Chapter 13

Ning Cheng was stunned by his own thoughts and forcibly stopped his cultivation. He was just a cultivator at the first level of Qi Gathering, and his understanding of cultivation could be said to be at the most primitive level. To say that someone who only had a superficial understanding of the first level of Qi Gathering could find a better cultivation method than the Ning family's inherited technique, even he himself did not believe it.

The Ning family's cultivation technique, even if it was at the Mortal level, had been modified over countless years and by countless people based on their experience. What qualifications did he have to find the flaws in this cultivation technique and correct them?

Although he really wanted to try again, Ning Cheng still restrained himself. He knew that once he started cultivating, it would be endless. Even without modifying the technique, he might cultivate to the second level of Qi Gathering in one breath. He had already found it hard to explain his current first level of Qi Gathering, and if he advanced to the second level now, he would have no idea how to explain it. He urgently needed to improve his cultivation, but before that, he needed to find a suitable reason or method.

Moreover, the fact that he could find a more suitable true qi meridian path on his own was itself a strange thing. He did not dare to act rashly until he figured this out.

However, Ning Cheng became increasingly excited. Even if he did not modify the technique, he was not worried about his poor talent hindering his cultivation. It seemed there was an incredibly powerful cultivation source within his body. If this situation continued, to what level would he cultivate? Would it be the True Qi Realm or the Foundation Establishment Realm?

Without continuing to cultivate, Ning Cheng began to study the thin scroll of cultivation techniques in his hand. This was a Mortal-level cultivation technique, with detailed introductions from the first level of Qi Gathering to the ninth level, along with some annotations by the Ning family's ancestors. To Ning Cheng's surprise, there were also some simple spells at the end of the technique.

These spells included Fireball Spell, Wind Blade Spell, and a Wind Control Spell. Originally, Ning Cheng was most interested in the Wind Control Spell, which was described as allowing one to move several or even dozens of feet in the air after cultivating to the third level of Qi Gathering. If he had not seen the True Concealment Spell, Ning Cheng would have definitely tried to cultivate the Wind Control Spell.

The introduction of the True Concealment Spell made Ning Cheng feel that this was what he needed most at the moment. The True Concealment Spell was described as allowing cultivators to conceal their cultivation level. This made Ning Cheng ecstatic. He had a secret within his body, and regardless of what it was, the fact that he cultivated quickly was true. If he could conceal his cultivation level, what else would he worry about?

Ning Cheng did not remain happy for long before he became disappointed again. The True Concealment Spell was just a spell from a Mortal-level technique. Even if he cultivated it to its peak, he could only conceal three minor levels. Even if he achieved this, he could probably only deceive cultivators at the Qi Gathering level. Deceiving True Qi Realm cultivators would be impossible.

In the Cang Qin Kingdom, True Qi Realm cultivators were rare but not nonexistent. In his memory, the president and vice-president of the Cang Qin Two Stars Academy were both True Qi Realm cultivators.

Even though he knew the True Concealment Spell in the scroll was not very good, Ning Cheng still decided to learn it first. Ning Cheng had already reached the first level of Qi Gathering, and he had a photographic memory and a strong understanding ability. Despite being his first time encountering a spell, he completely understood the cultivation method within an hour.

When Ning Cheng began to cultivate the True Concealment Spell, a gentle flow of qi rose from his dantian, and his mind once again saw new circulation paths for the True Concealment Spell.

Ning Cheng did not stop again. He hesitated slightly but then cultivated the True Concealment Spell according to the incantation that appeared in his mind. He felt that the incantation that appeared in his mind was better than the one he had seen before. Or rather, the cultivation method that appeared in his mind was a modified version of the original True Concealment Spell.

Ning Cheng did not understand why this was happening. He vaguely sensed that it was related to the yellow beam that had struck him earlier. He decided to cultivate the modified True Concealment Spell first and stop immediately if anything went wrong.

However, after Ning Cheng started cultivating, he did not notice any problems. The true qi in his body flowed smoothly through the new meridian paths without any delay.

Soon, Ning Cheng was once again immersed in the cultivation of the spell.

When Ning Cheng regained consciousness, he found that he had already achieved a small success in the first spell he cultivated. Ning Cheng tried to use the True Concealment Spell to conceal his cultivation technique and found that he could easily conceal the true qi fluctuations without any delay.

"Good stuff," Ning Cheng said instinctively, not sure whether he was referring to the True Concealment Spell or the ability to automatically correct his cultivation technique.

Just as Ning Cheng said this, he heard Ji Luofei's voice from outside, "Since you're not cultivating anymore, come out and eat."

Ning Cheng, hearing Ji Luofei's voice, realized that he had spent the entire night in the room, and it was already the morning of the next day. Indeed, time seemed to have no value during cultivation, and he had not even noticed that a whole night had passed.

