Chapter 59

In the body, the vortex formed, continuously spinning and growing at a speed invisible to the naked eye, gradually expanding that spiritual space.

When the spiritual energy was exhausted and the vortex disappeared, this session of cultivation was complete.

Tang Jie carefully felt the spiritual space, knowing it could now hold about eighty drops of spiritual liquid, getting closer to the spiritual spring.

The circulation of the major and minor cycles becomes faster as one becomes more proficient and one's internal energy grows stronger. Otherwise, at the basic speed, it would take several decades to reach the spiritual sea stage from ten thousand drops forming a sea.

Tang Jie is now gradually becoming proficient in the circulation of the cycles, with better control over the flow of energy. He can complete six to seven major cycles in one night. At this rate, it should take no more than ten days to achieve the spiritual spring.

According to the standard progression of the Moon Washing Academy, opening the spiritual eye within two months is considered normal.

After that, advancing to the spiritual spring in six months, to the spiritual lake in one and a half years, and to the spiritual sea in four and a half years, with the remaining two years for the breakthrough to the Transcendent stage, totaling eight years.

Based on the tenfold difference between the spring, lake, and sea, each stage's standard improvement is tenfold, the cultivation speed increases threefold, and the time extends threefold, thus just meeting the schedule.

For most students, as they become more proficient, the speed of the cycle circulation increases threefold at each stage, which is not difficult. The problem is that at each stage of the Spirit Platform Realm, one must improve the cultivation method, leading to new changes. This makes students often have to relearn the new cycle circulation method just as they become familiar with one, greatly increasing the difficulty.

Although the new circulation method is based on the old one, there are always many adjustments, thus delaying progress.

Therefore, this cultivation standard progression is actually based on the fourth transformation.

If it is the ninth transformation, the fastest one can achieve the great completion of the spiritual sea in three to four years.

If it is the third transformation, then just being able to transcend within ten years is already quite good.

The Moon Washing Academy sets a ten-year rule, ensuring that third transformation students still have a good chance of entering the Transcendent stage. Of course, if the talent is too poor, there is really nothing that can be done, and one can only rely on effort and luck.

Tang Jie has been in the academy for only three months. With the help of the Zang Xiang Classic, he is already at the forefront in terms of speed. However, he does not have as many resources to assist him, so he should be considered at the end of the first tier. Others can reach the spiritual spring in two months, and he needs about ten days more.

At this speed, achieving the great completion of the spiritual sea within three years is not realistic, but within four to five years, it is definitely possible.

Seeing that the remaining time before dinner was not enough to complete a major cycle, Tang Jie got up and practiced a set of sword techniques, becoming more proficient in the use of the Water Light Shield.

Compared to the Twelve Sword Techniques, the practice of the Water Light Shield is much more complicated.

Sorcery usually consists of two stages.

The first is the circulation of energy within the body.

The second is the guidance by the spell.

Cultivators command the spiritual energy to circulate and transform within the body, like setting up an array pattern, in harmony with the great Dao, endowing it with various wondrous abilities, which is called "forming the spell" or "circulating the spell."

After the spell is formed, it needs to be used according to one's will, guiding the formed spell out of the body and making it act according to one's will. It would not do to just throw a condensed energy arrow and call it a day; this stage is called "guiding the spell."

Forming the spell requires the circulation of energy, like the major cycle, with different spells having different circulation requirements.

Guiding the spell requires the spell formula, with different spells having different formula requirements.

For new learners, forming the spell is the most painful part, as it involves controlling the flow of spiritual energy and performing the spell according to the method. A spell is like a design drawing, and just memorizing it is quite mentally taxing. In comparison, the spell formula is much simpler, involving just a few hand gestures to make the spell act according to one's will, with a great deal of commonality.

For veteran cultivators, the situation is the opposite. They have already gone through the most difficult stage of forming the spell, and with sufficient proficiency, forming the spell is as quick as a breath. On the contrary, the spell formula is hard to compress, and the worst part is that the formula cannot be hidden during combat. Often, the opponent can roughly guess what you are going to do just by seeing what formula you are using.

As a beginner, Tang Jie is now facing the problem of forming the spell.

The Water Light Shield requires the consumption of spiritual liquid, transforming the liquid into energy, and making it circulate through the body along a predetermined path. Then, the spell formula is used to guide it out. Each step is quite troublesome and requires a lot of practice to use it proficiently.

In short, whether it is the major cycle, the minor cycle, or sorcery, they all require long-term hard practice to master.

However, the proficiency of sorcery improves the casting speed, while the power of the spell depends on the individual's realm, talent, weapons, the foundation of the cultivation method, and the spell itself, with the completeness of the casting being the most important.

The problem is that due to limited spiritual energy, spells cannot be practiced casually. Eighty drops of spiritual liquid are only enough to cast the Water Light Shield eight times. With Tang Jie's current minor cycle circulation speed and the efficiency of condensing five drops of spiritual liquid at a time, he can only recover 120 drops in twelve hours, so he can only practice twelve times a day, not considering the twelve hours when he cannot practice.

Moreover, the Zang Xiang Classic cannot help with this, and he can only rely on himself to cherish every opportunity.

At this moment, Tang Jie circulated his energy according to the cultivation method, and after a while, he finally formed the Water Light Shield. The casting time was about twenty seconds, and Tang Jie smiled bitterly: "At this speed, by the time I cast the shield, I would have been killed ten times."

He had to find a way to improve.

The best method is still the use of spiritual recovery drugs, which can increase the spiritual energy, making one minor cycle recover several times or even dozens of times more effectively.

