Later that Night – Victor's Room
Victor had spent the last few hours walking around the Academy, trying to memorize key locations: combat halls, canteens, training rooms, and simulation centers. He hadn't spotted Danny, Amara, or Selene anywhere in the sea of uniforms.
At least he knew where Reed stayed—two doors down—and that Kai had secured one of the A-rank rooms not far from Aria.
But the others? No clue.
"I'll find them tomorrow," Victor whispered while closing the door quietly behind him. "For now... time to settle in."
He walked into the dorm. Kairo was still up, sitting cross-legged on the couch in the shared living space, deeply engrossed in reading battle reports on a floating mana screen.
Victor greeted him casually and moved into the bedroom portion of the dorm.
Finally, at exactly midnight, he heard Kairo shuffle to his feet and move toward his own bed.
A few more minutes passed. The lights dimmed to near black. Breathing slowed from the other side of the room.
Victor sat up quietly.
He reached into his bag and pulled out the one thing he hadn't dared show during the day:
His VR helmet and the Ascendant Realms game.
Carefully wrapping the power wire in a cloth to muffle any sound, he connected everything. A faint blue glow spread from the visor for a moment as it synced to the game.
Victor laid back on his bed, placed the helmet over his head, and took a long, calming breath.
"Back to grinding..."
[ Logging Into Ascendant Realms ]
Victor opened his eyes and found himself once again in the serene, mystic world of Ascendant Realms.
He sat cross-legged inside his private abode within the Violet Spring Sect, surrounded by ornamental jade statues, glowing cultivation crystals embedded in the walls, and thin, curling strands of spiritual incense smoke.
As a beneficiary of the Core Disciple Perks, his dwelling had a constant abundance of qi, making it one of the most ideal cultivation spaces in the outer region of the sect.
He stretched, stood, and cracked his knuckles.
Victor made his way through the winding paths of the Violet Spring Sect, passing ponds filled with silver koi and platforms where other disciples meditated or practiced techniques. The morning sunlight in Ascendant Realms was golden and warm, rising over the tall mountain peaks that hugged the sect's landscape like guardians.
He quickly located Elder Mo, who was seated in front of a lotus pond with his eyes closed as he sipped on spiritual tea. The elderly man opened one eye as Victor approached.
"Ah, you're back, boy. How goes the progress?"
Victor bowed respectfully. "My Void Emperor Bloodline integration has reached 35%, Elder Mo. But... things are slowing down. It's not moving at the same pace as before."
Elder Mo chuckled, setting his cup down.
"That's expected. The higher your integration, the more resistance your body puts up. If not for the Bloodline Resonance Technique I passed to you, you would likely see zero progress for weeks, even months."
Victor blinked. "Seriously? That long?"
"Mm." Elder Mo nodded. "That technique is rare for a reason. But even so, your pace will continue to drop if you don't complement it."
Victor tilted his head. "Complement it how?"
Elder Mo stood slowly with hands behind his back. "Bloodlines are power etched into the body and soul. But that power awakens faster when forced into action. If you want faster integration, you must fight. Not just train. Not just meditate. You must use your bloodline in real combat."
"Makes sense," Victor muttered. He had noticed how triggering certain abilities had felt easier the more he used them.
"You've stayed too long in this abode," Elder Mo continued. "Go to the Outer Mission Hall. Take a proper sect mission. Test yourself. Grow. Let your bloodline breathe through your blade."
A soft chime echoed in Victor's ears, and a blue notification blinked across his field of vision:
[New Objective: Accept a Sect Mission - Rewards: EXP, Sect Contribution Points, Mission Loot]
Victor bowed again. "Thank you, Elder Mo. I'll return stronger."
Elder Mo gave a simple nod and resumed sipping his tea.
The Outer Mission Hall was a broad rectangular building with carvings etched into every beam and pillar. Inside, disciples moved to and fro, looking over glowing boards with mission listings. Each mission displayed with rewards and difficulty ratings.
Victor stepped in, instantly feeling dozens of eyes swivel toward him. Whispers began.
"Hey, isn't that the guy that got Core perks without being a Core Disciple?"
"I heard he came out of nowhere and got Elder Mo's attention."
"Tch. Must've bribed someone."
Victor ignored them. He approached the counter where a cultivation attendant sat behind a jade desk, monitoring the mission postings.
She was a young woman with tied-back red hair and blue robes signifying an Inner Administrative Disciple. She didn't even look up as Victor arrived.
"Name and Rank?" she asked dully.
She finally looked up, and her eyes narrowed.
"You're not listed in the mission-eligible disciple records. Are you Outer Sect or Inner?"
"Neither," Victor said.
Her expression hardened. "Then I'm afraid you can't take any missions. The hall only provides tasks to registered sect disciples."
Victor calmly reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a small jade piece inscribed with flowing silver characters—Elder Mo's personal token.
The moment she saw it, her eyes widened and she shot to her feet.
"Apologies, I didn't realize...!" She bowed deeply. "You may take any available mission on this floor."
More disciples turned to look and some now whispered even more aggressively.
Victor nodded and stepped past the counter to browse the glowing mission boards.
His eyes scanned dozens of listings before settling on one.
Mission Title: Purge the Weeping Hollow
Mission Type: Extermination
Location: Murktree Forest, Weeping Hollow Region
Objective: Exterminate the rogue Spirit Leeches nesting beneath the corrupted tree roots.
Rewards: 150 Contribution Points, 200 Silver Taels, One Random Item Chest
Victor pressed his palm to the listing.
The listing vanished from the board, replaced by a cooldown timer.
[ Objective Complete: Accept A Sect Mission ]
[ Rewards: 30,000 wisps of Qi, +3 to all sub stats ]
As Victor turned to leave, he noticed a few more heads turning. Some with confusion. Others with envy.
The moment he stepped out, two inner court disciples approached the same attendant.
One had dark silver hair tied in a topknot and a mocking smirk. The other was broader, bald, and wore a crimson waist sash.
"That guy," the silver-haired one said while pointing. "What mission did he just take?"