The classroom was so quiet it was almost frightening, save for the faint scratching of pens.
Teacher Lei coughed twice to remind them, then said, "There are thirty minutes left until the exam ends. Please check your work."
Chen Beiwu furrowed his brow and picked up the pace.
"Ding-a-ling!"
Soon, the clear ring of the bell sounded, and Chen Beiwu stopped writing just in time.
He shook his foggy head, got up, and handed in his exam. Then he planted one hand on a desk and vaulted over it. Under the astonished gazes of the students around him, he leaped out the window and raced toward the school's Cultivation Rooms.
Chen Beiwu hadn't lied to Teacher Lei.
Fortune and Misfortune Rely on Each Other. The earlier Great Sun Mutation had certainly been terrifying, but it had also helped his stagnant Qi Refining cultivation make progress.
"Look! Someone's flying in the sky!"
"Flying? Don't make a fuss over nothing. That's Senior Chen using Wind Manipulation."
"Wait, if I remember right, Senior Chen is only sixteen this year, isn't he?"
"Seriously? Wind Manipulation is a Variant Art that can only be mastered at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining!" A student watched Chen Beiwu's passing figure with longing, wishing he could take his place.
"Ding! -10 credits."
After swiping his student card, Chen Beiwu strode into a First-Tier Upper-Grade Cultivation Chamber, sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, and circulated the Ten Thousand Beasts Art he had practiced for years.
As one of the Immortal Alliance's renowned Four Great Foundation Arts, the Ten Thousand Beasts Art had three major advantages.
First: the Magic Power cultivated through the Ten Thousand Beasts Art was balanced and gentle, making it less prone to deviation and not affecting the mind of one's Companion Beast.
Second: the pure Magic Power cultivated through the Ten Thousand Beasts Art could be converted without restriction, preparing cultivators to switch to other arts in the future.
Third: the Ten Thousand Beasts Art had four stages: Initiation, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, and Perfection. The higher the stage, the more terrifying the effects of the Beast Mark created by the art.
According to legend in the Immortal Alliance, a Ten Thousand Beasts Mark at the Perfection stage could even transform a Companion Beast's Bloodline and awaken an exceptionally powerful special physique.
That was why this art was so widely taught throughout the Immortal Alliance. Nearly three out of every ten students practiced it. Chen Beiwu was no exception; he had even cultivated it to the Minor Accomplishment Stage.
"Whoosh!"
Feeling the Magic Power within him stir, Chen Beiwu didn't hesitate any longer. He drew a jade bottle from his robes and carefully took out a pill interwoven with azure and blue.
This Clear Water Pill was a reward from the school for the top three students in the grade, and was worth ten Spirit Stones.
[Clear Water Pill]: A First-Tier Superior-Grade Variant Elixir. When consumed, it strengthens the body and stabilizes cultivation. If taken while advancing in Qi Refining, it can also stabilize the spirit and greatly reduce the backlash caused by a failed breakthrough. (Only effective for mid-stage Qi Refining)
Thinking of how important it was to break through to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, Chen Beiwu's gaze sharpened. He tossed the pill into his mouth and refined it.
Boom!
The moment the pill entered his mouth, a surging wave of spiritual energy erupted inside Chen Beiwu.
To absorb the Clear Water Pill's medicinal power perfectly, Chen Beiwu didn't continue entering a state of meditation and focusing his mind. Instead, he stood up and began performing the Immortal Alliance's Middle School Ninth Set of Daoyin Exercises.
As the seconds ticked by, Chen Beiwu finished the final Daoyin movement. The Magic Power rushing through him like a stream suddenly broke through the barrier and entered a new realm.
"I finally made it to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining!" Chen Beiwu opened his eyes, unable to hide his excitement.
Though the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining was only a minor realm within Qi Refining, it was the watershed dividing mid-stage Qi Refining from late-stage Qi Refining.
What was more, every student knew that whether they were in middle school or high school, anyone who broke through to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining before turning eighteen could enjoy a special benefit available only at public middle schools under the Immortal Alliance: the right to apply to the Immortal Alliance to buy a Spirit Beast, or even purchase one on credit.
