Chapter Twenty-Four: The Luminous Feathered Robe

Chen Fan’s ranking ultimately settled within the top two hundred and eighty, an improvement of over a hundred spots since the last assessment.

In truth, for disciples ranked outside the top thousand, a random breakthrough might easily vault them up a hundred places. But within the top four hundred, a hundred-place gap is immense. While the strength disparity between the sixth level and the seventh level of the martial path is significant, no one had ever heard of someone advancing by a hundred ranks in just a few short months. Forget three months; even achieving such progress within three years would be considered awe-inspiring. Most of those ranked in the top three hundred of the Martial Academy are veteran disciples who have been enrolled for over a decade. Even the incentive goal the Dean had set for Chen Fan was merely to improve by a hundred places within a year.

"How could Chen Fan have become this strong? Has he already broken through to the fifth level of the martial path?" Cha Wentong’s eyes widened. He had originally intended to use Chen Fan as a target to chase and surpass, but now he felt only confusion. The gap was simply too vast!

"Could it be that Chen Fan has already consumed the Lantian Jade Refining Pill? Are the effects of an Earth-grade medicinal pill really that potent?"

Chen Fan opened his eyes to see Wan Qing and Wan Tianbao departing. He merely shook his head, turned his gaze toward the rankings, and thought silently to himself: "At my current ranking, I am at best in the front row of the Starfall Tower. I am still some distance from the Bright Moon Tower, but at least I am touching its edge..."

He had not utilized his second-level Origin Gallbladder. Had he used it, his True Origin would have surged; killing half of the ten sixth-level demonic beasts would not have been an issue, and he could have likely climbed another twenty or thirty spots higher. In reality, his strength had already reached the lower threshold of a Bright Moon Tower disciple.

...

With this hundred-place rise in ranking, Chen Fan discovered that his harvest of Origin Points was nearly two thousand—no less than what he had gained when he first climbed into the top four hundred!

"The higher the ranking I challenge, the more Origin Points I earn..." Chen Fan’s eyes gleamed. Combined with the Origin Points he had earned during his last excursion, he now had enough to sustain his daily cultivation in the Myriad Illusion Hall for the next several months. The Profound-grade room offered better simulation effects but exerted greater pressure; he ended up spending less time there daily than he had in the Yellow-grade room, making the expenditure of Origin Points roughly equivalent to before.

...

Not long after, Chen Fan received another summons from the Dean. Upon arriving at a room within the Martial Academy’s council hall, he found Mao Wangchen and Ye Wuji already waiting.

Chen Fan cupped his hands and stepped forward: "Dean!"

He had completed the incentive goal Mao Wangchen had set, and now the Dean was to bestow his reward. Mao Wangchen looked at Chen Fan with burning eyes, filled with admiration: "Chen Fan, you have managed to break into the top three hundred of the Myriad Phenomenon Void Realm. If I am not mistaken, you must have already broken through to the fifth level of the martial path, correct?"

Chen Fan bowed: "I owe it to the Academy’s cultivation. Upon joining the Bright Moon Tower, I gained access to more resources, which enabled this breakthrough!"

Mao Wangchen looked radiant with satisfaction: "A fifth-level martial artist not yet sixteen years old—hahaha, that is a rare sight even among all the martial academies in the realm. Excellent, truly excellent."

Ye Wuji, however, looked at Chen Fan with helpless resignation: "You lad, did you really consume the Lantian Jade Refining Pill? Why wouldn't you listen to reason? Didn't I tell you not to rush taking it? It wasn't as if the pill would run away from you!"

Clearly, Ye Wuji believed Chen Fan’s breakthrough was due to having prematurely refined the Lantian Jade Refining Pill. According to Ye Wuji’s original projection, Chen Fan should have fully absorbed the medicinal power during his time at the Huaqing Pool to reach the fifth level; doing so early would inevitably waste a significant portion of the pill's potency.

Chen Fan was taken aback, not knowing what to say. He could hardly admit that he hadn't even touched the pill yet, and had simply reached the fifth level by idling for a few months... He could only offer a smile and remain silent.

In truth, for someone with a Blood-Filling Physique like Yan Lincu, the tempering required for the fourth level of the martial path could be completed in a year or two. With the aid of an Earth-grade pill, shortening that to within half a year was not difficult. However, medicinal pills are never as good as arduous self-cultivation. If the medicinal power is not fully refined, there is indeed some waste.

Mao Wangchen, hearing this, waved a hand dismissively: "Chen Fan has a solid foundation. What does it matter if he consumes one or two Earth-grade pills? Pills are meant to assist in cultivation, and with the competition for the Huaqing Pool quotas drawing near, it is a good thing that Chen Fan has achieved such a significant breakthrough!"

Ye Wuji sighed at this and ultimately said no more.

In fact, Mao Wangchen was right. Ensuring Chen Fan’s victory in the battle for the Huaqing Pool was more important; as for the wasted medicinal power, it was of little consequence, especially since Chen Fan had indeed ascended to the fifth level and his strength had greatly increased.

Mao Wangchen then handed over a jade box: "This is the Earth-grade pill the Academy promised as a reward for reaching your goal: the Jade-Green Resurrection Pill!"

Originally, the goal Mao Wangchen set—for Chen Fan to enter the top three hundred within a year—was merely intended to provide motivation; he had never truly expected him to achieve it. But since Chen Fan had succeeded, the Academy would not be stingy with an Earth-grade pill. Although the Jade-Green Resurrection Pill was not a cultivation pill and its market value did not match that of the Lantian Jade Refining Pill, it was still a formidable treasure worth over thirty thousand Origin Points. It could heal internal injuries while rapidly restoring True Origin—a life-saving tool in critical moments.

Chen Fan was overjoyed and carefully stowed the pill away. Mao Wangchen smiled slightly and gestured again; suddenly, a white feather garment appeared in his previously empty hand.

The garment was a half-length robe, white in color, woven from a translucent black silk and inscribed with mysterious black runes that seemed remarkably wondrous at first glance. Chen Fan’s eyes widened; he glanced at the jade ring on Ye Wuji’s thumb before turning his gaze back to the garment.

"Dean Mao, could this garment be..."

Mao Wangchen nodded with a smile: "It has been four months; it would be inexcusable not to give you the spirit artifact I promised. This garment is called the Luminous Feather Robe. Its main body is made of celestial silkworm silk combined with dozens of precious materials, and it is inscribed with over a dozen miniature formations."

"Now that your True Origin can manifest outside your body, you can already utilize a portion of this robe’s wonders. While it is a spirit artifact garment, its specialty is not merely defense—though with your current strength, triggering its internal defensive array is enough to withstand a full-force strike from a Grandmaster-level expert."

"Additionally, this robe comes with a self-cleansing formation, meaning it remains untainted by worldly filth. It also possesses a light-body effect; once activated, it can increase your speed, and it can even alter its appearance..."

Chen Fan took the Luminous Feather Robe, feeling pleasantly surprised. Although it differed from the inner armor or plate-mail spirit artifacts he had imagined and was not purely for defense, its auxiliary effects were excellent and something he could utilize immediately.

"The key to a spirit artifact lies in the word 'spirit.' After you drip your blood onto it and infuse it with your True Origin, it will be refined. From then on, this robe will be yours; even if others were to take it, they would need to refine it all over again."

In truth, if one were to steal a spirit artifact from another, one would have to purge the previous owner's True Origin, making the refinement process extremely difficult. Since this robe was ownerless, Chen Fan dripped his blood onto it, infused it with his True Origin, and instantly refined it, becoming the master of the garment.