Chapter 81 – The Substitute Paper Figure Advances

Upon hearing the progress of the others, Mu Lin paid little mind, but when he learned that Ji Xue was already on the verge of breaking through to the Spirit Awakening Late Stage, even he couldn’t help but twitch slightly.

“Spirit Awakening Late Stage, so fast!”

“Isn’t it said that Dao Palace disciples take one to three years to reach the Spirit Awakening Late Stage?”

Zong Xiu shrugged at this.

“That’s for Dao Palace disciples with Third-Class or Fourth-Class Spirit Roots. You know Ji Xue’s talent—even among First-Class Spirit Roots, she’s among the strongest.”

“And it’s not just her talent; her family background is also rich. Reaching the Spirit Awakening Late Stage in thirty or forty days is easy… well, it’s actually quite astonishing.”

After exchanging a glance, both of them sighed.

Mu Lin truly felt the gap in talent and genuinely sensed some pressure.

However, despite feeling this pressure, he was determined to secure first place this time and had the confidence to do so.

In recent days, Mu Lin hadn’t been idly doing nothing.

He hadn’t gone to the Tower of Illusory Heavens not because he didn’t care, but because, for him, with a precious resource like Moonlight Jade Dew, steady cultivation yielded the greatest benefits.

As it stood now, after seven days of arduous cultivation, Mu Lin had finally reached the moment of harvest.

His Substitute Paper Figure was set to officially advance to the Master level tonight.

This ability was one of Mu Lin’s core skills, and its advancement had the potential to propel him to new heights.

Of course, there was no need to tell Zong Xiu about this.

“Ahem, who says I’m not anxious? But wanting to secure first place in Anping Dao Palace and rank among the top five in the Southeast Region isn’t something that can be achieved through haste alone. Besides, I have a strong heart—even if I’m anxious, I won’t show it on my face.”

After saying this, Mu Lin noticed they had arrived at his courtyard. Eager to focus on improving his cultivation method, he quickly added, “Brother Zong, I’m home. I’ll go cultivate now.”

With anticipation in his heart, Mu Lin entered his small room.

Thus, he didn’t see the disappointment that flickered across Zong Xiu’s face after he left.

Zong Xiu had hoped to see Mu Lin in a hurry—not out of any ill intent.

If Mu Lin had shown urgency, Zong Xiu could have seized the opportunity to propose joining his team.

What Mu Lin didn’t know was that Zong Xiu wasn’t the only classmate thinking this way.

Indeed, when Mu Lin first entered the Formal Class, his Third-Class Spirit Root made him stand out from everyone else.

Teacher Dongfang Ya using Mu Lin as an example only exacerbated this.

Later, Mu Lin, whose talent was lower and mana weaker than others, also gained Chu Lingluo’s favor, which further fueled jealousy.

At that time, Mu Lin had become the public enemy of all the male students in the Formal Class.

However, this situation only persisted before Mu Lin challenged the Tower of Illusory Heavens.

When he safely passed the third floor, many disciples realized they were mistaken—Mu Lin was no waste.

At that point, if Mu Lin had given them an opening or said a few kind words, there would have been a chance for reconciliation.

But Mu Lin shattered that possibility himself, openly mocking the students in the class and positioning himself against everyone.

—He believed that, compared to the camaraderie of his classmates, Teacher Dongfang Ya’s task was clearly more important.

And by completing the task, he reaped countless benefits, not to mention the subtle protection it afforded him.

The reason Elder Qin was willing to lend his top-grade artifact for observation was entirely due to Teacher Dongfang Ya’s influence.

The opportunity for Spirit Root transformation before him was also brought by Teacher Dongfang Ya.

It could be said that everything happening now proved Mu Lin’s choice was correct. What he had lost was merely the friendship of some insignificant classmates—or so he thought.

In fact, Mu Lin hadn’t even lost that much.

Among the Qi Refiners who entered the Dao Palace, there were fools, but not everyone was foolish.

Previously, the intense rivalry and jealousy among the crowd wasn’t because everyone was mindless or simply lustful.

Gaining the favor of any one of Yan Yunyu, Chu Lingluo, or Ji Xue could save them decades of effort—this was the real reason for their fierce competition.

Mu Lin was a clear beneficiary. Without the Moon-Swallowing Toad given by Lingluo, his cultivation would never have progressed so smoothly.

Thus, the others’ rivalry and hostility toward Mu Lin weren’t mindless; they were competing for resources. With Chu Lingluo’s support, Mu Lin could cultivate at three to five times the normal speed, which precisely proved the value of such alliances.

If Yan Yunyu hadn’t interfered, allowing Mu Lin to team up with Chu Lingluo, Jing Yeming would now be the one receiving massive resources.

And his cultivation speed might also increase three to fivefold!

In such a situation, wouldn’t you compete as well?

As for targeting only Mu Lin as an opponent, rather than competing with Zhou Liang or Jing Yeming, this was a testament to their rationality.

At that time, Mu Lin hadn’t yet demonstrated formidable combat strength or potential. Everyone believed they could defeat him—and only him—which was why he faced hostility from all sides.

The soft persimmon is always the easiest to squeeze.

However, after Mu Lin and Chu Lingluo cleared the third trial, and even the fourth, temporarily becoming the Dao Palace First, the situation changed.

Anyone with a shred of rationality understood that Mu Lin was no weakling, and the chances of defeating him were slim.

Consequently, some of those who had harbored hostility toward Mu Lin naturally shifted their mindset. Their thoughts had turned from enmity to attachment, hoping to become Mu Lin’s teammates.

—After becoming the Dao Palace First and ranking among the top five in the Southeast Region, Mu Lin, as the team leader, would benefit the most, but the others would also receive rewards from the Dao Palace.

In such circumstances, many wanted to ride this wave of momentum.

Moreover, they initially believed Mu Lin would recruit teammates.

After all, with everyone striving harder, Mu Lin’s pressure would increase. To secure the top position, he needed to bolster his combat strength.

For a team, aside from enhancing the abilities of existing members, recruiting new members to increase numbers was also a viable method—especially since Mu Lin’s team wasn’t yet full.

Thus, several individuals who considered themselves talented were waiting for Mu Lin to announce recruitment.

To their dismay, however, Mu Lin had no such intention.

…

Absorbed in cultivation and overjoyed by his growing strength, Mu Lin remained largely unaware of the shifts in others’ attitudes toward him.

Returning to his room, Mu Lin didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he calmed his breathing, preparing for the advancement of his Substitute Paper Figure.

Then, amidst his preparations, Mu Lin suddenly realized that one of his cultivation methods had naturally advanced.

“Boom!”

In Mu Lin’s Mindscape, flames erupted, radiating boundless light.

Because he had introduced the Sky Burial Power into his Divine Soul, Mu Lin’s Mindscape was originally a stretch of gray.

This gray carried a sense of silence, a cold indifference of death.

But now, this silent gray was shattered. Blazing flames, like the sun, melted away the quiet gray.

(End of Chapter)