My Profession Can Be Infinitely Upgraded

Chapter 44: Chapter 19: Acupoints Opened, 35

What excited him even more was that after a whole morning of cultivation, he was only one acupoint away from the "excellent" standard of thirty-six.

’I don’t even have to wait for the evening session to open this last acupoint.’

The Shenxiao Sect’s class schedule was very particular. The interval between the morning and evening sessions was designed to allow students like Jiang Xuan to achieve optimal physical recovery.

Cultivating ahead of schedule would actually have a diminished effect.

However, Jiang Xuan was now only one acupoint away. Even if the effect of his cultivation was reduced, it absolutely wouldn’t stop him from taking this final step.

’Opening it sooner means I can rest easy sooner. Lecturer Song Zhou will definitely be present when the evening session starts, but he might not necessarily stick around until it ends.’

’In the past, those who met the standard during the evening session would usually report their results to Lecturer Song Zhou the next morning. But today is the last day of the assessment. Reporting tomorrow would only count for an ’elite’ rating.’

Although Jiang Xuan felt that, logically, Lecturer Song Zhou would stay until the very end today, he didn’t dare to gamble on it. It was a bet he couldn’t afford to lose.

’The path of cultivation is like a million soldiers fighting to cross a single-log bridge. One slow step can truly make every subsequent step slow. If you can cross safely and steadily, there’s no need to take risks.’

...

"Jiang Xuan, come and eat."

When Jiang Xuan finished his meditation and came out of his trance, Dong Hao came looking for him again, inviting him to eat the Spiritual Cuisine together. This time, however, he was being led to the front-row seats.

"I have a few friends I’d like to introduce to you, Brother Jiang."

Dong Hao, who was determined to break into the Inner Sect, had naturally recruited more than just Jiang Xuan. He had also taken a liking to several other youths with impressive talent and pulled them into his faction. Today’s meal was for eating, drinking, and building camaraderie, but it was also to bring Jiang Xuan and the others together to get acquainted.

That way, they could coordinate effectively in battle in the future.

Jiang Xuan replied, "Alright."

Since he had decided to team up with him, Jiang Xuan was willing to grant him this bit of face. He walked to the front and sat down, where he saw the other three people Dong Hao had recruited.

It was two men and one woman. From their attire and demeanor, Jiang Xuan could tell that two of them came from Cultivation Clans, while only one shared his background as a son of the Lower Classes.

"Brother Jiang, let me make some introductions." Dong Hao smiled and gestured with his hand. "This is Mu Yuan. He has an Earth Level Lower Grade Spirit Root and comes from a Noble Family, just like me. This is Wu Chen. Like you, Brother Jiang, he is from the Lower Classes and also has an Earth Level Lower Grade Spirit Root. And this is Fu He, a cousin from my mother’s side of the family."

At this, Dong Hao gave everyone a deep bow. "For the second round of the Daoist School assessment, I will be relying on all of you."

Jiang Xuan said, "You’re too kind."

Mu Yuan replied, "You’re joking, Brother Dong. In the second round of the assessment, it is we who will need you to protect us."

Wu Chen added, "I will do everything I can to help you!"

As Dong Hao made the introductions, Jiang Xuan sized up the three of them, and they sized him up in return. Relying on his keen Divine Sense, Jiang Xuan raised an eyebrow, discovering a faint, almost imperceptible trace of hostility in their eyes.

’Why...’

The thought had barely formed before he instantly understood—it was all about personal gain.

Where there are people, there are rivalries; where there is profit, there is conflict. Here in the Chen Daoist School, they had to fight for the few available spots in the Inner Sect. Those from Noble Families had to fight for the position of the clan’s favored Legitimate Son. Even the servants and retainers of large clans were caught in endless scheming.

Clearly, Mu Yuan and Wu Chen saw themselves as Dong Hao’s subordinates. As such, they wanted to earn more of his favor. That way, they could secure better positions upon entering the Shenxiao Mountain Gate, which would in turn grant them more time and resources for cultivation. And with that, they might have a hope of establishing their Dao Foundation.

And a Dao Foundation didn’t just mean powerful Magical Power and a transcendent status; it also represented more than a doubling of one’s lifespan.

To live longer, they naturally fought fiercely amongst themselves.

As for the reason behind their deep-seated hostility toward him, Jiang Xuan could guess most of it.

Among the four of them, he had the lowest Spirit Root Talent, yet Dong Hao valued him the most.

’Is their hostility born from envy and jealousy? How unnecessary. You and I are not walking the same path at all.’

...

Although they held some animosity toward him, it was clear the other three were decent enough to hide it. When Jiang Xuan arrived, they showed no sign of it on their faces.

Mu Yuan and Fu He, who came from Cultivation Clans, even greeted Jiang Xuan warmly.

Seeing this, Jiang Xuan calmly exchanged a few pleasantries with them.

While they chatted, Nan Zhi kept busy, taking out food containers one by one from her Storage Pouch and setting them before the group.

This was the first gathering Dong Hao had hosted, and it was obvious he had prepared meticulously. There were dozens of different Spiritual Soups alone.

Moreover, there were both cold and hot dishes among them.

Once all the dishes were laid out, Dong Hao mysteriously produced an elegant Jade Bottle from his Storage Bracelet.

"Everyone, this is something special." He smiled as he uncorked the bottle. "This is the Hundred Flowers Brew I specifically requested from my family. It’s made from one hundred types of hundred-year-old Spirit Flowers, then cellared for three years using a Secret Technique."

"It has a mellow fragrance, a long-lasting aftertaste, and is a rare treasure."

As he spoke, he personally poured a cup for Jiang Xuan and the other three. The moment the jade-like liquor entered the cup, a clear, sweet, and crisp aroma wafted out. Just a single whiff made Jiang Xuan’s Divine Soul feel light, as if he were treading weightlessly on clouds.

This tipsiness was not at all unpleasant; on the contrary, it created the sense of an Illusory Dream, captivating both heart and mind.

After filling their cups, Dong Hao was the first to raise his, announcing to the group, "Everyone, to our future paths in cultivation, let us drink this cup together!"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!