29: Open the book

Lu Miaomiao's choice was like a giant rock smashing into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand ripples.

The entire hall completely erupted.

"What's going on? Does she have some misunderstanding about Body Refining?"

"With her tiny frame, she'd fall over with a gust of wind. Body Refining? Don't joke around!"

"It's a shame for such a pretty girl to insist on becoming a muscular Barbie. She must be out of her mind!"

Liu Lian's exaggerated shout was particularly grating: "Classmate! Wake up! That's not where you should go! Listen to your big brother's advice, switch majors, isn't Sword Cultivator more appealing?"

The numerous discussions among the students made the somewhat quiet girl feel a bit flustered.

Lu Miaomiao's cheeks were flushed, but she still stood there ramrod straight, clutching the earthy yellow Jade Slip tightly, without backing down.

Li Heng, who was on the podium, finally spoke.

"Body Refining means developing a body full of muscles?"

His rhetorical question brought silence to the entire hall.

Li Heng scanned the bewildered faces below and continued to press: "Who told you that?"

"Do you think that an Cultivator's Body Refining is the same as a mortal martial artist's hard Qigong?"

"Hardening muscles and bones, training resistance to blows?"

Li Heng sneered.

"Foolish."

"True Body Refining uses Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi as charcoal, and one's own Meridians as a furnace, to temper muscles, bones, and skin, and reshape the five internal organs and six viscera! It is a complete transformation, a leap in the level of life!"

"While you are still concerned about whether muscles are aesthetically pleasing, every drop of blood, every inch of skin of a Body Cultivator is already a Magical Artifact!"

He paused, then continued: "This path is arduous, but it is not as crude as you imagine. What it pursues is the ultimate Physical Body, the Origin of power."

His words were impactful.

The hall was silent.

The boys who had been mocking earlier now had flushed faces.

And the girls who had disdained Body Refining also showed thoughtful expressions.

Lu Miaomiao looked up, bowed deeply to Li Heng, and then quietly retreated into the crowd.

Li Heng's explanation prevented the remaining students from blindly following the trend.

One by one, people came forward, choosing relatively less popular majors like Talisman, Alchemy, and Formation.

Soon, only one person remained on the field.

A girl wearing black-rimmed glasses, who looked quiet and unassuming, with no sense of presence.

Her name was Li Ziyuan.

Under everyone's gaze, she slowly walked forward.

"Principal," she adjusted her glasses and asked softly, "I... I have a question."

"Speak."

"Can I... can I learn all seven majors?"

As soon as this question was asked, the entire hall fell silent once again.

If Lu Miaomiao's choice was shocking, then Li Ziyuan's question was absurd.

"Pfft!"

Liu Lian couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

As the laughter rang out, discussions once again erupted below.

"No way? Learning all seven majors, this is the ultimate tryhard!"

"Sister, you're even braver than the one just now! Don't you know that biting off more than you can chew is bad?"

"Leaving aside the fact that human energy is limited, it seems some of these major specializations can't be cultivated concurrently, otherwise, Cultivation would be twice the effort for half the result..."

Han Li was also stunned, and quietly complained to Fang Yuan: "Is this girl... here to stock up? And in bulk?"

Li Heng frowned.

"No."

He directly refused.

"The path of Immortal Cultivation is vast and boundless; even with a lifetime, one may not master a single aspect. If you divide your attention among seven, you will ultimately achieve nothing."

"But..." Li Ziyuan was a little anxious, "I'm not pursuing power."

"Oh?" Li Heng became interested.

Li Ziyuan took a deep breath, as if summoning all her courage.

"I want to know, why can a Talisman drawn on paper summon lightning? Why can a few herbs refined into a pill bring the dead back to life? Why is a Sword Cultivator's Sword Qi irresistible, and how are a Spell Cultivator's Spells cast?"

She said a lot in one breath.

"I want to understand the Dao behind all of this! I want to know the essence of Spiritual Qi, what laws it follows! I want to thoroughly research all of this!"

Her voice grew louder and louder, and her eyes, behind her glasses, gleamed with an almost fanatical thirst for knowledge.

"For me, Immortal Cultivation is not about fighting and killing, nor is it about eternal life. It is a... a brand new discipline waiting for me to explore!"

The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was stunned by her rebellious remarks.

Including Li Heng.

He looked at the girl in front of him, and a stormy wave surged in his heart.

Research-oriented talent!

All this time, he had regarded Immortal Cultivation as a means to gain power, a tool to complete System tasks.

He had never thought that someone would look at Immortal Cultivation from this perspective.

To deconstruct it, to study it, to explore its most fundamental logic.

This... perhaps this is the true path to allow Immortal Cultivation civilization to go further!

After a brief silence, Li Heng made a decision.

"Your idea is very interesting."

He looked at Li Ziyuan and said slowly.

Liu Lian interjected from the side: "Principal, don't listen to her, this is completely wishful thinking!"

Li Heng ignored him.

"The academy can support your research."

With that, he waved his right hand.

A unique Jade Slip appeared in his hand.

Unlike other Jade Slips, which were monochromatic, it displayed a seven-colored, glazed luster.

"This Jade Slip records all the basic Cultivation Techniques and ancient texts of the seven major academies."

The Jade Slip slowly floated towards Li Ziyuan.

"However, I must warn you."

Li Heng's tone became serious.

"Choosing this path means you will have no mentors. Your teachers will only be the vast collection of books in the library."

"Your Cultivation speed might be the slowest among all students. When others are already able to fly on swords and summon wind and rain, you might still be struggling to understand a most basic Spell."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Li Ziyuan reached out without hesitation, grasping the seven-colored Jade Slip tightly.

"I am sure!"

She looked up, her eyes behind her glasses shining astonishingly bright.

"Thank you, Principal!"

Li Heng nodded.

"Good."

"Major selection ends here."

He surveyed the hall and announced.

"Classes officially begin next Monday. The detailed course schedule will be sent to your Jade Slips shortly."

The students' spirits lifted.

"Additionally, from now on, the academy library is open to all of you."

"You can go ahead and preview your lessons, or you can try your first Cultivation."

As soon as Li Heng finished speaking.

"Charge!"

"To the library!"

"Haha, I'm going to start Immortal Cultivation!"

The crowd instantly erupted, and all the students excitedly rushed out of the hall, heading towards the library.