NOVEL WEB Chapter 3: The system's quest
The Body Tempering Realm—it was the foundational phase of training, the necessary path one must walk before becoming a true warrior.
Within the Holy Radiance Empire, every warrior drew strength from the natural element that resonated with their soul. But to truly command such elemental power, one had to temper flesh and bone through repeated infusions of that element—achieving what was known as Elemental Body Fusion.
Ordinarily, cultivators would meditate and use specialized techniques to slowly guide elemental energy into their bodies. The process was painstakingly slow and often yielded limited results.
But Kael was different.
He possessed a unique innate skill granted by his system: [Devour]—an ability that allowed him to directly absorb elemental beast cores and use their power to refine his body!
Such a heaven-defying talent enabled him to reach 60% fire-elemental fusion in just three minutes—something that would take even a prodigy with an SSS-ranked talent at least three days of hard cultivation to achieve!
Ding! Congratulations, Host, for stepping into the path of cultivation. System quests unlocked.
[Quest 1 – Normal]: Reach peak Body Tempering within 7 days. Reward: Wind Element – Low-grade Core ×1
[Quest 2 – Hard]: Reach peak Body Tempering within 3 days. Reward: Wind Element – Low-grade Core ×1 + Mid-grade Core ×1
[Quest 3 – Hell]: Reach peak Body Tempering within 1 day. Reward: Wind Element – Supreme Core ×1 + Ice Element Sensory Elixir ×1
Kael's eyes flickered as he studied the quest options.
In terms of rewards, the Hell difficulty was clearly the most tempting—not only could it further enhance his wind affinity, but it also offered a new elemental attunement: Ice.
"But within a single day…" he frowned deeply.
To reach 100% elemental fusion, he would need at least one high-grade fire-elemental core—a resource valued at over 5,000 gold coins on the market.
Given his family's financial situation, even scraping together 100 coins would be nearly impossible, let alone 5,000.
"Do I really have to settle for the Hard mode instead?"
His heart wavered. Three days was far more achievable… but he couldn't accept it. If he took three whole days to complete Body Tempering, there was almost no chance he'd become a warrior within seven.
And if he couldn't become a warrior in time—how would he protect himself?
How would he protect his family?
Suddenly, inspiration struck him—his eyes lit up, and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Wait a second… I've already stepped into the path of cultivation. That means I can register at the Warrior's Guild!"
A glimmer of hope shone in his eyes.
—The Warrior's Guild, a direct institution under the Empire, was responsible for assessing and recording the identities of all cultivators.
As long as one passed the Guild's certification—especially before the age of eighteen—they would be granted a generous reward by the Empire, as part of its policy to encourage young warriors to take up arms in defense of the realm!
Without a moment's hesitation, he flung open the door.
"I'm heading out!" he called back, disappearing down the path without waiting for a reply.
"This child…" his mother, Elisse, shook her head with a faint sigh.
"Let him go," said Raynor quietly. He had failed to bring honor to the family in his lifetime. Now, he could only hope that Kael would forge his own path to glory.
——
Roughly half an hour later, Kael boarded a manadriven carriage and arrived at the Warrior's Guild—an imposing structure nestled at the heart of the imperial capital.
Towering walls of pale grey stone, a gate dozens of meters high, and silver-armored guards flanking the entrance—all of it radiated solemnity and grandeur.
After registering his identification, Kael was promptly led into the certification hall.
The hall was bustling with people—most of them seasoned cultivators in their thirties.
Among them, a red-haired guild clerk in uniform spotted Kael. Her eyes lit up as she approached with a warm smile.
"Are you here for your cultivation certification, sir?"
Kael's youthful appearance and composed demeanor instantly caught her attention. After all, if a minor successfully completed certification, not only would he receive a generous reward, but the staff member who registered him would also earn a sizable commission.
"That's right," Kael replied with a slight nod.
"May I see your identification crystal, please?"
Kael handed it over. She glanced at it—and her expression instantly brightened.
"You're not even eighteen yet? Wonderful! Please follow me—underage cultivators are given priority certification."
She led Kael to a private counter toward the front. A refined testing apparatus was already set up.
"Place your hand here and channel your elemental energy."
Kael raised his hand. In the center of his palm, a flame of deep crimson swirled to life—then burst upon the device in a brilliant explosion, blooming like a fiery blossom.
The device pulsed with light, and a line of glowing text appeared:
[Fire Element · Body Tempering – Initial Stage]
"You did it!" the red-haired clerk exclaimed with delight. "You've officially stepped onto the path of cultivation! The Empire will issue your reward immediately—2,000 gold coins."
She quickly added, "Please present your crystal card—I'll process the payment for you now."
Kael handed her his crystal card.
Around the hall, heads turned in his direction.
"Wait… he's underage? And he's already completed Body Tempering?"
"That's a prodigy, no doubt. Practically a noble in the making…"
"Better not cross him—he might end up in the Royal Knights one day."
Yet Kael remained calm—unsatisfied.
"…Can I test again?" he asked quietly.
The clerk blinked. "Huh?"
Kael didn't explain. He simply placed his palm on the device once more.
This time, he unleashed all of his fire-elemental power!
Buzz!
A flash of blazing light burst from the device—and two flame sigils emerged on the screen!
[Fire Element · Body Tempering – Intermediate Stage]
"T-this… this is impossible!" the clerk gasped aloud.
Not even eighteen, and already at the Intermediate Stage of Body Tempering? Across the entire Empire, only a handful of youths could claim such a feat each year!
The hall erupted in murmurs—this time, not of envy, but awe.
The gazes that once held curiosity now brimmed with reverence.
True prodigies never needed to explain themselves. They only needed to stand tall—
and their light alone would silence all doubt.
Snapping out of her shock, the red-haired clerk quickly bowed low.
"According to Guild regulations, my lord—any cultivator under the age of eighteen who achieves Intermediate Stage Body Tempering is entitled to an additional reward: 5,000 gold coins!"
Kael nodded. "Good. I'm in urgent need of funds. Please see to it immediately."
"Of course, my lord!" She hurried off to process the transaction.
Less than five minutes later, Kael's magi-crystal terminal emitted a soft chime—his account had been credited.
Pocketing his crystal card, he turned to leave.
"M-my lord… allow me to escort you out," the clerk offered respectfully, quickly falling into step behind him.
Kael didn't refuse.
As they stepped past the grand doors of the Guild, he asked casually, "Where nearby can I find genuine beast cores for sale?"
The clerk hesitated for only a moment, then replied, "If you're looking to purchase beast cores, my lord, I highly recommend doing so within the Warrior's Guild itself."
"You sell them too?"
"Naturally. The open market is flooded with counterfeits—some even illegally enchanted, posing a grave risk to cultivators. To combat this, the Empire has authorized several official vendors—our Guild among them. The prices may be higher, but the quality is guaranteed and every item clearly marked."
"Excellent. Take me there," Kael said, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.