After a thousand years of cultivation, he returns at the pinnacle!

Chapter 22: The Cultivation Journey Begins!

Deep in the forest, Wang Kai sat beside Jiang Chen, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for knowledge as he stared intently at Jiang Chen.

"Don't look at me like that, it's creepy. In short, I can only teach you the basics first. How you develop from there will depend on your own efforts and talent."

"Okay, okay!"

Wang Kai immediately sat up straight, his back ramrod straight, a hundred times more attentive than when he was in class.

Looking at his appearance, Jiang Chen was momentarily reminded of his own appearance when he first entered the world of cultivation a thousand years ago.

Back then, I was also full of expectations and dreams for the future.

"Close your eyes." Jiang Chen's voice calmed down, carrying a calming power that made people unconsciously quiet down.

Wang Kai closed his eyes as instructed.

"Feel the energy within your body. Not just breathing, but a deeper, flowing sensation. It's very subtle, so subtle that you usually don't even notice it. But it definitely exists."

Wang Kai held his breath, trying hard to feel it.

One second, two seconds, ten seconds.

There was nothing there.

He started to get a little anxious, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Don't rush." ​​Jiang Chen's voice was like a basin of warm water poured over his anxious heart. "The more you rush, the less you'll feel. Relax, just pretend you're spacing out."

Wang Kai took a deep breath and slowly relaxed.

Time passed by, second by second.

The wind rustled through the leaves in the forest. The distant birdsong was faint, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on his face.

Suddenly, he sensed something!

It was an extremely faint, almost imperceptible warmth.

It's like the lingering warmth in your blankets during winter, or the coolness in your stomach after drinking a sip of cold water in summer.

It's inexplicable and inexplicable, but it's there nonetheless.

"Chen... Brother Chen!" Wang Kai suddenly opened his eyes, his voice trembling, "I... I think I felt it!"

Jiang Chen looked at him, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

So fast?

Although it is indeed easier for those with five elemental roots to sense spiritual energy than those with a single spiritual root, the concentration of spiritual energy in this world is shockingly low. He originally thought that Wang Kai would need at least a few days.

It seems this kid really does have some talent.

"Not bad." Jiang Chen nodded, his expression remaining calm, but Wang Kai was so excited he almost jumped up.

"So, will I be able to fly soon? And throw fireballs?"

"What are you thinking?" Jiang Chen poured cold water on your enthusiasm. "You've only sensed the existence of spiritual energy; you're far from truly drawing it into your body. Even if you successfully draw it in, it's only the most basic Foundation Establishment stage on the path of cultivation. Above Foundation Establishment are Qi Refining, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation, Body Integration, Mahayana, Tribulation Transcending... You're barely there!"

Wang Kai was dumbfounded: "So many levels?"

"What else did you think?" Jiang Chen said calmly. "The path of cultivation is inherently defying the heavens. Every step is fraught with difficulties and dangers, and only one in ten thousand can reach the summit."

Wang Kai was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily: "Brother Chen, I understand. I will take it one step at a time."

Jiang Chen looked at him, a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction in his eyes.

"Stretch out your hand."

Wang Kai did as instructed and extended his right hand.

Jiang Chen's fingertips touched his palm again. This time, Wang Kai felt a warm energy flow into his body through his arm, circulating slowly before finally settling in his dantian.

"Got it?" Jiang Chen withdrew his hand. "This is the route for spiritual energy to circulate in your body. From now on, circulate it along this route thirty-six times every day until the spiritual energy can circulate on its own."

"Got it!" Wang Kai nodded vigorously.

He wasn't a genius, but he wasn't stupid either. He had already memorized the direction of that aura.

"Alright, that's enough for today's lesson." Jiang Chen turned and walked out of the forest. "We can practice again when we get back. If we stay here too long, someone will come looking for us."

Wang Kai quickly followed, but after a few steps, he suddenly remembered something.

"Brother Chen, you still haven't told me how you acquired all these skills!"

Jiang Chen paused slightly, but did not turn around.

"You really want to know?"

"Of course I want to!" Wang Kai caught up with him and walked alongside him. "This is cultivation! It's something you only see in novels! How did you suddenly learn it?"

Jiang Chen remained silent for a moment.

"After I was hit by a car that day."

He spoke slowly, "I once thought I was going to die."

