Of course, Han Yu already had set up the Undying Life Charm, but having another set of materials for it as a safety net was always good.

'Looks like I'll be living in luxury after getting back to the sect.' Han Yu thought to himself.

But High Elder Qing was not finished.

"Beyond this," the elder said, his eyes sweeping across them, "the sect will also provide each of you with cultivation resources until you reach the Nascent Soul realm. Pills, spirit stones, elemental treasures—you will not need to worry. The sect will invest in you until that point."

This declaration struck the group with equal force as the merits.

Wu Shuan's shoulders visibly relaxed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. The thought of no longer needing to gamble with limited resources for breakthroughs was beyond comforting.

Xuan Qing's eyes flickered with surprise, her normally calm heart now stirred with anticipation of her own growth. Just a few years ago she had been hard pressed to get a single pill to overcome the barrier of her mid stage core condensation realm cultivation.

She had gambled on it and lost, and to avoid the consequences she had even run away on a long term mission. But now she didn't need to worry anymore.

Even Fatty Kui's round face trembled with emotion. He had always joked about surviving on scraps and opportunities, but to have the sect itself commit to nurturing him up to Nascent Soul was something he had never imagined.

Han Yu felt the weight of this assurance keenly. For him, whose plans always revolved around how to stretch limited resources, it was like chains falling away. For the first time, he would not need to fear stagnation from lack of support.

"As for the manuals and books," High Elder Qing continued, "all of you will be given preference to study them, so that their reward will not be lost to you."

The disciples exchanged glances.

Though this was indeed a great boon, Han Yu could see that his companions were not quite as thrilled about the manuals. They were not alchemists, and while martial techniques and cultivation insights certainly had value, they lacked the same immediate impact that the pills held.

High Elder Qing seemed to expect this reaction.

His voice softened, though his eyes remained sharp. "Therefore, I will offer you a choice. If you do not wish to spend your privileges on the manuals, you may instead request a High Grade Spirit Weapon from the sect's treasury. Any of your choice."

"Huh?" This finally caused a stir.

Wu Shuan's eyes brightened instantly, his mind already running through the kinds of blades he had dreamed of wielding. Xuan Qing too seemed tempted, her gaze sharpening with calculation. Even Fatty Kui looked as if he had been handed a feast of another kind, his thoughts spinning with fantasies of powerful artifacts that could boost his survival.

Han Yu alone remained steady.

'What weapon is worth several lifetimes worth of knowledge..."

The thought of those ancient manuals stirred something deep within him. He could not give up that opportunity, not when the secrets of alchemy and perhaps even more were involved. A High Grade spirit weapon was precious, but knowledge—knowledge was priceless.

The decision was quickly made. One by one, his companions declared their choice of weapons, their voices filled with determination. Han Yu kept silent until all eyes turned to him.

"I will take the right to study the manuals," he said clearly, his voice calm though his heart pounded.

High Elder Qing gave a small nod, as though expecting this.

The matter was settled.

For the group, the day had transformed their futures entirely.

What began as a journey of risk and uncertainty into the repository had now given them fortune, resources, and promises that many disciples could only dream of.

Each carried different emotions in their hearts—greed, ambition, gratitude, fear—but all knew this moment would mark the turning point of their lives.

A while later...

Han Yu sat cross-legged in the corner of the tent, his eyes unfocused as though they were staring straight through the fabric walls and into nothingness.

His hands rested loosely upon his knees, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed the storm of emotions inside. He had expected to feel only joy at receiving the reward, but instead his heart felt heavy, as though too much had been poured into a small vessel all at once.

THUD

Fatty Kui shuffled beside him and plopped down onto the mat with a grunt, gnawing on a dried fruit he had scrounged up from his bag. He chewed noisily for a moment, then squinted at Han Yu with suspicion.

"Hey," Fatty Kui said, poking Han Yu in the arm with his plump finger. "What's with that face? You look like someone just stole your lunch. We just got rewarded like never before in our lives. Shouldn't you be laughing and rolling on the ground instead of sitting here like a widow?"

Han Yu blinked and came back to himself, startled by the blunt remark.

His lips twitched, and he gave a soft chuckle despite his mood. "I'm not sulking, Kui. I just feel… overwhelmed. Everything happened so fast. Ten million merits, resources until Nascent Soul, and privileges no one could have dreamed of. My heart feels like it cannot catch up with what my ears just heard."

Fatty Kui tilted his head, still chewing noisily. "Overwhelmed, huh? You sure you're not just impatient? You look like you're sitting here waiting for someone to hand you all the treasures right now."

Han Yu sighed and rubbed his temple. "Maybe you are right. I keep thinking about how we will not actually be able to use most of our rewards until we return to the sect. It feels like a dream that has not yet touched reality. Like everything is written on a slip of paper but still beyond reach."

Fatty Kui swallowed the fruit and wagged his finger. "That's where you're wrong."

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