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nThe System’s latest addition to the equipment category was a pleasant surprise.

nIt was worth it to convert 10,000 System experience points for one equipment.

nAs Fang Lang thought, with his current rank as a second-grade sword master and a first-grade martial arts master, the equipment would be able to compensate for his weakness in the spell mastery discipline.

nAlthough these would not be useful for the upcoming Imperial Examination, there were things beyond the Imperial Examination for a cultivator. He should look at the bigger picture.

n‘Ding! Core Card effect completed. Core stats have been modified. Do you wish to view stats?’

nThe System’s notification rang just as Fang Lang was done exploring the equipment function.

nFang Lang instantly straightened up, excitement sparkled in his eyes.

nWas it finally done?

n‘Please do not make it worse. The original core was white… if it goes any lower, it’ll turn black.’

nHe thought it was unlikely the System would humiliate him.

nFang Lang immediately called out the System display. His eyes were drawn to the core category.

nCore: 36 (White)

nModified Core: 66 (Purple)

nThe smile on Fang Lang’s face faded.

nNot red, not yellow, not gold, but purple?

nWhat did it mean?

nAfter three years of studying in the academy, Fang Lang had never heard of a purple core.

nWas the System pulling his leg?

nA gold core would have been nice. After all, his cultivation speed was two-thirds of Old Jiang’s without any Amplification Cards. A gold core would justify his current abilities and allow him to pass the Imperial Examination’s core evaluation without raising suspicions.

nHe would be treading on thin ice with this purple core.

nWould he be sentenced to death?

nFang Lang frowned, regretting his decision.

nHe was distressed due to the unexpected outcome.

nWhat should he do?

nFang Lang was completely puzzled. The purple core was an unknown factor to him.

n“I should do some digging tomorrow. Mentor Wen might know something about this.”

nFang Lang took a deep breath… how troubling.

nFang Lang decided not to dwell further. He occupied his mind with happier thoughts.

n“System, sum up the bonus rewards,” Fang Lang said enthusiastically.

n‘Ding! Calculating bonus rewards…

n‘Calculation completed. Bonus spiritual energy from binding partner (Ni Wen): 50 (low-grade spirit crystal); Bonus spiritual energy from binding partner (Liu Bubai): 30 (low-grade spirit crystal).

nBonus rewards will be channeled into the host’s energy center for sword mastery cultivation.’

nThe System’s notification slowly dimmed.

nFang Lang felt a surge of spiritual energy flowing into his energy center, accelerating the rotating core.

n80 low-grade spirit crystals was a considerable amount of spiritual energy. On top of that, Fang Lang had received an abundance of spiritual energy in the Spirit Pagoda as a reward for reaching the seventh level.

nThe spiritual energy from these 80 low-grade spirit crystals pushed Fang Lang’s cultivation to the boundary of a third-grade sword master.

nThe autumn weather intensified as the night deepened.

nStars embellished the sky like countless fireflies floating in the dense forest.

nThe enchanting moonlight shone through the windows and spilled silvery rays onto Fang Lang.

nThe boy opened his eyes slowly as he soaked in the sudden surge of spiritual energy in his body.

nWithin the course of three days, he had reached the apex of a second-grade sword master from a lowly ninth-grade sword disciple… This was the magic of the Spirit Pagoda.

nOf course, besides his relentless drive to succeed, he had the support of the Grade-Rush Card.

nFang Lang had spent the entire night trying to advance into third-grade sword mastery. He put his entire focus on his energy center, trying to convert a third of the spiritual energy into blade energy.

nEven though he was at the boundary of a third-grade sword master, he could not break through no matter how hard he tried.

nFang Lang let out a breath but was not too dejected about the outcome.

nHe retrieved the spirit crystals and activated the Triple Binding Mode to continue absorbing the spiritual energy. Fang Lang decided to wear down the boundary with time and patience.

n…

nThe next day was cloudy as the autumn rain brewed.

nThe chilly weather seeped into the bones.

nAfter having breakfast, Fang Lang headed straight for the academy. Students walked through the main street hastily as the Imperial Examination was just around the corner. Everyone was anxiously preparing for the exams.

nFang Lang reached the Luojiang Academy before class started. He did not head to the study hall. Instead, he walked towards the Mentors’ Office.

nMentor Wen had just woken up and was preparing a pot of wolfberry tea when he heard Fang Lang.

nMentor Wen had a porcelain cup in hand. He was yawning lazily with his beard untrimmed. He stared quizzically at Fang Lang who was here so early in the morning.

n“Spit it out, what do you want to ask me?” Mentor Wen said while he blew gently at the steaming wolfberry tea.

n“What a great mentor you are! You can sense my eagerness to learn just by one look!” Fang Lang tried to butter him up.

nMentor Wen took an audible sip of his tea and rolled his eyes. “Otherwise you won’t be here. You’ll be stuck at Ni Wen’s side right now.”

