Ding Long concluded, "That guy was practically born a winner! Not only does he come from a better family than people like us, he's handsome, talented, and strong. If he were a lazy, pleasure-loving wastrel, that would be one thing, but he even cultivates diligently. You can't help but admire him!"
"Worst of all, he has a fiancée from another distinguished family. I hear she's the greatest beauty at Thundercloud Academy, as lovely as an immortal maiden. It's enough to make anyone green with envy!"
Clearly, even at his age, he had begun to understand that people were not born equal.
Though they attended the same Cang Mountain Academy and were all inner disciples, their family backgrounds, wealth, strength, and status were worlds apart. They had long since ceased to belong to the same class.
Ye Tianming was someone ordinary disciples like him could only look up to.
Through Ding Long's description, the image of a gifted young scion of an aristocratic clan, blessed with exceptional origins and talent, sprang vividly to life.
But Fang Qianyuan had entered the sect to gain strength and avenge his grievances. Whatever Ye Tianming was like had nothing to do with him.
Thus, he merely smiled and said, "What does that have to do with either of us? All right, Senior Brother Ding, let's go."
Ding Long was also in a hurry to return and report his expenses. At those words, he could only shut his mouth and walk off with his head down.
Soon, early September arrived. Elder Gong Yuan came to inspect the library and took the opportunity to call Fang Qianyuan aside and ask about his recent progress.
Upon learning that Fang Qianyuan had already found his way to the threshold of human rank third turn and could hope to advance after a little more time, Gong Yuan was very pleased. He smiled and said, "I knew I hadn't misjudged you. You truly are someone worth nurturing."
"You flatter me, Elder Gong," Fang Qianyuan replied calmly.
Gong Yuan sighed with feeling. "There's no need to be modest. Your aptitude is unlike anything I've seen in all my years. Even the other elders in the academy consider it outstanding. We originally feared you might grow arrogant and complacent, so we didn't tell you outright. But judging by your temperament now, that won't hold you back."
After a moment's thought, Gong Yuan asked Fang Qianyuan, "Spirit Tamers all have a Dao path they specialize in. Now that you've begun walking the road of cultivation, have you examined your own traits and chosen the direction you'll take?"
He was referring to the choice between the two major schools, the transformation Dao and the manifestation Dao. Generally speaking, Spirit Tamers needed to emphasize one so they could concentrate their efforts on overcoming the obstacles along the road of cultivation.
Even though Fang Qianyuan was considered a genius, Gong Yuan did not think cultivating both paths would benefit him. Ultimately, it was better to settle on a specialization early.
"I've had something in mind for a while," Fang Qianyuan said. "I simply haven't had the chance to explain it to you, Elder."
Gong Yuan's eyes lit up. "Oh? Then you mean to choose..."
"The transformation Dao!" Fang Qianyuan said. "I'm better suited to this path, and I'm willing to make it my primary school and strive to advance."
Gong Yuan said approvingly, "Since you've already decided, and you don't seem frail or sickly enough for cultivating it to harm you instead, let's settle on that. Still, you're a genius. You may have enough energy left over to cultivate the Manifestation Path as well. If possible, taking one as your main path and the other as a supplement would also strengthen you."
"Thank you for your guidance, Elder," Fang Qianyuan said.
Gong Yuan did not know that Fang Qianyuan had such a firm opinion because his father, Fang Hai, had influenced him years ago to choose the transformation Dao as his primary path.
It all stemmed from the day Fang Hai, on his deathbed, had laid bare everything that had happened in the past and charged Fang Qianyuan with avenging him.
Fang Qianyuan still remembered his father carefully taking a golden Treasure Pill, suffused with an unusual fragrance, from beside his pillow and telling him to swallow it.
He had done as instructed. His whole body felt as though lightning had struck it, turning weak and numb, yet there was no pain at all. Instead, he felt as though he were floating toward immortality, with a lightness like being reborn in a new body.
From that day onward, Fang Qianyuan had noticed that his body seemed to be growing different from those of ordinary people.
First was his physical strength. Though it had not increased noticeably, it had become sustained and enduring. At times, he even felt as though he possessed limitless stamina.
Next was his physique, which seemed to brim with vitality. Whatever injuries he suffered, they could heal completely overnight, leaving him as good as before.
These traits had even carried over after he began cultivating spirit essence. He could likewise produce spirit essence in an unending stream, and his spirit sea almost never ran dry.
During the month since entering the inner academy, Fang Qianyuan had not merely cultivated hard. He had also tried to understand the strange power he possessed, becoming still more certain of this.
The last time Fang Qianyuan had accidentally been injured by Senior Sister Qing'er, the pills Gong Yuan bestowed had helped, but his own healing ability had also played a crucial role. No one had paid attention to it, so no one had noticed.
In fact, Fang Hai had originally intended to take the precious Treasure Pill himself. But in the ruins where he had discovered the Flying Immortal Records, he had already swallowed a similar silver Treasure Pill. Later, his cultivation was crippled and his family destroyed, and he lost his lofty ambitions. Thus, he placed all his hopes in Fang Qianyuan.
This was Fang Hai's final gift. He would stake every fortuitous encounter and opportunity he had ever received to leave the best things to his son.
Only a young man like Fang Qianyuan could possess a boundless future and fulfill his unfinished wish.
Moreover, Fang Hai had once told him that there was no fundamental superiority or inferiority among the schools of the Dao paths, but the poor mostly relied on the Way of Transformation.
This school consumed fewer resources than the Manifestation Path and suited someone of humble origins like him, with no support or foundations to draw upon.
Although nothing in the world was absolute, Fang Qianyuan had resolved to take revenge, escape his lowly fate, and become a mighty figure who could stand tall between heaven and earth. Naturally, he would not be vague about such a momentous choice.
He would make full use of the physical advantages the Treasure Pill had given him and forge his way down this path before considering anything else.
After their conversation, Gong Yuan left Fang Qianyuan several introductory body-tempering techniques, all used by Spirit Tamers of the transformation Dao to build strength and refine blood essence.
Gong Yuan specifically explained, "It isn't that I don't want to give you something more advanced. You're only at human rank second turn right now, so you wouldn't be able to use it."
Fang Qianyuan remained calm. "I understand. For now, my priority is still to accumulate spirit essence and expand my spirit sea."
At his words, the admiration in Gong Yuan's eyes deepened. "Exactly. Spirit essence and the spirit sea are the foundations of all cultivation. Only when you reach that stage and have more spirit creatures to choose from can you use those suited to body tempering to cultivate your inner nature and physical life together, achieving greater results."
"Without a spirit creature's assistance, a Spirit Tamer can only train like an ordinary martial artist. Even decades of bitter practice would accomplish little."
"With a suitable spirit creature, however, you can achieve twice the result with half the effort."
Another half month passed. Fang Qianyuan cultivated diligently every day until, at last, he felt his spirit sea shudder violently. A completely new surge of spirit essence appeared within it, seemingly born out of thin air.
His spirit sea also seemed to expand considerably in an instant.
Human rank third turn-achieved!