"What problem did you encounter during cultivation?" Ji Luofei immediately stood up in surprise when she saw Ning Cheng come out. She could not sense any true qi fluctuations from him, meaning she could not tell what his cultivation level was. In other words, Ning Cheng seemed to have no cultivation level.

Ning Cheng then realized that it must be because he used the True Concealment Spell. He quickly said, "I feel that my realm is not very stable. Sometimes I can sense the true qi, and sometimes I cannot."

Even though Ji Luofei was his fiancée, Ning Cheng did not reveal his secret. He knew that if he had not modified the cultivation method of the True Concealment Spell, he would not have been able to cultivate it successfully in one night. The ability to correct cultivation techniques was simply too terrifying. If he were a high-level cultivator, it might be different, but he had just started cultivating.

Ji Luofei's cultivation level was very low, and she did not understand this situation. She frowned and said after a moment, "Although you have gathered qi, your cultivation level should not be stable yet. Use the qi-gathering stone over the next few days, and it should be fine. Let's eat first."

Ning Cheng then saw that the food on the small wooden table had already been prepared and quickly said, "Thank you."

Both of them were preoccupied with their own thoughts, and breakfast was eaten in silence. After eating, Ning Cheng returned to his room to continue cultivating, and Ji Luofei did not ask any more questions.

A few days passed in a flash. During these days, Ning Cheng focused entirely on the True Concealment Spell. As for the Fireball Spell and Wind Blade Spell, he only learned about them but did not cultivate them. He knew that cultivating such spells in his room was not suitable.

On this day, Ji Luofei saw that Ning Cheng's cultivation level seemed to have stabilized at the first level of Qi Gathering and said to him, "Your first level of Qi Gathering should be stable now. Let's go to the academy today."

"Okay," Ning Cheng did not hesitate. Even if Ji Luofei had not said anything, he would have reminded her. Over the past few days, Ning Cheng always felt that someone was lurking around the small stone house. If Ji Luofei were not there, someone might have already come to take him away.

...

The Cang Qin Two Stars Academy held a superlative position in the Cang Qin Kingdom, even surpassing the kingdom itself. This was because the vice-president of the academy, Yong Changyan, was a member of the Cang Qin Kingdom's royal family, making the Cang Qin Two Stars Academy a half-backer of the kingdom.

In Ning Cheng's memory, the Cang Qin Two Stars Academy was very large. Since the original Ning Cheng did not often visit and had some aversion to the academy, the memories he obtained were not clear. Only after following Ji Luofei to the Cang Qin Two Stars Academy did he understand why it was the first power in the Cang Qin Kingdom.

The Cang Qin Two Stars Academy resembled a Western castle in architecture, with an incredibly vast area. The forests and spell practice fields looked extremely grand from a distance. Ning Cheng was more familiar with the capital of the Cang Qin Kingdom, and he was certain that the capital was not as grand as this two-star academy.

Standing at the entrance of the academy, Ning Cheng could clearly feel that the spiritual energy here was much thicker than in other places.

In front of the academy's main gate was a large square several hundred feet wide, with a huge arena in the center.

Seeing Ning Cheng staring at the huge arena, Ji Luofei said in a calm voice, "That is the dueling platform. Cultivators in the academy can settle their grudges, disputes, or bets by dueling to the death on this platform. There was no dueling platform here before, but since three-star and above academies all have such platforms, the Cang Qin Two Stars Academy built this one to strive for a three-star status."

After saying this, Ji Luofei turned to Ning Cheng and warned, "In the future, when you help in the cultivation room, try not to come out and avoid making enemies. Otherwise, once you step onto the dueling platform, it will be hard to come down."

Ning Cheng asked in confusion, "If someone challenges me to a duel, can I refuse?"

"No," Ji Luofei answered more succinctly this time. Without waiting for Ning Cheng to ask more, she entered the academy's main gate.

Ning Cheng followed Ji Luofei and just stepped into the academy when he heard a clear voice, "... The Cang Qin Two Stars Academy will select ten disciples to participate in the selection for the Huazhou Five-Star Academy ..."

Ji Luofei seemed not to have heard it, but Ning Cheng almost stumbled. This was a broadcast, and he was certain he had not heard wrong. It was definitely a broadcast.

"What are you standing there for?" Ji Luofei saw Ning Cheng standing there in a daze and turned to ask.

"Is this a broadcast?" Ning Cheng stood there in a daze, muttering. It seemed he had returned to the place he once lived. If it were not for Earth, where would there be a broadcast?

This was a magical place where one could cultivate and use various spells. But if given a choice, Ning Cheng would rather be back on Earth. At least there, he had a sister, a relative.

(Chapter 2 is here, and I request your support with recommendations and collections.)

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