"Tao Dapeng's family business is huge. Maybe I could ask him for help."
Jiang Ran immediately thought of his best friend, Tao Dapeng.
As long as Tao Dapeng helped, a transaction worth several million would definitely be no problem through Tao Family Company.
But Tao Dapeng was Tao Dapeng, and the Tao Family was the Tao Family. It still was not reliable enough.
"Maybe I should start a company myself..." Jiang Ran rested his chin on his hand.
When it came to starting a company and doing business, he still had some say in the matter.
If he had a company and used it as a shell for trading spiritual goods between the two realms, there would be far more room to maneuver.
"No, I'm too young. That would draw even more attention."
"I'll wait until the college entrance exams are over. University students starting businesses is perfectly normal."
"More than two million is enough for me for now..."
The next day, Tuesday.
Pingjiang No. 1 High School.
Quite a few Class Three students sitting in the back rows were surprised to discover that Jiang Ran, the classmate who often skipped school, had actually come to class.
"Jiang Ran has it way too good. He skips class for over ten days, and the teachers don't give him any trouble."
"Who knows? Maybe his family has connections..."
"Don't talk nonsense! What do you know? Jiang Ran doesn't have any connections, but I heard that Ji Old Devil—"
Jiang Ran was speechless and could only let his classmates speculate wildly.
As a senior-year student preparing for the college entrance exams, he was practically the only one who could freely enter and leave school and skip classes at will.
This morning's class was spellcasting.
Spellcasting classes had always been highly polarized. Those who understood found them easy, while those who did not simply could not grasp them. Many students were troubled by the complicated theories of spells, while others were utterly absorbed in them and enjoyed every moment.
Overall, spellcasting was basically one of high school students' favorite subjects.
After all, compared with tedious seated meditation and cultivation, casting spells was far more interesting.
"Heavenly Dao unfolds its mysteries; today, we shall open the tome and unravel the true formula..."
This was a large lecture class, with students from ten classes attending together.
"Students, today we will cover the third volume of the Five Elements Foundation Spellbook: Spirit Control!"
The spellcasting teacher, Zhou Tianfang, had an exceptional bearing and rugged features, and his strength was unfathomable.
There were one hundred senior-year classes, with ten classes assigned to each group. In total, there were only ten spellcasting teachers, every one of them an elite core instructor.
Following Teacher Zhou's guidance, the students opened the thick tomes in their hands.
The Basic Five Elements Spellbook was a classic textbook handed down by the Tianlu Education Department. It contained every detail and essence of the entry-level Five Elements path. One could say that anyone who thoroughly mastered this textbook had truly stepped through the gates of the Five Elements path.
Jiang Ran read with great interest.
The immortal Dao inheritances of the two realms differed, but their Dao principles had countless points of connection.
His spellcasting grades had originally been terrible. Aside from the most basic Five Elements Spirit-Sensing, he had only mastered one beginner spell, the Water Ball Technique.
The Basic Five Elements Spellbook was divided into four volumes. The Spirit-Control Technique Teacher Zhou was currently explaining belonged to the third volume.
"Those who control spirits do not command external things, but master their own hearts. Three thousand spiritual threads all arise from thought..."
For some reason, as Teacher Zhou expounded on the Dao principles, a faint white glow appeared around his body.
The students below seemed to gain insight, and their auras fluctuated without end.
"Spirit control..." Jiang Ran's eyes cleared.
His spiritual root aptitude was ordinary, but under the effects of the Qi-Nourishing Cultivation Method, his comprehension had already improved greatly.
As Teacher Zhou's voice continued to ring out, a wisp of water vapor slowly gathered in front of him.
Teacher Zhou turned around and lightly hooked a finger. The water vapor condensed into a white crane, which flapped its wings and rose.
"Where the heart's banner stirs, even still water may become an Azure Phoenix."
The students stared without blinking, utterly focused and afraid of missing even the smallest detail.
If this scene had taken place in the Grand Ruins Realm, it would likely have made countless low-level cultivators sigh in envy.
A high-level cultivator was personally demonstrating and teaching spells, without discrimination, allowing everyone to observe freely.
The Grand Ruins Realm placed immense importance on inheritance and origins. Such a scene was almost impossible there.
Teacher Zhou explained with extreme thoroughness, down to every detail of the spell.
Classified under the Five Elements, the art of spirit control consisted of five spirit-control spells: "controlling metal, controlling water... controlling earth."
After the teacher finished, it was time for free practice. Naturally, the students could not achieve Teacher Zhou's effortless and agile spellcasting.
Still, the improvements brought by the Spirit-Control Technique were immense.
For instance, Jiang Ran was trying to apply the Spirit-Control Technique to the Water Ball Technique.
With spirit control as its core, the Water Ball Technique became not only more stable, but also larger.
It could even move at his will, allowing him to freely control its attack path. It was remarkably mystical.
Sweat beaded on Jiang Ran's forehead as he struggled to maintain the spell's balance.
In theory, the Spirit-Control Technique gave the Water Ball Technique agility. Once cultivated to a profound level, it could produce effects such as splitting, combined attacks, piercing, and much more.
Unfortunately, Jiang Ran's cultivation was too low and his spellcasting attainments too shallow. Even controlling the water ball's attack direction was somewhat difficult for him.
Cultivation and learning spells were destined to be long-term endeavors.
He still had a long road ahead.
"There's progress..." Jiang Ran let out a breath and released his control over the spell.
He did not belittle himself or think that he lacked the talent for cultivation.
Jiang Ran knew very well that he had only been exposed to immortal cultivation for too short a time. Even with hard work, he needed time before he could see results.
The students spread out to practice. The large spellcasting classroom was equipped with a massive formation that suppressed the power of spells, preventing accidental injuries.
"All right, come back now," Teacher Zhou's voice called out.
Teacher Zhou took out a dark blue wooden box and opened it.
With a light wave of his hand, hundreds upon thousands of wisps of "water vapor" flew out, accurately finding every student.
Jiang Ran caught the blue glow and froze for a moment.
It was not water vapor.
It was water. Real water.
"This is Three-Origin Spirit Water, containing a trace of Baleful-Breaking Power," Teacher Zhou explained promptly.
"Students, give it a try. Use the Spirit-Control Technique you just learned and see whether you can extract that trace of Baleful-Breaking Power."
Extract Baleful-Breaking Power?
An uproar broke out below as the students began discussing it among themselves.
Most high school students only began cultivating formally in their second year. They were all rookies, and a method like extracting power from spirit water was already extremely difficult for them.
"Come on, don't be afraid. Everyone, try it. It doesn't matter if you fail."
At this moment, Teacher Zhou's smile was especially kind.
Hearing this, the students focused their minds and began attempting spirit control.
"I succeeded!"
A cry of surprise came from Class One, drawing everyone's attention.
It was Qi Ming, Class One's class monitor and one of the top hundred academic geniuses in the grade.
A thread of deep blue light floated before him, occasionally giving off a faint, intimidating aura.
That was the Baleful-Breaking Power Teacher Zhou had mentioned.
With a successful example before them, the students from all ten classes became excited.
Spell fluctuations continued to rise throughout the classroom as everyone eagerly cast spells.
Only Jiang Ran remained still, his expression somewhat strange.
He took out the Basic Five Elements Spellbook and reread the section on the Spirit-Control Technique dozens of times.
At last, he confirmed something.
"My Qi-Collection Method seems to count as a kind of Spirit-Control Technique too!"
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