The dark and deserted alley was lit by the cold and silvery moonlight.

Inside the smithy, the coal on the furnace was still burning brightly, sending sparks into the air.

Heavy breathing echoed in the store.

Fang Lang supported himself with his sword. Blood dripped down his left palm. Even though he was gasping, there was a smile on his face.

Not far away from him, the young man was lying on the ground, his face covered in open wounds. He stared at the starry sky blankly as he let his failure sink in.

Gentle footsteps sounded.

The old man walked out of the store with his back straightened. He was holding the Obsidian Sword with a surprised yet approving expression.

He flung his hand and threw two porcelain bottles in the direction of Fang Lang and the young man.

The young man got up from the ground and caught the bottle.

"Medicine to heal your wounds, it's very effective. Don't worry, it won't affect your performance in the Imperial Examination," the old man said slowly.

The young man took out a pill and swallowed it. The open wounds on his head started to scab instantly.

"I lost," the young man admitted honestly. His expanded body slowly reduced in size.

Fang Lang smiled broadly. "It's a good match. Do you mind telling me your name? We're somewhat acquainted after this duel. It excites me to befriend a genius!"

The young man scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Forget it, I'm not worthy as a loser. We'll get to know each other later in the Imperial City."

Fang Lang was stunned. 'What kind of logic was that? Why can't losers leave their name?'

After the brief exchange, the young man ignored Fang Lang and picked up his black falchion. He turned around and returned to the store. He continued to hammer the metal piece on the furnace.

Fang Lang had no choice but to give up. He swallowed the medicine given by the old man without worrying about being poisoned. After all, if the old man wanted him dead, he would not have to resort to tactics like this. He took several deep breaths after taking the pill. The wound on his hand started healing, showcasing the extraordinary effectiveness of the medicine.

The old man gave the Obsidian Sword to Fang Lang.

"Not bad, you're rather skilled at the sword techniques. It must've been a difficult training period?"

After seeing Fang Lang's callus-covered hand and the solid display of his swordsmanship, the old man was impressed. What an honest, hardworking kid.

He was so much better than that rascal Wen Ting who still owed him money.

Fang Lang retrieved the Obsidian Sword. It was heavy and black as ink. Even under the illumination of the moonlight, there was not a single reflection.

"May I ask, how much does this sword cost?"

The old man waved his hand before entering the store. "It's up to you. I only sell my swords to those who passed the test. Price doesn't matter to me, as long as you're not as stingy as that scrooge."

Fang Lang's cheek twitched, no wonder this old man was so furious when he heard Wen Ting's name.

He did not expect Mentor Wen to be so miserly.

Fang Lang was rather generous with his money.

He walked towards an empty table and focused his mind on the space ring to retrieve the entire stash of 25,000 gold coins.

Clink! Clink! Clink!

The gold coins shimmered under the radiant moonlight, lighting up the entire street!

"Mister, here's 25,000 gold coins. The Obsidian Sword's value is priceless. I'm truly grateful and honored by your offering," Fang Lang said while extending both his hands to hold the sword.

He kept both swords into the sword box and turned around to leave. His shadow disappeared into the misty night sky.

The streets fell into a dead silence.

Inside the workshop, the young man halted his movements as he stared at the heaps of gold coins on the table. He gulped visibly. So so many gold coins!

The old man turned around and waved his hand gentlythe mountains of gold coins disappeared instantly.

"Wei Sheng, he's an honest man. I've heard that many people in Changan want him hurt? Do help him out when you're in Changan," the old man said.

"I understand, Master," the young man answered as he resumed hammering.

The old man returned to the squeaky rocking chair and hummed a merry tune.

It had been a while since he had met such a diligent kid.

'Ding! Congratulations on your cultivation transaction! You've been awarded random rewards, you can find them in the inventory.'

The notification rang in Fang Lang's mind while he strolled the quiet streets.

'Ding! Friendly reminder, your experience bar is filled. Leveling up.'

Everything was as he expected.

