Inside the Academy:
The atmosphere in the classroom was unusually heavy. Every student of the current batch sat at their desk, wearing expressions of deep seriousness. Among them, one figure glared resentfully in Wang Ming's direction. However, Wang Ming, fully aware of the hostility directed at him, simply ignored it, as if it weren't worth his time.
At that moment, the door opened, and a figure in grey and white robes stepped into the room.
Deputy Academy Elder Wang Kai had arrived.
At once, the students rose from their seats and bowed respectfully, including the three most gifted of them, the rare third-grade talents. Elder Wang Kai nodded, waving his hand in a brief gesture of acceptance before walking to the front of the class.
Originally, the academy had intended to assign a regular teacher to this new batch, just as they had done for countless years. But after the clash that took place yesterday and the extraordinary potential shown in the talent awakening by the three disciples , the higher-ups made a rare decision ,an Elder would personally guide them.
Wang Kai's gaze swept across the class and briefly paused on Wang Ming. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes before he shifted his gaze away, pretending it never happened.
Then, he began his first lecture.
"The path of a Formation Master begins with absorbing nature's energy into the body and tempering oneself. This preliminary phase isn't officially considered a rank, but everyone must pass through it. It is known as the Zeroth Level Formation Apprentice," he explained, his voice calm and clear.
"Once one fills the first layer of their Sea of Consciousness, they reach the First Level Formation Apprentice, which is further divided into the early, middle, late, and peak stages. At this stage, one may learn up to two formations. In order to advance to the Second Level, you must master two formations."
He paced slowly as he continued, "This progression mastering formations to ascend continues until the Fourth Level Formation Apprentice. Only then can one pursue the Fifth Level, where one begins to plant the seeds of Dao."
He paused, letting the weight of those words settle.
"The path of a Formation Apprentice requires both spiritual energy and formation comprehension. But the real hurdle lies in engraving formations into the Sea of Consciousness. While spiritual energy can be gathered in various ways, understanding and internalizing formations is where most fail. Even those with great talent struggle."
His voice grew slightly deeper, more intense.
"There are levels of comprehension of formations: Entry, Proficient, Mastery, Great Mastery, Perfection, and finally, the legendary Dao Fusion Stage. Your grasp of formations will determine how powerful they are even within the same rank. In rare cases, someone with a high level of comprehension can even defeat those at a higher cultivation stage."
He paused again, then added, "When you all reach the Zeroth Stage, the academy will grant each of you a formation. How far you take it… depends on you."
Just then, a girl timidly raised her hand. Her voice trembled slightly with respect and nerves.
"Elder, what is the use of talent?"
The class fell silent.
Wang Kai looked at her and nodded slightly before replying, "Talent helps with both absorption and comprehension, but its effect on comprehension is limited. Talent will aid you significantly only up to one rank below its level. For example, a Rank Two Talent will help immensely only until the Peak of Rank One Formation Apprentice. After that… your success will rely solely on your own will and understanding."
He looked around the class and added, "Also, the academy will provide each of you with 100 spiritual stones every month, free of charge."
The girl sat down, seeming relieved.
Then, Wang Shui stood up respectfully and asked,
"Elder, what comes after the Rank Five Apprentice stage?"
The room, once again, turned quiet. Everyone's attention focused on the Elder. Even those previously uninterested now looked up with curiosity.
Surprisingly, Wang Kai's expression softened a little. His tone became slightly warmer an uncommon treatment, likely due to Wang Shui's rare talent.
"After Rank Five comes the realm of true Formation Masters," he began. "To mortals, we Formation Apprentices seem like lofty figures, wielding unimaginable power. But in truth, we haven't even stepped onto the true path of cultivation. In the eyes of real Formation Masters… we are clowns."
A trace of bitterness passed through his eyes.
"A single true Formation Master can annihilate hundreds of Rank Five Apprentices with ease. In our clan, only our ancestor reached that realm. It was he who founded our clan."
A heavy silence hung in the air for a moment before he exhaled softly.
"Well, that's enough for today. Tomorrow, I will teach you our clan's absorption techniques."
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the class.