C18 A Time Ball

In the early morning at the pavilion —

Each door was adorned with a bamboo slate, inscribed with numbers from 15 to 21 in sequential order.

The light golden number 16 at the entrance caught the attention of Yu Yin and his seven companions. Upon entering, they each gave it a cursory glance.

Huajun had arrived at the pavilion early. She sat poised on an elevated platform, engrossed in some material.

Upon noticing the group, she gave a slight nod. Pleased with their punctuality, she was satisfied with the students' time management.

Once everyone was seated, she began.

"Today's lesson is another foundational class. For your convenience and future learning, you'll find a blank notebook and writing materials at your seat. Take notes as necessary."

Yu Yin cast a sidelong glance at Zhuang Jiujing. He found it difficult to warm up to her.

Zhuang Jiujing, after briefly examining her ink and paper, returned his gaze.

Their eyes locked, both expressions frosty, neither uttered a word.

It was then that Huajun, from the front of the room, addressed the class.

"Today, we'll focus on the application of Origin Energy."

"As all cultivators are aware, Origin Energy originates from the marrow and integrates into the meridians, guided by specific techniques."

"Origin Energy is intimately linked to the meridians, making a deep understanding of the human body essential for a cultivator."

"There are numerous meridians in the body, each with distinct applications across the six major professions. Today, you'll be learning about the meridians specific to Conjurers."

"A Conjurer's meridians revolve around the Profound Horn Gate as the central conduit, encompassing thirty-eight interconnected pathways. To successfully cast sealing techniques in the future, you'll need to channel Origin Energy from these thirty-eight meridians into the Profound Horn Gate."

"You must memorize the names and locations of these thirty-eight meridians by today. I will test you tomorrow morning. Fail to remember, and you'll forfeit your lunch."

The room fell silent.

"The thirty-eight meridians are..."

Time passed as Huajun meticulously detailed the flow and positions of the meridians. Yu Yin and the others listened intently, occasionally jotting down notes. Two hours later, a commotion from outside drew Huajun's attention to the 'time ball' in the corner.

The time ball, a unique natural crystal, changed colors to represent the twelve hours of the day and had been fashioned into a timekeeping device. The colors transitioned from white at the hour of the Rat to green at the hour of the Snake.

As the ball shifted from yellow to green, Huajun withdrew her gaze. "That's enough for today. Remember the thirty-eight meridians and don't neglect your cultivation of origin power. After dinner, I'll check your progress. Everyone must reach at least level 24," she instructed.

The eight students were speechless.

Thus began their grueling training, with screams echoing from the courtyards, marking a day of intense pain and despair for all the trainees.

In the Giant Pine Garden, Yu Yin lay curled up on the ground, enduring the Tendon Break exercise over and over until he nearly passed out.

From her hidden vantage point in the pine forest, Huajun silently counted his attempts. "34 times... what is your limit?" she murmured.

As the sun set and the birds returned to their nests, Yu Yin lay unconscious, foam at his mouth, having reached his breaking point. "91 times..." Huajun stood motionless, her breathing seemingly halved in pace.

She returned to the courtyard in a trance, pausing at the door before entering her home.

Beneath the flowerbed, Yu Yin's consciousness slowly returned, and he opened his eyes. His body felt as if every bone had been pulverized, leaving him immobile and in agony.

A quarter of an hour later, sensation began to return as if his bones were being pieced back together. Gritting his teeth, he attempted to rise.

With a deep breath, he finally stood, leaning heavily against the flowerbed, gasping for air.

"91 times, only nine more to go. Just like the mentor said, if I give up now, it might become more difficult to reach the next level," Yu Yin mused to himself.

Dongmen Ai hadn't grasped what Huajun said earlier that morning, but he understood the underlying message.

As time slowly passed, after the evening meal, Huajun gathered everyone to test their source energy. At that moment, all eight of them were still dazed, their faces pale, with nothing but pain and more intense pain etched into their memories.

Zhuang Jiujing was the first to be tested. Huajun, without a hint of emotion, wrote down 72 points. Having witnessed Yu Yin's ordeal, Jiujing was no longer shocked by such a high number.

Jiujing was puzzled by Huajun's impassive demeanor. She didn't mind what others thought, yet she felt that Huajun's expression should have been different. After all, with seventy-two points, even after deducting twenty percent for innate talent, her talent was still an impressive ninety percent, worthy of being called a prodigy.

Next, Huajun noted down 68 for Huixiao.

The expected shock did not materialize, and Huixiao's brow furrowed; things weren't quite as she had imagined. As Huajun approached Zhang Ziyue, Huixiao couldn't contain herself any longer.

"Master, may I ask about my talent?" she inquired.

Huajun, taken aback, looked at her. Glancing at Huixiao's talent, she offered a slight smile, "Quite impressive."

Huixiao's frown deepened. This unusually calm compliment left her feeling uneasy.

Her gaze shifted to the Source Energy Pearl in Jiujing's hand, but seeing only half of the sphere, she asked coldly, "What's your number?"

Jiujing gave her a cold look, showing no intention of engaging.

"What's the matter, too embarrassed to say?" Huixiao laughed mockingly.

Jiujing simply looked ahead, as if she hadn't heard Huixiao's taunting at all.

Huixiao's face lit up with smugness, interpreting Jiujing's silence as embarrassment.

Huajun continued her assessments, recording the source energy levels: Zhang Ziyue at 52, Zhao Cai at 51, Ou Lu at 55, Xia Chen at 63, Dongmen Ai at 49, and lastly, she reached Yu Yin, who was still shivering.

Huajun glanced at the Origin Energy Ball and was about to jot down a note. She instinctively assumed the number was the same 91 it had been when she left.

But suddenly, she paused, a sense that something was amiss nagging at her.

She peered at the Origin Energy Ball once more.

"One, two, three, four..."

"Nine!"

"Ten!"

Her hand, clutching the pen, began to quiver, and she stood frozen in place.

"Master, I have a rather bold request," Yu Yin whispered, ensuring only they could hear.

Anticipating his plea, Huajun nodded, composed herself, and addressed the others.

"Everyone, head back. Yu Yin, follow me."

She strode off toward the towering pine forest, with Yu Yin following unsteadily.

This unexpected turn left Zhao Cai and the rest looking on in confusion.

In the pine forest —

They faced each other.

"Master, my request might seem excessive, but I truly wish to avoid the limelight."

"Are you suggesting I keep this from the dean and the vice dean?" she asked.

"I was hoping it could remain a secret just between us," he said.

"That... I'm afraid I can't comply," she replied.

"Well then... I shall continue to hold you in high regard as always. I'll take my leave now," Yu Yin said, his voice growing colder as he turned to depart.

"Come back!" Huajun called out, frowning. She had a premonition that if he walked away now, their mentor-mentee relationship might never recover.

Yu Yin turned to face her.

"If you're averse to standing out, why didn't you moderate your efforts during training?" she challenged him.

"The first time I broke through my limit, I wanted to give it my all," Yu Yin explained.

With a sigh, Huajun conceded, "Zhuang Jiujing's talent peaks at 72. If you prefer to remain understated, let's settle on 70."

His mentor's abrupt shift caught Yu Yin off guard, and he looked at her curiously.

Stepping forward to meet his gaze, Huajun smiled and playfully pinched his cheek.

"You rascal, your mentor has high hopes for your future. Just this once, I'll bend the rules for you."

The residual warmth lingered on his face as Yu Yin watched Huajun's retreating figure. He lifted his gaze to the heavens in silence, acutely aware that he now owed her a significant debt of gratitude.