"So, Julian? My offer still stands," Elena said, a proud smirk on her face. "Want to join up with the Vanes? You won't find a better deal."
She patted his shoulder like a big sister encouraging a kid. Julian chuckled and shook his head.
"I appreciate it, Elena. But the Vane family is already powerful—you don't need a lone soldier like me."
He turned and walked away. He had a lot to do. At Mortal Rank 7, he was still too weak. If he didn't use the next three days to grow, he would be nothing but cannon fodder once he stepped through a Stargate.
As he disappeared down the hall, Cyrus leaned over to Elena. "Why do you care so much about that guy? He's just a commoner."
Elena's playful smile vanished. "You don't get it, Cyrus. Look at the others in this class." She gestured to the room full of noble heirs. "Most of them are here because of their families. Julian is here because of himself."
Back in his private dormitory, Julian sat on his bed. The Academy treated the High Dragon Class well; having a single room was a luxury that gave him the privacy he needed to test his "cheat."
He pulled out the two items: the jade slip for the Solar Flare Meditation and the tiny, toy-sized model of the Sun-Gathering Manor.
"Recognize master," Julian whispered, injecting his mana into the small palace.
A soft white light flared, and the model vanished into his forehead. Instantly, its stats appeared on his interface:
Sanctum Relic (Unnamed)
Level: Unranked
Trait: A simple structure that gathers ambient mana.
"Basic as expected," Julian muttered. Then he looked at his Destiny Points. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. "300 points? It was 100 this morning!"
He realized that his "Destiny" wasn't just a timer—it grew when his status changed. Joining the elite class had given him a massive boost.
"If I can spend points on my Realm, I can spend them on this building too."
Julian knew from the Aether-Net that a Rank 9 Sanctum could only hold two Relics. He had to make this one count.
"From today on, you are the Ember-Fall Manor," he declared. The name felt right—a place where the heat of the sun would settle and grow.
The plaque on the miniature palace glowed.
Relic: Ember-Fall Manor
Rank: 9
Effect: Automatically gathers mana and doubles the speed of any cultivation performed inside.
Julian beamed. "Double speed? That's like having a twin brother practicing for me."
Julian entered his Hallowed Realm. The 600 square kilometers of black soil and lotus ponds were now dominated by a majestic hall that descended from the gray sky.
He walked into the main hall of the Ember-Fall Manor. It was grand, with four dragon-carved pillars and a bronze throne at the far end. He sat on the throne, feeling a strange sense of authority wash over him, then shook it off.
"Power comes from strength, not a chair," he reminded himself.
He opened the jade slip and swallowed one of the Essence Refinement Pills. The Solar Flare Meditation was far more intense than his old student exercises. As he began to breathe, the mana in the Ember-Fall Manor swirled around him like a golden vortex.
For three days, Julian didn't leave his Sanctum. He practiced until his veins felt like they were made of liquid sunlight. He burned through all ten pills, his body absorbing the energy at twice the normal rate thanks to the Manor's special effect.
When the third day arrived, Julian stepped back into his dormitory.
He looked different. He stood taller, his eyes were clearer, and his skin held a faint, healthy glow. He had pushed past his limits, his mana humming with the heat of the Solar Flare technique.
The "Commoner Student" was gone. In his place stood a cultivator ready for the Stargate.