He pulled up his panel and took a look:
[Realm: Qi Cultivation Second Layer (2/100)]
Although he had only gone from just entering the Second Layer to a progress of 2, this was a tangible increase in Cultivation, faster than three days of hard cultivation outside!
’From now on, I’ll cultivate here for three double-hours every day. In about a month, I should see a significant transformation.’
Chu Bai stood up in satisfaction, crushed the Teleportation Talisman in his hand, and his figure instantly vanished from the Blessed Land.
When he returned to Dorm Room D, dusk was approaching.
The moment he pushed the door open, his roommates, who had been chatting idly, immediately gathered around him.
"Brother Chu! You’re finally back!"
Zhou Tong came closer with an envious look, sizing up Chu Bai. "Even though we were eliminated early from the Spirit Realm competition, we saw everything clearly on the viewing screens outside. Especially that last fight... tsk tsk, it got our blood pumping!"
"Yeah!" the burly Jiang Kuo boomed in agreement, his tone tinged with regret. "If I hadn’t had such bad luck and gotten ambushed by a Shadow Beast right at the start, I definitely would have held on to fight alongside Brother Chu until the end. Even if I just helped block some of that Poison Fire, my ranking probably would have shot up quite a bit."
"Give me a break. With your build, blocking Poison Fire would’ve gotten you cooked on the spot."
Chen Shi, who was off to the side "chewing on" an Array Book, chuckled and looked up. "I’m different. I’m not good at fighting, but by sticking with the main group and setting up Arrays from the back, I managed to snag a spot in the top fifty and get a lot of Daoist Merit as a reward. I guess I got lucky."
Their friendly banter made Chu Bai, who had been feeling a bit tense, finally relax.
As they chatted, the topic naturally drifted to another prominent figure from the assessment—Dong Feng.
"Speaking of which, it seems like Dong Feng has changed quite a bit after this."
Jiang Kuo plopped down on the edge of a bed, casually grabbed a Spirit Fruit from the table and took a bite, then said thoughtfully, "I saw him outside the Martial Arts Arena, and the look in his eyes wasn’t so grim. He must have let go of his obsession with competing. That’s a good thing."
"He’s not a bad person, really."
Jiang Kuo swallowed the fruit and continued, "He was like that when we were at Cyan Cloud Academy together. It’s just that back then, he was the big fish in a small pond, with no one to challenge him, so he developed that ’I’m the only one that matters’ personality. Now, facing Brother Chu, he’s finally seen the gap between them. If he can learn from this setback and strive to catch up, his Dao Heart will actually become more stable in the future."
Hearing this, Chu Bai nodded slightly.
’Jiang Kuo seems rough around the edges, but he’s actually very perceptive. Dong Feng isn’t some great villain; he’s just too concerned with his reputation and too eager to prove himself. Now that he’s been thoroughly defeated, he might actually become a true Seeker.’
"Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore."
Chu Bai smiled and waved his hand, looking at his weary-looking roommates. "You’ve been through the assessment, and you’ve seen combat. You must all be exhausted. Let’s get some rest."
Everyone was exhausted that night, and they all slept especially soundly.
「The next morning, the golden crow rose in the east.」
Since it was the rest period after the semi-annual grand assessment, the Daoist School had given the students a three-day break.
Although Chu Bai didn’t have classes, he had just been given the opportunity to cultivate in the Spirit Pavilion and was also tasked by the Dean with patrolling for the Law Net, so he didn’t really have much free time.
’But cultivation is all about finding a balance between work and rest. A little relaxation is necessary.’
After washing up, Chu Bai looked at the others still lazing in bed and announced loudly, "Everyone, wake up! Before the exam, I said I’d treat you all to some Spiritual Cuisine. Since we’re free today, it’s time to make good on that promise."
"Spiritual Cuisine?!"
Jiang Kuo, who had been snoring, shot upright, his eyes wide as saucers. "Brother Chu’s treating? That’s fantastic! In that case, I won’t be polite! Now that Brother Chu is both the Top Scholar and the number one new student, he’s definitely the richest among us!"
"I’m going, I’m going!" Chen Shi scrambled out of bed as well.
Even Zhou Tong, who was usually more reserved, couldn’t help but lick his lips, clearly having craved the expensive Spiritual Cuisine on the dining hall’s second floor for a long time.
「Half a double-hour later, in a private room on the second floor of the dining hall.」
The table was laden with steaming-hot delicacies.
Braised Red-Tailed Fish, Steamed Spirit Bamboo Shoots, Stir-Fried Fire Cloud Chicken... Every dish emanated an alluring fluctuation of Spiritual Qi, a feast for the senses. A pot of fine Cloud Mist Spirit Tea was kept warm on the side.
"Come on, come on, eat to your heart’s content today!"
Chu Bai poured tea for everyone and urged them on generously.
In the past, spending twenty Daoist Merits on a single meal would have made his heart bleed. But now that he was at the Qi Cultivation Second Layer and flush with various rewards, he could afford such an expense.
More importantly, ever since advancing to the Qi Cultivation Second Layer, his [Nourishing and Exquisite] Fate Chart had been operating more frenetically, and his appetite had grown. On a normal day, he would only eat until he was half-full on the dining hall’s first floor to save money. Today was a celebration, so naturally, he had to eat his fill.
"Brother Chu, you’re so generous!"
The others didn’t stand on ceremony, their chopsticks descending like a shower of rain.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, everyone leaned back in their chairs, rubbing their round bellies with satisfied expressions.
Jiang Kuo let out a loud burp and sighed in contentment. "Now this is the life. After a meal like this, I bet even just going back to meditate will raise my Cultivation by a good amount."
They all chatted for a while longer before going their separate ways.
Everyone understood that the assessment was just the beginning; the true path of cultivation was long. After eating and drinking their fill, they ultimately had to return to their bitter training.
Chu Bai saw his roommates off and stood alone at the entrance of the dining hall, gazing at the distant, cloud-shrouded main peak.
’I’ve rested, and I’ve eaten.’
He let the smile fade from his face, his gaze once again becoming calm and resolute.

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