On the System's display:

Host: Fang Lang

Cultivation Discipline: Ninth-Grade Sword Disciple

Level: LV4

Experience: 0/100000

Core: 36 (White)

Cultivation Resource: 50,000 gold coins, 300 low-grade spirit crystals, 2 mid-grade spirit crystals (usage limited to cultivation)

Items: Grade-Rush Card (1), Green Reward Egg (1)

Binding Partner: Ni Wen (60%); Jiang Linglong (60%); Liu Bubai (60%); Empty slot (60%)

Sole Passive Ability: Additional rewards may be granted when the host bonds with the binding partner over cultivation.

There was nothing special about this upgrade.

Fang Lang was slightly disappointed the binding capacity remained at 60%.

Nevertheless, Fang Lang was not too concerned about this. He was more focused on the cultivation in the Spirit Pagoda the following day.

The main focus would be the mission in the Spirit Pagoda and the bonus challenge that converted the absorbed spiritual energy into experience points.

He needed to up his game tomorrow!

"System, smash the egg!" Fang Lang said.

The Green Reward Egg in the inventory was smashed instantly. The rewards were on display, surrounded by golden rays.

'Ding! Congratulations on getting a 3X Amplification Card, Power Loan Card, and Core Card.'

Hmm?

Fang Lang frowned after seeing the rewards.

The rewards from the Green Reward Egg seemed rather ordinary. A 3X Amplification Card instead of a 5X one?

However, there was a new additionCore Card.

'Core Card: Permanent effect card (overwritable). Once activated, the host can change their core stats on the surface and karmic levels.'

Fang Lang's eyes narrowed.

A permanent effect card!

Finally, something valuable!

This card was worth something!

Fang Lang did not stay on the streets to study the Core Card. Instead, he rushed back to the Fang Manor.

When he got back, Old Fang was already out, likely at the entertainment house. Fang Lang headed straight for his room.

He was rather excited.

His natural core was a thorn in his flesh!

Given his current core, he would gain no additional points in the Imperial Examination, which made him less competitive.

More importantly, Fang Lang was worried others would be suspicious of his exemplary skills when he was just a white core.

The Core Card appeared just in time!

He tried to keep his composure. He took a deep breath before saying, "System, activate the Core Card."

'Ding! The Core Care will change your core on the surface and karmic level. The effects will be permanent. If you want to change it again, you need to overwrite it with another Core Card. Do you wish to proceed?'

The System's notification popped up.

Fang Lang calmed down and fell into deep thought.

He knew the Core Card would not alter his original core. He still needed to switch to his binding partner's cultivation mode to enhance his core. However, a superficial change was sufficient to change others' perceptions.

Although his core was a lost cause, the appearance of the Core Card was a temporary solution to Fang Lang's issue.

The System might provide a card that permanently alters the core abilities entirely in the future.

Fang Lang was still hopeful about it despite the fact he did not depend much on his core

"Activate."

'Ding! Recalculation of core stats, loading time is around 48 hours. Appreciate the host's patience.'

The System notification appeared briefly before fading.

Fang Lang closed his eyes and slowly let out a breath. He had nothing else to do but wait for the good news.

Fang Lang reopened his eyes. They looked rather calm in the dark. He retrieved a spirit crystal from the System and started absorbing it.

He had gathered all the cards, including the Grade-Rush Card, Physical Buff Card, and 3X Amplification Card.

If he wanted to achieve the highest distinction in the Imperial Examination, he would need to give his best tomorrow.

The night was calm, but fate had other plans.

The cultivation in Spirit Pagoda tomorrow would be the turning point for those ranked within the top fifty in Luojiang Academy.

It was bound to be a sleepless night.

Fang Lang had trouble falling asleep too.

The System pushed him to his limits, but Fang Lang knew that it was not just for the sake of completing the mission. He had to break his limits in order to be the champion!

His match with the young blacksmith revealed that he was still too weak compared to those geniuses who naturally had a chance at being the champion.

He did not even qualified to compete as he was not a sword master yet.

The importance of the Spirit Pagoda dawned on Fang Lang.

Fang Lang opened his eyes in the dark. He released his palm, scattering the spirit crystal fragments.

He stared at the first rays of sunlight rising from the horizon.

There was a spark in Fang Lang's eyes, ready to set the prairie ablaze.

Everything was set for tomorrow to come!