Half a Year of Bitter Cultivation

Time flows like water, passing by without a sound.

From the day Delin Cowart awoke, half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

During these six months, life at Baruch Manor has undergone subtle changes. On the surface, everything remains as usual—the children still follow Hillman to practice the Qi Cultivation Style every day, Hogg remains busy handling the trivial matters of the territory, and Wharton still runs around the courtyard, chasing butterflies and dragonflies. But in corners where no one notices, the worlds of Linley and Lin Yun are quietly changing.

Every morning, before the sky even brightens, the brothers quietly get up and slip away to a small hill behind the manor. There is a small grove of trees there; the woods are not particularly dense, but they are enough to block the view from the manor. Delin floats out from the Coiling Dragon Ring, hovering before the two of them to begin the day's magic lessons.

"Meditation is the foundation of magic cultivation!" Delin's voice is gentle yet serious. "You must remember, magic power is not created out of thin air; it is refined from the elements between heaven and earth through meditation and stored within the body. The longer and more focused your meditation, the faster your magic power accumulates."

Linley sits cross-legged on the grass, eyes closed, struggling to calm his mind. Half a year has passed, and he is now able to enter a meditative state steadily without needing Delin's guidance. However, compared to his younger brother, his progress is still much slower—each time he meditates, it takes him about ten minutes to fully sink into the state, whereas Lin Yun...

Linley secretly opens his eyes and glances at his brother beside him.

Lin Yun sits upright with his eyes closed, his breathing long and even, as if he has become one with the surrounding natural environment. A breeze blows by, causing the leaves to rustle, and even as several withered leaves fall onto his shoulders, he remains completely unaware.

He has entered it again.

Linley sighs in his heart, closes his eyes once more, and continues to strive.

Half an hour later, Delin's voice rings out: "Alright, that is enough for today's meditation."

Linley opens his eyes and stretches his somewhat stiff neck. Lin Yun also opens his eyes, a faint glimmer flashing within them—a sign of abundant spiritual energy.

"Linley," Delin floats in front of Linley, "your progress lately has been rapid. Both the duration and quality of your meditation have improved; in just half a year, you have reached the realm of a Level 1 Mage."

A smile appears on Linley's face: "Really?"

"Of course." Delin nods. "However, you must remember that a mage's level is not the most important thing. What matters is the insight into magic. Levels can be raised through the accumulation of time, but understanding magic requires aptitude."

Linley nods earnestly.

Delin then turns to Lin Yun, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

Lin Yun's progress is even more astonishing than he had anticipated.

Half a year ago, he judged that Lin Yun's spiritual energy had already reached the level of a Level 4 Mage. Now, six months later, Lin Yun's speed of magic power accumulation far exceeds that of an ordinary person—he has successfully refined magic power of the seven elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, Lightning, Light, and Darkness. Each element has reached the peak of a Level 3 Mage, just one step away from truly stepping into the realm of a Level 4 Mage.

A seven-element Level 3 Mage.

This conclusion makes even Delin feel it is incredible.

One must know that the cultivation of a single-element mage only requires refining one type of element and focusing on one path, and a genius dual-element mage needs to spend twice the time and energy. Yet Lin Yun is a seven-element practitioner.

Seven times the refining volume, seven times the magic power accumulation, seven times the time investment.

But Lin Yun's progress has not been slowed down by this—his spiritual energy and elemental affinity are both too powerful, powerful enough to support all seven elements advancing side by side. Every time he meditates, he can refine all seven elements simultaneously, with an efficiency several times that of a single-element mage.

This leaves Delin both amazed and bewildered.

"Lin Yun," Delin's voice drifts from the ring, "your accumulation of magic power is already very solid. All seven elements have reached Level 3; this is likely unprecedented in the history of the Yulan Continent."

Linley conveys Delin's words to Lin Yun.

