Mimetic Cultivation Grounds

By the time Lin Chen and Xiao Wu returned to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, it was already close to noon.

The two walked side by side along the tree-lined campus path. Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows across them.

Xiao Wu was clearly in high spirits. She hummed an unfamiliar tune all the way, her steps so light that she seemed to be dancing.

Her aura was now completely concealed. Even a Titled Douluo—or even a Limit Douluo—would not be able to tell she was a transformed soul beast unless they looked carefully.

The effects of the Lovesick Heartbroken Red were even more thorough than she had imagined.

"Lin Chen, do we have mimetic cultivation class this afternoon?" Xiao Wu suddenly asked.

"I think so." Lin Chen thought for a moment. "I remember the schedule said Wednesday afternoons were for mimetic cultivation."

"Great!" Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. "I've wanted to try Heaven Dou Academy's mimetic cultivation grounds for ages! I heard they're several times bigger than Nuoding Academy's, with every kind of environment imaginable!"

Lin Chen smiled. "Then you can enjoy yourself this afternoon."

The two first went to the cafeteria for lunch, then returned to the dormitory to rest for a while. At two in the afternoon, the class bell rang, and the three of them appeared at the entrance to the mimetic cultivation area on time.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy's mimetic cultivation area was one of the facilities the academy was most proud of.

It covered an enormous area and was divided into more than a dozen different zones, each simulating a different natural environment.

Forests, lakes, deserts, snowy mountains, swamps, lava... everything was available.

The temperature and humidity in each zone were precisely regulated, while the air was suffused with soul power fluctuations corresponding to that environment, allowing Soul Masters with suitable martial souls to achieve the best cultivation results.

The instructor in charge of mimetic cultivation was surnamed Liu, a Soul King in his fifties. Standing at the entrance with a roster in hand, he nodded when he saw Lin Chen and the other two approaching.

"Lin Chen, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, right? Your mimetic cultivation areas have already been assigned." Instructor Liu flipped through the roster.

"Lin Chen, your martial soul is rather special, and there isn't an existing zone that matches it. I've assigned you to the general cultivation zone. It has the highest concentration of soul power, so you can cultivate as you see fit."

"Alright."

"Xiao Wu, your martial soul is the Soft Bone Rabbit. I've assigned you to the forest grassland zone, which is best suited for agility-attack Soul Masters."

"Thank you, Instructor!"

"Zhu Zhuqing, your martial soul is the Netherworld Spirit Cat. I've assigned you to the Shadow Bamboo Forest zone. The changes in light and shadow there, along with the simulated auras, are well suited to your martial soul's traits."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded.

The three entered their respective cultivation zones.

Lin Chen's general cultivation zone was at the deepest part of the training grounds, a spacious circular hall.

The floor and walls were laid with special stone, carved all over with soul-gathering formations. The concentration of soul power in the air was several times higher than in the other zones.

There was no simulated environment in the hall, only pure soul power energy. It was suitable for Soul Masters of any martial soul to cultivate there.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged at the center of the hall, closed his eyes, and began circulating his soul power.

The power of the Ice Fire Dragon King within him was still slowly merging.

He had been busy dealing with Xiao Wu's and Zhu Zhuqing's matters these past two days and had not had time to properly assimilate this power.

Now that he finally had some free time, he decided to take this opportunity to further integrate the Ice Fire Dragon King's power into his own system.

He calmed his mind and guided the soul power within his body as it slowly circulated.

Icy-blue and crimson light flickered alternately within him, like a blue and a red dragon winding through his meridians. Wherever they passed, his meridians were widened and reinforced, becoming tougher and more resilient.

The process required time, but Lin Chen was in no hurry. Bit by bit, he guided the two powers, merging them into every cell of his body.

Meanwhile, Xiao Wu was having the time of her life in the forest grassland zone.

This area simulated a vast grassland, with several large trees dotting the field and small simulated animals darting through the grass.

The air carried the scent of fresh grass and earth. Warm sunlight poured down from above, making it feel as though she were truly immersed in nature.

Xiao Wu did a somersault across the grass, then took off running.

Her speed was astonishing. Like a bolt of lightning flashing across the grassland, she stirred up gusts of wind in her wake.

After taking the Lovesick Heartbroken Red, her physical constitution had improved enormously. Her speed, strength, and endurance had all risen by a great deal.

She ran several laps before stopping beneath a large tree. Looking up at the simulated blue sky and white clouds overhead, a satisfied smile appeared on her lips.

Level fifty-nine.

She had never imagined that she would one day reach such heights.

And she no longer had to worry about her identity being exposed. That Lovesick Heartbroken Red had completely changed her fate.

She lowered her head to look at her palm, clenched her fist, and felt the surging power within her.

"Lin Chen..." she softly murmured his name, the smile on her lips deepening.

In the Shadow Bamboo Forest zone, Zhu Zhuqing was also cultivating with full concentration.

This area simulated a dense bamboo forest. The bamboo stalks were black as ink, and the leaves blocked out the sky, allowing only a few scattered rays of light to filter through the gaps and cast mottled shadows over the ground.

The air was filled with the faint fragrance of bamboo leaves. Quiet and deep, it was perfectly suited to a martial soul like the Netherworld Spirit Cat, which excelled at concealment and ambushes.

Zhu Zhuqing stood in the middle of the bamboo forest with her eyes closed, sensing everything around her. Her ears twitched slightly as she caught every subtle sound in the air.

The rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind, the dripping of water in the distance, even the sound of insects wriggling through the soil.

Her body suddenly moved.

She shot forward like a black shadow, weaving swiftly through the bamboo forest.

Her movement technique was lighter than before. With the tips of her feet touching the bamboo stalks, her whole body drifted through the forest like a weightless feather. She was so fast that only a blurred afterimage remained in the darkness.

She suddenly stopped, extending the claws of her right hand and slashing outward.

A pitch-black claw light flew from her fingertips, cutting through the air and striking a thick bamboo stalk in the distance. The bamboo snapped with a crisp crack, its upper half slowly sliding down, the cut smooth as a mirror.

Netherworld Soul-Shattering Slash.

Zhu Zhuqing withdrew her hand and looked down at her fingertips, satisfaction flashing through her eyes.

This was only the beginning. She believed that as long as she followed Lin Chen, she would become even stronger.

By evening, the three met at the entrance to the cultivation area.

Xiao Wu's face was flushed, with beads of sweat still hanging from her forehead, but she was full of energy as she chattered about how fast she had run and how high she had jumped on the grassland.

Zhu Zhuqing stood quietly to one side. Though she said nothing, her aura was steadier than it had been that morning, clearly showing that she had gained a great deal.

"Let's go eat," Lin Chen said. "Afterward, get some rest early. We still have class tomorrow."