Chapter Twenty-Five: A Busy Life of Cultivation

The new disciples of the Shushan Cultivation Academy, including Mingyue, quickly threw themselves into a tense and busy life of cultivation.

Every day at the hour of the rabbit (5:00–7:00 AM), a sharp horn blast would rouse the disciples from their sleep. All students would rush to the training grounds to assemble. Once gathered, they would follow their instructors on a half-hour jog around the field as a warm-up before their practice.

This was followed by two hours of *qi* cultivation. "Cultivating *qi*" involved coordinating basic mental techniques and chants to open the immortal meridians, guiding the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the body to circulate through the vessels and acupoints. This served to refine the body, enhance internal energy, and improve physical function.

Alongside *qi* cultivation came fundamental training. Under the morning light, the disciples would practice the basic techniques of the Shushan school—the introductory arts of cultivation. These included the *qi* exercises, mental chants, and basic forms, such as complex gestures, specific breathing methods, and the regulation of internal energy flow. Mastery of these basics was often the deciding factor in whether a disciple would later be able to fly on a sword. Consequently, everyone practiced with utmost dedication, hoping to build a solid foundation for their future progress.

After *qi* training came the "morning meal" period, lasting half an hour. Once finished, they began an hour of sword training.

Sword training involved using Shushan techniques to channel one's internal energy into the blade, imbuing every strike with spiritual power and intensity. Naturally, sword moves infused with internal energy possessed great lethality; the stronger the internal energy, the more powerful the strike.

It was said that cultivators with sufficient immortal power could harness the forces of heaven and earth to move mountains and drain seas, a single person standing against an army of thousands. However, Shushan explicitly prohibited the use of immortal power against ordinary soldiers or mortals, nor were disciples permitted to intervene in the conflicts of the human world.

Following sword training was a half-hour of live combat practice, held in a designated hall filled with hundreds of life-sized bronze automatons. These statues would mimic human attacks, and the disciples had to do everything in their power to dodge and counter-attack. The training was grueling; the stronger the disciple’s cultivation, the more aggressive the automatons became. By the end of the half-hour, students were usually exhausted, and some even suffered injuries requiring a visit to the school infirmary.

All disciples entering the Shushan Cultivation Academy had already reached the "Mortal Void" stage of the "Void-Piercing Realm." Those with exceptional backgrounds, having received family training from a young age, had often reached the "Spirit Void" stage. In Mingyue’s cohort, she knew of several who had reached this level, including Han Ruge, Mo Yao, Nalan Meidai, Jiang Yiyi, and Mu Xiaotian. To her surprise, Mingyue had also attained the Spirit Void stage; having learned only the basics from her mother, she herself was not entirely sure how she had managed it.

After this came two and a half hours of elective courses, focusing on non-cultivation academic subjects such as medicine, alchemy, calligraphy and painting, tactical formations, chess, and music. Students could choose one or two subjects based on their interests. Popular courses like medicine and alchemy were held daily, while others like calligraphy or formations were held less frequently.

When the cultural classes concluded, it was the hour of the rooster (5:00–7:00 PM). This was the happiest time for the disciples—dinner. Exhausted and famished, they found every meal delicious. While cultivation usually emphasized a light diet or even total fasting, Shushan understood that these novices were not yet capable of abstinence. Thus, the academy provided two meals a day, consisting mainly of rice, noodles, and vegetables, with a small amount of meat.

The hour of the dog (7:00–9:00 PM) was reserved for free time. Disciples could visit the library, practice in the training grounds, or meditate in their dormitories. At the first quarter of the hour of the pig (9:15 PM), a bell would toll, and all disciples would retire to bed.

Beyond this daily routine, the fifteenth day of each month was a rest day. Every three months, the academy would organize a three-day training excursion to the Beast Forest to hunt magical beasts, thereby improving combat and survival skills. Monthly assessments were held to track progress, with the top ten students posted on the academy’s "Dragon and Tiger" leaderboard.

Months passed in a flash. Mingyue had not seen Feng Qingcheng in over half a year; it was rumored that the "Five Immortals of Shushan" had descended into the mortal world for training. She heard news of him from time to time—slaying demons here or practicing there—and his peerless face would often drift into her thoughts. She occasionally thought of the boy named Mu Jiu and felt a desire to inquire about him, but her busy schedule forced her to set the matter aside.

One evening, after a grueling day of training, the cafeteria was bustling.

"Mingyue, you're amazing! You ranked in the top three for all your tests this month," Nangong Yurou said, wiping sweat from her brow. "According to the leaderboard, Han Ruge is first, Mu Xiaotian is second, and you’re third!"

"Since we all passed, the rankings don't matter much," Mingyue said, eating heartily. "I heard we’re getting new teachers next year. Who knows who will be teaching us?"

"The teachers are so strict; I’ve lost so much weight," Dou Ruhua lamented, gnawing on a chicken leg.

"Isn't losing weight a good thing? Do you have to eat like a pig?" Mo Yao rolled her eyes.

"What do you know? My mother says this build is good for childbearing. Look at Mingyue—her waist is so thin, it's not even a handful. How is that healthy?" Dou Ruhua retorted smugly.

Ignoring their bickering, Mingyue felt no less hungry. "It’s just my natural constitution," she said, biting into a steamed bun. "With training this intense, it’s a miracle anyone keeps any weight at all."

"Mingyue, for your electives in medicine, alchemy, and music, who will you have next year?" Nangong Yurou asked.

"I don't know. Do the teachers change for electives too?" Mingyue asked, puzzled.

"Of course! Perhaps the Shushan Five Immortals will take over," Nangong Yurou suggested, her eyes sparkling.

Mingyue’s eyes lit up. "If it’s for the sake of the great Feng, I must study alchemy harder!"

"What kind of ideas do you have about him?" Mo Yao teased.

Mingyue joked, "If I can't be his wife, being his soulmate wouldn't be bad either."

"Dream on," the others scoffed. "He’s known for being detached and uninterested in women."

"A daydream is still a dream," Mingyue laughed, though a pang of longing for Feng Qingcheng tugged at her heart.

"Tomorrow is the fifteenth—a rest day! Let's go shopping in Jinlu City," Nangong Yurou suggested.

Jinlu City, located at the foot of Shushan, was a sprawling, prosperous city built over thousands of years. It served as a hub for trade, housing the world's largest auction centers for alchemical pills, immortal herbs, and weapons. It was a beautiful place of winding mountain paths, wooden architecture, and bustling markets. While it was a massive city with a population of a million, ninety percent of its residents were part of the cultivation world.

"Mingyue, you aren't coming?" Nangong Yurou poked her head.

Mingyue lifted her head from her bowl, looking pained. "I can't. Teacher Wu Buhei gave me a mountain of tasks regarding alchemy, and I have questions I haven't mastered yet. I need to go to the library tomorrow. Please bring me some osmanthus cakes!"

Teacher Wu was notoriously strict, and no disciple dared to neglect his assignments. The others looked at her with sympathy, understanding that she had no choice but to sacrifice her rest day to complete the work.