nFang Lang put on an innocent smile.

n‘Looks like Mentor Wen figured out my routine.’

nHe just could not resist Little Wen’s charms.

nThe Grade-Rush Card fragments she provided were extremely beneficial!

n“Spit it out then, Old Yang’s gonna ring the bell soon. Head back to class once you’re done,” Mentor Wen said.

nFang Lang nodded as he tried to come up with problems related to sword mastery.

nWen Ting raised an eyebrow as he analyzed and addressed the issues raised by Fang Lang.

nSuddenly, Fang Lang slid the question in smoothly. “Right teacher, have you ever heard of core change?”

nWen Ting was surprised.

nThe next moment, he narrowed his eyes and answered, “You were beating around the bush this whole morning. This is the reason why you’re here, isn’t it?”

nFang Lang laughed and did not refute his mentor.

nAfter all, he could not pretend any longer now that he had a purple core.

nWen Ting stared at Fang Lang as he fell into deep thought. He sipped on the wolfberry tea, chewing on the berries that slipped into his mouth.

nAfter some time, Wen Ting continued speaking, “The common understanding is that the core of the Tang Dynasty’s cultivators is categorized into five grades, starting from black, white, red, yellow, and finally, gold…

n“However, there are also other cores. Beyond the golden core is the starry core. When tested with the core compass, it radiates with the brilliance of a star. People with this core are naturally gifted. They are so rare that one might not even appear in a thousand years,” Wen Ting explained.

nFang Lang was startled when he heard what Wen Ting said. ‘Doesn’t purple come after gold?’ he wondered.

n“What about the next rank after the starry core? Is there a purple core?” Fang Lang asked curiously.

nHe was genuinely curious. They would not have learned this from the textbooks.

nWen Ting glanced at Fang Lang and asked, “Purple? Of course not. After the starry core is the divine core… that’s just one of a kind, reserved for God’s favored son. I haven’t heard anyone with a divine core. What kind of bloodline will be worthy of someone with a divine core?

n“Perhaps… The person living in the Changan palace might have it.”

nWen Ting did not continue speaking. He avoided mentioning that person’s name as if he was afraid.

n“Of course, there are records about changes to the core after birth…”

nWen Ting sipped on his tea again before continuing. “A cultivator’s core can be altered by their environment, after the awakening of their bloodline ability, or it could be transplanted… The first two can happen under certain conditions, the transplantation process is just utterly cruel and evil and goes against the laws of nature. The Tang Dynasty’s law forbids people from doing it. There’s a term for core alterations due to the changes in the environment and the bloodline—core mutations.”

nCore mutations?

nFang Lang took a deep breath.

n“There are good and bad mutations. Some mutations will improve the core significantly, some just get worse…”

nAfter saying that, Wen Ting stared at Fang Lang. A realization struck the man.

nThe next second, Wen Ting extended his hand.

nFang Lang opened his arms without resisting. He narrowed his eyes while he let Wen Ting check his core.

nAfter all, he had been expecting this.

nWen Ting placed one hand on Fang Lang’s shoulder blades while holding the teacup with the other. He grazed his hand over Fang Lang’s spine with a unique gesture.

nWen Ting’s eyes widened gradually!

n‘Something’s not right!

n‘Something’s wrong with him!’

n“Something’s… something’s off about your core!”

nMentor Wen felt the changes in Fang Lang’s core. He had not checked his core prior to this, but Chao Xiaojian did back in the Sword Guild. With Chao Xiaojian’s ability, it was not likely he would make a wrong judgment when it came to core reading.

nFang Lang had a white core back then.

nHowever… Fang Lang’s core right now was definitely not white!

nThe feedback from his core felt similar to… a gold rank?

nIt still felt weird. Wen Ting personally had a gold core. He could sense the difference between Fang Lang’s core and an actual gold core.

nWhat was it?

n‘He advanced to a second-grade sword master from a third-grade sword disciple within a month and conquered the seventh floor of the Spirit Pagoda. He even displayed amazing sword mastery talents…’

nWen Ting was astounded by his own deductions.

nWen Ting’s eyes burned brightly. This kid’s core definitely mutated!

nHe was in a daze. He had discovered the reason behind Fang Lang’s spectacular performance!

nNo wonder this kid came to him in the wee hours of the morning, it was to ask him this question. The boy was probably terrified by the upcoming core evaluation for the Imperial Examination!

nThere were only two outcomes of core mutations.

nEither one would become a brilliant genius or they would end up a nobody!

nThe kid’s recent achievements suggested he was the former!

n“Stay here, don’t move. Wait for my return!”

nIn a flash, Wen Ting turned into a blade light and disappeared into thin air.

nShortly after that, Wen Ting returned with an intricate device—the core compass.

nAt the same time, Headmaster Cui stood beside Wen Ting with an interested look.

nThey would test Fang Lang’s core!

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