**Between Childhood Friends**
For the first time in their years of acquaintance, the young man and woman found themselves sharing a room.
The bed’s curtains were drawn shut by delicate hands, concealing the girl’s figure.
"Frozen solid again."
Li Mo withdrew his gaze and settled onto the divan, hugging a quilt.
No matter how he looked at it, she didn’t seem like someone who could be swayed by a few words.
Oh well. Who knew what went on in her mind?
"Wait, an investment doesn’t necessarily have to be an item, does it?"
Lost in thought, Li Mo glanced at the reward he had just received.
**[Mystical Womb Immortal Physique]**: *"An immortal body tempered through the trials of the mortal world, bearing boundless mysteries, the origin of all beginnings."*
**"Claim reward?"**
The description was brief—just four words.
But the phrasing was so jarring that Li Mo’s brow twitched.
This completely clashed with the setting. Wasn’t this supposed to be a martial world?
Maybe it was just flowery language to make the system sound more impressive?
Well…
It didn’t sound bad.
With a thought, he claimed the reward.
Instantly—
A thunderclap, audible only to him, roared in his ears.
His mind was plunged into chaos, as if torn open by lightning, leaving him unable to even perceive his own existence.
*Bzz—*
*Bzz—*
Within the chaos, it was as if a storm raged—like the birth of heaven and earth, filled with countless colors and sounds.
Li Mo could neither see nor hear clearly.
For a fleeting moment, he felt both infinitesimally small, like a speck of dust, and unimaginably vast, beyond mortal comprehension.
As if he had ceased to exist, yet existed everywhere at once.
Time lost meaning.
Then—
Darkness swallowed him.
---
Not far away, on the bed, the silk curtains gradually frosted over, brittle as if they might shatter at a touch.
The girl hugged her slender legs, her lips pale, her lashes dusted with snow.
Even her breath carried an ancient, unyielding chill.
She might as well have been locked in the depths of a frozen hell.
But she was long accustomed to it. No pain, no fear—only stillness.
Ying Bing knew this torment would end once she mastered the power of the Lunar Yin.
But first, she had to unseal her meridians.
"Pure Yang Pill."
"Xue Jing is arguably the foremost alchemist in the Purple Sun Prefecture."
She picked up the pill and swallowed it.
A faint warmth rose from her dantian, slowly seeping into her meridians.
There was no question—she would complete her meridian awakening before the initiation ceremony!
Suddenly, she remembered something.
Ying Bing pushed aside the frozen curtains and glanced toward the divan.
There, the young man lay peacefully, even emitting soft snores.
…He was sleeping soundly?
"He… is unaffected?"
---
**The Next Morning**
Li Mo opened his eyes on the divan, his gaze deep as if holding a sky full of stars—clear and serene, yet profound like a mountain spring.
Outwardly, he seemed unchanged.
Yet even standing still, he gave off an aura of natural harmony, as if he were one with the world.
**[Name: Li Mo]**
**[Age: 16]**
**[Physique: Mystical Womb Immortal Physique]**
**[Realm: None]**
**[Destiny: ??]**
**[Evaluation: Bearing an immortal physique, his fate is shrouded in chaos—unknowable.]**
**[Recent Events: Relations with his childhood friend have thawed, now slightly better than strangers.]**
Li Mo had expected his destiny to shift to purple, or even gold.
Instead, he was met with two bold question marks.
"There are definitely changes," he mused. "But pinpointing exactly what’s different is… elusive."
After a moment’s contemplation, he dismissed the thought.
At the very least, the system’s investment returns—especially those from the "ice block" Ying Bing—had never disappointed him.
"Since I haven’t even started martial cultivation yet, I’ll just have to explore this gradually."
He reached for the teapot, only to find the water inside frozen solid.
The source of this phenomenon? The "ice block" on the bed.
Yet despite the frigid air, he felt no cold at all.
At the very least, he’d gained immunity to extreme temperatures.
"I won’t have to worry about failing the sect’s initiation."
"Getting into the inner sect should be a given, right?"
Feeling at ease, Li Mo decided to stroll through the town—maybe luck would bring him another worthy investment target.
---
**Two Days Later**
From the moment she took the Pure Yang Pill, Ying Bing had remained secluded in the room.
No food. No water.
Li Mo wasn’t worried.
With her heaven-defying fortune, she wouldn’t starve to death.
It was likely just her unique constitution at work. Best not to interfere.
Still, the room’s furnishings were ruined by the relentless cold, costing Li Mo five hundred taels in compensation.
Over the past two days, he’d encountered numerous potential investments.
Most were mundane, with only a rare few glowing blue.
Their recent circumstances were… eclectic.
A struggling scholar hoping to find a wealthy patroness.
A man drowning in wealth, yearning to experience poverty.
Even a burly brute who longed to wear women’s clothing.
Li Mo could only sigh at these requests.
Of course, there were plenty of normal folks too.
Every little bit counted.
And so, he reaped a variety of rewards—though few were useful for martial training. Most were oddities.
Paintings, toys, ingredients, fine wines… even a maiden’s undergarments.
This scattergun approach yielded meager returns.
**Dawn of the Third Day**
"Quality over quantity."
