Mu Wanqing led Lin Mu through several heavily guarded checkpoints.
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Each checkpoint was guarded by at least two professionals who had advanced to their second class change, and inspections were strict.
Lin Mu sighed inwardly.
As expected of Huaxia First Academy. They guarded the Treasure Vault so tightly.
At last,
the two of them arrived before an old-fashioned building standing deep in a quiet bamboo grove.
It was less a building
than a cave dwelling cleverly integrated into the mountainside.
The entrance was made of brass, its surface smooth and towering more than ten meters high.
A disheveled old man in rumpled clothes,
who looked as if he had just crawled out of bed,
was leaning against the stone lion beside the entrance, dozing. A glistening thread of drool hung from his mouth.
"Elder Sun."
Mu Wanqing bowed slightly to the old man,
then gave him a respectful salute, speaking softly as if afraid to disturb his pleasant dream.
The old man didn't even raise his eyelids.
He merely let out a vague "Mm" through his nose
and waved his hand impatiently.
"Which new kid's here to claim a reward this time?"
"You know the rules, girl. Let him hurry inside and pick something for himself. Then he can hurry up and get out. Don't disturb an old man catching up on his sleep."
As he spoke, he rolled over, turning his back to them.
A wry smile crossed Mu Wanqing's face.
She was clearly used to Elder Sun's eccentric ways.
Lin Mu, however, grew wary.
This seemingly slovenly old man
felt like an unfathomable void to him.
He couldn't sense his aura at all.
There was only one possible explanation.
The man's strength was far beyond anything Lin Mu could comprehend.
He was a true peerless expert!
Lin Mu stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Elder Sun as well.
"Student Lin Mu pays his respects to Elder Sun."
Only then did Elder Sun lazily open one eye.
His murky gaze swept over Lin Mu, then settled on Mu Wanqing.
"Oh? Is this the kid who turned the secret realm upside down?"
"The principal personally approved it. He can choose any three items below Legendary Grade."
Mu Wanqing nodded.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Go on in."
Elder Sun yawned and casually slapped the entrance.
The heavy brass doors slid open without a sound.
She turned to Lin Mu and said softly,
"Elder Sun guards the Academy Treasury. His personality is... a little peculiar. Don't take it personally."
"The Treasury is divided into four zones: A, B, C, and D. They correspond to Legendary, Epic, Rare, and Fine Grade items."
"The principal has specifically allowed you to choose any three Epic Grade items from Zone B."
"As for the Legendary Grade items in Zone A... well, you'd need to make a tremendous contribution to the Academy to have a chance at those."
Lin Mu nodded to show he understood.
His attention had already been completely captured by the words "choose any three Epic Grade items."
Epic Grade—orange equipment!
That was currently the highest equipment grade most professionals on Blue Star could get their hands on!
The gold Legendary equipment above it was even rarer.
The Fear Whisper Ring he'd obtained for completing the Wailing Cavern with an exceptionally high rating was one such item.
The top-tier Mythic equipment was rarer still, treasured as a legacy heirloom even by some powerful factions!
He was currently LV.17, and this time he planned to choose some orange Epic Grade equipment he could equip at around level twenty.
A weapon was his top priority.
Although he had modified the Withered Wood Staff to grant an almost 100% reduction in mana cost, making it practically a divine weapon,
its effect was simply too limited.
A suitable Epic Grade staff could be upgraded by his talent and would surely send his combat strength soaring once more.
After that, he would consider armor or accessories that could make up for his weaknesses or work perfectly with his current skill set.
"Elder Sun, we're going in now."
Mu Wanqing spoke softly again.
The old man still didn't react. He only snored even louder, as if his spirit had already wandered off to some distant realm.
Mu Wanqing shook her head helplessly, then gestured for Lin Mu to enter.
Lin Mu nodded and stepped through the heavy bronze doors.
Beyond them, a vast world opened up before him.
It wasn't the warehouse he'd imagined. Instead, it was a boundless "starry sky."
Countless objects glowing in different colors floated silently in the air like stars, turning slowly.
Weapons, armor, scrolls, orbs... a dazzling array.
"What a display of wealth."
Lin Mu praised inwardly. This was the true foundation of a top Academy.
"This is Zone B. All the Epic Grade items are here."
Mu Wanqing's voice came from beside him, tinged with pride.
"You can sense their basic information, but you'll need to touch an item to see its detailed attributes."
"Remember, you only get three picks. Once you pick something up, you can't change your mind."
Lin Mu nodded, closed his eyes, and extended his senses.
The information from countless items flooded into his mind.
