Chapter 24: Spiritual Root
Leaving Su Haifeng’s office, Zhang Yu walked on his way back to the classroom.
Next week, he had to break into the grade’s top ten for magic power to qualify to represent Songyang High School in the Magic Power Competition.
The week after, the monthly exams would begin, and only with a sufficiently outstanding score could he secure a better contract from the school.
Zhang Yu was fully confident he could break into the top ten in magic power within the next week. After all, his Celestial Cycle Qi-Gathering Method had already reached level four, and this level would only climb higher, making his magic power growth increasingly rapid.
But the monthly exams also included physical education, Dao heart, martial arts, and Daoist arts in addition to magic power, and the thought of having to drastically improve in these four areas over the next two weeks instantly filled Zhang Yu with immense pressure.
As for the general education exam?
Not only was general education itself worth a mere fifty points, but nearly everyone in the model class scored close to full marks on it, making it impossible to create any real gap.
It was safe to say that Zhang Yu wasn’t quite sure what he could ultimately achieve in the monthly exams two weeks from now.
“In any case… the only way is to grind.”
Zhang Yu could feel a fire ignite within him.
Who said a manual hack wasn’t a hack?
Feather Book! Show me your limits over these next two weeks!
And so, the moment he returned to the classroom, Zhang Yu began his breathing exercises for spiritual energy, circulating the Celestial Cycle Qi-Gathering Method with all his might.
In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the first period.
Sigh, I’m so tired.
Just as Zhang Yu’s mind relaxed slightly and he considered taking a break, the countdown timer with its bone-deep chill rose once more, compelling him to push onward.
“Fuck!”
Idiotic ritual… I’ll kill you one day!
Meanwhile, in another corner of the classroom, Zhao Tianxing glanced at a message on his phone and breathed a sigh of relief.
Previously, the physical education teacher, Wang Hai, had tasked him with finding out Zhang Yu’s supply channels. When he was asked for an update today, Zhao Tianxing told him about the art exhibition.
Wang Hai’s reply was: Understood, you don’t need to follow up on Zhang Yu for now, just maintain a good relationship with him. Come to the training grounds after school tomorrow, and I’ll lead you through a body tempering session.
No longer needing to probe Zhang Yu for information was a great relief to Zhao Tianxing.
And the reward of an extra training session with Wang Hai made Zhao Tianxing secretly rejoice.
After all, as an ace teacher, the quality of Wang Hai’s private lessons was beyond question; not only were they expensive, but they were often impossible to book.
As for continuing to maintain a relationship with Zhang Yu…
Zhao Tianxing looked up toward Zhang Yu’s seat and saw him performing his breathing exercises.
After what happened yesterday, I must be nothing but a clown in his eyes.
Just thinking about how the other boy might be mocking his clumsy performance from last night made Zhao Tianxing’s cheeks burn again.
But the thought of Wang Hai’s private lesson spurred him on. He resolved to go and chat with Zhang Yu for a bit once class was over and he was free.
Yet as the morning classes passed one by one, Zhao Tianxing simply could not find a single opportunity to exchange a few words with Zhang Yu.
Is he still doing breathing exercises?
He does them during class.
He does them after class, too.
He hasn’t even gone to the bathroom once… What powerful kidneys.
Zhang Yu’s diligent appearance made even Zhao Tianxing feel a knot in his stomach.
After what felt like an eternity, it was finally time for lunch. Zhao Tianxing had just gotten his food and was about to walk over to sit with Zhang Yu.
Then he saw the other boy shovel the meal into his stomach in two bites like a phantom before bolting out of the cafeteria as if on wings.
Seeing this, Bai Zhenzhen cursed inwardly, You’re even grinding through lunch? Can’t you let anyone eat in peace?
Lunchtime was the only period at Songyang High School untouched by grades, free from the supervision of a devil incarnate like Su Haifeng, and untainted by the meddling of a pervert like Wang Hai.
It was a rare moment in the school day when the top students could relax, rest, and even trade a bit of gossip.
It was Songyang High School’s own mental spa time.
Bai Zhenzhen was deeply displeased with Zhang Yu’s study fiend attitude, saving even his lunch break for cultivation.
Bro, you’re grinding this hard, how are the rest of us supposed to eat with a clear conscience?
What if you surpass us because of this?
Is this an academic arms race you’re starting?
When Zhao Tianxing returned to the classroom, he saw Zhang Yu already performing his breathing exercises and thought to himself, Of course.
For the rest of the afternoon, Zhao Tianxing couldn’t find the slightest chance to speak to him, because every time he turned to look, Zhang Yu was either paying rapt attention in class or doing breathing exercises for spiritual energy.
The longer he watched, the more anxious Zhao Tianxing became.
He’s apprenticed to a Golden Core master and he’s still this diligent? Is he trying to leave us regular students no way to survive?
Finally, when the dismissal bell rang, Zhao Tianxing found his chance to follow him, assuming Zhang Yu would be off to find another temporary job.
Instead, he heard the other boy say, “Look for a temp job?”
“Little Zhao, as high school students, we should put our studies first. How can we run off to work every day?”
“Don’t get cocky just because you earn 800 an hour. That’s temporary work; you can’t find it every day.”