Lin Yun nods without much expression. He knows where his advantage lies—the powerful spiritual energy brought by the accumulation of three lifetimes of souls, combined with the Small Cauldron's superposition of cultivation results from two worlds, makes his magic power accumulation speed far exceed that of ordinary people. But magic power is only the foundation; true magical combat relies on magic itself.

"However," Delin changes the subject, "I must be honest. Although I am proficient in Earth Element magic, I only have a superficial understanding of the other six elements. In these five thousand years, the magical world must have developed significantly, and the knowledge I possess may already be outdated."

He pauses, his tone becoming more solemn: "Especially for you two brothers—Linley has dual-element talent in Earth and Wind, while Lin Yun is a seven-element practitioner. With my ability alone, I cannot teach you magic of all elements. You need more systematic learning and more comprehensive magical knowledge."

"Grandpa Delin means..." Linley is thoughtful.

"A magic academy," Delin says. "You need to go to a magic academy. There, you will find a complete magical system, mentors for each element, and a vast collection of magical texts and cultivation resources. Only in that environment can your magical talents be fully realized."

Linley and Lin Yun look at each other.

A magic academy—the Ernst Institute, the most prestigious magic institution on the Yulan Continent. It is the place that countless magic apprentices dream of!

As early as half a year ago, an accidental magical battle in Wushan Town had sparked Linley's determination to learn magic. Hogg had planned to let the two brothers go to the Fenlai Royal Capital to test their magical talent during the autumn recruitment. However, due to the subsequent appearance of Delin Cowart, the two never mentioned it again, leading Hogg to believe that Linley's interest was merely a momentary impulse.

Now that Delin Cowart has brought it up again, it has solidified the determination of both Linley and his brother to attend a magic academy!

"Then let us go and test our magical talent in a while," Linley nods firmly.

Lin Yun also nods, though he is thinking about something else in his heart.

A magic academy, Ernst... If he remembers correctly, in the original story, after Linley enters the Ernst Institute, he will meet Yale, Reynolds, George, and others, as well as Delia. Those people will all become Linley's most important partners and support in the future.

And this time, he will be there too.

During these six months, Linley and Lin Yun have not only practiced meditation but also learned some basic magic.

Delin is most proficient in Earth Element magic, so he first taught the two of them the Earth Element.

"The core of Earth Element magic is 'heaviness' and 'stability'." Delin hovers in the air, gesturing with his hands. "Earth Element magic is not as light as the Wind Element, nor as violent as the Fire Element. Its power comes from the earth itself—steady, tough, and unshakeable."

The first spell he taught Linley was "Earth Spike"—condensing earth elements on the ground to form sharp stone spikes to attack the enemy.

This spell seems simple, but it requires a high level of control over magic. It took Linley a full two months to barely grasp the essentials—he could condense three finger-thick stone spikes on the grass; although they were short and thin, he had at least succeeded.

And Lin Yun...

Linley still remembers the scene when he first saw Lin Yun cast Earth Spike.

That afternoon, the brothers were practicing on the small hill. Linley had used all his strength to condense three crooked stone spikes on the ground in front of him. He was just about to show off to Lin Yun, when he saw Lin Yun simply lift his hand slightly—

"Puff, puff, puff—"

Dozens of stone spikes, each as thick as an arm, erupted violently from the ground. They were arranged neatly in two rows, every one of them sharp and pointed, shimmering with an earthy yellow glow.

Linley stared, dumbfounded.

"Is... is this the power of a third-level spell?" he muttered.

Delin's voice echoed in his mind, carrying a hint of helplessness: "Not third-level, it's second-level. But with his current reserve of magic power, he could cast it ten times in a row without any trouble."

Linley remained silent for a long time.

From that day on, he never showed off in front of Lin Yun again.

"Lin Yun's talent... is truly terrifying." Delin sighed in front of Linley more than once. "His spiritual force is so powerful that he can precisely control every single drop of magic power, and his understanding of elements far exceeds that of ordinary people. For the same spell, the effect he produces is at least two to three times that of a mage at the same level."

