The next morning—
Dawn broke softly through the curtains.
After waking up and calming his overexcited "little brother," Zhao Xuan hopped out of bed with practiced ease.
He quickly washed up, dressed, and got ready to head out.
Time waited for no one.
According to the usual schedule, college entrance exam results would be released on the 15th day after the exams ended.
When that day came, universities across the country would publish their admission cutoffs, and most students would begin filling out their applications.
However—
That only applied to ordinary students.
For the top scorers, things were very different.
Once results were out, the province's top twenty students would face each other in one-on-one arena battles, known as the Provincial Exam.
The Provincial Champion not only received massive rewards and recognition but would also go on to represent their province in the National Exam.
In other words—
Every participant in the National Exam was the number one student from their respective provinces.
And the higher one's ranking in the National Exam, the greater the rewards—
from invitations by top universities both domestic and international,
to lucrative offers and sponsorships from major corporations.
After all, those who reached that level weren't just "smart students."
They were geniuses among geniuses—
people destined to become mid-tier ability users at the very least,
with many possessing the potential to reach high-tier levels in the future.
To the wealthy elites and powerful enterprises,
investing a little money now to gain the goodwill of a future powerhouse was an easy decision—
a guaranteed profit.
A quick note on ability ranking:
Tier 1–3: Low-tier ability users
Tier 4–6: Mid-tier ability users
Tier 7–9: High-tier ability users
These divisions weren't arbitrary.
There were massive power gaps between Tiers 3 and 4, and again between Tiers 6 and 7.
Because of those thresholds,
a single Tier 4 user could easily crush an entire group of Tier 3s,
and likewise,
a Tier 7 could effortlessly overpower multiple Tier 6s.
That was why Zhao Xuan trained so relentlessly—
why he refused to waste even a single day.
He wanted to become stronger—
strong enough to stand out when the Provincial Exam came,
strong enough to compete when the National Exam arrived.
Zhao Xuan had confidence in his strength, yes—
but he was not arrogant.
He knew the world was vast.
There were always people stronger than you.
He had looked up previous years' National Exam records…
and what he found had shocked him deeply.
Every year, there was at least one candidate who had already reached Tier 4.
Tier 4—
a mid-tier ability user.
In a small city like Tongcheng, that was the pinnacle of power.
In fact, the entire city had only two Tier 4 users—
the City Governor and the Guildmaster of the Ability User Guild.
After leaving his apartment building, Zhao Xuan planned to grab some steamed buns from the nearby shop.
But just as he turned the corner, he felt two sharp gazes lock onto him.
Looking up, he saw Liu Huan, the guild clerk from yesterday, hurrying toward him—
accompanied by a middle-aged man radiating authority.
The man's eyes were sharp as blades.
"Mr. Zhao!"
Liu Huan greeted him with a bright, eager smile.
"Xiao Liu? You live in this neighborhood too?" Zhao Xuan asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Ah, no, no," Liu Huan replied quickly. "We actually came here specifically to find you."
He gestured toward the man beside him.
"Mr. Zhao, allow me to introduce our Guildmaster, Mr. Lian Jie of the Tongcheng Ability User Guild."
"Oh—Guildmaster Lian?"
Zhao Xuan's expression shifted slightly in surprise before he straightened and gave a polite nod.
"Guildmaster Lian, it's an honor."
"Likewise, young friend Zhao," Lian Jie replied with a warm smile.
Zhao Xuan remained composed but curious.
"If I may ask, Guildmaster, what brings you here today?"
Lian Jie's tone softened.
"It's like this, Zhao Xuan. I heard from Xiao Liu about your incredible achievements yesterday—and I must say, I was deeply impressed! At your age, I was still struggling with Tier 2 bounty missions. Truly, the younger generation surpasses the old."
"Haha… Guildmaster, you flatter me," Zhao Xuan said with a modest grin, though his expression still showed puzzlement.
"Actually," Lian Jie continued, "I came here with a commission—a very important one—and I'd like you to consider taking it."
"A commission?" Zhao Xuan blinked.
"Yes."
Lian Jie nodded gravely.
"I would like to invite you to represent our Tongcheng Ability User Guild in the relic trials at the Wutong Mountain Range outside the city—and help us retrieve the Heart of the Relic."
Then he leaned in slightly, his tone sincere.
"As for the reward—if you can successfully obtain the Heart for us,
we're willing to pay you 10 million yuan in cash, immediately."
"And even if you fail the trial," he added quickly, "you won't walk away empty-handed.
We'll still give you 200,000 yuan as a participation fee—
and a permanent right to train inside the relic once it's opened."
Zhao Xuan's eyes widened slightly.
Ten million…
Even for someone who had made a fortune from bounty missions,
that number still carried a weight that made his heart skip a beat.
This wasn't just an opportunity—
it was a door to something far greater.
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