The next morning, the inner courtyard trainees gathered at the Teacher's Hall.
The hall itself was large and quiet, supported by thick wooden pillars engraved with faded patterns. A faint smell of incense lingered in the air while thin streams of spiritual qi drifted naturally through the room.
Ten youths sat in silence.
No one spoke much.
Compared to yesterday, everyone seemed far more restrained.
This was no longer a test.
Training had officially begun.
Lin Sheng sat near the middle of the hall while quietly observing the others.
The cold girl remained seated at the corner with her eyes closed, completely ignoring everyone around her.
The merchant-looking youth still wore his usual smile, though his gaze occasionally swept through the room as if evaluating everyone again.
Lin Shou was also present.
Compared to before, the exhaustion on his face had lessened slightly, but his expression remained gloomy.
The atmosphere inside the hall was strangely tense.
Everyone here possessed Grade-A talent.
That alone was enough to create invisible pressure.
No one wished to fall behind.
After several minutes of waiting, footsteps echoed outside the hall.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
A middle-aged man entered calmly.
He wore gray robes embroidered with dark gold patterns around the sleeves. His posture was upright, and his sharp eyes carried a faint oppressive pressure.
The room immediately quieted further.
The man walked toward the front before sitting down on the mentor's chair.
His gaze swept across the room briefly.
"You may call me Mentor Gu."
His voice was calm but carried authority.
"I will temporarily oversee your foundational training."
No one dared speak casually.
Lin Sheng quietly observed him.
The chip immediately responded.
[Ding…]
[Threat Assessment: High.]
[Estimated combat capability exceeds current host by overwhelming margin.]
Lin Sheng remained calm.
At this stage, nearly every true martial cultivator could crush him easily.
Mentor Gu folded his hands behind his back and slowly began speaking.
"I'm sure most of you are already familiar with cultivation."
"It is the process of breaking through one's natural limits to reach a higher level of existence."
He paused slightly before continuing.
"The Martial Dao follows the same principle."
"The Acquired Realm."
"The Innate Realm."
"And the higher realms beyond."
Several trainees unconsciously straightened their backs.
Even hearing the names of those realms stirred excitement within them.
Mentor Gu's gaze remained indifferent.
"The Acquired Realm is what you all currently aim to enter."
"It is divided into what martial artists commonly refer to as Third Rate, Second Rate, and First Rate."
"The Third Rate stage focuses on four steps."
"Sensing Internal Energy."
"Generating Internal Energy."
"Guiding Internal Energy."
"And accumulating Internal Energy."
Lin Sheng listened carefully.
Although Old Liang had already explained much of this, hearing another perspective still held value.
Mentor Gu continued.
"And before any of you ask…"
"Yes."
"Internal Energy is formed through the condensation of your Qi and Blood."
The moment those words fell, several expressions changed slightly.
"The stronger your Qi-Blood foundation, the easier it becomes to generate Internal Energy."
"Likewise, your root bone quality affects the speed at which you sense and generate Internal Energy."
"Meanwhile, bone structure determines your endurance and accumulation capacity."
His eyes swept through the hall.
"For example…"
"A person with poor root bone may struggle to sense Internal Energy for months."
"But someone with excellent root bone may sense it within days."
"Likewise, someone with weak bone structure may only cultivate briefly before exhaustion sets in."
"While those with superior bone structure can endure far greater strain."
Lin Sheng silently compared the explanation with the chip's earlier deductions.
The conclusions matched almost perfectly.
Root bone affected Internal Energy generation efficiency.
Bone structure affected cultivation load capacity.
It resembled the difference between fuel production and storage tolerance.
Mentor Gu's expression suddenly became serious.
"However…"
"Not all of you are qualified to immediately begin cultivation."
The atmosphere instantly stiffened.
"People with Qi-Blood deficiency should first focus on nourishment before attempting Internal Energy generation."
"If your body lacks sufficient Qi-Blood and you forcibly condense Internal Energy…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"You may cripple yourselves."
"Or worse."
Several trainees visibly paled.
One boy subconsciously swallowed hard.
Another lowered his head nervously.
Lin Sheng noticed that some of them indeed looked physically weaker than the others.
Their skin lacked vitality.
Their breathing was uneven.
Most likely, they came from poorer families that struggled to maintain proper nutrition.
Martial cultivation consumed enormous bodily resources.
Without sufficient nourishment, forcing cultivation was practically self-destruction.
Mentor Gu calmly continued.
"Of course, the Lin Family has already prepared for this issue."
"You will each receive one bowl of Essence Nourishing Soup every day."
"It is specifically designed to replenish Qi-Blood and strengthen the body."
Then, unexpectedly, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Though if any of you possess Spirit Stone fragments…"
"You may always purchase additional servings."
Several trainees immediately exchanged looks.
The merchant youth seemed especially calm after hearing this.
Clearly, money was not a concern for him.
Meanwhile, a few others showed helpless expressions.
Even within the same training center, the difference in background still mattered greatly.
Mentor Gu ignored their reactions.
"As for your breathing exercises…"
"They have already been delivered to your rooms."
"You may begin practicing tonight."
"If you encounter problems regarding the breathing methods, you may ask tomorrow."
The moment he finished speaking, he stood up immediately.
No further explanation.
No encouragement.
No comforting words.
He simply walked out of the hall.
The trainees sat there for several seconds in silence before gradually standing up.
Someone muttered softly.
"That's it?"
