Chapter 50: Pagoda

A few minutes later...

The Elder led Qing away from the main test area and toward the region reserved for the Core Disciples.

The difference between this area and the rest of the Nine Lotus Sect became obvious as soon as they entered it, as the buildings were larger, more spacious, and positioned much farther apart from one another. Unlike ordinary disciples, every Core Disciple was provided with an independent residence, giving them both greater privacy and a much better environment for cultivation.

Qing’s eyes moved across the surroundings as he walked, immediately noticing that formations above the Nine-Star level had been carved into several of the training areas and even some of the ordinary grounds, while the density of Spiritual Energy was far higher than anything he had encountered while crossing the other areas of the sect.

His gaze soon shifted toward a massive pagoda standing at the far end of the courtyard on the left. The structure was tall enough to immediately attract attention, and Qing noticed several Core Disciples entering it one after another, while others emerged from the entrance looking injured or covered in bruises.

The sight made Qing slightly curious about what was happening inside, and he was about to ask when the Elder spoke first, "Are you perhaps wondering about the pagoda?"

Qing turned toward him and answered honestly, "Yes."

The Elder shook his head with a faint smile before explaining, "That is a pagoda our ancestors left behind. A Trial is held inside it, consisting of a hundred floors, and each floor gives you a different kind of test and a reward after you pass it."

The Elder glanced toward the Core Disciples entering and leaving the pagoda before continuing, "Those little ones have been trying to conquer the pagoda from the moment they set foot here because they became greedy for its rewards. Even the Jade you received doesn’t contain resources comparable to what the pagoda awards after clearing its floors."

Qing nodded as he listened, immediately understanding why so many Core Disciples were willing to repeatedly enter a place that clearly left many of them injured. The Elder then continued walking while Qing remained focused on the pagoda, "There is a limitation, though. Once you enter the pagoda, you can only pass each floor once. For example, if you pass the first floor but lose on the second, then the next time you enter, you will be sent directly to the second floor."

Qing arched an eyebrow at the explanation, but he only needed an instant to understand the reason for the restriction. ’Well, it is obvious that it’s not some infinite reward generator.’

He shook his head slightly before continuing to walk beside the Elder, while the pagoda remained in his peripheral vision. The Elder glanced at him and chuckled before speaking again, "I think I don’t even need to tell you to try climbing the pagoda, as it seems you have big ambitions."

Qing immediately grinned at those words and thought, ’He is right about that, though it’s only for taking the free loot inside hehe.’ He then answered aloud, "Yes, I will try it, as it seems every Core Disciple is focused on that."

The Elder nodded in response before finally stopping in front of a large residence surrounded by a simple courtyard. The residence itself was not excessively luxurious, but its construction was clearly different from the housing provided to ordinary disciples, with smooth white stone forming the walls and faint Spiritual Energy flowing through the Formation patterns carved into them.

A small pond occupied one side of the courtyard, while several green trees and flowers had been planted around the edges, giving the area a calm appearance without making it feel overly decorative.

At the center of the courtyard was a flat stone platform that could be used for meditation or simple cultivation, while the surrounding Formation gathered Spiritual Energy throughout the entire residence.

"This is your residence."

Qing took in the entire scene before nodding, and the Elder threw a small Jade token toward him. "This Jade contains the restrictions connected to the residence, so only you can freely enter and leave it. It also controls the defensive Formation surrounding the courtyard, and you can activate it whenever you wish to cultivate or don’t want to be disturbed."

Qing caught the Jade and briefly examined it before putting it away, while the Elder continued explaining a few basic rules regarding the Core Disciple area. After making sure Qing understood the important rules, the Elder finally left and allowed him to enter his new residence alone.

The interior was considerably simpler than Qing had expected, but it contained everything necessary for both cultivation and daily life. A large room occupied the center of the residence, with a bed positioned against one wall and a wooden table with two chairs placed near the opposite side.

Another smaller room contained a bathing area, while a separate cultivation room had been built deeper inside the residence, with a Spiritual QI Gathering Formation covering the entire floor.

Qing immediately noticed that the Formation was considerably more efficient than the ones he had seen in the outside training areas, allowing Spiritual QI to gather continuously without requiring him to activate it manually, ’Hmm, an Eleven-star formation. It is bound to be good.’

Qing glanced around the interior for a moment, taking in the simple but comfortable arrangement before his attention returned to the matter he had been thinking about ever since he returned to the cultivation world.

’I would have liked to see more of the residence, but it’s time to Sign-In. It’s already been hours since I arrived in the cultivation world again.’ Qing immediately walked toward the bed and sat down comfortably before summoning the System Window.

[Sign-In available, Y/N]

’Yes, Sign-In!’ Qing felt excitement surging inside him as he thought what the system would reward him this time, though he knew it had the random function, he just hoped his luck would be ridiculous just like the last two times.