324: Chapter 324 Morning Class

At the hour of Mao, the sky was not yet fully bright, and a dull bell sound came from the mountainside, echoing throughout the entire Outer Sect residential area.

Ling Ye opened his eyes the moment the bell rang—this was a habit he had developed in the Star Gate World, being able to switch from sleep to a waking state in the shortest possible time at any moment.

He got up and dressed, putting on the newly issued cyan uniform, fastening the belt, and hanging the iron token at his waist.

The fabric was still a bit stiff and didn't fit very well when worn, but it was already much better than his ragged old clothes.

Wang Dazhuang was still on the bed, grumbling and refusing to get up, turning over and muttering, "Sleep for another five minutes."

Li Musheng was already dressed neatly and pushed the door open to leave without saying a word.

Ling Ye did not wait for Wang Dazhuang and followed in Li Musheng's footsteps out of the room.

The mountain air in the early morning was cold and crisp, carrying the scent of grass, trees, and dew.

Outer Sect Disciples walked out of their respective rooms one after another; some were still rubbing their eyes, while others were already full of energy, gathering along the same path toward the martial arts practice field on the mountainside.

Ling Ye blended into the crowd, silently memorizing the route.

The martial arts practice field was a flat bluestone area, about the size of half a soccer field, large enough to accommodate hundreds of people.

In the center of the field stood a huge stone tablet, engraved with four large characters— "Diligent and Self-Improving."

The Outer Sect Disciples stood in formation on the martial arts practice field in a certain order. Ling Ye was a newcomer and did not know where to stand, so he found a spot at the end of the line and stood still.

Not long after, a middle-aged man wearing a dark cyan robe walked onto the stone platform in front of the martial arts practice field.

His robe was similar to the one worn by the person who hosted the trial yesterday, but the cuffs were embroidered with silver bamboo patterns instead of cloud patterns.

His gaze swept across the entire field, and without any opening remarks, he spoke directly: "Sit cross-legged, five hearts facing the sky, close your eyes and focus, follow my guidance, and sense the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi."

Ling Ye sat down as instructed, adjusted his posture, and closed his eyes.

The middle-aged man's voice rang out slowly, his tone steady and unhurried, as if he were guiding a group of beginners—which was, in fact, the case: "Relax your body, from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, relax one by one. Do not rush, take it slow. Feel the temperature of the air, feel the support of the ground, feel your own body..."

Ling Ye followed his guidance and relaxed his body bit by bit.

His breathing gradually became long and even, and his consciousness also gradually calmed down.

"Now, focus your attention on your Dantian—three inches below the navel. Imagine there is a hollow space there, like a container that has not yet been filled with water. Do not try to force it, just imagine its existence."

Ling Ye shifted his attention to the Dantian position.

"Between Heaven and Earth, it is filled with Spiritual Qi. It is formless and intangible, yet it is everywhere. Try to use your consciousness to perceive it—not with your eyes, not with your ears, but with that 'hollow space' inside your body to perceive it. Just like someone who has been holding their breath in water for a long time, when they finally surface, they use their lungs to perceive the existence of air."

This analogy helped Ling Ye find a bit of a feeling.

He adjusted the rhythm of his breathing and shifted his attention to "perceiving the outside world."

At first, nothing happened, but he did not get impatient and just patiently maintained his focus.

Then, he felt it.

Extremely faint, like a breeze brushing across his skin, or like a feather falling on a calm water surface—he "perceived" that ubiquitous energy in the surrounding environment.

They truly existed, like countless tiny, glowing particles, suspended in the air, floating in the sunlight, permeating between the grass, trees, and soil.

They were flowing quietly, like an invisible river, surrounding him and passing through him.

This was Spiritual Qi.

The middle-aged man's voice continued to guide: "After you perceive the existence of Spiritual Qi, try to use your consciousness to guide it—not by forcibly pulling, but like inviting a guest, gently guide it to approach your body, pass through your skin, and enter that hollow space inside your body."

Ling Ye tried to do so.

He carefully wrapped those glowing particles with his consciousness, guiding them to approach his body.

At first, the Spiritual Qi did not obey his guidance, like a shy school of fish, scattering as soon as they approached.

He did not get discouraged and adjusted the intensity of his consciousness—softer, more like a silent invitation.

A particle of Spiritual Qi touched his skin, and then, as if captured by some gravitational force, it slowly seeped in.

At that moment, Ling Ye felt a faint warm current spread from the point of contact on his skin, slowly flowing along some path he had never realized existed, toward his Dantian.

Wherever that warm current passed, it brought an indescribable sense of comfort, like parched land finally receiving its first drop of rain.

He succeeded.

He successfully guided a wisp of Spiritual Qi into his body.

The middle-aged man's voice echoed over the martial arts practice field: "Do not be greedy, do not be impatient. The first time you guide Spiritual Qi, being able to successfully introduce a wisp is a very good start. Remember this feeling, practice repeatedly, until it becomes your instinct."

The morning class lasted for about two hours.

When it ended, Ling Ye opened his eyes and felt his whole body become a bit lighter.

That feeling was not an increase in strength, but a deeper sense of comfort, as if his body had been "cleansed."

He looked down at his hands, clenched them, and then relaxed them.

This was the feeling of Cultivating.

He stood up, blended into the crowd, and walked toward the cafeteria.

The sun had risen a bit higher, piercing through the mist and casting mottled light and shadows on the bluestone path.

His footsteps were a bit lighter than when he arrived.

He had finally taken his first step in this world.