This right was nothing to scoff at. In the ranking of beasts-Mortal, Variant, Spirit, and Treasure-Spirit Beasts, rarely seen on the market, were treasures that only Foundation Establishment powerhouses were qualified to buy.
In the Immortal Alliance Era, the most important things for a Cultivator were beast, wealth, art, companion, and place. None could be missing. Beast came first: it was the foundation of a cultivator's path to immortality, as well as a means of defense and killing.
The greater the potential of the Demon Beast's Bloodline initially contracted by a cultivator, the smoother their future path to immortality would be.
Conversely, a Demon Beast with a low-potential Bloodline would make an already arduous path to immortality even more rugged, and could even turn it into a dead end.
As far as Chen Beiwu knew, some Qi Refining cultivators from ordinary families could only contract Variant Beasts, leaving them stuck at the Qi Refining stage.
But some Qi Refining cultivators refused to settle for an ordinary life. They were willing to enlist in the military and join World-Reclamation Expeditions, risking their lives to seek the chance to contract a Spirit Beast, or even a Treasure Beast.
"Beep, beep!"
Just then, a notification sounded, and the spiritual energy in the Cultivation Room rapidly dwindled.
"Is my time up already?" Chen Beiwu glanced at the time displayed on the door and reluctantly left the Cultivation Room.
Spiritual energy was precious. The spiritual energy concentration in a First-Tier Upper-Grade Cultivation Chamber was almost twice that of a mid-grade one, making it beneficial for cultivators breaking through. It just cost far too many credits.
It was fine for Chen Beiwu to use one occasionally when breaking through, but if he wanted to keep using it, the balance on his student card wouldn't last.
"Huh! You broke through?"
As soon as Chen Beiwu came out, he ran into Xu Lingling, a classmate who had just finished cultivating. Her face was full of surprise.
"That's right." Chen Beiwu nodded, making no attempt to hide it.
The higher the cultivation talent he displayed now, the more the school's leaders would value him, and the better the resources he would receive as rewards later. There was no need to hide his abilities.
Xu Lingling froze in place, unable to speak. The students nearby who had been quietly watching all clicked their tongues in amazement, their faces full of disbelief.
"Good heavens, sixteen and already at late-stage Qi Refining!"
Chen Beiwu was extremely handsome and a top student who had occupied second place in his grade for years. He was hugely popular at Shouhe No. 2 Middle School, and the students around him recognized him at once.
What did it mean to be at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining at sixteen?
It was only the beginning of the second year of high school, with more than three years left until the College Entrance Examination. If Chen Beiwu could maintain this rate of progress, he might be able to raise his Qi Refining cultivation to the Ninth Layer before the College Entrance Examination arrived.
If he was lucky, Chen Beiwu might one day leap over the Dragon Gate and get into one of the Thirteen Immortal Sects!
At the thought, the students present all revealed envious, jealous looks.
They were all sixteen, and all from ordinary backgrounds. Why had their cultivation remained stuck at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining, while Chen Beiwu could forge ahead with such courage, advancing step by step toward the Seventh Layer?
"That's incredible!" Xu Lingling looked at Chen Beiwu's outstanding figure and swallowed.
Realizing she had lost her composure, Xu Lingling hurriedly changed the subject. "By the way, today's Variant Beast Studies exam was really hard, especially the tenth multiple-choice question. What did you pick?"
Chen Beiwu was in a good mood, so he casually replied, "Did you forget? When in doubt, pick C."
Xu Lingling's expression brightened. "Great! I used the Six Ren Method to calculate it and picked the longest option."
"That's nice. Congratulations-you got it wrong again. The right answer was actually B." Chen Beiwu turned and waved at Xu Lingling.
"I've got something to do. See you tomorrow."
Because of the Great Sun's mutation today, Chen Beiwu was in a hurry to go home and study it. He had no mind to keep chatting.
Xu Lingling's face fell. She said helplessly, "Huh? That can't be right. Why do I get the wrong answer every time I use the method?"
Before you continue