Cultivation is just so scientific!

Chapter 114: Chapter 103 Intermediate

Li Shiming didn’t say anything; he bowed and waited.

“Alright, if you want to test, then test. Cast the ‘Spring Breeze and Rain Skill’!” Master Cheng said with a wave of his hand, sounding resigned.

In his eyes, Li Shiming was like those disciples who lacked patience, eager to attempt the assessment after achieving a little success.

As someone in charge of gatekeeping for the sect, how could he casually allow cultivators to pass the assessment?

A Junior Spirit Plant Cultivator who hadn’t reached a certain level was simply incapable of mastering the spells of an Intermediate Spirit Plant Cultivator. If that were to happen, wouldn’t he, the assessor, be the one to lose face?

Li Shiming drew the magic runes in the void with his fingers, the ones he had practiced numerous times. In less than the time of a breath, he had completed the runes, a speed that made Master Cheng sit up straight and look at him with appreciation in his eyes.

Just by the speed of casting, it was clear how well Li Shiming had mastered the ‘Spring Breeze and Rain Skill’. There were no shortcuts here; it was all through relentless practice.

Of course, talent was extremely important. A Spirit Plant Cultivator with strong innate talent for the cultivation of plants would progress faster, one practice equaling ten for those less gifted.

The dark clouds that covered almost the entire sky above the great hall within a range of over three hundred square meters dissipated with a mere wave of Master Cheng’s hand.

Leaving Xun Peak with a smile on his face, Li Shiming now had the status of an Intermediate Spirit Plant Cultivator on his Identity Jade Disc.

Upon becoming an Intermediate Spirit Plant Cultivator, Xun Peak had another reward: the opportunity to acquire the Intermediate Advanced Basic Magic for Spirit Plant Cultivators for free.

There was only the ‘Spring Breeze and Rain Skill’ for the Intermediate Advanced Basic Magic, and the rest of the spells for Intermediate Spirit Plant Cultivators still required exchange with good deeds.

This was already a great deal, and Li Shiming, who didn’t have many good deeds to his name, didn’t even know if he had enough to exchange for one advanced spell.

He flew towards the Hidden Technique Pavilion on Central Peak with a very good mood. When he saw the pavilion, he wondered when he would be able to freely select cultivation techniques from inside.

With unrealistic fantasies, he entered the Hidden Technique Pavilion and immediately saw a familiar face, Senior Brother Liu.

“Give me your identity jade disc. What cultivation technique do you wish to take?” Senior Brother Liu asked indifferently.

“Senior Brother Liu, we meet again!” greeted Li Shiming warmly.

“Who are you? Don’t get familiar with me. Hand over the identity jade disc if you want a cultivation technique, otherwise leave!” Senior Brother Liu replied without even glancing up.

Li Shiming’s smile froze, and he helplessly took out the five Spirit Stones that he had prepared in advance from his storage bag and extended his hand.

Senior Brother Liu seemed to move his hand unwittingly and took the five Spirit Stones from him.

“Yo, isn’t this Junior Li? I was wondering why the voice sounded so familiar!” Senior Brother Liu’s attitude changed instantly, smiling as he spoke to Li Shiming.

“Still, I must bother Senior Brother Liu. Here’s my identity jade disc. I’ve come to receive the advanced ‘Spring Breeze and Rain Skill’ cultivation technique!” said Li Shiming as he handed over his identity jade disc.

A few Spirit Stones could get you better service, especially since Senior Brother Liu was someone who would actually get things done upon receiving the stones.

Last time when he came to retrieve a cultivation technique, Senior Brother Liu had indeed helped him a lot, providing excellent advice, worth the Spirit Stones spent.

“I tell you, Junior Li, you’re used to freeloading, isn’t the sect struggling? You’re always taking free cultivation techniques and spells from the sect,” Senior Brother Liu said while making strange remarks, but his hands moved quickly, and he started copying the advanced ‘Spring Breeze and Rain Skill’ cultivation technique onto a new Jade Scroll for Li Shiming.

“Senior Brother Liu, you make it sound like I have a choice. I’m still new here, where would I get any good deeds?” Li Shiming replied with a laugh.

“When you passed the Junior Spirit Plant Cultivator assessment, you could have learned the ‘Geng Metal Skill’ and ‘Spirit Soil Technique’ for free. Do you want to catch up on those as well?” Senior Brother Liu felt he owed Li Shiming for the Spirit Stones paid and suggested after a thought.

“No need, I already know both ‘Geng Metal Skill’ and ‘Spirit Soil Technique’!” said Li Shiming, hearing about this for the first time, and shook his head.