Hearing this, although Linley felt a bit envious, he was mostly happy for his younger brother.

"It's okay," he said to Delin, "I will work even harder."

Delin looked at this resilient youth, his eyes full of gratification. Talent was certainly important, but an unyielding determination was an essential requirement for reaching the pinnacle.

As the sun of the Coiling Dragon World set behind the mountains, the moon of the Swallowed Star World was slowly rising.

The nights in Yangzhou City were always quiet to the point of being oppressive.

Lin Yun lay on the small bed in his low-rent housing, eyes closed, yet he was not asleep; his consciousness had just switched over from the Coiling Dragon World.

He sat up and walked to the window on tiptoe.

Outside the window was the unchanging scene of the civilian district in Yangzhou City—low houses, narrow alleys, and the looming silhouette of the giant city wall in the distance. Moonlight spilled over the dilapidated roofs, coating this post-apocalyptic world in a layer of cold silver.

Lin Yun took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to attempt something.

During this time, he had been following Delin in the Coiling Dragon World to learn meditation, and his method of cultivating spiritual force had become systematic and standardized. In the Swallowed Star World, he had always had an idea—to apply the meditation method of the Coiling Dragon World to the cultivation of spiritual force in this world.

The energy systems of the two worlds were different, but the essence of spiritual force was the same.

In the Coiling Dragon World, spiritual force was used to sense and refine magic elements; in the Swallowed Star World, spiritual force manifested as Spiritual Force—an invisible power that could act directly upon the material world.

If the meditation method of the Coiling Dragon World could enhance his Spiritual Force in the Swallowed Star World, his strength in this world would see a leap in improvement.

Lin Yun adjusted his breathing and, following the method Delin had taught him, slowly entered a state of meditation.

At first, nothing happened.

He could not feel the colorful magic elements like those in the Coiling Dragon World—this world did not have such things. What permeated the air was a completely different kind of energy, violent, chaotic, and full of destructiveness—that was Genetic Origin Energy, the foundation of a Warrior's cultivation.

But the way spiritual force operated was the same.

Lin Yun cast aside all distracting thoughts and focused his attention entirely on the depths of his consciousness. He felt his spiritual force like a pool of lake water, calm and deep. He tried to extend this power outward, just as he had tried to sense magic elements in the Coiling Dragon World—

And then, he "saw" it.

He did not see with his eyes, but perceived with his spiritual force.

He "saw" his grandfather's steady breathing in the next room, "saw" a wild cat sneaking through the alley outside the window, and "saw" the soldiers patrolling back and forth on the distant city wall. None of this was seen with his eyes; it was perceived directly through his spiritual force.

He could feel the dust floating in the room and the wooden box hidden under the bed frame—inside were a few changes of clothes and the few coins his grandfather had saved. He could even feel the violent Genetic Origin Energy in the air; although he could not refine it like he could magic elements, he could indeed sense its existence.

This was Spiritual Force.

Lin Yun opened his eyes, a flash of brilliance crossing them.

He tried to condense his spiritual force and touch a cup on the table.

The cup trembled slightly, and then... it slowly floated up.

Success!

Lin Yun's heart began to beat violently, but he forced himself to calm down and continued to focus. The cup hovered in the air for about ten seconds before settling steadily back onto the tabletop without making a sound.

His Spiritual Force could move objects.

Although his spiritual force in the Coiling Dragon World was already strong enough to easily cast third-level spells, converting spiritual force into Spiritual Force in the Swallowed Star World was an entirely different matter. It was like someone who had great strength but needed to learn the technique and precise control required to use that strength for embroidery.

And now, he had taken the first step.

In the days that followed, Lin Yun would set aside time every night to practice his Spiritual Force.

He discovered that the meditation method from the Coiling Dragon World was indeed effective for cultivation in this world—after every meditation session, his Spiritual Force became more solid and controllable. Furthermore, the precise control over elements he had practiced while casting magic in the Coiling Dragon World transferred perfectly to the application of his Spiritual Force.

