The next few weeks flew by, with me training as best as I could. My magic carp continually swam along the river, doing his best to go against the powerful currents and climb the waterfall, but unfortunately he couldn't. Not now, anyway.
It was understandable. In his current form, even if I had a Hidden Machine that could teach him a move to climb waterfalls, he wouldn't be able to learn it anyway. Much less making him swim against the waterfall everyday.
But it was undeniable that the training was helping. Nourished by the rich qi in the moist air, created as the waterfall crashed down on the rocks below, my magic carp was able to strengthen his body. Everyday, he got a centimeter further upward as he pushed against the flow. It wasn't much, but it was still slow and steady progress. Not bad at all.
I also benefited a lot from the training. At Su Yan's suggestion, I trained under the waterfall, forcing my body to endure the tremendous weight of water that crashed down upon me from above. Taking up a horse stance, I crouched under the waterfall and endured the devastating weight of water falling from hundreds of meters up high, tempering my body and purifying my qi. I also opened up my senses, allowing my Heavenly Flow and Earthly Paths to continually perceive the rush of qi around me, the current of water-element qi, to get used to the violence and elemental force of nature at its deadliest.
Thanks to my efforts, I was finally able to breakthrough to the Heaven realm. Right now, I was only at the first level of Heaven realm, but already I could feel a world of difference from when I was at Earth realm.
Even more than the difference between levels (such as level 8 and level 9), the jump between different realms was far more vast and pronounced. Perhaps a level 9 Earth realm practitioner would only be a degree stronger than a level 8 Earth realm cultivator, but a level 1 Heaven realm practitioner was many times stronger than a level 9 Earth realm cultivator. That was the point of categorizing people into these random realms, I supposed. Because the difference was too huge and obvious.
Of course, that didn't mean I was invincible against anyone who was Earth realm and below. As my opponents found to their cost, the difference in realms didn't guarantee them a certain victory. A massive advantage, yeah, but if they couldn't make full use of their advantage, they would lose when I brought other factors to my advantage, such as strategy, terrain or even weapons and equipment. So I couldn't get complacent either.
It was basically the story of David and Goliath. A well-aimed slingshot at the opponent's weak point, and no matter how much stronger and bigger he was than me, he would be laid low.
I didn't just train my magic carp or myself. During the past few weeks, I learned spirit arrays from Su Yan.
"Oh, Headmaster Qi Xing told me that you might have affinity with spirit arrays, so he requested that I teach you formations. We'll see if he is right."
So I ended up taking classes under him, memorizing spirit runes that were the basis of all spirit arrays. It was difficult, almost like learning a different language, but I found out that I could create spirit formations by putting together the appropriate spirit runes. Right now, I was only able to scratch the surface and create the weakest of formations, but it was progress.
It was only natural. I was just beginning to learn formations for the first time, after all.
A couple of weeks after reaching level 1 Heaven realm, I found that I wasn't progressing much. Even though I wanted to reach level 2 quickly, I knew that I it was unrealistically impatient for me to expect progress in 2 weeks. Even so, I recalled Zhang Ping and Liu Yu Feng mentioning their bosses, and I realized I had to speed up my progress or I might found my newly founded Black faction absorbed into either the Blue or Red faction.
Also, I needed credits for food and resources, especially to help both me and my magic carp train. Eight thousand credits were a lot, but they could only last me so long, especially since I wasn't a very thrifty person. So I ended up looking for a task.
"What task do you think is best to take?"
I asked Si Nan. Both he and Mu Zi Xing were training in the main hall, a place where most of the newcomers trained, to take advantage of the facilities and staff of the university. Like me, they received advice and help from Su Yan. They had just finished a lesson under him before joining me. Similarly, I had just finished a lesson under Su Yan and was just wrapping up with the formation I had just etched. The formation I had just created was slowly fading away after I exhausted it of its power. Si Nan and Mu Zi Xing patiently waited for the spirit array to dissipate before approaching me. I could see the awe on their faces as they studied the fading spirit runes, but they were used to me practicing formations by now.
"Hmm, you're right. We need the experience." Si Nan nodded thoughtfully. "It's pointless to simply train. We also need to put our skills to use and see how we'll fare in an actual practical mission."
"Eh…" Mu Zi Xing looked nervous. "But aren't they dangerous?"
"Cultivator is a dangerous vocation to begin with," Si Nan reminded his childhood friend. "You knew this before you accepted the proposal from Mr. Na Lan."
"Ugh…I know, but still…I feel a bit nervous."
"Understandably," Si Nan said with a nod. "We grew up in a peaceful, urban environment. It'll still take us some getting used to." he then turned to me with a frown. "Shu Cong, you've been a cultivator for longer than us. You should be the one advising us."
"Uh, even if you say that, I don't have much experience when it comes to these tasks and missions." I scanned the electronic bulletin board in my smartphone. "I honestly have no idea."
