Mini World Game Console

"Firstly, we need to start with the Cultivation Level," Bai Ji said, entering his teacher mode. "First Turn, Second Turn, Third Turn—these three levels are defined by the state, but the breakthrough at each Turn is very clear-cut and leads to a qualitative change, with the Qi Cyclone experiencing significant changes as well."

Ren Suo and Zhao Huo nodded. Both had broken through to the Second Turn and naturally knew the specifics.

A First Transformation Cultivator's Qi Cyclone is made up of an internal cyclone and an external cyclone. A Second Stage Cultivator has an internal cyclone, a Second Ring Qi Swirl, and an external cyclone—a very distinct differentiation.

"The breakthrough from First Turn to Second Turn is basically similar for everyone; one just needs to cultivate diligently," Bai Ji said. "However, upon breaking through from the Second Turn to Third Turn, Cheng Ling and I encountered a situation: the Qi Cyclone affected the Spell Meridians, or to put it another way, it strengthened the Spell Meridians."

The audience wore bewildered expressions, so Bai Ji had to simplify his explanation. "It means that our awakened spells underwent an evident strengthening during the breakthrough to the Third Turn."

"After my breakthrough to the Third Turn, I could easily condense water molecules in the air into droplets, consuming very little Spiritual Energy and having a wider range of spellcasting."

Dong Chengling also said, "After my breakthrough to the Third Turn and following a fortuitous encounter, I am able to perform short-distance consecutive teleports."

She glanced at Ren Suo, Gu Yueyan, and Lin Xianyu. The latter three immediately understood—that encounter must have been the meal they had at the Fairy Palace God of Cookery's Ghost Stall last month.

Dong Chengling's performance during the attack—striking like an assassin and effortlessly flickering away after successful hits—was witnessed by all.

The few girls who had not seen Dong Chengling's impressive feats were curious. Lin Xianyu asked, "Sister Ling, can you give us a demonstration?"

Before Gu Yueyan could smack Lin Xianyu on the head, Lin Xianyu felt someone touch her head, and Dong Chengling's voice came from behind her. "Sure."

Lin Xianyu blinked. By then, Dong Chengling had already returned to her original spot, smiling at her as if she had never moved, yet she held one of Lin Xianyu's small hair clips in her hand.

She couldn't help but say excitedly, "That's so cool! Will I also be able to get this kind of strengthening after reaching the Third Turn? My current storm can only hit big trees; it's so weak!"

Bai Ji said with a smile, "You should be able to."

Zhao Huo, like a well-behaved student, raised his hand and asked, "But that's about strengthening awakened spells. Does it have anything to do with us?"

He and Ren Suo were both ordinary Cultivators without Awakening.

"Yes," Bai Ji nodded earnestly. "If awakened spells can be strengthened, what about ordinary spells?"

Zhao Huo was a bit puzzled. "But ordinary spells and awakened spells are vastly different. Awakened spells are..."

"So-called awakened spells are inherently possessed Spell Meridians," Bai Ji explained. "Ordinary spells are the Spell Meridians you condense yourself. The process of using a spell involves inscribing the spell's Spell Meridians into the Qi Cyclone, inscribing them within your body. As long as you use it frequently enough, when you can almost instinctively cast a certain spell, then that spell becomes your awakened spell."

At this point, Bai Ji looked towards Dong Chengling. She nodded slightly, glanced around, and then suddenly reached out and touched the corner of the table in front of the sofa.

A rustling sound was heard as Dong Chengling's fingers smoothed the slightly sharp edges of the table corner, leaving the onlookers stunned.

"Previously, because my awakened spells were difficult to use in combat, I chose to master the 'Spirit Shock Technique,'" Dong Chengling said. "Spiritual Energy drives the high-frequency vibrations of the air, turning every part of my hands into extremely sharp blades. With Spiritual Energy assistance, it is also easy to penetrate Spiritual Energy Armor. This is a Third-Tier Magic. I forcibly mastered it while I was at the Second Turn. After I advanced to the Third Turn, the difficulty of casting this spell significantly decreased. I can now use it easily with less Spiritual Energy, and its effectiveness has greatly improved. I estimate that when I advance to the Fourth Transformation, this spell should become almost the same as an awakened spell."

Bai Ji laughed and said, "I don't have Cheng Ling's perseverance. Also, my cultivation speed is very fast, so I didn't master any common spells during my Second Turn. However, after learning about Cheng Ling's example, I think you all should understand it."

Bai Ji looked at the female students and said, "Although you are still a long way from reaching the Second Turn, it wouldn't hurt to start choosing the spells you want to master now. Whether you have awakened spells or not, it's never a bad thing to have an extra awakened spell."

