Even so, in terms of value, it definitely can’t compare to that jet-black scale that could even block a Thunderburst Talisman.

At present, it seems that the sixth-grade opportunity referred to by the mid-high lot is most likely that strange scale.

“He died exhausted, his oil spent and his lamp extinguished.”

The yellow-robed Daoist glanced at Jason Reed: “Everyone who participated in the pursuit and driving out of him contributed, and you are no exception.”

Jason Reed: “I don’t deserve it, I was just doing my duty.”

“Mm, you all take the corpse back to the Daoist Novice Academy.” The yellow-robed Daoist hurried off, heading up the mountain.

The group of novices didn’t dare ask more.

But everyone looked up the mountain with curiosity.

The two big disturbances earlier—the first came from the Daoist Novice Academy at the foot of the mountain, but the second seemed to come from up the mountain.

Everyone was muttering inwardly, but could only gather the team and return to the Novice Academy for now.

Back at the academy, they heard that the First Branch had been set on fire again.

“This time it’s really…” Some of the young novices had odd expressions.

Jason Reed understood.

The First Branch was the private domain of the Li clan disciples.

For young people who wanted to embark on the Daoist path, being accepted as a disciple of the Celestial Master’s Residence was one of the best starting points.

If there was anything less than perfect, it was that Jason Reed only learned after joining that there were actually two types of heirs in the Celestial Master’s Residence.

Those with the surname Li.

And those without the surname Li.

In this world, in the early years of the Celestial Master’s Residence, there was no fixed rule for the succession of the Celestial Master’s position; each generation would select a successor based on virtue and talent.

But in recent generations, all the Celestial Masters have come from the same bloodline, passed from grandfather to father, father to son, son to grandson.

That is, the Li family, which now has deep roots and flourishing branches in the Celestial Master’s Residence.

To be fair, including the current Celestial Master, several generations of Li Celestial Masters have all been outstanding among their peers.

Under their leadership, the Celestial Master’s Residence has weathered many storms but still stands strong, remaining one of the most renowned Daoist sects in the world.

However, as time has passed, the Li clan disciples have become increasingly high-profile and assertive.

Some of the rules established since the founding of the Celestial Master’s Residence are still maintained on the surface.

For example, new entrants must first study and cultivate in the Daoist Novice Academy, and only those who excel can participate in the Initiation Ceremony and formally enter the main Celestial Master’s Residence as true disciples.

Currently, Li clan disciples also have to go through this process.

But it’s rare for a Li clan disciple serving as a novice not to be able to participate in the Initiation Ceremony.

And the First Branch of the Novice Academy is specifically for Li clan disciples to receive their early education and lay their foundations.

On the surface, all expenses are the same as the other branches, but it’s rumored that the Li clan disciples are so pampered with special treatment that they’ve become picky eaters…

Just like the stolen pill furnace this time—it was one of the special magical tools supplied to the First Branch.

“Senior Brother Reed!”

Several young novices from the Sixth Branch saw Jason Reed and looked at him with envy: “We heard you caught the thief?”

Jason Reed shook his head: “Didn’t catch him, just missed it. In the end, he died of exhaustion, so the merit is recorded for everyone who took part.”

Senior Brother Zhang sighed: “Even though the merit is shared, the main credit goes to those who took the initiative to hunt him down.

Those of us who just guarded the checkpoints and didn’t move are only credited with secondary merit. With so many people, there’s hardly anything left for each of us.”

After all the commotion until midnight, everyone was exhausted, but still couldn’t disband and rest.

A bit later, quite a few true disciples of the Celestial Master’s Residence in apricot-yellow Daoist robes arrived at the Novice Academy and summoned everyone for individual questioning.

Although they didn’t reveal much, Jason Reed could tell that the matter of the thief’s accomplices was no small issue.

However, after being questioned, the novices were released one by one to rest.

Jason Reed returned to his small courtyard, took out the jet-black scale again, and began to study it more closely.

Perhaps to make it easier for that novice, who was also at the first level of Qi Refining, to use, or perhaps to leave no trace, there was no one else’s magical restriction inside the scale.

Jason Reed used his own true qi to activate the jet-black scale, and a faint flowing light immediately appeared on its surface.

In his mind, an image of light and shadow appeared—part dragon, part horse, combining majesty and spiritual grace, mysterious and unfathomable.

The Novice Academy’s textbooks included illustrations introducing the world’s spiritual beasts, auspicious beasts, strange monsters, and spirits.

So Jason Reed recognized at a glance that this image was a Longma, a dragon-horse spirit beast.

So it’s a scale from a dragon-horse… Jason Reed nodded slightly.

He tried, as the thief had, to inject more true qi into the jet-black scale.

Immediately, with the scale as the center, light intertwined and a giant shield reappeared.

But his own true qi drained rapidly, consumed at an alarming rate.

Jason Reed stopped, and the flowing light faded, leaving only the jet-black scale in his palm, silent and mysterious.

A sixth-grade opportunity—a very fine protective treasure… Jason Reed first nodded, then shook his head.

Unfortunately, what he needed most right now was something to assist his cultivation, to speed up his progress and make cultivation easier.

Otherwise, at his current rate, by the time of the Initiation Ceremony early next year, he’d at most reach the tenth level of Qi Refining, and there was no way he’d achieve the twelfth level, the great perfection.

Hopefully, if he gets another chance to choose his fate, it will help him advance further in cultivation.

Of course, a protective treasure is certainly useful.

Protecting oneself is protecting the Dao.

Without life, there’s no cultivation to speak of.