The moon bathed the Ji Clan estate in silvery warmth, but Lin Hao felt none of it. A bitter chill clung to his skin—not from the wind, but from the weight of his new reality.
He sat stiffly on the low wooden stool in his room, back straight, eyes distant. His bride, Ji Chuyan, stood by the window, her expression unreadable. Her white robes glowed faintly in the sunlight, like untouched snow over an abyss.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then, her voice cut through the silence—cool, matter-of-fact.
"You've been enrolled in the Celestial Academy."
Lin Hao blinked. "What?"
"You're entering the Scholar Department," she said, not bothering to repeat herself. "The entrance ceremony is in three weeks. Uniforms will be prepared."
He stared at her, unsure whether to laugh or cry. "I… I haven't cultivated. I don't even—"
"You'll be tested on literacy, memory, rhetoric, and classical texts," she interrupted. "Not cultivation. They're admitting you as a scholar, not a warrior."
Lin Hao opened his mouth but no words came.
Ji Chuyan folded her arms behind her back, her posture regal. "You should feel honored. Very few barons' sons without talent ever step foot into that academy."
"I thought only nobles—"
"You are a noble," she said sharply. "By title, if not by strength. And more importantly, you're the Ji Clan's son-in-law. The Duke signed the enrollment papers himself."
She turned away slightly, her gaze distant. "Don't think this is a gift. It's a test. If you disgrace the Ji name there, the consequences will be worse than death."
Lin Hao looked down, hands clenched on his knees.
She continued, her tone neutral. "Do you even know what kind of place the Celestial Academy is?"
He shook his head slowly.
Ji Chuyan exhaled. "Then listen well."
She began to pace, like a tutor addressing an unworthy student.
"There are six major departments: Martial, Alchemy, Formations, Arrays, Scholars, and Auxiliary Arts."
She raised a finger.
"Martial Department. The most prestigious. Sword cultivators, fist saints, spear lords—this is where the future generals and battlefield commanders are born. Strength is everything there. Weaklings are expelled within months. You wouldn't survive a day."
Another finger.
"Alchemy Department. Refining pills, concocting elixirs. It requires strong spiritual roots and precise control over qi. Even among the gifted, entry is limited."
"Array Department. Students learn to create spiritual arrays that enhance, trap, or protect. It's subtle work, demanding a sharp mind and strong foundation."
"Formation Engineering. Different from arrays—it covers large-scale formations: city-wide defensive seals, ancient rituals, battlefield manipulation. Rare, prestigious, and dangerous."
"Scholar Department. The one you'll enter. Focuses on cultivation law, politics, ancient texts, and philosophy. You'll study theory, not fight. Most who enter lack strength or bloodline. Some rise high through strategy and knowledge. Most don't."
Finally, she added coldly, "Auxiliary Department. Beast tamers, talisman makers, spirit blacksmiths. It's considered a 'support' class, mostly ignored by top clans."
She stopped pacing. "The departments rarely interact. Each has its own tests and ranks. If you do well, perhaps you'll earn enough respect to survive."
Lin Hao looked up. "Why… the Scholar Department?"
She met his gaze. "Because it's the only place where talent doesn't matter—only effort does."
His lips twitched.
She saw it. "Mock me all you want. But unlike the others, scholars survive on intellect, not brute strength."
"I'm not mocking you."
"Good. Because you're still far beneath mocking anyone."
Lin Hao stayed silent, absorbing it all.
Then she turned serious.
"You want to cultivate, don't you?"
He nodded.
She walked toward the table, picked up a ceramic teapot, and poured herself a cup of cold tea. "Then you need to understand the realms first."
He straightened, attentive.
"There are four realms in the Houtian stage: Body Refinement, Meridian Opening, Blood refining and soul Condensation"
Her tone took on the rhythm of a lecture.
"Body Refinement is the first step. Training the muscles, bones, organs. Tempering the body to withstand qi circulation. Most commoners never pass this."
She sipped the tea.
"Meridian Opening comes next. Cultivators use refined qi to force open main meridians. The wider and cleaner the meridians, the stronger the flow."
"In Soul Condensation ,you cultivate true soul."
"Then, Blood refining in which you refined blood to blood essence ."
Lin Hao nodded slowly. "Then what's my problem?"
She looked at him for a long moment. "Your meridians are… defective."
A cold pit opened in his stomach.
"You can refine your body, but the qi won't flow through your meridians properly. They're narrow, partially blocked. Trying to force qi through them would cause backlash—or death."
He swallowed.
"But there's hope," she continued. "If—and only if—you reach the Extreme Realm in Body Refinement."
Lin Hao blinked. "Extreme Realm?"
"Yes. Each of the Houtian stages has an 'Extreme' path. It means pushing the stage to its absolute limit—refining every cell, mastering every technique. Few even attempt it. Fewer succeed."
"What happens if I do?"
"If you reach Extreme Body Refinement, your meridians might be forcibly widened—at least enough to behave like a normal cultivator's. You wouldn't be a genius, but you wouldn't be crippled either."
His heart thudded.
"How do I reach that?"
She looked out the window.
"Extreme Body Refinement isn't just about punching trees and eating meat. It requires rare herbs, ancient techniques, and—most importantly—treasures that only appear once every ten thousand years."
Lin Hao stared at her.
"These resources are hoarded by ancient sects, royal clans, or old monsters who haven't shown their faces in centuries."
Her voice grew colder.
"Even among royal families, only a few disciples are chosen for the Extreme path. You know why?"
"Because it's expensive?"
"Because it's wasteful," she said flatly. "The success rate is too low. And the resources are too rare. Why bet a thousand-year treasure on someone who might die during training?"
She turned to him.
"The Ji Clan gave me one such resource to reach Three-Star Extreme Foundation. Do you think they'll give another to a baron's son?"
Her eyes bored into him.
He said nothing.
Then—quietly—he asked, "What about a technique? At least give me something to start with."
She hesitated.
Then said, "I will spoke to my father and asked to allowed to first floor of library pavallion."
After saying this , she turned around to leave.