In the cafeteria, after ravenously devouring several large steamed buns and two bowls of plain congee yesterday, Shi Quan finally felt full and satisfied as he walked out, still holding the two books he had borrowed.
There were only two classes in the morning: one on cultural knowledge and one on Martial Spirits. Each class lasted only an hour.
There was still some time before class. Based on his cultivation progress yesterday and the current situation, Shi Quan began to make plans.
He naturally wouldn't waste the time between morning and class.
"I'll use the morning to Cultivate Muscle and Marrow Cleansing," he decided.
Muscle and Marrow Cleansing is a method of internal refinement, relatively simple to Cultivate, and appears much more ordinary compared to the other four.
Holding the books, Shi Quan went to a quiet corner of the playground. He took a step to the left, bending his knees into a horse stance. His upper body stood straight, his hands on his hips, elbows bent, palms turned upwards, forearms held level as if supporting a heavy object; after a brief pause, his hands turned downwards, forearms straightened and relaxed, as if setting down a heavy object.
As the movements progressed, the Internal Energy within Shi Quan's body began to circulate.
In addition to the internal circulation route, Muscle and Marrow Cleansing also incorporated some special movements.
Although these movements were special, ordinary people wouldn't notice anything unusual, at most thinking Shi Quan was just doing morning exercises.
This was why Shi Quan chose to do it this way.
As more people gathered on the playground, Shi Quan stopped at the appropriate time, took his books, and went to the classroom, finding an inconspicuous seat.
Shi Quan had originally thought that Spirit Master academies didn't have textbooks, but he only realized when class started that textbooks were distributed on the first day of class.
Looking at the cultural studies textbook in his hand, after a quick flip-through, it was as Shi Quan expected: the first-year cultural studies textbook was just some basic literacy, which Shi Quan had already mastered. There was no need to study it again, fortunately, he had the foresight to borrow books in advance.
The teacher lectured from the podium, while Shi Quan read his book below.
The second Spirit Class taught some basic cultivation knowledge, which was also useless to Shi Quan. After listening for a few minutes, Shi Quan lost interest and began to read the book in his hand.
After self-studying for two classes, eating lunch in the cafeteria, and returning the books to his dorm, Shi Quan went alone to the small hill behind the academy, just like yesterday, and began his day of cultivation.
Learning from the lessons of the past two days, Shi Quan paid special attention to the time during his cultivation today. When it was almost time, he first returned to the academy for dinner, then rushed back to the hill to continue cultivating. On his way back and forth, when there was no one around, Shi Quan would use Nine Shadows Shift to travel, both as practice and cultivation.
Shi Quan's dormitory was a large one, with nearly thirty people. They naturally had their own groups. Although the people in the dormitory didn't often see Shi Quan, they had heard from the three nobles that he came from a commoner family. Coupled with the knowledge that his Martial Spirit was a waste Martial Spirit and his Innate spirit power was only level one, it led to the entire dormitory paying even less attention to him.
Shi Quan was happy to be at ease, spending his days cultivating and studying, leading an exceptionally fulfilling life.
Remembering that he still hadn't extracted the Douluo original work, after another day of cultivation and returning to the dormitory, Shi Quan finally extracted the Douluo original work.
The same feeling as the previous Legacy of the True Scripture came over him, but unlike last time, although the content of the Douluo original work was extensive, it was not complicated to receive, and much easier to bear.
During class the next day, Shi Quan unusually didn't read a book, but instead continuously browsed the plot of the original work in his mind. Only then did he realize that the small hill where he Cultivated was the place where Xiao Wu, Tang San, and Xiao Chenyu competed for the position of boss of Nuoding Academy. According to the original plot, their conflict should be three days later.
Knowing this, Shi Quan did not stop, but continued to browse the plot of the original work. He wanted to go through the original work first, which would make it easier for him to formulate some subsequent plans.
"Hmm? Martial Spirit is the twin of our physical body?"
Shi Quan was originally just browsing the plot, but when he came across Tang San absorbing the spirit rings of three Thousand Jun Ant Emperors, he noticed a passage in the original work.
It was a flashback, describing a past discussion between Tang San and Master about what Martial Spirit is.
A passage in it read:
"The physical body and the Martial Spirit are, in themselves, a pair of twins.
The Martial Spirit also has its own Soul, it's just that we can't feel it. If you want it to truly become powerful, then, first, you must understand it.
When one day you can discover the true heart of your twin, prove yourself to it with your actions, and make it completely accept you. Only then can you gain its true recognition, so that there is no longer any distinction between you two brothers. Only then can you truly unleash its power."
