Chapter 9 Meditation
Looking at Yan’s solemn expression, as if he were announcing a major life event, Jiang Bai almost couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Good grief, has this Simp attribute awakened so early?
How old is he, and he’s already planning for the future? And this warning is a bit too early!
He had no interest in that Love-struck silly fox.
Thus, Jiang Bai didn’t even look up, replying even more perfunctorily, "Got it, got it."
Then he continued to bury his head, focusing on the food in front of him, as if that plate of stewed meat was more attractive than any beautiful woman.
Yan seemed to want to say more, trying hard to find a topic that would interest Jiang Bai.
"Don’t you know? Nana isn’t just good-looking; her talent is also super powerful! On the day her Spirit awakened, she was favored by the Saintess and taken in as a disciple! Don’t you want to..."
He stopped halfway through his sentence, seemingly feeling that words like "curry favor" or "make connections" weren’t quite appropriate, and swallowed them back down.
But the meaning was already clear—Hu Liena had an extraordinary background and a limitless future; didn’t he want to take the chance to get to know her and establish some rapport?
Jiang Bai finally raised his head from his plate, took a sip from his soup bowl, and then looked at Yan with a calm, rippleless gaze, clearly uttering two words.
"Not really."
"..."
Yan was momentarily choked up and speechless. He opened his mouth, looked at Jiang Bai’s completely uninterested face, and blinked, his eyes filled with uncertainty.
He truly found it hard to understand how someone could remain indifferent to such a dazzling figure. Did this roommate really only care about eating?
But looking at Jiang Bai’s expression, it didn’t seem like an act.
Yan scratched his head and finally decided to give up on persuading him.
He sighed, picked up his chopsticks, and began to tackle his own meal, which had already gone somewhat cold, though his gaze still drifted toward the direction of Xie Yue and Hu Liena from time to time.
Jiang Bai was happy for the peace and quiet, finishing his dinner quickly and efficiently.
After finishing his meal, he placed his utensils in the designated recycling area and said to Yan, who was still eating slowly and glancing around, "I’m done eating, I’m heading back to the dormitory first."
"Ah? Oh, okay..." Yan replied somewhat absent-mindedly.
Jiang Bai walked out of the cafeteria alone.
The evening breeze carried a chill, dispersing the heat of the food from the cafeteria.
The warm lights shining from the dormitory windows appeared exceptionally clear in the thickening night.
...
Three days later.
The day for classes to begin had arrived.
The three of them had finished washing up before eight o’clock, changed into their uniform gray academy robes, brought simple paper and pens, and headed to the classroom of the Elementary Department’s Class A.
The classroom was spacious and bright, with wooden desks and chairs neatly arranged; more than a dozen children of similar age were already seated.
The bell rang, and a refined-looking male teacher around forty years old stepped into the classroom.
He wore a teacher’s dark gray robe, his face gentle, yet his eyes revealed a wisdom and clarity gained from years of experience.
"Hello, students. I am your headteacher, Zhang San."
Zhang San’s voice was calm and clear, his gaze slowly sweeping over every face below—some nervous, some curious, some eager to try.
"For the next six years, I will be primarily responsible for teaching your theoretical courses and guiding your basic cultivation. I hope we can spend a meaningful time together."
After a simple self-introduction, Teacher Zhang San skipped any lengthy preamble and got straight to the point.
"As everyone knows, the Foundation of a Spirit Master lies in Soul Power. The accumulation and improvement of Soul Power depend on persistent meditation cultivation."
He stood before the podium, his tone becoming serious and focused.
"In today’s first class, I will teach you a ’Basic Meditation Method’ that has been refined by our Spirit Hall over many years and is suitable for the vast majority of Spirit Masters."
As soon as he said this, the eyes of many students, including Jiang Bai, lit up.
Subsequently, the teacher began to explain the principles of the meditation method in detail.
How to synchronize breathing rhythm with Soul Power fluctuations, how to focus the mind to sense and guide the free Soul Power between heaven and earth, and how to let Soul Power circulate through specific meridian routes for a Full Cycle...
He explained very thoroughly, from the most basic body postures and breathing methods to the essentials of mental focus, and even to the sense of stagnation one might encounter during Soul Power circulation and the preliminary solutions—explaining everything one by one.
The explanation lasted for nearly an hour.
Afterward, Zhang San had all the students try it on the spot, while he stepped down from the podium to patrol between the seats, correcting students who had obvious errors in their state one by one.
When most of the students had basically mastered it, Zhang San returned to the podium and said solemnly.
"This ’Basic Meditation Method’ is the starting point of your path as a Spirit Master. You must practice it diligently; it is indispensable every day. Today is the first and last time I will teach it systematically."
"In the future, if there is anything unclear, you may come to ask during my office hours, but it will not be explained again in class. Cultivation is ultimately a personal matter; understanding and practice depend on yourselves."
After emphasizing the importance of meditation, he briefly introduced the future course schedule.
"Mornings will primarily consist of theoretical courses, including the General History of the Continent, Geography and Humanities, Basic Knowledge of Spirit Beasts, and an Introduction to Spirit Theory."
"Afternoons will be free cultivation time. You may choose to meditate or train on your own in the dormitories, quiet rooms, training grounds, or other places. The academy will occasionally issue simple practical tasks or organize activities, which will be announced in advance."
Jiang Bai was quite satisfied with this arrangement.
The first class ended around noon.
With no other arrangements for the afternoon, it was the perfect time to practice the meditation method.
After quickly having lunch in the cafeteria, Jiang Bai did not return to the dormitory.
Yan seemed to want to drag him to the training grounds to take a look, but Jiang Bai politely declined.
He needed to find a quiet, undisturbed place to properly experience the complete meditation process.
Relying on his familiarity from the past few days, Jiang Bai came to the academy’s back mountain.
There was a relatively isolated area here, with lush trees and a peaceful environment, far from the main teaching and activity areas, where few people usually went.
He sat cross-legged in an open space with his back against a rock and facing the shade of the trees. Here, he could catch some warm sunlight through the gaps in the leaves, yet it was sufficiently secluded.
Adjusting his breathing and clearing his mind, Jiang Bai slowly sank into a meditative state according to the method learned that morning.
Unlike the brief attempt in the classroom earlier, this time he had ample time and a more peaceful environment.
His consciousness gradually turned inward, and his senses seemed to become more acute.
He could clearly sense those free, tiny, spiritually charged points of energy in the air.
That was the Soul Power of heaven and earth.
Under the guidance of his thoughts, these pale cyan light points began to slowly converge toward his body, permeating through his skin, merging into his Meridians, and slowly moving along the specific route outlined by the ’Basic Meditation Method’.
Wherever the Soul Power flowed, it brought a warm and comfortable sensation, as if a dry riverbed were being nourished by a clear spring.
Cultivation knows no time.
When Jiang Bai naturally awoke from his deep meditation, the afterglow of the setting sun had already dyed the forest with a layer of warm gold.
He slowly opened his eyes, a flash of sharp light passing through them before they returned to their clear state.
Carefully sensing the condition within his body, his Soul Power had grown significantly. Although there was still a considerable distance from breaking through to the next level, this tangible sense of progress was delightful.
His Dantian felt warm, his whole body seemed a bit lighter, and his Spirit was exceptionally full.
"According to this speed..."
Jiang Bai calculated inwardly.
With an Innate Soul Power Aptitude of rank nine, in about another two and a half months, he should be able to reach the rank ten Bottleneck.
Rank ten meant he could absorb his first spirit ring, become a true Spirit Master, and unlock his Spirit’s first ability!
Thinking of this, Jiang Bai felt both anticipation and a flicker of hidden worry.