Chapter 6
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Chapter 6: Paper Folding
The sudden text appearing before his eyes startled Mu Lin, forcing them open.
He quickly noticed these words existed only for him—his head-turning drew classmates’ glances, but they simply frowned and resumed cultivation.
None acknowledged the floating text, as though it were invisible.
‘Or maybe it truly doesn’t exist—this golden finger belongs solely to me!’
Collecting himself, Mu Lin closed his eyes to examine the numbers.
He found this resembled a proficiency panel tracking his cultivation method progress.
Though it couldn’t modify stats, mere recording thrilled him beyond measure.
Real-time error displays meant he’d never stray from proper cultivation paths again.
This alone made him ecstatic.
Moreover, he sensed this panel might cement his progress against forgetfulness or regression.
‘If true, I’ve struck gold! This mirrors the Great Luo’s principle of "once proven, forever proven"!’
The activated golden finger flooded Mu Lin with wild joy.
For the first time, he genuinely believed he could master all three cultivation methods within 100 days—fueling his excitement further.
"Haa…"
Only after prolonged breathing did his pulse steady.
Without delay, Mu Lin resumed visualization.
Having done this before, constructing the long sword came easier during his second assessment. Success arrived swiftly.
As anticipated, Mind Image · City of Heaven’s Funeral immediately gained +1 proficiency…
Tangible progress ignited Mu Lin’s drive. For the duration of a burning incense stick, he immersed completely in visualization.
Sword form visualized: Mind Image · City of Heaven’s Funeral proficiency +1, +1, +1, +1…
In one sustained push, he elevated it to Level 1 entry (96/108).
Exhaustion halted him then.
Not laziness—his overworked mind turned hazy. Further attempts wouldn’t manifest the long sword.
Failed visualization meant no progress gains.
Massaging his temples, Mu Lin rested for an hour of meditation.
Post-rest, his thoughts remained sluggish but functional, body still energetic.
This state craved mindless activity.
Paper folding surfaced as the answer.
Black Water Mystic Serpent’s Transformation Technique required unavailable materials. Great Yin Living Scripture needed moonlight.
But paper folding demanded only hands, not mental strain.
For Mu Lin with the Paper Folding Secret Manual, mastering this skill proved essential—and worthwhile.
Like when he visualized the sword, Mu Lin initially folded a sword again.
The sword’s shape was extremely simple. The Paper Folding Secret Manual recorded thirteen methods for folding paper swords, complete with instructions. This guidance made Mu Lin’s first attempt look surprisingly competent.
To his astonishment, the proficiency panel reappeared after his first successful fold:
[Paper Folding, Level 1 Entry (1/33)]
“???”
“This counts as a skill?”
Though startled, he recognized this as beneficial. With the proficiency panel, he could grind his origami skill to mastery quickly. Cheered by this, Mu Lin began folding paper swords using the free White Paper on his desk.
“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…”
Paper swords rapidly piled up. Within five minutes, he completed entry-level training (33/33).
Automatically grabbing fresh paper, he folded another sword and felt faint comprehension. For his next attempt, he switched to paper cranes.
The first crane took barely longer than a sword. Soon, a decent paper crane rested in his palm. This marked only the beginning—second, third, fourth, fifth cranes followed in quick succession.
Meanwhile, his proficiency panel surged:
[Paper Folding, Level 2 Proficiency (13/108)]
Folding cranes proved effortless. Within half an incense stick’s time, his progress reached (48/108). He paused—his desk’s paper supply had depleted.
Fortunately, his friend Zong Xiu wasn’t using White Paper. Mu Lin borrowed some.
“Why borrow for mere paper? …Why make so many cranes?”
Since Taoist Palace students’ main cultivation methods became obvious after three years together, Mu Lin reluctantly explained:
“My cultivation method is the secret technique of paper magic. Folding paper is part of it.”
“Paper Magic… Yin Eight Sect’s inheritance…” Zong Xiu blinked, then shrugged off his surprise without hostility. “Wait, I’ll get more paper from others.”
This reaction reflected current times. During peace, eerie Paper Magic drew suspicion. But with demons ravaging the world and calamities emerging, the Great Spirit Dynasty prioritized utility over righteousness—even the Taoist Palace’s Scripture Pavilion kept dark path manuals like Blood Transformation Blade and Five Ghosts of the Five Organs.
Moreover, Taoist Palace students rarely scorned Paper Magic. While the Yin Eight Sect belonged to fringe paths, the Palace itself taught unorthodox methods. Their relationship resembled two sides of the same coin.
Zong Xiu’s outgoing nature secured Mu Lin a desk half-buried in paper. Mu Lin resumed folding.
“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…”
Time passed swiftly. His paper rustling blended with classroom noise—students practicing swordplay in the rear training area, others reciting chants. Compared to clashing blades, origami caused little disturbance.
Upon folding his 108th crane, Mu Lin’s panel updated:
[Paper Folding, Level 2 Proficiency (108/108)]
Enlightenment struck—his next cranes became faster, smoother. Yet further crane-folding yielded no progress gains. This observation birthed a theory in his mind.
Pe551
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