The inter-courtyard tournament officially came to an end.

A massive overall scoreboard floated high above the main arena area. News that the East Courtyard had claimed the top spot in the elite tournament swept through the Star Martial University campus like a whirlwind.

Inside Villa 7 of Hidden Dragon Garden, Xu Wuyi’s consciousness withdrew from the Star Martial Battle Network, and he slowly opened his eyes.

The moment he returned to reality, his personal terminal chimed with a series of crisp notifications.

He glanced down at the screen, which displayed a notification from the university’s academic affairs system about his points being credited.

[Dear Student Xu Wuyi:]

[Congratulations on representing the East Courtyard and achieving outstanding results in this year’s first-year inter-courtyard tournament (elite tournament).]

[Base Team Reward: 50 points.]

[Individual Performance Reward (based on a comprehensive evaluation of wins, key performances, etc.): 750 points.]

[Total Credited: 800 points.]

[Your current points balance is: 1140 points.]

Staring at the four-digit points balance, even with Xu Wuyi’s calm disposition, he couldn’t help but feel his breath catch in his throat.

points.

Converted to Federation currency, that was a whopping eleven million, four hundred thousand!

This was a fortune large enough to make the vast majority of freshmen, and even many upperclassmen, green with envy.

Just a short while ago, he had been scrambling to earn the 800 points needed to exchange for the Earth Fire Marrow.

Compared to this bountiful harvest, all the fierce battles of the tournament seemed worthwhile.

It wasn’t just an acknowledgment of his strength; it was also a crucial resource for his future cultivation path.

"Anna." Xu Wuyi suppressed the turmoil in his heart and summoned his smart assistant.

"Congratulations, Student Xu Wuyi," Anna’s electronic voice chimed in at the perfect moment. "Your points balance has been updated."

"Pull up my resource utilization plan and remaining points."

"Command confirmed."

A pale blue light screen materialized in front of Xu Wuyi, clearly listing the data.

[Primary Resource: Earth Fire Marrow (A- Level, in continuous use, estimated duration: 11 months, 18 days)]

[Auxiliary Resource: C-Level Life Potion (Stock: 18 vials, consumed in daily training, estimated duration: 1 month)]

[Current Points: 1140]

[Core Expenditure Plan: Bone Tempering Aid Potion (Budget: 200 points)]

[Remaining Points After Planned Expenditure: 940]

The Bone Tempering Aid Potion was, without a doubt, the most commonly used auxiliary potion for Martial Artists during the Bone Tempering stage.

C-Level Life Potions already contained ingredients for tempering bones, but they weren’t the main component. With an auxiliary potion, the two-pronged approach would further boost the effects.

Moreover, the Bone Tempering Aid Potion was relatively cheap. A 200-point supply would be enough to last him until he reached Level 25 and completed his Bone Tempering.

The only downside was that, like the Blood Circulation Potion, this potion was strictly restricted from the open market. It could only be traded within the university, which meant it could only be purchased with points.

As for the remaining 940 points, Xu Wuyi had no intention of spending them casually.

He knew that as his Life Energy Level increased, the grade and quantity of resources he would need would skyrocket. He had to maintain a sufficient reserve to handle unexpected needs or crucial exchange opportunities.

Just as he was carefully reviewing his plan, his communicator chimed again. It was an encrypted communication request from the East Courtyard Dean’s office.

Xu Wuyi’s heart stirred slightly, and he accepted the call.

"Student Xu Wuyi, congratulations." Dean He Yifeng’s voice, gentle yet dignified, came through. "If it’s convenient, come to my office on the Battle Network now."

"Yes, Dean He. I’ll be right there."

...

In the East Courtyard Dean’s office on the Battle Network, the faint aroma of tea still lingered in the air.

He Yifeng sat behind a large desk. Seeing Xu Wuyi walk in, a smile of approval appeared on his face.

"Sit." He pointed to the chair opposite him. "You fought very well in the tournament. You’ve earned the highest merit for the East Courtyard."

"You praise me too much, Dean. It was my duty." Xu Wuyi sat down as instructed, his tone neither servile nor overbearing.

He Yifeng nodded slightly, his gaze profound as he looked at him. "You defeated Qin Rui and then took down Tana. Now, campus opinion is already starting to view you as the number one student of your year. How do you feel about that?"

Xu Wuyi was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "It’s just an empty title. The path of Martial Arts is long. A momentary victory and reputation don’t define the future."

"Very good." The admiration in He Yifeng’s eyes deepened. "To be able to maintain such a clear head is a rare and valuable quality."

He picked up his teacup, took a light sip, and changed the subject. "I heard that some time ago, the Qin Family of the Central Province approached you with an offer of sponsorship, but you refused."

Xu Wuyi wasn’t surprised. The matter had been circulating around the university for a long time, and it was no wonder that someone of Dean He’s status would be aware of it. "Yes."

"Can you tell me why?" He Yifeng put down his teacup, his gaze serene. "From what I know, the conditions the Qin Family offered were quite generous. For a genius from a common background, it should have been almost impossible to refuse."

Xu Wuyi met the dean’s gaze, thought for a moment, and said slowly, "I didn’t want to." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

He Yifeng’s eyebrows shot up, and then he burst into laughter.

"Excellent!"

He didn’t explain why he thought it was excellent, but instead continued, "Star Martial University stands among the Federation’s top institutions. Its foundation and ability to mobilize resources far exceed what you, or even most outsiders, can imagine."

"For the truly top-tier handful of students, the support provided by the university, if used properly, is enough to carry them smoothly through the Martial Artist stage, right up until they become Innate Martial Artists."

"Points are the greatest support the university gives you. The key is whether you can invest those points precisely into the most essential resources."

"As for those scions of great families who just pile on resources at every step... Heh, more is not always better!"

"They even use resources to shape their True Intention of Martial Arts. When it’s time to condense a Heart Image, I’d like to see what resources they can possibly use for that."

Listening to He Yifeng’s speech, Xu Wuyi found it hard to stifle a laugh.

’This dean doesn’t act like a Grandmaster Level expert at all. He sounds more like an angry youth. Maybe this is just the spirit of Star Martial University?’

Dean He didn’t notice Xu Wuyi’s expression and continued, "I couldn’t really say this to you before. It’s not right to make empty promises and ask you to give up tens of millions."

"But now that you’ve refused them and earned your own points, I’m sure you can understand what I’m saying."

"Yes, thank you for your guidance, Dean," Xu Wuyi said, nodding earnestly.

He Yifeng waved his hand. "Go on, focus on your training. Don’t worry about those empty titles from the outside world. On the path of Martial Arts, fists do the talking in the end."

"Also, prepare well for the Youth Martial Arts Tournament in May. The Three Greats have always only given rewards to first and second-year participants, so don’t miss out."

’Only for first and second-years, huh... I understand.’ Xu Wuyi nodded again.

He then stood up, gave a respectful bow, and left the dean’s office.