Zhao Mu met Meng Qiuqiu again and brought up the matter of the spirit source.
"About how long will it take for the spirit source I requested to arrive?" Zhao Mu asked calmly.
Meng Qiuqiu looked at him seriously, her expression carrying a hint of concern.
"Little Mu, I heard you've already advanced to Battle Rank 3. That's definitely a good thing… but you should be careful. Spirit sources come with side effects. You shouldn't rely on them too much."
Her tone was gentle but firm, clearly speaking from experience.
Having powerful Spiritual Energy without the ability to fully control it could easily destabilize one's foundation. And in the path of cultivation, a shaky foundation often led to long-term setbacks.
She paused briefly before continuing.
"Take Lu Yan as an example. His Combat Level is already as high as twelve, but right now, he still has to focus on stabilizing his foundation. If he were to face a seasoned veteran—even one with a lower Combat Level—he might not be able to win."
Zhao Mu listened quietly, then smiled faintly.
"Thank you for the reminder. I understand. Don't worry—I know what I'm doing."
His confidence was not arrogance, but something built from experience and discipline.
In terms of foundation, Zhao Mu had already surpassed most of his classmates at the same rank. Whether it was the four fundamental techniques of Spiritual Energy application—Refining, Wrapping, Condensing, and Emitting—or his mastery over combat techniques, he had already reached a level that left little room for flaws.
Seeing his calm assurance, Meng Qiuqiu finally relaxed.
"That's good," she said with a smile. "Our Meng family has business in Lujiang City. The spirit source you requested should arrive in a few days."
Zhao Mu nodded, but his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.
Money.
That was his biggest problem right now.
He only had a limited amount of funds. Once they were spent, continuing his cultivation using spirit sources would become extremely difficult. Unlike others, he didn't have a wealthy family backing him.
In contrast, someone like Shao Han would never have to worry about resources. His family could provide him with everything he needed without limit.
This was the harsh reality of the Xuanfeng Empire.
For thousands of years, the social hierarchy had gradually solidified. The gap between commoners and elite families wasn't just large—it was almost insurmountable.
Even if a genius emerged from an ordinary background, it would still be incredibly difficult for them to rise.
From the moment of birth, the disparity in resources, education, and opportunities had already created a massive divide.
Zhao Mu narrowed his eyes slightly.
"My best path forward… is to become a Jinhai Master as soon as possible."
This was one of the few paths that had not yet been completely monopolized by powerful families and capital. It was a path reserved for true geniuses—those who could carve their own destiny through sheer ability.
As he was deep in thought, a figure approached him silently.
Lu Yan.
His dark eyes were fixed on Zhao Mu, but he didn't speak immediately.
Zhao Mu noticed him and smiled.
"What's wrong, Lu Yan?"
Lu Yan hesitated slightly before lowering his head.
"Zhao Mu… could you guide me in practicing the saber? I… I feel like I'm too clumsy."
His voice was soft, almost embarrassed.
It was hard to imagine that this young man—recognized as a genius with an A-rank talent—would admit to something like this.
Zhao Mu chuckled lightly.
"You're not clumsy. Come on—show me the saber technique you've been learning."
With that, he led Lu Yan toward the training ground.
Under the open space of the training hall, Lu Yan gripped his saber and began to demonstrate.
At first glance, Zhao Mu quickly realized the issue.
Lu Yan wasn't clumsy at all.
In fact, his movements revealed something far more surprising—his foundation was nearly nonexistent.
He struggled with even the most basic stances. His saber swings lacked consistency, and his posture was unstable. These were fundamental skills that should have been ingrained long ago.
Zhao Mu frowned slightly.
"Starting today," he said calmly, "you need to focus on the basics. Every day—ten thousand saber swings."
Lu Yan blinked.
"Ten… thousand?"
"Yes," Zhao Mu replied without hesitation. "Drawing the saber. Horizontal slash. Vertical chop. Diagonal upward cut. Repeat them over and over until they become instinct."
He continued, his tone steady and instructive.
"Don't think about advanced techniques yet. First, build your foundation. Without that, everything else will collapse."
Lu Yan nodded seriously, like a student receiving his first lesson.
"I understand."
He immediately began practicing.
Not far away, Zhuo Yun and Meng Qiuqiu watched with expressions of shock.
"This doesn't make sense," Zhuo Yun muttered. "In the Xuanfeng Empire, martial arts are highly valued. Any suitable child must attend Yuwu School, where they're trained in both academics and basic martial skills."
Meng Qiuqiu nodded.
"They might not teach advanced combat techniques, but basic weapon usage is mandatory. How could Lu Yan… not know any of this?"
They exchanged puzzled glances.
Zhao Mu, standing nearby, was equally confused.
However, he chose not to ask.
Everyone had their own secrets.
