Practicing Spell Arts

As he left the Zhao Residence, the last rays of sunset stretched Chu Bai's shadow far down the road.

With the enormous sum of six hundred coins tucked away, Chu Bai was naturally in a good mood.

His gaze turned toward the Zhang Residence in the east of the city.

"Now that I've reached Qi Refining, I ought to report something this important to my master at once."

In this world of cultivation, where master and disciple were like father and son, concealing one's cultivation was a grave taboo. Besides, Daoist Zhang had recognized his potential, and he would need his master's guidance for the coming Dao Academy Selection.

When he reached the Zhang Residence, Chu Bai went straight in without waiting to be announced.

Dusk was falling, and a lamp had already been lit in the study.

Daoist Zhang held a volume of the Daoist Scripture, reading it closely by lamplight.

"Disciple Chu Bai greets Master." Chu Bai bowed respectfully outside the door.

"Come in." Daoist Zhang set down the book and looked up.

Chu Bai stepped inside.

The moment he entered, Daoist Zhang's gaze sharpened.

His senses were exceptionally keen.

The young man before him still wore the same blue robe, but in the few days since they had last met, his aura had undergone an earth-shaking change.

That faint yet unmistakably solid pulse of Spell Power could not escape his notice, even though Chu Bai was deliberately suppressing it.

"You..." Disbelief flashed in Daoist Zhang's eyes. "You broke through?"

Chu Bai said nothing more. He merely smiled, raised his right hand, and flicked his index finger.

The air trembled. A deep-blue thread of water formed at his fingertip, circled through the air like a spirit snake, then vanished without a trace.

Spell Power given form and wielded as easily as an arm or finger. This was the power of a true Qi Refining cultivator!

"I was fortunate, Master." Chu Bai cupped his hands. "Thunder and rain raged last night. As I watched the rain, I gained insight into the Dao. Inspiration struck, and with the water vapor filling the sky, I broke through the Hundred-Thread Barrier in one stroke."

"This..."

The teacup in Daoist Zhang's hand wobbled, spilling a few drops onto the desk.

He had expected Chu Bai to break through soon, but not this soon—and certainly not this smoothly!

The bottleneck before Qi Refining was called the Hundred-Thread Barrier. It looked like a single hurdle, yet countless gifted people had been stopped by it.

What ordinary disciple hoping to break through did not bathe, burn incense, and shut himself inside a Quiet Chamber? Some even needed an elder to stand guard and barrier-breaking pills prepared before they could spend several cautious days in seclusion and finally force their way through.

But Chu Bai?

Without a word, without anyone standing guard, without a pill—not even giving notice—he had broken through on his own in that ramshackle hut of his?

"So you watched the rain and gained insight into the Dao!"

Daoist Zhang drew a deep breath and steadied himself. His eyes were full of wonder as he looked at Chu Bai. "Your foundation is far firmer than I imagined. And the Pure Bathing Spirit Flow suits you exceptionally well. That is why your breakthrough came as naturally as water flowing into a channel."

What he did not know was that this was no stroke of fortune. It was the absurd, bottleneck-ignoring effect of [Relentless Effort] on Chu Bai's panel.

"Now that you've reached Qi Refining, you already have one foot through the Dao Academy's door." Daoist Zhang stroked his beard and smiled, deeply gratified. His final disciple truly had the makings of a cultivator.

"But you must not grow complacent."

Daoist Zhang's expression turned stern. "Even counting generously, there's only one month left until the Dao Academy Selection."

"Your cultivation is sufficient, but in using Spell Arts and in actual combat, you still lag behind the children of Aristocratic Clans who've had renowned teachers since childhood, or even family members to spar with."

Chu Bai nodded. "I understand, Master. That's why I came today."

"Mm." After a moment's thought, Daoist Zhang made his decision. "For the next month, you needn't attend the academy's miscellaneous classes. I'll speak to Tutor Liu myself."

"You have only one task—practice your Spell Arts."

"Take the Spirit Water Needle from 'beginner' to 'proficient'!"

Daoist Zhang raised a finger. "At beginner level, you can merely cast it. Once you're proficient, you can wield it at will during a test that changes in the blink of an eye, strike wherever you aim, and even... move after your opponent yet strike first!"

"Yes, Master." A sharp gleam flashed in Chu Bai's eyes. That had been his plan all along.

"To give you a hand..."

Daoist Zhang took a small green porcelain bottle from his sleeve and placed it on the desk.

"This bottle contains ten Qi-Replenishing Pills. They won't raise your cultivation; they're specifically for restoring spiritual energy."

"Your Spell Power has only just formed, and you don't have much of it. If you rely on meditation alone to recover, you'll only manage a few casts a day."

"For this month, you must be hard on yourself." Daoist Zhang looked at Chu Bai, his voice earnest. "Practice until your spiritual energy is empty, then take a pill and meditate until it's full. Empty it again. Repeat the cycle."

"Pushing yourself to the limit like this will raise your proficiency in the shortest possible time. More than that, as your spiritual energy is repeatedly drained and replenished, it will strengthen your meridians and hone your control until you can manage even the finest details."

"It will be hard, perhaps even painful. But if you endure it, your foundation will surpass that of your peers."

Chu Bai looked at the porcelain bottle, warmth rising in his chest.

Qi-Replenishing Pills were low-grade pills, but even Qi Refining cultivators sought them out. This bottle had to be worth at least several taels of silver.

"I'll never forget your kindness, Master!"

Chu Bai accepted the bottle with both hands and bowed solemnly. "I'm not afraid of hardship. I won't let you down!"

When he left the Zhang Residence, the night breeze was cool.

Chu Bai tightened his grip on the bottle, his eyes burning with ambition.

Hardship?

For someone with a panel like his, putting in effort and watching his proficiency climb bit by bit was not hardship at all. It was the most addictive pleasure in the world.

Chu Bai looked up at the bright moon in the night sky.

One month left.

I need to bring the Spirit Water Needle to at least proficient. Judging by how quickly it advanced before, that shouldn't be difficult. But how far can I actually take it...? Hard to say.

There's only one thing to do.

Practice!