Chapter 87

"Really foolish..."

Chu Min let out a sigh. The method Lu Ping used was a typical brute force approach. Without a clear direction or a coherent plan, he relied on repetition—hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of times—to hone his skills. This was a simple method that wouldn't bring about an instant breakthrough, but it would lead to progress through gradual accumulation. The key was to have perseverance and determination.

How long could Lu Ping keep this up?

Chu Min wasn't sure. Although she had learned about the way Lu Ping used his soul force in the state of Soul Lock, this method was incomprehensible to her.

Soul Lock was a custom-type ability. The ability set the rules, and the affected person had to follow them. The duration of the rules depended on the practitioner's means. The Soul Lock on Lu Ping had lasted for years, which definitely indicated the use of a medium to stabilize the ability, making it more durable, especially in terms of duration. The medium played a decisive role in this.

However, no matter how the ability was used, achieving what Lu Ping had done without breaking the ability's restrictions was unheard of.

Lu Ping was walking a path that no one had ever taken before, and the help he could receive was extremely limited. All Chu Min could do was point out his current shortcomings, but she had no effective training method to improve them.

Because what Lu Ping had already achieved far exceeded the limits of most people.

Speed!

To seize more soul force in the fleeting moments, the speed at which Lu Ping honed his control over soul force had surpassed Chu Min's understanding, reaching a godlike level.

This was quite terrifying.

The more advanced the ability, the more complex the control over soul force usually was. To achieve such complex control, practitioners needed more time.

To address this, practitioners had developed numerous auxiliary methods, such as certain movements, sounds, breathing patterns, and specific emotions. These methods helped the flow of soul force become smoother, allowing practitioners to perform abilities more efficiently.

But Lu Ping had no such assistance. He used the most basic method to control soul force, yet he achieved a speed that no one could match.

If he weren't bound by Soul Lock, if he could distinguish and control soul force like a normal practitioner, what would happen when he used his abilities? (That would be the difference between instant casting and channeling. Let me use some gaming terms, forgive me!)

To what extent would this young man grow? Chu Min was not only looking forward to it but also curious, as it would be a realm she had never seen before.

But for now, Lu Ping could only use such a simple method, probing and exploring bit by bit, just as he had done for three years at Zephyr Academy, advancing alone in the unknown.

The weather is really nice today!

Chu Min looked up at the sky. Although most of it was obscured by the tree branches, it was clear that it was a beautiful, cloudless day.

At the main gate of Tianzhao Academy.

The warm sun felt very comfortable on the skin. Old Guo, the gatekeeper, enjoyed the sunlight, sitting on a long bench outside the gate, dozing off.

In the past two days, a lot seemed to have happened at the academy. Yesterday, the dean of Bipolar Academy, Tang Mu, personally visited, and this morning, Vice Dean Xia was seen in the academy, looking very unhappy.

Old Guo was just an ordinary person and didn't dare to ask too many questions. He could only do his job as usual. But his intuition told him that all these events might be related to the four young men who had burst in a few days ago.

Thinking of this, Old Guo couldn't help but touch his neck.

He had been knocked unconscious that day and woke up in the evening. The doctor said he was fine, and he felt no issues with his neck. But perhaps due to some psychological trauma, he had developed a habit of touching his neck over the past two days.

Although he wasn't a practitioner and didn't understand the cultivation of soul force, his knowledge was extensive. Guarding the academy gate every day, he had seen so many fights between the two academies that he was sick of it. Old Guo had seen so many different abilities that many practitioners would be ashamed in comparison.

I wonder what ability that guy used to knock me out that day.

Whenever Old Guo touched his neck, he would think about it. In his memory, he didn't see the other person make any movements before he lost consciousness. It couldn't have been anything but an ability, right?

That young man is not simple!

Old Guo, though of low status, had his own thoughts.

As he was thinking, he saw four people walking in from the west end of the street, all wearing pure white cloaks, almost blindingly white.

Who are they?

Old Guo sat up straight.

This street between the two academies was wide but rarely used. Everyone in Zhiling City knew how dangerous this street was, rivaling the slums in the south of the city and the underground black market in the east.

Suddenly, four people in eye-catching clothing walked by, piquing Old Guo's curiosity.

As they approached, their gazes swept over Old Guo, and they continued walking toward the main gate of Tianzhao Academy.

Old Guo had already stood up, ready to perform his duties. But the four people didn't stop at the gate; they didn't even look at Old Guo, continuing straight ahead. Only the one on the far right raised a badge, which flashed past Old Guo as he walked by.

The four people walked into Tianzhao Academy with cold expressions. Two days ago, Old Guo had tried to seriously stop Lu Ping and the others, but now he stood aside, showing respect.

Because he recognized that badge.

The badge had a vine pattern around it, with the character "院" (Yuan, meaning "Academy") in the center, symbolizing their identity: the Academy Supervisory Committee.

The Academy Supervisory Committee, or ASC, was established by the empire. In the eleven major regions of the Xuanjun Empire, only the Gorge Peak Region, where the Gorge Peak City Lord's Office also served as the ASC, lacked an independent ASC. The other ten regions had their own independent ASCs.

The ASC, as the name suggests, was responsible for supervising the academies. They did not interfere with the specific affairs of the academies but monitored for any violations. The arrival of the ASC at any academy was never a good sign.

There really have been a lot of events these past few days!

Old Guo, who had respectfully stepped aside, was still thinking. He had heard of the power of the ASC. What major event had happened at the academy?

As a gatekeeper, he had no right to ask about the ASC's purpose or to stop them, but he still needed to report this unexpected visit to the academy quickly. However, as he watched the four people walk inside, Old Guo noticed something strange about their direction. After walking along the old path for a while, they turned and entered the nearby forest.

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How much do you think I can write tonight?

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