Wang Kai's breathing hitched slightly.

"and then?"

"Then, I saw another world."

Jiang Chen's voice was very soft, as if he were talking about something from a long time ago.

"That world is completely different from here. There are towering mountains, rushing rivers, burning stars, and enormous creatures that span the heavens and the earth. People there can fly on swords, summon wind and rain, shatter mountains with a single punch, and cleave rivers with a single sword."

Wang Kai's eyes widened in astonishment.

"I stayed in that world for a long time."

Jiang Chen didn't say a thousand years, he only said a long time.

"I thought I would never come back. But when I woke up, I found myself in the hospital, and only one night had passed."

He turned his head to look at Wang Kai, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Then I discovered that I had brought back the cultivation level from that world."

Wang Kai opened his mouth, unable to speak for a long time.

After a long pause, he finally managed to stammer, "This is so awesome!!"

Jiang Chen chuckled.

"So you mean, after you were hit by a car, not only did you survive, but you also gained a set of immortal cultivation skills for free?" Wang Kai became more and more excited as he spoke. "Doesn't that mean being hit by a car was a stroke of luck? Then I also..."

"You want to get hit by a car too?" Jiang Chen glanced at him sideways.

"Are you sure you'll go to the world of cultivation after you get hit, instead of going straight to see the King of Hell?"

Wang Kai immediately deflated: "Then let's forget about it..."

Wang Kai dared not gamble with this fate.

"So that's why." Jiang Chen patted his shoulder.

"Opportunities can't be forced. The fact that you met me is your opportunity."

Wang Kai thought for a moment and nodded heavily.

That's right.

Of all the students in the class, only Wang Kai remained by Jiang Chen's side after the Awakening Day.

What about the rest?

Those who used to fawn over Jiang Chen and call him "Brother Chen" now avoid him like the plague.

Those who once called Jiang Chen "human hope" now constantly refer to him as "trash" and "the world's first case."

And Liu Ruyan...

Upon hearing this name, Wang Kai subconsciously glanced at Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen's expression remained unchanged, as if this person had never existed.

Wang Kai wisely refrained from mentioning it.

The two walked out of the forest, and the scene before them was completely different from when they entered.

The once orderly training camp was now in complete chaos.

Several teachers were leading students in a headcount. Some were pale, some were sobbing quietly, and some were slumped on the ground, their legs weak.

Zhang Laibao stood in the center of the crowd, the scar on his face appearing particularly menacing in the setting sun. He was speaking in hushed tones to several teachers, his voice low, but everyone could sense the suppressed anger within him.

"Jiang Chen! Wang Kai!"

A sharp female voice rang out, and Ms. Chen, the teacher from Class 5, stumbled over, her eyes red and swollen. "Are you alright?! Where have you been?! I've been looking for you for ages!"

"Teacher Chen, we're fine," Wang Kai quickly said. "We just...we just took a walk around."

Wang Kai sounded a little guilty, but Teacher Chen didn't seem to notice anything amiss.

"Just taking a stroll?!" Teacher Chen's voice rose eight octaves.

"Do you even know how dangerous this place is?! Rank C monsters! Rank C! If anything happens to you, how am I supposed to explain this to the school?!"

"Teacher Chen," Jiang Chen said calmly, "aren't we doing fine?"

Teacher Chen was taken aback. Looking at Jiang Chen's calm face, she suddenly didn't know what to say.

Yes, they are doing well.

But...

Her gaze fell on Jiang Chen's clean school uniform, then she looked at Wang Kai's equally spotless clothes, and a strange sense of unease welled up inside her.

He walked out of a place where C-rank monsters roamed, without a single injury on his body, not even a speck of dust on him?

Is this reasonable?

But she didn't ask any more questions, only sighed, "Alright, it's good that you're back. Hurry up and get to the assembly point, Teacher Zhang is going to take attendance."

The two responded and headed towards the meeting point.

Jiang Chen and Wang Kai walked side by side to the assembly point of Class 5. Listening to the discussions around him, Jiang Chen learned more or less about what had happened.

The news of the appearance of the C-level magical beast has reached the school, and many teachers have been dispatched to the forest for rescue. This operation went wrong, which has put a lot of pressure on the school. If anyone dies as a result, there will be countless troubles.

As more and more people gathered at the meeting point, teachers from each class began to count the number of students.

