101: enlighten

The night was thick, and moonlight cast a cool white frost over the courtyard of Kunlun Academy.

Fang Yuan sat alone on a stone bench in the courtyard, looking up at the bright moon, his heart heavy.

Earlier that day at the Martial Arts Training Ground, Lin Xiao's earth-shattering move, "Borrowing Sword," was still replaying in his mind.

A torrent of hundreds of Flying Swords instantly tore the black mist to shreds.

That domineering, sharp, and invincible posture filled him with a deep sense of powerlessness.

He spread his palm, and a slender golden electric snake danced in his hand, yet it appeared so weak, so... docile.

Was this really thunder?

The legendary thunder that executed heavenly judgment, supreme in its strength and positivity?

Footsteps approached, interrupting Fang Yuan's thoughts.

Xie Wangsheng walked over unhurriedly, holding a cup of water, and sat on the stone bench opposite him.

Fang Yuan looked at his roommate, a thought stirring in his heart.

With Xie Wangsheng's intellect, he must have already seen through the black mist's weakness.

He must have come to... "I..."

Fang Yuan was about to speak, intending to say that he wanted to find a way to break the secret technique with his own strength.

"I'm not here to tell you how to break that secret technique."

Xie Wangsheng calmly interrupted him, taking a sip of water.

The words Fang Yuan had prepared were suddenly stuck in his throat; he was stunned, completely bewildered by his roommate's intentions.

Xie Wangsheng put down the cup and pushed up the glasses on his nose.

"Fang Yuan, let me ask you a question."

"Your innate talent and Spiritual Root were personally certified by the Dean as the best in the entire academy, a Thunder Element Heavenly Spiritual Root, correct?"

Fang Yuan unconsciously nodded.

"Then why has your strength always been suppressed by Lin Xiao and Zhang Qiqi?"

Xie Wangsheng's question was direct and sharp.

"Don't even mention those two freaks. Even Lu Miaomiao from the Body Cultivation Department, or even me, a main Formation Cultivator, if we truly fought, how much chance do you think you'd have of winning?"

Fang Yuan's cheeks began to flush; he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word.

Chances of winning?

He had no chance of winning.

Lu Miaomiao's movement technique was so fast he couldn't even lock onto her, and Xie Wangsheng's Formation could put him in a desperate situation before he even made a move.

"From the perspective of Cultivation progress."

Xie Wangsheng continued to state the facts in his emotionless tone.

"You are currently only at the average level in the academy, neither good nor bad, just mediocre."

"This isn't right."

"It's very wrong."

Fang Yuan's head slowly lowered, his hands unconsciously clutching his trousers.

Shame, embarrassment, and various emotions surged in his chest.

He had always known there was a gap between him and the top few, but he had never imagined that this gap would be so starkly laid out before him.

"The Headmaster once said something at the opening ceremony."

Xie Wangsheng's voice rang out again.

"The path of Immortal Cultivation is Heaven-Defying; what it requires is an indomitable will."

"Or, we could call it a Dao Heart."

"And you, Fang Yuan."

Xie Wangsheng said, word for word.

"You haven't yet firmed up your will; you haven't yet found your own Dao Heart."

Dao Heart?

Fang Yuan was completely stunned.

He felt as if something in his mind had been sharply struck.

He understood everything Xie Wangsheng said, the literal meaning of each word.

But strung together, it made him feel incredibly unfamiliar.

He had been an unremarkable person since childhood.

Ordinary looks, ordinary grades, ordinary family background.

In his high school class, he was the kind of transparent person with the least presence, the kind who might be mistaken for someone else in a graduation photo.

If it weren't for the admission letter from Kunlun Cultivation Academy, if it weren't for his name being listed first among all new students on that letter.

He would even believe that he was the worst, most useless person in this world.

So... the problem lies here?

"Fang Yuan, you have a Thunder Element Heavenly Spiritual Root."

Xie Wangsheng patted his shoulder; the force wasn't heavy, but it made Fang Yuan's body tremble slightly.

"You should try to comprehend the true meaning of thunder techniques, rather than simply treating it as a tool."

"What is thunder?"

"It is heavenly might, judgment, the will that tears through dark clouds, the ferocity that destroys all obstacles."

"It should be domineering, it should be indomitable, not confined to your palm, becoming a docile little electric snake."

"Change your mindset; let your heart be worthy of your thunder."

"Only then can you truly take the lead."

Fang Yuan listened, half understanding, half confused; he looked up, his face full of bewilderment.

"This... is this really useful? Mindset and such..."

"Of course, it's useful."

Xie Wangsheng nodded affirmatively.

"Mindset and confidence are ten thousand times more important on the path of Immortal Cultivation than you imagine."

He finished speaking and pointed towards the room from which boisterous sounds were now coming.

"If you don't believe me, look at them."

Inside the room, Liu Lian and Han Li were animatedly chatting about something, laughing uproariously.

"Those two guys, their talents aren't outstanding. One is obsessed with beautiful women, and the other constantly thinks about how to create content for live streams."

Xie Wangsheng commented unceremoniously.

"But look, how much do their Cultivation progress and their actual combat strength differ from yours, Fang Yuan?"

The lively chatter in the room abruptly ceased.

The next second.

Han Li's head peeked out from behind the door, his face screaming "What the heck!"

"No, Xie Wangsheng! If you're going to counsel Fang Yuan, can you not resort to personal attacks?!"

"What do you mean 'talent isn't outstanding'? I call that being relatable to the masses! What do you mean 'constantly thinking about creating content'? I call that sharing life!"

Liu Lian also emerged, looking indignant.

"Exactly! And me! I call that a clear Dao Heart, comprehending the Mortal World, sharpening my sword heart amidst the rolling Mortal World! You, a shut-in who plays with Formation Plates all day, what do you know?!"

Watching these two clowns righteous indignation, Fang Yuan's tense face finally couldn't hold up.

He couldn't help but grin, laughing silently.

The gloom in his heart also dissipated by more than half at that moment.