"As for why this situation occurs when advancing from the Second Turn to Third Turn, based on Cheng Ling's case, I am only making educated guesses. Just listen. Nowadays, most Third-turn Cultivators are Awakening Monks. For them, using awakened spells is almost natural. Thus, the Spell Meridians of their awakened spells have been deeply inscribed in their Qi Cyclones and divine bodies day and night. Only a very few Cultivators who have completely mastered common spells may discover this secret. So, why doesn't this situation occur when advancing from the First Turn to the Second Turn? Because the Second Turn is different from the First Turn—the Qi Cyclone of a Second Stage Cultivator has an additional ring. In the Qi Cyclone, the internal cyclone and the external cyclone are always undergoing rapid and continuous changes, with the internal cyclone expanding first. In comparison, the Second Ring Qi Swirl is used less often. Therefore, when you use a spell, the Spell Meridians leave the deepest trace in the Second Ring Qi Swirl. Advancing from the Second Turn to the Third Turn is still a leap in the quality of Spiritual Energy. However, due to frequent use of common spells, the Second Ring Qi Swirl may take on the shape of the corresponding Spell Meridians. After advancing, it may even permanently imprint the Spell Meridians into the Qi Cyclone. This is the conclusion Cheng Ling and I reached after our discussion."

Gu Yueyan was fascinated and asked, "Does this mean that when advancing from the Third Turn to the Fourth Transformation, a similar situation will occur? Could it be that from the Second Turn onward, every ring of the Qi Cyclone can permanently remember a spell?"

Bai Ji said, "Most likely, yes. But... the difficulty of advancing from the Third Turn to the Fourth Transformation is much greater than going from the Second Turn to the Third Turn—by a large margin. Spending time mastering spells feels a bit like putting the cart before the horse, in fact. Moreover, a spell inscribed in the Second Ring Qi Swirl can continue to be inscribed in the Three-Rings, which would save time. After all, spells are just a means to an end, while Cultivation is our foundation. According to intelligence acquired by the academy, after we advance to the Fourth Transformation, a Cultivator's strength will substantially increase by one level. As for spells, they would then become minor details."

Zhao Huo asked, "So you're saying, if we compare the Qi Cyclone to a city, the internal cyclone is like an unusable lake and the external cyclone is like a wasteland? Only the land of the Second Ring Qi Swirl can be directly transformed into a functional area. Our job is to build our favorite houses on the land of the Second Ring Qi Swirl? If that's the case, can we memorize multiple spells?"

Bai Ji nodded. "Exactly, your analogy is pretty good. However, there's a small issue: Spell Meridians are not houses, which can be numerous, but the Qi Cyclone will only remember the one you are most proficient in. To go with your metaphor, the Spell Meridians are like ring roads around a city; you can only build one. Awakened spells are different. Once awakened, one automatically becomes a First Transformation Cultivator. Hence, our Qi Cyclones are not formed by ourselves but are closely related to the awakened spell's Spell Meridians. If you consider common Spell Meridians as roads, then an awakened spell's Spell Meridians are more like the earth itself. Even if I do nothing, when the Qi Cyclone advances, it will inevitably affect the awakened spell's Spell Meridians in return, strengthening our awakened spells. Therefore, I want to remind you: the spell you inscribe now, will it still be useful to you when you become a High-Tier Cultivator later? If you pave a four-lane road now, but later you can fly a helicopter, won't that road become idle? Is it worth spending time inscribing spells? Should you advance bravely towards the endpoint, or savor the beauty along the way and move forward slowly?"

"I think a Cultivator only needs to have one ace spell. If you don't have one, you should try to get it. If you do, there's no need to be fixated on having a variety of methods, because we're not fighting alone."

Hearing this, Ren Suo and Zhao Huo also understood why Bai Ji and Dong Chengling couldn't widely share this technique. If this were true, then all Second Stage Cultivators should master one spell before advancing to the Third Turn. But what if what they said was wrong? Second Stage Cultivators who wasted a lot of time would surely hold a grudge against them. The state was so cautious for this reason as well. Without enough samples, they could only conduct internal research and observations, announcing their findings once they had reached conclusive results.

"As for Liao Yonghai and the others, I haven't specifically gone out of my way to talk to them," Bai Ji said. "They all have their own spells they're proficient in. It's just, Ren Suo, Zhao Huo, if you don't have such a spell yet, you might want to consider it."

"Thanks," Zhao Huo said with heartfelt gratitude.

Ren Suo also nodded. "It's really great knowing you guys."

A hint of blush blossomed on Bai Ji's pale face as he said, "Alright, that's pretty much all we can share about this technique. Everything else just follows the normal process. Let's eat some watermelon."

"Huh?" Lin Xianyu looked at the watermelon. "It hasn't been put in the fridge yet. Chilled watermelon is the best."

"Who needs a fridge when I'm here?" Bai Ji said with a bright smile. He placed his hand on the watermelon, and soon frost formed on its surface.

"Let me do it!" Gu Yueyan said suddenly, becoming interested. She used her hand to project Moonlight and sliced the watermelon cleanly.

