"Grandpa Shen, the reason I progressed so quickly was that my Stars had already appeared right after my awakening."
When Lu Wu had been studying magic, he had read about this.
For some people, their Stars appeared directly during their Magic Awakening.
Such people could begin cultivating a month or so earlier than others, but they were not particularly rare. This did not count as an outstanding talent.
He would conceal what needed concealing. For example, he would never breathe a word about the Sacrifice System or the Dark Fire Ape.
"Even so, mastering six Stars after only three months of control practice..." Jiang Chun still had not recovered from his shock.
This grandson of Elder Shen's truly possessed terrifying talent.
"Then put off controlling the seventh Star for now. During this time, I'll teach you the most conventional foundational methods of crafting magic artifacts," Shen Shitian said upon hearing this. "It'll benefit your cultivation."
"Learning the basics of crafting magic artifacts? If I stop practicing control, won't I get rusty?"
"The first step is always the hardest. Once you've truly gained control, it's purely a matter of proficiency and shortening the time it takes to control them. All of that is related to mental strength..."
As Grandpa Shen explained the benefits of crafting magic artifacts, Lu Wu listened with rapt attention.
Mental strength had its own realms. Under normal circumstances, it would continually transform as one's cultivation improved.
The power of one's mental strength was directly related to the strength of one's soul, and this affected cultivation speed.
The Psychic Element and Dimensional Magic, in particular, required sufficiently powerful mental strength!
After strengthening his Stars, he could currently meditate for four hours because that was all his soul could support at present.
Mental strength had nine realms in total. The first three were minor realms, the fourth through sixth were intermediate realms, and the final three were major realms.
Lu Wu knew very well that although the divisions were simple, breaking through each realm was extremely difficult.
Moreover, powerful mental strength would make magic even more formidable.
Rumor had it that once someone cultivated to the major realms, their magic would be strengthened as though a heaven-grade seed had been added to it!!
Although he would have no chance to obtain Mystic Ice for the time being, Lu Wu still agreed.
Strengthening his soul and increasing his mental strength would greatly benefit his cultivation, and it would be a fundamental improvement at that.
After Shen Shitian finished speaking, he told Jiang Chun to arrange an elevator access card for Lu Wu.
Then he gave Lu Wu a fist-sized Thought Stone. For the next month, Lu Wu only needed to use his mind to control it.
Once he could make the Thought Stone levitate with his mental power, he could move on to controlling his seventh Star.
What Shen Shitian did not tell Lu Wu was that the Thought Stone contained an essence capable of improving mental strength. However, he had tampered with it so that only when Lu Wu's mental strength reached the Second Realm could he break through the stone's barrier and receive nourishment from the essence within.
Lu Wu did not know much about Thought Stones, only that they were rare.
After Grandpa Shen and Uncle Jiang arranged his elevator card, they told him to choose any room on this floor to stay in, and Lu Wu went off to cultivate.
Since it could improve his strength, Lu Wu put great effort into cultivating.
Once he began, he continued straight through until evening.
The Thought Stone resting on the bed showed no sign of movement. After closing his eyes, he could not even sense its presence.
"Strange. Grandpa Shen said I needed to sense it, but I can't sense anything at all." Lu Wu was already ravenous.
Grandpa Shen had not told him any tricks or methods, only instructed him to sense it carefully.
In his words, if Lu Wu successfully sensed it, his mental power would improve noticeably.
With his stomach growling, Lu Wu ended his cultivation.
Grandpa Shen and Uncle Jiang had gone somewhere to look for a Fire Element mage capable of melting Mystic Ice and had yet to return.
Carefully putting the Thought Stone worth ten million away in a cabinet, Lu Wu headed downstairs.
The hunters' hall was as lively as ever. Even though it was evening, people were still coming to accept and turn in missions.
Leaving the Hunter Union building, Lu Wu went straight off to find something to eat in Rongcheng.