Still, as he observed Lu Yan more closely, Zhao Mu's eyes began to sharpen.
Because despite his lack of fundamentals… Lu Yan's talent was terrifying.
The moment he held the saber, something changed.
His entire demeanor shifted.
His eyes grew deeper, colder—focused entirely on the blade in his hand and the invisible enemies before him.
When he swung the saber, there was no hesitation.
No wasted movement.
No awkwardness.
It was as if the saber had always belonged to him.
Zhao Mu's heart stirred.
"If we're talking about pure talent… this guy might be the most terrifying person I've ever seen."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
It felt like discovering a hidden treasure.
An unpolished jade—raw, but filled with immense potential.
And Zhao Mu had already decided.
He would personally polish this jade until it revealed its true brilliance.
Zhao Mu began guiding Lu Yan step by step.
He was particularly skilled in teaching fundamentals, having already mastered them to an advanced level himself.
Every correction he made was precise.
Every explanation was clear.
And Lu Yan absorbed it all like a sponge.
He never repeated the same mistake twice.
With each swing of the saber, his movements became sharper, more refined.
The improvement was visible even to the naked eye.
Zhuo Yun and Meng Qiuqiu were left completely stunned.
"This… this level of progress…" Zhuo Yun whispered.
"It's unbelievable," Meng Qiuqiu added.
They both realized something.
Lu Yan's A-rank talent was no exaggeration.
His awakened ability—Dark Killing Blazing Flames—had manifested as a black flaming demon saber. It was clear now that he was born to wield the blade.
After giving a few final pointers, Zhao Mu stepped back.
"Keep practicing like this," he said. "Focus on your basics for now. Once your foundation is solid, learning combat techniques later will be much easier."
Lu Yan nodded firmly.
"I won't disappoint you."
Zhao Mu didn't idle either.
He moved to another section of the training ground and began practicing his own technique—the Introductory Halberd Art.
The sound of weapons cutting through the air echoed throughout the hall.
Time passed quickly.
Before they knew it, midnight had arrived.
Exhausted but satisfied, the group finally returned to their dormitory to rest.
While everyone else quickly fell asleep, Zhao Mu remained awake.
Lying on his bed, he closed his eyes and relaxed his body completely.
Then, he began to meditate.
A faint rhythm of Spiritual Energy circulated within him.
[Spiritual Energy Rotation]: Proficiency 193…
[Spiritual Energy Rotation]: Proficiency 194…
The numbers steadily increased.
By the time morning approached, his proficiency had risen by another ten points.
Only then did Zhao Mu activate his Sleep Skill and drift into a deep, peaceful rest.
At dawn, Zhao Mu woke up early.
Without hesitation, he went out for his usual twenty-kilometer run.
This time, however, Meng Qiuqiu firmly refused to join him.
"Absolutely not," she said. "I'm still exhausted from yesterday!"
Zhuo Yun and Lu Yan attempted to follow, but they barely managed half a lap before giving up.
Their bodies were still drained from the previous day's intense training.
Not everyone possessed Zhao Mu's near-endless stamina.
Zhao Mu simply smiled.
They didn't understand.
The joy he felt… wasn't something that could be easily explained.
With every step he ran, his Light and Agile Steps skill improved.
Every drop of sweat brought him closer to growth.
Most of his skills were already in the second stage.
What he truly wanted to see now was what would happen when they reached the maximum proficiency of 1000 points.
What kind of transformation awaited in the third stage?
The thought alone filled him with anticipation.
In reality, Zhao Mu wasn't the only one awake at this hour.
However, most Spirit Power users chose a different path.
Rather than exhausting themselves physically, they preferred meditation.
After all, human physical attributes—strength, speed, endurance—had natural limits.
Improving Spiritual Energy was far more efficient.
In the girls' dormitory, Mo Guanguan had already woken up.
She sat cross-legged on her bed, quietly meditating in the calm of the early morning.
Beside her, Shen Moran was also awake.
Inspired by Mo Guanguan's discipline, she sat at her desk, carefully copying Spirit Rune diagrams.
The room was silent, filled only with the soft scratch of pen against paper.
Suddenly, Mo Guanguan's ears twitched.
A faint sound—like wind slicing through the air—came from outside.
Her meditation was interrupted.
Frowning slightly, she got up and pulled back the curtain.
Outside, in the dim morning light, she saw a figure sprinting down the road.
A black blur.
Fast.
Incredibly fast.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Is that… Zhao Mu?"
She stared for a moment, clearly surprised.
"He trains intensely during the day… so why is he still running this early in the morning?"
Her voice was filled with disbelief.
And far away on that road, Zhao Mu continued running.
Step after step.
Breath steady.
Mind focused.
For him, there was no fatigue.
Only progress.
Only growth.
And the feeling of constantly becoming stronger—
Was truly… wonderful.
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