By the time Lin Yuan returned to the entrance of Spirit Mist Valley, the sun was already beginning to set.
Disciples from the four courtyards had gathered in front of the examination platform, each carrying the herbs they had collected.
Some looked pleased with themselves.
Others had returned empty-handed, their robes torn from encounters with spirit beasts.
Lin Yuan quietly joined the line.
The pouch at his waist contained more than a dozen Spirit Grass plants, along with the valuable Shadow Panther monster core.
The core, however, remained hidden.
It was far too valuable to reveal.
One by one, the academy elders inspected the disciples' harvests.
"Heaven Courtyard disciple, Liu Feng—eighteen Spirit Grass."
"Earth Courtyard disciple, Zhao Tian—twenty-one."
"Profound Courtyard disciple, Sun Hai—fifteen."
The crowd applauded after each impressive result.
Then Mu Qingxue stepped forward.
She calmly placed her herbs on the table.
The elder counted them before raising his voice.
"Thirty-two Spirit Grass!"
Gasps spread through the crowd.
"As expected of the Heaven Courtyard's number one genius."
"She'll definitely take first place."
Mu Qingxue simply nodded and stepped aside.
A few moments later, Wang Jie walked forward with a smug expression.
He slammed a bundle of herbs onto the table.
The elder counted them carefully.
"Sixteen Spirit Grass."
Although it wasn't enough to compete with Mu Qingxue, it was still among the best results from the lower courtyards.
Wang Jie folded his arms proudly.
As he turned around, his eyes landed on Lin Yuan.
A mocking smile appeared.
"Don't embarrass yourself."
"Finding one herb is already impressive for someone like you."
Several disciples laughed.
Lin Yuan ignored him and stepped forward.
He untied the pouch from his waist.
One herb...
Then another...
Then another...
Spirit Grass continued piling onto the table.
The elder's eyes gradually widened.
The surrounding disciples fell silent.
Finally, after the last herb had been counted, the elder looked up in disbelief.
"Thirty-seven Spirit Grass."
The square became deathly quiet.
"...What?"
"Did I hear that correctly?"
"Thirty-seven?"
"He surpassed Senior Sister Mu!"
Even Elder Sun looked genuinely surprised.
Spirit Mist Valley had been searched countless times.
Finding that many Spirit Grass in a single day should have been nearly impossible.
Wang Jie's smile froze.
His face turned pale.
"Impossible!"
"He must have cheated!"
Several disciples immediately agreed.
"That's right!"
"Someone with a Mortal Grade One Martial Soul could never collect that many herbs!"
Elder Sun frowned.
"Do you have proof?"
Wang Jie opened his mouth.
But no words came out.
He had none.
The elder nodded.
"Then your accusation is meaningless."
He turned toward Lin Yuan.
"Congratulations."
"You have obtained first place in this month's Academy Trial."
A servant stepped forward carrying a wooden box.
Inside lay a crystal no larger than a thumb.
A Low-Grade Spirit Stone.
Beside it was a jade bottle containing three Body Tempering Pills.
Lin Yuan accepted the rewards with a respectful bow.
"Thank you, Elder."
That evening, the results of the trial spread throughout Azure Maple Academy.
The disciple once ridiculed as the owner of the weakest Martial Soul had defeated every Heaven Courtyard disciple in the herb-gathering trial.
Some dismissed it as luck.
Others began to reconsider their opinion of him.
Only a handful of elders noticed something far more important.
Lin Yuan's cultivation had quietly reached the Body Tempering Realm, Third Stage.
He had advanced far faster than anyone expected from a Mortal Grade Martial Soul.
Meanwhile, in a secluded pavilion overlooking the academy, the mysterious gray-robed elder from Spirit Mist Valley stood with his hands behind his back.
Across from him sat Elder Sun.
"You wanted to see me, Senior?"
The old man nodded.
"I've found an interesting seedling."
"You mean Lin Yuan?"
"You noticed as well?"
The gray-robed elder smiled faintly.
"I witnessed him kill a Peak First-Order Shadow Panther."
Elder Sun's eyes widened.
"Impossible."
"He has only reached the Third Stage of the Body Tempering Realm."
"I thought so too."
The old man looked toward the moonlit sky.
"But I also witnessed something else..."
He paused before continuing.
"His Martial Soul changed."
"It evolved."
Elder Sun fell silent.
For a long time, neither of them spoke.
At last, Elder Sun whispered,
"If word of this spreads..."
"The entire cultivation world will come for him."
The gray-robed elder nodded.
"Which is why..."
"No one else must know."
Far away in his small academy residence, Lin Yuan sat cross-legged with the Low-Grade Spirit Stone resting in his palm.
Within his spiritual sea, the Green Spirit Sapling swayed gently.
Its emerald flower glowed brighter than ever.
As the pure spiritual energy from the Spirit Stone slowly seeped into the sapling, another tiny flower bud quietly appeared beside the first.