He would hurry back to cultivate after eating. There were still many methods he had yet to figure out.
Although he could already summon the Dark Fire Ape at will, he had yet to succeed in gaining the ability to use Shadow Escape through it.
He had only just started with the Thought Stone, and the road ahead was likewise long.
He had once eagerly anticipated mastering magic, but now he had truly come into contact with it and begun cultivating.
Cultivation really was extremely dull!
Even so, Lu Wu remained full of drive.
After searching on his phone for ages, Lu Wu found a devilishly spicy hotpot restaurant. Although it was far away, he still happily set off.
He scanned a shared bicycle and rode swiftly down the road.
After an hour of riding, the night had deepened. Lu Wu arrived at the hotpot restaurant and ordered an extra-spicy broth with gusto.
"You went to Rongcheng?" Mu Nujiao's voice was full of surprise. "It's winter right now. If you wanted somewhere warm, surely Rongcheng wouldn't be your choice?"
"I came to see Grandpa Shen," Lu Wu said without concealing anything. "Haven't you been busy cultivating lately? What made you think of calling me?"
"How many Stars have you gained control over?"
"I thought you missed me, but it turns out you're just here to probe my cultivation progress. I'm so disappointed," Lu Wu said with a laugh.
He had seen Mu Nujiao's call not long after finishing his order. It seemed this girl was worried her cultivation progress had fallen behind his and had come to sound him out.
"You've barely contacted me these past few months," Mu Nujiao said with a hint of grievance.
If anyone else had heard that tone, they would never have imagined those words coming from that aloof, proudly independent school beauty.
"Want to come to Rongcheng?" Lu Wu asked. "You can visit for a few days after the New Year."
"Sure. I'll find some time to come after the New Year," Mu Nujiao said, nodding. "After staying in Rongcheng for a while, it'll be time for school to start."
"I'll arrange somewhere for you to stay beforehand, right in downtown Rongcheng."
"I'll bring a friend for you to meet. A real beauty."
Lu Wu did not ask further. He knew a few of Mu Nujiao's friends; he would find out who it was when the time came.
The two chatted on and on, only hanging up after Lu Wu had finished his meal and was about to cycle back.
After returning to his lodgings, he talked with Grandpa Shen for a long time before going back to continue cultivating.
Four days later.
Lu Wu finished the last dish and carried it into the living room. More than a dozen plates covered the table there, with hot dishes, soups, cold salads, and sliced fruit.
Shen Shitian wore loose pajamas, something he rarely wore. At that moment, he looked like an elder watching a younger family member cook for him.
"You've been busy for so long. Come sit down." Shen Shitian's face was full of smiles. It had been nearly half a year since he had enjoyed a day like this.
"You've been so busy these past few days, Grandpa Shen, you haven't had a proper chance to eat my cooking. Since today is New Year's Eve, of course I had to make a few extra dishes," Lu Wu replied.
The table was laden with food. After pouring Grandpa Shen a cup of wine, Lu Wu poured himself some and raised his cup with a smile. "On New Year's Eve, I wish Grandpa Shen good health and smooth sailing in everything next year."
"Hahahaha! Good, good, good." Shen Shitian truly felt deeply gratified.
Taking Lu Wu home from the street two years ago had been the best decision he had made in all these years.
"Come, let's have a drink, just the two of us." Shen Shitian clinked cups with him. "Keep Grandpa company over a few drinks afterward. There are some things I want to tell you."
"Go ahead, Grandpa." Lu Wu nodded.
"Grandpa actually had a granddaughter around your age. If she hadn't gone missing..."
Lu Wu had never heard Grandpa Shen speak about his family before. He slowly lowered the cup he had been about to drink from.
When Grandpa Shen was young, he had served in the Military Department and met the wife he would love all his life. Their life had been happy.
A son was born, then a daughter, and later grandchildren. Their days had been blissful.
But something had happened ten years ago, leaving only Lu Wu to keep him company.