Chapter 33: Jealousy

"That depends on which tier of spirit-gathering effect you use. For a first-grade low-quality spirit-gathering effect, one spirit stone is enough. For a first-grade mid-quality spirit-gathering effect, you'll need to insert three spirit stones. If you want to use a better spirit-gathering effect, you'll need to use more spirit stones," Su Jin said. "There's an instruction manual in the formation-disk pouch that teaches you how to install and use it. Any fool can understand it at a glance."

The words Su Lan thought in her heart—Why don't you help us and teach us how to install and use it—suddenly couldn't come out.

If she said she didn't know how, wouldn't that make her the fool?

Su Jin, so this is the kind of person you are. She, Su Lan, has taken note.

"Besides using the formation disk, what should I do if I run into difficulties during my cultivation?" Su Lan asked again.

"Go ask Instructor Liu."

"Can't I ask you?"

"I'll probably only be here for another five days, or even less. If you have any difficulties, just ask Instructor Liu. She'll answer every student's questions. Besides, isn't Instructor Liu better at explaining things than me?"

Su Jin heard this and immediately felt something was off, thinking to herself, This girl won't be dragging me aside to ask questions every single day from now on, will she?

That would be far too vexing.

Su Jin thought to herself, To avoid being in the same classroom as you, I've already decided—today I'm taking the formation disk home. Even if all I do is absorb spirit stones, I still want to speed up and break through to the second layer of Qi Refining.

"What do you mean you're only staying here for five more days? If you're not here, where are you going?" Su Lan asked, puzzled.

"After breaking through to the second layer of Qi Refining, I'll go to the third classroom next door to continue cultivating. I'm about to break through," Su Jin said.

Su Lan heard this and immediately widened her eyes, staring at her.

"What did you say? You're going to break through to the second layer of Qi Refining? How can you possibly break through so fast?" Su Lan said at once, agitated.

"What does the speed of my breakthrough have to do with you?" Su Jin said, taken aback.

"Then why can't you wait for me?" Su Lan said angrily.

"Why should I wait for you?" Su Jin said, looking at her in surprise.

"Aren't we good friends?" Su Lan demanded.

"Whose 'good friend' would be a drag, not letting their own 'good friend' cultivate quickly, and instead making their 'good friend' dawdle along and cultivate with them? Are you jealous that your 'good friend' is cultivating so fast?" Su Wuji came over with his venomous tongue again.

However, this time the target of his venomous tongue was Su Lan.

"Wh-who are you? I'm talking to Su Jin, what does it have to do with you?" Su Lan said furiously.

"Can't be helped. You said the words 'good friend' in a way I just can't make sense of. So I had no choice but to come over and ask you about it," Su Wuji said with an innocent expression.

Pfft, pfft.

Su Cheng and Su Yunhu both burst out laughing together.

"If you're jealous, just say so. If you can't stand others being better than you, then admit you can't stand others being better than you. Why insult the words 'good friend'?" Su Wuji said with a cutting jab. "The way you say 'good friend' gives me goosebumps all over."

"When Su Jin said she was about to break through to the second layer of Qi Refining just now, her jealousy twisted her face all out of shape," Su Cheng added.

"Exactly, so ugly. I almost threw up from how ugly it was," Su Yunhu also chimed in.

"Y-you all are going too far. I'm going to tell Instructor Liu." Having said that, Su Lan stormed off in a huff to report to Instructor Liu.

She returned to the previous classroom, and the moment she saw Instructor Liu, she burst into tears.

Instructor Liu helplessly pulled her out of the classroom, found an empty little room, and asked her exactly what had happened.

Su Lan immediately gave a heavily embellished account of what had happened earlier.

"What exactly did I do wrong? All I wanted was for Su Jin to help me out a little. We grew up together, we're still good friends—why won't she help me? Is explaining a few questions really that unbearable for her?

I think she's just selfish," Su Lan concluded in the end.

Who would have thought that after hearing her complaint, Instructor Liu would frown outright: "Why must you go to Su Jin for help? Wouldn't that delay her cultivation? What is her relationship to you? Is she your father or your mother? If you're only childhood playmates, on what grounds should she delay her own cultivation for your sake?"

Su Lan was stunned.

"I... can't I ask someone for help? I've only just gone to that classroom," Su Lan said, both bewildered and feeling wronged.

"You are all students. Cultivation is your top priority. Even if she were willing to help you, I would still urge her to mind her own affairs and cultivate diligently. If you have questions, you can come to me; if you need any help, you can also come to me.

I am your instructor—that's exactly what I'm here for.

What do you mean by going to find Su Jin? Like Su Wuji said, you just want to delay her cultivation, slow down her breakthrough, and drag her down to the same level as you?" Instructor Liu's gaze was stern, chilling to behold.

Instructor Liu, what are you saying? What do you mean, drag her down to the same level as me?

Am I really that terrible in your eyes?

Su Lan couldn't help feeling wronged and burst into tears on the spot.

"Su Lan, no one will delay their own future for your sake, and the clan school won't allow you to do this either.

Either you cultivate on your own, or you wait to be expelled," Instructor Liu said.

A little jealousy is fine—if it's healthy competition, she might even look at the child more favorably, thinking this kid has high aspirations, picking a stronger Su Jin as her goal to strive toward. But she absolutely cannot allow any of the promising seeds she has her eye on to be maliciously held back.

Su Jin cultivates three arts simultaneously—she absolutely cannot afford to be delayed.

Instructor Liu would absolutely not allow one of the prized seeds she valued to be maliciously held back by some little girl in the class.

"Instructor Liu, I won't drop out. I'll cultivate properly on my own from now on." The moment Su Lan heard she might be expelled, her expression immediately changed.

"You'd better remember what you just said. Fine, school's out, you can go too," Instructor Liu said coldly. "If I catch you having thoughts like this again, I'll go straight to your parents and have them handle your withdrawal for you."

Su Lan was so frightened she couldn't even speak.

After seeing Su Lan off, Instructor Liu went to find Su Jin. She happened to catch Su Jin, who had just packed up her things and was about to head home.

"Come here," Instructor Liu beckoned her.

Su Jin saw it was Instructor Liu and trotted right over.

Although school had only just started not long ago, her impression of Instructor Liu had always been good.

They found another small empty room.

Instructor Liu had Su Jin sit down across from her.

"Su Lan just came to find me, saying you refused to help her with her cultivation questions. How do you view this matter?" Instructor Liu asked with a solemn expression.

"I indeed don't want to help her. First, I have no obligation to answer her questions. Second, I don't want to delay my cultivation because of her. Third, I feel she's up to no good. She keeps saying we're good friends, but I really don't feel that way." Su Jin, hearing this, knew Su Lan had gone to complain.

She was very angry about this.

She thought it over. Although they had played together a few times before, Su Lan had only ever invited her along when she needed something from her—when she didn't need her, she absolutely wouldn't call her to play.

And now she actually went and tattled!