Heaven and Earth Academy, officially named Heaven and Earth City Cultivation Academy.
Heaven and Earth Academy is very large, occupying almost half of the area of Heaven and Earth City, and is divided into three parts: the outer academy, the middle academy, and the inner academy.
It is further divided into beginner, intermediate, advanced, and advanced classes, somewhat like junior high school, high school, university, and graduate school.
The outer court is where beginner and intermediate classes are taught, practiced, and trained. The middle court is where advanced classes are taught, practiced, and trained. As for the inner court, one can only enter the final class.
The beginner class requires no fees; the academy provides free room and board, instructors, and even training facilities.
The school only charges fees when students advance to the intermediate level.
Moreover, this fee can be submitted in two ways: either by paying cash directly or by using contribution points to offset tuition fees.
Students with money will pay their tuition with cash, because contribution points are worth much more than cash. They can be used to purchase advanced cultivation rooms, cultivation techniques, Dharma Artifact artifacts, cultivation pills, and so on.
As for how to obtain contribution points, the academy will issue various tasks. By completing the tasks provided by the academy, you can obtain contribution points.
However, contributing points is still a long way off for Ling Yi and his group.
They're only in the beginner class, less than half a month into the semester. Most students won't even consider doing tasks to earn contribution points until they've advanced to the intermediate class, usually three years later.
In the entire Ancient Country, no, to be precise, in the entire world, there are only three cultivation academies.
What about other countries?
Ah, that's what makes this world so interesting.
This world is now only Ancient Country, and thus, only Ancient Country remain.
More than a thousand years ago, other countries either merged into the Ancient Country or became a paradise for Demonic Beast and monsters.
Because, in the setting of this novel's world, only people from the Ancient Country possess Spiritual Root and can become cultivators; everyone else outside the Ancient Country does not have Spiritual Root.
Without cultivators, it would be impossible to resist the Beast that have evolved into Demonic Beast, or various monsters and strange beings.
There was no other option but to be incorporated into the Ancient Country and receive Ancient Country protection.
Even so, the area that the Ancient Country could protect was limited; most of the Blue Star had now become the territory of Demonic Beast.
The beginner class doesn't have many lessons; there are usually only two classes a day.
The morning sessions consist of theoretical courses, each lasting two hours. In addition to teaching basic information related to cultivation, they also cover some aspects of spiritual practice.
For example, the Changes in human history after the revival of Spiritual Qi, and the basic theoretical knowledge of crafting weapons, alchemy, Formation, and identifying medicinal herbs, etc.
The afternoons are either filled with practical lessons or free time.
Ling Yi and his group were only in the beginner class, so they didn't need any practical lessons yet. Therefore, the afternoons were free time.
However, the academy will open a portion of its training rooms, which are equipped with basic Spirit-Gathering Formation, to provide a free training space for beginner students.
However, the number of training rooms is limited, and it's first-come, first-served; if you arrive late, there won't be any seats left.
In the original storyline, Bai Yunjiang clashed with Wang Chen several times over the position of the training room. Of course, in the end, Bai Yunjiang was always beaten to a pulp.
But does Ling Yi need a laboratory now?
Absolutely not necessary!
Let's ignore Wang Chen for now. According to the original plot, the Protagonist will only be able to enter the Foundation Establishment Stage after he reaches the intermediate class, which will be three years later.
Ling Yi won't need three years; at most, it will only take a few days. Once he Correction the Heaven and Earth Art to Heaven Pin, or even a Divine Ability- level, attribute-based cultivation method, Foundation Establishment? Isn't that something anyone can do?
"Should I call you Zhao Peng, or the head of the Zhao Family?" In the luxurious private room on the top floor of the Heaven and Earth Grand Hotel, Ling Yi put down his chopsticks, took out a tissue to wipe his mouth, and said.
In short, Zhao Peng, who had been reaching for his chopsticks at the plate, froze.
He put his chopsticks away, turned to look at Ling Yi, his eyes full of surprise.
"It seems I guessed right. Actually, your identity isn't hard to guess. To reach the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining at less than seventeen years old, who else could it be but the young patriarch of the Zhao Family?"
"And yet, your surname happens to be Zhao. There's no such thing as a coincidence in this world, nor can there be that many geniuses," Ling Yi said with a calm smile.
Zhao Peng nodded, agreeing with Ling Yi's statement. If one couldn't discern Zhao Peng's cultivation level, it would be highly unlikely that one would guess that he was Zhao Peng from the Zhao Family of Dragon Capital.
Zhao Peng cultivates a technique that uses your Aura to discern your cultivation level; even Golden Core Realm would find it difficult to see through his cultivation.
Unfortunately, Zhao Peng used his Spiritual Sense to probe Ling Yi's cultivation level today, which revealed his own cultivation level, and thus his identity.
He then shook his head and smiled wryly, "If I'm a genius, then what is Brother Bai? A prodigy?"
Ling Yi shook his finger. "No, I'm different from you. I'm just a little better at comprehension. As for aptitude, it's just a low-grade Mixed Spiritual Root."
A low-grade Mixed Spiritual Root? Zhao Peng didn't believe it, but he didn't refute it.
A wise person never easily refutes someone else's conclusion, even if they know the conclusion is wrong. They should not directly refute it unless absolutely necessary.
This is the way of dealing with people and situations.
Moreover, whether what Ling Yi said is true or false is not important; what is important is that the other person's cultivation level is higher than his, which is an indisputable fact.
"With such talent, Brother Bai, you are destined to become a great power in the future. Perhaps you will even be able to Ascension Tribulation Transcendence and ascend to the highest realm, which is something everyone yearns for. It's not impossible."