Zhang Yu glanced at his balance of 8,300 yuan, which gave him the confidence to stop working for now and focus solely on his training.
He returned home, took a neural filler, and continued his breathing exercises straight through to the next morning.
During that time, aside from using the bathroom and switching the Feather Book’s specialization back to the Celestial Cycle Qi-Gathering Method, Zhang Yu invested every second into his breathing exercises.
And just like that, four days flew by.
After four days of this ascetic training, Zhang Yu’s Celestial Cycle Qi-Gathering Method reached level 6 (45/120).
His magic power, through these days of diligent practice, had also surged from 8.3 to 9.4, leaving him just two spots shy of the grade’s top ten.
…
On this day, outside the first-year hallway.
Su Haifeng strolled leisurely to the back door of the classroom to observe the students during their self-study period.
As the class advisor of the model class, even though he had no more classes, he made a special trip to wander by. Naturally, his goal was to use his icy glare, merciless ridicule, and the authority of a grade head to give the students’ morale a savage boost.
Then Su Haifeng discovered that the students in the classroom were grinding even harder than usual today.
Fewer people were going to the bathroom.
More were focused on their breathing exercises, and fewer were dozing off in the middle of them.
The students who were actually spacing out while pretending to stare at their books just to avoid his notice were gone.
The class’s overall rate of inattentiveness had dropped significantly.
In fact, Su Haifeng had faintly noticed this trend starting a couple of days ago.
Through his observations, he discovered that the source of this trend was the student named Zhang Yu.
Following Zhang Yu’s frenzied breathing exercises, his unbroken streak of 0% inattentiveness, and his recent surge in magic power… Bai Zhenzhen, Qian Shen, and Zhao Tianxing were the first to be spurred into action.
Then, the competitive pressure erupting from them stimulated even more people.
The 550-pointers were grinding, the 600-pointers were grinding, and the 650-pointers were grinding, so how could you possibly still be resting?
Su Haifeng even checked a report and found that the average mealtime for model class students in the cafeteria had decreased by over 20%.
Su Haifeng looked at Zhang Yu, who was still deep in his breathing exercises, and mused, Is it because I wounded his pride before?
Perhaps I can use this tactic more often in the future.
Unconsciously, the topic for his next educational research paper had already formed in his mind: An Exploration of Student Humiliation in High School Pedagogy.
After another satisfied look at the academic atmosphere in the classroom, Su Haifeng nodded and departed.
Not long after Su Haifeng left, the dismissal bell rang. Zhang Yu immediately stood up and headed for the school’s quiet rooms.
For becoming the student with the lowest rate of inattentiveness in the entire grade last week, Zhang Yu had not only received a 500-yuan bonus and a public commendation but also the right to a free one-hour rental of a Heavenly Spiritual Root.
And today was the day to redeem that one-hour rental.
Since the spiritual root rentals and the quiet rooms for breathing exercises were scheduled by the school, the reward would be forfeited if he missed his slot, so he hurried to the rental office without a moment’s delay.
Zhao Tianxing seized the opportunity and fell in step behind Zhang Yu, asking, “Are you going to rent a Heavenly Spiritual Root?”
Seeing Zhang Yu nod, Zhao Tianxing continued, “You don’t seem to rent them from the school very often, do you?”
“Want me to give you a rundown of the Heavenly Spiritual Root models we have here?”
A flicker of interest crossed Zhang Yu’s eyes. The original Zhang Yu, ever conscious of the price, had always rented spiritual roots from various training institutions that offered discounts; he was not at all familiar with the models the school provided.
After all, with the advancement of the era, especially after the categorization and research done by the Ten Great Sects, spiritual roots were no longer as crudely classified as they were in ancient times.
First, in terms of grade, spiritual roots were divided by the Ten Great Sects into five levels.
These included the lowest Human Spiritual Roots, the more advanced Earth Spiritual Roots, and the even higher Heavenly Spiritual Roots. These first three grades could be purchased as long as one had the money.
Further up were the military-grade Divine Spiritual Roots and the Immortal Spiritual Roots, which were exclusively supplied to the Ten Great Sects.
Divine Spiritual Roots were only accessible to the military and certain special government departments.
As for Immortal Spiritual Roots, one had to be initiated into one of the Ten Great Sects to even have permission to use them.
In terms of classification, the ancient categories like Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth spiritual roots… such a system had long since vanished in Kunxu.
As the design and manufacturing industries for spiritual roots became increasingly advanced and prosperous, they were gradually categorized by function, such as learning-type, combat-type, cultivation-type, and so on.
Zhao Tianxing began to explain, “The most popular spiritual roots in our high school are definitely the learning-type and cultivation-type ones.”
“For instance, the Host Spiritual Root…”
Zhang Yu’s face fell. “The Ghost Spiritual Root?”
Zhao Tianxing said, “Host, as in one that hosts something. A Host Spiritual Root can be temporarily lodged inside a person’s body to transfer the magic power they refine to yourself. It’s a favorite among the wealthy.”
“The Muscle-Growth Spiritual Root is another popular choice. During breathing exercises, it can refine spiritual energy into a kind of growth-promoting spiritual energy that gets injected directly into the muscles. It accelerates muscle growth for 24-hour gains, greatly enhancing the effects of body tempering…”