Chapter 62: Chapter 60: Another Excellent Rating, Another Magic Potion Reward
A stream of information flooded into Mo Ning’s mind.
[Reward Notification: Serial Number 7-118-256, Mo Ning.]
[You have performed excellently in the second random assessment, "Shadows in the Secluded Forest," and are awarded 60 Black Tower Points.]
[Your outstanding performance in the assessment has earned the Assessor’s praise. You will receive an additional reward.]
[Additional Reward 1: Your deduction in solving the puzzle was brilliant. You are hereby granted an additional reward of 30 Black Tower Points. Current balance: 1161 Black Tower Points.]
[Additional Reward 2: You will receive the Magic Potion "Moonlight Potion." This potion has the Effect of permanently increasing Spiritual Strength. The reward will be delivered directly to your residence shortly. Please be ready to receive it.]
[Note: Enter the Secret Gate to leave the Secluded Forest.]
This was the third time Mo Ning had received a rating of "Excellent" or higher.
He had received an "Excellent" rating for the first group assessment and an even higher "Admirable" rating for the hidden assessment.
Seeing the "Excellent" rating again, he was already quite calm.
As for the Moonlight Potion.
Compared to the high-Quality Moonlight Frost Dew Potion he had received from the hidden assessment, this Magic Potion hardly excited him.
Mo Ning thought for a moment, and information about the Moonlight Potion automatically surfaced in his mind:
[Magic Potion Name: Moonlight Potion.]
[Description: This Magic Potion contains the Spiritual Power of the "Demon Moon Flower." It can slowly nourish one’s spirit and permanently increase Spiritual Strength.]
[Efficacy Evaluation: Extensive experiments show that within one month of consumption, Spiritual Strength can increase by 0.02-0.03 points.]
[Side Effects: This Magic Potion is Gentle, with extremely low side effects. There is a small chance (less than 5%) of experiencing drowsiness, and sleep duration may increase by half an hour to an hour for ten to fifteen days.]
[Usage Restriction 1: Most effective when used with a Spiritual Strength below 1.0 points. Otherwise, the Effect will be significantly reduced.]
[Usage Restriction 2: Do not consume more than four times within a year. The efficacy will gradually decrease with repeated use. There must be an interval of at least two months between doses. Do not consume more than six times in a lifetime, or the Effect will be significantly reduced.]
[Purchase Cost: 60 Black Tower Points/bottle]
The Magic Potion’s advantage was its minimal side effects, meaning it could be taken immediately.
Mo Ning made an instant decision. ’After class, I’ll come back and take the Magic Potion!’
"Wow!"
Reina cheered.
The dazed girl’s eyes lit up with excitement, the stray lock of hair on her head trembling as she exclaimed, "I got a ’Passable’ rating! The academy awarded me 35 Black Tower Points!"
She was grinning from ear to ear. "Someone with serial number 190 like me actually got such a high rating."
In Reina’s mind, only a Strong Person like Sitt or Princess Phoebe could get a "Passable" rating.
She never dreamed that she, too, would one day be associated with "Passable."
The dazed girl looked at Mo Ning, her eyes full of gratitude. "Mr. Mo Ning, I definitely wouldn’t have gotten such a high rating without you."
Reina immediately began to fulfill her earlier promise. "Mr. Mo Ning, as we agreed, eighty percent of the reward is yours, plus an extra 5 Black Tower Points. I’ll transfer 33 Black Tower Points to you right now."
She had been prepared to take a small loss, but she hadn’t expected to not only avoid a loss but actually make a small profit.
’Today is a perfect day!!’
Mo Ning pondered for a moment before instructing, "Transfer 10 Black Tower Points to Anya first, then transfer the rest to me."
In his mind, Anya was a "key member" of their small team, not some disposable follower. Therefore, splitting the spoils had to take her interests into account. It was a matter of principle.
After all, during this entire assessment, the Noble Lady had stood firmly in front of him.
Mo Ning knew full well that only by acting fairly and justly could one maintain a group’s cohesion in the long run.
Those who only thought of hogging all the benefits for themselves might win for a time, but they would never go far.
Reina obediently said, "Oh," and began operating her Guiding Ring account.
Anya’s red lips moved slightly, but she ultimately said nothing, just stood there quietly.
The look she cast toward Mo Ning held a distinctly greater measure of gentleness.
Soon, Mo Ning received a notification:
[Fund Change Notification: Serial Number 7-118-256, Mo Ning.]
[22 Black Tower Points have been credited to your account. Current balance: 1183 Black Tower Points.]
Looking at this number, Mo Ning suddenly felt a little troubled.
Yesterday, he had finally managed to spend 14 Black Tower Points studying Witchcraft in the Mirror Image Mysteries Hall, only to turn around and earn 112 points today.
The speed at which he spent money couldn’t keep up with the speed at which he earned it, leaving him not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
He thought to himself, ’I really have to try harder to spend money.’
Black Tower Points just sitting in an account were nothing more than a string of numbers. Only by converting them into knowledge or combat power could they realize their true value.
Reina’s curiosity was quite strong.
She turned to Anya, blinking as she pried, "Miss Anya, how much was your reward?"
Anya glanced at her, her tone calm. "40 Black Tower Points."
Reina let out a small "Ah."
She felt that she had at least helped deal with the Giant Poisonous Mosquitos, while the other girl seemed to have done nothing. On what grounds did she get 5 more points?
’It’s not fair!’
Anya seemed to see through her thoughts and explained, "Mo Ning and I are an official team certified by the academy."