"Ha ha, then we can take our time to think about this later," Mu Zi Xing said with a forced giggle. But I shook my head.
"We can just ask Instructor Su Yan for advice."
"Hmm? You guys talking about me?" Su Yan popped up, surprising Mu Zi Xing and causing her to jump out of her skin with a scream.
"Don't do that!" She complained.
"You let down your guard," Su Yan replied, flicking her forehead. "You should have learned by now that it's a fatal mistake for a cultivator to let their guard down."
"You do realize I'm a healer, right? Not a combat-type cultivator."
"All the more you should learn to defend yourself."
"I'll protect Mu Zi Xing," Si Nan spoke up fiercely. Su Yan sighed and shook his head.
"Youth. Never mind. I heard that you want to ask me for advice regarding taking a task from the university?"
"That's right." I nodded and displayed my smartphone to him. "I was wondering what would be the best task for us to take, given that we are amateurs at this, and this would be the first time we are taking on a mission."
"I see." Su Yan pushed his glasses up as he peered at the screen on my smartphone. He folded his arms. "There's always an element of risk no matter what mission you take."
"We understand," Si Nan said.
"Good. I can see that you have steadied your resolve. That's the only way you can grow stronger. By going through life and death experiences." Su Yan nodded in approval. Then he dragged his finger across the screen of my smartphone. "Given your current levels and lack of experience, I would suggest you take this herb-gathering mission."
"Hmm? Uh, looking for a thousand year old ginseng? Do those really exist?"
"Yeah. Of course, their mystical effects have often been exaggerated by myths and legends, but even though they can't give you a tremendous boost in qi, they are still very valuable medicinal ingredients. That's why they are in demand."
"So we are just going to collect ginseng?" Mu Zi Xing looked puzzled. "That doesn't sound very dangerous."
"There's a catch, isn't it?" Si Nan asked seriously. Su Yan chuckled again, looking impressed.
"I knew you would notice something amiss." The instructor nodded. "The mission isn't as simple as simply plucking the ginseng and returning with it. Of course…there's a few spirit beasts roaming the area where the thousand year old ginseng is. There probably is one powerful spirit beast guarding the place, staking it out as its territory. If you try to enter its territory to obtain the ginseng, it will most certainly attack you."
"How…how powerful is this spirit beast?" Mu Zi Xing asked nervously.
"A high level warrior-ranked spirit beast, probably. Maybe even low level commander-ranked."
"If it's warrior-ranked, we might still be able to stand a chance, but commander-ranked?" Si Nan glanced at me before shaking his head. "In our group, Shu Cong has the highest cultivation realm. Both Mu Zi Xing and I are only at Black realm. We'll be slaughtered."
"Keep in mind, I'm just speculating off past experience. I don't know what exactly is guarding the ginseng." Su Yan raised a finger. "It's your job to find out. That's why we are paying you credits. High risk, high reward."
"Anything less dangerous?" Mu Zi Xing mumbled.
"Hmm, not that I know of. But you know…" Su Yan took out his smartphone and swiped through his screen until he found what he was looking for. "I do have some good news. You won't be the only ones taking this mission. There are other students who have also applied for this mission. I can see a group of strong students from Ten Thousand Swords University among the list. Even though your group might not be able to do much on your own, but if you join hands with the other students taking this mission, then you'll benefit a lot. You'll have the opportunity to learn from them…their tactics, skills and formations."
That sounded like a good plan. Si Nan and I exchanged a glance before nodding simultaneously. Meanwhile Mu Zi Xing was still looking confused and nervous.
"Eh? Are you sure…? Why would the students from other universities work with us?"
"Healers are always in very high demand. I'm sure they will be more than happy to work with you." Su Yan smiled at her. Being the simpleminded girl, Mu Zi Xing fell for his flattery.
"Eh, he he…then I will do my best!"
"It's decided then. We will form a party and sign up for this task." Si Nan nodded at me and I held back a sigh. Apparently I would have to handle the application process myself. Since I was the one with the highest cultivation realm out of us three, I was the de facto party leader. A responsibility I disliked but one I had to learn to shoulder.
After all, I was the one who formed the Black faction.
"I'll handle the application and get it right away."
Not wanting to handle the complicated procedure on my smartphone, I turned to return to my dormitory room. I would much prefer to use my laptop to do the online application than rely on the clumsy and much smaller interface of my smartphone. Waving to my friends, I excused myself and hurried back toward my room.
While I was on my way back, I couldn't help but recall Su Yan's words. He mentioned that a group of students from the Ten Thousand Swords University had also applied for this mission. I wondered who they would be. I grimaced when I remembered that several of the students there had some enmity against me…even tried to kill me when I took the exam there last time.
I hoped I could avoid them, otherwise I might suffer an unlucky "accident" during the task…