Free Web NovelChapter 48: Chapter 48: Contest Rewards
The return from Mirror Reed Lake brought the academy to another round of discussion.
The contest had not been a true Tower floor, but it was still an academy-recognized competitive zone. Every major team had participated. Every instructor had observed. Every ranking was public.
And Qin Yuheng’s team had taken first place.
Again.
The final scoreboard floated above the mission hall for all students to see.
[Heavenly Gate Academy Early-Floor Resource Contest]
Rank 1: Qin Yuheng Team — 7,920
Rank 2: Wei Chen Team — 6,840
Rank 3: Lin Xian’er Team — 6,210
Rank 4: Zhao Tianyu Team — 5,980
Rank 5: He Jun Team — 4,700
This time, the reaction was different from before.
After Floor 1, people were shocked.
After Floor 2, they were doubtful.
After Floor 3, they were cautious.
After the resource contest, many began to accept a new fact.
Qin Yuheng’s team was not lucky.
They were strong.
Not overwhelmingly strong in raw level, but strong in preparation, judgment, coordination, and adaptability. They repeatedly turned danger into points. They repeatedly found hidden opportunities. They repeatedly survived events that other teams avoided.
For academy instructors, that was more valuable than a student who only had a flashy talent.
Han Shuren watched the scoreboard and nodded once.
Mei Lian began adding Qin Yuheng’s decisions to anonymous case studies for future Tower Theory lectures.
Yu Qingmei updated his Hidden Seed file again.
[Qin Yuheng]
Observation Priority: High
Traits:
- High adaptability
- Strong resource judgment
- Concealed strength
- Team leadership
- Repeated hidden event success
- Possible reward-related luck or perception resonance
Recommendation:
Continue controlled pressure.
Avoid excessive public reward to prevent external interference.
Xu Chengdao read the update and smiled faintly.
"Reward-related luck or perception resonance? That is a cautious phrase."
Yu Qingmei looked at the contest recording.
"It is cautious because it is not enough."
"You think his talent is not just thunder-body?"
"I think thunder-body explains his combat. It does not explain his resource decisions."
Xu Chengdao looked at the image of Qin Yuheng reversing the Zhao trap with Qin Mo.
"Maybe he is simply clever."
"Clever students do not repeatedly walk into hidden reward paths unless they can sense something others cannot."
Yu Qingmei paused the recording at the moment Qin Yuheng struck the Mirror Serpent Remnant core.
"Do not pressure him too much yet. If he is truly valuable, forcing him early may push him away from the academy."
Xu Chengdao nodded.
"The Zhao family may not be as patient."
Yu Qingmei’s eyes cooled.
"Then let them make mistakes."
Meanwhile, Qin Yuheng’s team received their contest rewards.
As first place, they gained academy merit, resource priority, and individual items.
[First Place Team Reward]
Academy Merit Points +500 per member
A Grade Resource Selection Token x1
B Grade Mirror Reed Lake Chest x1
Priority Training Room Access x3 days
Special Exchange Right: Early-Floor Rare Resource Shelf
Qin Mo stared at the reward list.
"Five hundred merit points. That is enough to buy comfort."
Qin Yuchen said, "Or training resources."
Qin Mo looked at him sadly.
"You always choose the painful option."
Qin Lian quietly inspected the Resource Selection Token.
Qin Yuheng focused on the B Grade Mirror Reed Lake Chest.
Only B grade.
But it was still a chest.
And chests were among the best evolution targets.
He did not open it publicly.
The A Grade Resource Selection Token allowed the team to choose one A-grade resource from a limited academy list. That was excellent. Since it was a team reward, they discussed it together.
Available options included:
[A Grade Water Spirit Pearl]
[A Grade Lake Serpent Scale Plate]
[A Grade Mirror Reed Crystal Cluster]
[A Grade Clear Mind Lotus Seed]
[A Grade Flowing Defense Talisman]
[A Grade Water-Moon Formation Disk]
Qin Yuheng’s gaze stopped on Clear Mind Lotus Seed.
It sounded like a spirit-cleansing item.
Qin Lian noticed.
"You want the lotus seed?"
"It may be useful for spirit stabilization."
Qin Yuchen understood immediately.
"For Uncle Zhengyuan?"
"Possibly."
Qin Mo did not complain this time.
"Then choose it. I prefer resources that may prevent future family disasters."
Qin Lian nodded.
Qin Yuchen agreed.
The team selected the A Grade Clear Mind Lotus Seed.
Qin Yuheng stored it carefully.
That night, he returned to his room and placed three items before him.
B Grade Mirror Reed Lake Chest.
Mirror Lake Spirit Lotus.
