Chapter 31
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Chapter 31: The Arts of Cultivation
Before Mu Lin could respond to Qi Xiu’s accusation, Zong Xiu—who’d been meditating nearby—hesitated, then stood up with a forced laugh. “Haha, it’s not that bad. Brother Mu came here because I asked him to discuss something…”
Zong Xiu, kind-hearted by nature, wanted to shield Mu Lin from trouble. But Qi Xiu refused to drop the matter. Born into poverty, his sudden wealth and endless flattery had inflated his ego overnight. Now viewing himself as elite, he couldn’t tolerate anyone he deemed “beneath him” defying him. Mu Lin’s defiance felt like a personal insult, and Qi Xiu was determined to punish him.
Ignoring Zong Xiu’s attempt to mediate, Qi Xiu snapped, “It *is* that serious! Just because *you* weren’t disturbed doesn’t mean *I* wasn’t. I nearly suffered a qi deviation earlier!” To exaggerate his claim, he even considered faking injury by twisting his cultivation methods.
Zong Xiu frowned at his persistence, but before he could speak, a mocking voice cut through the tension.
“Getting a qi deviation that easily? Who knew the Formal Class had such a useless member?”
“Teacher Dongfang, I demand his qualifications be reviewed. A waste like him doesn’t belong here!”
“???”
“……”
The crowd froze. The words themselves made sense—but the speaker was Mu Lin. Not only had he refused to apologize, he’d openly mocked his accuser. Spectators exchanged amused glances, while Qi Xiu’s face flushed crimson with rage.
“You bastard! How dare you—”
“Silence!”
Dongfang Ya’s sharp command cut him off. She shot Qi Xiu a disapproving look before stating coolly, “Mu Lin isn’t an outsider. He’s Successfully Awakened and will join the Formal Class as your peer.”
“From today, he cultivates here.”
“……”
The silence deepened. Even Zong Xiu gaped, speechless. No one had imagined Mu Lin—with his Level 3 Spiritual Roots—could ever stand among them.
After a long pause, someone finally blurted, “Successfully Awakened? But he’s Level 3! That’s impossible!”
“How?!”
"I don’t believe it! He must’ve cheated!"
After the initial shock, the crowd struggled to accept this truth. Among them, Qi Xiu appeared most agitated. His greatest prides – his Level 2 Spiritual Roots and B-grade capable person status – were now matched by Mu Lin, the very person he’d always despised. This bitter pill proved too hard to swallow.
The ongoing commotion finally ignited the short temper of Teacher Dongfang Ya. When she heard further complaints, a terrifying Oppressive Aura burst from her petite frame.
All noise instantly ceased under this pressure.
Dongfang Ya’s voice rang out with sharp disappointment: "Only failures keep shouting about Spiritual Roots meaning everything! In our Great Spirit Dynasty, half the powerful beings have Level 1 or 2 Spiritual Roots – the rest started with Level 3 or 4!"
"If you think good Spiritual Roots guarantee cultivation success, then leave this Taoist Palace immediately! Don’t waste our resources."
The petite teacher scanned the silenced crowd before continuing: "Remember this – Spiritual Roots are just the foundation. True cultivation depends on comprehension, opportunities, temperament, and even luck. Their importance shrinks with each breakthrough."
"Mu Lin’s Level 3 Spiritual Roots seem average, yet he achieved quick awakening and B-level evaluation. This proves his true capability. Frankly, half of you won’t reach his future heights!"
Though many resented her final remark, the warning worked. Fearing being surpassed, students swallowed their pride and redoubled cultivation efforts.
Satisfied, Dongfang Ya nodded and turned to Mu Lin: "Come to my room at noon break. We need to talk." With butterfly-like grace, she vanished.
As others dispersed to cultivate, few approached Mu Lin. His Level 3 roots and Teacher Dongfang’s praise made him an outsider in the Formal Class, drawing mostly hostility. Qi Xiu’s glare burned hottest, but Mu Lin remained unfazed.
"With my proficiency panel, I’ll match his training speed easily," Mu Lin thought coldly. Before he could start cultivating, Zong Xiu approached.
"Level 3 roots catching up to Level 2? Never thought I’d see a genius beside me!" Zong Xiu grinned, thumbs up.
Mu Lin shook his head. "You overpraise me, Brother Zong. Just working harder than others, and still slower."
"For now!" Zong Xiu countered. "Teacher said Spiritual Roots matter less later…"
"But never useless," Mu Lin smiled. Their shared laughter eased the tension.
The enthusiastic Zong Xiu then explained Formal Class essentials. Promotion brought two key benefits: B-grade students could revisit Scripture Pavilion for cultivation methods, and learn various Arts of Cultivation like talismans, alchemy, formations, artifact crafting, and puppetry.
"Elective courses aren’t mandatory," Zong Xiu clarified. "But advanced knowledge requires becoming an instructor’s disciple. The Dynasty rewards specialized talents – top performers avoid fighting evil spirits altogether."
His voice turned wistful: "But mastering these arts needs mountains of spiritual materials. Poor folks like us? No chance."