Zhao Huo chuckled, took out a toothpick, then scraped along the watermelon's skin, neatly separating the flesh from the rind!

Seeing them having fun, Ren Suo couldn't help but smile too. But then his expression suddenly changed, and he stood up.

"What's wrong?" Dong Chengling asked. She always felt there was something off about Ren Suo and couldn't help but gently tap his necklace.

Ren Suo felt a warmth in his heart and gave her a subtle nod. If she overlooked the "Rippling Spring Sounds," then this was Ren Suo's last safeguard—through this necklace, Dong Chengling would pull Ren Suo to her side.

During the attack three days ago, Ren Suo knew that if the situation were truly beyond salvage, Dong Chengling would certainly leave on her own, then pull Ren Suo to her side to ensure both of their safety.

It was a pity that if Yu Kuangtu had worn the necklace, that attack could have been resolved much more easily. Yu Kuangtu claimed to be the strongest in Lianjiang, so he could cover the retreat, but he definitely couldn't be the first to leave, thus he had given the lifesaving necklace to someone else.

After all, it was exceedingly rare for something to happen at Heavenly Lotus Academy. Dong Chengling was usually in a safe place; who needed to summon someone to fight for her? The Tactical Bureau didn't even have such a contingency plan.

Moreover, she could only pull two or three people at a time. But among those in Lianjiang who wore lifesaving necklaces, besides important figures, were the Second Stage Cultivation leaders of the tactical teams, whose combat power might not even be higher than hers.

Ren Suo was silent for a few seconds before saying, "It's nothing. It's just time for my training according to the schedule."

Dong Chengling met his gaze and saw that his eyes, although complex, were not panicked. In the attack three days ago, and the Magician's Secret Realm a few dozen days before, Dong Chengling had seen this look in his eyes—the 'I have already foreseen a happy ending' kind. She then put her mind at ease, but she felt there was something particularly pitiful about Ren Suo's gaze this time, almost like a caught little rabbit.

So she decided not to disturb him and let him be alone for a while, Dong Chengling thought.

"Not eating watermelon?" Lin Xianyu asked. "It's really sweet."

"You guys go ahead." Ren Suo turned away, not looking at the juicy watermelon. "I need to... stick to the plan I've set."

After listening to Bai Ji's lesson on Third-Tier Magic, the mysterious force from the Mini-World Game Console deemed that he had left the 'emergency status' and needed to continue his Cultivation.

Zhao Huo still looked incredulous. "Ren Suo, has someone from another time traveled into your body? The change is too big. Tell me, were you an idiot before? If so, that's fine. But if not, then you're definitely not the real Ren Suo..."

Ren Suo looked at him with pity. "Don't look for me to help out at the comic convention in a few days."

Zhao Huo slapped Ren Suo's shoulder with seriousness. "I knew from the start that you've truly changed yourself. Worthy of being my best friend!"

Ren Suo pushed his hand away but didn't return to sit on the cushion. Instead, he opened the front door and left.

When the homeowner suddenly left, the guests looked towards the homeowner's sister.

Ren Xingmei was silent for a moment before asking, "Do you want me to show you around the house?"

"Sure!" Bai Ji, Dong Chengling, and Gu Yueyan said simultaneously, while Zhao Huo and Lin Xianyu sat down to continue eating watermelon and cake.

Qin Lian watched the three guests follow Ren Xingmei to the bedroom, a thoughtful expression on her face.

「 」

Ten minutes later, Ren Suo stood on a slope midway up the back mountain. His body was covered in leaves and branches, his face scratched with several bloodstains, an expression of grief and indignation on his face.

He attempted to flee, but the Energy within him was irresistible.

So he lay there on the ground like a wilted flower, powered up the "Gauze Clothing" by his own effort to protect himself, and then—he rolled down the slope like a tire!

Ren Suo never expected that after learning from Bai Ji that 'it's best to master one spell before advancing to the Third Turn,' the mysterious power from the Mini-World Game Console would be so considerate. It tailored his training regime to help him master his only Second-Tier Spell, "Gauze Clothing"—which he could perform on his own—as soon as possible!

Staying cooped up in a little black room for Cultivation, or rolling up and down the hillside—which was better?

For Ren Suo, it was like choosing between sleeping in a room with millions of southern cockroaches or jumping off a building to die. Choices are for kids; adults want none of it!

However, though Ren Suo verbally refused, his body was quite compliant.

"AFK for a moment of joy leads to a disastrous aftermath..."

In the following nights, when several young couples—who had fallen for each other as the new term started—came to the back mountain to be romantic, they would suddenly hear furious roars from the mountain, scaring them into running away immediately.

If the boy ran faster than the girl, the couple would likely break up...

Though the phenomenon eventually disappeared, this strange tale from the academy continued to be told. It eventually became a legend about a warped, lonely figure on the back mountain who would rush down to scare any couples passing below. Only truly devoted couples could withstand this figure's intimidation...