CHAPTER 59: REWARDS

"A martial artist... with a scholar’s precision," Elder Zhou added, arms folded, tone now respectful. "And all without drawing his weapon. What’s his background again?"

Mu Qinxue set her teacup down silently.

"He’s someone who was betrayed by his previous sect. His lover was abused and killed. He only survived because he ran away and encountered Grand Elder Haiyun on the way. The Grand Elder saw something in him—took him in, swore an oath never to harm him, and even personally brought him into our sect. He gave him his own oath token, without explanation."

"...What? He swore an oath?" one of the elders asked in disbelief.

Qinxue nodded. "Yes. He did. Though the oath only prevents him from harming the boy out of greed or intent to steal his secrets. It doesn’t stop him from... well, protecting himself if one day Tian Lei decides to attack him."

"Hmph. If he was betrayed by his own sect, then it’s no surprise he asked for an oath," another elder murmured. "But which blind fools would give up such a rare talent?"

"It was the Heavenly Sword Sect—down south, across the kingdom. A Rank 1 sect," Qinxue replied.

Sword Mist Peak’s Grand Elder leaned in sharply. "Have you retaliated yet?"

"I offered him the chance," Qinxue said coolly. "But he refused. He said he wanted to deal with them on his own... with his own strength."

There was a brief, loaded silence.

Then the elder from Heaven Cloud Peak exhaled through his nose. "I would have made the same choice."

Several others nodded solemnly.

"Victory—Tian Lei."

The crowd erupted—not into a roar, but into stunned murmurs. Even the Grand Elders, normally composed and unreadable, exchanged glances. This was no ordinary disciple. Not anymore.

One thread was clear now: Tian Lei wasn’t just a dark horse—he was the storm itself.

The results solidified. The top five had been decided.

From across the great stone arena, the Sect Leader herself—Mu Qinxue—stood, her elegant form haloed by a faint golden Qi. The other Grand Elders rose as well, forming a semi-circle of power and tradition. A platform of white jade lifted from the ground as ceremonial steps unfolded before the five finalists.

Tian Lei stepped forward in silence, his expression calm, unreadable.

As the other four winners lined up beside him, Mu Qinxue raised her right hand. With a small flick of her fingers, five spatial rings flew out, hovering before each of them.

A voice amplified by spiritual energy resonated across the sect grounds.

"By the decree of the Sect Leader, and witnessed by the Grand Elders, the top five disciples of this year’s Grand Ascension Meet shall be rewarded as follows:"

She gestured, and the spatial rings hovered closer.

"Each of you shall receive: 1,000 Spirit Stones, five bottles of Tier-3 Qi Replenishing Pills, and a personalized cultivation technique scroll tailored by your peak’s elder."

Polite bows followed from the others. Tian Lei simply gave a nod—quiet, composed.

But then—

Mu Qinxue’s eyes flicked toward him, and a soft telepathic whisper reached only his ears:

"Don’t worry. I’ll give you your promised reward—just meet me in my Immortal Cave after this."

Tian Lei nodded, anticipation quietly bubbling beneath his calm exterior.

She had promised him a great reward if he won the competition in a dominating fashion... and if he was being honest, he definitely delivered. Now all that remained was to see what exactly this so-called "great reward" entailed.

Then, she addressed the five of them again, her voice clear and firm.

"Also, as of now, you are officially Inner Sect Disciples. Normally, only Spirit Awakening disciples qualify for this status, but all of you have proven your worth."

They bowed and thanked her with due reverence.

Tian Lei, however, remained still. He was already her personal disciple—the disciple of the Sect Master herself. That placed him even above Inner Sect disciples. Technically, above Core disciples too. A quiet badge of superiority that didn’t need to be announced.

As the ceremony concluded and the Sect Leader and the other Grand Elders flew back toward their respective peaks, the Outer Sect Elder overseeing the arena spoke to the crowd:

"That concludes this year’s Grand Ascension Meet. You all may return to your training grounds—unless you’re planning to challenge Tian Lei next time," he chuckled, then added, "You all can now return and go back to cultivation or whatever activities you all want to do."

Tian Lei didn’t respond. He simply nodded, gave a final glance toward the others, and turned on his heel, heading straight toward his master’s Immortal Cave.

