I Have A Cultivation World Chapter 2 - 2 Turtle Shell_1

“The school’s perks are truly excellent. I get two hours of daily access to a Rank-1 top-quality Spirit Energy Cultivation Room at no cost.”

Chen Mobai recalled how, during the break, his mother had reluctantly spent Good Deed Points to elevate their home’s Spirit Vein to Rank-1 top-quality. Even with that upgrade, the Spiritual Energy Value barely reached 7, only hitting 8 or 9 on rare occasions.

In contrast, the Fifth High School of the Immortals was built upon a Rank-3 lower-grade Spirit Vein, supporting three hundred individual cultivation rooms.

These students, after all, represented the future of the immortal gate and required proper nourishment.

The three hundred rooms were divided equally among the three grade levels, providing lower, middle, and upper-quality Rank-1 Spirit Energy respectively.

The third-year students faced the most pressure, so their cultivation rooms featured Spirit Energy at the absolute peak of Rank-1.

Inside, the room was Spartan, featuring nothing but a single meditation mattress centered on a floor of blue stone.

Wasting no time, Chen Mobai set up his mobile device and initiated the auxiliary cultivation video mode. He sat upon the meditation mattress and began the process of refining Spirit Qi.

Because he had recently used pills to force a breakthrough to the fifth layer of Qi Cultivation, his foundation remained shaky. Consequently, he avoided the Five Elements Internal Work for these two hours, opting instead to circulate the fundamental Qi Nourishing Technique.

Warmth surged through his Meridians. The misty white Spirit Qi within the chamber transformed into a literal dragon of energy, flowing into Chen Mobai’s nose and mouth. It merged with his growing spiritual power, gradually crystallizing into his own cultivation base.

He soon became lost in the rhythmic trance of the process.

Time slipped away.

“Ding!”

The activation of the Soul Stabilizing Charm inside the room snapped Chen Mobai out of his meditative state. Though he was loath to leave, he thought of the classmates waiting in the long queue outside. He grabbed his mobile and quickly exited the cultivation room.

The moment he stepped out, a female student who was next in line darted inside, swiping her card and slamming the door shut instantly.

He wasn't alone; ninety-nine other third-year students were also filing out of their rooms, looks of longing on their faces.

Among them was Lu Hongsheng, Chen Mobai’s desk mate.

“Lucky you, getting into the first time slot!”

Chen Mobai greeted him, but noticed a dark, troubled expression in Lu Hongsheng’s eyes. He looked miserable.

“Do you have any idea what I just witnessed?”

“What happened?”

Knowing Lu Hongsheng couldn't keep a secret for long, Chen Mobai waited. Sure enough, the boy blurted it out moments later.

“I saw Song Zheng walking into a Rank-2 Spirit Vein cultivation room.”

“A Rank-2 Spirit Vein? Aren't those reserved for the faculty? Who would give up their spot for Song Zheng?”

The school maintained exclusive, high-tier cultivation rooms for the teachers in addition to the student facilities.

Aside from the Rank-3 room reserved for the Principal—a Foundation Establishment Cultivator—the ten Rank-2 rooms were so limited that even the teachers had to wait in line for them.

For Song Zheng to gain access, a teacher must have surrendered their own personal resources.

“It was Old Man Ding. He’s failed Foundation Establishment twice and is reaching the end of his lifespan. He’s poured everything into teaching now. Since Song Zheng actually has a shot at the four major Daoist academies, Ding gave him his Rank-2 cultivation room allotment.”

Lu Hongsheng spoke with a voice thick with envy and resentment, clearly wishing he were in Song Zheng's shoes.

“That’s blatant favoritism. How can the school permit it?”

Their conversation drew the attention of nearby classmates. One student looked particularly outraged.

While absolute fairness is rare in the world, there is a silent agreement among the elite to uphold justice within the school system.

A teacher was handing over his personal cultivation resources, but since the rooms themselves were school property, the students felt slighted. A formal report to the administration could potentially spark a scandal.

“You don't get it,” a female student interjected, looking at the boy who wanted to report it. “I heard Song Zheng formally became Master Ding’s disciple over the summer. It’s already been recorded in the Heritage Hall of the Immortal Education Department. They have a legal teacher-student bond now. The administration can't stop a master from providing for his own pupil.”

Song Zheng was handsome and talented, making him quite popular with the girls.

Chen Mobai felt a sharp pang of jealousy as well.

If he had access to a Rank-2 Spirit Vein for a full semester, he was certain he could reach the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation. At that level, while the top four Daoist academies might still be a stretch, second-tier academies would be within reach, and third-tier schools would be guaranteed.

He possessed a True Spirit Root as well. Why hadn't any teacher chosen him?

Of course, even among those with a True Spirit Root, there were levels to talent.

“You guys keep at it. I’m heading home. See you tomorrow.”

Chen Mobai remained ambitious. Though the situation felt unjust, he had no desire to get dragged into a public argument.

Having exhausted his free school hours, he hurried home. His mother had sacrificed a lot of money to lease a high-quality Rank-1 Spirit Vein for six months to help him prepare for the college entrance exams.

He couldn't let a single moment go to waste.

The house was silent when he arrived.

His parents were both working tirelessly. Since renting the Spirit Vein, they had been taking on extra shifts and frequently stayed out until late at night.

Chen Mobai started a pot of Spirit Rice. Then, in his mother’s workshop, he began cutting large sheets of yellow paper into standard talisman sizes, 12cm by 6cm.

By the time the rice finished cooking, he had prepared over a hundred blank talismans.

He organized them into groups of twelve, binding them neatly with a specialized Spiritual Rope. He placed two sets of six into a decorative box.

The raw materials for these large sheets cost one Good Deed Point. Once processed and boxed, each set could be sold for two points, earning him a profit of roughly one Good Deed Point per box.

Chen Mobai did whatever he could to ease the family's financial burden.

He lined up the two new boxes on the table alongside eight others he had finished previously. The ten boxes covered the entire surface.

Using his phone, he took several photos from different angles. He picked the best shots and uploaded them to the Immortal Division’s official online marketplace.

Bidding usually started within the week. He would eventually sell to the highest bidder.

Since he couldn't afford teleportation fees, he restricted his sales to face-to-face meetings within Red Sandstone City.

The city's transit system was efficient, and his student ID allowed him to ride for free.

After eating the jade-like Spirit Rice, Chen Mobai used a Cleaning Technique on the dishes and retreated to his room.

While there was a dedicated cultivation room near the house's underground Spirit Vein connection, he liked practicing in his bedroom.

As long as the cultivation room door stayed open, the Rank-1 Spirit Energy permeated the entire house. The Spirit Sealing Prohibition installed in the walls ensured that the energy remained trapped inside, even if a window was ajar.

The concentration wasn't as high as the school's facilities, but it was enough.

Chen Mobai felt content.

He fought the temptation to browse live streams of singing and dancing fairies on his phone. Calming his thoughts, he sat cross-legged on his bed to begin his session. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon a turtle shell resting on his nightstand.

“Why on earth did mom bring this jinxed thing in here?”