Actually, after entering the sect, cultivators who want to become Spirit Plant Cultivators would not start by learning the ‘Geng Metal Skill’ or ‘Spirit Soil Technique,’ but would first purchase a copy of the ‘Spring Breeze and Rain Skill.’

Only after mastering the basics of the ‘Spring Breeze and Rain Skill’ can one be considered to have the qualifications of a Spirit Plant Cultivator.

Of course, this is not to say that all Spirit Plant Cultivators can master the ‘Geng Metal Skill’ and ‘Spirit Soil Technique’ after learning the ‘Spring Breeze and Rain Skill.’

Although the sect’s ‘Geng Metal Skill’ and ‘Spirit Soil Technique’ are imbued with mature true meanings and are relatively easier to learn, there are still many Spirit Plant Cultivators who cannot learn everything.

Such Spirit Plant Cultivators can only ever remain Junior Spirit Plant Cultivators, and even when planting spirit fields, they need to cooperate with other Spirit Plant Cultivators who have mastered the ‘Geng Metal Skill’ and ‘Spirit Soil Technique.’

At that moment, Li Shiming thought of something. If he could pass the Basic-level Array Master assessment, would he also be entitled to free knowledge learning?

“Senior Brother Liu, which peak is the Basic-level Array Master examination held on? If I pass, will I get any free cultivation techniques?” he asked upon thinking of it, as this involved spending spirit stones.

The Senior Brother Liu from the Book Collection Pavilion was indeed like an encyclopedia.

“You’ve studied formations too? The Basic-level Array Master examination is held at the Spirit Mechanism Pavilion on Dui Peak. After passing, you can create arrays for the sect, earning frighteningly high income, which makes it easy to accumulate enough good deeds to exchange for more formation knowledge.

If you can become a Basic-level Array Master, then why bother learning to be an Intermediate Spirit Plant Cultivator!” Senior Brother Liu clearly didn’t believe Li Shiming had the talent of an Array Master, but he still answered very professionally.

“No wonder Yin Shilan is so wealthy; it turns out that Array Masters are the ones with the most lucrative prospects!” Li Shiming’s eyes brightened as he thought to himself.

“I’m sorry, Master Cheng, I’m afraid I can’t continue on the path of a Spirit Plant Cultivator; I shall embark on the greater path of an Array Master!” His thoughts whirled, and he was shocked by the news from Senior Brother Liu.

Of course, he still had to study advanced techniques, which were free. Besides, even if he didn’t make a career out of being a Spirit Plant Cultivator, he would still have to learn more for his own planting, as the effects of spells from an Intermediate Spirit Plant Cultivator are incomparable to those of a Junior.

“The ‘Spring Breeze and Rain Skill’ advances to the ‘Spring Breeze Nourishing Technique.’ The jade scroll has a preservation period of one month; don’t leave the sect’s grounds during this period!” Senior Brother Liu handed the jade scroll to Li Shiming in a procedural manner and instructed him.

“Of course, it doesn’t matter if it’s within the sect’s sea domain; the ‘Spring Breeze Nourishing Technique’ is a general spell, with the true meaning of our sect having some unique features!” he said in a lowered voice.

“Thank you, Senior Brother Liu!” Li Shiming took the jade scroll.

Having left the Hidden Technique Pavilion, he immediately rushed towards Dui Peak.

On the paper crane, he applied for the Array Master examination at the Spirit Mechanism Pavilion on Dui Peak using his Identity Jade Disc.

As he approached Dui Peak, he received approval for the examination.

No matter which auxiliary cultivation profession it was, there were not many people taking the examination ordinarily, not to mention Array Masters, which had the fewest numbers, so the examinations were on a come-and-go basis.

His application was just for the qualification to enter Dui Peak; as the paper crane neared Dui Peak, the formation there allowed him entry.

Beyond the Sect Protection Array, each of the nine peaks has its own large array, and the nine Peak Protection Arrays combined form the Sect Protection Array. The more Li Shiming observed, the more complex he realized it was.

He stopped his study of the formation, as the complexity of the large array only increased, and he felt that even the IBMz15 would have to run at full capacity to calculate such a complex array, which would require all nine ghost shadows to drive perpetual motion generators.

The IBMz15 could calculate such a complex array, but Li Shiming’s own brain was a bit overwhelmed, even just assisting made him feel that his brain couldn’t handle such complex calculations.

With his level, studying the Sect Protection Array was a bit difficult.

Of course, no Array Master would do what he did, forcibly analyzing and calculating upon seeing an array through the fluctuations of Spiritual Power, because Array Masters don’t have that kind of capability.

The computational load required was enough to drive any Array Master insane.