—

The entrance opened with a quiet hum of spiritual energy.

What greeted him was a serene, almost ethereal garden—a mystic realm tucked within the mountain itself. Verdant trees shimmered with a faint glow, and a soft breeze carried the fragrance of immortal herbs. The entire place radiated a sense of elegance and stillness.

There, under a beautifully carved gazebo, sat Mu Qinxue. A gentle waterfall trickled nearby, birds chirped somewhere in the distance... and in her hand?

A cup of tea.

Tian Lei blinked.

Just how much tea does she drink in a day? he wondered idly. Even back at the arena, she’d been sipping tea. And now, once again, she had a fresh cup in hand.

She didn’t even look up, merely raised the teapot as a second cup floated into the air beside her.

"Come. Sit. You’ve earned it."

Tian Lei approached the stone table, its surface etched with ancient sigils that faintly glowed beneath the sunlight filtering through the misty jade canopy above. He took a seat across from Mu Qinxue as the floating teacup gently settled in front of him.

"Drink," she said, voice calm as ever. "You’ll need clarity for what comes next."

Tian Lei obediently took a sip. The tea was light, floral, but imbued with Qi so pure he felt it sweep through his meridians like a cleansing tide.

She watched him over the rim of her cup, then slowly placed it down.

"You performed well. Above expectations. You didn’t just win—you dominated."

Her voice dipped just slightly, something softer threading into it.

"Exactly the outcome I wanted."

Tian Lei set his cup down with quiet confidence.

"You did say there would be a reward, Master."

A smile tugged at the edge of her lips.

"Impatient. But not undeserved."

With a gentle flick of her fingers, a ripple of spatial energy shimmered behind her. From it floated a sleek, golden scroll wrapped in silver cords, and a crystalline jade vial that glowed faintly crimson.

"This is your official reward from the Sect Elders," she said, her tone becoming more formal again. "A thousand spirit stones. Five bottles of Qi Refining Pills. And..."

She snapped her fingers, and a small wooden token with ancient cloud runes appeared midair.

"This token grants you unrestricted access to one of the nine Core Training Chambers for a full month. Normally reserved for elite Core Disciples and above."

Tian Lei raised a brow. Even for a prodigy, that was incredibly generous.

But then her eyes glinted—and she leaned forward slightly.

"Now... that was the public reward."

Mu Qinxue’s tone dipped, her words curling with meaning.

She extended her hand toward Tian Lei.

"As for the real one... give me your hand."

Tian Lei blinked but complied, reaching out. Her fingers lightly touched the back of his hand—cool and elegant. A faint blue glow pulsed between their palms, and an icy snowflake sigil gently bloomed atop his skin like a frost-kissed flower.

He felt a subtle chill trace through his meridians, then settle like a dormant flame.

"While I was searching for the Divine Beast for you in the Frozen Mist Vale," she said calmly, "I stumbled upon a naturally formed Secret Realm. I already possess one, so I sealed this one away. Now, it belongs to you."

Tian Lei examined the faint sigil, frowning slightly. He already had access to a secret realm—a personal one tied to his Special Soul. And truth be told, it was far more advanced than most legacy caves out there.

Still...

"What kind of Secret Realm is this?" he asked, curiosity piqued.

Mu Qinxue gave a small nod, her voice carrying a gentle pride.

"It’s called the Frozen Heart Tree Realm. It’s not vast—but it houses a singular Heavenly Item: a massive Frozen Heart Tree. Its bark can be refined into Heavenly-tier ice weapons. Its sap? Liquid nectar for cultivators like you—especially now that you carry the power of the Ice Dragon."

Her words were steady but sincere.

"I thought... it might be helpful. So I claimed it, for you."

Tian Lei’s expression softened.

"...Thank you, Master."

He bowed his head slightly, his voice quieter.

"Good. You may go now. Or stay, if you have any doubts. I suppose I’ll entertain a few questions—if you ask them properly."

Tian Lei gave a respectful nod and cupped his fists politely. "I’ll keep that in mind, Master."

Mu Qinxue offered a faint smile, one hand still cradling her cup of tea, the steam curling around her fingers like soft mist. "Good. Your growth has already exceeded expectations—though, between us, I expected no less."

Tian Lei chuckled lightly, "I suppose I’ll have to keep raising the bar then."