[Flame Dragon Breath Staff] (LV.22, orange): Slightly increases the power of fire magic.
[Thunder War Hammer] (LV.25, orange): Attacks have a 15% chance to summon lightning and inflict paralysis.
[Shadow Pierce Dagger] (LV.22, orange): Attacks can ignore some of the target's armor.
These were all decent pieces of equipment.
But Lin Mu knew exactly what he wanted.
He needed a staff at a suitable level with enormous potential for modification.
Soon, his gaze was drawn to a staff floating in a corner.
It was made entirely of ghastly white bones,
with a murky gray orb set into its tip.
It emanated a faint Death Aura and looked completely unremarkable among the Epic Grade equipment.
[Bone Staff] (LV.21, orange)
Lin Mu reached out and picked it up.
A more detailed panel immediately appeared.
[Bone Staff] (LV.21, orange)
Attack: 120–150
Intelligence: +25
Special Effect 1: Reduces mana cost by 14% when casting skills.
Special Effect 2: Increases the initial health and defense of all your bone-type summons by 10%.
"This one."
Lin Mu didn't hesitate for even a moment.
"Are you sure?"
Mu Wanqing sounded puzzled.
"Although this staff is Epic Grade and has two effects, both are rather weak. The benefits aren't very noticeable early on. You'd be better off choosing a staff with one stronger effect."
She thought the word "Epic" had dazzled Lin Mu into choosing something flashy but impractical.
"I'm sure."
Lin Mu answered calmly.
What he liked was precisely those so-called "two junk effects."
This was practically the perfect base for his modifications!
Seeing how determined Lin Mu was, Mu Wanqing said no more, though the confusion in her eyes deepened.
Next, Lin Mu headed to the skill book section.
He quickly found his second target.
A skill book specifically for Necromancers.
A shield rune glowing with a ghostly gray light pulsed slowly across its pages.
Skill books on Blue Star only had names; they didn't include descriptions.
[Skill Book: Bone Shield] (LV.20, Necromancer only, learning requirement: Intelligence 40.)
Although the skill book was only Rare Grade,
Lin Mu could already guess its strategic value after he modified it.
You had to be able to take a hit to deal damage more effectively.
He added it to his haul without hesitation.
"A staff that isn't particularly powerful, and a defensive skill book..."
Mu Wanqing frowned as she watched Lin Mu's choices.
She was finding it harder and harder to understand this young man.
His choices went completely against the damage-focused "aesthetics of brute force" that professionals usually pursued.
One last item.
Lin Mu wandered around the accessories section for a long time.
In the end, his gaze fell on an antique-looking silver ring.
A cracked blue gem was set into it, leaving it looking somewhat damaged.
[Damaged Space Ring] (LV.25, orange)
Agility: +15
Special Effect: [Void Blink]: Consumes 80% of your maximum mana to teleport instantly to a designated location within a 12-meter radius. Can only be used once per day.
"A movement skill!"
Lin Mu's heart jolted.
This was a life-saving skill of the highest order!
The cost was immense and the conditions were strict, but at a crucial moment, it could give him a second life!
If he gave it a "simple" modification... tsk, tsk!
"Teacher Mu, I've made my choices."
Lin Mu carried the three items back to Mu Wanqing.
Her expression grew deeply conflicted as she looked at them.
A staff with limitless potential but weak early benefits.
A purely defensive skill.
A movement ring with a steep cost.
Not one of them could greatly increase his destructive power.
What was he planning?
The two of them left the Treasury.
Elder Sun was still leaning against the stone lion, dozing, as if he hadn't moved at all.
"Finished choosing?"
He asked lazily without even raising his eyelids.
"Yes, Elder Sun."
Mu Wanqing answered respectfully.
Only then did Elder Sun slowly open his eyes. His murky gaze swept over Lin Mu and the three items in his hands.
"Heh..."
He let out a hoarse, ambiguous chuckle.
"An interesting combination."
"Kid, your path stretches farther than any of theirs."
After saying that, he closed his eyes again, and his snores resumed.
Lin Mu's heart gave a sudden leap.
Elder Sun seemed to know something!
Mu Wanqing was stunned, too.
She had never heard Elder Sun give any student such high praise.
"We'll be going."
Lin Mu gathered himself, bowed to Elder Sun once more, then turned to leave.
Back at Cloud Viewing Residence.
Lin Mu saw Mu Wanqing off, then immediately shut the courtyard gate.
Unable to wait, he laid out the three spoils of war before him, his eyes glimmering with barely restrained excitement.
He had his new toys.
Next came the moment to witness a miracle!
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