Chapter 80
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Chapter 80: The Class Atmosphere
At night, Mu Lin cultivated the Great Yin Living Scripture, and during the day, he trained with the Substitute Paper Figure. Between practice sessions, he painted… After the challenge, his routine returned to normal as if winning first place meant nothing to him.
Though he said and did nothing more, his mere presence in the classroom pushed the Formal Class students to work harder.
Those with Level 2 Spiritual Roots burned with ambition.
“Mu Lin has third-class talent and a humble background, yet he made the Hidden Dragon Rankings. Why can’t I?”
“If I get on the rankings, I could marry a legitimate daughter of a noble family. Isn’t that why Chu Lingluo noticed Mu Lin? Maybe noble ladies would support me too!”
Chu Lingluo had initially befriended Mu Lin for his artistic skills. His strength only became apparent later. But the Level 2 Spiritual Roots students ignored these details—they only saw his ranking and Chu Lingluo’s support. Envy and hunger drove them to train relentlessly.
Even Zhou Liang, Jing Yeming, Ji Xue, and Yan Yunyu pushed themselves fiercely. For Jing Yeming and Zhou Liang, being overshadowed by a third-class talent was a humiliation they vowed to erase. Teachers and peers alike reminded them their higher Spiritual Roots Talent meant faster cultivation progress. Mu Lin’s lead was temporary, they insisted—hard work would let them overtake him. This hope fueled their desperation.
As the Formal Class buzzed with effort, new news ignited greater fervor.
Dongfang Ya announced the Southeast League Examination for Taoist Palaces. She declared that if Mu Lin ranked first in Anping Taoist Palace and placed top five in the Southeast Province, the Taoist Palace would spend vast resources to elevate his Level 3 Spiritual Roots to Level 2.
The class erupted. Envy twisted faces, but Dongfang Ya added, “Rewards aren’t just for Mu Lin. Meet the standards, and the academy will invest in your growth too.”
The Southeast League Examination rewards weren’t tailored solely for Mu Lin. Other Taoist Palace teachers doubted him, and even Dongfang Ya, though supportive, remained fair. She rewarded excellence wherever it appeared—a principle Mu Lin accepted without complaint.
After all, Dongfang Ya had already rewarded him privately by connecting him to a puppet master. Moreover, her efforts ensured the Taoist Palace not only treated him fairly but granted him unique advantages.
Upgrading Spiritual Roots wasn’t a standard reward—typically, students chose random items from the treasure vault. Customizing rewards for Mu Lin was exceptional effort, a clear mark of favor.
……
Because he already knew about it beforehand, Mu Lin stayed calm when Dongfang Ya made the announcement.
But others didn’t share his composure.
"Upgrading Spiritual Roots!"
"The academy’s giving out such treasures?"
"Hah…"
"Win! If we win, we get everything!"
Dongfang Ya’s words lit a fire under every student in the Formal Class. Their eyes burned with hunger, hearts pounding. No one blamed them—such treasures were beyond precious. Even Jing Yeming and Zhou Liang couldn’t stay indifferent.
This fiery restlessness was exactly what Dongfang Ya wanted. She aimed to push the class to strive harder. Mission accomplished.
……
In the days following the announcement, Mu Lin watched the class transform. Gone were the fancy tea parties and poetry gatherings. Now everyone trained relentlessly.
But the upcoming exam tested more than raw power—it judged Taoist Palace students’ real-world skills against evil spirits and supernatural threats. Soon, students started spending extra Spirit Stones daily to challenge the Tower of Illusions.
Ji Xue, Jing Yeming, and Yan Yunyu’s team became tower regulars. Being top contenders, they pushed hardest. Yan Yunyu might not care about rewards, but her teammates did. As for Ji Xue? Mu Lin couldn’t guess her motives, but she kept entering that tower. She’d always emerge pale-faced, clearly pushing herself to the limit.
"Sword cultivators thrive in real battles, not quiet meditation," Mu Lin wondered. "Maybe that’s why?" He shrugged and stopped thinking about it.
Meanwhile, the class watched Mu Lin too. They expected him to panic most—that third-to-second grade Spiritual Roots reward seemed made for him. More competitors should’ve made him desperate.
Instead, Mu Lin became the class’s calmest soul. He kept his usual routine—cultivating, sketching landscapes, never once approaching the tower. Like the announcement never happened.
Even his friend Zong Xiu got curious. Walking back to dorms one day, he finally asked:
"Mu Lin, everyone’s scrambling. Why aren’t you?"
"Jing Yeming cleared the tower’s third level. Yan Yunyu boosted her fourth-level rating from medium to good. Ji Xue hasn’t progressed floors, but she’s mastered some killer sword technique and hit late stages of Awakening."