This description made Shi Quan think of Shi Jian's Martial Spirit manipulation; the two seemed somewhat similar.
"If that's the case, then the reason Dad could manipulate his Martial Spirit so freely was actually because he gained the Martial Spirit's recognition?"
Shi Quan murmured, "This explanation makes sense too."
According to the original work, Tang San's Blue Silver Emperor was due to his mother's hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone and his mother directly showing him the true heart of the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline. Only then did he master the Blue Silver Emperor. The Clear Sky Hammer also gained recognition by having its Martial Spirit Heart activated through the domineering act of absorbing three nearly hundred-thousand-year spirit rings at once.
These were all coincidences. Even for Tang San, the protagonist, comprehending the Martial Spirit Heart was so difficult, yet Shi Jian, an ordinary person, by chance, comprehended the Spirit Understanding state and, by relying on it, comprehended the Martial Spirit Heart.
The essence of Martial Spirit manipulation is mastering the Martial Spirit Heart. The methods of mastering the Martial Spirit Heart vary, but if the Spirit Understanding state is used properly, it can assist any Martial Spirit in comprehending its Martial Spirit Heart. Not only that, the Spirit Understanding state also provides certain benefits for various aspects of cultivation.
That an ordinary person could research and discover such a special and powerful cultivation method shows how extraordinary Shi Jian's Comprehension Ability and Innate talent were.
Rubbing his aching head, summarizing millions of words of the main plot of the original work in such a short time was a considerable mental burden. After resting for a while, it was time for class to end.
After putting away his things and having lunch, everything else proceeded as usual.
On the way to the back mountain, Shi Quan vaguely heard Xiao Wu's voice. He glanced back and saw Xiao Wu leading a group of work-study students arguing with Xiao Chenyu.
Shi Quan wasn't interested in their conflict, so he naturally paid no attention, not even pausing his steps.
Over the next two days, the friction between the work-study students led by Xiao Wu and those led by Xiao Chenyu grew more intense. Under Xiao Chenyu's series of provocations and taunts, the work-study students led by Xiao Wu initiated a fight.
The time was set for after class the next day, and the location was the back mountain where Shi Quan Cultivated.
"By this time, Tang San should have already left the Spirit Beast Forest with Master, right?"
From the current situation, the battle between Xiao Wu and Xiao Chenyu for the academy boss title, in terms of time and location, matched the original work. On the other side, Tang San, without his intervention, should also be the same as in the original work.
The next day.
Xiao Wu, who usually couldn't sit still in class, was even more restless today, with excitement and confidence for today's battle in her eyes.
As the bell for class rang, Xiao Wu immediately darted out of the classroom like a released rabbit. In no time, a large group of work-study students, led by Xiao Wu, rushed towards the back mountain of the academy.
Seeing this, Shi Quan also leisurely followed the crowd of onlookers towards the back mountain. He wasn't curious about their fight; he just wanted to see if Tang San's Spirit Ability was bind, as in the original work, to ensure that everything was progressing without too much deviation from the original.
Arriving at the back mountain, both sides streamed up the mountain, heading directly towards a forest on one side of the hill. There were many forests on the hill, and the forest where Shi Quan usually Cultivated was on the other side.
Xiao Chenyu's people had clearly scouted the location beforehand, and quickly led the group of work-study students to a clearing in a forest. The clearing was very large, and even with fifty or sixty people from both sides standing on it, it still felt spacious.
Shi Quan stood at a distance with the onlookers. The two sides stood opposite each other, creating an atmosphere of tension.
Before the battle, there were naturally some harsh words exchanged, and then the rules of the fight were set.
Putting everything else aside, Xiao Chenyu, as the city lord's son, was not foolish; on the contrary, he was very intelligent, which could be seen from his choice of a ten-person battle.
The confident Xiao Wu naturally agreed without a second thought.
"Tang San should be arriving soon, right?" Shi Quan's gaze turned towards the work-study students. Indeed, a small figure quietly joined their ranks.
At the front, Wang Sheng and Liu Long's battle had already begun. Liu Long, with his long staff Martial Spirit, clearly had the advantage.
Just as Liu Long was about to win the battle, Shi Quan saw three small pebbles fly out, directly hitting Liu Long's hands. This caused Liu Long's hands to pause, making him miss his Opportunity, and instead, Wang Sheng closed in and turned the tide to win.
Shi Quan curled his lips, muttering to himself, "People are fighting head-on, but he's using dirty tricks from the shadows. What a Tang Sect, they really can't afford to lose."
The subsequent plot was no different from the original. Tang San had Xiao Wu replace Wang Sheng, and he entered the arena himself. First, he fought Ling Feng, who had a swallow Martial Spirit, and easily won. Then, Xiao Chenyu couldn't sit still and entered the arena to spar with Tang San.
