Disguised Fortune

Shen Junming's hands trembled, his fingers slick with cold sweat. Elder Lin Yuehua tilted her head, a curious smile on her lips.

"Why are you shaking so much, Junming?"

He didn't respond. He couldn't.

'Why now of all times?' he thought, panic rising in his chest. 'I have to think of something, anything…'

Then it clicked. The memory of the system screen flashed in his mind.

Error: Host's cultivation level insufficient.

His eyes widened slightly.

He dropped to the floor, bowing low with his forehead nearly touching the tiles.

"Hall Master," he called out, voice trembling.

Qiao Lian's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?"

Qi swirled around her body like a storm. White flame-like energy danced in her pupils, and the air grew heavy, pressing down on Junming like a mountain.

Her voice, though calm, carried immense weight.

"Are you admitting you lied?"

Junming forced his voice to remain steady. "Hall Master, I did not lie. It is just… the pill you offered is Earth-Grade. Even with a unique constitution, my cultivation is too low to consume it."

He pressed his forehead even lower. "Please give me another chance. Any High-Grade Pill will do. Please, Hall Master."

Inside, he held onto a single thought. 'The system definitely said cultivation was too low. So this excuse should be a reasonable excuse.'

But when he looked up to check her face, he froze.

Qiao's face was dark as storm clouds. Her white flame qi now formed a vortex around her, robes fluttering from the pressure alone. Her long white hair seemed to float unnaturally, lifted by the sheer force of her cultivation.

Junming gasped.

Junming's breath caught. It felt like the air was being pulled out of his lungs. His eyes began to redden. Even breathing was difficult. His skin tingled as if cut by a thousand tiny needles.

His thoughts faded as he began to lose consciousness.

Just then, Elder Lin Yuehua stepped forward.

"Grandma, please calm down. Earth-Grade might really be too much for a Qi Refinement cultivator. Why don't we…"

The rest of her words blurred. Junming's vision dimmed, and sound became distant.

After a few moments of darkness, a voice teased his ear.

"Junming~"

Warm breath tickled him.

"Dear Junming, wake up~"

The voice was too close, too gentle.

"If you don't wake up… I'll call my darling~"

Junming's heart skipped.

'Darling?'

The memory of the massive spider flashed in his mind.

He jolted upright, gasping.

He looked around and found himself still in the Hall Master's room. His breathing was shallow. Three pill boxes sat neatly on the table before him.

Elder Lin Yuehua smiled sweetly. "Junming, now choose one. All are High-Grade Pills."

Junming turned toward Qiao Lian. Her eyes were still locked on him, silent, but the rage from before was gone.

He calmed himself, then reached forward and touched the first pill.

Would you like to consume this pill?

Item: Dragon Vein Pill (High-Grade)

Effect: Greatly increases qi (up to 3 stages)

Efficiency: 100%

He touched the second.

Item: Core Shift Pill (High-Grade)

Effect: Assists in breaking through to Core Condensation Realm.

Efficiency: 100%

And the third.

Item: Foundation Binder Pill (High-Grade)

Effect: Stabilizes newly formed Core

Efficiency: 100%

Junming's eyes widened slightly.

'What the… They're laid out in perfect order. I'll need all three eventually.'

He exhaled softly and picked up the Dragon Vein Pill.

Took a deep breath.

In a quiet voice, he said, "Consume."

The pill vanished into his mouth.

Warmth surged from his dantian. It rushed through his veins like fire, filling every inch of his body.

His qi pulsed, rising quickly:

Qi Refinement eighth stage… then ninth stage.

He opened his eyes, steadying his breath.

"I thank the Hall Master and Elder for their generosity," he said respectfully.

Lin Yuehua's eyes lit up.

"Oh my~ so you told the truth."

She suddenly hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his chest.

He froze.

Her chin rested lightly on his shoulder. He turned his head slightly and glanced at Hall Master Qiao. Her face didn't look pleased.

"Hall Mast…er?" he called out, uncertain.

Qiao Lian's voice was cold. "Take the other two pills."

Lin blinked. "Grandma, what if he falls into qi deviation?"

Qiao's gaze didn't shift. "If his constitution is unique, he should be able to handle two more. Otherwise, it is no different from a normal one. Anyone can break through one stage with a high-grade pill."

"But Grandma—"

"Elder Lin," Junming said with conviction. "Hall Master is right. I will take the remaining two pills."

To an outsider, it looked like he was making a brave sacrifice to prove his words.

But inside, Junming grinned.

'What a blessing in disguise. Who knew terror would lead to such fortune?'

He picked up the Core Shift Pill.

"Consume."

The pill melted in his mouth.

Suddenly, his body trembled. Qi erupted in his dantian. The walls of his meridians shook and widened. A brilliant sphere formed at his core.

The remaining force from the Dragon Vein Pill activated again, feeding into the breakthrough.

His cultivation surged.

Core Condensation Realm – First Stage.

Then almost instantly, it rose once more.

Core Condensation Realm – Second Stage.

Before the storm in his body could destabilize, Junming picked up the final pill.

"Consume."

The Foundation Binder Pill spread a calm wave through his body. The chaotic energy within was tamed. His core stabilized.

He exhaled.

Steady.

Calm.

Balanced.

"I apologize," Junming said humbly. "Due to my shallow knowledge in cultivation, I could not break through to the next stage."

Lin Yuehua, who had looked tense, now stared at him, stunned.

"Junming…" 

She stepped forward again, face close.

"This isn't just a unique constitution. You probably have a heavenly constitution. After the Heaven-Grade Spiritual Root, now this…"

Junming's face twitched. He glanced away, flustered.

"It's not that special…"

They both turned toward Qiao Lian.

The air grew still.

She looked at Junming for a long moment. Then she sighed.

Her expression neutral.

"I acknowledge you have a unique constitution."

Junming's heart soared. He bowed low in thanks.

Lin, overjoyed, pulled him into another hug. This time, his face pressed into her soft chest.

'They're pillowy…' he thought absently before pulling back.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Hall Master, I've brought what you requested."

Qiao Lian, without looking up, said, "Enter."

Junming quickly stepped back, politely freeing himself from Lin's arms.

A tall female disciple walked in, wearing a black robe with five green stripes. She placed a folded black robe with two green stripes on the table, then stepped aside.

Qiao spoke while writing something with a brush in elegant calligraphy.

"Junming. From now on, you will be a second-year disciple."

Junming blinked. "But I just joined today…"

Lin Yuehua laughed softly. "I also believe he deserves it. How can a Core Condensation cultivator be a mere second-year? If I had control, I would promote him to fourth-year."

Junming quickly said, "Elder, that's too much—"

Qiao Lian said without pause, "Your alchemy knowledge is not at the beginner level. Just recognizing high-grade pills requires a third-year's standard. If I promoted you too quickly, the other disciples would not accept it. Otherwise, I would have made you a third-year."

Junming cupped his fists respectfully. "I understand, Hall Master."

Qiao looked at him. "Go. Your room is in the second-year quarters. You'll be summoned for further tests tomorrow."

Junming accepted the robe and turned to leave.

The second-year quarters were located on the eastern wing of the Alchemy Hall. As he stepped into the courtyard, the air grew colder.

Several disciples walked past him, all wearing two green stripes like him.

They looked at him. Then looked away.

No one greeted him. No one smiled.

They kept their distance.

Junming walked slowly, eyes ahead, expression calm.

But the silence around him said everything.