Choosing a spiritual formula

“So this is the place to choose spirit arts, then.”

Shangguan Xue’s avatar scrutinized the pure white, cube-shaped building, thinking, ‘If you hadn’t told me, I would have thought it was a block of tofu.’

She secretly decided that from now on, this building would be known as the “White Box.”

“Follow me.”

The Instructor presented a token, causing a shimmering doorway to materialize on the White Box’s exterior wall. She led the disciples through the portal and into the White Box’s interior.

‘A protective barrier has been set up… it can even withstand the Nirvana Realm, the Sixth Stage.’

‘Fortunately, I possess a spirit sense of the Creation Realm. Even with the limitations of this physical body, I can still barely approach the Seventh Stage, the Earth Integration Realm. This barrier won’t stop me.’

Shangguan Xue inwardly rejoiced, discreetly floating in behind the others.

What greeted their eyes were luminous rivers of stars flowing between heaven and earth, making anyone observing them feel incredibly minuscule amidst their cosmic dance.

‘What a massive Spirit Array, truly worthy of Qingmei,’ Shangguan mused aloud.

A Spirit Array, in essence, is a formation constructed with spiritual energy, one of the many methods for its utilization. Beigong Qingmei, renowned as the foremost Spirit Array Master in the world, was the architect behind this very array, which transformed spirit arts into these stellar rivers.

‘Speaking of which, Qingmei should be able to detect my intrusion, right?’

After a moment’s consideration, Shangguan Xue dismissed the thought. ‘Could Beigong Qingmei really beat me up?’

“Disciples,” the Instructor addressed them, “by sensing the spiritual energy within your bodies, a spirit art suited to you will present itself.”

“Remember, you do not choose the spirit art; the spirit art chooses you.”

‘Big sister, no, teacher, do you think this is a magic wand?’ Shangguan Xue silently quipped, observing the group of young disciples with keen interest.

“Instructor,” one disciple inquired, “how exactly do we sense spiritual energy?”

To their surprise, the Instructor shook her head. “There is no fixed method; you must simply try it yourselves.”

‘It varies from person to person, then,’ Shangguan Xue understood.

Consequently, some disciples sat cross-legged, others knelt on the ground, some pressed their palms together, and there was even one attempting a handstand.

An uninformed observer might have mistaken the scene for a performance art convention.

Before long, a single star detached itself from the stellar river and descended before a disciple. With an excited expression, she reached out and grasped the star, watching as its light dissipated, leaving behind only a book.

The spirit art emanated a silver glow, signifying it as a ‘Fine’ grade. If it emitted white light, it would be a ‘Common’ grade; golden light indicated a ‘Sacred’ grade.

“Oh, the Heavenly Flame Art?” Shangguan Xue edged closer to observe, subtly sensing the disciple’s aura. ‘The young girl possesses a Fire Cloud Physique; no wonder.’

Humans can develop special physiques, which often influence the selection of spirit arts. For instance, Ziyan’s “Shadow Venom Physique” resonates with poison-related spirit arts. She cultivates the “Thousand Medicines, Thousand Poisons Art” from the Violet Mist Tower. Of course, not everyone possesses a special physique; the Martial Saint, for example, does not.

The Fire Cloud Physique is a relatively common special physique, well-suited for fire-based spirit arts like the “Heavenly Flame Art.”

This Fire Cloud Physique disciple set an excellent precedent. Soon, numerous stars departed the stellar river, settling into the hands of the disciples and transforming into various spirit arts.

Shangguan Xue quickly scanned the room; most of the fifty-plus individuals had received ‘Fine’ grade spirit arts, with only two acquiring ‘Common’ grade and one securing a ‘Sacred’ grade.

Almost everyone received a ‘Fine’ grade, indicating commendable talent among this batch of disciples.

‘That little girl who obtained a ‘Sacred’ grade also seems very promising; she’ll likely reach beyond the Nirvana Realm.’

Shangguan Xue, observing from the sidelines, rendered her judgment.

However, Luo Jin had yet to receive a spirit art.

“What’s going on with this kid?” she murmured to herself.

No sooner had the words left her lips than three stars plummeted before Luo Jin, each one dimming its light.

A chorus of exclamations erupted:

“Chosen by three spirit arts at once?”

“Heavens!”

Even the Instructor fixed her gaze upon the scene, wearing an expression that suggested, ‘I haven’t *never* seen this before, but it’s certainly a rare occurrence.’

‘Qingmei mentioned that she also attracted three spirit arts here… and her ‘Fiery Eyes of Truth’ physique doesn’t typically influence spirit art selection.’

‘Later, she chose the “Ink and Wash Painting Art” based on her personal interest.’

Musing inwardly, Shangguan Xue floated closer, discovering that two of them were ‘Sacred’ grade spirit arts, alongside one ‘Fine’ grade.

Others also discerned the grades of the three spirit arts from the light they emitted.

“Sacred grade spirit arts? Two of them?”

“His talent is simply extraordinary!”

“But how did a ‘Fine’ grade one get mixed in?”

“Indeed, indeed.”

The two ‘Sacred’ grade arts were the “Water-Sky One Color Art” and the “Myriad Jin Art,” while the ‘Fine’ grade was the “Yin-Yang Wood Art.”

Others might not have understood, but Shangguan Xue instantly recognized the implications:

‘Aha! The Water-Sky One Color Art suits his merman bloodline, and the Myriad Jin Art suits his human bloodline.’

‘As for the Yin-Yang Wood Art, it possesses neither particular strengths nor weaknesses, primarily focusing on balance and harmony.’

‘Come to think of it, the spiritual energy he used back then had two distinct properties… encompassing the merfolk’s Azure Sea Art and the Hao family’s Sumeru Heavenly Mountain Art.’

‘Could he be relying on his own fortune to harmonize and cultivate two spirit arts simultaneously through the Yin-Yang Wood Art?’

At that moment, the Instructor spoke up: “You may choose any one of them, but only one.”

‘Why? All three clearly chose me, so why can I only keep one?’

‘The Ink Pavilion has so many spirit arts; what’s the harm in giving me all three?’

‘Hypocritical! Stingy! Truly sickening!’

Luo Jin raged inwardly.

Yet, he knew that if he were to forcefully seize them, he would be expelled from the academy, if not beaten to death. Resignedly, he uttered, “Yes.”

Gazing at the three spirit arts, his eyes first skimmed over the two ‘Sacred’ grade ones, then slowly shifted towards the ‘Fine’ grade Yin-Yang Wood Art.

Luo Jin’s reasoning was simple: ‘When there are three long and one short, choose the short one; if I’m choosing, I’ll pick the special one.’

Shangguan Xue, meanwhile, found herself in a dilemma:

‘Should I stop him? But if I actually do something, I’ll likely be blocked by the Spirit Array, and forcing my way through would be too dangerous.’

‘Besides, his luck still holds. If I prevent him from getting the Yin-Yang Wood Art now, he’ll simply acquire something with a similar effect.’

‘However, if he loses other opportunities, he’ll be ruined. The spirit art itself isn’t what matters.’

‘But watching him gain such a huge advantage… it pains me.’

‘Wait, perhaps I can…’

With a shift in her consciousness, she manifested a line of text using her spirit sense, then subtly unveiled a faint, yet intrinsically Creation Realm aura.

She intended to send a telepathic message to Beigong Qingmei.