There were noticeably fewer people in Class One. The teacher in charge had a livid face and was reporting something to Zhang Laibao.

After listening, Zhang Laibao remained silent for a few seconds, then suddenly turned around and strode towards the forest.

"Did you hear? Seven people are missing from Class One!"

"Zhou Minglang and the others haven't come out?"

"It's all over, it's definitely going to be a disaster..."

"Weren't the monsters in the training ground supposed to be all E-rank and D-rank? How come there are C-rank monsters?!"

"Who knows? Anyway, the school is in big trouble this time."

Jiang Chen listened to the surrounding discussions, his expression remaining unchanged. He found a relatively quiet place to sit down, leaned against a tree trunk, and closed his eyes to rest.

Wang Kai sat down next to him and asked in a low voice, "Brother Chen, do you think that if they went into the forest and saw the scene, what if...?"

"Yes." Jiang Chen replied calmly, his eyes closed.

"What is meant to be seen will be seen."

"Won't they suspect you?"

Jiang Chen opened his eyes, turned his head to glance at Wang Kai, and said, "So what if I have doubts?"

Wang Kai was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.

Yes, so what if we have doubts?

The Liu family, over two hundred members, vanished overnight, and the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs hasn't dared to lay a finger on Jiang Chen despite their investigation. Even if the school has suspicions, what can they do?

Thinking of this, Wang Kai's unease completely dissipated.

As darkness fell, the setting sun had completely sunk behind the distant mountains, leaving only the last faint crimson glow on the horizon.

Several illuminating crystals lit up the edge of the forest, illuminating the area.

Zhang Laibao stood at the front of the crowd, the scar on his face appearing particularly sharp under the light of the crystal. Behind him stood six teachers, all of them Awakened Beings of Rank B or higher, each with a solemn expression.

"Teacher Zhang," a middle-aged man wearing glasses rushed over; it was Director Liu from the Academic Affairs Office.

"The principal sent word that the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs is on its way. They're telling you not to act rashly and to wait until they arrive..."

"Wait?" Zhang Laibao turned his head, his gaze sharp as a knife. "There are seven students inside, nowhere to be found, dead or alive. You want me to wait?"

Director Liu took a step back under his gaze, but still forced himself to say, "But Teacher Zhang, what if that black-scaled wolf is still around?"

"So what if you are?" Zhang Laibao's voice was as cold and hard as iron. "When I, Zhang Laibao, was killing apostles on the front lines, you were still in school."

Director Liu's face turned pale and then red. He opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't dare to say anything more.

Zhang Laibao didn't take the mere C-rank monster seriously, but... this place was the academy's activity center, and the monsters inside were all low-level magical beasts kept in captivity. If something went wrong, there might be even bigger surprises to come. This was what made Zhang Laibao most nervous.

Zhang Laibao ignored him and turned to the six teachers behind him, saying, "The three of you come into the forest with me, and the other three stay outside to provide backup. Remember, stay alert once inside. If you encounter any monsters of rank C or higher, signal immediately. Don't try to fight them head-on."

"clear!"

"The others," Zhang Laibao's gaze swept over all the students and teachers present.

"Immediately organize the students to return to school. Not a single one should be missing!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion arose in the crowd.

"Can we go back now?"

"Great, I can finally walk..."

"Let's get out of here! I don't want to stay in this godforsaken place for another second!"

Teachers in each class began to organize their students to move towards the teleportation array.

Ms. Chen, the teacher from Class 5, hurried over and said to Jiang Chen and Wang Kai, "You two, hurry up and keep up, don't fall behind!"

"Okay, Teacher Chen." Wang Kai stood up and tugged at Jiang Chen's sleeve.

Jiang Chen stood up, took one last look in the direction of the forest, and then turned and followed the group toward the teleportation array.

The teleportation array lit up again, engulfing the first batch of students.

One group of people after another disappeared into the light, and fewer and fewer people remained on the playground.

When it was Class 5's turn, Jiang Chen and Wang Kai followed the team onto the platform. The runes beneath their feet lit up with a pale blue light, and space began to distort.

Just a second before the light was about to engulf everything, Jiang Chen slightly turned his head and glanced in the direction of the forest.

Hundreds of meters away, through layers of shadowy trees, his gaze seemed to pierce through everything.