One had to admit, the great families had their ways. Jiang Yue's predictions about Zhong Ming's behavior had been largely correct.
The `Mind Reading` trait, an extension of his love for `Reading`, did more than just allow Zhong Ming to perceive the `Dragon Flood Dragon Rhyme`.
His years of `Reading` had also broadened his mind and given him unique insights.
As he prepared to begin his `Cultivation` by the stream, Zhong Ming suddenly realized something.
"Is the Longxi Breathing Technique really only related to the stream and the spring?"
Had he not perceived the `Dragon Flood Dragon Rhyme`, Zhong Ming might not have thought any more of it.
But after perceiving it, he felt that what his Eldest Sister had said wasn't entirely correct.
'My Eldest Sister might be hiding something, or perhaps there's another reason she didn't tell me everything. In any case, the Longxi Breathing Technique shouldn't be centered on the stream, but on the dragon. This dragon could be a `True Dragon`, or it could be the lay of the land—the flow of the earth's veins, mountains, and rivers.'
'So, the best way for me to cultivate isn't to linger by the spring, watching the water flow. It's to find a high vantage point and observe the entire layout of `Longxi Mountain`...'
With this in mind, he began to wander around `Longxi Mountain`, searching for a spot from which he could see the lay of the mountain's earth veins.
The spot wasn't easy to find. He wandered for over an hour without finding a place that felt right.
What Zhong Ming didn't expect, however, was that while he failed to find his desired location, a man and a woman intercepted him on the path.
"`Zhong`, you're being a fool."
The moment they met, the young man named `Lu Mingfeng` spoke to `Zhong Ming`, his face a mask of deep disappointment.
His attitude and words left `Zhong Ming` stunned.
"What do you mean?"
`Lu Mingfeng` didn't keep him guessing for long, quickly explaining the reason for `Zhong Ming`'s 'foolishness'.
"An invitation from `Young Master Jiang Yue`... you shouldn't have missed such a great opportunity."
After him, the rather attractive young woman chimed in.
"Exactly. Never mind that `Cultivation` by the spring would speed up your progress. For one thing alone, you shouldn't have refused `Young Master Jiang Yue`'s goodwill... If you build a good relationship with him, and you fail to achieve a `B Class` rating, `Young Master Jiang Yue` could help you out. You wouldn't have to go straight to the `Demon Suppression Bureau` to fight `Demonic Fiend`s..."
They said a lot, but the gist was that `Zhong Ming` shouldn't have missed this chance—a chance that could save his life.
To make `Zhong Ming` understand the gravity of the situation, they even told him the mortality rate at the `Demon Suppression Bureau`.
"My uncle serves in the `Demon Suppression Bureau`, `Zhong`. Do you have any idea how high the mortality rate is there?"
"For those of us who enter the `Demon Suppression Bureau` with `C Class` or `D Class` ratings, the mortality rate in the first month alone is thirty percent!"
"In the second month, it's twenty percent."
"Only after three months in the `Demon Suppression Bureau` does the rate start to look better. But even then, after a full year, if three out of ten people survive, that's considered a good outcome!"
"Compare that to those with `A and B Ratings`. Because they get to cultivate for longer and are more powerful, their chance of dying in the first year is only one in ten!"
"As for their followers, because they get to stay and cultivate within the sect and have the support of those with `A and B Ratings`, their mortality rate is only two or three out of ten."
For someone with the same rating, becoming the follower of a powerful `Cultivator` did indeed increase one's chances of survival.
But from `Lu Mingfeng`'s words, `Zhong Ming` also understood why the `Seven Profound Sect` allowed those with `A and B Ratings` to recruit followers.
'It's an insurance policy for the geniuses. The sect is letting its elites use those with `C` and `D` ratings as shields...'
At that moment, `Zhong Ming` truly felt the preferential treatment the `Cultivation Realm` gave to geniuses, and even more so, the sect's harshness toward ordinary `Cultivator`s.
And this only strengthened his resolve.
'No matter what, I have to get a `B-level Rating` in the hundred-day assessment.'
'Only then can I truly be considered a `Cultivator`, not just cannon fodder.'
While `Zhong Ming` was lost in his thoughts, `Lu Mingfeng` continued to lecture him on how wrong he was.
Then, the two of them offered to accompany him to apologize to `Jiang Yue`.
Hearing this, `Zhong Ming` finally understood their true intentions.
"You want to become `Jiang Yue`'s followers, don't you? Persuading me to go is just an excuse to get close to him."
"Er..."
`Zhong Ming`'s blunt words made `Lu Mingfeng` smile awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
Paying it no mind, `Zhong Ming` just shook his head and said calmly, "Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think I did anything wrong, and I have no intention of becoming anyone's follower. So, goodbye."
"If you want to follow `Jiang Yue`, you can go by yourselves."
