Chapter 60: Winter Break Internship

In the cultivation room.

Jiang Ding wielded his sword in a dance, concentrating his inner force into the blade, not a single bit dissipating; a streak of sword light sliced through the air, cleanly dividing it into two halves, leaving a lingering sword shadow in the void.

One after another, the sword speed increased, the shadows multiplied, until they filled the entire cultivation room.

The sword was sheathed.

The sword shadows vanished one by one; the previously congested space gradually cleared.

“These sword shadows… utterly useless. Just skin-deep.”

Jiang Ding sighed helplessly.

Over these days of expanded reading, he finally understood the origin of his inexplicable mastery of sword shadows.

He suspected that achieving Perfection—the highest realm envisioned by the creator of a martial art—would grant a cultivation boost far exceeding the leap from Minor Success to Major Success.

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Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, 252nd branch (70%)

As for Major Success, not counting Jiang Ding, no one in No. 1 High has achieved it in over a decade—even those who entered elite universities’ Daoist departments did so by virtue of exceptional martial talent.

Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, 1st branch (100%)

【Student ID: 1246215】

…

Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, 251st branch (100%)

“There’s less than a month left until winter break; Teacher Guo has received the school’s internship assignments—everyone must complete at least one month of internship.”

Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, 252nd branch (70%)

“Internship as a Spirit Plant Apprentice at Senmu Spirit Plant Co., Ltd.: three positions needed, four hours daily, duties include tending to first-rank spirit plants and vast quantities of mundane plant seedlings.”

“For each internship position, there are usually three to five openings; if more applicants sign up, the lowest-ranked student automatically drops out and must choose another.”

【《Minor Stillness Technique》(Minor Success 12%),《Thousand Threads Pull》(Major Success 24%),《Golden Seal》(Major Success 32%)】

It was precisely the Great Sun Sword Pavilion’s《Great Brightness Sword Art》.

When recruiting, prior internship experience with similar companies adds significant weight—this is one of the main motivations for many students to endure the grueling effort of entering high school.

Understanding this key point, Jiang Ding attempted to comprehend the《Great Brightness Sword Art》; he has gained some insight, extending the sword shadow’s lingering time by half a breath—still useless.

】

After washing up, Jiang Ding stepped out of the cultivation room as the dismissal bell rang.

If this were an ordinary vocational school, the internship positions wouldn’t be nearly this good.

“Here is the list of positions. Please read it carefully and submit your preferred internship to me before the last class tomorrow morning.”

Don’t be fooled by the grandiose name—it’s actually an extremely treacherous and cunning sword art, including its title.

!.

Hua Bing lightly tossed a stack of papers; a breeze swept through, carrying each sheet precisely onto every student’s desk.

In ancient times, many Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment disciples of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion, one of the Nine Immortal Sects, favored this sword art and practiced it extensively, achieving surprising effects in combat.

Its principle involves using light-based spells to generate one or more powerful, majestic sword qi attacks; the sword qi itself is weak, but excels in drawing continuous power from the Great Sun.

“Perfection… I can achieve it!”

[Unknown Insight: Can retain sword shadows for 0.5–1 second using optical principles, Incomplete Insight of the Great Sun Brightness Sword Art]

Jiang Ding’s eyes lit up.

Not just No. 1 High—No. 7 High had far stronger martial talent and instructors, yet still never produced one; the same was true in surrounding cities. Whether provincial capitals or the Immortal Capital had any, no one knew. Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, 251st branch (100%)

Yet its true killing technique lies hidden beneath these light-based sword qi: an invisible sword qi! This is the true essence of the《Great Brightness Sword Art》—the grand, majestic sword qi are merely decoys for this treacherous, deadly strike; often, the enemy never even realizes what happened before his head falls.

The true source of his joy was the steady, unhurried progress in his comprehension of the core technique,《Eagle Soaring Sword Art》, now at Major Success—his mind’s flashes of insight had never felt depleted.

Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, …

The first-rank Golden Fire Bamboo Paper and first-rank Wind Spirit Paper he purchased have arrived; the Essence-to-Qi Spirit Pill is still being refined—the shopkeeper assures delivery within two days at most.

“This is my cultivation achievement over these days: nurturing 3,024 fine branches of the twelve primary meridians.”

Jiang Ding hesitated, then affirmed.

…

His previous insight was merely understanding some of the internal force transformations and executing them unconsciously.

Jiang Ding muttered to himself, feeling a quiet joy.

These positions are all highly lucrative: Spirit Plant Apprentice, Spirit Beast Apprentice—even mundanes can earn these titles and earn far more than others.

He can now fire normally without being pushed back several meters, though accuracy remains unreliable.

During winter break, the cultivation room will remain open, and elixirs will be provided as usual. Minor Stillness Technique at Minor Success means he has met the Immortal Sect’s reconnaissance soldier standard; once his cultivation reaches Inner Qi Great Circulation, he can afford the consumption of a high-grade magic artifact anti-materiel sniper rifle—one shot every three minutes.

“Fuhai Aquaculture Co., Ltd. Spirit Beast Apprentice Internship: five positions needed, three hours daily, duties include feeding first-rank Blue Spirit Carp, learning Blue Spirit Carp breeding and cultivation techniques, and common injury treatments.”

Jiang Ding glanced at the array spirit’s display panel in the cultivation room.

“Rongcheng Steel Co., Ltd. Artificer Internship: three positions needed, four hours daily, duties include learning sorting, smelting, extraction, and synthesis of artificing materials, as well as using optical array engraving machines to inscribe semi-artifact array runes, with three opportunities to observe first-rank artificers inscribing arrays and one opportunity to personally inscribe artifact runes.”

Another dozen days passed; it was early December, and in about a month came the final exams—thus ended the first semester of senior year.

Thousand Threads Pull and Golden Seal were relatively easy; Major Success was expected.

【Realm: Inner Qi—Small Circulation】

On the podium, Hua Bing led the dismissal chant as usual, then announced something.

Many talismans and elixirs involve mundane apprentices in their refinement.

【Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, 1st branch (100%)】

Know that difficulty increases geometrically the higher one ascends; many Immortal Sect martial artists spend their entire lives unable to reach Minor Success—like Jiang Chaoyang and others.

Only a select few elite students reach Minor Success; in No. 1 High, only Sun Xiao and a handful of others.

【Name: Jiang Ding】

…

Jiang Ding carefully examined the internship position list.

The final Perfection realm has never been achieved by any high school student.

【《Sixty-Eighth Set Eagle Soaring Sword Art》(Major Success 32%)】

Rongcheng Steel Co., Ltd. is precisely the company where Lin Wanqiu works; this internship is going all out—offering even one chance to inscribe artifact runes! Wealthy and powerful.

Know that internship students will inevitably ruin the artifact blanks; even if they barely succeed, the result is a defective product, destined for recycling—hundreds of spirit coins wasted at once.

“Companies with Immortal Sect backing truly have class…”

Without further hesitation, he wrote his name and handed it to Hua Bing.

(End of Chapter)