his eye—throwing needles, fire-burst pouches, collapsible hooks—but nothing worth even half his attention.
As for the weapons themselves, they were either Tempered or Ascendant, with the best among them being high-tier Ascendant blades and spears. Strong, yes—more than enough for most Rank 1 cultivators—but nothing Lin Shu couldn't replicate through his Ivory Dominion. His own technique allowed him to forge weapons straight from his bone, reinforced with Qi and monstrous resilience. Why bother with overpriced blades that couldn't respond to his will or adapt in the middle of battle?
He moved on.
Then came the pill section—shelves and scrolls detailing everything from emergency healing to antidotes, stamina restorers, Qi boosters, and even one-use berserker tablets. Lin Shu skimmed them all. He wasn't impressed.
"None of these are good for me," he muttered. "Except the high-tier techniques..."
His thoughts circled around the three. The Moonclaw Hands seemed tempting at first, but the more he thought about it, the more its downsides overshadowed the reward. It was expensive for what it did—and its transformation was partial and fleeting, not worth the risk in drawn-out fights.
"Deep-Cleanse Pulse is the best poison-countering method available... but 12,000 merits is far beyond what I can spare now."
He clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing slightly.
"I should just buy the Pale-Lotus Flow technique. Three thousand merits for something that could save my life is not a gamble. It's insurance."
With over 6,000 merits currently, that would still leave him with enough to build toward something else.
He thought further. "That leaves me with about 3,000 after the purchase. If I want Deep-Cleanse Pulse or Blink Step, I'll need to earn at least another 9,000. That means high-value missions."
His eyes hardened. "And what gives high merits? Killing young masters. Destroying clan assets. Risky, but not impossible. The Jiang Clan has more than enough scattered brats. All I have to do is kill one and vanish before their backup arrives."
But a whisper from memory cut into his plan—Jiang Yunfan's voice and his promise: "Make sure you sleep with one eye open, boy."
"He meant it," Lin Shu thought. "They'll prioritize me and Hunt me down for that reason I must not act recklessly or carelessly no matter who i am up against, i must always use everything to finish the mission and i need to escape at the first sign of danger that i might not survive no matter what they offer me for a mission, Survival comes first while Ambition and wealth must always come second."
Resolute in his plan, Lin Shu requested to redeem his points.
He was told that techniques were kept by the vice dean personally, and that he'd have to go to the largest structure in the newly fortified mine—the manor that belonged to Lu Heng.
A guard led him there, through stone-paved paths that ran between tents, outposts, and reinforced supply halls. The massive house looked almost out of place in a battlefield—it was more like a warlord's residence. Blackwood doors, guards at each side, and a flowing banner with the institute's crest above it.
As Lin Shu knocked on the door, a calm yet authoritative voice drifted through the thick wood:
"You can come in, Lin Shu."
His eyes narrowed slightly. The door hadn't opened, and no footsteps had sounded from within, yet Vice Dean Lu Heng knew it was him. For a brief second, Lin Shu stiffened in surprise, but then reminded himself—this was no ordinary cultivator. Lu Heng was a Rank 2 expert, the second most powerful figure in the entire institute. For someone like that, sensing an approaching student's Qi signature wasn't just plausible—it was trivial.
Lin Shu pushed the door open and stepped inside, eyes immediately falling on the tall, composed man seated behind a broad desk of blackwood. Scrolls, files, and jade slips were spread in organized rows, his hands silently sealing away one of the scrolls into a spatial ring. Despite being indoors, Lu Heng wore a plain dark robe, simple yet heavy with presence. His gaze didn't immediately lift from the scroll before him.
Lin Shu clasped his hands respectfully and spoke with clarity:
"Student Lin Shu greets Vice Dean Lu Heng."
Only then did the vice dean glance up, his eyes calm, unreadable—like the still surface of a deep lake.
"I assume you're here to use your merit points."
Lin Shu nodded.
Lu Heng leaned back slightly and continued, his tone flat, voice smooth as stone.
"I've heard about your accomplishments. You performed well. You're currently ranked higher than Yun Qiu and Wu Jian—by a fair margin."
Despite the words of praise, his expression remained completely neutral. No smile. No lift of the brow. As if he were simply reciting numbers from a ledger. He finished sealing the last scroll and swept his hand, sending the rest into his spatial ring in a single motion.
"Now then," he said, folding his hands before him. "What would you like to exchange for using your merit?"
Just as Lin Shu was about to speak, a knock sounded at the door.
Lu Heng turned his head only slightly and said, without raising his voice:
"Come in, Han Yi."
Lin Shu didn't react—he remained standing calmly at his spot, arms folded behind his back, eyes half-lidded but focused.
The door opened, revealing a tall girl with piercing blue eyes, shoulder-length blue hair, and a long bow strapped to her back. Her steps were measured and graceful, her expression void of emotion. She stopped a few paces behind Lin Shu and greeted formally:
"Student Han Yi greets Vice Dean Lu Heng."
Lin Shu didn't even glance her way. He knew the name, of course. Han Yi. One of the top talents in the institute. Cold and Distant Like an arrow drawn taut but never wasted. And here she was, stepping into the same roo
The air in the room didn't grow tense—but it did grow heavier. Lin Shu, still bruised and bandaged beneath his robes, remained motionless, his eyes now locked back on Lu Heng.
This was a room of power.And of authority.