Chapter 21: Ding! Congratulations on completing the hidden quest.

Di Qiu glanced at the student group; the original group of seventy-three freshmen had swelled to six hundred and forty-six. The previously quiet chat was flooded with over ninety-nine unread messages. Clicking in, she saw mostly self-introductions, people asking where everyone was from, inquiries about supernatural abilities, and fellow newcomers like herself curiously asking about the academy and the nature of their powers.

After scanning the list and finding nothing useful, Di Qiu decisively locked her screen and got up to shower.

Come to think of it, she still didn't know the name of the girl who had moved in. However, since the other party hadn't taken the initiative to introduce herself, Di Qiu couldn't be bothered to start the conversation. It was clear the girl had a cold demeanor, and to avoid causing any annoyance, Di Qiu decided not to make a fuss. She had always upheld the principle of "if they don't come to me, I don't go to them."

She wondered if the current dormitory assignment was final; how wonderful it would be to have a room to herself.

Setting aside such fantasies, Di Qiu grabbed her bucket and went to wash up. When she returned, she found the girl in the upper bunk already asleep. It was nearly nine o'clock, so she had to move quietly. After tidying up, she turned off the lights and climbed into bed.

Before drifting off, Di Qiu pulled up the system inventory and attempted to use the "Aura Absorption Accelerator Talisman" again. This time, a prompt popped up:

【Use the Aura Absorption Accelerator Talisman?】
【Yes】 【No】

Di Qiu decisively tapped 【Yes】, and a notification appeared: 【Use successful】.

She waited quietly for a while, feeling for any changes in her body, and pondered for a moment. Was there a change? There was no change. Oh well, time to sleep.

Wait—Di Qiu opened her eyes, a sudden flash of suspicion striking her: "Could this damn machine of a system suddenly issue some time-limited guard duty mission again?"

The dormitory was deathly silent. After waiting for a long time without a peep from the system, she finally felt safe enough to fall asleep.

...

She slept until dawn—no, to be precise, it wasn't even dawn yet.

Di Qiu opened her eyes to the pitch-black room. The first thing she did was check the time. The screen displayed 03:56, clearly indicating it was only around four in the morning. She closed her eyes to continue sleeping, but after ten minutes, her mind was incredibly alert—refreshed, in fact, in a way she hadn't experienced in the last decade.

This forced her to examine her physical state. She was certain this wasn't just her biological clock; she felt full of vigor, even itching to get out of bed and throw a few punches.

Thinking it, she did it. She was a woman of action, but now that she had a roommate, she had to be careful to stay quiet. Di Qiu tidied up, climbed down, grabbed her phone, and cautiously slipped out of the dormitory.

The hallway lights remained on all night, and the entire building was so quiet she could hear the soft sound of her own footsteps. The dormitory entrance was locked, which was a bit of a dilemma. She tried pressing the button on the wall, and after a facial recognition scan, the door unexpectedly swung open. Fortunately, the academy wasn't that rigid, and besides, the building didn't look like it had a dorm manager anyway.

Once outside, she found a winding gravel path in front of the building, flanked by sparse groves of trees. A few dim yellow streetlights illuminated the area; looking further, she could see a shaded pavilion and some fitness equipment.

Di Qiu reached the pavilion and began to punch, taking the opportunity to review her form from the day before. Yesterday, while punching, she had vaguely felt a surge of energy rush to her head, followed by the appearance of eerie flashes—from blurry to clear. She wanted to recreate that feeling.

So, with a rhythmic "Hng, Ha," she began to throw punches.

Although the summer morning was refreshing, as her movements intensified, her body quickly warmed up. Sweat dampened the bangs on her forehead, trickling down her smooth skin and dripping into her eyelashes. Di Qiu blinked; there were no eerie flashes to be seen, only her vision becoming slightly blurred from the sweat.

She wiped her face, reminding herself that she was in an academy, and it was impossible for live horrors to be wandering around freely. The sensation of energy rushing to her head hadn't returned either. Could the effect of the pill have worn off? But the description clearly stated it was a pill to improve one's constitution; logically, she should still be feeling the effects today.

Was the environment wrong? Did it require the stimulation of a horror? Di Qiu briefly thought of the creatures in the tunnel... but she dismissed the idea. There was no need to put herself in danger just to recreate yesterday's sensation.

Speaking of which, her main quest progress bar was currently stuck.

At this thought, Di Qiu lapsed into a fantasy, her mind drifting away. She thought, "If the pills and talismans are real and effective, doesn't that mean this immortal cultivation is real too?"

"Cultivation, cultivation... surely that means one can eventually ascend?"

"In that case, as long as I follow the system's path, maybe I'll stumble my way into ascending to immortality?"

*Heh heh.*

When that time came, she would stand tall, reach toward the heavens, and shout, "Sword, come! I am a Golden Immortal at my peak; who dares provoke me? Who can provoke me!"

As she threw her punches, Di Qiu daydreamed, a silly, dazed grin spreading across her face.

"Heh heh heh heh heh..."

...

Fantasy time over, Di Qiu returned to reality. She threw her punches with even more vigor, feeling a renewed sense of anticipation for her future.

People really do need a taste of success to keep going. She, who had initially wanted to slack off, now discarded those thoughts, strengthening her resolve to improve her own power.

She punched from 4:30 until nearly 6:00. The sky had fully brightened, and the birds in the forest began to chirp.

"Phew, so hot."

She was truly grateful for the few lingering cool breezes of the morning. She checked the time, recalling that the assembly was at nine. Since it was still early, she decided to punch for another half hour before returning to the dorm to shower.

Five minutes later.

【Ding! Congratulations on completing the hidden mission—[A Glimpse of the Path! Ten thousand punches, seeking true knowledge], reward: Cultivation Technique "Hunyuan Palm"】

A panel of information popped up before her eyes.

【Character Info】
【Name: Di Qiu】
【Gender: Female】
【Talent: Boundless Good Fortune】
【Ability: Destruction】
【Cultivation Technique: Hunyuan Palm (Tier 1)】

"Eh? A technique unlocked?"

Before Di Qiu could react, the emotionless system voice echoed in her ears again.

【Since entering the Foundation Establishment stage, you have diligently practiced every day, discovering your various strengths. One day, you discovered you had a talent for body tempering, and your master discovered this as well, so they passed down a unique technique: "Hunyuan Palm".】

【Triggered: Cultivation Technique Side Quest】
【Task: Modest Success! Perform ten thousand palm strikes and punches daily (0/30)】

"..."

This system really seized every gap to issue a mission. It was even more ambitious than she was, but this time, it suited her perfectly.

"Very well. Once I become a Venerable, I shall appoint you, System, as my Chief Strategist."

Di Qiu nodded with satisfaction, having moved from her initial ignorance to total acceptance.

However, acceptance was one thing; she still didn't know what kind of technique the Hunyuan Palm was or how powerful it might be. She brought up the system panel again, checked the cultivation section, and clicked on the words "Hunyuan Palm." Sure enough, a line of text appeared.