A Grade Clear Mind Lotus Seed.
First, the chest.
[B Grade Mirror Reed Lake Chest]
[Eligible for Primordial Origin Evolution.]
[Please select evolution direction.]
1. Quantity Multiplication
2. Quality Enhancement]
"Quality Enhancement."
[Evolution successful.]
[B Grade Mirror Reed Lake Chest]
↓
[S Grade Mirror Moon Lake Chest]
[Open?]
"Open."
[Obtained:]
[S Grade Mirror Moon Spirit Lotus x1]
[A Grade Reflection Breaking Eye Drops x1]
[A Grade Water Shadow Step Skill Book x1]
[A Grade Lake Serpent Scale Armor Fragment x1]
Qin Yuheng’s eyes brightened slightly.
The Mirror Moon Spirit Lotus had likely surpassed the original Mirror Lake Spirit Lotus.
He inspected it.
[S Grade Mirror Moon Spirit Lotus]
[Type: Rare cleansing and spirit-water treasure]
[Effect: Cleanses mild spiritual impurities, stabilizes mental fluctuations, soothes curse residue, improves water-moon spiritual clarity.]
[Eligible for Evolution.]
Curse residue.
Spiritual impurities.
This might help Qin Zhengyuan.
But still, "mild" and "soothes" meant it would not cure the root.
He then inspected the A Grade Clear Mind Lotus Seed.
[A Grade Clear Mind Lotus Seed]
[Type: Spirit stabilizing resource]
[Effect: Strengthens mental clarity, reduces low-to-mid level illusion influence, stabilizes spirit backlash.]
[Eligible for Evolution.]
Spirit backlash.
Again useful.
He enhanced it.
[A Grade Clear Mind Lotus Seed]
↓
[SS Grade Moon-Cleansing Clear Heart Lotus Seed]
[Effect: Strongly stabilizes spirit backlash, calms curse-induced mental turbulence, improves soul clarity, and assists in suppressing mild blood-corrosion influence.]
Qin Yuheng’s expression changed.
Mild blood-corrosion influence.
This was closer.
Not enough to cure Blood Sun Corrosion, but perhaps enough to support the Soul Lantern Heart.
Then he enhanced the S Grade Mirror Moon Spirit Lotus.
[S Grade Mirror Moon Spirit Lotus]
↓
[SSS Grade Moon-Cleansing Spirit Lotus]
[Effect: Cleanses spiritual impurities, suppresses curse residue, stabilizes soul turbulence, reduces low-to-high grade corrosion influence, and strengthens resistance to illusion, fog, and blood-shadow contamination.]
Qin Yuheng stood slowly.
Moon-Cleansing Spirit Lotus.
This was one of the early-stage materials he had mentally identified as useful for his father.
Not the final cure.
But a real treatment component.
He immediately went to Qin Wanshan.
The old man was in his quiet garden, speaking with Gu Tianhe. When Qin Yuheng arrived, both looked over.
Qin Yuheng took out the Moon-Cleansing Spirit Lotus.
The garden air changed.
Silver-blue moonlight spread across the flowers and stone path.
Qin Wanshan’s expression became solemn.
Gu Tianhe’s eyes widened slightly.
"This..." Qin Wanshan said slowly.
"Can it help Father?" Qin Yuheng asked.
Qin Wanshan did not answer immediately.
He examined the lotus for a long time, then said, "Yes."
Qin Yuheng’s heart tightened.
"Can it cure him?"
"No," Qin Wanshan said. "But together with the Soul Lantern Heart, it can suppress the spirit backlash and reduce part of the corrosion. It may allow your father to recover a small portion of stable strength."
A small portion.
For Qin Zhengyuan, who had been suppressed for years, that was enormous.
Qin Yuheng exhaled slowly. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
"Then use it."
Qin Wanshan looked at him deeply.
"You gained this from the contest?"
"Yes."
The old man knew that was not the full answer.
But he no longer asked every detail.
Instead, he said, "We will prepare carefully. This cannot be wasted."
Gu Tianhe looked at Qin Yuheng with a gaze that carried something like wonder.
"Young Master," he said softly, "the Qin family owes you more each day."
Qin Yuheng shook his head.
"I am Qin family."
Gu Tianhe bowed slightly.
That night, Qin Zhengyuan’s second stabilization treatment was scheduled.
The Qin family’s old wound was beginning, slowly, to loosen.
And somewhere in Heavenly Gate City, Xue Rong of Blood Sun Hall received a report that the Qin Estate’s inner formations had activated twice within ten days.
He read the message in silence.
Then he smiled.
"Finally," he whispered. "The old blood is moving."
