The appearance of a Grotto Heaven at the Hidden Dragon Academy and the achievement of three students reaching the tenth level of Qi Cultivation within it continuously fermented. Lin Jing’s Hidden Dragon Secret Technique finally bore fruit, fully transforming into a golden luck wyrmling.
Though the tenth level of Qi Cultivation is exceedingly rare, it is ultimately not as groundbreaking as the feats of the Prince Gu. Throughout the centuries, many geniuses have achieved it through various opportunities, and it did not bring Lin Jing the wide renown throughout the Ancient Country that he imagined.
Most of his reputation came from discussions among families and sect powerhouses behind the candidates, focusing on quality. Among the populace, his fame boomed in the ancient region, yet outside it, the spread significantly diminished.
Now, every few days, Lin Jing helped the dragon carp unleash its potential, causing its growth to be incredibly rapid. Combining the dragon scale fire, its combat power was extraordinary. Mixing dragon scale fire with ghost fire produced mysterious means, but it was not suitable for use.
In terms of physical strength, it was even more fierce. Its defense was now akin to that body cultivator from the snowy plains, sufficient to withstand spiritual bean bombs.
As for alchemy, with the dragon carp bearing good fire and cauldron, its fire control attainment made it resemble an alchemy prodigy, refining the Beast Blood Pill. Though the success rate was not high, it counted as a second-grade alchemist.
These achievements were already commendable for a carp spirit widely believed to have no combat power before leaping across the Dragon Gate.
"I am Cao Zhiwei, and I will be giving a lecture on the art of treasure seeking at Celestial Ease Mountain in three days."
"Those who have comprehended the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique are welcome to attend."
In Lin Jing’s cave dwelling, after days of retreat, he just cared for the dragon carp and hadn’t had the chance to delve into the Beast Taming Body and Ice Soul Body he had named, only to hear Mr. Cao’s voice echoing throughout the academy.
This was the first time a cultivator lectured since he came to the Hidden Dragon Academy. Unfortunately, the content wasn’t Mr. Cao’s most skilled art of prospering one’s spouse, which left many students in the academy quite regretful.
However, the four words "art of treasure seeking" held immense allure, and Lin Jing, at least, was already planning to attend the lecture in three days.
Celestial Ease Mountain was soon covered by a giant light screen enveloping the heavens and earth.
Three days later, many academy students came to attend the lecture, ranging from Qi Cultivation to Foundation Establishment, but there wasn’t a single one from the Golden Core Stage.
One cultivator after another entered the light screen, disappearing without a trace, as if they were transported to another space.
When Lin Jing and the pine mouse arrived, they too entered the light screen, finding themselves in a room filled with white light.
The room had no facilities; instead, a huge spiritual power vortex in midair reflected the meditating figure of Cao Zhiwei.
"A familiar teaching style," Lin Jing muttered, sitting cross-legged and calming his mind, awaiting the commencement of the lecture.
"Squeak..." The pine mouse slipped off Lin Jing’s shoulder, lying flat in the self-contained space, baffled why Lin Jing insisted on dragging it along.
"Two listen to a lecture for the price of one lesson, much more cost-effective."
Lin Jing explained several times. Moments later, Cao Zhiwei opened his eyes and said, "The time has come. Today, I will speak on the art of treasure seeking." Fresh chapters posted on novel•fire.net
"The art of treasure seeking shares many similarities with the art of aura observation, both achieved through resonance with the aura of the world to perform magic."
"Moreover, treasure seeking comes in many forms. What I will teach is not how to find rare spirit plants or minerals, these traditional treasures, but ancient treasures!"
"Whether it was the Immortal Palace Era or the Immortal Alliance Era, several continent-sweeping wars occurred, with countless ancient treasures buried within the world. The empty domains you know, for instance, are the regions with the most ancient relics and secret realms of the Celestial Essence Ancient Country, harboring countless ancient treasures and ancient opportunities."
"And besides the empty domains, every city must have had a glorious past. A mere mortal village today might have been the secluded cave dwelling of an ancient mighty figure."
"The art of seeking ancient treasures teaches you how to explore, identify, and excavate these ancient treasures. Before the lecture begins, is anyone in doubt? You may raise questions now."
A voice emerged from the void: "Mr. Cao, while the treasure-seeking art is extraordinary, if we find an ancient mighty’s magical treasure, we might change our destinies! But isn’t the academy’s curriculum generally about managing cities?"
Mr. Cao replied, "The powerful ancient magical treasures findable through the treasure-seeking art have long been discovered, leaving you no chance. Entry into treasure-seeking requires immense talent and opportunity. Ordinary students, after learning, might find some historically valuable antiquities at best, which have little practical value."
"Therefore, you might as well excavate antiquities in your governed cities and set up an antiquities pavilion to display them for visitors, thus enriching the historical and cultural background of your cities. In this way, isn’t it a merit in governance?"
Lin Jing: "... So a history museum, huh."
The academy’s students knew that what the academy taught was definitely not standard spells, but since they came, they planned to patiently learn for the sake of their future official careers.
For three consecutive days, the students attended the lectures in a daze. Compared to magic performed through one’s own True Qi, the treasure-seeking art was abstruse. Besides requiring the concentration of spiritual power in one’s eyes through a special method, it also needed resonance with the world and sensing the pulse of history to see the ancient treasure light ascending through the flow of time.
"For the next ten days, you may practice the art of treasure seeking here at your leisure. If uninterested, you may leave now. If after a few days of practice, you feel no innate talent for it, you may also leave."
"I’ve placed many antiquities here. If you can find them using the treasure-seeking art, they will be yours."
After the lecture concluded, the students found themselves from the small private space to an expansive mountain range. Lin Jing and the pine mouse were no exception. This mountain range was even larger than the address of the Beast Taming Sect’s sect, comprising over a hundred continuous peaks. It was unknown how many ancient treasures were hidden here.
Lin Jing sat cross-legged on a boulder, half-closing his eyes, sensing the so-called pulse of history. After a long time, he felt nothing, his eyes sore, and not seeing even a glimmer of ancient treasure light.
"Seems like I lack the talent," he sighed, not eager to expend the Hidden Dragon fortune on a treasure-seeking art he had no knack for.
"What about you? Did you not see a single ancient light?" he asked the pine mouse perched on his shoulder, as during this period, he had also allowed it to attend the lessons with him, curious of its talent.
"Squeak..." The pine mouse remained utterly silent, not daring to speak before, always feeling it made a mistake during the treasure-seeking art practice.
"Squeak?" It inquired Lin Jing, questioning if beasts could indeed learn the treasure-seeking art.
"Mr. Cao said the cultivation of treasure-seeking art isn’t limited by race, as it wasn’t created by humans," Lin Jing replied, and the pine mouse nodded.
It rubbed its eyes, its pupils glistening with spirit, certain something was amiss, because what lay before it were hills full of ancient treasure lights. Especially a distant peak, whose light was as brilliant as stars compared to elsewhere, nearly blinding its Glazed Immortal Pupil.
"Squeak..." The pine mouse claimed it might have seen hundreds of lights.
Hearing this, Lin Jing fell silent.
Are you really a hoarding mouse or a treasure-seeking mouse? What do you mean by hundreds of lights?