One month later, he was already able to use his Spiritual Force to manipulate three small objects simultaneously, performing various complex movements in the air.

Two months later, the range of his Spiritual Force expanded to a radius of one hundred meters; within this range, no subtle movement could escape his perception.

Three months later, he attempted something bolder—using his Spiritual Force to strengthen his own body.

In the Swallowed Star World, Spiritual Masters and Warriors were two different paths. Warriors strengthened their bodies through Genetic Origin Energy to gain great power and speed, while Spiritual Masters focused on the cultivation of spiritual force to attack enemies. However, truly powerful Spiritual Masters could also use their Spiritual Force to strengthen themselves; although it was not as effective as the strengthening provided by Genetic Origin Energy, it was not to be underestimated.

Lin Yun covered his limbs and torso with his Spiritual Force, feeling the tingling pain within his body and the slowly increasing strength!

However, he also discovered a fact that left him somewhat regretful.

In the Swallowed Star World, he could not use magic.

He had tried to use his Spiritual Force to simulate magic—for instance, the Earth Spike he could cast with a single thought in the Coiling Dragon World was impossible to achieve in this world. It wasn't that his spiritual force was insufficient, but that the rules of the world did not allow it. There were no magic elements in the air of this world, only violent Genetic Origin Energy; without magic elements, there was no magic.

This discovery disappointed Lin Yun, but he soon let it go.

Every world had its own rules, and one could not force them. The magic of the Coiling Dragon World could not be used here, but Spiritual Force was the "magic" of this world, and its power was not inferior to magic at all.

In the original work, Luo Feng relied on his Spiritual Force to step-by-step reach the pinnacle during his early stages.

As for him, he possessed a foundation of mental power even stronger than Luo Feng's, along with the advantage of cultivating across two worlds; the future of his Spiritual Force was limitless.

Over the past half year, Lin Yun's strength in the Swallowed Star World had undergone a qualitative leap.

His Spiritual Force could now cover a radius of one hundred meters. Within this range, he could simultaneously control more than ten objects, with the trajectory of each movement precise to the millimeter, and he could use his Spiritual Force to reinforce his own body.

Yet at school, he still maintained a low profile.

His grades were above average—neither outstanding nor lagging behind; he had decent relationships with his classmates but never took the initiative to socialize; his performance in physical education was merely at a "pretty good" level. No one knew that this quiet boy already possessed the strength of a Warrior.

As for Luo Feng, a deeply painful event occurred in his life during his eighth year: his younger brother, Luo Hua, had his legs crushed by a car. Devastated, he fell into a dead faint, but upon waking, his physical fitness had miraculously become much stronger!!

Lin Yun knew this was caused by the awakening of Spiritual Force within Luo Feng's mind. As for Luo Hua, Lin Yun felt a slight pang of guilt; he had known this would happen, yet he could not inform Luo Feng and his family in advance.

In the original work, Luo Feng entered the dojo at sixteen and immediately reached the standard of an Intermediate Trainee, becoming an Advanced Trainee by seventeen. Now, with the guidance and encouragement of Lin Yun's cultivation experience, Luo Feng's progress in strength would only be faster!

The night grew deep.

Lin Yun lay on his bed, his consciousness swaying gently between the two worlds.

In the Coiling Dragon World, he and Linley were walking the path of magic step by step under the guidance of Delin. His Seven-Element Magic power had already accumulated to the peak of the third rank, and he had mastered several Earth Element spells. In a month, he would go to Fenlai City to test his magical talent so he could join a Magic Academy to study!

In the Swallowed Star World, his Spiritual Force had already begun to take shape, with strength comparable to an Advanced Warrior. He was only eight years old—to have such strength at this age made him the top genius in the entire Jiangnan Base. But he would not be ostentatious; he would quietly accumulate power, waiting for the day he truly needed to act.