With that said, `Zhong Ming` resumed his search for the spot he was looking for.
Listening to his words and watching his retreating figure, both `Lu Mingfeng` and `Xia He` looked utterly astonished.
`Xia He`: "He actually refused? Why? Didn't we tell him about the mortality rate in the `Demon Suppression Bureau`? Isn't he afraid of death?"
`Xia He` didn't understand, but `Lu Mingfeng` managed to guess at the reason from `Zhong Ming`'s attitude.
"If I'm not mistaken, `Zhong Ming` hasn't given up hope... He thinks he can advance to the initial stage of `Qi Cultivation` within eighteen days. With a thought like that, of course he'd refuse `Young Master Jiang Yue`'s goodwill."
Before he could finish, `Lu Mingfeng`'s expression soured. "Arrogant, foolish, and completely overestimating himself! Who does he think he is? For us `Lower-class Youth`, even a second-grade `Spiritual Root` isn't a guaranteed `B Class` rating. A third-grade `Spiritual Root`? That would require a mountain of resources."
"A third-grade `Spiritual Root` from a `Lower-class Youth`... what right does he have to be so confident?"
`Lu Mingfeng` thought `Zhong Ming` was an idiot, and `Xia He` didn't believe he could succeed either.
"So, should we wait until `Zhong Ming` loses all hope before we try to persuade him again?"
`Lu Mingfeng`: "It'll be far too late by then. Countless people want to pledge themselves to `Young Master Jiang Yue`. The fact that he was willing to give `Zhong Ming` one chance was already an immense kindness. There's no way he'd be so generous as to offer another one."
"Sigh... In a few days, `Zhong Ming` will find out exactly what he's missed out on."
...
Since he didn't think `Zhong Ming` had any chance of getting a `B Class` rating, `Lu Mingfeng` was certain he would come to regret his decision.
`Zhong Ming`, however, was oblivious to all this and had no mind to care.
After shaking off the pair, he continued his wandering on `Longxi Peak`.
Another hour later, he finally found a spot on the mountainside that he was very satisfied with.
From here, `Zhong Ming` could see the entire stream. At the same time, combined with the unique terrain, he felt an inexplicable sense that the `Flowing` stream looked like a dormant `Flood Dragon`.
"This is the `Mental Realm` I was looking for..."
Murmuring this, `Zhong Ming` first opened his eyes, imprinting the course of the mountain stream into his mind.
Then, he closed his eyes and began to circulate the Longxi Breathing Technique.
WHOOSH...
Unlike before, the stream `Zhong Ming` visualized this time wasn't vague and empty. It was the complete stream that flowed through `Longxi Peak`.
What was more different was that as the stream began to flow, `Zhong Ming` immediately began to visualize it in the form of the `Dragon Flood Dragon`.
ROAR!
To `Zhong Ming`'s surprise, this visualization actually triggered the fragmented `Dragon Flood Dragon Rhyme`.
Its vibration made the `Longxi` stream `Zhong Ming` visualized no longer just an empty shape. It now had a backbone, and even a faint wisp of `Divine Intent`.
This `Divine Intent` also brought about a tremendous change in `Zhong Ming`'s `Cultivation` this time.
ROAR!
At this moment, he felt the phantom of a `Flood Dragon`, shaking its head and wagging its tail, `Flowing` through his body.
Though the `Flood Dragon`'s form was illusory, it was utterly tyrannical.
The various obstructions the 'stream' had encountered while `Flowing` through `Zhong Ming`'s body were nonexistent to the `Flood Dragon`'s phantom.
BAM!
With savage force, it smashed all those 'heavy obstructions' to pieces.
What delighted `Zhong Ming` even more was that the `Flood Dragon` phantom carried with it a domineering, sovereign `Thought`.
This `Thought` firmly seized the `Spiritual Qi` that `Zhong Ming` drew into his body with each breath.
In his previous `Cultivation` session, `Zhong Ming` had let the stream circulate through his body once. In the end, most of the `Spiritual Qi` had dissipated, with only one or two-tenths of it rushing into his `Qi Sea Acupoint` to nourish it.
But now, thanks to the `Flood Dragon` phantom's dominance, a full seventy percent of the `Spiritual Qi` was swept along by it and surged into `Zhong Ming`'s `Qi Sea Acupoint`, nourishing the point.
This scene left `Zhong Ming` utterly astonished.
'Hiss... An increase of five to seven times? Is the effect of visualizing the stream as a `Flood Dragon` really this powerful?'
He had barely formed the thought before he shook his head and dismissed it.
'No, that's not right. The fundamental reason my `Cultivation` was so effective this time is my fragmented `Flood Dragon` `True Intent`.'
'Its existence is what gave my visualized `Flood Dragon` a backbone and a `Spirit`. That's why my `Cultivation` was so powerful this time.'
'...Using `Mind Reading` back then was the right call!'