I Have A Cultivation World Chapter 1 - 1 High School Number 5 in The Immortal Gate_1
Chapter 1: The Fifth High School of the Immortal Gate
Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
[Name: Chen Mobai]
[Age: 18]
[Realm: Qi Cultivation Rank-5]
[Spiritual Root: Gold 23, Wood 27, Water 23, Fire 17, Earth 10]
...
Inside the Fifth Daoist Academy High School of Red Sandstone City, a handsome youth sat near a classroom window. He produced a sleek, jade-like smartphone and began updating the latest statistics on his personal cultivation profile.
The new semester had just commenced, and the homeroom teacher was currently reviewing the cultivation advancements made by the students over the break. Chen Mobai was finalizing his data before submitting it when a voice drifted over from beside him.
“Wow, you really did spend the vacation in secluded cultivation. You actually reached Qi Cultivation Rank-5.”
His desk mate, who had just finished uploading his own information, couldn't resist making a snide comment after catching a glimpse of the [Qi Cultivation Rank-5] status on Chen Mobai’s screen.
While students self-reported their profile data, the school possessed various methods to verify the claims. False entries were rare, as being caught lying would result in a permanent black mark on one's permanent record, potentially ruining future educational prospects or resource distributions.
The Daoist Academy maintained a zero-tolerance policy regarding those who falsified their records.
“I’m not like you; I possess a True Spiritual Root. Provided I put in the effort, my cultivation speed will naturally surpass yours and your False Spiritual Root,” Chen Mobai countered, his tone laced with a touch of arrogance.
Chen Mobai felt a sense of self-satisfaction. Aside from a trip to the temple with his mother to burn incense, he had spent the entire holiday focused on his training. By utilizing herbal elixirs, he had successfully smashed through his bottleneck to reach Qi Cultivation Rank-5.
“It’s simply unfair that your attributes qualify as a True Spiritual Root.”
His desk mate looked on with resentment but found no words to argue. After all, these were the established regulations of the Daoist Academy.
If any single spiritual root attribute exceeded 20 points, the individual was considered to possess that specific element. The luck of innate talent was determined in the womb; his desk mate’s attributes were more evenly distributed across four elements, resulting in a False Spiritual Root classification.
In truth, their total spiritual root points were nearly identical, yet the classification system separated them.
“Hmm, quite good. Many of you have shown real growth over the break.”
A rare smile appeared on the usually stern face of the homeroom teacher after he finished reviewing the submissions. He began to praise every student who had improved during the holiday, and Chen Mobai was among those recognized.
Hearing the teacher's commendation, two attractive girls sitting in the front row turned to look back. Chen Mobai instinctively straightened his back and held his head high, unable to hide his smugness.
At Qi Cultivation Rank-5, he had secured a spot among the top twenty students in the class.
Now that he was a senior, a final push before the Daoist Academy entrance exams might allow for even more progress.
If he managed to reach Qi Cultivation Rank-6, he would have a chance at secondary-tier Daoist Academies even if the elite schools were out of reach. At the very least, local Alchemy Dao institutions like Dan and Chixia would certainly accept him.
Entering a Daoist Academy meant a ten-year exemption from being conscripted into the war of territory expansion.
There was even a slim hope of achieving Foundation Establishment.
“Lastly, I want to give special recognition to Song Zheng and Yan Bingxuan. I never imagined that I would have the honor of teaching two students who have already reached the late stage of Qi Cultivation.”
Chai Deyun had only been a homeroom teacher for six years. This was the first group he had mentored from the beginning, and he was clearly moved. Setting his tablet aside, he looked at the class with a gaze far softer than usual as the two students stood up to the collective gaze of their peers.
They were the academic elite, possessing the most remarkable spiritual root attributes in the grade. Meeting all expectations, they had attained the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation before the exams even started.
This achievement practically guaranteed them seats in secondary-tier Daoist Academies. Within a decade, they would likely attempt Foundation Establishment. If they succeeded, they would eventually become Gold Core Cultivators—a rank that commands special cultivation priority even within the academies.
Chen Mobai felt a pang of jealousy. Unlike him, Song Zheng and Yan Bingxuan were elite True Spiritual Root holders, with one of them possessing an attribute score over 40, making their training significantly more efficient.
“Very well, that concludes today’s session.”
As the bell atop the school’s tallest tower rang out, Chai Deyun dismissed the class after finishing the review of their test papers.
The students poured out of the classroom instantly.
Chen Mobai was right among them. Grabbing only his phone, he vaulted through the window and sprinted toward the Cultivation Room.
Due to his diligent holiday practice, his breakthrough had made his Propulsion Technique three times faster than before. He arrived at the training grounds ahead of the crowd.
Without wasting a second to choose, he dove into the first open Cultivation Room he saw.
A soft 'ding' echoed.
He scanned the digital student ID on his phone, causing the "Vacant" indicator on the door's display to vanish. The door slid shut behind him.
“Damn it!”
A student arriving just a moment later cursed under his breath before dashing off toward another room.
Their desperation was understandable.
Spiritual Energy was a scarce and precious commodity.
After six millennia of intensive use by the Daoist Academies, Earth's natural resources were nearly spent. The state had seized the Elemental Energies of every Spiritual Vein across the 36 celestial and 72 earth realms. Only trace amounts of Spiritual Energy remained in the atmosphere, barely enough for cultivators to perform basic breathing exercises.
To actually absorb enough Spiritual Energy for cultivation, one had to purchase it from the Daoist Academies using Good Deed Points.
The cost to have Lower-grade, Rank-1 Ground Vein Spiritual Energy piped into a private Cave Dwelling for one month was 10 Good Deed Points.
For someone at the fifth layer of Qi Cultivation like Chen Mobai, Lower-grade Rank-1 energy was hardly effective for advancing his level.
Intermediate-grade Rank-1 Spiritual Energy required a monthly fee of 20 Good Deed Points.
Upper-grade Rank-1 Spiritual Energy cost a staggering 40 points per month.
For Chen Mobai, intermediate-grade energy was only sufficient for stabilizing his realm or minor growth. To progress quickly, upper-grade Rank-1 was the ideal choice.
Of course, Rank-2 or Rank-3 Ground Vein Spiritual Energy would be superior.
But that was a mere fantasy.
Only those at the Foundation Establishment stage or registered corporations were permitted to apply for Rank-2 Spiritual Vein access from the Daoist Academies.
As the concentration of Spiritual Energy began to rise within the small, three-square-meter room, Chen Mobai activated the energy-testing app on his smartphone.
After a minute of calibration, the reading on the screen stabilized.
[Spiritual Energy Value: 10]
The intensity of Ground Vein Spiritual Energy was measured by this specific value.
According to the Daoist Academy standards, a value between 1 and 10 was classified as a Rank-1 Spiritual Vein.
A value from 10 to 100 indicated a Rank-2 Spiritual Vein, while 100 to 1000 represented Rank-3...
The scale continued upward, peaking at Rank-6 Spiritual Veins, which were rumored to exist only at the residences of the Daoist Academy’s two ancient Divinity Transformation ancestors.