However, these drugs are extremely expensive, and the biggest problem with spiritual drugs is that their help is only temporary. Cultivation is a long-term process, and if one really wants to rely on spiritual drugs to make up for the huge gap in talent, even selling the Wei family would not be enough.

Tang Jie thought about it and ultimately gave up the idea of buying drugs. Compared to himself, the two elders of the Wu family needed them more.

Just as he was thinking, Shimei suddenly arrived.

"Master called you to go to his side."

"Is there anything wrong?" Tang Jie asked, putting away his sword.

"The eldest and second master have arrived."

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When Tang Jie arrived at the Tranquil Garden, he saw six people sitting in the garden besides Wei Tianchong.

Besides Wei Ming, whom Tang Jie had met before, the other three were led by a tall figure with a square face, who bore a striking resemblance to Wei Danbo. This was clearly the eldest master, Wei Tianzhi.

As for the second master, Wei Tianchong, he had a more oval face, inheriting his mother's features, which is why the old lady favored her younger son more.

A few days ago, when Wei Tianchong entered the academy, Wei Tianzhi was out on a trial, unable to see him. Today, he finally came.

On either side of Wei Tianzhi were two more people. One of them, Tang Jie recognized at a glance, must be Wu Xing. He was indeed the son of Old Wu, and he had a bit of his father's demeanor.

At that moment, the four were talking in the courtyard. Tang Jie arrived and first bowed to Wei Tianchong: "Young master, hello."

Then he turned to Wei Tianzhi: "Eldest master! Second master!"

Wei Ming was relatively polite, nodding at Tang Jie.

Wei Tianzhi looked at Tang Jie and said: "You must be Tang Jie. I have heard your name. You have only been here for a short time and have already earned the title of a wild student. As a servant student, such behavior is a bit too showy and does not match the steadiness your mother described."

This eldest master and his father were cut from the same cloth, even speaking in the same mature tone.

Tang Jie could only reply: "Yes, I am grateful to enter the academy and fulfill my wish. I momentarily lost control. I hope the eldest master will forgive me, and I will not do it again."

Wei Tianzhi just nodded and pointed to the person beside him: "This is Xiao Zhe, and this is Wu Xing, my servant student. Speaking of which, Wu Xing can also be considered your brother. This is the first time you two are meeting, so get to know each other well."

Tang Jie then turned to Wu Xing: "Brother Wu Xing, I am grateful to my adoptive parents for saving me and giving me the chance to enter the academy. Their great kindness is hard to repay. If you need anything in the future, just tell me, and I will do it without hesitation."

Wu Xing nodded: "No need to be so formal. My parents also praised you for your filial piety. During my absence, the two elders were well taken care of by you."

Although he spoke politely, his tone was flat, showing no excitement at meeting his brother. Tang Jie did not find this strange, as they were just getting to know each other, and with time, they would naturally develop a bond.

After they sat down, they began to chat.

Tang Jie then learned that Wei Tianzhi and Wu Xing had recently gone to the Thunder Mountain Range to complete a herb-gathering mission for the academy. It was called a trial, but it was also a way to earn money.

Cultivation requires resources, and relying solely on family support is like pouring water into a bottomless pit. For students, no amount of money is enough, so even the wealthy young masters have to go out to earn some benefits from time to time.

Therefore, the Moon Washing Academy also prepares some trial grounds for the students, both to supplement resources and to provide trials.

The Thunder Mountain Range is located north of Wenxin, a dangerous place filled with fierce beasts and birds, but it also has many treasures. Every year, students from the Moon Washing Academy go there to explore, and some successfully obtain a large amount of resources, while others lose their lives.

At that moment, Wei Tianchong was asking his brother about the harvest.

Wei Tianzhi shook his head and sighed: "The Thunder Mountain Range is full of dangers. On the first day, I witnessed a senior student being devoured by a beast. Just being able to return alive is already good, let alone talking about gains."

"But wasn't there a senior instructor leading the group? How could there be casualties?" Wei Tianchong was puzzled.

Wei Tianzhi replied: "It's true that there was a senior instructor, but the problem is that with a large group of students, even if there are good things, they are not enough to be divided. The academy's rule is that the senior instructor is responsible for protection, and if the gains are obtained by the senior instructor, they still belong to the academy, not the students. To gain something, one must not rely on the senior instructor's protection. On the first day of entering the Thunder Mountain Range, I encountered a crisis and barely survived. From then on, I did not dare to leave the senior instructor's side. After a month, I returned, and with the hard work of serving tea and water, I received a bottle of Qi-Enhancing Pills, but it was like a drop in the bucket."

Wei Tianzhi sighed.

He was a wealthy young master, always served by others, but in the Thunder Mountain Range, he had to serve the senior instructor to get some leftovers, which made him feel very bad.

He was like this, and Wu Xing and Xiao Zhe were not much better.

"Does this mean that it will be extremely difficult for you to transcend within ten years?" Wei Tianchong felt sorry for his brother.

"Transcend? I no longer want to transcend!" Wei Tianzhi laughed, but his voice turned low and sad: "Seven years! I have been in the academy for seven years, but my talent is not enough, and I have only reached the second transformation. I am still only at the spiritual lake stage, and the spiritual sea is still far away. I feel ashamed of my parents' expectations. My only hope now is to achieve the great completion of the spiritual sea before the ten-year deadline, so I can still get the method to transcend..."

The rule of the Moon Washing Academy is to teach step by step.

If one can achieve the great completion of the spiritual sea before the ten-year deadline, even if one cannot transcend, at least one has the qualification to transcend and can obtain the method to transcend. Even if one leaves the academy, one can still slowly cultivate and possibly transcend.

As long as one does not