" Ascension? I've never thought about it. I don't actually have any grand ambitions. If life isn't free and happy, what's the point of being Eternity alive?"
"It's just a stone, a blade of grass."
"If one can live freely and unrestrained, even if it's only for one day, it would be Perfection."
Although Zhao Peng disagreed with Ling Yi's statement, he still praised, " Brother Bai is indeed free-spirited; he is truly admirable."
Ling Yi then changed the subject, asking, "Patriarch Zhao Family, you've traveled all the way from Dragon Capital to Heaven and Earth City; you must have some purpose in doing so, right?"
Zhao Peng narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "Oh, then Brother Bai, why don't you take a guess?"
If Zhao Peng hadn't asked that question, the whole meal would most likely have ended there.
The rest of the time was probably spent chatting idly and trying to build rapport.
One was curious, the other wanted to stir things up; each had their own agenda, and the two hit it off immediately.
The first meeting was just to make an impression and make it easier for Ling Yi to cause trouble later.
Of course, causing trouble isn't necessarily a bad thing, and causing trouble doesn't necessarily mean that Bai Yunjiang, as a character, has to continue being the villain.
Who says changing the plot always requires being a villain?
Can't we try a different way of playing?
The main theme is rebellion and unconventionality.
When Zhao Peng asked that question, a somewhat dangerous thought inexplicably arose in Ling Yi's mind.
"You really want me to guess? What if I guess right, and what if I guess wrong?"
"I wonder what Brother Bai intends to do?" Zhao Peng smiled, but inwardly he felt like he was being tricked.
Logically speaking, Zhao Peng shouldn't have asked that question; the probing intent was too obvious.
However, Zhao Peng's mindset became slightly unbalanced when he discovered that Ling Yi, at the age of sixteen, had already seemingly reached the Foundation Establishment, or at least the Qi Refining Realm Great Perfection.
It wasn't jealousy, nor was it a competitive spirit; it was just an incredulous feeling.
His circumstances are special, which is why he was able to reach the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining at his current age.
Some unconventional methods were also used.
Otherwise, even a mutated Heaven Pin Mutated Spiritual Root could not have reached such a cultivation level at the age of sixteen.
He wondered if Ling Yi might be the same kind of person as him.
"I want all your cultivation techniques, Divine Ability spells, alchemy and array-making skills, and the secrets of talisman and weapon crafting!"
Seeing Zhao Peng's face darken, Ling Yi added, "Basic methods are sufficient; nothing too advanced is needed, even incomplete versions are acceptable."
" The Zhao Family head comes from a prominent cultivation family, so naturally he doesn't know the suffering of us insignificant people. For you, all kinds of Divine Ability powers and secret techniques are readily available, but for insignificant people like us, a single incomplete cultivation manual could very well lead to bloodshed."
Zhao Peng nodded; this explanation was reasonable and true.
But that's not what Zhao Peng cares about right now.
"Then, what if Brother Bai is wrong?" Zhao Peng asked.
"I only guess what I think I can guess right, so it's impossible for me to guess wrong."
Zhao Peng was very unhappy, and he showed it at the right time. He understood what Ling Yi meant: Ling Yi had him cornered this time.
"Then, Brother Bai, please speak!"
Ling Yi looked at Zhao Peng and slowly uttered two words: " Yuan Mei!"
"Hehe, Brother Bai, I don't even know who Yuan Mei is. Your guess is probably inaccurate!" Zhao Peng was shocked, but his face remained impassive.
"The first thing you looked in the classroom was Yuan Mei's direction. Of course, you could argue that it was because Yuan Mei is very beautiful and you were attracted to her."
"But during the two-hour class, you glanced at Yuan Mei twenty-one times. When you saw Yuan Mei turn around and interact with Wang Chen, you visibly pursed your lips and lowered your eyebrows."
"This is a subconscious reaction when someone is angry."
Zhao Peng was dumbfounded. "Damn it, I let you guess. You've come here to be my micro-expression expert?"
Looking at Zhao Peng's expression, Ling Yi found it somewhat amusing. The "twenty-one times," the "pursed lips," the "lowered eyebrows"—it was all nonsense Ling Yi had made up.
Yuan Mei held a very special significance for Zhao Peng. He did indeed glance at Yuan Mei a few times without realizing it, and he was genuinely somewhat displeased when Yuan Mei interacted with Wang Chen.
But how could Ling Yi possibly know exactly how many glances he took? He wouldn't be so bored as to count them.
"I cannot give you the Zhao Family's cultivation techniques; I hope you can understand." Zhao Peng's greatest characteristic is his commitment to his promises, especially when it comes to matters concerning Yuan Mei.
Moreover, when it comes to gambling... well, I always lose.
In the original storyline, Zhao Peng made bets with the Protagonist no less than ten times, but never won.
Losing every bet has almost become the defining characteristic of this villain in the story.
Ling Yi got to experience the Protagonist's privileges before even having the chance to enjoy them, much Protagonist Wang Chen did.
"I understand!" Ling Yi nodded. The Zhao Family Zhao Family's cultivation techniques were the foundation of their existence in the Immortal Cultivation Realm, so naturally they couldn't hand them over to outsiders.
"Of course, if Brother Bai is willing to join my Zhao Family, everything is negotiable."
"Joining the Zhao Family is out of the question. I can't stand being constrained, and I especially dislike the scheming and backstabbing within your cultivation families. Being a free spirit is just fine with me."
"I happen to have two cultivation techniques and secret arts that I acquired by chance. Although they are both incomplete, they are of high quality and I can give them to Brother Bai."
Ling Yi was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up. Could it be...?