Watching the yellow spirit ring rise from Tang San's feet, everyone present gasped in astonishment.
Shi Quan also frowned at this sight. He wasn't frowning because of Tang San's spirit ring, but because of Tang San's Martial Spirit!
Upon seeing Tang San's Martial Spirit, Shi Quan could feel a sense of Bloodline suppression, and this suppression originated from his own Martial Spirit, Blue Silver Grass.
"Even before the Blue Silver Emperor Awakens, it can suppress Blue Silver Grass?"
In the original work, it wasn't mentioned that the Blue Silver Emperor would suppress other plant-type Martial Spirits before its Awakening.
"Or is it that Tang San's Blue Silver Grass can only deter and suppress me, who also has a Blue Silver Grass Martial Spirit, for now?"
Shi Quan's expression hardened. He was glad he chose to watch the battle, otherwise, he wouldn't have noticed.
"That means even though Tang San's Blue Silver Emperor hasn't Awakened, it still possesses some characteristics of the Blue Silver Emperor. No wonder the control effect of Blue Silver Grass in the early stages isn't weak."
While reading the original work, Shi Quan had always had a doubt: a common Blue Silver Grass with a hundred-year spirit ring was already so strong. Even with an amplification, it shouldn't be that exaggerated.
One should know that even a child can easily tear apart ordinary Blue Silver Grass. If it were replaced by Martial Spirits like vines or ropes, which even ordinary people cannot tear apart in their normal state, wouldn't the control effect be even more exaggerated after these Martial Spirits were affixed with hundred-year spirit rings?
After all, it was Blue Silver Grass with the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline. Although the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline hadn't Awakened, how could it be ordinary Blue Silver Grass?
"An unawakened Blue Silver Emperor isn't a true Blue Silver Emperor. Who will be the Emperor in the future is still uncertain?" Shi Quan's eyes flickered with a faint light, and the Internal Energy in his body circulated, suppressing the trembling Blue Silver Grass.
The battle on the field had already begun.
Xiao Chenyu and Tang San collided, and with a muffled thump, blue and white lights simultaneously lit up.
Looking at Tang San's hands, which were as white as jade.
"Is this Mysterious Jade Hand? Isn't it just a weakened Indestructible Divine Skill?" Shi Quan smiled faintly. The next second, he saw Tang San use the defensive ability of Mysterious Jade Hand to withstand Xiao Chenyu's pounce. With a counter-move, he pulled forward and thrust his body, using a basic Iron Mountain Lean to directly send Xiao Chenyu flying.
Then it was Tang San's turn to show off.
"I have other things to do, no time to play with you. Let's end this. Blue Silver Grass, First Soul Skill:Bind."
As his voice fell, more than ten thick Blue Silver Grasses suddenly surged from beneath Xiao Chenyu's feet without warning, tightly bind his legs.
"Sure enough, it's still Datura Snake and bind." Shi Quan curled his lips. Knowing what he wanted, he was no longer interested in the subsequent developments and turned to walk down the mountain.
He hadn't had lunch yet and planned to go back, eat lunch first, and then return to Cultivate. By then, the people on the back mountain would have mostly dispersed, and no one would disturb him.
After Tang San finished his battle, he still had to go to the Spirit Hall for certification and buy lunch for Master. After a brief word with Xiao Wu, he also hurried down the mountain without stopping.
"Is that Shi Quan?" Tang San looked at the figure walking towards the academy at the foot of the mountain. After an uncertain glance, he didn't think much of it and turned to walk out of the academy.
Soon, the news that the work-study students had won the competition and that Xiao Wu, a first-year work-study student, had become the new boss of the academy spread like thunder among students of all grades.
However, when everyone learned that these two first-year work-study students were an eleventh-level Spirit Master and a twelfth-level Spirit Master, and that both of their spirit rings were hundred-year spirit rings, while they were astonished, they also understood the reason behind it.
At the same time, a wave of discussion arose. After all, Xiao Chenyu, as the city lord's son, only had a ten-year white spirit ring. What kind of background did the two work-study students have to obtain hundred-year spirit rings?
Shi Quan, who was cultivating on the back mountain, knew nothing of these things. He still Cultivated as usual until evening, when he used Nine Shadows Shift to rush back to the dormitory.
However, to Shi Quan's surprise, his roommates, who usually spent almost all their time cultivating, were not cultivating today. Each of them looked aggrieved and somewhat displeased, discussing something. When they saw Shi Quan return, most of the people in the dormitory turned their gazes towards him, as if they had been waiting for him…