Chapter 37: Entanglement Technique and Wood Essence Extraction

She hadn’t expected the Second Academy to run out of spiritual energy so quickly.

Su Jin secretly rejoiced—thankfully, she had already broken through to Qi Refining Level Two.

If she still needed a long time to break through, she’d be trapped daily in the plight of insufficient spiritual energy, unable to sustain her cultivation.

“Only eight or nine people over there, and the spiritual energy’s already failing?” Su Wuji asked in surprise.

“Yes, eight or nine people, but everyone’s using Spirit Gathering Arrays. Some are so rich they don’t care if they waste spirit stones—they’ve all set up first-rank mid-grade Spirit Gathering Arrays. At least five or six are doing this. The leaders are Su Linyuan and Yang Guan.”

They’ve set a bad precedent.

Sigh, so it’s strange if their spiritual energy hasn’t run out yet.” Su Jin explained to Su Wuji, “Su Yunhu is now pitifully taking three breaks a day, waiting for the Spirit Gathering Arrays to recharge due to insufficient spiritual energy.”

I think if two or three more classmates break through to Qi Refining Level One and get their own arrays, he might need five breaks a day.”

Hahaha. Su Wuji burst out laughing. “That’s too bad. I always thought Su Yunhu didn’t care much about cultivation and wasn’t diligent at all. So I figured he’d need at least another month to break through to Qi Refining Level Two.”

But now, even two months would be fast for him.”

“We’re all equally miserable. That’s why I ran—do you get it now?” Su Jin said helplessly.

At first, she accelerated her cultivation to avoid sharing a classroom with Su Lan, but in the past few days, she truly couldn’t stand staying in the Second Academy.

“So it seems that even just to ensure sufficient spiritual energy and cultivate however we want, we can’t delay breaking through anymore,” Su Wuji said calmly.

“Absolutely. If we keep getting tangled up with them, we won’t be able to cultivate at all.” Su Jin said.

“We’re two here, eight over there, and still fifteen students in the First Academy haven’t broken through to Qi Refining Level One. They’re way too slow,” Su Wuji couldn’t help complaining.

“I don’t know if their pace is fast or slow, but I heard that outside, hermits need one or two years just to break through to Qi Refining Level One.”

“Our clan school gives only one month—I guess they’re under a lot of pressure?” Su Jin speculated.

“Everyone’s been soaking in medicinal baths since childhood, and they’ve soaked for years and still need a month to break through? Then weren’t their parents wasting all that money on medicinal baths?” Su Wuji retorted, grimacing.

“That’s true,” Su Jin thought—her mother and father had spent so many spirit stones on her medicinal baths; if she still needed a month to break through to Qi Refining Level One, she’d truly be letting them down.

“By the way, Su Jin, what technique are you choosing?” Su Wuji asked quickly, knowing she’d now broken through to Qi Refining Level Two and must pick a technique.

“What technique did you pick?” Su Jin asked in return.

“I chose Vine Whip, to control wooden puppets,” Su Wuji said.

“Both combat techniques?” Su Jin said, surprised.

“My grandfather said it’s best to start with combat techniques—they build higher proficiency than auxiliary ones. That way, when we spar, we’ll have a slight edge,” Su Wuji said.

“Oh, I see. I plan to learn Entanglement Technique and Wood Essence Extraction,” Su Jin said.

“I understand Entanglement Technique—it’s a wood-control technique, a subset of combat techniques. But why learn Wood Essence Extraction? Sounds like an auxiliary technique,” Su Wuji frowned. “You’re going to start with an auxiliary technique?”

“Ah, Mother strongly insisted I must choose Wood Essence Extraction first.”

“She says wood essence boosts magic power—a single strand of wood essence can be converted without loss into three or four strands of our current Level Two magic power. A ten-year-old tree yields three to four strands of wood essence per month. For those cultivating wood-based scriptures, it’s even better than elixirs.”

No toxic side effects, no matter how much you absorb—no drug resistance builds up.

And it’s free—you don’t spend a single spirit stone,” Su Jin said.

Su Wuji immediately slapped his head in frustration.

“Damn, I miscalculated. My grandfather’s advice isn’t so useful after all.”

“Why didn’t I think of learning this auxiliary technique earlier? How much wood essence could we extract from all the wild trees outside the city?”

Su Jin burst into laughter.

“I thought about the countless large trees outside the city, many hundreds of years old—perfect for extracting wood essence.”

Su Wuji sighed regretfully. “That’s true. I’ll first train my two current techniques to minor mastery, then pick Wood Essence Extraction. When will you go get your techniques?”

“I’ll find a small box to store things first, then go to the Scripture Library,” Su Jin said.

“Boxes are at the back of the academy—go find one yourself.”

“Alright.”

“By the way, Su Jin, can you do me a favor? I won’t let you do it for free—how about a hundred spirit stones?” Su Wuji said.

“What do you need me to do? Tell me,” Su Jin asked, surprised, and stopped walking to wait.

“I’m cultivating the Divine Cultivation Scripture too—Great Expansion Divine Cultivation Art—but I feel it’s not flowing smoothly; I still haven’t even entered the gate. Can you explain your cultivation insights to me?” Su Wuji hurriedly asked.

“Really? A hundred spirit stones?” Su Jin asked again.

“Really. Right now.”

“Then I’ll explain it to you three times.”

“There’s such a thing?”

“What can I say? You’re paying too much,” Su Jin laughed again.

Su Jin knew the Great Expansion Divine Cultivation Art inside out—she had already broken through to Divine Cultivation Level One.

She believed she was the student who understood this scripture most deeply.

She then carefully explained her cultivation insights and realizations to Su Wuji three times.

Su Wuji was indeed talented—he suddenly attained enlightenment as he listened.

After this enlightenment, his Great Expansion Divine Cultivation Art would surely enter the gate.

Su Jin didn’t disturb him; she went to store her things, then headed to the Scripture Library.

“Grandfather Chengtian, I’m here to collect my techniques,” Su Jin called out to the counter on the first floor of the Scripture Library, “Where is everyone? Grandfather Chengtian, are you there?”

Soon, a disheveled old man emerged from a hidden room behind the counter. “I’m here.”