The academy encourages a certain degree of cooperation and has specifically established a team system for this purpose. A small team can register up to three members.
Reina’s face was full of envy as she listened.
Of course, she knew that when completing tasks as a team, some members could receive a good share of the rewards even if they didn’t contribute much.
Those extra 5 points were the value of being an "official member."
Anya smiled faintly and said with deep meaning, "The right choice is more important than hard work. You have the [Intuition of the Right Direction] talent, so you should understand this point deeply."
Those words hit Reina instantly.
The dazed girl turned her gaze to Mo Ning, asking eagerly, "Mr. Mo Ning, can I join your team?"
She even pumped her fist. "I can swear—I’ll always be the first to charge into battle!"
Getting a "Passable" rating had far exceeded her expectations, and her desire to join this team had reached its peak.
Mo Ning didn’t reject her outright, simply saying coolly, "We’ll see how you perform."
’Reina isn’t stupid,’ he thought, ’and she’s competent in a fight.’
’But her emotional intelligence is clearly a notch below Anya’s.’
Anya had been willing to guarantee "complete obedience to your command" from their very first meeting, and that was what he valued most.
Reina seemed to see a glimmer of hope in his words, and her eyes lit up again. "Mr. Mo Ning, please rest assured! I’ll definitely impress you with my excellent performance!"
Mo Ning nodded lightly and pointed to the mottled stone door. "Let’s leave this place first."
Reina eagerly stepped forward and pushed open the mottled stone door.
Beyond the door was a darkness so thick it seemed almost to flow.
Nothing could be seen inside, like the slowly opening mouth of a giant beast. It was a little creepy to look at.
The dazed girl gritted her teeth, braced herself, and stepped through the doorway.
Anya followed second, her steps much more composed.
As usual, Mo Ning took up the rear, stepping in last.
The moment his body touched the darkness, a message flashed through his mind:
[You have entered Transit Point 5-33. You may choose to return to your residence or enter the Mysterious Secret Hall of the Quiet Forest.]
Reina’s crisp voice rang out in the darkness, with a subtle, lively undertone. "Which one should we choose?"
Her words held a hidden intention—by saying "we," she was implicitly counting herself as a member of the team.
Anya’s voice was more melodious and carried an indescribable elegance. "We should be the fastest team to leave the Secluded Path. I suggest we return to our residences to rest for a while. We can head to the Lecture Hall after the assessment is over."
The Noble Lady’s suggestion was perfectly in line with Mo Ning’s own thoughts.
Being the first group to enter the Lecture Hall would undoubtedly draw everyone’s attention, which was not an outcome he desired.
So, Mo Ning naturally went along with the good advice. "Alright!"
Knowing she had no say in the matter, Reina obediently responded, "Understood!"
The next moment.
Mo Ning felt a wave of dizziness, and in an instant, the scene before him changed. The wooden door of Residence 804 appeared before his eyes.
He muttered "How magical," and pushed the door open to enter.
*****
「In another corridor, before Residence 610.」
Reina’s figure suddenly appeared at the doorway.
She shook her head, trying to shake off the wave of dizziness.
"How magical!"
The dazed girl muttered the exact same words as Mo Ning and pushed the door to enter her room.
She stood still at the door for a moment, sighing softly, "The amazing Mr. Mo Ning."
The path from the Secluded Path to the Secret Gate was fraught with difficulties. She knew she couldn’t have passed a single one of them on her own.
But Mr. Mo Ning had been able to effortlessly grasp one crucial clue after another, walking to the Secret Gate as easily as if he were taking an after-dinner stroll.
In her sixteen years of life, she had never met someone so capable.
The dazed girl then recalled the Noble Lady’s stunningly beautiful face and sighed in discouragement.
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t captivated by someone as amazing as Mo Ning.
That imperturbable face, those eyes that always seemed to see through everything, that quiet confidence with which he held everything in his grasp—it was all far more attractive than those so-called "geniuses" who only knew how to show off their talents.
But whenever she remembered the sight of "Anya resolutely shielding Mo Ning, willing to be injured herself rather than let him get hurt," she understood—she could never compete with the Noble Lady.
What’s more—
She looked down at herself and muttered in frustration, "Miss Anya has big apples, and I only have small ones."
The dazed girl lay back on her single bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
This position made the curves on her front particularly clear—they were indeed small apples.
If she had to find a single good point, perhaps it was that she was petite and delicate.
After all, some people were into that.
After a good while, the Guiding Ring suddenly emitted faint wisps of coolness that seeped into the skin of her fingers.
Reina froze for a second, then suddenly performed a "carp leap," jumping up from the bed.
The movement demonstrated considerable core strength.
The dazed girl’s face was filled with surprise, even shock. "What on earth happened in the forest?"
The notification the academy had just sent out had startled her.
[Urgent Notice: Serial Number 7-118-190, Reina.]
[The mandatory 8:00 AM class today, "Epic of Witchcraft (First Chapter) — The Evolutionary Torrent from the Primeval Era of Witchcraft to the Era of Secret Divination," has been temporarily canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.]
[All new student schedules will be postponed by three days. Please make the necessary arrangements.]
"All schedules postponed by three days" was definitely no small matter. The only explanation she could think of was that something major had happened during the random assessment.
Reina muttered to herself, a trace of unease in her voice, "Don’t tell me someone died..."
Judging from the current situation, it was highly likely.
The dazed girl was suddenly filled with relief. "Thank goodness I followed Mr. Mo Ning and left the path."
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