Another snorted quietly.
"What else did you expect?"
Lin Sheng stood calmly and followed the crowd outside.
The training center servants were already directing people toward another building.
The Essence Nourishing Soup was being distributed there.
As they walked, conversations gradually began appearing among the trainees.
"So cultivation really consumes Qi-Blood…"
"No wonder martial artists eat so much."
"I heard some powerful martial cultivators can eat an entire demon beast in one sitting."
"That has to be exaggerated…"
"Not necessarily."
Lin Sheng listened quietly without joining the discussions.
Soon, they arrived at a large dining hall.
The smell hit them almost instantly.
A rich medicinal fragrance filled the air.
Several large black cauldrons sat near the center of the hall while steam continuously rose from them.
Servants moved around carefully carrying bowls.
The medicinal scent alone made several people instinctively swallow.
Even Lin Sheng felt his stomach react slightly.
The chip quickly analyzed the air composition.
[Ding…]
[Detected high-density nutritional compounds.]
[Detected mild blood vitality stimulants.]
[Detected low spiritual energy content.]
One by one, the trainees stepped forward to receive their bowls.
When Lin Sheng finally accepted his own bowl, he immediately felt warmth spreading through his palms.
The soup itself was dark red in color.
Several pieces of unknown meat floated inside together with medicinal herbs.
Steam continuously rose from its surface.
The smell was surprisingly pleasant.
Lin Sheng sat down quietly before taking a sip.
The moment the soup entered his stomach, warmth spread rapidly throughout his body.
His muscles relaxed slightly.
Even his blood circulation seemed to accelerate.
'Not bad.'
Compared to ordinary food, this was several levels higher.
The others clearly noticed the effects as well.
Some immediately began drinking faster.
Others carefully savored every mouthful.
The merchant-looking youth casually ordered an additional bowl without hesitation.
Several people looked at him with envy.
One extra bowl alone probably cost more than what ordinary families earned in weeks.
Lin Sheng remained calm while finishing his own serving slowly.
The chip continuously analyzed the medicinal composition.
[Ding…]
[Approximate effects detected.]
[Improves blood vitality.]
[Enhances body nourishment.]
[Minor assistance toward Internal Energy generation.]
So this was one of the foundations of martial cultivation.
Without resources like these, ordinary people would struggle greatly.
At that moment, someone suddenly sat across from him.
Lin Sheng looked up slightly.
It was Lin Shou.
Compared to earlier, the boy's expression seemed calmer.
"You're Lin Sheng, right?"
Lin Sheng nodded.
Lin Shou hesitated briefly before speaking again.
"You were one of the first to climb the Wind Feather Eagle yesterday."
"So were you."
Lin Sheng replied calmly.
For a moment, silence lingered between them.
Then Lin Shou laughed bitterly.
"To be honest…"
"I almost didn't come."
Lin Sheng looked at him quietly.
Lin Shou lowered his head slightly while staring at the soup.
"After the spiritual root test…"
"After everything with Su Yun…"
He clenched his fists lightly.
"I felt like my entire future disappeared."
His voice carried obvious unwillingness.
"But then…"
He exhaled slowly.
"I realized that if I gave up now, I'd truly become worthless."
Lin Sheng remained silent for a moment.
Then he spoke calmly.
"The Martial Dao may not grant immortality."
"But it still grants power."
Lin Shou looked up slightly.
Lin Sheng continued.
"And power means choices."
Those words caused Lin Shou to pause.
For the first time in days, a faint light seemed to return to his eyes.
"…You're right."
Before either could continue speaking, the merchant-looking youth suddenly approached with his bowl.
"Mind if I sit?"
Without waiting for an answer, he casually sat beside them.
He smiled warmly.
"Since we'll be cultivating together for a long time, we should at least know each other's names."
"Zhao Wuyun."
He pointed toward himself proudly.
"My family manages several businesses in Cloud Mist Market."
Lin Shou nodded awkwardly.
"Lin Shou."
Lin Sheng simply replied calmly.
"Lin Sheng."
Zhao Wuyun smiled.
"To be honest, I'm surprised."
"Most people here are too guarded."
"Well…" he shrugged slightly, "understandably so."
Lin Shou frowned slightly.
"You're really trying hard to make friends."
Zhao Wuyun laughed.
"Not friends."
"Connections."
His honesty actually startled them slightly.
"I'm not talented enough to dominate everyone alone someday."
"So naturally, building relationships early is better."
He casually drank another mouthful of soup.
"My father always says…"
"In this world, lone wolves either become kings or corpses."
"I'd rather not gamble on becoming a corpse."
Lin Sheng silently observed him.
This Zhao Feng was interesting.
Arrogant.
Practical.
And surprisingly honest when necessary.
At that moment, the cold girl from earlier walked past them carrying her empty bowl.
Zhao Wuyunimmediately smiled.
"Junior Sister, would you like to join us?"
The girl stopped briefly.
Then she glanced at him coldly.
"No."
One word.
Nothing more.
She turned and left immediately.
Zhao Wuyun's smile twitched slightly again.
Lin Shou almost laughed.
Even Lin Sheng felt slightly amused.
Zhao Feng sighed dramatically.
"She really has no interest in talking."
"You should be grateful she answered at all," Lin Sheng replied calmly.
Lin Shou finally chuckled softly.
For the first time since arriving, the atmosphere between them relaxed slightly.
Outside the hall, snow slowly began falling over Cloud Mist Market.