Volume One: Entering the Path Chapter Twenty-Two: Extraordinary Talent

"The beginning of the arcane law is guided by the Way." Not long after this voice sounded, Ye Junze waited for another utterance, but none came. As he pondered whether he had received a false cultivation method, as if his doubts had been sensed, the space before him began to change again. In that dark void, a golden light suddenly appeared, and as it did, Ye Junze involuntarily closed his eyes, unable to react in time. When he finally adjusted, he opened his eyes. The golden light was fading, and as it did, radiant golden characters appeared on the horizon before him. The shimmering script was magnificent, growing in number as the golden glow slowly dissipated.

At last, when the final trace of light vanished, the characters ceased to multiply, as if the full content of the cultivation method had been revealed. Ye Junze steadied himself and gazed upward at the script, discovering that it was arranged in the ancient style of texts—read from right to left—a novelty for him.

He looked closer and read: "Arcane Heavenly Dao Canon. All life begins, the Great Way is its foundation. My Way is rooted in the myriad heavens, refining all paths to support and perfect my own. The body is a furnace, accommodating all paths. When all paths merge and harmonize, one may seize destiny, contend with heaven, and attain the Great Way..."

After Ye Junze finished reading, he was still at a loss as to how to cultivate this so-called Arcane Heavenly Dao Canon. He pondered the words, searching his mind for understanding, when suddenly the script began to change again. All the characters converged, finally condensing into a single golden point of light. Just as Ye Junze wondered what would happen next, the glowing point shot toward him, so swiftly that he had no time to react. Before he could dodge, the light touched his forehead.

Upon contact, the light spread throughout his body, enveloping him entirely in golden radiance. From a distance, he looked like a giant glowing egg, conspicuous in the darkness.

Inside the cocoon of gold, Ye Junze worried about what would happen, when suddenly the cultivation method of the Arcane Heavenly Dao Canon appeared in his mind. He felt the golden radiance was aiding him, facilitating his practice. As he followed the method, the golden light swiftly coursed through the meridians where spiritual energy needed to flow, allowing him to cultivate smoothly. With this assistance, Ye Junze quickly completed the circulation known as a Minor Cycle, as described in the method. Once he succeeded, he felt something new within his dantian. Attempting to look inward, he saw a small pale violet cluster of energy rotating in his dantian. Each turn drew in nearby spiritual energy, as if even without actively cultivating, the cluster would assist his progress, albeit at a slower pace. He set aside his doubts, resolving to contemplate them later that night.

For now, he wondered how to leave this space, but there was no hint as to how. He tried cultivating again, and after another Minor Cycle, the space seemed to respond. A voice sounded: "The Arcane Way endures; this Way is never solitary." As Ye Junze listened intently, the voice finished and the space began to tremble. The darkness fractured, and faint voices echoed in the air, but the turmoil was so severe that Ye Junze could not make out the words.

Thus, as the space broke apart, Ye Junze closed his eyes at the final moment of its dissolution.

...

Although Ye Junze's experience within that space felt lengthy, only half an hour had passed outside.

Ye Junze opened his eyes and looked around, finding himself still in the classroom, sitting peacefully on the meditation mat. Unlike before, there was now a transparent shield covering the mat. The others were similarly shielded, but they still appeared absorbed in cultivation. On the platform, Li Xi, seeing Ye Junze awaken first, was delighted and quickly approached to remove the shield.

Afterwards, Li Xi looked at Ye Junze and asked eagerly, "How was it? Did you find the sense of energy?"

"Sense of energy? What do you mean?" Ye Junze asked, puzzled.

"Oh, right, that's my fault, I wasn't clear. I mean, did you successfully draw spiritual energy into your body?" Li Xi clarified.

"Yes, I did. Just as the method described, I completed a Minor Cycle," Ye Junze replied.

What Li Xi didn’t know was that drawing spiritual energy into his body had long been routine for Ye Junze—he’d easily done it two years ago.

Hearing Ye Junze's calm response, Li Xi was visibly unsettled. Inwardly, he was astonished: "A Minor Cycle? In all these years, the number of people in Anze who can complete a Minor Cycle upon first touching a cultivation method can be counted on one hand." Ecstatic, Li Xi thought, "This is a genius, a true genius! The Dao Arts faculty has struck gold. Next time at the Academy Tournament, this child will be our trump card!"

But Li Xi did not know that Ye Junze not only completed a Minor Cycle, but had also succeeded in forming an energy cluster within half an hour. If he knew, his shock would be far greater, and he might even question whether all his years of cultivation had gone to waste.

Li Xi’s face was still eager as he asked, "Did you feel anything else?"

"If there was anything else, it was that when spiritual energy entered my body, I felt completely clear—like all impurities were being expelled," Ye Junze answered truthfully.

"That’s normal. The initial stage of cultivation improves the body, refines muscles and cleanses marrow," Li Xi replied.

Ye Junze glanced around and asked, "Teacher, why haven’t the other students awakened yet?"

"Each person’s talent is different, so their grasp of the cultivation method varies. From what I know, those who can complete a Minor Cycle upon first contact are rare—truly deserving the title of genius," Li Xi praised.

Ye Junze scratched his head, embarrassed. "Teacher, you flatter me."

"No, no, I speak only the truth. With your talent, you are among the few in Anze’s history. Those people indeed later proved to have extraordinary gifts for cultivation."

"Oh? Could you tell me about them?" Ye Junze asked.

"Of course," Li Xi replied without the slightest impatience.

So, the two conversed about cultivation, waiting for the others to awaken.