[Ding! The Host has been given four options to choose from. Please selee option carefully; any mistake could lead to your death.]

  Reon’s steps halted just before he ehe Outer Se of Frost Mountain Cave. He wasn’t expeg a mission at this moment—the System had no fixed schedule for issuing tasks, making its timing As Uable As Ever.

  A translut panel appeared before his eyes, listing four options.

  .

  [Option 1: Accept the punishment and proceed to the Outer Se of Frost Mountain Cave.

  Reward: Foundation Stabilizing Pill (on-Grade).]

  [Option 2: Say "Even though I am now an Outer Sect disciple, when I attacked the junior, I was still an Inner Sect disciple, so I must proceed to the Inner Se of Frost Mountain Cave."

  Reward: Foundation Stabilizing Pill (Unon-Grade), A Teique Insight Ticket (Rare-Grade).]

  [Option 3: Say "A disciple ot grow stronger without taking risks in life; they must face life-ah situations to advaherefore, I must proceed to the Core Se of Frost Mountain Cave."

  Reward: A Sword Teique (Rare-Grade).]

  [Option 4: Say "A disciple could never bee World's Stro without c death" and procced to the Heart of Frost Mountain Cave.

  Reward: A Beautiful White Coffin (Rare-Grade).]

  .

  .

  Reon's face twitched as he read through the options.

  The first option was undoubtedly the safest. Though the Outer Se of the cave would still be harsh, he was fident he could e despite being only at the Stage-1 Qi Refining Realm.

  However, the reward was underwhelming—just a Grade-1 Foundation Stabilizing Pill.

  The third option caught his attention momentarily. In his first mission, the third option had been the best choice, but here?

  The Core Se of the cave was no joke.

  Even Golden Core Formation cultivators could perish if they weren’t careful. The reward was tempting, but the risk was ht terrifying.

  Then, there was the fourth option.

  Reon almost choked on air when he read it.

  "A Beautiful White Coffin," even cssified as Rare-Grade? They were bidding farewell in style!

  "This System is definitely messing with me."

  The Heart of Frost Mountain Cave ce that even Soul Realm cultivators feared.

  It ce where time twisted, and the cold itself could devour one’s Spiritual cores.

  C death? More like marrying it!

  He swiftly erased the fourth option from his mind before it could tempt fate any further.

  Then, his eyes nded on the sed option.

  While it was far riskier than the first, the reward was signifitly better. The Grade-2 Foundation Stabilizing Pill alone was a rare resource, capable of assisting even a Qi Solidification Realm cultivator.

  Moreover, the Teique Insight Ticket (Rare-Grade)—though he didn’t fully uand its fun—was undeniably Valuable.

  This was a Calcuted risk, and he o take it.

  With a deep breath, Reon withdrew his foot just before stepping into the Outer Se and made his choice.

  [Ding! Host has selected the Sed Option. Please proceed to plete the task to cim your reward.]

  The air grew tense.

  The Disciplinary Hall disciples standing behind him stiffeheir gazes sharp and expet.

  They assumed he was refusing to accept the punishment—even though it had already been reduced to just three days ier Se.

  Knowing his notorious past, they were already prepared to force him inside.

  But before they could act, Reon spoke—his voice steady and resolute.

  "Senior Brother Long, although I'm now an Outer Sect disciple, when I attacked Junior Brother Yang, I was still part of the Inner Sect. Therefore, I should go to the Inner Se of Frost Mountain Cave."

  Silence.

  A suffog, stunned silence.

  The Disciplinary Hall disciples' eyes widened, disbelief flickering across their faces.

  Of all the tless sarios they had envisiohis was not one of them.

  Xue Taiyang—this troublemaker, this arrogant sdrel—was voluntarily asking for a harsher punishment?

  They had expected resistance.

  They had prepared t him in kig and screaming.

  But this?

  "What?!" One disciple blurted out, utterly dumbfounded.

  They half-expected it to be mockery, but the look oaiyang’s face said otherwise.

  Long Ming, who had been silent until now, narrowed his eyes. His sharp gaze locked onto Reon, searg for any sign of deception.

  "Are you serious?" he asked, his tone carrying both doubt and curiosity.

  Reo his gaze head-on, his expression firm.

  "Yes, Senior Brother," he affirmed, his voiwavering.

  Long Ming’s eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion.

  Then, he paused.

  A memory surfaced in his mind—words spoken by his master years ago:

  "A man who aowledges his mistakes and works tirelessly to correct them... that is the greatest person you will ever enter.

  If you find such a man, Make it a priority to befriend him for life."

  A quiet chuckle escaped his lips. Heh… I’ve searched for such a person for years. Yet, not once did I find one.

  Until now.

  For a moment, Long Ming’s lips curled into the fai hint of a smile—so fleeting, so imperceptible, that even he seemed unaware of it.

  And just as swiftly, it was gone.

  But Reon saw it.

  A shiver ran down his spine.

  "Did he just smile?!"

  He wasn’t the only one.

  The disciples standing behind Long Ming had also noticed, and they all felt a deep utle over them.

  There was an unspoken rule within the Disciplinary Hall:

  "If Senior Brother Long Ming smiles, something signifit is about to happen."

  They all prayed that it was just their imagination.

  But was it?

  Long Ming straightened his posture and, with a calm yet anding tone, said:

  "Alright. Very well. e with me."

  A ripple of shock spread through the disciples.

  But before they could question further—

  Reon nodded, his voice steady and unwavering.

  "Uood."