Spirit Pavilion Rewards

The ripples from the second monthly examination had yet to die away, but every student in Class Three was already seated in the classroom.

At the lectern, their teacher Zhou Changkong stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze passing over faces still young but already showing their edge.

This cohort was stronger than he had expected. The few seated in the front row, in particular, were already showing signs of pulling ahead of their peers.

"You've been enrolled for over three months and taken two monthly examinations," Zhou Changkong said slowly. "You've laid your foundations in general studies, and the rankings have made your strengths and weaknesses clear.

"But this is only the first step in a hundred on the long road of cultivation. Those who won must not grow arrogant, and those who lost need not lose heart. The next examination will be the watershed that decides where your futures lead."

Everyone held their breath and listened. Chu Bai raised his head too, his gaze sharpening.

"The Midyear Examination is not far off," Zhou Changkong said, his tone growing grave. "It will be a major contest involving not just Class Three, but all ten classes in your year—more than three hundred new students.

"Those who rank highest will receive generous Dao Merit rewards, as well as the chance to enter the Spirit Pavilion and choose the qi they need."

"The Spirit Pavilion!"

Several students could not suppress their startled cries. Jiang Kuo even straightened his back without realizing it.

Chu Bai's interest stirred.

He had heard of the Spirit Pavilion before.

It was a restricted site of the Dao Academy. Within it, formations sealed away many kinds of special-attribute spiritual qi gathered by the Great Zhou Celestial Court from famous mountains and mighty rivers, polar regions and