"Unless it’s a special case, I’ll skip the white and gray investments from now on."
Li Mo pushed open the door.
Inside, a graceful figure sat before a mirror, combing her long, silken hair.
"You’re better now?"
"Somewhat."
Ying Bing’s porcelain-like face held a faint flush of color.
She had successfully unsealed her meridians.
No longer a "blocked meridian" case, her suppressed talents were now free to emerge.
And it was all thanks to that Pure Yang Pill.
"Come, have breakfast," Li Mo said with a smile.
Ying Bing picked up her bowl and murmured, "Thank you."
"Huh?"
Li Mo froze, eyes wide.
Did the "ice block" just… *thank* him?
Unbelievable.
"I didn’t catch that. What did you say?"
But Ying Bing said no more, quietly sipping her porridge.
---
**The Clear Abyss Sect’s Initiation**
By the time the carriage reached the main road—still miles from the sect—it could go no further.
The crowd was overwhelming, packed shoulder-to-shoulder.
Forced to proceed on foot, Li Mo felt a sense of déjà vu.
Youths everywhere, like students gathering for morning exercises.
After another half-hour’s walk—
Ahead stood the grand gates of the Clear Abyss Sect, flanked by disciples in varied robes.
Before them, seven overseers sat behind long tables.
*Bong—*
*Bong—*
*Bong—*
Three solemn chimes rang out.
A stout, ruddy-faced elder’s voice boomed like thunder:
"Root bone is the first hurdle of martial arts. If yours is lacking, your path will be arduous—no effort can overcome such a flaw."
"Those with poor root bone may leave now. Do not waste your years."
No one moved.
Those who had come this far either knew their worth or refused to accept defeat.
They had made it this close.
There was no turning back.
The short and stout elder waved his hand upon seeing this and said:
"Then line up properly and come forward one by one for the bone assessment."
As soon as his words fell, countless young boys and girls, under the supervision of Clear Abyss Sect disciples, obediently formed a line for the examination.
The stewards seemed to have trained in a special technique—with just a single pat on the examinee's shoulder, they could roughly discern the individual’s bone structure.
"Wu Ping, Lower Grade C. Move along."
"He Haikuo, Middle Grade D."
"Qian Ningning, Lower Grade D..."
The Clear Abyss Sect classified bone quality into four tiers: A, B, C, and D. As long as one reached Grade C, they qualified for entry into the sect.
Many factors determined innate talent, and bone structure was merely one of them. A Grade C bone quality indicated that one had secured a ticket to the martial path.
Even so, only one or two out of ten examinees achieved Grade C or higher.
This first round alone was likely to eliminate eighty percent of the participants.
As for those above Grade A?
They could only be categorized uniformly as Top Grade A.
"Not entirely accurate, but the vast majority of those with a cyan destiny or higher have passed successfully."
Li Mo stood in line, his Heavenly Eye of Destiny continuously active.
"Young lady, step forward."
The elderly woman ahead beckoned.
Ying Bing emerged from the crowd and was immediately met with countless gazes—all because she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Standing there with an aloof and serene demeanor, the very air around her seemed to fall silent, making her impossible to overlook.
Li Mo stroked his chin.
Based on his experience reading novels, if nothing unexpected happened, there were two possibilities:
Either she was an absolute prodigy, or an utter failure.
But with such overwhelming presence, she was definitely not destined for mediocrity...
"Hiss..."
Sure enough.
The old woman's brows instantly furrowed.
Her expression grew solemn as she steadied her breath, her robes fluttering without wind—she was actually preparing to channel her inner energy to inspect the girl’s bone structure.
The commotion drew the attention of everyone nearby, even the other stewards, who watched with curiosity.
Even the assessment of a Top Grade A bone quality shouldn’t have warranted such a reaction.
The next moment, the elderly steward’s voice echoed across the grounds:
"Ying Bing—Top Grade A!"
Her tone was a mix of astonishment and excitement.
The crowd erupted in an uproar.
In the history of the Clear Abyss Sect, those with Top Grade A talent could be counted on one hand.
Murong Xiao, the so-called "Prodigy of Purple Sun Prefecture," had only managed Lower Grade A—and even that had earned him the title of the decade’s greatest genius.
Li Mo: "..."
So it was the former.
Under the weight of countless stares, Ying Bing became the center of attention.
Yet the young woman herself remained impassive.
Because she knew this was nothing remarkable.
Her Top Grade A rating was only because that was the highest the Clear Abyss Sect could assign.
"Unmoved by praise or blame—such composure is truly rare. This old man looks forward to your performance on the Heavenly Staircase."
Even the short and stout elder couldn’t help but praise her.
The bone assessment was merely to weed out those unfit for martial training.
The true test of one’s full potential lay in the second trial:
The Heavenly Staircase!
Bone structure wasn’t everything when it came to talent, but with a Top Grade A foundation, there was no way this girl would perform poorly in the second round.
The entrance ceremony had only just begun.
And yet, the top contender had likely already emerged.
Ying Bing nodded and stepped aside to stand among the other successful candidates.
The pride and self-satisfaction on the faces of those who had passed the first round vanished without a trace.
While they were still pondering how to enter the inner sect, Ying Bing was at least guaranteed to become a true disciple.